Africa Travels

Zimbabwe continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Elections in 2008 saw the Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) win the majority in parliament and then, in September, successfully negotiate a power-sharing arrangement between President Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Sadly, since then, this agreement has constantly teetered on the brink of collapse. The ‘breadbasket of Africa’ is fast becoming a failed state. Millions of people are dependent on food aid, unemployment hovers around 80%, the inflation rate now stands at over 200,000,000% and many Zimbabweans, often the better educated, have been forced to flee. As if life couldn’t get any more difficult, a cholera outbreak that began in late 2008 has claimed thousands of victims and continues to worsen, spreading into surrounding countries.

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If you’re out to experience the ‘real’ Africa, Zambia is that diamond in the rough. The country boasts some of the continent’s best wildlife parks, and shares (with Zimbabwe) some of the region’s major highlights: Victoria Falls in Southwestern Zambia, Lake Kariba as well as Lower Zambezi National Park in Southeastern Zambia. It is also an angler’s dream, as fishermen hail from all over the world to try their luck on the mighty Zambezi River with the hopes of landing a toothy tigerfish or the rare, giant vundu. Avid birders also flock to Zambia to glimpse its fabulous diversity of birds, most notably Chaplin’s barbets.

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Uganda is Africa condensed, with the best of everything the continent has to offer packed into one small but stunning destination. Uganda is home to the highest mountain range in Africa, the Mountains of the Moon in the Rwenzori National Park. It is the source of the mighty Nile, and around Jinja offers the best white-water rafting in the world. It has the highest concentration of primates on earth, including the majestic mountain gorilla, one of the rarest animals on the planet. Head to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for a chance to get close to these great apes.

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Tunisia is one of Africa’s easiest destinations, a place where tourists almost outnumber the locals in high summer, and flock here for the golden sandy beaches, non-stop sunshine, and exoticism on tap. It’s a country where sand dunes peak like brushstrokes near Douz in the Sahara desert; the beautiful sun-bleached round houses of Jerba & Houmt Souq hide a multitude of ethnic groups, and the parched southern landscapes near Tozeur are contrasted with the sparkling water of the Mediterranean sea that frames Tunisia’s northern and eastern shores. The quiet beaches of the northern coast are a secret from package tourists sizzling on the heaving sandy stretches of Hammamet and Monastir. Star Wars film sets are crammed with tourist groups. The country’s capital, Tunis, is a gritty yet lively urban centre, where the walls of the medina get clogged by day visitors and shopkeepers keen to make a buck.

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Once regarded as the pearl of West Africa for its tranquil beaches, exotic markets and friendly people, Togo was overwhelmed by riots and human-rights abuses in the 1990s. Sadly the saga continues. When the despotic president Gnassingbé Eyadéma died in February 2005, and his son Faure Gnassingbé seized power, hundreds were killed in street battles and thousands fled the country. But with the new president gradually winning over the Togolese population, it’s a great time to check out tiny Togo’s hilly landscape, diverse cultures, yam-based dishes, and the football team that qualified for the 2006 World Cup.

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It’s easy to miss The Gambia on a map of mighty Africa. This tiny sliver of land is a mere 500km long and 50km wide, and, with the exception of an 80km shoreline, it’s entirely enveloped by Senegal. But beach-bound tourists have long known how to trace this oddly shaped country on the map. Its magnificent coast invites visitors to laze and linger, tempting with luxurious beach resorts and bustling fishing villages. But there’s more to Africa’s smallest country than sun and surf. Stunning nature reserves, such as Kiang West National Park and River Gambia National Park (also known as Baboon Island), and the historical slaving stations of St James Island and Jufureh offer peaceful pauses from the clamour of the nearby coast. And The Gambia’s vibrant culture is always there to be taken in by open-eyed visitors. Traditional wrestling matches regularly take place, the heaving markets of Banjul and Serekunda & the Atlantic Coast have you soaking up the atmosphere and sharpening your negotiation skills, and the striking performances of kora-strumming griots can be experienced during weddings, baptisms or public concerts.

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When many people think of Africa, they are actually thinking of Tanzania. It is here that some of the continent’s most vivid images come to life: snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, rhinos standing proud in Ngorongoro Crater and wildebeests’ hooves thundering over the Serengeti National Park. If for you Africa means hot, dusty afternoons ending in star-studded skies, or Indian Ocean breezes caressing the white sands and Swahili ruins of the Zanzibar Archipelago, then head straight for Tanzania.

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Swaziland might be among the smallest countries on the continent and one of Africa’s remaining monarchies, but there’s more than novelty value on offer here. You can almost feel South Africa’s undercurrents of tension fade away when you cross the border into friendly, easy-going ittle Swaziland, making it a relaxing stopover on the trip between Mozambique and South Africa. And it’s surprising how much there is to do here - the royal ceremonies, excellent wildlife reserves and superb scenery should be more than enough reason to come.

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Sudan is the largest, yet one of the least visited, countries in Africa. Although various ongoing conflicts mean much of this vast nation remains off limits, the northeast is one of the safest places in the world, and the easing of travel restrictions is opening up new swathes of territory to explore in the lovely south, where Africa transitions into the tropics. The pyramids and other ancient sites littering the northern deserts may pale compared to the best Egypt has on offer, but you can usually experience these without another person in sight – and this sense of discovery often repeats itself in the towns, too, since Sudan’s tourist trail is still no more than a trickle. And while the solitude is a top draw, visitors invariably agree that the Sudanese are among the friendliest and most hospitable people on earth, with a natural generosity that belies their poverty, and this alone makes any trip worthwhile. Whether you rush through on a Cairo to Cape Town trip, or spend a slow month soaking up the history and hospitality, visiting Sudan is an eye-opening and rewarding experience.

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It’s no wonder that South Africa draws more visitors than anywhere else in sub-Saharan Africa. World-class wildlife-watching, cosmopolitan cities like the great big beating heart of Johannesburg, stunning natural panoramas from Table Mountain National Park and vibrant cultures make the country appealing to almost every taste and budget. Geographically, its extremes include the arid semidesert of the Karoo, the snowcapped peaks of the Drakensberg Range, the lush subtropical coast of KwaZulu-Natal and the fertile temperate valleys of Western Cape. Within the space of a day, you can journey from vineyard-clad hillsides in the Western Cape to the vast open spaces of the Kalahari; from waterfront chic in Cape Town to isolated Zulu villages; from elephant-spotting in Kruger National Park to the sublime seascapes of the coast.

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