Your trip to Africa: instructions for use. Traveling in West Africa

On this journey, real adventures await you - the kind that you read about in books about brave discoverers and tireless seekers of beauty. During the trip you will find out what the secret is. Indian Ocean and get to know its inhabitants. Experience the culture of the African tribes and enjoy the local sunsets against the backdrop of the cosmically beautiful deserts of Namibia. Take a ride on a real safari and witness the hunt of the most dangerous predators on our planet. You can take a selfie with flamingos and spend time with the penguins on the ocean shore.

This is one of our most memorable and unpredictable routes.

What will we do on the tour

This trip is organized by a small group of up to 8 people and involves meeting and communicating with interesting people.

Here you will find many activities that are extreme (of course, all this is only optional).

Roadtrip is independent travel by car. It is considered one of the best options, as it gives you complete freedom of movement and creates a special atmosphere of the trip.

This format guarantees an unforgettable experience and allows you to see all the best and interesting places in a way that ordinary tourists will never see.

Gallery

Detailed program

How will the trip go

Day 1. Cape Town

Our journey begins in Cape Town (South Africa) with a warm dinner with the whole group.

Day 2. Cape Town

After an early breakfast, the group will split up: the bravest will go on a dive to the sharks, where they will be able to see the famous jaws at arm's length. For those who do not dare to do this, we suggest going to sightseeing tour through the city and climb Table Mountain, where a crazy view opens up. In the evening, everyone will visit wine farms, and after dinner we will have the opportunity to spend time in one of the best whiskeyteria in the country.

Day 3. Cape of Good Hope

Immediately after breakfast, we will go to that narrow piece of land, which points the African continent towards Antarctica. To the Cape of Good Hope. The transfer will pick you up right from the hotel, and already on the spot we will have a walking walk along the ocean coast, where we will have the opportunity to watch penguins and fur seals. In the evening you return to your hotel.

Day 4. Windhoek

We will get up early and fly to Windhoek. 3 hours of the way - and you are in the very big city Namibia. At the airport, you will pick up the vehicles that will continue your journey. A colorful road trip through Namibia awaits you to Sossusflei, where you will stop along the way to stroll through the desert dunes. In the evening after dinner, you will enjoy stunning views in the middle of the desert and a night at the lodges in anticipation of the most photogenic places on the planet.

Day 5. Sossusflei

You will meet the morning in the middle of the desert - as far as possible from civilization. We will go to national park where we will spend the whole day in the most picturesque desert dunes of Namibia. You will visit the Dead Valley, famous for the petrified camel acacia trees. See the most popular and most visited of the Namibian dunes - the famous dune # 45. In the evening we return to the lodges. Get ready - dinner will take place under the starry sky of your life.

Day 6-7. Sossufley - Swakopmund

Early breakfast - and back on the road. On the way to Swakopmund, we will stop at the Tropic of Scorpio and the Moon Valley, the landscapes here are very reminiscent of lunar craters and seas. Upon arrival in Swakopmund, leaving your belongings at the hotel, go to the museum of some of the largest crystals in the world, and then for dinner at the best restaurant in the city, which serves the freshest, morning catch, seafood. The next day you will have a trip to the Sandwich Dunes, a boat trip with the opportunity to see dolphins and an excursion to Walvis Bay. In the evening you have rest and free time.

Day 8. Himba

After an early breakfast, we set off for our adventure. We will walk along the Skeleton Coast to Cape Cross, where you will have the opportunity to walk along the coast in the company of fur seals. Next, we make our way to the village of the Himba tribe to see with our own eyes how the tribe lives, carefully keeping the traditions of their ancestors. How they get water, how they teach their children, how they react to changes in the vast world that surrounds them. After that you will be able to touch the distant history, you will have the opportunity to see the rock paintings of the Bushmen with your own eyes. In the evening, you will go to your hotel, where you will spend the night in the middle wildlife.

Day 9-10. Etosha Park and Irindi

The day we will spend in one of the largest national parks Namibia. Endangered animals can be seen in Etosha National Park. On the safari, which will take place in the evening of the same day, you can see herds of valley and mountain zebras, giraffes, blue wildebists, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jackals, long-eared foxes, warthogs, badgers, and earthen squirrels. The next day, in the morning, we will go to another unforgettable safari in Irindi. All the African Big Five animals that live in a relatively small area of ​​the reserve are waiting for you.

Day 11. Windhoek

Today you go to Windhoek Airport, rent your cars, say goodbye to all the participants and fly home happy, full of emotions.

Included in cost

• Accommodation in 3-4 * hotels, conveniently located along the entire route
• Air flight Cape Town-Windhoek
• Off road car rental in Namibia
• Russian-speaking escort along the entire route
• 2 days safari in Namibia
• Cape Good Hope
• Lion mountain
• Tribes of africa
• Transfers
• Boat trip to the dolphins
• Online logistics support
• Unforgettable adventures

Not included in the price

• International flight at the start of the trip and at the end of the trip
• Nutrition
• Fuel for a car in Namibia

Flights

Guest requirements

It is advisable to have a driver's license (but not required)

Additional services

Additional 2 days in Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls and Johannesburg

• Shark Diving | Price: 500 $

Travel Expert

This person created this route for you. Knows all the secrets and features of this journey, from start to finish.

Travel is his style of life. He has real love for active and extreme travel. Visited almost all continents.

Why are you going to Africa? People really did not understand why spend money on some incomprehensible Kenya and Tanzania, when the Dominican Republic, Maldives and Thailand had been opened, explored and equipped for a comfortable stay long ago. I would be glad not to reinvent the wheel, but I could not. I was brainwashed since childhood. And the BBC (in the sense of the British Broadcasting Corporation, not the Air Force) and Nikolai Drozdov are to blame for everything.

Photos and text by Yakov Oskanov1. Like many (I want to believe that I am not alone) boys of my childhood, I loved watching the TV program "In the world of animals." One of the programs showed a BBC film about the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. I tried to find this film on the net, yes, apparently, not destiny. I don't remember the content of the film at all. I only remember the final shots, where a herd of hippos in the early morning runs into the lake and the voice of Nikolai Nikolaevich: "The hippos are returning to their native element." If someone does not know, no one drove the hippos out of there, they just graze at night, and in the morning they hide from the heat into the water. But it was filmed so cool and edited with such pretentious music that it seemed as if the hippos had been wandering in the desert for twenty years and finally found their Promised Water.

I also remember my mother, sharing her impressions of the film with me and said that, perhaps, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro - real paradise for a zoologist. I still believe that all zoologists who behaved well during life end up in the Serengeti after death. And the most righteous are in Ngorongoro. In those years, I still dreamed of becoming (and dying) a zoologist, and therefore for me Tanzania began to personify the quintessence of everything unrealizable, wherever I wanted. I never became a zoologist, but Ngorongoro remained a beacon of childhood dreams in my stale adult soul.

1. We flew

The fact that I did not become a zoologist has its own advantages. The boring chores I do have earned me the money to travel to the blessed lands of the African savannah. Despite the fact that both Ngorongoro and Serengeti are in Tanzania, it was decided to visit Kenya as well. Firstly, because two countries are more interesting to visit than one, and secondly, rhinos. Yes, it didn't seem to you. I wrote exactly "rhinos". Someone loves sexy brunettes, someone DRC Romanée Conti Burgundy wine of 1934, someone a-la Lamborghini Aventador cars, but God made me fall in love with the thick-skinned megafauna of tropical countries. Those. I like all big animals. Not by the taste, of course, but by sight. And not in the sense in which people like sports cars, and certainly not in the sense in which men (and some women, however, too) like sexy brunettes. I just love watching these powerful giants. Africa is home to three animals that I wanted to see the most: elephant, rhino and hippopotamus. True, it turned out that during the time that has flown by since I watched that memorable program "In the world of animals", Africa has significantly run out of rhinos. In Tanzania, only black rhinos remained, and even then only a few. But it turned out that in Kenya there is a national park where white rhinos are bred. So what? That's right - we decided to add Kenya to our route. Moreover, a hundred miles is not a hook for a mad dog.

2. Great Rift Valley... It contains all the national parks of Kenya and Tanzania of interest to us.

3. I will note right away - not all of our company dreamed of looking at rhinos from childhood. For these people, I prepared a dessert - a beach holiday on the glorified Chukovsky Zanzibar. The sea, palm trees, sun loungers and freshly squeezed pineapple juice - this is the carrot that I had to hang in front of everyone who was not ready to endure a week-long race across the African savannahs. As a result, I got the following route, on the basis of which I plan to write a number of essays.

4. We arrived in Nairobi early in the morning, but did not enter the city itself. I didn't want to waste time looking at the city's landscapes. The first stop on our route was Lake Nakuru National Park. This is where white rhinos meet white people. By the way, this is a great place. We immediately fell in love with it, and we fell in love with it. We met the rhinos. And a bonus to them are the Rothschild giraffes and the leopard. The guide said we were lucky. We didn't argue.

6. On the way to the Masai Mara National Park, we stopped at Lake Naivasha. For bird-lovers, this place is definitely a godsend. I have not seen such an abundance of birds anywhere else. It seems that all water birds of the world flock to this lake in order to observe photographers in their natural environment (photographers). In two hours I ran out of stocks of flash cards, despite the fact that I deleted the bad pictures right on the spot.

8. Then we arrived at Masai Mara, and he charmed us. Unfortunately, our car broke down there, so the essay will contain a lot of reflections on boredom, loneliness and endless African steppes. I swore, threatened, asked, admonished - all in vain. The car was not repaired until evening. With animals in the national park it is much better than with mechanics and spare parts. This was the most unpleasant moment of our trip. If only because this day cannot be compensated in any way. The program was designed in such a way that it was necessary to move on. On the other hand, there is a motive to return to Masai Mara again. But we managed to shoot something.

9. What is the Masai Mara without the Masai?

Then we went to Tanzania. We crossed the border, got into a Tanzanian car, and headed for the Serengeti. Yes, the one where hippos run into their native element in the morning. What can I tell you? If you love nature even a little, then in the Serengeti you will be seized with sacred ecstasy, you can be sure. It is beautiful, very beautiful and the feeling of the beauty surrounding you is simply intoxicating. You find yourself inside the scenery for the cartoon "The Lion King". By the way, we even drove past the Pride Rock, from which we drew the rock on which the lions in the cartoon lived.

10. Met Pumbaa's wife.

11. They bent the wildebeest ...

12. You can bend this fig. Even the lions are afraid of him.

But the most indescribable impression of the trip is an overnight stay in the middle of the savannah. Campground, bonfire and wild savannah beyond the bounds of the bonfire circle. There are no reflections of distant cities, no noise, only stars, flames and sounds of nature.

13. Our camp. View from our tent.

14. Dawn in the savannah.

Then our path lay in Ngorongoro, but on the way we decided to call in the Olduvai gorge. The place is quite curious. And for anthropologists, and in general - a cult. The fact is that it is here, as he believes a large number of scientists, a branch of primates was formed, which later gave life to the species Homo sapiens, one of whose representatives is now writing these lines. Olduvai Gorge.

When we approached the edge of the Ngorongoro crater, we just swore with delight for about five minutes. Even those who went to Tanzania for the sake of Zanzibar. The scale of the titanic crater was amazing! We took some memorable photos and left for the hotel to spend the night. We spent the whole day in this wonderful place. For me personally, this was the culmination of the trip. Then the impressions followed the descending one. But that doesn't mean it was completely boring.

16. Panorama of the crater.

17. Typical landscape inside the crater.

18. Well, what about an essay about Africa without an elephant?

19. There is a small rainforest in the crater

20. Then we arrived in Arusha and flew to Zanzibar. The flight went without incident. And thank God! Flying adventures are not mine. On the glorious island of Zanzibar, I also had plans. If someone thinks that I can spend a whole week on the beach, then they are wrong. My maximum is two consecutive days of beach holidays. And then on condition that the beach is picturesque, or there will be a coral reef in shallow water, where you can swim with a mask, or rather in a mask. No, not in the Venetian carnival.

I honestly endured for two days, and then dragged the whole company to Stone Town - the only city in Zanzibar. I knew that this is an old colonial fort, which is a World Heritage Site and is protected by UNESCO. To be honest, it doesn't matter it is guarded. Everything entrusted to the Zanzibari cultural heritage- in a deplorable state. After Sri Lankan Galle, Stone Town seems like a dump. However, in some places it is really a trash heap. But colorful. Lovers of genre photography would be stuck in it like flies in molasses.

22. Zanzibar Shipyard.

23. Fish market.

There is also Prisoner's Island nearby. There have been no prisoners there for a long time, but there are giant turtles. In fair quantities. Available at arm's length. The highlight for me was, of course, the Jozani rainforest. Firstly, in principle, I do not often have to visit rainforest... And secondly, there you can take pictures of rare endemic colobus, or to be more precise - Kirk's red colobus. Colobuses (thank you, dear ones!) Did not disappoint and allowed themselves to be properly captured on camera. I wanted to persuade the others to go on a jungle night excursion (see nocturnal primates), but was amicably sent. I didn't want to go to the forest at night. If only because I have a rather expensive camera and lens with which it is unreasonable to hang around alone in wild places with a low standard of living.

24. Portrait of a colobus.

We are also going to see the mangrove forest. And they even swam to him. But we got stuck in the middle of the ocean. And even on a fragile boat, hollowed out in a solid tree trunk. It is worth a separate essay, especially since I made a video. There will be something to laugh at.

25. It is not surprising to run aground during low tide.

The days flew by quickly, I managed to dive with scuba diving, take pictures of the surrounding area, visit the famous restaurant "Rock". In the end, the beach vacation was frankly bored and I already wanted to go home.

26. The famous restaurant "The Rock".

27. I dreamed of quickly downloading photos to a computer and writing essays. Now my dream has come true. Honestly, now I feel a little devastated, because really didn’t want to go anywhere as much as to Tanzania. But that's okay. I will study the world, by the way, I haven't been to America at all. Neither North nor South.

Well, in the meantime, I will dream of hippos in their native element - in the Serengeti ...

We are so accustomed to European comfort and service that the thought of having to protect ourselves from deadly insects on vacation and carefully study local customs in order to return home unharmed is terrifying for travelers from big cities. Vladimir Churkin has traveled a dozen "decent" countries, but having visited Africa twice, he said that the impressions of meeting lions, elephants, flamingos, hyraxes and colobuses in their natural environment are worth all the hardships and dangers that await along the way.

Safety engineering

What do you need to know when going to Africa? The first and most important thing is to get vaccinated. In Africa, hardly anyone will ask you to show a certificate, but you need to do them for your own safety.

Vaccinations against yellow fever, tetanus and typhoid are imperative. But from the most dangerous diseases that can be picked up there, malaria and sleeping sickness, there are no vaccinations.

Therefore, having arrived, you need to look at the pharmacy with what drugs and antibiotics can cure sleeping sickness and malaria, and buy them right on the spot.

Just as not all malaria mosquitoes carry malaria, tsetse flies, which cause sleeping sickness, may not infect you. The three of us were bitten by flies, but fortunately everything worked out. Just be attentive to your well-being, because sleeping sickness at first is very similar to a cold.

By the way, in Africa it is not recommended to wear white and black: these colors attract tsetse flies. Better to wear something yellow, red or blue. It is also advisable not to wear flip-flops, but to walk in high army boots because of the abundance of snakes, scorpions and all kinds of unpleasant living creatures underfoot. Exception - tourist places where you can afford lighter clothing. Plan your route carefully, but at the same time be prepared for the fact that everything can go somersault if a car breaks down on the road, as it was with us. In Africa there is no winter and summer, there is a dry season and a rainy season. The most the best time for a trip - in the off-season, when there is a lot of greenery and animals. This is the end of February - March, or in the fall, in October-November.

About transport

We drove in a large company, took three jeeps without guides and escorts, and traveled around African countries on our own. I was pleasantly surprised by the uninterrupted cellular connection. Telephones worked everywhere, even in the most remote corners. Sometimes, however, the SMS service was not available, but this is not the most necessary option on the way.

For those who are driving for the first time and are afraid of extreme sports, you can take a car with a guide. In general, among those who travel to Africa, everyone, as a rule, is ready for the extreme. If a person has a love for strong emotions in his blood, then he will like Africa. If he is used to comfort and safety, then, definitely, it is better not to go there.

It is better not to move around Africa at night: if the nights are cold, numerous animals go to the road for the night to bask on the warm asphalt, so there are a lot of animals on the road. In the early morning, condensation accumulates on the asphalt, high humidity is created, which beckons the thirsty animals, they come to the road and drink from the puddles.

It is also difficult to see large animals on the road at night. An elephant, for example, is not visible at all, since the headlights of a car do not shine it. It can be seen only twenty meters away, as in the well-known phrase that the elephant is the easiest not to notice. By the way, a "kenguryatnik" is fixed on the bumper of all local trucks to mitigate the impact from a collision with an elephant.

It may happen that the car breaks down on the way. We lost almost a day while the locals were fixing the car, and in the end we had to go to the place of stay at night. This is dangerous not only because of animals, but also due to the fact that the movement in many African countries is not right-hand, but left-hand. And if you go to the right out of habit, you can get into the oncoming lane. Plus, local truck drivers like to use their high-beam headlights. I suspect this is either a strange feature of the local road greeting, or they warn of danger in this way.

About housing

The most convenient option is to book lodges, small houses with all the amenities, gathered together in a protected area. Along with this, lodges are also the most expensive type of housing, especially in national parks, where their cost can go up to $ 250 per night in a single room. In this case, you still have to pay to enter the national park.

Before the trip, we thoroughly researched all possible accommodation options, so the lodge where we stayed for $ 70 for two was more of a miracle.

On our second trip, we rented three jeeps with tents fixed on them, and slept only in tents, on campgrounds, the best of which are in South African countries - South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. You will have to pay about $ 100 to enter the territory of the campsites, while in cars it is impossible to sleep, and not at all because of the lack of amenities, but because of the strong hum of mosquitoes.

Just imagine - the squeak of one mosquito sometimes does not let you fall asleep, there are whole hordes of them right there. If you don't close the windows, you can suffocate.

About food

Perhaps the most striking gastronomic discovery with us happened in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, in one of the most famous restaurants in the world - Carnivore, famous for its meat dishes.

The menu there is more like a guide to a safari park: giraffe, antelope, wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, ostrich, buffalo, crocodile. In general, there is definitely nothing for vegetarians to do there. The kitchen is designed as an open hearth in the center of the establishment, making cooking a part of the attraction.

We tried crocodile meat there. Appearance and the smell is fish but the taste of chicken. In Kenya, back in the 70s, a ban on hunting was introduced, so the animals are specially bred on a ranch before being sent to the plates of sophisticated meat-eaters.

And also in Africa you can try "monkey brains". The name itself is terrible, but everything is much more harmless. This is just a fruit that looks like an orange, only of a larger size. In Namibia, a local trader sold these fruits by the road. At first we mistook them for oranges, but after breaking the hard shell, we found a viscous gray-brown mass resembling a brain. The contents tasted like baked apples. We have never met these fruits outside of Africa.

Actually, there were no particular problems with food: there are many shops on busy roads. It is better to take something that does not deteriorate for a long time. We only had a refrigerator in one of the cars. You should definitely buy as much drinking bottled water as possible. Local people are immune to water from springs, but tourists are better off not taking risks. Another interesting feature of the African continent: cola in stores is several times cheaper than usual drinking water... From our first trip, we arrived, gaining seven kilograms, because most often we drank cola.

About animals

Once in Africa, stay away from hippos - the continent's most dangerous animals. They can kill a person just like that, for no reason. If elephants can attack when they sense danger, then hippos, as territorial animals, can simply attack, barely seeing a stranger on their territory. They run very quickly, their sluggishness is only visible.

Once we stood and looked at the hippos, we were approached locals and asked for money. But as soon as one of the hippos turned around, they gave a tear.

I don't know the exact statistics, but in Africa, hippos are leading among animals that kill people.

Going on a photo safari national parks, be prepared that for trying to get out of the car you can be fined about 1000 dollars. You can lean out of the window, but you cannot get out of the car and step aside for your own safety. Wild animals are accustomed to cars, for them it is something inanimate, not dangerous and unsuitable for food. Man and machine are one. But as soon as the tourist moves away from the car, it turns into a snack.

Many tour operators offer hunting in Africa, but few know that tourists hunt lured animals. It's useless to hunt the wild there. Here, the locals involved in this business, the rangers, feed and tame the animals.

If you have 20 thousand dollars to spare, you can come and hunt for an elephant. In my opinion, all this is very mean and low, because these animals are actually domesticated. This is not a hunt where you need to hunt down prey, here animals just walk, not expecting any danger from a person. They don't expect to be shot. It's like killing a cat or a dog in the park.

For those who like to sleep, it is better not to go to Africa. To enjoy the local fauna, you need to get up before dawn. Only then can you find in one place all the most beautiful predators and their potential prey. So, for example, a group of zebras did not exactly coexist peacefully, but were at a dangerous distance from the lions. At the same time, both those and others saw each other, but did not make any attempts either to attack or escape.

We met hyenas, filmed their feisty faces. It turns out that hyenas attack only those who are shorter than them. That's why local tribes The Maasai put jugs on their heads or put on high hats on them.

Having traveled 8 countries of West Africa and having gained some knowledge about this region, I decided to collect general considerations about traveling around it in one place. In general, some of these theses will apply to the entire West and Central Africa, and some - and generally to the entire continent.

1. Let's be honest. Traveling in Africa, and especially along its western ledge, is, to put it mildly, not easy and strongly for an amateur. If you haven't been anywhere before, then Africa is definitely not the place to go. There are more than enough reasons for this.

2. I have visited the following countries: Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivoire. In one way or another, the content of this post applies to all these countries except Morocco - this is a state does not fit into the general African trend at all, being much more civilized, interesting and convenient for travel.Well, it is known that Morocco is Africa purely geographically.

3. Is Africa terrible? Yes Yes Yes! Almost any African population is not equipped in any way, and besides, it is overflowing with garbage and mud. A day walk in an African city is sometimes comparable in the amount of dirt and microbes received to a visit to a city dump somewhere in Europe, Russia, or Latin America. On average, it is necessary to wash here 1.5-2 times more often than in other parts of the world.

4. Household unsanitary conditions... If you do not have the opportunity to regularly wash and disinfect your hands (and in Africa you usually will not have it), then you are at risk. Insidious microbes are waiting for you.

5. Prices. Africa is a very expensive travel region. For an uninformed person, it will seem strange that poor countries, where 80% live below the poverty line, can be expensive, but everything is logical. Very little is produced here other than food (and food is often imported from Europe or neighboring afghan regions), and terrible logistics, nightmare roads, customs fees make most of the goods that we are used to, which are an integral part of our everyday life, insanely expensive.

6. Africa motto: "Long and poor quality! But expensive"... Be prepared for the fact that hotels, transport, catering and much more - this is the provision of shitty quality services at prices close to European ones. In principle, it is possible to find something decent (which will also not be without jambs), but prices will generally be cosmic.

7. Local population. Actually, I've heard the saying that "if you are not yet a racist, you just haven't been in Africa for a long time." I didn’t become a racist, I don’t care for the fact that all people are equal, but, frankly, Negroes are sometimes disastrous. His meticulous stinginess, tactlessness, laziness.

8. Everything in Africa is organized in an ugly, chaotic manner. Do not plan too many things in one day, you still will not have time to do them, or you will not be able to get them done. Always be prepared for delays and inconsistencies along your route, always put extra time on them.

9. About that, I already wrote. What was written related, however, mainly to the not entirely black Mauritania, but still. I will repeat the key thesis:

Africa is a difficult continent. Africa teaches you to be tolerant of dirt, teaches you to overcome your traditional physical aversion to many things, kills excessive disgust, leaving only cold prudence: can this or that thing really harm your health or not. But even this is not the main thing ... Africa constantly puts before you the question: who you really are, and forces you to prove your convictions in practice.

And now I will add the following. White by definition, a rich snickering mister, a bag of money, who is obliged to share with poor blacks for every sneeze. You come across deceptions, overpricing, begging, and selling any unnecessary things and services here several times more often than in all other countries of the 3rd world.

10. Naturally, representatives of official services (police, border guards) are also prone to the same extortion of money, sometimes active, sometimes cautious (but here I was lucky, I only came across this a couple of times). Ordinary citizens will just want money, for example, for the fact that you photograph them, but children - just for the fact that you met them.

11. Is Africa dangerous? Yes Yes Yes! The list of problems that can occur here is incomparable with any other country. The main danger, perhaps, is tropical diseases, primarily malaria.

12. In fact, this is not a question to joke with. Almost all of Africa is "infected" (with the exception of the extreme south and north). But malaria has different forms and levels of spread. In West Africa, the most terrible form of Plasmodium Falciparum is widespread, from which you can die within a few days if you do not start treatment on time. Therefore, you have to constantly think about protecting yourself from mosquitoes that carry malaria!

13. It might not be so scary if malaria were the only natural danger in Africa. But alas, all sorts of nasty things here are more than full: ebola, hepatitis, dysentery. However, the real danger of Ebola, I think, is greatly exaggerated, the chance of encountering it is minimal (it is common only in the Guinea region), but everything else may well happen if you do not take precautions. I'm not yet talking about AIDS and any sexually transmitted diseases (but this is true for those who love all sorts of adventures in local representatives of the opposite sex). Yes, it's quite possible to get poisoned by low-quality food here.

14. Another problem is man-made. Africa is the most troubled continent in terms of all political pertrubations. Coups d'état, civil wars, separatism, rebels are here in every other country. Of course, the real danger of being hit by a firefight is minimal: most likely, if, suddenly, and there is a civil war, you will find out about it, and simply will not go to this country. But all this translates into heightened suspicion of the special services, espionophobia, document checks, brain-outs for photographing something "strategic".

15. But. The main thing, nevertheless, is not this. All these difficulties could be experienced if it were for what. And here we come to the main problem: there is not much to watch in West Africa!

16. Let's take a closer look at this point. In principle, there are no interesting cities in Africa outside the northern Arab countries! Well, that is, how, of course, there is something, the same Dakar is something interesting, and even in the provincial Ouagadougou you can find a lot of interesting things, a number of cities with colonial buildings can be found all over the mainland. But these are clearly not the cities for which it is worth going there, it is worth it, perhaps, in passing, if you happen to be in those parts.

17. Ancient ruins are found, and it is here, in West Africa! Something is even listed by UNESCO. But, objectively, there are not very many of them, and even now a significant part of them are located in territories controlled by the rebels.

18. Nature. This is, perhaps, the main thing for which people generally go to Africa. But here, too, there is an ambush. Firstly, the most interesting nature, nevertheless, is in East Africa, and partly in South Africa. In the west, everything is much sadder and more monotonous. And, secondly, no matter how interesting places are located in the territories of national parks, where entrance costs space money, access is possible only by transport, with a guide, etc.

19. It’s so logical: since the rich white misteries are willing to pay dofig money for safari, then why not take it from them. The fact that not all whites are equally rich does not occur to Africans, especially since the poor hardly ever get there (although, I suppose, even if it came to them, little would have changed).

20. In West Africa, you can, if you wish, see elephants, crocodiles, lions, hippos and monkeys. Well, that is, the very animals with which Africa has been associated since childhood. But for this you will have to spend a lot of time and, especially, money, without any guarantee that you will meet the animals you are looking for. Let us multiply the equation for the quality of African service, which in this case cannot be avoided in any way (situations are quite real when lazy guides will lie and smoke bamboo for half of the paid time) and calculate the ratio of costs to the impressions received.

21. In general, the problem of the availability of wildlife in Africa is quite acute. I think that it is worthwhile to attend to the development of a technology for penetrating national parks bypassing posts and imposed guides, or minimizing their harm. Here, however, you automatically face the problem of transport, which also needs to be solved somehow. Because even if a visit to the national park is not prohibited without it, this does not negate the need to move across a rather vast territory. How? There is no public transport there, of course, walking is very long, difficult and ineffective. Well, you have to get to the park itself somehow, but they are always away from civilization. In West Africa, for example, the entrance fees themselves are not very high, but the main costs will be on guides and transport.

22. However, West African parks are considered less interesting than East African ones. There are fewer animals here, it is more difficult to meet him, only they are cheaper, the only advantage. I have never been to any national park (except, perhaps, Abuko Park in Gambia, but it's tiny, you can completely bypass it in an hour). Although, probably, for the sake of scientific knowledge, it would be worth visiting some of them.

23. What to say, West Africa is not a region where you want to visit a second time... This does not mean that you regret the first, on the contrary, it is very interesting to see all this. So from 8 countries the desire to come again caused only two, and the first and the last: Morocco and Cote D'Ivoire. I wrote about Morocco, and Cote D'Ivoire beckons that I never saw its capital, Yamoussoukro, with the largest temple in the world. And, in general, it is somehow more positive there than in other countries.

24. In general, of course, it is even convenient. In fact, I liked the vast majority of countries before, and I would come to almost all of them again. But this is not so easy, especially if they are far away! But there are also unvisited countries, of which there are even more. It turns out that the process is generally endless, and almost the whole world will always be in sight. And then, finally, countries appear where you no longer need to go.

25. Another such moment. In African countries, there are no cool "chips". Well, just what, when you return, you get nostalgia for the country. Some special food, drinks, institutions, some aesthetic moments like carpets, local music. In most countries of the world, these chips are: falafels in the Middle East, lagman and pilaf in Central Asia, tajin in Morocco, hamams in Turkey, teahouses in China, meat in Mongolia, mate in Argentina, salsa and tango in the same place, samba and other groovy pop music in Brazil, etc. Well, that is, not necessarily food, but such pleasant little things that are an integral part of everyday life, which you always remember with such warmth, and if you find yourself in the country, you always go after them first. And here in Africa there is nothing like that! Life here is as simple and primitive as possible. The food, in principle, is not very tasty and quite expensive, from drinks instant coffee and tea in hundred-gram cups, the music is generally primitive and disgusting here - disgusting dull pop-fiction, and playing Afro-drums are rare and, in general, difficult to perceive. Therefore, there is nothing left to miss here on returning home.

27.
- If you are sensitive to dirt, poor living conditions, terrible service, if comfort and coziness are important to you, do not go to West Africa!
- If travel is for you in the first place, these are interesting cities with a rich cultural program, do not go to West Africa.
- If you are a travel lover beautiful nature: walking in the mountains, rafting on rivers, wandering in the jungle - do not go to West Africa (the jungle, however, is still in a reduced form in the countries of the Gulf of Guinea).
- If you like relaxed travel, rest and downshifting, wallowing on the beach, then do not go to Africa in principle (in any!). Although, objectively speaking, there are enough European downshifters even in West African countries.

28. But who should really go to ZA is
- lovers of all sorts of rare semi-wild peoples.
- admirers of the proletarian, rural and very simple life, who do not turn away with comfort.
- geographers, geoproctologists and "collectors" of countries.
- adventurers, adventurers, everything new and unusual.

29. But still, I feel that my story turned out to be completely gloomy, that it is some kind of ass of the world, so one cannot but highlight the positive aspects of African reality. The main thing is that, in spite of everything, it is quite possible to travel here! It's not so trashy, awful, impossible to live here. There are numerous everyday difficulties, but, in general, something that would require some incredible heroism is not here. Perhaps it is in Central Africa. And then, you go yourself and go.

30. Security. This is a very pleasant aspect, especially for those traveling in Latin America. Indeed, most African countries are quite calm and peaceful. Yes, you will be bothered with requests and begging for money, but violent cases of their taking away are extremely rare here. And outside major cities like Cape Town, Lagos or Nairobi, it is quite calm here. Even in Dakar and Abidjan, you feel much calmer than, say, in Rio or Medellin. In other places, in general, you can safely walk through all sorts of homeless slums without fear of racking up any problems there.

31. Coloring... That's what, and this is at least "well .. eat." The reality here is so bright and varied that it completely compensates for the absence of any interesting objects. These are aunts in all sorts of Afro-dresses, carrying giant bales on their heads, and minibuses hung with all sorts of bags on three sides, or with goats on the roofs, and markets, where sometimes real Babylon reigns, and donkeys with rams grazing in front of elite hotels. In Africa, you will often sing the song "I know for sure: the impossible is possible."

32. In Africa, elements of any ancient tribal cultures have been preserved, here you can really see any ancient tribal rituals, moreover, conducted not for the amusement of tourists, but according to traditions. Or simply, even all sorts of dances or holidays in the countryside is already something unique in itself that you will never forget.

33. Rites and holidays By the way, this is the second good reason to go to Africa in principle. But here, as well as with national parks, everything is very difficult and there are many pitfalls. Firstly, in order to get to a wedding, holiday or ceremony, you need to know where and when they take place, and then somehow get there. In cities, of course, you will not find such brightness, although anything can happen, interesting weddings are also held on the outskirts. Secondly, it is advisable to make sure that this is a real ceremony, and not a show for tourists, under which they sometimes mow. The problem is that the line between the first and second categories is very blurred, they can be dealt with by the same people in different time, and sometimes the presence of a tourist can stimulate just to spend it earlier (naturally, financially). Those. they would have done it anyway, but not when you arrived, but in a week or two. And now it is not clear how to relate to this - on the one hand, everything seems to be authentic all the same, on the other, you brought your influence into the existence of this society and somewhat violated its usual way of life. In general, be that as it may, but such a study of African ethnography will require a gigantic preliminary preparation. Most are unlikely to bother with this, and then we can only hope that they will be lucky to meet something like that by chance, as it happened in my Gambia.

34. And so the aforementioned flavor of ordinary life, it is very impressive. I’m even afraid that after what I saw here, there will be nothing special about it. Already in Latin America and in the Middle East, it is much less pronounced.

35. But over time you get used to it. And then, taking into account all the negative aspects described above, it becomes really boring and dreary if you don't find and do anything interesting. So it happened to me by the end of the trip, when Africa really got sick, I really wanted to go home. Because for a month already it was practically the same thing.

36. Unpredictability and adventure... Be that as it may, no matter how you went to Africa (whether civilized, whether wild), whatever you focus your attention on (cities or national parks), your trip will be filled with surprises, surprises, pleasant and not very, but definitely an integral part of the journey.

And in general?

37. Well, you’re probably asking: didn’t you like it? Why then go to this hole in the world at all? I will say that, in principle, I try not to operate with the “like” / “dislike” categories. In any case, they are not determinative. Everything is interesting to me, but not necessarily it will be pleasant. I am interested in life in Argentina, I go there and I like it there. I am interested in life in Mali, I go there and, for example, I do not like it there, but I have already received knowledge about Mali, and this is enough for me.

38. Will I still go to Africa, and in particular to West Africa? Yes I would like to. I probably won't waste time on the countries I have visited, but there are still many others left: Guinea, Liberia, Togo-Benin, Niger, etc. It would be interesting to see them too, and the experience of traveling around the region will allow me to better prepare for these countries.

39. I heard from my colleague Alexander Volkov ( wolfgrel ) the thesis that Africa does not leave anyone indifferent. Only some, having arrived here, turn up their nose and swear that "not a foot anymore", while others simply go crazy about this continent, rave about it, and they are drawn and drawn to return to Africa again. Apparently I am a rare person who found myself in the middle and my attitude here is quite moderate: I am not going to go crazy about Africa, but I would like to come here somehow, and more than once. However, it is absolutely true that Africa did not leave me indifferent. In terms of the power of impressions, this journey rewinds most of the previous ones. Just math expectation of aspects influencing the desire to come again a little above zero somewhere :)

40. Whatever you say, Africa evokes a lot of emotions, Africa is a constant drama. It may be hard, disgusting, disgusting for you here, but it won't be boring for sure, well, at least for the first time. Therefore, if you are able to experience all the difficulties it contains, and also if this particular emotional aspect of the journey is important to you first of all, you will definitely not regret that you have come here.

Africa is the second most populous continent, more than 1.1 billion people live here: a huge number of nationalities, languages ​​and cultures. Among the conflict and poor countries, there are also quite peaceful, safe and interesting for tourists. Many travelers are familiar with countries such as South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt. And we will tell you about where you can have a pleasant time south of the Sahara in this article.

1.

Perhaps the most unexpected state on this list is Sierra Leone, which not so long ago was torn apart by a civil war for ten years. However, since 2002, significant changes have taken place in Sierra Leone and today it is already ranked among the peace-loving countries according to the Global Security Index (GPI). Sierra Leone is considered one of the most religiously tolerant states in the world, and life expectancy local population is 57 years old, which is not bad by African standards.

Sierra Leone has many beautiful nature reserves such as the Gala rainforest or Autamba-Kilimi National Park, clean beaches on the Atlantic coast, and its capital Freetown is oldest city in West Africa.

2.

Leader in security on the African continent. Is this due to the fact that peace and tranquility are one of the main features of both the Tswana people and the Bushmen, or is it due to the fact that the Botswana people understand the economic contribution that tourists make, but one way or another it is very low level crime.

True, no one promises that baboons will not attack you, so during the safari it is recommended not to feed these warlike monkeys and not even smile at them. In general, there are a lot of animals in Botswana; for example, it is home to the largest elephant population in the world.

One of the popular tourist attractions, along with a safari to the Kalahari desert and visits to national parks, has been the search for ancient treasures hidden from the colonialists in the Gchvihaba caves since the 30s of the last century. Until now, no one has found the treasure, but the caves themselves with amazing stalactites up to 10 meters long are worth going to the north of the country for them.

3.

In 2008, Ghana was ranked by the Global Security Index as the most safe country Africa and has been at the top of this ranking ever since. Internal conflicts are rare in the country and it has peaceful relations with its neighbors. Tourists are very friendly here and speak English - this is the official language of Ghana.

Here you can visit numerous reserves with elephants, antelopes, monkeys and other exotic animals, visit the ruins of the castles and fortresses of Cape Post and Elmina, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and spend time on clean, uncrowded beaches.

4.

This country in Southwest Africa is an oasis of stability and security on a turbulent black continent. It was discovered quite late (in 1878) by Europeans, quickly emerged from all internal and external conflicts and is now one of the richest African countries.

Here is the most ancient desert on earth - Namib, the legendary Skeleton Coast, many national parks, the site of the fall of the largest Hob meteorite, the second largest after the Colorado Canyon, and much more.
Do not miss:

Namibia has good highways, and the tourist train The Desert Express runs between the capital Windhoek and the resort town of Swakopmund, making stops along the way at particularly noteworthy places.

5.

Uganda is considered a safe country for foreigners by both GPI and public tourism opinion. Perhaps this is due to the fact that it is not customary here for merchants and barkers to pester people, possibly due to the fact that the share of the urban population in the country is only 13%, and the main attractions are not located in villages.

Tourists in Uganda have a lot to see: one of the oldest in Africa, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Botanical Garden Entebbe, where the first film about Tarzan was filmed, the Rwenzori mountain range - most likely they were called the Mountains of the Moon by the ancient Egyptians. They go in for sailing on Lake Victoria and rafting on the Nile, which originates in Uganda.

If the locals here do not cause much trouble to tourists, then you need to be careful with animals, especially if you see an elephant with a baby elephant. By the way, Uganda is located on the main migratory route of northern birds: eagles, cuckoos, swallows, kites and many of our usual birds winter here.

6.

Cape Verde or Islands Cape Verde- an archipelago off the west coast of Africa. Calmness, serenity, relative cleanliness and an acceptable level of service (European companies are investing in local tourism) await tourists here, in the homeland of the famous singer Cesaria Evora.

The islands have enough picturesque landscapes: extinct volcanoes, mountain ranges where you can go trekking, flowering meadows where you just need to walk. But the main feature of Cape Verde is, of course, the ocean - it is used at full capacity: from beaches with black volcanic sand, continuing diving to shipwrecks and ending with windsurfing, schools of which are on every island, but the island of Sal is especially famous for them.

7.

8.

The inhabitants of Tanzania are friendly and smiling, but, as elsewhere, travelers should not lose their vigilance - there are enough robbers here. But in Tanzania, there are still many tourists who come here without fear. Here, in the homeland of Freddie Mercury, there is something to see.

First, the volcano Kilimanjaro, to the top of which there are numerous hiking trails. Secondly, the island of Zanzibar - resort place, where the most beautiful Stone Town, founded by the Arabs back in the 9th century, is located. From here they go on spice tours, during which you can cut cinnamon and taste unfamiliar spices. Thirdly, the famous Serengeti National Park, which occupies a huge area and where more than three million large wild animals live.

Fourth, the Ngorongoro Biosphere Reserve, located in a colossal (21 km in diameter) crater extinct volcano... It is home to about 25 thousand different animals and has the highest concentration of predators in all of Africa.

9.

Madagascar is a separate continent in miniature: it is so unlike Africa or any other place on earth. There are amazing landscapes here, and 80% of the living animals and plants are not found anywhere else.

There are many natural parks and protected areas on the island. The largest reserve is Tsingy de Bemaraha, which, like many others, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The country is rich beautiful beaches; traditionally it is believed that swimming in west coast safer - there are fewer sharks.
Take a look at this:

10.

Zimbabwe is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa: it is here, on the border with Zambia, that the famous Victoria Falls is located. In Zambia, by the way, there are fewer tourists, so those who prefer a more secluded environment are recommended to admire the miracle of nature there.
This is definitely worth seeing:

In Zimbabwe, the nature conservation structure works very well and there are unusually many animals here, even for Africa, therefore hunting is allowed in some places (almost everywhere on the continent it is already prohibited).

In addition to countless national parks, there is also a unique historical site - the stone ruins of Greater Zimbabwe: a pagan temple complex built over a thousand years ago.

Tourists who are going on a trip to Africa must do all the vaccinations, a list of them is usually available on the embassies' website. Even in those countries where vaccination is not required for travel, you need to take antimalarial pills, and start taking them even before the trip. It is strictly forbidden to use raw water even for brushing your teeth.

Going on a trip? Don't forget about