Anyone been to Africa?

[Nemo2]

Now this I'd love to see:

 

[Rianne]

Now this I'd love to see:

Doesn't get better than that!

 

[Texas Proud]

I just want to point out that Egypt is in Africa...



So yes, I have been to Africa...

 

[6miths]

Definitely would agree that Africa is not for people who need all of the creature comforts or who are averse to strong smells and wild traffic. That said, it is definitely a place to be experienced if one has the desire. Have lost count of the number of times I have been. First was to RSA in 1989 to work and it was wonderful. Experienced several reserves in the east and south and got some amazing pictures. Capetown and Garden Route also well worth it. I count Capetown as my favourite city. I am off to Malawi in two weeks. Long flights. Wonderful people.

 

[Nemo2]

I just want to point out that Egypt is in Africa...



So yes, I have been to Africa...

Oops...then I forgot to add Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco......(and a couple hours layover in Kampala, Uganda, in 1969).

 

[cbo111]

Haven't been yet, but am planning to within the next year as our big ER trip..

Looking at Tanzania as we've heard that's in many people's opinions the 'best' for game viewing. The Great Migration apparently only happens in Tanzania and Kenya, with a much smaller (20%) part of the time in Kenya.

Areas we're looking at are The Sergengeti (3 days?), Ngorongoro (2 days) and Tanangire (2-3 days).

Would love to hear of any experiences from anyone who's been to that part of Tanzania. I've spent dozens of hours reading on TripAdvisor also and am in the process of reaching out to local (Tanzanian-based) tour operators..

I did a Sergengeti, Ngorongoro, Tanangire, and a couple smaller parks about a decade ago. Loved them all. We stayed in nice lodges each night with good food. By the end of our 7-day driving safari, the only negative was the really bumpy, dusty roads. We drove 6+ hours a day to see lots of amazing animals, but in most of the parks, you are not allowed to exit the vehicle, lest you be eaten by a critter. The long drives started to wear on us by the end, but it was still wonderful.
If you decide to go, be sure and take a bunch of ball-point pens, pencils, and writing pads for the local kids. For some reason these things are highly valued and they really appreciate them.

 

[OldShooter]

... Sergengeti, Ngorongoro, Tanangire ... the only negative was the really bumpy, dusty roads. ...

Yes. Imagine the worst road you have ever been on. These are worse. Anyone with back problems that would be aggravated by a long, extremely rough ride should probably avoid this route, neat though it is. Our experience in southern Africa (RSA, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia) was that the roads were much better, even in the bush. Not sure why.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I did a Sergengeti, Ngorongoro, Tanangire, and a couple smaller parks about a decade ago. Loved them all. We stayed in nice lodges each night with good food. By the end of our 7-day driving safari, the only negative was the really bumpy, dusty roads. We drove 6+ hours a day to see lots of amazing animals, but in most of the parks, you are not allowed to exit the vehicle, lest you be eaten by a critter. The long drives started to wear on us by the end, but it was still wonderful.
If you decide to go, be sure and take a bunch of ball-point pens, pencils, and writing pads for the local kids. For some reason these things are highly valued and they really appreciate them.

Sounds very familiar! We did a slightly customized version of this itinerary with Good Earth Tours. I highly recommend them. One nice perk was that, because we were a party of four people, we had a jeep and guide to ourselves, so we could customize the tour however we wanted!

We wore a very high-percentage DEET and I wore clothes that have permethrin imbedded in the fabric, but it was the dry season, and I didn't see a single fly or mosquito. We also took Malarone, and got shots for polio, hep A & B, and our DTaP boosters.

 

[bushpilot]

If you decide to go, be sure and take a bunch of ball-point pens, pencils, and writing pads for the local kids. For some reason these things are highly valued and they really appreciate them.

Agreed. You can also barter used clothing (especially hats, sunglasses, and shoes) for handcrafted items in some areas.

 

[Nemo2]

If you decide to go, be sure and take a bunch of ball-point pens, pencils, and writing pads for the local kids. For some reason these things are highly valued and they really appreciate them.

Last time I was in Sri Lanka, (1985), my late wife & I rented a car.....any number of times we'd pull over on a 'deserted' road and the second the motor was switched off there were hands in the windows....kids asking for pens/pencils....I'm positive they just popped out of the ground!

 

[savory]

S. Africa Peace Corps Volunteer 2006-2008. During our (DW) service and before returning to the USA, we visited many countries Peace Corps style (buses, trains, boats, walking across borders, backpackers, etc). It was outstanding!!! I would not trade a minute of our time there for anything.

Let us know how much you loved it when you return.

 

[Cat-tirement]

Areas we're looking at are The Sergengeti (3 days?), Ngorongoro (2 days) and Tanangire (2-3 days).

Would love to hear of any experiences from anyone who's been to that part of Tanzania. I've spent dozens of hours reading on TripAdvisor also and am in the process of reaching out to local (Tanzanian-based) tour operators..

Back in 2007 we did a trip to Tanzania. The main objective was a climb of Kilimanjaro. We did a 9 day itinerary (7 up, 2 down) which I highly recommend over the more common 5-6 day trips. This allowed us to see more territory and made the altitude acclimation easier. The short trips can have as low as a 50% chance of summit success. Our group didn't do the usual very early morning ascent, and the timing was such that our group had the summit to ourselves for close to an hour.

Following that, we did a shorter driving safari itinerary that took us to Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire. We had pretty good success with our wildlife viewing and the "big 5", including a lion hunt, kill, and gory feast. It was only the two of us with our guide/driver, but we got to meet other folks in the camps. The camp at Tarangire was my favorite. It was inside the park, sleeping in large furnished canvas cabins (through which you could hear outside activity at night), and the bathroom was partially outdoors, with a 180 degree view from the throne.

 

[savory]

Part of your decision is to decide how you want to experience Africa. We thought the Ngorongoro, crater was the best place to get a great view of animals. But other posters visited places we did not see. We also love Zanzibar (amazing beach), Stone Town and Arusha.

The gorilla trek in Rwanda (you have other location choices) was an experience of a lifetime. And, we enjoyed Rwanda more than we expected.

My suggestion is don't make your trip totally about the safari. For example, S. Africa and Rwanda offer great history of horrible events. And other countries offer amazing landscapes and experiences. But you may need to go a bit out of your comfort zone if the tour guides don't offer a trip.

 

[samclem]

I am off to Malawi in two weeks. Long flights. Wonderful people.

I enjoyed Malawi very much. Some English is spoken there, so that was a help to me. Very friendly people. I was there for a couple of weeks, in Lilongwe and some rural spots around Lake Malawi. It was springtime and very lush.

 

[Bklyn55]

Would recommend any of the lodges at Madikwe Game Reserve. No malaria, so no nasty pills needed. Also, no need to take a small plane (one just crashed in Kenya and killed 5 tourists). Its a 3-4 hour drive from Johannesburg or Lanseria Airport. Big 5 as well as wild dogs. Highly recommend! PM me if you want more details.

 

[Scuba]

One suggestion - if your priority is seeing wildlife, go towards the end of dry season. The animals will be out looking for water. We went in September and saw loads of wildlife - lions, giraffes, elephants, waterbucks, buffalo, hippos, cheetah, gazelles, impala - just no rhinos for us. Lots of beautiful birds too!

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

One suggestion - if your priority is seeing wildlife, go towards the end of dry season. The animals will be out looking for water. We went in September and saw loads of wildlife - lions, giraffes, elephants, waterbucks, buffalo, hippos, cheetah, gazelles, impala - just no rhinos for us. Lots of beautiful birds too!

We managed to spot a gray rhino in Ngorongoro Crater in 2013:

 

[OldShooter]

We have seen rhinos in several places in the south, but not in Tanzania/Kenya. Here is an old boy in Matobo Park, Zimbabwe. This one is a bit special because we were on foot, not protected in a game drive vehicle. Note that his horns have been removed to reduce his attractiveness to poachers.

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Here is another, less pleasant image, from Matobo Park. Note the bullet hole in the skull and the missing horns.

They are not kidding about this:

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[Nemo2]

Masai Mara circa 1985, with the ever present Oxpeckers, (Tick Birds):

 

[Cut-Throat]

Serengeti - Tanzania

 

[Nemo2]

The rare & elusive two headed cheetah:

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Uh-oh. I just got a State Dept. travel advisory:

Exercise increased caution in Tanzania due to crime, terrorism, and targeting of LGBTI persons.

Violent crime, such as assault, sexual assault, express kidnapping, mugging, and carjacking, is common. Local police may lack the resources to respond effectively to serious crime.

Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Tanzania. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting embassies, police stations, mosques, and other places frequented by Westerners.

Members of the LGBTI community have been arrested, targeted, harassed, and/or charged with unrelated offenses. Individuals detained under suspicion of same-sex sexual conduct could be subject to forced anal examinations.

Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page.

 

[braumeister]

Uh-oh. I just got a State Dept. travel advisory:

Just my tuppence, but if I paid attention to every State Dept. travel advisory I read, I'd never come out from under my bed. Gotta take those things with some salt.

For example:

violent crimes do occur throughout the country, especially in urban areas. Visitors to large cities and popular tourist destinations should be aware that parked cars are regularly targeted for opportunistic smash-and-grab thefts, and they are cautioned to avoid leaving any unattended possessions in a vehicle, even in the trunk. Due to the high incidence of such crimes, motorists ... can be fined for leaving their car doors unlocked or for leaving valuables in view. Visitors should exercise precaution to safeguard their property.

But how worried would I actually be when driving in Canada?

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Just my tuppence, but if I paid attention to every State Dept. travel advisory I read, I'd never come out from under my bed. Gotta take those things with some salt.

For example:


But how worried would I actually be when driving in Canada?

Or walking or standing still in NYC?

But I was sad to see that, because Tanzania seemed relatively stable and welcoming back in 2013.

 

[Janet H]

Slightly off-topic...

Interesting listen about a perspective changing trip to Africa..