OT: Africa (and not the Toto song)

[Jay-Bone]

@Kitaman just put me on to this in his Boston hotel thread mentioning Africa. My mom and I are looking to go to Africa this year. Anyone have any good tips for where and when to go? Would probably be about a 2 week trip so would have to hone in on a few locations. Safari is a must. My mom is 72 and fairly mobile for her age, but won't be scaling mountains.

 

[UConnStats]

You lost me at "not the Toto". Maybe the best karaoke song of all time.

 

[Adios]

There's loads of places in Africa worth visiting and I've never been there. I'd focus on north Africa (Casablanca, Cairo) for a week and then a safari in a national forest for a week. There's definitely cities worth hanging out in sub-Saharan Africa but the wealthiest of those cities would in South Africa.

 

[Kitaman]

I've only been to Nigeria for business several times. You might want to check out AARP site for tips and advice considering your mother's age. They may also suggest a travel agent (I think they have their own) to help you including VISAs. Africa ain't like Europe, so you certainly want someone with travel experience to work with you. Don't go by online review sites too much because with Africa you have to have a level of tolerance and non USA expectations.

Its a beautiful country with scenic and untouched sites. The 'natives' are very friendly, helpful and accommodating, a lot different than us.

As for safety, well Newark NJ, Compton CA, Detroit, Philly, Miami, etc.. are probably even more dangerous. So don't go by that 'talk' too much by that either.

 

[tcf15]

You lost me at "not the Toto". Maybe the best karaoke song of all time.

Now I'm gonna be whistling this song all day long.

 

[storrsroars]

One thing to do in Harar, Ethiopia is to attend a traditional coffee ceremony, then go chew on some khat, find a stick, put it in your mouth with a piece of camel meat at the end and wait for the hyenas to show up.

I'm not kidding. It's a thing. It should be on your mom's bucket list

 

[UConnStats]

Now I'm gonna be whistling this song all day long.

One of my buddies from UConn used to always randomly sing the line, "Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti" and it is just burned into my head forever. So enjoy

 

[BUHusky]

Did a 1 week safari all over Kenya with my immediate and extended family when I was a newly minted teenager (about 20 years ago...) and even though I've been all over the world since then (34 countries), that still ranks as one of the best trips I've ever done. We spent a lot of time in Jeeps so if your mom is ok with long periods of sitting and bumpy terrain she should be fine. Also, visiting a Maasai village was an incredible experience.

The best time to go is during the migration between Maasai Mara (Kenya) and the Serengeti (Tanzania) which starts in July and peaks August-October. We were there in late August and there was a ton of game everywhere.

Lately, I've been eyeing a potential backpacking trip to South Africa, but haven't pulled the trigger just yet.

 

[Jay-Bone]

Did anyone bless the rain while they were there?

Seriously though, any must see sites (other than the pyramids), Serengeti / Lake Victoria, Kilimanjaro, Victoria falls, Cape Town? Was wondering if there was something like a tourist train too. Like an on-land cruise.

 

[husky99]

I sailed the Nile for 10 days in the late 90s. Amazing. Not safe as it was back then. Dictators great for tourism

 

[John]

where's the best pizza in Africa? Or should that be a new thread?

 

[Mots010]

I did Tanzania 10 years ago. Climbed Kilimanjaro and did a 4 or 5 day safari. We hired a moderately priced local outfitter for everything, although fresh out of college, we were pretty poor at the time. Higher end outfitters will provide some nice amenities, like 1st class hotels, fine dining etc. We stayed in tents on the safari. If you have the money, I think heading out to the Serengeti during the great migration would be worth it. Serengeti trips were typically a bit longer and bit more expensive. I hear Zanzibar is great as well, although I just googled, and noticed they're in the middle of a cholera outbreak. Yikes!

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I've only been to Nigeria and Ivory Coast. Nigeria, i'd have to recommend not going there personally. Maybe its because my in-laws are Nigerian but they have a way about them that frustrates me to no end. Its a cultural thing that just drives me crazy and has alot to do why they struggle so much as a country (just my personal opinion). Safety is subjective. definitely is nice to be there with people who know where and where not to go and what and what not to do. more over being an american (or foreigner, black or white) you stick out like a sore thumb and there are people that pray off of that. Again, its nice to be with people who are in the know when in Nigeria, especially the further away from a major city (like Lagos). When i was somewhere like the Delta i felt significantly more at risk (whoever i lived).

Ivory Coast is a lot nicer than Nigeria to me. Better infrastructure and just ahead of Nigeria from what i saw. Feels a lot safer, but still felt uneasy walking the streets as people gave me an extra long look because i stick out being American. When i was in downtown Abidjan i felt pretty safe though... Although a few days after I left there was a mass shooting at grand bassam in Ivory Coast, which we were actually planning to go to. However a week after I left Brussells we all saw what happened there. In today's times that could happen anywhere. Also i'm pretty sure there are safari's in Ivory Coast that you can do ( i havent done any yet though).

I personally would really like to visit Tunisia or Morocco.

 

[Peacefrog]

I've been to South Africa about a dozen times and highly recommend it depending on your interests. Fly to Jo'burg to make your way to most of the best game reserves. Kruger is the biggest and best known but there are plenty of other good ones (Pilanesburg, Entabeni, Sabi Sands are others I have been to). Not really much to do in Jo'burg itself and it can be a bit dangerous.

Cape Town is a beautiful city with lots to do. It's also close to the beautiful wine country in Stellennosch, Franschoek, Paarl, Tulbaugh. All of those are nice little towns as well. The SA wine country is far more scenic than CAlifornia in my opinion. There is plenty of very good wine and its dirt cheap over there. Check the price for a SA wine in the US and you will pay 1/3 to 1/4 that amount in country. Lodging and food is pretty cheap too and the exchange rate is amazing right now. Oh, and unlike Napa the tastings are free and you are generally served at a table.

You can go east from Cape Town along the coast to Hermanus. If you go in October it is perhaps the top whale watching spot on earth. They are plentiful and some are just 100-200 yards offshore. There are great whale watching boats but you can just watch from the cliffs too. You can do great white shark cage diving here too and nearby in Bettys Baai is the largest remaining SA penguin colony. Go at dusk when they return from a day of fishing. Hundreds will waddle right past you to their nighttime nest.

The hotel in Sun City is pretty cool and there is a casino and some great Gary Player golf courses there.

 

[storrsroars]

where's the best pizza in Africa? Or should that be a new thread?

Might want to start here.

 

[Fishy]

I sailed the Nile for 10 days in the late 90s. Amazing. Not safe as it was back then. Dictators great for tourism

This is perhaps the greatest travel blurb I have ever read.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Peacefrog gave good advice. I spent months traveling in South Africa and quite a bit of time livin in Namibia in the late 90's. Namibia is remote and amazing. Sussasvlei, Etosha game reserve, Fish River Canyon, etc, etc. I loved it there. If I was traveling with a 72 year old I would look in to a tour company that hits multiple locations in RSA and Namibia. Wish I could recommend one but we did it on our own. The animal migration in Kenya is also pretty unreal.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Are you going in search of some old, forgotten words or ancient melodies? Another piece of advice: pretty sure the only flights into Africa depart at 12:30, so just plan accordingly.

 

[August_West]

where's the best pizza in Africa? Or should that be a new thread?

Lucios

 

[boba]

Rwanda, gorillas best darn vacation ever. Your mother needs only to walk on forest path to see something few ever see.
We used SITA, but there are cheaper companies.

 

[cordarone]

yourafricansafari.com offers aggregated reviews of safari operators and game parks.
Am planning (dreaming?) on doing one of these on hitting the big 5-0, in a couple of years.
Never too early to plan, eh?

 

[arch]

Want to see lots of animals?
Serengeti is a great choice. Masai Mara in Kenya and/or Serengeti in Tanzania are great for game. Unless you pay a pretty penny you won't be allowed off road in these National Parks. Result is you might not get to see carnivores in action.

Want to get up close and personal?
Botswana has a number of private reserves and lions and leopards abound. First night in country we witnessed three males lions take down a Cape buffalo. Later we were charged by several elephants (false charges of course). Okavango and Linyanti reserve were great experiences. Namibia has excellent rhino viewing and some amazing desert geology.

Want to spend a fortune?
I don't so I can't help much but Sabi Sands concession, ajacent to Kruger NP,has a number of private reserves that offer spectacular wildlife viewing (Londolozi, Singita, Sabi Sabi and many others). As others have mentioned, Capetown is pretty cool place to visit and chill out after a few days on safari.

We're in your mom's age group and can testify that safaris are great senior citizen trips. Exercise is walking to and from the trucks.

Wherever you go, have a great time.

 

[uconndoit]

I went to Cairo twice (1983 and 1999) and Marrakesh, Morocco for a long weekend in 2000 - both are great of course. But I had never been to sub-Saharan Africa until almost exactly a year ago. I went with my then new-ish girlfriend who had worked in Nairobi for the previous 3 years and was still able to get resident rates - she still had a car in Nairobi and had a close friend with a massive gated house in Narobi where we set up base. We did Masai Mara for about 5 days - she was able to find a great deal in advance in a beautiful new lodge that was trying to attract its first clients. So we ended up spending only about $3k for the whole 2-week vacation including round trip airfare from our home base in Bangkok. I can dig up the name of the lodge if you're interested.

 

[boba]

Rwanda, gorillas best darn vacation ever. Your mother needs only to walk on forest path to see something few ever see.
We used SITA, but there are cheaper companies.

Odd can't edit the original...
But here's who we used:
SITA World Tours - Exotic tours to Africa & the Mediterranean, Australia & New Zealand, China & the Orient, India & Nepal, South America and European River Cruises. Special offers and excellent customer service
And we saw these guys up close and personal:

 

[Jay-Bone]

The all knowing yard never ceases to amaze me in its wealth of knowledge, information and experience. There may not be a square inch on this globe that yarders have not stepped on or a fact they have not known. This is great all. Many thanks!