Great trip to Africa. Traveling through equatorial Africa

Having traveled through 8 countries of West Africa and acquired some knowledge about this region, I decided to collect in one place general thoughts about traveling around it. In general, some of these theses will apply to all of West and Central Africa, and some to the entire continent.

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

2. I visited the following countries: Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivoire. To one degree or another, the contents of this post apply to all these countries with the exception of Morocco - this state It 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 every African population is not equipped in any way, and is also overflowing with garbage and dirt. A day's walk through an African city is sometimes comparable in the amount of dirt and germs obtained to a visit to a city dump somewhere in Europe, Russia, or Latin America. On average, you have to do laundry here 1.5-2 times more often than in other parts of the planet.

4. Household unsanitary conditions. If you don't have the opportunity to regularly wash and disinfect your hands (and in Africa you usually won't), then you are at risk. Insidious microbes are waiting for you.

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

6. Africa's motto: "Long and poor quality! But expensive". Be prepared for the fact that hotels, transport, catering and much else provide shitty quality services at prices close to European ones. In principle, it is possible to find something decent (which will also have some problems), but the prices will be generally astronomical.

7. Local population. In fact, I’ve heard the saying that “if you’re not already a racist, you just haven’t been in Africa for long.” I haven’t become a racist, I’m still for the fact that all people are equal, but, frankly speaking, sometimes blacks are catastrophically annoying. With his meticulous pestering, tactlessness, laziness.

8. Everything in Africa is organized ugly and chaotic. Don’t plan too many things in one day, you won’t have time to do them anyway, or you won’t be able to do them. Always prepare for the fact that there will be delays and inconsistencies along your route, and always allow extra time for them.

9. I already wrote about that. What was written applied, admittedly, mainly to the not entirely black Mauritania, but still. I will repeat the key point:

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: whether this or that thing can really harm your health or not. But that’s not even the main thing... Africa constantly poses the question to you: who you really are, and forces you to prove your beliefs in practice.

And now I will add the following. White, by definition, is a rich, snickering mister, a bag of money who is obliged to share every sneeze with the poor blacks. You encounter deception, inflated prices, begging, and selling all sorts of 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 officers, border guards) are prone to the same extortion of money, sometimes actively, sometimes cautiously (but I was lucky here, I only encountered this a couple of times). Ordinary citizens will simply want money, for example, for taking photographs of them, but children will simply want money for meeting you.

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

12. In fact, this is not a question that should be joked with. Almost all of Africa is “infected” (with the exception of the extreme south and north). But malaria has different forms and levels of its 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 protection from malaria-carrying mosquitoes!

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

14. Another problem is anthropogenic. Africa is the most turbulent continent in terms of all kinds of political disturbances. Coups d'etat, civil wars, separatism, rebels here in every second country. Of course, the real danger of getting caught in a firefight is minimal: most likely, if it happens Civil War, you will find out about it, and you simply will not go to this country. But all this results in increased suspicion of the special services, spyphobia, document checks, brainwashing for photographing something “strategic”.

15. But. The main thing, however, is not this. All these difficulties could be survived if there was something for it. And here we come to the main problem: there is not much to see in West Africa!

16. Let's look at this point in detail. Interesting cities in Africa outside the northern Arab countries there is basically none! Well, that is, of course, there is something, Dakar is interesting in some way, and even in the provincial Ouagadougou you can find a lot of interesting things; a number of cities with colonial buildings can be found throughout the mainland. But these are clearly not the cities for which it is worth rushing to go there; they are worth visiting, perhaps, along the way, if you find yourself in those parts.

17. Antique ruins meet, and right here, in West Africa! Something is even included in the UNESCO list. 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 reason why people generally go to Africa. But even here there is an ambush. First of all, the most interesting nature, however, in East Africa, and partly in South. 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 entry costs a fortune, access is only possible by transport, with a guide, etc.

19. After all, this is so logical: since rich white gentlemen are ready to pay a lot of money for a 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 practically do not get there (although, I believe that even if it occurred to them, little would change).

20. In West Africa, if you wish, you can see elephants, crocodiles, lions, hippos and monkeys. Well, that is, the very animals with which we have associated Africa 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’s multiply the equation by the quality of African service, which in this case cannot be avoided in any way (situations are quite real when lazy guides spend half the paid time lying around and smoking bamboo) and calculate the ratio of costs to the impressions received.

21. In general, the problem of accessibility of wildlife in Africa is quite acute. I think it’s worthwhile to be concerned about developing technology to penetrate 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 visiting the national park without it is not prohibited, this does not eliminate the need to move around a fairly vast territory. How? There is, of course, no public transport there; walking on foot takes a very long time, is difficult and ineffective. Well, you have to somehow get to the park itself, 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 for 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 them, but they are cheaper, the only advantage. I have never been to any national park (with the possible exception of Abuko Park in the Gambia, but it is tiny; you can completely walk around it in an hour). Although, probably, for the sake of scientific knowledge it would be worth visiting one of them.

23. What to say West Africa is not a region you want to visit a second time. This doesn’t mean that you regret the first one; on the contrary, it’s very interesting to see it all. So, out of 8 countries, only two aroused the desire to come again, and the first and last: Morocco and Cote D’Ivoire. I wrote about Morocco, but Côte d’Ivoire beckons because I never saw its capital, Yamoussoukro, with the largest temple in the world. Well, in general, it’s somehow more positive there than in other countries.

24. In general, of course, it’s even convenient. In fact, I liked the vast majority of countries before, and I would visit almost all of them again. But this is not so simple, 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. There are no cool “tricks” in African countries. Well, just what makes one feel nostalgic for the country upon returning. Some special food, drinks, establishments, some aesthetic moments such as carpets, local music. Most countries in the world have these features: falafels in the Middle East, lagman and pilaf in Central Asia, tagine in Morocco, hammams in Turkey, tea houses in China, meat in Mongolia, mate in Argentina, salsa and tango there, samba and other catchy pop music in Brazil, etc. Well, that is, not necessarily food, but these 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 for them first. And in Africa there is nothing like this! Life here is as simple and primitive as possible. The food, in principle, is not particularly tasty and quite expensive, the drinks include instant coffee and tea in hundred-gram glasses, the music here is generally primitive and disgusting - disgusting, dull poppycock, and Afro drum playing is rare and, in general, difficult to understand. Therefore, there is nothing left to miss here when you return 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 your first priority, this interesting cities with rich cultural program, don't go to West Africa.
- If you like to travel around beautiful nature: walking in the mountains, rafting down rivers, wandering through the jungle - do not go to West Africa (jungles, although in a reduced form, still exist in the countries of the Gulf of Guinea).
- If you like relaxed travel, relaxation and downshifting, lying on the beach, then don’t go to Africa in principle (anywhere!). Although, objectively speaking, even in West African countries there are enough European downshifters.

28. But who should really go to ZA is
- lovers of all sorts of rare semi-wild peoples.
- fans of proletarian, rural and very simple life, who do not bother with comfort.
- geographers, geoproctologists and “collectors” of countries.
- adventurers, adventure seekers, everything new and unusual.

29. But still, I feel that my story turned out to be completely gloomy, that this is some kind of ass of the world, so it is impossible not to highlight the positive aspects of African reality. The main thing is that, no matter what, It's quite possible to travel here! It’s not so trashy, terrible, impossible to live here. There are numerous everyday difficulties, but, in general, there is nothing here that would require some kind of incredible heroism. Perhaps it exists in Central Africa. And here, you go and go.

30. Safety. This is a very pleasant aspect, especially for those who have traveled to Latin America. Indeed, most African countries are quite calm and peaceful. Yes, they will annoy you with requests and begging for money, but violent cases of taking it away are extremely rare here. And beyond major cities like Cape Town, Lagos or Nairobi, it’s quite calm here. Even in Dakar and Abidjan you feel much calmer than, say, Rio or Medellin. In other places, you can generally calmly walk through all sorts of homeless slums without fear of getting into any problems there.

31. Color. Here's what, but at least eat this. The reality here is so bright and varied that it completely compensates for the lack of any interesting objects. These include women 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 a real Babylon reigns, and donkeys with sheep 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 all sorts of ancient tribal cultures have been preserved; here you can really see some ancient tribal rituals, and they are carried out not for the amusement of tourists, but according to traditions. Or just even all sorts of dances or holidays in the countryside are in themselves something unique that you will never forget.

33. Rituals and holidays, by the way, is the second good reason to go to Africa in principle. But here, 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 are taking place, and then somehow get there. In cities, of course, you won’t 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 ritual, and not a show for tourists, which they sometimes watch. 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 simply stimulate it to take place earlier (financially, of course). Those. they would have held it anyway, but not when you arrived, but a week or two later. And it’s not clear how to feel about this - on the one hand, everything seems to be authentic anyway, on the other hand, you brought your influence into the existence of this society and somewhat disrupted its usual way of life. In general, be that as it may, such a study of African ethnography will require enormous preliminary preparation. Most people are unlikely to bother with this, and then they can only hope that they will be lucky enough to come across something like this by chance, as happened to me in Gambia.

34. And the above-mentioned flavor of ordinary life is very impressive. I’m even afraid that after what I’ve seen here, there won’t be much sticking around here anymore. Already in Latin America and 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 sad if you don’t find or do anything interesting. This is what happened to me towards the end of the trip, when I really got tired of Africa and really wanted to go home. Because it’s been virtually the same thing for a month now.

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

But in general?

37. Well, you’ll probably ask: so you didn’t 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 categories “like”/“dislike”. In any case, they are not decisive. I'm interested in everything, but it won't necessarily 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 don’t like it there, but I have already received knowledge about Mali, and that is enough for me.

38. Will I go to Africa again, and in particular to West Africa? Yeah, that would be nice. I probably won’t spend time on the countries I’ve visited, but there are still many others left: Guinea, Liberia, Togo-Benin, Niger, etc. It would be interesting to see them too, and my existing 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 leaves no one indifferent. Only some, having arrived here, turn up their noses and swear that “never set foot again,” while others simply go crazy about this continent, rave about it, and they are drawn and drawn to Africa again to return. Apparently I’m a rare person who finds himself in the middle and my attitude here is quite moderate: I’m not going to go crazy about Africa, but I would quite like to come here someday, and more than once. However, it is absolutely true that Africa did not leave me indifferent. In terms of the power of impressions, this trip surpasses most previous ones. Just a mathematical expectation of aspects that influence the desire to come again just above zero somewhere :)

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

Elena Vasilyeva
Lesson summary “Travel to Africa”

Target: To develop children’s cognitive and creative abilities in the process of resolving specially modulated situations.

Tasks: Show the diversity and beauty of the Earth, the ability to compare information about other continents with knowledge in your own country.

Give children a basic understanding of the features geographical location Africa.

To consolidate children's knowledge about its flora and fauna, about the striking individual characteristics of the habitat of animals in hot countries, their nutrition, and habits.

Conduct experimental activities and draw a general conclusion based on the work done.

Enrich children's vocabulary. Development of attention, memory, thinking, cognitive ability of children, mutual assistance, transformation.

Cultivate a desire to explore the world around us.

Preliminary work: view "Mowgli",Reading the works of K. Chukovsky "Dr. Aibolit", "Children in a Cage", "Telephone", drawing, applications, modeling - "Animals of hot countries", singing, learning songs, dancing. "Chunga-changa". Acquaintance with the globe, map of continents, work with parents - selection of literature, attributes, productive, artistic, aesthetic, speech activities. Movable didactic games “Whose children?”- research activities. Organization of an exhibition of drawings "like this Africa» Looking at a world map, map Africa.

Equipment:plane, laptop, tickets, toys (strollers, cars, balls)

Music is playing: children enter the hall with toys.

Ved-ya: Invented by someone simply and wisely.

Say hello when meeting "Good morning"

Good morning I tell you

Good morning I love you all

I give my love and kindness to you all.

The laptop turns on. Signal. The children open it.

Hello guys preparatory group "Chamomile". I am a travel agency operator (Full name) "Friendship". On the website of your preschool educational institution page, we saw your active work in making crafts from paper and plasticine. We found out that you guys are inquisitive and love travel, learn new things. Our company has decided to reward you with a trip.

Where? You will find out by answering the question.

The continent lies large,

The hottest and biggest

It's summer there all year round,

Who will call him for me (Africa)

Reb-nock: interesting message.

1) Well, what shall we answer?

Reb-nock: Thank you. We are with the season that comes after winter. Spring.

A month after February? March

Day of the week that is between...

The number between...

What time of year is it now? Month? Day of the week? Number?

Operator: Guys, you answered all the questions correctly. I sent you e-tickets. I wish you a pleasant trips. Goodbye.

Reb-nock: So today we need to hit the road.

Vos-l: before setting off on a journey to the distant journey, you need to find out where it is located Africa. How can I do that?

Children: put the toys and approach the globe. Music.

Look at the globe

We spin, we spin the Earth’s ball,

We twist, we twist blue,

And here is the mainland Africa.

Reb-nock: The mainland is far from us.

Vos-l: What is the mainland?

Children; These are parts of land washed by seas and oceans.

Vos-l: what do you know about Africa? This is a very large, hot continent. There is never winter there, there is the Sahara Desert, Savana, Jungle. Various animals live: lion, giraffe, hippopotamus, leopard, elephants. Palm trees, banana, orange and lemon trees grow.

Vos-l: if in Africa is hot, what should we take with us? Hats. A camera to capture interesting episodes, a cell phone to keep in touch, brushes and boxes for archiology.

Reb-nock: what will we go to? Africa?

Alina: Guys, I think I guessed it after studying e-ticket. My family and I used this type of transport and I have already seen such tickets. I'll tell you a riddle, and you can guess it.

He hums and draws with chalk

On blue paper, above my head? What is this? Airplane.

Music, airplane noise. A song about an airplane. A flight attendant in uniform enters.

Hello. I invite you on board the plane. I beg take your seats according to your ticket. (children pass and take seats on the plane)

St-sa: We're going on a flight

Miracle- Africa awaits us!

The flight attendant serves drinks and juices on a tray. (children take drinks and determine)

I got lemon juice. Banana, cocoa drink. These trees grow in Africa.

St-sa: hum, airplane noise.

Dear passengers, our plane is landing in the Sahara desert. Music

Noise, the sound of sandy wind.

Reb-nock: We feel the hot air, we step onto the hot sand. (the children got off the plane)

Vos-l: Look around guys.

Reb-nock; this is the Sahara Desert, the most big desert peace. There are also the Kalahari and Namib deserts. It's hot and dry here. The ground is covered with golden yellow sand. There are no plants except thorns, few animals. Barkhali are formed in the desert. You can see mirages - this is an optical illusion. Whose footprints are these in the sand?

Reb-nock: Guys, look at the camels walking in the desert. The camel is called "ship of the desert" They transport heavy loads and make durable carpets and clothing from wool. Gives nutritious milk. His feet have pads to prevent him from getting stuck in the sand. It is impossible to survive without a camel in the desert.

Vos-l: music. Guys, I invite you to become researchers. Go to the laboratory and find out the sandy desert soil. Children go into the laboratory and put on aprons and caps.

Take a container of sand. What colour is he (golden yellow)

Take a magnifying glass and look

What is sand made of? (from grains of sand they lie separately from each other)

Similar to each other?

Does sand have a smell? Yes

Determine if there is air? (glass of water and spoon)

Where did the water go? (absorbs water well)

What do you see? (bubbles)

Do you guys have straws?

What can we learn from them? (whether the grains of sand swell or fly apart)

Sand can move and alloys are formed.

Is it possible to make sand mountains? Yes

What have you learned about sand from the Sahara Desert?

Card: sand is golden yellow in color, consists of grains of sand, not fertile, has an odor, air, quickly absorbs water, free-flowing, not suitable for plant growth.

Vos-l: Well done boys. You are real desert explorers.

Music about Africa. The children are coming

Savannah is a steppe, summers are dry, winters are short and rainy. The ground is covered with vegetation, grass, flowers, trees, baobabs, low-growing shrubs, and a coconut palm grow. A lot of animals: lion, tigers, giraffes, elephants, zebras.

Vos-l:Guys in Savannah, archaeologists are conducting archaeological excavations, they find fragments, ceramics, tools, pot shards, and jewelry in the sand. Let's become archaeologists too, maybe we'll find something too.

Music. Children sit down at the island, dig with a brush, and clean up the found fragments. See how many different shards you found. Let's collect the fragments and pieces into one whole, what was it? (plate) Look at the ornament.

What is shown (fern)- what do you think this means? (symbol of earth and endurance)

All people use objects that are decorated with various patterns and ornaments.

Every nation has its own. Only they know the ornaments, which are the guardians of the soul and body.

The main sources for creating ornaments were nature and animals.

We Russians have patterns, symbols associated with what? With a birch tree, with the cult of the sun. The ethical neighbors of the Buryats have nature, animals, vegetable world, elements bearing magical symbolism, we see patterns. We have collected a collection of national patterns Africa and you tell me about them. Among the peoples Africa association with geometric patterns, animals.

Reb-nock: So my mother and I found this kind of ornament on the dishes. Children show patterns on dishes. Considered. (illustrations are handed out, children tell stories)

Let's take the plate, put it in a box and pack it carefully, this is the historical value of peoples Africa. Music. Animal voices.

What happened? Let's go and have a look.

We approach the baobab tree.

Why did all the animals come to the baobab tree?

In search of water, all the animals came to the baobab tree. This is the thickest tree in the world. When it rains, it absorbs water like a sponge and prevents this water from evaporating. An adult baobab is like a reservoir filled with water. Thirsty animals attack the trunks, breaking them into splinters. It has an unusually swollen trunk and stunted crowns. It blooms in a leafless state and has large white flowers. The fruits resemble melon. Old trees are often hollow and sometimes people live in them.

Part 3 Jungle

Reb-nock: It's so hot. Let's go down to the Limpopo River.

We quickly went down to the river,

Bent down and washed,

1234 It’s like we’ve been refreshed,

and now we swam together,

Together once is brass,

One, the other is a rabbit,

We went ashore on a steep bank.

Music about the Limpopo jungle, etc.

Vos-l: Where are we? Into the jungle

Children: The sun makes everything sparkle in your eyes,

And, in the Jungle the ringing flies everywhere,

Birds sing and fly,

how beautiful it is here!

The Jungle has a lot of vegetation; palm trees, green grass, trees. The inhabitants of the Jungle are monkeys, parrots, crocodiles, hippos.

How beautiful. Let's take a photo for memory and send the photo to our page website. But, it’s time for us guys to return to kindergarten. Is our journey is coming to an end.

St-sa:airplane sound

Dear passengers, please take seats on the plane. The children take their seats. They share their impressions.

I paid attention to the climate in Africa.

I will draw a desert with camels

I'll do an experiment with sand

I liked it in the jungle

I learned a lot about Africa. I enjoyed excavating

St-sa: Attention attention. Our plane landed in Petrovsk-Zabaikalsk. Please fasten your seat belts, let's board. Unfasten your seat belts.

Trip planning

A trip to Africa is a highlight that should be planned in advance. You won’t find last minute tours to Kenya or South Africa or Botswana. For many reasons, the main one is the lack of mass tourism in these countries. People go to Africa not because they found a suitable tour on the Internet and not because of a momentary desire, but because they really wanted to go on a real safari, to see the great migration to the Masai Mara, or to catch a big marlin in the Indian Ocean, or to see the Victoria Falls, or experience an indescribable feeling of closeness to wild nature.

This trip will be remembered for a lifetime, but in order to get exactly what you want most from Africa - the hotels that you have chosen, get to the country exactly at the desired time and get the maximum impressions - think about this in advance. The average period from the moment of discussing the route to receiving the package of documents can be up to 2 months. But it is not uncommon for Africa to start booking a trip six months before the expected date. This is due to the availability of air tickets (charters are only possible on peak dates, which do not always coincide with best season for visiting individual countries), small hotel infrastructure, high demand (and Africa is traditionally in very high demand among Europeans), long booking confirmation period (over 3 days).

Prepare a real holiday for yourself and your loved ones - an exotic and vibrant trip to Africa!

Health insurance

Every tourist traveling to African countries must receive health insurance. We will help you obtain insurance of your choice with coverage ranging from minimum (30,000 cu) to maximum (100,000 cu) under econom, business, VIP class programs. Details of insurance programs and tariffs can be clarified with company managers.

Travel cancellation insurance

To prevent troubles associated with canceling a trip for any reason, we advise you to take out travel cancellation insurance. All conditions of insurance against travel cancellation can be clarified with the company’s managers when concluding a contract for the provision of services.

Visa information

All information on obtaining visas to African countries and embassy addresses are located in the “African Countries” section in the “General Information” subsection for each specific country.

Information on medical requirements when traveling to African countries

Information on medical requirements can be found in the African Countries section under the Visa and Medical Requirements subsection for each specific country. All details can be clarified with the company managers.

Security issues in African countries

Security issues in African countries are primarily related to the general political and economic situation. In general, in tourist areas and national parks you can feel completely safe if you follow the basic rules - decent behavior, respect for religion, following the rules of conduct on a safari, following the recommendations of the guide and ranger. The general behavior of East and South Africans in the tourism sector towards foreign tourists is remarkable friendliness, unobtrusiveness, helpfulness, helpfulness and politeness. A kind attitude towards Africans guarantees you a positive response and selfless help in almost any situation.

Yellow fever vaccination and malaria prevention

This question arises one of the first when planning a trip to Africa. Our company suggests following the following information on this issue:
Yellow fever vaccination is required when visiting countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Burundi. Vaccination against yellow fever is not required when visiting South Africa, the islands of the Seychelles archipelago, Mauritius, and the Maldives.

Brief information:
The yellow fever vaccine is a protein whey based on chicken protein. A contraindication against vaccination is the presence of an allergy to chicken protein and a number of chronic infectious diseases of the blood and liver. The vaccine provides immunity against the disease for a period of 10 years. When vaccinated, you receive an international certificate that you must take with you on your trip. It may be required to be presented when crossing the border. Vaccination is carried out at clinic No. 13 in Moscow; the address and telephone numbers can be checked with the company’s managers.
The risk of malaria is higher in East African countries. For a trip to South Africa and the islands Indian Ocean Malaria prophylaxis is not required. It should be remembered that there are several dozen types of malaria that are resistant to certain drugs. Therefore, for prevention it is necessary to use the latest generation of drugs, for example Lariam. You should also follow a number of rules that will help you avoid the risk of disease: use repellents, on safari and especially in the evening, use closed clothing and take preventive medications. For all questions, we recommend that you consult with your doctor or seek advice at clinic No. 13.

Problems during rest

This section is about how to properly respond to the challenges that arise when traveling to Africa. Since the flight is only possible with a connection, there is a possibility that your luggage will be delayed for one to two days due to the fault of the airline. In this case, you should fill out the necessary paperwork in the arrival hall and notify the greeter about the absence of luggage. As a rule, the receiving company will try to immediately bring your luggage upon arrival to the lodge or camp where you will be at the moment. We always advise our tourists to take hand luggage a few things that you can change into during the forced absence of your main luggage in order to feel comfortable. Other minor problems are also possible, the most important thing to remember here is that you should not let annoying little things ruin your vacation. You shouldn’t concentrate on troubles; it’s better to take everything with humor and be optimistic about temporary inconveniences. The main thing to remember is that all problems can be solved, and we will always help you with this, which is why our managers are in touch with you around the clock.

Tours

Tours on the site are presented in several categories - group, individual. budget, etc. Tours with specified arrival dates are fixed, their cost remains unchanged. Tours in the individual and VIP sections may be modified depending on the wishes of the client, and the cost of such tours may vary.

If you like some route from group tours, but would like to travel individually - no problem, or Hakuna Matata (as the Africans say), we are ready to prepare an individual offer for you based on the chosen route and calculate the cost.

Most East African safari itineraries have only one fixed section - the actual safari - and you can easily add the required number of beach days to your chosen itinerary. We will help you calculate the beach sector and help you select a beach hotel and its location.

The section also includes fishing and diving tours, specialized tours and self-drive. In the list of tours, they are marked with special icons or highlighted in color, and also have corresponding names.

The cost of tours expressed in cu, USD, Euro is valid for legal entities. All payments are made in rubles according to the company’s internal exchange rate specified in the service agreement and on the main page of the site.

Hot deals

In the “Hot offers” section on the main page of the site you will find best deals months according to the ratio “price - quality - range of services - country”, as well as the best offers, discount offers and information on special airfare rates. Here we also try to provide up-to-date information about the most interesting and current hotel special offers.

Hotels

Hotels in African countries have their own star classification, developed taking into account the specific requirements for hotels in the safari sector, beach sector, etc. There are many hotels that guarantee excellent service and quality of accommodation, but are inferior in terms of overall amenities related services adopted for hotels in other regions of the world. For example, few hotels in East Africa or South Africa can boast of large swimming pools, but this does not detract from their other advantages and general level of service, which may be far from many classic 4 and 5* hotels in Europe, not to mention countries with predominantly beach tourism destinations – Egypt, Turkey, Mediterranean countries. Moreover, the specificity of the range of hotel services in Africa has its own clear justification and elementary expediency. For example, how can you build a hotel with 300 rooms and a huge swimming pool in the middle of a nature reserve? This also includes the lack of mass entertainment opportunities in hotels located in national parks - for example, loud music scares the animals, the territory of some camps in the parks is not fenced, and tourists are prohibited from leaving their rooms after dark without being accompanied by an armed ranger.

We have developed a hotel classification system that is as close as possible to the expectations of “classic” 3, 4 and 5* hotels - basic, comfort and luxury level. We advise you to pay attention when choosing a hotel, first of all, to the presence of air conditioning in the rooms, a safe, room-service, location and the possibility of providing additional excursion services. Regarding beach hotels, all beach hotels in East Africa are located on the first line. Exception - countries South Africa, in particular South Africa. All details are presented in the Hotels section. We also presented a classification of hotels in Africa by type in the Hotels - Hotel Classification section.

African countries

In the “African Countries” section on the company’s website you can find all the necessary information about general information, attractions and recommendations for tourists.

FAQ (frequently asked questions)

Should I take my children to Africa?

Many tourists often doubt whether to take small children with them on a trip. From our own experience, we can say that we very often meet foreigners with small children traveling in Africa. With the exception of a small number of lodges and camps that do not accept children under a certain age, the rest are happy to see families with children as guests, and create all the conditions for this, including including nannies on the staff and organizing children's rooms. Of course, one thing is for you to decide - a trip to Africa and getting to know wild animals will be an unforgettable experience for your child and will help expand his perception of the world around him.

Vehicle for transportation during safari

For safaris, vehicles with four-wheel drive are usually used - minibuses (with a maximum seating capacity of 6 people) and SUVs of the brands Jeap, Landcruiser, Landrover (with a maximum seating capacity of 8 people). Please note that luggage space in safari vehicles is limited, so only small soft bags or soft suitcases are allowed.

Guide (ranger)

A guide is of great importance during a safari. Most often, he is also the driver of the safari vehicle and the ranger - a tracker looking out for animals, as well as a person responsible for the safety of tourists. The safari guide is a true professional and a nature connoisseur. You must strictly follow all the guide’s recommendations, because your safety depends on following the rules.

Wild animals - how dangerous is it?

Any wild animal is potentially dangerous, even a small mongoose or a seemingly harmless antelope. This is especially true, of course, for large animals - lions, rhinoceroses, buffalos, hippos or canine predators. But if you follow the rules of conduct on a safari, the risk of animal attack is reduced to almost zero. The guide introduces tourists to the rules of safe behavior at the very beginning of the trip, and he also monitors their compliance. Most cases of animal attacks in the wild are associated with violation of the rules of conduct (drifting out of the permitted lane, speeding, getting out of the car in the wrong place, using a flash when taking photos and videos at close range) or simple disregard for the potential danger associated with a clearly demonstrated animal aggression (during hunting, eating prey, mating or feeding young).

Insects, snakes and other passions

Africa is a paradise not only for large, but also for smaller creatures of nature. Therefore, no one will deny that tropical Africa is home to many different insects of all sizes, lizards and snakes. But the myth about the jungle and local villages infested with dangerous creatures is greatly exaggerated. Any guide or experienced traveler to eastern and southern Africa will confirm what to see poisonous snake During a safari it is a rare occurrence, and not getting a single mosquito bite during a two-week safari is a common occurrence, especially if you use the repellent helpfully provided by the hotels. The territory of hotels, camps and lodges is usually reliably protected by methods proven over decades of safari practice from the penetration of unwanted guests from the world of reptiles, not to mention larger animals. What else could threaten tourists - crocodiles? To see them in all their glory, you don’t have to go swimming in a local body of water, but in other cases they are absolutely safe. The most dangerous animal in Africa (and not only Africa) is the malaria mosquito. Just take anti-malarial drugs as directed and recommended by your doctor, and you can forget about the risk of the disease.

Rainy season

In East Africa, the change of seasons is marked by the beginning of the rainy season. Depending on the country, the timing of the rains may vary. In general, two periods can be distinguished – a period of “short” rains in November-December and a period of long rains – from the second half of March to May. But recently, due to global climate change on the planet, the arrival time, duration and intensity of rainy periods is almost impossible to predict. And this is reality. Recently, it has increasingly happened that during the “rainy” periods not a drop falls, and the “dry” period is manifested by tropical showers with thunderstorms.

In the countries of Southern Africa, the seasonality is different. It has its own spring, summer, winter and autumn. Depending on the country and region, the onset of the seasons varies.

Lodge - what is it?

Traditionally, African countries have developed their own hotel system. A hotel in a reserve is usually called a lodge. Usually this is a hotel with a small number of bungalow-type rooms, with all amenities (including hot water and other standard services), located in a fenced area. Lodges can be of different levels of comfort, from standard to luxury level, corresponding to traditional 5*. The higher the level, the more diverse the range of services and the more individual decoration of the rooms, the better the location, the brighter the “face” of the hotel and the more personal service provided to guests.

African camp - what is it?

The Camp is a hotel within the reserve and has historically been the most classic safari accommodation option. Of course, modern camps are no match for the modest camps from the time of African exploration. Today's camp is a modern hotel with all the amenities and personal service. The camp is characterized by a small number of rooms and a distinctive feature - an unfenced area, which allows you to get close to wild nature. The higher the level, the higher the degree of “fusion” with nature. Of course, this does not mean that the camp area is not protected from large and dangerous animals. A regular room in a camp is represented by a separate tarpaulin tent big size, installed on a wooden platform raised from ground level, with a delimited space for the sleeping area and shower area. Camps also differ in level, from standard to luxury (5*). Moreover, location plays a big role - as a rule, the cost of accommodation in a well-located camp will be significantly higher with the same range of services. Traditional camping should be distinguished from camping and mobile camping.

Air travel on African domestic airlines

In the tourism sector, comfortable modern aircraft of various capacities are used on domestic routes - from classic aircraft for 150-270 passengers to miniature Cessnas with accommodation for 2-4 passengers. Depending on the route, sometimes it is necessary to replace the “ground” transfer with a more comfortable air flight, and interestingly, sometimes this option is cheaper.

Money question (African currency – what to take with you)

Classic advice - take small amounts in small denominations with you on your trip, preferably American dollars. Also, in almost all African countries, the circulation of international credit cards– Visa, Master Card, American Express.

How to dress, essentials

Regardless of the season and route, your wardrobe must include: light, comfortable clothes in natural, soft colors natural materials, comfortable shoes, hat, sunglasses, warm sweater or windbreaker, pants made of thick fabric (preferably jeans), beach set. Personal belongings should also include: sunscreen, repellent, batteries and chargers for filming equipment, a personal first aid kit with the necessary supplies (analgesics, disinfectants, stomach upset medications, personal hygiene products, anti-malarials, sunburn remedies).

Nutrition and hygiene issues

General recommendations for East African countries are to eat in hotels and decent restaurants, drink only bottled water, eat ripe but not overripe fruits, and do not indulge in exotic cuisine. Hotels in Africa use mainly European cuisine, all dishes are prepared from fresh ingredients, often served with rice, vegetables and meat (beef, chicken, ostrich). In some countries where hunting is allowed, you can try dishes from wild animals - antelope (kudu, impala and others), crocodile.

Mobile communications in Africa, Internet

Mobile communications of international standards are common in all African countries. It should be remembered that mobile communications are usually not available in nature reserves. All hotels have Internet access, fax and telephone services. The possibility of using direct access from guest rooms depends on the level of the hotel and its location.

African souvenirs

The largest selection of souvenirs is at traditional bazaars, regardless of the country. You can bargain at the bazaars. The general trend is that, as a rule, the quality of souvenirs in hotel souvenir shops is higher.

Tips and gratitude

The size of the tip is up to you. You should just keep in mind that, as a rule, tips are rewarded for the services of a porter in hotels, a safari guide, a driver and a guide on excursions. In some cases, the amount of remuneration is discussed in advance - when filming in local villages, getting to know the life of some tribes when visiting their villages.

We were supposed to be in Africa during the driest period. Yellow scorched savannah and all that... But it so happened that the rainy period began a month earlier. This does not mean that it rained continuously. Rain happened once a day (and more often at night), for an hour. After another hour, everything had dried up, and there was nothing left to remind us of the previous rainstorm. But this was enough for everything around to turn green. And flowers bloomed everywhere. In general, there are no seasons at the equator, and flowers grow there all year round, but sometimes there are more of them than at other times. This is how people live there, in eternal summer among the flowers.

Travel expenses:
$2500 plus plane

How to get there?
Cairo Airways plane.

Of course, not only people live among the flowers, but also all other living creatures of those places. There is even a bird that behaves almost like a hummingbird, flying around flowering trees and drinking nectar from flowers. Only bigger, of course.

There are a lot of birds there, and a wide variety of birds. At Lake Bunyonyi we woke up to the noise of birds, and in the bar there was a hand-drawn bird guide...

Crowned cranes... With rare exceptions, they could only be seen in pairs. Or in flocks of an even number of individuals :)

But these are completely different birds. Scavengers.

Apparently they gathered in one place for a reason, but because of the tall grass it was impossible to see their table...

But in such houses, raised high above the ground, pets are kept. In this case it is a chicken coop.

In general, given, from our point of view, the poverty of housing, the courtyards are clean, the earthen areas in front of the houses are perfectly swept. When you come to Moscow after Africa, you see how dirty it is here...

People in Uganda are emotional but friendly. Especially children. The white man evokes a storm of emotions in them. Very little ones pointed at us with their hands and shouted “Now there are you!” and waved their palms. The older children behaved modestly, some came up to chat. Good, English language many people here know.

The feeling that all of Uganda is young. There are very few old people, but there are a lot of young people and even more children. And this is not an illusion. Several decades ago there was a harsh dictatorship in the country, then a civil war. When all this was over, there was a sharp increase in the birth rate. Now Uganda is one of the first places in terms of population growth.

Ugandan girls are shy, soft, smiling, easily embarrassed, and at the same time very calm and cheerful. They are very feminine and beautiful.

In addition, since they carry baskets and other objects on their heads since childhood, many of them have truly royal bearing...

There were a lot of unexpected things in Africa in general.

For example, the road from Kampala to Matcherson Falls. They plan to improve this road, so gravel has been placed on it. But to avoid being scattered by the wheels, they decided to slow down the speed of passing traffic. And they placed speed bumps along the entire road every 10 meters. That's how the cars drive there... squatting :) Imagine, a hundred kilometers, and every 10 meters you have to brake... How drivers don't go crazy from this is still a mystery to me :)

Houses in the provinces are small, and therefore most of the work is done on the street. So, during breakfast at a roadside hotel, they hung a beef carcass right next to us and began to cut it up. A breathtaking sight:)

Many other jobs are done right in front of everyone. There are many places where you can see... damn, how will the word "Schwetz" be in the accusative case? In general, you can see Swedish people sitting on the street and sewing clothes.

By the way, it’s a Singer machine, albeit with a foot drive. Not bullshit.

We were also in places where there was no electricity. Accordingly, refrigerators too. And we were warned that if we wanted meat for dinner, we had to talk about it no later than 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Apparently, the cooking began with catching a chicken :) Chickens have a difficult life there, and they are not fed chemicals, which is why they are athletic and muscular in Uganda. Good workout for teeth :)

Objects are often worn on heads. And any kind, from a bundle of brushwood to suitcases. Sometimes it looks quite funny.

From time to time, although not often, you can meet women who straighten their hair. A black girl with straight hair looks strange. It’s also funny to realize that our hair curls and theirs does the opposite. :)

Also, I still don’t understand if they have such a thing as a village. They usually live there on the hills. Here is a mountainside, and on each relatively flat surface there is a house or several

And everything to the horizon is filled with such houses.

It is impossible to draw a border where one village ends and another begins. So, it is possible that in these places there are no villages, but people simply live :)

While Europe has long been explored and explored, and Asia has become a common destination for exotic travel, Africa still remains a blank spot on the map of most travelers. This continent is shrouded not only in an aura of mystery, but also, importantly, in stereotypes and prejudices. But you can and should go to Africa, because it represents a whole world, new and unknown. The main thing is to get rid of illusions and properly prepare for the trip.

Why go

Why go to Africa? This is the first question you need to ask before traveling to this continent. There are not many places in Africa for the usual beach holiday. And those that exist cannot offer a sufficiently high level of service or affordable prices. There are also few architectural landmarks and cultural sites in African countries. These are the consequences of wars, internecine conflicts, colonization and, in general, the inability of Africans to preserve their cultural and historical heritage. Of course, every country on the continent has attractions, but their number and degree of preservation cannot be compared with the countries of Europe and Asia. But Africa will definitely surprise with its national parks, where you can see wild animals in their natural habitat, beautiful and diverse nature, tribes with their unusual and exotic appearance and unique way of life.

Where to go

Geographically, Africa is divided into five regions: northern, southern, western, eastern and central. North Africa includes all countries of the continent on the coast Mediterranean Sea. South Africa includes countries in the south of the continent from South Africa to Angola and Zambia. West Africa includes countries located south of central Sahara and bordering Atlantic Ocean. East Africa- these are the countries in the east from Sudan to. And the countries located in the heart of the African continent (from the Central African Republic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo) make up the Central Africa region.

In each region there are countries that are more interesting, safe and easy to travel, and there are those that it is better to avoid traveling to for one reason or another. For example, in North Africa, many have already visited, Egypt and, but Algeria and Libya, for obvious reasons, are deprived of the attention of tourists. In West Africa, it is worth visiting Ghana and Mali, but avoid traveling to Nigeria.

The most popular destinations among travelers are South Africa, Kenya and. Tourism in these countries is developing rapidly, more travel opportunities are appearing, the choice of tours and routes is becoming wider, and more and more local travel companies offer their services for organizing safaris and other trips. At the same time, these countries retain their original culture and true African exoticism and flavor.

When to go

The winter months (November to March) are considered the most suitable for visiting most African countries. During this period, most of the continent receives little rainfall, and there is no need to worry that the rainy season will interfere with travel. This is also true for South Africa, since these months are summer on the other side of the equator.

A trip to Africa can be timed to coincide with one of the most interesting events. For example, in early January, immediately after the new year, the annual festival of African music Festival Au Desert is held in West Africa. This festival is interesting because it takes place over several days under open air right in the Sahara Desert. But for wildlife and safari lovers, you can go to Kenya or Tanzania from July to October to catch The Great Wildebeest Migration.

How to get there

Flights to most African countries operate major airlines Europe (, ) and Asia (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways). These airlines do not operate direct flights from Moscow. One way or another, travelers will have to take transit flights, the time for which will have to be included in the route and travel plan. Airlines offer the most convenient connections and favorable fares to a number of African countries Turkish airlines and Egyptair with a transfer in Istanbul and Cairo, respectively. And here transit flights can play into your hands: both airlines offer convenient and profitable connections with short waiting times or, conversely, with the possibility of departure to your final destination within a day. In this case, the airline offers passengers hotel accommodation, breakfast, transfer and sometimes city tours (). Thus, you can choose a convenient flight and transit option and visit another city. And the absence of the need to apply for a visa to Turkey or Egypt simplifies the task even more.

Direct flights from Moscow to Kenya (Nairobi) are offered by Aeroflot. In addition to Nairobi, Aeroflot operates flights to other African capitals: Algeria, Tunisia, Casablanca and Accra (Ghana). The budget company Airberlin (closed) also flies to Nairobi and Johannesburg (South Africa) from Moscow (also in transit).

You should be prepared for the fact that a flight to any African country will be quite expensive: on average, it is 35-45 thousand rubles, depending on the destination and the airline. Whatever flight method you choose, before buying a ticket you should always pay attention to promotions ( public VK), special rates and special offers from airlines. For example, Air France organizes ticket sales to African countries that were once colonies of France: Algeria, Senegal, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and others.

Preparation: vaccinations and paperwork

When the purpose of the trip has been determined, the country has been selected, and the air tickets have been purchased, it’s time to take care of all the necessary documents.

1. Visa. Carefully study the migration and customs regulations of one country or another. Visas for some countries are obtained very quickly, while others will take time to obtain. For example, to obtain an Angola visa you need a standard set of documents (application form, passport, tickets, hotel reservation confirmation, etc.) and up to two weeks of time. But getting an Algerian visa is much more difficult: this country has an extremely strict visa regime for citizens of most countries in the world. Visas for Uganda, Ethiopia and a number of other countries can be issued at the border (at airports or ground checkpoints). It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the rules for obtaining a visa on arrival in advance, as in some countries entry permission is not issued at land checkpoints.
   Some states (Kenya, Senegal and others) have introduced an electronic visa system, in which all Required documents Apply via the Internet on a special portal, and the applicant receives the visa by e-mail. The received entry permit must be printed and presented at the border.
   By the way, there is Unified East African Visa, which allows stay in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and free movement within these countries without obtaining national visas of these states. This visa is issued only at the consulates of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda; This document is not issued at the border or online.
2. Vaccinations. To visit most African countries, you must be vaccinated against yellow fever. Moreover, you must obtain an international vaccination certificate. This document is often asked when crossing the border, and it may also be on the list of documents required to obtain a visa. The certificate is issued on the day of vaccination at the vaccination point (in Moscow this is the Central Vaccination Point at Clinic No. 13). In addition to vaccination against yellow fever, it would be a good idea to get vaccinated against typhoid fever and hepatitis A, information about which will also be included in the certificate. But recommended vaccinations may vary by region.
3. Permissions. Visitor permits may be required to visit some sites in some countries. For example, travel to some cities in Eritrea requires similar permits, which are issued by the country's Ministry of Tourism. It is necessary to find out in advance whether any special documents are needed for certain objects on the compiled route, as well as where and how they can be issued (in advance via the Internet or during a personal visit upon arrival in the country).
4. Insurance. Don't neglect or skimp on. There are no special insurance requirements for visiting African countries. The main thing is to pay attention to whether the selected insurance company issues insurance to this region with the required amount of coverage.
5. Documentation. It is worth finding out in advance whether foreigners need to register with the police station or migration service upon arrival in the country. If this is necessary, it would be a good idea to take with you the documents that may be needed for this (photo, copies of passport pages, copy of visa, etc.). These same documents will be useful when crossing state borders by land, especially if visas to these countries are issued at the border.

Safety: real dangers and stereotypes

There is a common belief that Africa is an extremely dangerous place. Of course, some of the common stereotypes have a basis, but, in fact, everything is not as scary as it looks in the eyes of the public. To ensure your own safety, it is enough to follow simple and well-known rules of conduct. As elsewhere, in African countries you need to communicate politely with local residents, ask permission to take a photo, pay more attention to the laws and norms of behavior in a particular country. This will save you from possible problems with the police or locals. Corruption is very widespread in African countries. In relation to foreigners, this may manifest itself in the imposition of fines, services, inflated tariffs for certain services, or an attempt at extortion. Therefore, you should not provoke conflicts and ambiguous situations associated with violation of order, laws, norms of behavior, rules of movement around the country and crossing borders. This will save you from lengthy proceedings and extortion of money.

As elsewhere in the world, when traveling in Africa, you need to be attentive to your own belongings, money and documents. In most countries on the continent, theft is commonplace. Foreigners, especially whites, are considered rich by default, so robbing a white becomes almost a matter of honor for Africans. Of course, this does not apply to everyone without exception. But, it must be admitted, in undeveloped and poor countries with high level unemployment and corruption, such stereotypical thinking is common. Therefore, you should not take expensive things with you: electronics and equipment, gold jewelry. You should keep money and valuables with you, do not take out large sums on the street and keep an eye on your bag or backpack.

As for health, the same rules of sanitation and personal hygiene apply here as when traveling to Asia: do not drink raw water, avoid using ice in drinks (since it is most likely made from raw water), wash your hands more often, especially before meals, and refrain from buying and eating street food. In fact, very often street food turns out to be edible, you can try it. It is only important to be careful when choosing food. For example, bread flatbreads, popular in almost all countries, are quite safe, but it is better to avoid buying fried meat (usually small pieces of meat on a skewer), since due to the hot climate and inappropriate storage and processing conditions, the meat may be spoiled.

When traveling to tropical and equatorial countries, you need to be aware of natural dangers associated with climate, insects, animals, and so on. You should avoid visiting, especially on your own, without guides, rural areas, swampy areas, jungles, and so on. You cannot walk barefoot or in open shoes on the grass and ground, or try to touch animals, even ordinary cats and dogs.

Malaria. It is no secret that malaria is very common in tropical and equatorial countries. A large percentage of infections occur on the African continent. The disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine for malaria. That is, formally it exists, but is still being tested. It is too early to talk about whether there will be a certified malaria vaccine available to the population in Russia. Therefore, there is always a risk of infection. To reduce it to a minimum, it is important to remember that, firstly, you can protect yourself from mosquitoes (both ordinary and malarial) with ordinary repellents or tinctures with extracts of cloves (usually sold in pharmacies) and other natural substances whose odors repel insects Secondly, for an overnight stay you need to choose a hostel (hotel) that has a mosquito net hanging above the bed. It should be lowered as low as possible and cover the bed in such a way that there are no gaps and that the mesh does not come into contact with the body. Thirdly, it is important to remember that mosquito numbers increase with high humidity. This means that the risk of encountering a malarial mosquito increases near water bodies, in swampy areas and during the rainy season (where it is present). These factors must be taken into account when planning a trip and drawing up a route.

There is a lot of information and advice on the Internet about taking anti-malaria drugs as a preventive measure (Loriam, Malaron). It is extremely undesirable to take these drugs without a doctor’s prescription, and especially for preventive purposes, because, firstly, they do not provide an absolute guarantee that infection will not occur, and secondly, these drugs have a number of contraindications and a huge number of side effects. They also put a lot of stress, and sometimes complications, on the liver, since they contain large quantities of quinine. Remember that not all mosquitoes in Africa are malarial, and there may not be any infection at all during the entire trip. However, it should be borne in mind that the incubation period for these diseases lasts from several days to several weeks, and the first symptoms may appear after returning home. Therefore, if you feel unwell, you must consult a doctor and inform him that you have returned from African countries. As for medications, they should be taken only in case of illness. You can buy them in pharmacies directly in African countries. They are much cheaper there. A rapid test for malaria is also widely sold, which you can do yourself in a matter of minutes. Upon arrival in the country, it would be a good idea to immediately go to the pharmacy, buy a test and medicine, and have them with you for the entire trip, as well as bring them home in case symptoms of the disease appear after returning.

Money: cash, bank cards, currency

In what currency should I take money with me (euro or dollar)? Depends on the region. For example, eight countries in West and Central Africa, once French territories and now members of the African Financial Community, use a single currency, the CFA franc (CFA), which is rigidly pegged to the euro. Therefore, when going to this region, it is better to take euros with you, since the exchange rate will be more favorable. In other African countries, the dollar has become more widespread, although the euro is also in circulation. But in some countries you may encounter difficulties when exchanging currency, be it the euro or the dollar. For example, in Uganda, $100 bills older than 2000 are cheaper, and exchange offices, both official and unofficial, are reluctant to accept them. And in Kenya, hundred dollar bills issued before 2006 may not be accepted for payment or exchange. When exchanging currency in banks and exchange offices you should pay attention not only to the exchange rate, but also to the commission that is often charged (for example, in South Africa).

Bank cards are not accepted everywhere. In more developed Kenya and Tanzania, cards can be used to pay in large hotels, supermarkets and safari agencies. In South Africa you can pay with a card almost everywhere. In smaller cities and less developed countries with a much lower flow of tourists, there are much fewer opportunities to pay by card or withdraw cash from an ATM. You can withdraw cash from your card at ATMs only in large cities. Sometimes withdrawing money from ATMs can result in the card being blocked, since Russian banks may perceive such transactions as suspicious (what if the card was stolen!). Therefore, you need to have cash on hand in case you cannot use your cards for some reason.

Sometimes you can pay in dollars (rarely euros) for individual services or goods. For example, in Kenya, a number of souvenir shops may accept American currency for payment. In this case, change will most likely be given in Kenyan shillings. With such a calculation system, you need to be especially careful, as they can be shortchanged. Also, dollars will be paid organized tours around the country, safaris and entrance to national parks and other similar services. It is worth preparing approximately 100-150 dollars in small bills to pay for taxis, excursions, and tips.

Price level and costs

When planning to travel around Africa, you initially need to be prepared for the fact that it is not budget direction. Prices for transport, food in cafes and restaurants, and housing are almost comparable to European prices. Price levels vary from country to country. Ethiopia can probably be called the cheapest country on the African continent. But even here it all depends on what travelers are going to see and how to spend their time. In general, for a two-week trip to Africa, you will most likely have to budget at least 1000-1500 dollars per person, not counting the air ticket. Of course, if you are planning a safari in a national park, that’s what people come here for.

Safari is the biggest expense item. And this is precisely what needs to be treated with great attention. Safaris are organized by local agencies, and their services are unlikely to be avoided. Firstly, because in most cases it is prohibited to be on the territory of a national park without a car and a guide, as it is simply dangerous due to wild animals. Secondly, a safari, as a rule, takes not one day, but from two to seven, depending on the route and the chosen national park. The cost of a safari varies and depends on the company, location, included services and number of days. On average, prices start from $130-150 per day per person. The price includes a car with a driver, a guide, overnight stays at a campsite or lounge, meals and entry fees to the reserve. Some companies also offer the services of a cook who will accompany you along the entire route, if the tour includes overnight stays in tents. Of course, the services of a cook will slightly increase the cost of the safari, but tents and other necessary equipment are included in the price. Drinks (water, juices, soda, beer) and tips for the driver, guide and cook will be paid separately. Tips are usually given in US currency at the rate of 5-10 dollars per person per day for each team member. The issue of tips should be discussed before the trip and it should be agreed what it will be - the total amount from the entire group or another form of incentive.

You can choose an agency for organizing a safari before leaving for Africa, contact it, clarify prices, information about the group being recruited and other organizational issues. In addition, very often such agencies offer their clients pleasant bonuses in the form of free transfer from the airport or free hotel accommodation for the night before departure for a safari. You can choose an individual safari for 2-4 people, or you can join a group and thereby slightly reduce the cost of the tour. By the way, you can always ask about the possibility of making a discount, and very often companies will accommodate you halfway. It is also possible to order a safari on site, at a hotel or guesthouse, of course, if the selected hotel (guesthouse, hostel) offers such services.

Transport

To travel around the continent, you can use the services of African airlines operating flights between major cities Africa. The cost of flights is quite high. For example, a flight from Dakar (Senegal) to Bamako (Mali) costs about 400 euros.

Another variant transport communication– buses, both intercity and international, connecting the capitals and major cities of nearby countries. Here we are talking about the so-called “buses for locals,” that is, those that Africans themselves ride on. The cost of a bus ticket depends on the direction and region. For example, moving Dakar-Bamako will cost about 40 euros, but takes about 25 hours. In practice, this time increases several times. Firstly, because a stop is made at night, since the border crossing does not operate at night, and in general, buses do not run at night. Secondly, the fleet of vehicles is mostly very old, buses break down often, and repairs take a lot of time. In addition, most buses are very uncomfortable, cramped and crowded, with hard seats, which makes such long journeys very tiring. Bus departures may not coincide with the schedule: very often they depart as the cabin is full. Therefore, when choosing buses for travel, you need to remember the inconveniences of this type of transport and add extra time to your route.

Travel within countries intercity buses not expensive. In Mali, for example, the average price of a bus ticket is 8-12 euros. In Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, there are rail connections between major cities, which makes traveling around these countries more comfortable and faster. The average cost of a train ticket can range from $30 to $60.

Trips around the city public transport available to everyone. For example, in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, matatu (analogous to our minibus) and boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) are very popular. The cost of travel on a matatu is less than on a boda-boda - about 1 and 3 dollars, respectively (depending on the country). Moreover, boda-boda are private cab drivers on their motorcycles, and bargaining with them is always appropriate, unlike matatu.

As for taxis, this is always the most convenient and fastest form of urban transport. But, as elsewhere, taxi trips are more expensive than regular buses and minibuses. For example, a taxi fare in Dakar (Senegal) costs an average of 30 euros, in Kampala (Uganda) – 25 dollars, and in Nairobi (Kenya) – from 40 dollars.

Hitchhiking, a favorite among many travelers in African countries, cannot be called popular. Firstly, giving someone a lift means providing a service, and in Africa they always ask for money for services. Especially when it comes to foreigners. Secondly, in some countries the situation with roads and, consequently, with vehicles is quite deplorable. For example, in the DRC there are very few roads as such on which cars can drive. And in Eritrea, due to the shortage and high cost of gasoline, cars are not popular. Thirdly, in African countries there are places that are either closed to foreigners or where visiting is not recommended (for example, war zones, military bases, etc.). Even the locals themselves often do not know that foreigners are not allowed to be in a particular place.

Where to live

Tourism in individual African countries is gaining momentum. At the same time, the choice of hotels and hostels for every taste and budget is growing. But still, the budget housing system has not yet been developed well enough to offer travelers accommodation that is affordable and of good quality. Prices for a double room in a guesthouse or hostel, like everything else, depend on the country, but on average it is 25-50 dollars. For example, in Kampala the average cost of a double room in a guesthouse is 25 dollars, in Nairobi - about 40, and on the island of Zanzibar - from 60. In Dakar, a double room in a hostel costs 25-30 euros, in Bamako and Mopti (Mali) - 20 euros . Of course, the average cost of housing is shown here, but it fully reflects the price level that can be expected in African countries.

What to eat

You can safely eat in cafes and restaurants, especially if there are a lot of foreigners in them. Of course, prices in such places will be much higher than in those where locals eat. By the way, locals in many ways prefer not cafes and restaurants, but street food, which not every foreigner wants to try. On the other hand, some street food is not great danger: for example, bread, cakes, pastries, fruit. You should be careful when handling meat and fish. By the way, these are the most expensive products in many African countries. Always available and popular foods in Africa are: rice, millet, beans, sweet potatoes, chicken, eggs, bread, tortillas, pasta and vegetables. Simple dishes made from these products can be bought everywhere, both on street stalls and in cafes.

What to see

Africa is famous for its natural attractions - nature reserves and national parks, where you can see pristine nature, flora and fauna, waterfalls, mountains, volcanoes and deep rivers. There are protected areas worth visiting for the sake of natural beauty in almost every country. The largest and most famous are the Masai Mara in Kenya, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro in Tanzania, and Kruger in South Africa. It is here that thousands of travelers come to go on safari, watch the wildlife, take spectacular photos.

Those who are more interested in history and African ethnology will be interested in traveling around Ethiopia and seeing the ancient cities of Axum and Lalibela, as well as going to the Omo River valley to African tribes. And those who are interested in the history of slavery can go to Senegal and visit the island of Gorée (Île de Gorée) with its slavery museum. It was from here that Africans began to be exported to the New World.

Africa can surprise even an experienced traveler. She leaves no one indifferent. Sometimes she repels you at first sight, and then nothing can change this feeling. And sometimes travelers fall in love with it right away and can’t help but come here again and again, discovering new pieces of this still unfamiliar continent.

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