“ Suppose you go on safari one day, it is really exciting, memorable and a different experience we all desire outside our usual environment. On our first day to go with clients on safari, with lots of expectations clients had many questions to do with gorillas and wildlife in the parks- and good enough, a few hours later you can start exploring the wilderness.

You catch the early morning sunrise with African birds singing,elephant families and other wildlife basking in the sun while getting ready to go and see man”s closest relatives, the gorillas and chimpanzees in the jungles.

What a wonderful experience! I have shared with travellers time and again while explaining ground information and ensuring a comfortable stay with us. Anybody interested can always give it a try by sharing costs with friends or negotiate for cheaper accommodations and safari.

The photos are from a recent safari at Bwindi Park for gorillas and Queen Elizabeth Park.

Godfrey Katongole ”

Godfrey Katongole is a photographer and  safari guide with Inside Uganda Tours Limited in Uganda, a local run travel company offering affordable safaris and outdoor activities in Uganda. Visit their website www.insideugandatours.co.ug for more information or contact Godfrey via email at godfreykatongole2005@yahoo.com

I still have not had the chance to join a safari, but have you? Where? Is it something you’d like to do?  Do you have any tips or a particular location you highly recommend? Have you seen gorillas in the wild? If you liked the photos please share this post, as well as your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!

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Guiding a safari in Kenyan jungles might sound thrilling to many of you safari seekers though to many of us who execute the work almost on daily basis if not a week we will always have another story to tell. Being lured by the thirst and love of nature together with the quest to explore my country i learned the art of tourism and guiding in kenya not knowing that the same passion would make me wake up every other day as early as 0300hrs in the the morning to meet these tourists from Bangkok whose flight happens to be the earliest one today, having left the same airport yesterday eavening at 12 oclock to pick another family from netherlands whose passion for the mara wildbeest migration had brought them back to visit my country 21 years later.

The MK flight from Bangkok lands with a loud noise and the three short chinese run quickly and bow in front of the Africa sights and adventures paging board I am holding which has been the tradition at the airport of recognising whom you are waiting for, and quickly I take them to my safari van at the parking smiling to myself because at least two of the three understands and can speak some broken english. We leave the airport and head to the kenya comfort hotel where I had booked the netherland family since they had requested for a budget hotel, and by six oclock in the morning,we pick them and head to masai mara national reserve to trace the migration arriving there five and half hours later, in time for lunch and check in at the sentrim luxury tented camp.

Later that afternoon we take off to the same wilds looking for the gazelles, zebras and their predators like lions and cheetahs. It turns out to be another of my lucky days again after my vhf radio transmitter cracks life and a collegue of mine in another direction calls on radio that a kill is taking place right infront of him. After five minutes we stop by his side followed by some other cars from a different direction whom have also heard the same message on their long range radios. Pictures of natural joy and satisfaction from both the Netherland family and my Bangkok friends are all over their faces with their sharp cameras pointed to the two lions infront of us munching their zebra kill slowly with the sun setting lazily in the horizons of the Serengeti on the other side.

“Mein gott” the netherland lady exclaims slowly to herself and loudly for me to hear. Loudly she calls my name. “Tito, thank you for making my twenty one years long wait to witness this a reality,and thank you for making my boys see this too. It’s their first time to see a lion.”

“Thanks too for booking the safari with me” I thought. That night I doze off satisfied with myself and the guarantee that I will come back to the mara again some other day with some other clients from the recommendation I will get from my netherland and bangkok friends.

The safari continues.

Note: This is not a sponsored post, but an article submitted by a reader who’s job is appealing to me and probably many readers. If this article happens to help his business, well… I will frankly be very pleased by it.

Tito Paxton is a safari guide at Afrika Sights and Adventures. You can find more of his business in his website http://sightsafrica.com/ and contact him via email at tito@sightsafrica.com

Have you ever been on a safari? Where? What do you think is coolest about being a safari guide? Is this a job you would like to experience? Why or why not? Share your thoughts below, and this post too if you liked it!

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One advantage to being amongst the few who travel to a country that is often feared by many tourists because of its turbulent history of racial discrimination, poverty and political issues, is that the friendly locals are more than welcoming and extremely hospitable to travellers. However, it’s probably best not to express your opinions on the political unrest, as the issue is sensitive amongst the Zimbabwe residents.

If you are looking for places to stay in Zimbabwe, there are a number of hostels, lodges, B&Bs and fancier hotels. During our time in the cities we opted for slightly more expensive hotels rooms as we were two girls travelling by ourselves, but once we headed out of the city we opted for rustic lodges and friendly B&Bs for an authentic African experience.

Food and drink in Zimbabwe is fresh and unprocessed – just how I like it. Normally I am fairly unadventurous when it comes to trying new food but I was pleasantly surprised with the local dishes. ‘Sadza’ soon became my favourite meal during my trip and despite its porridge-like appearance, it’s really tasty when you roll the maize mixture into balls and then dunk them into stew and gravy –just imagine sloppier, lumpier Yorkshire puddings. Remember to clap twice when you receive your food to say thank you!

Fortunately for me Zimbabwe is a fantastic wine-producing region and no trip is ever complete without a taste of the local tipple. The Busham Rock Estate sits in the Nyamasanga River Valley, 40km outside of Zimbabwe’s capital city Harare, and is a great place to sample some of the country’s finest wines whilst taking in some pretty spectacular views overlooking the estate’s 14 hectares of vineyards and surrounding rolling hills, under the blazing sun.

But of course, I could not travel all the way to Zimbabwe without a visit to the world’s largest waterfalls –Victoria Falls. The stunning falls are located on the Zambezi River between Zimbabwe and neighbouring country, Zambia. Famously known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the mile-long Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and for me, one of Mother Nature’s most impressive creations.

The noise is deafening and don’t forget to take your cagoule because you will get a bit soggy! The remarkable thing about these falls is that the water doesn’t flow down from surrounding mountains or deep valleys, but instead from flat terrain which extends out by 100’s of kilometres. I was lucky enough to witness my very own breathtaking Victoria Falls rainbow, and I have since heard that when the moon is full, a shimmering ‘moonbow’ can be seen in the spray.

While you’re in the Victoria Falls area, one place I strongly recommend visiting is the country’s largest game reserve, Hwange National Park. This national park extends over 14,600 square kilometres and is home to some of the world’s most magnificent creatures including lions, elephants, buffalo, zebras, leopards, rhinos, impala, kudu, and hundred of different species of birds.

Despite my preconception of Zimbabwe, this is one place I would highly recommend to travellers who are seeking natural unspoiled beauty and thrilling adventures. If that hasn’t convinced you, surely the chance of seeing a magical moonbow at Full Moon will tempt you to this beautiful and flourishing African nation?

Author bio: Anna Ridley

Anna Ridley is a freelance travel writer who has a passion for travel, writing and fizzy wine. After living in the French Alps for two years, she now lives back by the beach in Cornwall where she is attempting to work her way through her “bucket list”.

Some of these links could be making us some money, however we would not include them if we didn’t think they can benefit travelers

Is Zimbabwe a country you had ever considered visiting? Has article post made you re-consider your opinion? What do you think would be the highlight of your trip? Share your thoughts below, and this post too if you  liked it!

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You may think that these images seem clichéd and overly-idealistic. And maybe you’re right. But there’s only one way to find out – to see for yourself. And so I decided to make Tanzania (a country I knew very little about, bar that it was somewhere in Africa) my next destination.

Home to the iconic snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, as well as the pure, white sandy beaches of Zanzibar, the astounding Ngorongoro Crater, and the immense Serengeti National Park, Tanzania truly is the perfect destination for anyone travelling to Africa. And while this beautiful country may often be overshadowed by neighbouring Kenya or South Africa in the tourist-industry, this fact actually works in Tanzania’s favour: fewer tourists means greater opportunities to experience the real Africa – and to discover whether or not my Lion-King-inspired vision was reality or just pure, Disneyfied fantasy.

My first port of call was the small town of Kataru, where I’d be staying in the Kudu Lodge and Campsite. The lodge is situated amidst tropical, flower-filled gardens, and the Tembo cottages themselves are the epitome of lavishness – private verandas, fully-fitted en-suites, four-poster beds surrounded by mosquito nets. Unfortunately, as a backpacking student, my budget didn’t quite stretch far enough for me to actually stay in them. In fact, my research into Tanzania hotels had led me to the conclusion that the most affordable accommodation out in ‘the bush’ is your own tent and so, (grudgingly) forgoing luxury, I pitched my tent at the campsite instead.

With my tent pitched, I walked the 2km-long dusty road towards Kataru, where the local market was in full swing. The haphazard arrangement of charming, makeshift stalls, vended by the cheerful, brightly dressed locals, sold vegetables, hand-made crafts, and a staggering array of fresh fruits – figs, bananas, oranges, all grown in Tanzania. I even sampled my first jackfruit – an unusual, fleshy, tart-flavoured fruit – and it was here that I stocked up on some supplies for the next leg of my trip – safari!

Going on safari is the quintessential African experience, and one that I just couldn’t miss. And so, in true safari-spirit, I donned my khakis, laced up my hiking boots, and jumped into the back of a jeep, eager to reach our first stop: Ngorongoro Crater, a colossal volcanic caldera spanning an immense 20km in width. Within the crater’s walls, we came across a flock of flamingos perched gracefully in the shallow waters of Crater Lake; a swathe of bright pink that stretched as far as the eye can see. Continuing onwards, we saw herds of grazing buffaloes, a cheetah resting in the shade of an acacia, and – my personal favourites – elephants, sauntering casually past us on the road, their dusty trunks swinging languidly from side to side. There’s only one word to describe that experience: wow. Just…wow.

On our way out of the crater, we saw a group of local Maasai, easily recognisable in their distinctive red shukas (wraps) and elaborate beaded jewellery. They passed us by as casually as the elephants had done, unfazed by the attention of a jeep-full of camera-toting tourists. But despite their obvious nonchalant familiarity with the modern world, these are a people who have successfully resisted it; their ancient customs and traditions are still very much alive today, and seeing them walk barefoot across the crater-floor, laughing and joking amongst themselves as they herded their cattle through the long-grass, I have to say that I hope the modern world never manages to catch up with them.

Driving north-west from Ngorongoro, we headed into Serengeti National Park, a vast expanse of grasslands covering 14,763 sq km. This UNESCO world heritage site is home to some 4 million species of animals, and for much of the year it accommodates the million wildebeest and 200,000 zebras who make their annual pilgrimage from the northern hills down into the southern plains, and then back again, braving crocodile-infested waters, deep gorges, and flooding rivers. Hoping for good views of the migrating wildebeest, my group clambered up a giant, isolated outcropping, known as Gong Rock, and as I stood on the rock’s brim, watching what seemed to be an endless parade of mammals streaming out across the golden savannah, I was tempted to break into a rendition of Elton John’s ‘Circle of Life’.

I’m not claiming for one moment that my safari was an entirely picture-perfect experience. Each night my tent was invaded by cockroaches the size of tennis balls (I don’t want to admit how loudly I screamed the first time I saw one); despite drenching myself in insect repellent, every mosquito in Africa seemed intent on eating me alive; and, after a few nights of roughing it in a tent, I was really beginning to smell. But this was all part-and-parcel of the true safari experience, and the rest more than made up for it; the friendly locals, the stunning scenery, and the truly amazing wildlife.

For once, it seems, Disney actually got it right.

Author Bio: Ceri Houlbrook

Ceri Houlbrook is from Manchester, England – no, she doesn’t support United - and her passions include reading, writing, hiking and travelling the globe in search of some adventure!

Some of these links might be making us some money, however we would not include them if we didn’t think they couldn’t benefit  travelers.

Have you been on a safari in Tanzania or elsewhere? What did you like most of it? Was there anything that dissapointed you? Share your experience in the comments section below, and this post too if you liked it!

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In order to get myself into the right frame of mind I read a supposedly famous book by Henno Martin entitled ’The Sheltering Desert’. It tells the story of two German geologists working in Namibia in the 1940s who faced imprisonment during the Second World War as ‘hostile foreigners’. As a consequence they fled to the Namibian desert where they lived for two gruelling years (Yes, true story!). But why am I telling you this? Well, I’m obviously not aiming to write a blurb and tout this book but I have to admit it helped me get an insight into the Namibian way of life and spirit of the country that I was going to experience during my trip. But literature aside … altogether I spent three weeks travelling around the country which is truly immense and very sparsely populated. Once you leave the well-trodden tourist trails, most of the time there’s not a soul to be seen. Namibia is actually almost four times the size of the UK with a mere 2.2 million inhabitants, just to give you an idea of its dimensions.

Well, when I flew into Windhoek I decided to hang around for a couple of days and explore the surroundings before heading to Swakopmund and Walvis Bay on the coast. There’s actually not that much to be seen in the capital. But only two days into my trip I witnessed an event which seemed utterly out of place. I obviously knew that Namibia once used to be a German colony (if you fancy a bit of German flair and architecture you should swing by Swakopmund and Luederitz), but I had to do a double take when I got caught up in a German-inspired carnival procession in the centre of Windhoek. Apparently, as I was told by a local, German-style carnival parades with carriages, loud thumping music and all that jazz take place all year round in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Tsumeb and other locations (so they’re even more obsessed with it down there than in Cologne, the German stronghold of carnival!). As far as dining in Namibia is concerned, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that the odd restaurant also offers succulent German bratwurst, beer and cheesecake with whipped cream. Who would have thought all that?! Rather than heading to distant Namibia, I simply could have hopped on an Easyjet flight and travelled to the ‘real’ Germany!

But enough of my ramblings about former colonial powers and influences. Namibia is a stunning country and unlike any other place. It boasts wide open spaces, massive undulating sand dunes that probably eclipse anything you’ve ever seen before, unique indigenous cultures like the Himba (see first picture in post) who live as they have for centuries, rugged savannahs and impressive wildlife … I’m actually running out of adjectives to describe this country. Either way, if you fancy some really mind-blowing scenery just make sure you visit the Fish River Canyon in the south, the second largest canyon in the world!

There’s so much more to tell about Namibia, but I think I should probably stop here. And just to get back to the food and finish my story … since Namibia is such a fusion of cultures its cuisine is very diverse and sumptuous. You should most certainly try the local ’braaivleis’ which is a yummy barbecue with zebra, ostrich or other types of meat. So overall there’s definitely more to Namibia than German bratwurst and carnival, but see for yourself!

Author bio: Rob Melau decided to study tourism management to combine his professional career with his passion for travel. He lived in England and France for a while and is already on the lookout for the next adventure somewhere in Asia or South America. Rob enjoys writing, sports and any type of outdoor activity.


[Some of these links might be making us some money, however we wouldn't include them if we didn't think they can be useful to the traveler. Photo credits: Himba ladies @shuttlenamibia.com]


Are you an Africa expert? Have you visited Namibia? What are must-see places you visited, and others you wish you had? Share your suggestions with us in the comment section below, and this post too if you liked it!

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“You’re going to Jo’burg?” My parents said… “BE CAREFUL!” And they weren’t the only ones… Everybody I seemed to tell about my trip had that same worried look on their face as they told me to take care, be vigilant and not to venture out of the city centre. Those of course were the people that hadn’t been to ‘Jozi’, the people who merely relied on horror stories they had heard in the press. Anybody who had been lucky enough to visit the city of Johannesburg for themselves told me that, like in Cape Town, I was going to have a ball and would want to go back again, and again.

Many people use Jo’burg simply as an overnight stopover for visiting other places in South Africa or heading off on safari, but having checked out MyJohannesburgInfo I realised that Jozi really is a destination in its own right so I decided to book 5 days there. I opted to stay in Rutland House Bed and Breakfast as they seemed to offer good value for money, a beautiful swimming pool and breakfast at whatever time I required it. Located between Hyde Park, Rosebank, Randburg and Sandton this was an ideal base for exploring the city.

My days were jam packed with visits to the Montecasino bird gardens, the African craft market, A visit to the Central Business District if Newtown – which culminated in a tour of the South African Breweries World of Beer! Being a student I was determined to check out what student life was like Johannesburg style so I headed down to trendy Melville where I sipped on cocktails at Buzz 9 and chatted to the local students. At the end of my trip I even managed to find time to fit in a round of golf!

Although the city centre of Johannesburg seems to be racially mixed I was determined to catch a glimpse of the real Jo’burg and the real people as I couldn’t help but believe that what I was seeing was merely a facade for a much bleaker picture. I booked an organised tour to Soweto (South Western Township) and went armed with pens, pencils, paper and sweets to give out to the children. In my mind I had (naively) believed that Soweto formed a small part of the city. The reality is that Soweto is an area of 65 square km and home to 3.5million people. According to my guide, Soweto is in a much better position than it was ten years ago but the area is still rundown with matchbox houses and comes in stark contrast to the glistening city centre.

My afternoon in Soweto was a real eye-opener to the apartheid and how, although no longer present, its effects are still felt in modern day South Africa. After chatting to some of the locals and handing out my goodies I ventured to the nearby Hector Peterson Memorial & Museum as well as the Nelson Mandela Museum, both of which were hugely informative and interesting.

Back in the centre of Jo’burg itself I took the opportunity to lunch at a fantastic restaurant called the ‘Butcher Shop & Grill’ in Nelson Mandela Square. I opted for the smoked springbok carpaccio followed by the Oxtail, both of which were perfectly cooked and left me wanting more. The location of this eatery means that after lunch its worthwhile heading to the nearby Lion Park Gauteng which sits somewhere between being a game park and a zoo. I got the chance to cuddle up to some beautiful white lion cubs – an opportunity not to be missed!

Another place on my to-do-list was to visit Constitution Hill, South Africa’s highest court and a former prison where the likes of Mahatma Ghandi and Nelson Mandela found themselves imprisoned. As with Soweto, this isn’t necessarily something to do for ‘fun’ but if, like me, you’re interested in the history of South Africa then this is well worth a visit. At the site there is also a wall called the ‘We the people Wall’ which features inspirational contributions from Nelson Mandela and other ex-prisoners to ordinary people across South Africa.

As everybody that had visited previously told me, I left Jozi having fallen head-over-heels in love with the place and the people and desperate to book another trip back. Yes, I did have to be careful and I did have to watch out for my personal belongings… but isn’t this the case with any big city in the world? My trip to Jo’burg offered a little bit of everything – history, culture, fun, good food and great nightlife. I will most definitely be returning and will of course be persuading others to take the plunge and book that trip. Jozi truly is one of a kind.

Today’s guest post was written by Sophie Fraser. Sophie  is from London and loves to visit new and exciting places… one day she hopes to travel the world. You can follow her in Twitter @SFraser123

Have you been to South Africa? Did you skip Johannesburg like most people or did take your time to explore the city? Would you spend a few days if you have them? What do you recommend?

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