Plan your Trip
DID YOU KNOW?
Africa is a huge continent with several countries, each having unique things to offer. But all destinations can be conquered with efficient and proper planning. If this is your first travel to the continent, you may want to read About Africa to cover the basics.
Below are questions you should consider
when planning a trip to Africa
Who's traveling and what are your interests?
Some people already have a set destination in mind while others are still looking for ideas. If you're traveling with kids or elders, you can easily narrow down your options to destinations that are accessible to them. For example, you may want to reconsider your bucket-list to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro if you have a toddler in tow.
After you have selected possible destinations that everyone votes for, you can narrow this down by interest:
- What is your interest (if traveling solo)
- Or your collective interests? (if traveling with others)
When are you going and for how long?
If your date is not flexible, book your flights and tours way in advance to score lower prices or maybe even get deals. If you want to witness a specific event, for example, The great wildebeest migration in Tanzania, you should book 1 year in advance because this is peak season.
Take note of the following:
- If your dates are flexible, it is best to travel in the low season where there are fewer tourists, and prices are lower.
- Logistics in Africa is more difficult, takes longer, and can be expensive due to challenges in the infrastructure. Even if you are traveling to only one destination, you should allot at least 6 full days to maximize your money and time's worth.
What's your Budget?
Africa, being a less-traveled place with limited infrastructure don't come by cheap. The tour destinations outside the city require the assistance of a seasoned Tour Operator hence, swelling up the overall price but you can easily do a city tour by yourself using local transportation
Standard
A 7-day private safari in Kenya, all meals included and staying in mid-range accommodation will cost at least 1,000 USD per person up to 2-3000 USD for more upscale accommodation (airport pick-up and drop-off included. Flights excluded).
Budget
A cheaper option would be to join a group whether it's a safari, a desert tour, or any excursions. For a safari in Kenya, a group joining tour will come down to around 600 USD per person. Before or after your tours, you usually have the option of hostels or Airbnb whether it's in Agadir in Morocco, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, or Cape Town in South Africa, you'll have plenty of accommodation and transportation options
How to go about your trip?
DIY & Tour Operator
It is very common and advisable to go with a reliable tour operator especially if traveling with kids. They will handle all the logistics for you and you just need to arrive. In countries like South Africa and Morocco where the tourism industry is more developed, it is common to DIY some parts of the trip and use a tour operator or join group tours in some.
It's all about Research
Backpacking is certainly doable but you'll need an extra bucket of time and patience. Overall, visiting Africa requires more research and planning and knowing beforehand unlike in Europe for example, where it's common to just wing it and do a DIY all the way.
Preparations
Before booking any flight or tour, make sure to check the visa requirement for your passport as well as the required vaccinations (if any). Though blogs are reliable, the last say should come from official sources such as embassies or official tourism portals of the destination you're going to.
Getting In
Common gateways to Africa are Morocco (Casablanca) in the North; Kenya (Nairobi) in the East; Senegal (Dakar) in the West and South Africa (Johannesburg) in the South.
Next Steps
Safety
Visa
Flights
