3 Weeks in Africa - Which country?

Richard Roma

I'm looking to head to Africa over the summer for 3 weeks.
My plan would be to travel on my own, staying in hostels and using public trasnport. Anyone have recommendations about which country would be most interesting and also which countries would have a backpacker trail (like what you'd experience in China or India)?
I've heard good things about Uganda.
The only country I'd rule out is S.Africa.

NoQuarter

The only country ive been to is south africa and i had an amazing time! I know youve ruled it out so i wont go on about it but if you change your mind you can just ask!

Catari Jaguar

I've been to Kenya. It's so lush and vast. The safaris are amazing - I got a tour that brought me on 3 and organised all my travel (van driven from safari to safari and flight from Mombasa back to Nairobi) and accomodation in lodges/ hotels. Was cheap too, you can live like a king in a 5 star hotel for peanuts.

I visited Kilimanjaro & the Serengheti (on border of Tanzania) Amboseli National Park in the Great Rift Valley, Masai Mara village/ tribe, Mombasa - Old Town and Fort Jesus (historical area). Zanzibar Island is kinda dodge and boring though.

Try into keep a wary eye if you're out and about in Nairobi (Nairobbery) city but the surrounding residential areas are nice. I did cool stuff like visit an elephant orphanage, crocodile farm, giraffe zoo, ate in Carnivore restaurant & visited some mad night clubs. Nairobi has a huge, huge slum called Kibera, tourists can visit (outskirts are safest with a guide - it's great if you want to volunteer teach or help in an orphanage) It's a real eye opener.

The beaches in Kenya are so beautiful and there are so many water sports, sailing, snorkelling, diving... and leisure activities available for cheap. The shopping/ haggling and markets on the beaches are great too

It's Winter in the summer in Kenya - so is about 25 degrees in the city, and out in Mombasa (equator) it's tropical and roasting. Paradise

NUIG_FiannaFail

timbuktu is well cool i hear

KenHy

Can definitely recommend Uganda, very friendly and safe. If I was there for 3 weeks with plenty of funds!, I'd look at (in no particular order)

• Gorilla Trekking in Queen Elizabeth park (expensive, but good, you'd also get to go past the equator which they make into a bit of a tourist attraction). Cant rember who runs them, but when you arrive, I'd recommend going to the Red Chile hostel in Kampala once you arrive, who can help you organise all those things.
  
• A safari in Murchison Falls is well worth it, you'll have a good chance of seeing the big 5 game, (You have to go to a sanctuary to see rhino, but you still see it!). I went with Red Chile.
  
• A few days in Jinja, plenty of adventure sports, recommend kayaking or rafting with Nile River Explorers, but there are loads of other things to do such as horseback safaris, quad biking etc.. You can also go on a tour of the Nile Special brewery (Nile Special is a local beer which is very good and very cheep!)
  
• Go to Sipi Falls, very nice!
  
• And finally I never went but I only heard good things about the Sesse Islands. Again Red Chile's hostel in Kampala would be a good place to scope that out.

Civilian_Target

Well... I did Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana and let me tell you - there's no tourist trail on the routes I took. And (Ghana aside) it could be quite tricky if you don't speak French.

People tell me east Africa is beautiful, but in 3 weeks at an African pace you can't realisitically expect to enjoy more than 2 East African countries.

Why are you ruling out South Africa?

Richard Roma

How did you get on with Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana?
I speak very basic French but I'd be willing to work at that before I go.
I know that 2 countries would be the max I'd do in 3 weeks.
South Africa has never appealed to me. I couldn't imagine the culture being as good there. It seems like more of a luxury holiday than a backpacker one

Civilian_Target

Honestly: it was tough, and I speak fluent french.

I didn't make it easy, for much of the time I was a long way off whatever you could call the beaten track. (There was a 3 day period where I didn't see any white people at all). I didn't splurge and at times I stayed in towns so small there were no guesthouses, so I was relying on local hospitality. The food made me sick on a weekly basis.

But it was a life changing experience. The poverty is scary, and much more real when you can hear it and smell it. (Mali is the 5th poorest country in the world, and Burkina the 6th.) I'm definitely a more relaxed and appreciative person now than when I left, and it changed my sense of perspective. I saw things I couldn't imagine. I don't recommend it, but if you want to do it, it's there to be done. The visas aren't a massive problem.

I wrote it up, send me a PM if you want a copy.

biomedgirl

Richard Roma wrote: »

I'm looking to head to Africa over the summer for 3 weeks.
My plan would be to travel on my own, staying in hostels and using public trasnport. Anyone have recommendations about which country would be most interesting and also which countries would have a backpacker trail (like what you'd experience in China or India)?
I've heard good things about Uganda.
The only country I'd rule out is S.Africa.

GO TO GHANA!!!! I spent 3 months there last summer and had the best time of my life!

Civilian_Target

biomedgirl wrote: »

GO TO GHANA!!!! I spent 3 months there last summer and had the best time of my life!

lol! Where at, obrunei?

tmax

3 weeks, 5 countries in Africa, no stress

http://www.topdecktours.co.uk/content.asp?Document_ID=45754&Display_Type=44999

Lots of other options too

biomedgirl

Civilian_Target wrote: »

lol! Where at, obrunei?

ahhhhhhhh obroni!! how i miss that! what part of ghana were you in? I lived in Kumasi mostly *sniff sniff* i miss it so

Cullen82

Hi there,

I travelled through Africa 13 countries in all - I think your best bet for 3 weeks would be to fly into Nairobi, Kenya and after visiting the Masai Mara maybe do a trip across Tanzania and take in the Serengetti.

It has also been suggested Uganda which I would agree with - I'm trying hard to remember now but Im fairly sure you could fit Kenya Tanzania and a shortish trip to Uganda/Rwanda in 3 weeks.

It's a Special Place, Enjoy

bullpost

Have a mate in Uganda and weather there is nice all year round from what he says and its an English-speaking country as well.
Personally would love to visit Ethiopia - fantastic history and amazing ancient buildings as covered in the recent BBC series - See entries 52-55 below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Around_the_World_in_80_Treasures

Gaz

If your looking for some real adventure I would recommend The Sudan, Wadi Halfa to Khartoum following the nile route.

Its tough, its hot, the food is terrible but the Sudanesse are the most welcoming, incredible people you will ever meet. I got stuck at one point and had to hitch hike, two guys pick me up, give me a room for the night in there village, feed me and then even paid for my onward bus ticket!
And that was not a once off incident of kindness .... just amazing people.

Plus you could get to see this >> http://www.sacredsites.com/africa/sudan/images/pyramids-meroe-500.jpg

Or, Ethiopia has some incredible sights and possibly the best food in Africa , get yourself a flight pass ... dont do buses likei i did, there awful.

Or as said above, Kenya for Safaris etc

Civilian_Target

biomedgirl wrote: »

ahhhhhhhh obroni!! how i miss that! what part of ghana were you in? I lived in Kumasi mostly *sniff sniff* i miss it so

Ah, I only got as far south as Tamale... which is not really the south at all, but still Bolgatanga and Sendu were nice, but it was the little villages that really hooked me... where life is sloooow!

I think in general, the advice here is right. I've never been to east Africa, but it's what you would generally consider to be Africa: the people speak English, there are elephants and beautiful mountains.

West Africa is a whole different journey, it's all about people and languages... because there's not much to see. I think for a first journey, it would be better to go east.

biomedgirl

Civilian_Target wrote: »

Ah, I only got as far south as Tamale... which is not really the south at all, but still Bolgatanga and Sendu were nice, but it was the little villages that really hooked me... where life is sloooow!

I think in general, the advice here is right. I've never been to east Africa, but it's what you would generally consider to be Africa: the people speak English, there are elephants and beautiful mountains.

West Africa is a whole different journey, it's all about people and languages... because there's not much to see. I think for a first journey, it would be better to go east.

Wow that is seriously north! Yeah i was in Tamale and Bolgatanga as well. The people are sooo different in the north than the south. Yeah I'd love to go to east africa sometime soon. HHmmm kenya is sounding good from these posts!

shanasue

Kenya is beautiful! but if you do get to Tanzania, get a flight from Dar to Zanzibar, about $50 or a boat which is much cheaper, spend 1-2 days in stone town its fab, then go up the coast to one of the little resorts sit in a hammock and chill with the rasta's for a few days ...heaven!

LaMer

Richard Roma wrote: »

How did you get on with Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana?
I speak very basic French but I'd be willing to work at that before I go.
I know that 2 countries would be the max I'd do in 3 weeks.
South Africa has never appealed to me. I couldn't imagine the culture being as good there. It seems like more of a luxury holiday than a backpacker one

Well you couldn't be further wrong, it's a huge backpacking spot, I can tell you when I traveled there it was hardly in luxury.

But I would dodge it this summer, it's gonna be a circus and the prices for accom is bumped up for the WC.