Traveling to Africa

General

Most of Africa is generally safe to visit. The majority of tourist areas and attractions are far from any conflict zones. Traveling in groups and staying in well-populated areas is always recommended. The majority of travelers return home without running into any major issues.

Solo travel around Africa is for the most part, nonthreatening and safe. You’re likely to find lots of generosity, friendliness, and old-fashioned gallantry.

Women traveling alone is becoming more common. In Africa, you’ll find men who are genuinely curious about why a woman would travel by herself. They usually don’t mean any offense and are actually interested in your answers.

On the flip side, Africa as a whole is typically pretty conservative. It’s uncommon to find women in the bars, restaurants, or clubs without a male companion.

It’s important to remember that countries in Africa are, for the most part, conservative. Public displays of affection are often considered offensive regardless of your sexuality; including holding hands. However, as long as you’re discreet, there’s no reason people within the LGBTQ community cannot travel safely throughout Africa.

On a brighter note, South Africa is somewhat of an African LGBTQ safe haven. It is often looked at as the ultimate hassle-free destinations and is the only country on the continent to recognize same-sex marriage. They are also the first in the world to outlaw discrimination of sexual orientation. Though, just because they are making progress legally it does not mean that it’s completely accepted among the population. Please still exercise caution.

Remember that seasons in Africa run opposite of the States. Their Fall runs from March – May and their Spring arrives September – November.

Africa is known for its year-round warm climate, but many countries do have a wet season. Generally speaking, the dry seasons are best for traveling. Please talk with our travel advisors about the optimal time to visit the destination/s of your choice.

East Africa has a dry season spanning
from May – October, then again from December – March. East Africa’s wet season tends to fall between October – December, and March-May.

The dry season in South Africa goes from May – October, and the wet season runs from November – March.

Central Africa has a dry season from December – April and a wet season from May – October.

Keep in mind that Africa has 54 countries and nearly half speak English. Although the accents may be somewhat of a challenge – remember that you have an accent to also!

It is definitely possible to get around Africa using English, carrying extra patience to wade through accents. Try using different words to express the same sentence if someone doesn’t understand what you’re saying. Remember, slang is different throughout the world so you may want to avoid slang words.

Northern Africa has beautiful Mediterranean kid-friendly beaches close to the tip of Europe. If you’re wanting to see great national parks then check out South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya; the list goes on.
While there are parts of Africa that are off-limits even to the most experienced traveler, there are plenty of areas that are quite safe. Make sure to talk with your travel consultant about which areas are best to travel with your family and the minimum age accepted at lodges and camps.

Visa and Mastercard are accepted in major cities throughout Africa. Discuss with your travel advisor about specifics while on your safari.

Tipping outside of tourism is also common, so feel free to tip whatever you feel is fair.

Ready to discuss traveling to Africa with one of our Travel Consultants?
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