5 Reasons why a Trip to Africa should be on your Radar

A trip to Africa is one that most people have on their travel bucket list, but if it’s not, you may want to add it real quick! Africa has so much to offer for every traveler, no matter their interests. Africa is not just about wildlife safaris, it’s also known for its food, diversity, art, wine and extraordinary landscapes. It’s the ideal place to explore at the fraction of the cost of anywhere else. The people are friendly, accommodation usually exceeds standards whether you’re staying in a hotel, a hostel or tented camp.

Here are 5 reasons you should start planning a trip to Africa soon rather than later:

Safaris

You cannot go to Africa without going on a wildlife safari. It’s the home of outdoor adventure, and certainly the place to see wildlife in their natural surroundings. From the tip of Africa to the top of Africa, there are plenty of game reserves and safari parks to choose from. But it’s important you do your research before booking – not all are as exclusive as you may think. In fact, the most popular ones are usually the tourist traps. Your best bet is to visit a game reserve that is sure to offer exclusivity and has the ideal big 5 game reserve accommodation. Make sure that you know what you would like to get out of your safari experience, and then choose the one that fits your requirements. If it’s the Big 5 that you would love to see, remember that you don’t necessarily have to visit one of the famous parks. There are smaller reserves that may just offer you what you’re looking for and more.

A few top Safari wildlife reserves:

Thanda Safari – South Africa

Kruger National Park – South Africa

Okavango Delta – Botswana

Victoria Falls –  Zimbabwe

Serengeti – Tanzania

Masai Mara – Kenya

Nature

Africa is surrounded by natural beauty and all the wonders that nature has to offer. Table Mountain in Cape Town South Africa is one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, a popular tourist attraction. Table Mountain has a way of creeping right into your heart. It frames the city and makes for a great hike. The summit of course is a great lookout point over the Cape. There are also other small towns which are ideal for the wine and food lovers, and accommodation with VillaSA will make finding a place seamless. Africa has other majestic mountains such as Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, which has become very popular to climb. Yes, Africa with its beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters, botanical gardens, open land, deserts, game reserves and mountains standing tall, has so much to offer in the way of natural beauty. Africa is sure to make you feel at one with nature.

Diverse People

You will not find a continent more blessed than the African Motherland with its breathtaking beauty, colour and diversity of people. There are thousands of ethnic groups and languages with many having their own cultures, uniqueness and style. In Africa you will find the people very accommodating, and accepting of each other’s differences, their culture, language and religions. It’s fascinating to see people from very different walks of life and backgrounds living in harmony with one another. Some countries still experience their challenges, but the majority of the continent live peacefully amidst diversity.

Landscape

The beautiful African landscapes which include mountain ranges, grasslands, deserts, forests and oceans will leave you spellbound. You’ll find beautiful coastlines especially in Southern and Eastern Africa, vast grasslands in Botswana, Tanzania, parts of South Africa, Uganda and Rwanda. You’ll find ever changing dunes in the Namib and Sahara Desert and majestic mountains and mountain scattered throughout the continent.

Weather

Africa is known for its beautiful weather all year round. The best time to visit Africa depends where exactly you’ll be visiting, and what you are wanting to see/experience. Parts of Africa experience summer rainfall, and others experience dry, hot summers that can sometimes be unpleasant. It’s therefore important to do your research about the African countries you plan to visit. For example, mid-December to beginning of April are the most favourable months to visit Cape Town. This is their summer. During November and December is the best time for the migration of Wildebeest in the Serengeti and Masai Mara whilst late July / August is the dry months and lovely for safaris. Between the months of May and October you will be gifted with the best wildlife viewing as its hot and dry, which forces the wildlife to stay close to the few waterholes. This gives you a better chance of locating them. During this time, the grass is also a lot shorter, making the wildlife easier to spot. It’s likely you’ll find them lazing under trees and conserving their energy.