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The Perfect First Day in Namibia
I don’t know what I’d been expecting from Namibia, but it wasn’t that it would be so easy. I felt as though I had rocked up at an airport in Germany rather than a lesser-known country in Southern Africa. Windhoek’s Airport was clean and modern; everybody spoke English; we bought a SIM card and exchanged our money with zero hassle; picked up our rental car within a few minutes. “Damn,” I commented to Dave. “I feel like we’re in the U.S. or…
The Cost of Travel in Tanzania (2023): A Detailed Budget Breakdown
…budget — I have a budget breakdown for Zanzibar, for example, where I outline how you can average just $50 a day in spending — but the bad news is that I don’t recommend doing so. In Tanzania, your money can go a hell of a long way when it comes to food, transportation and, in some cases, accommodation. But if you’re going to be flying to the east of Africa from any other continent on the planet, you’re probably…
How to Spend 10 Days in Zanzibar: An Itinerary for 2023
Located just off the coast of East Africa, Zanzibar is an archipelago with a fascinating and colorful history. Today, Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous zone within the nation of Tanzania, after having experienced several different periods of colonization by a number of different world powers. Throughout this time, however, Zanzibar was a major hub for slavery in the African Great Lakes region, as well as Stone Town being a busy port city. Today, this history is reflected in the extensive cultural…
Exploring Kolmanskop: Namibia’s Ghost Town in the Desert
…carats worth of diamonds were extracted. That wealth translated into some seriously luxurious living: Kolmanskop was home to the first tram in Africa, as well as the first X-Ray machine in the southern hemisphere. Water was transported in for miles by train, and used solely to keep the residents’ lush gardens flourishing. The ice factory was built to allow the town to produce their own fresh lemonade. The mine paid for opera companies to ship performers from Europe out to…
Becoming a Spice Girl in Zanzibar
…spice trade truly thrived. The Sultan transported 50,000 slaves through Zanzibar each year, forcing a third of them to work on the spice farms in Tanzania — 30% of whom died every year due to the terrible conditions. These spice and slave trades combined to make Stone Town one of the richest cities in Africa. These days, the production of cloves is declining while tourism is skyrocketing, resulting in much of the spice industry turning towards plantation tours as a…
The Cost of Travel in Morocco: A Detailed Budget Breakdown
…European readers: you’re in luck! With a plethora of budget airlines across the continent, getting to and from Morocco will likely cost under €150 each way. If you’re all about overland travel, you can travel down to Tarifa, in Spain, then take the ferry (€38.70) across to Tangier. For anyone in North America, Oceania, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere, my first recommendation is Secret Flying and my second is Skyscanner. Secret Flying is my number one flying tool and it’s rare…
How Much Does it Cost to Travel Namibia in 2023?
…100% worth the splurge. I promise you’ll have the absolute time of your life there. And if you’re cool with camping, you’ll most likely end up spending half as much as I did within the country. Where’s the most expensive country you’ve ever travelled to? Related Articles on Namibia 🇳🇦 What’s it Like to Travel in Namibia? 🦛 The Perfect First Day in Namibia 🐘 Desperately Seeking Elephants in Etosha National Park 🏜 Finding Paradise in Vingerklip: Africa’s Monument Valley…
How to Visit Zanzibar on a Budget
…couple of weeks, so I needed to get in some practice. I don’t usually include flights in my total budget breakdown, because they vary so much from trip to trip, but have included them below to help you with your planning. To get to Tanzania, I snagged return flights from London with Rwandair for $491. As always my recommendation is to keep an eye on Secret Flying for flight deals to Africa. In the past couple of weeks, for example, there have been deals…
Gorilla Trekking in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
…of the most dangerous countries in the world, I remind them that no tourists have ever been killed while trekking with gorillas in Virunga, which is the oldest national park in Africa. On top of that, Virunga always closes the park if they sense the visitors will be in any kind of danger. Taking all of that into account, I believe you’d likely be more safe in Virunga than in many other national parks around the world. I was overjoyed…
The Cost of Travel in Rwanda (2023): A Detailed Budget Breakdown
…strides. In fact, Rwanda is now one of the safest countries in the world for travellers. When I first landed in Kigali, it was hard to imagine a genocide had ever taken place in this fantastic city. I was smitten from my first day onwards: with the colours, nature, energy, locals, and even the cleanliness. Did you know that Kigali is Africa’s cleanest city? And not only that, Rwanda has officially banned the use of single-use plastic bags — they…
How to Spend Two Weeks in Morocco: My 2023 Itinerary
…solo adventure overseas. But if you do have some travel experience under your belt, there’s so much beauty waiting to be discovered. Today, Morocco remains one of the most accessible parts of Africa, divided only by the Strait of Gibraltar from Europe — in fact, it takes less than hour to reach Tangier by boat from Spain. While aspects of its French colonial past are visible throughout the major destinations, the nation is thoroughly Islamic in character. Its vibrant, chaotic…
