Unlike many travel destinations around the world, Africa is not as widely visited as it should be. Of course there are the issues to do with political instability and poor road infrastructure in some countries. These issues have been generalized and somewhat exaggerated, because there are many places in Africa to which visitors can easily have access in a politically and economically stable environment. Despite the stories that we hear in the media about the negative side of Africa, those who have travelled bring back a whole new way of looking at the little-traveled continent. When travelling on a budget this is a great destination because of 5 reasons:
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| Kikuyu tibal man. Kikuyu now make up Kenya’s largest ethnic group. |
Cultural diversity
Africa has an exotic variety of cultures in its East, West, North and Southern parts. For example, North Africa offers visitors a first-hand view of the living styles of the Arabic tribes that live in the Sahara desert and the regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. West Africa showcases the ancient civilizations that were greatly affected by the ancient slave trade. East Africa has an exquisite mix of Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic tribes that co-exist in relative peace despite their vast differences. South Africa displays the ancient civilizations of folklore such as the Zulu, Xhosa, and Ndebele. A person can travel from Cairo in the North to Cape Town in the South, from Mombasa in the East to Monrovia in the West and be truly amazed at the layers of variety they will see along the way.
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| Karnak Temple, Egypt |
Ancient remains
In many places in Africa ancient civilizations have left their mark permanently on the landscape. One can see the Egyptian Pyramids and the Sphinx in Northern Africa. In Eastern Africa you can also see many archeological remains from ancient civilizations and ancient ruins in the coastal towns. In Western Africa the great and vast kingdoms Ghana, Songhai and Mali have also left their mark. In Southern Africa the great empires like the Zulu still hold their own in today’s modern world.
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| Dallol is a volcanic explosion crater in the Danakil Depression, northeast of the Erta Ale Range in Ethiopia (Photo: Hervé Sthioul via Wikipedia CC) |
Real holiday climate
Most of Africa falls under the tropics. This means that, apart from the rainy months of the year, most of the other months have pleasant sunny climate with cooling winds. This is the perfect climate for a holiday away from the cold wintry conditions in other parts of the world.
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| Two lion sisters in Entabeni wildlife camp |
Wildlife galore
Many parts of Africa remain relatively untouched by modern encroachment. This means that, wild animals live side by side with humans in game reserves and game parks. A person can get to see wild game like lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, giraffes, antelopes and many others in their natural habitat.
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| Deadvlei is a white clay pan in Namibia, home to an impressive 900 years old tree graveyard |
Budget friendly travel
African holidays can be surprisingly affordable considering the exotic experience a person is treated to from the time they land. Hotels, resorts and lodges in Africa, compared to other continents provide an excellent return on investment for those travelling on a budget.
About the Author: Owen Peterson is a travel consultant. He ensures that all people who want to go on holiday get the right travel insurance to go on the trip of their dreams. He also ensures that those travelling on a budget also get excellent value for their hard-earned savings.
Photos via Flickr Creative Commons unless specified otherwise
Photos via Flickr Creative Commons unless specified otherwise
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