Traveling to Africa: Tips to Get the Best of Your Trip
Do you think about traveling to Africa and need some tips? The second-largest continent in the world which is also the hottest and the most mysterious one has beckoned travelers over the centuries to discover its land. Tourism in Africa is gaining popularity among westerners and leaving them curious about this incredibly exotic and unique land.
The most interesting part about the African continent is its diversity. Many people may think that the majority of countries are alike, but in reality, all of them are different. When traveling to Africa, you will learn that neighboring countries can have a completely different culture, historical heritage, and nature, and to understand them you need to take some time.
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This list with tips for Africa travel is applicable to Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa as a country. No matter where exactly in Sub-Saharan Africa you travel (be it Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, or other countries), taking into consideration these tips is very important. So.. let’s dive in.
1. Vaccinations and First-Aid Kit
Yellow Fever Vaccination
There is only one mandatory vaccination a traveler to most African countries should get. And that’s a yellow fever vaccine. Keep in mind that this type of vaccine is a live attenuated viral vaccine which means that not everyone can tolerate it well. Make sure to get it in advance and once done, relax. A single shot of a yellow fever vaccine will last a lifetime.
Also, I would suggest having a clothing insect repellent (this one in particular) because it’s one of only a few repellents that keeps Yellow Fever Mosquitos away. Besides mosquitos, it also protects against ticks and chiggers.
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Malaria
There is no vaccination against malaria and no preventative obligatory requirements. Some people take pills, but sometimes they don’t help everyone in full capacity.
Taking them or not depends on you and the climate of a country where you are going to be. For example, in hot regions of the Central African Republic, you can catch malaria of the brain (just don’t read about it), that’s why in this case taking pills is a must. However, we really doubt you will be traveling to CAR. There is not that much to do there unless you are a volunteer or NGO worker.
On the contrary, in Zanzibar or South Africa likelihood of getting sick is low. That’s why having a mosquito spray and covering your body with long sleeves at night will be enough.
Pills that help to prevent malaria, in reality, have many side effects. And, if you still get sick, they can distort test results.
It is still worthwhile to have an extra pack in your pocket, but don’t overthink it and panic in case you suspect malaria was transmitted to you.
Run to the doctor and remember, nowadays malaria is successfully cured. Some of my friends in Africa had been infected with malaria up to 10 times, and are still doing well. No doubt, it depends on each individual case, but still, chances are you will be totally fine.
If you are traveling to Africa just for the safari, then don’t worry about malaria at all. There are quite a few malaria-free safari destinations to choose from.
Side note: Do NOT buy drugs to prevent malaria anywhere in Asia or Africa. Purchase them only in a Western country. Medications in Asia and Africa are missing effective ingredients and can permanently damage your heart!
As for other medicines, be sure to take something that will help to soothe food poisoning symptoms and diarrhea. Unfortunately, in many countries of the African continent, almost everyone goes through these unpleasant experiences.
2. Hygiene
It should make sense, right? Yet, many people don’t realize that practices of maintaining health in their home country are not enough in countries of the African continent.
If you do not want to risk it, give up any fresh salads and sliced fruits during your trip, if they were not washed and cleaned by you. Even if you are staying in a topnotch hotel, please try to stick to foods that went through thermal processing. You may read our tips on food and drink safety in Southeast Asia to get an idea of what to do in Africa. They are very similar in this sense.
You never know what type of water a cook in a restaurant uses and how well he cleans his knives. Also, never ever forget to wash or disinfect your hands before each meal. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is.
3. Weather
Most countries on the African continent have only two seasons, each of which influences the weather immensely. Dates of the rainy season across Africa differ from each other.
If you are planning to go on safari, make sure it doesn’t fall into the middle of a wet monsoon. In this case, you may be stuck in mud in the middle of nowhere, not being able to see lions and antelopes. Also, if completing your Africa bucket list, you want to know bad weather is not going to ruin the experience.
On the other hand, the end of the wet season may become one of the best periods for national parks exploration. During this time not many tourists are showing up yet, and the animals are free to walk and sleep anywhere they want without any limits.
4. Prices
If in Asia, America or Europe prices for goods drop the farther away from tourist places you go, then in Africa you’ll witness a completely opposite picture.
In a majority of African countries prices increase with every other kilometer away from a city or metropolis. If you are not going to eat goat meat and cornmeal for your every meal of the day (or other local food), then choose your destination with well-developed infrastructure. Otherwise, dinner in the only one available restaurant within a radius of 100 km will cost you $ 50 per person, not less.
And yes, bargain for excursions and souvenirs! Almost in every place which is missing a fixed price tag, you can agree on a price that will be half of the original one. Another detail to remember: the African continent is dollar friendly, taking euros will not make sense.
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5. Safety
Writing out phone numbers for the embassy on your hand or thoroughly hidden piece of paper can help you in a critical moment. Make a copy of your passport and hide it away, or if your hotel has a safe, carry that copy with you instead of the original.
Keep an eye on your money and better store it in small amounts in several places.
Be sure to take care of your travel insurance because proper medicine and healthcare are extremely expensive in Africa.
Remember, you are not in your western world. Applying some extra attention and caution is simply crucial.
Oh, and don’t forget to get yourself into a great mood – tantrums on this side of the planet will never solve anything. Using smiles and friendly approach can help you replace the hotel room or a dish in the restaurant.
6. Roads
Take into consideration that the average 200-300 km (125-185 miles) distance between parks in a majority of African countries will take you about 6 hours by ground transportation. Or perhaps even more. Unfortunately, the road situation in Africa is tough and most of the roads do not exist.
Therefore, do not plan long journeys and, if possible, choose a plane as your main type of transportation.
As you can see, travels to Africa require some preparation and precautionary measures. There is not much to follow, but these steps are very important for you to stay healthy, happy, and enjoy your trip (or move?) to such a mysterious continent.
Traveling to Africa tips article was based on advice from my friend Anna. She is originally from Ukraine (as I am,) but used to live in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire.
Have you been to Africa yet? Can you add anything to this list? Would love to hear your insight in comments!
And don’t forget to pin it for later!
Really good advice in here! I’m traveling to Tanzania in 3 days 🙂
That’s so cool! Tanzania is a wonderful country, happy travels, Diana!
This is great advice! Thanks for posting!
Thanks for stopping by, Alli!
I was born and raised in Zambia, parents are from Congo. Congo is what the locals actually call it, not the Congo. lol. I always have a laugh about that. I enjoyed reading some of your tips about Africa. I would like to confirm if the guide was about visiting the continent in general or Safaris? I was a bit confused at that. But I do agree with practicing safety with health and personal belongings. The best part was when you said tantrums wont accomplish anything. I loved it. I love travelling and I love approaching strangers with a smile regardless of the circumstances.
Hi Kabanga! Thank you for your comment. I love getting feedback from people who are either locals or have lived in a place for some time, they have a different perspective on things.
To answer your question about this guide, it is more in general than about any particular country or safari. I do have one paragraph exclusively on the safari though but all other information is more generic.
Thank you for pointing out to ‘the’ part, I didn’t know that! I was always taught that it is a republic of the Congo, but again, it is great to learn from a local.
Really good post! I would also add planning ahead – to make an itinerary or at least a list of places you want to visit as early as possible. Sometimes you have to book trips months ahead, you may also get surprised by the prices.
I’m going to Rwanda this year, skipping the gorilla trekking, but knowing how expensive and limited it is (1500$ for permission, the limit of ~80people/day) I’m shocked how often this country is advertised with gorillas on pages with cheap flight tickets. It’s easy to buy a cheap ticket and then learn that it’s too late to book a trip or too expensive to afford it.
Thank you for your input, Kasia! Yes, you are absolutely right about planning. Most countries in Africa require a lot of preparation and booking in advance.
I know what you mean about prices. We experienced the same with Scandinavia when traveled there without much of planning. Tickets cost us less than $20, but once we exited the airport, the most expensive adventure began.
It’s always great to hear what others have to say, thanks again!
What an amazing article. every detail is so lovely
Yellow Fever and Malaria is no joke. We had a lady in Missouri who visited family in Kenya and became ill. She had contracted Malaria but her High blood pressure complicated it and she died. No mention if she had taken any health precautions before traveling. Trip Insurance is also a must.
That sounds so scary… but it is true, both malaria and yellow fever are very dangerous and absolutely everyone should take precautions before a trip, otherwise it is better to travel somewhere else.