Are you thinking about planning a trip to Africa? Well, you’re in luck because this guide will tell you everything that you definitely need to know.


How Should You Prepare?

First, you should make sure that you are visiting a travel doctor. You should do this a few months before you actually decide to travel. It’s important to guarantee that all your vaccinations are up to date. The common vaccinations that are important will be cholera, hepatitis, yellow fever and typhoid. Some of these are essential if you want to enter certain parts of Africa. Malaria is also incredibly common. You might want to ensure that you get malaria tablets to take with you.

It’s absolutely vital that you do think about arranging insurance for a trip like this. You’ll need it to ensure that you can get any and all treatment while you are on vacation. Without insurance, you should prepare for a very expensive trip. Be aware that with insurance, you won’t get the money you need while you’re there. But it should guarantee that any money you have to pay is returned once you are home. You just need to make sure that you keep all your receipts and documents on anything that you need to claim on.

Next, you should make sure that you are withdrawing cash. You should also have money on a travel card. A few different financial options will guarantee that you never get stuck with no way of paying for things that you need on vacation, including travel.

What Should Be In Your Suitcase?

There’s a lot of things that you will need in your suitcase if you are planning on booking a trip to Africa. Are you planning on visiting on of the Muslim countries? If so, then you need to ensure that you pack clothes that are modest and not too revealing. Fisherman pants and gypsy pants are smart choices because they cover everything up and won’t leave you burning up in the hot weather.

You should also think about packing your mobile phone. If you do this, make sure that you speak to your phone provider. For instance, you need to make sure that you are turning off data roaming. At the same time, you need to ensure that your Wi-Fi is going to work. This will guarantee that you will be able to contact anyone you need to while you are in the country.

Obviously, you are going to need your passports and similar key documents. However, rather than just carrying one copy around with you, you should make sure that you are photocopying all of these. Doing so will guarantee that you don’t end up in a situation where you can’t find vital documents that you need. In Africa, this can lead to disaster. There are more basic things that you need to pack, like a power adapter. These aren’t that easy to find once you reach certain countries in Africa, and if you’re really smart then you’ll also carry a backup in case the first one fails.

Where Can You Stay?

Next, you need to think about where you are going to stay in Africa. Regardless of which country you are visiting, there are a few different choices. For instance, you can think about staying with the locals. The key benefit of this is that you’ll be able to take a deep dive into the culture of a particular area. You will also be able to sample the local cuisine, but be prepared to pull your weight as part of the community if you pursue this option.

You can also think about going camping in Africa. This can be great fun and provide you with a fantastic experience where you will be able to roam around different places. Something that you should keep in mind is that certain locations won’t be safe for camping. You’ll need to research this carefully before you travel.

If camping and roughing it isn’t your thing then you could try glamping instead. There are lots of places including South Africa where glamping is very popular and will provide you with the luxurious experience that you might be searching for. Glamping is great because it provides you with the best of both worlds. You get the comfort of a hotel room and the incredible views from the outdoors.

Or finally, you could explore a more traditional route and simply book a hotel. There are lots of great hotels around Africa. Some are situated on the coast where you’ll be able to appreciate the beautiful golden sands.

What Are The Unmissable Experiences?

There are a variety of experiences in Africa that you won’t want to miss out on. For instance, you could arrange to volunteer in South Africa. Here, you will be able to help out in schools or perhaps help with the animals at the local sanctuaries. It’s entirely your choice what type of work you complete.

Alternatively, if you want an adventure, you could think about exploring Victoria Falls. If you have a guide, you’ll be able to find the Devil’s Pool. This is a natural rock formation that will allow you to bathe at the top of the waterfall in complete safety.

It’s also definitely worth booking an African Safari if you have the money. While this isn’t cheap, it’s a once in a lifetime experience that should be on every bucket list. The rumours that you have likely heard are true. You can get up close and personal with animals on a trip like this. Particularly, if you arrange to go with the right company.

You could just be looking to relax on your next vacation and Africa is a great place for this too. If you explore the coast you’ll find that there are beautiful beaches with gorgeous golden sands. We recommend that you also consider hiring a boat and take to the sea. By doing this you can get a completely different perspective of the local area and find some very secluded spots to enjoy, whether you’re travelling alone or with friends and family.

How Much Will It Cost?

Next, you might want to consider the cost of a holiday like this. Can you visit Africa on a shoestring budget? You can but it’s not necessarily recommended. The problem with doing this is that you’re going to miss out on a lot of the best experiences that are available to you here. For instance, a Safari alone will cost you at least a few thousand if you are approaching this the right way. It also depends on the places you want to visit too. Visiting the pyramids is going to add a sizeable chunk onto your holiday budget, particularly if you want one of the ultimately guided tours.

It is worth shopping around the market if you are arranging package trips to Africa. However, you do need to be prepared for the possibility that a low price could result in a low quality service. Ultimately, it could be worth saving up a little longer to ensure that you do get everything that you want out of this trip.

Any Other Advice?

There are a few other pieces of advice that you should keep in mind when you are planning a trip to Africa. First, it is worth arranging a guide. This is recommended for your safety. There are a lot of places in Africa that are not safe to travel to unless you know what the restrictions are and what steps need to be taken. You’ll run into this issue when you try to cross into different countries. Here a guide can help a lot.

Another piece of advice would be to make sure that you do invest in a high quality camera. There’s so much you’re going to want to record and photograph in Africa, from the animals that you see on Safari to the wonderful beauty of the natural landscape. We recommend researching the best cameras for this type of trip before you travel.

If you do get in trouble while you are visiting Africa with the local criminals or even the government, it’s important to remain calm. The easiest ways to avoid this is to make sure that you are travelling with a group. Tempting as it might be, there are certain parts of Africa that are going to be far more dangerous if you are travelling alone. If you’re part of a larger group and you’re on a trip that has been arranged by a reputable company then you will have the added safety net and support that you need.

Finally, do be aware that even if you visit a rich part of a country the differences in society can be quite jarring and disturbing. There are places in Africa where there are mansions on one side of the roads and slums on the other.

We hope this helps you plan an awesome trip to Africa that you won’t forget. Regardless of which countries you visit, there are a lot of wonderful experiences awaiting you. You’ll be amazed by the countless adventures you can have if you plan and prepare this trip the right way.