Hi
I'd really appreciate some advice...
I'm busily saving up funds working as an ESL teacher, and the time has come for me to start thinking about how to blow them!!
So in January 2009 I'll have about 4-5000GBP to spend on some memorable travel, and I'm pretty settled on the idea of getting myself to Africa. I speak pretty coherent French, so my initial thought was West Africa, but I want to do as much overland travel as possible and I've heard that could be difficult. Also, flying into East Africa (Nairobi/Addis Ababa) seems to be much more affordable from England.

So I'm thinking of flying into Addis and making my way down to Johannesburg over the space of as long as 4-5K will last.
How long roughly will that last?

I really want to travel overland as much as possible, and I know the Southern border between Ethiopia and Kenya is very volatile... is it passable these days? Would I be better flying into Kenya and starting from there? (I would really like to see Ethiopia if possible).

Any suggestions of places and things not to miss are really appreciated... I've got ideas of what some places have to offer - savannah and safari in Kenya, gorillas/rainforest in Rwanda and Uganda, beautiful beaches of Mozambique - but if anyone can give me some suggestions of the best things en route that'd be great.

I'd love to get to Madagascar (by boat if possible?)... where would I go from? And has anyone been to the less travelled places, Swaziland, Lesotho, Burundi? Good/bad experiences to tell me?

I am a 22 year-old white English male traveling alone if this has any bearings on your advice!

Much appreciated!!

Finally... haven't ruled out West Africa, but the information about travel seems sparse... cheers!

hi

Sounds like you've got a great trip planned!

Most of my experience is in East Africa extending through to southern TZ. After that, other members here wil have to assist you.

Basically, landing in Addis is probably the best way to go especially if you want to see Ethiopia. It's one of those countries that african/but different at the same time and definately worth seeing at some point in your life.

Travelling overland from Addis to NBO should not be a problem. I was in the Lake Turkana area in Nov 07 and we crossed into southern Ethiopia from Moyale. Yes the drivers and crew were somewhat tense, we had an armed guard, but we didnt have any other problems as such. Most of our camping was done on the grounds of church missions etc.

overland travel is the way to go but there's such a wide choice, and the prices vary so much that what you've saved up can either last a month or 6 depending on who you use etc. I would definately recommend using a company for the Addis to NBO stretch. It's not a common tourist route so a tourist company's expertise and logistical infrastructure will definately come in handy. Once you're in Kenya and heading south, you're getting into more tourist oriented areas and independent travel should not be a problem.

I used a company called Gametrackers whom i found to be reliable and good value for money. Their vehicles are in good condition, and they have their own camp in Lake Turkana which they use as a base for exploring southern ethiopia. all our vehicles had HF radio through which we were constantly in touch with their Lake Turkana Base (always) and on some days, even their NBO HQ.

If you can, i would visit Lake Turkana - definately a highlight of my trip. In Ethiopia is said to be home to one of the oldest sects of christiannity so from the historical POV, it was of great interest to me. Lalibella, Gondar, Axum are a few of the plces tthat are worth visting, but these are all NORTH of Addis. South of Addis (on the way NBO) you can visit the OMO river, OMO valley, do whitewater rafting etc.

In Kenya there are the almost obligatory Masai MAra, Amboseli, Tsavo parks. Lake Nakuru if you want to see flamingoes. Again, i was there in Oct 07 and the lake was the fullest i've seen in about 10yrs (i live in Kenya on and off). You do a climbing exped to Mt Kenya. FRom NBO i would head WEST into Uganda first. You can do Gorilla trekking here in Bwindi which is on the eastern border (otherside of the border is DRC). Bwindi has around 300 mountain gorillas, but you'll need to book a permit with the Ugandan parks authority.

FRom UG you can take a bus to Bukoba in TZ, or you can cross via Rwanda and Burudi. There are several ferry services between the 4 countries so take your pick.

ONce you're in TZ, you can make your way west into Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Mt Kilimanjaro the Dar es Salam.
From DAr, i would recommend Selous Game reserve and Ruaha, however these may be expensive options as Selous is a HARD drive or short but expensive flight.

There are regular busses from Dar to either Malawi or mozambique. Since i havent mentioned Lake Tanganyika, i would recommend, travelling to mozambique first then going east into Malawi and seeing Lake Malawi (both Lake Tanganyika and MAlawi are rift valley lakes that hold endemic populations of cichlids which are worth seeing if you're into these things). There is also plenty of opportunity to dive these lakes.

FRom Malawi, you can make your way into Zambia and Luagwe Valley parks, Vic Falls etc. You can cross into Zimbabwe from here and make your way through Zim and into Botswana, then into Namibia and finally SA.

There are some great parks and natural highlights in these southern countries and its well worth spending time in each of them. Unfortunately, ive only made small forays into some of htese parks/sites, so i'm really in a position to give you details on the where/and how. east africa is more my cup of tea as i've travelled very extensively there and live there on and off.

hope your trip goes well, let me know if you hv any further questions

cheers
Jeelan

Are you planning to go independent or with a company?

Brilliant advice, sounds like there's lots of amazing things to see and that overland travel is feasible - excellent.
Jeelan, how did you arrange the transport from Southern Ethiopia into Kenya...? Is it something you sort out once you are in Addis, or before?

Does anyone have any info on oversea travel to Madagascar? If that's not possible, how much are flights and where can I fly from? (I would definitely rather take a boat...)

And to Kotte, I definitely plan to travel independently wherever possible... I enjoy the flexibility and uniqueness of experience from solo traveling. How come, do you think it is better or worse to travel without a company in these areas?

Thanks

And of course any more info, especially on Madagascar and areas to the south/west of Mozambique would be great!

No, it's definitely better to travel independently. Ofcourse I haven't done it with a company and wouldn't really know. But I can't imagine limiting traveling freedom like that.

hey

Addis to NBO can be done via a number of overland tour companies. You can either organise this before or even when you land at addis. The route is not that popular so bookings are relatively easy to find, however, again because the route is not popular, you may not have regular departures either.

I understand some ppl's need to travel independently, however, given the lack of regular transport routes between (especially) these two cities, i would highly recommend using a tour company to facilitate transport on this portion of your trip.

cheers
jeelan

West Africa is an excellent place to travel independently. The people are friendly, you'll find hostels and transport easy enough (it doesn't always run on time, but that's part of the experience
And with your French, traveling will be a lot easier.
I used local transport (vans, buses, donkeys...) and traveled overland with no problems from Togo to Spain.
My favorites were Niger (on a different trip), Togo, Ghana, Senegal.

I've heard that overlanding via public transit (PT) is possible from eithopia into kenya but know that it often changes. I would contact hotels/guest houses in Kenya and ethiopia on this as your date of departure comes closer. What's reported in the media is often a slight distortion of how the situation may really be.

I also know of someone whose been traveling of and on in Kenya (right after the chaos of the elections) and she's felt fine and safe for most of it. She says it's calmed down a bit.
Travel from Nariobi all the way to Cape town is definitely possible by public transit.

NOte: PT in mozambique is limited, mostly with overcrowded 4 am bus rides and a pot hole infested roadway. Yet mozambique is a stunningly beautiful country.

I'm currently in africa and started in Dar. In hindsight I should have started in Uganda/Rwanda and made my way through Kenya, tz and down. though if you want to include Ethiopia maybe you want to fly into addis, then fly into Kampala and then start PT from there down to Cape town.

I still want to get to Uganda and am disappointed I didn't think to begin my trip there. oh well. I'll get there eventually.

I'm curious about catching a yacht/cargo ship to Madagascar myself... hmmm. sorry I don't have info.

Oh and as a male life will be a lot easier for you. I'm a 24 year old CAlifornian woman and sometimes it's gotten old having harmless harrassment!

Hope some of this helps,
Lauren

OK i don't really have any advice about the logistics but some places in Kenya and Tanzania not to be missed!!
Kenya
Definitely Lake Turkana in the North is amazing and one of the highlights of my trip. The island of Lamu on the east coast of Kenya is so relaxed and beautiful and also one of my favourite places.

Tanzania - Usambara Mountains in the East (if you're coming from Arusha/Moshi to Dar you will pass right by them) - beautiful and lush and great for some hiking, definitely worth a stop off.
Bagamoyo - not a lot to do but its a cute sleepy little seaside town where its nice to relax.
Zanzibar of course - beaches are amazing!!!
If you're in the west of TZ - Gombe Stream NP or Mahali NP for chimpanzee tracking (can be quite expensive though and hard to get to but worth it!) and also if you're near Mbeya you can head down to Matema Beach on Lake Malawi which is fantastic - super cheap accomodation and beautiful beach!

Goodluck with everything it sounds amazing!!!

Gorilla Tracking: I've tracked mountain gorillas in Bwindi, Mgahinga (both in Western Uganda) and in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Each time, gorilla tracking was the best in Rwanda. The gorillas have been habituated much longer on the Rwanda side, it's at a higher elevation and therefore less undergrowth, which makes for better photography, since you may not use a flash to photograph these gentle giants. The terrain where you hike is not as steep as in Mgahinga and Bwindi, even if you happen to track the Susa group, which is considered to be the most arduous hike on the Rwanda side (AND the most rewarding! with 36 or there abouts gorilla family members). You can fly (or overland) from Nairobi to Kigali, and then there are mini-vans providing transportation to/from the 'Parc National des Volcans' (Volcanoes National Park), which is about a 2-hour drive. Gorilla tracking permits are US$500 per person per day, Rwanda OR Uganda.

Uganda is my second most favorite country in Africa. And technically, you can go from Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and cross into Uganda at Mgahinga. The scenery is particularly stunning between Mgahinga and Bwindi. I HIGHLY suggest carrying on further North to Murchison Falls. You can do a boat ride to the base of the falls, and then drive to the top of the falls, where you could literally walk into the falls. The sound effects are incredible. Because you get so close to the thundering water falls, I actually liked Murchison Falls better than Victoria Falls - if that is possible. The game viewing in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth Park are great, too, but you can't possibly do it all, and since you're going to Kenya and/or Tanzania, you'll get the most wildlife there. Oh, and driving from either Murchison Falls or Bwindi to Kampala in the Southeast of Uganda, takes about 11 hrs; perhaps 7 from Queen Elizabeth Park.

Since you'll be getting into East Africa early in the year, you may want to concentrate your game viewing in Northern Tanzania, as the wildebeest migration will be in the Southern Serengeti. However, do not miss Samburu in Kenya. You'll see species you will not see anywhere else in Kenya or in Tanzania, and the scenery is stunning, too.

Malawi is fairly inexpensive, and the people extremely friendly (as they are in ALL safari countries I've been to). The snorkeling in Lake Malawi is great, and you could even kayak out to one of the island camps.

Lesotho is pretty, truly the Mountain Kingdom. The people are warm. You'll get a kick out of the boys and men riding ponies or horses, wearing rubber boots and colorful blankets. Lesotho is another inexpensive country. I wouldn't spend more than two days, but it's worth it to get a flavor. Your best bet is entering from the East side and up on Sani Pass (from Durban / Drakensberg mountains in South Africa) because the access from Maseru, the capitol, into the mountains is looong on mostly dirt and unmarked roads. Spend a night on Sani Pass, as typically you have the best chance of clear skies early in the morning, and the mountains are totally worth it.

Madagascar: I don't know about boats/ferries, but you can fly to Antananarivo from Nairobi or Johannesburg. For me, the must see spots are Perinet and Berenty Reserves. Perinet is the only place you'll see Indri Indri, the largest lemur species, and in Berenty you'll see Sifaka, ringtail, brown and bamboo lemurs and there may be black and white ruffed lemurs, as well - I can't remember. I think there is a night walk into the spiny forest, where you might see dwarf mouse lemurs and aye aye (nocturnal species). The scenery all over Madagascar is stunning. July/August is amazing for orchids.

If you come down from Tanzania - Malawi - Mozambique - South Africa, you could cross into South Africa via Kruger National Park and/or Swaziland, or head into Durban, though Durban itself is a typical port city, and fairly industrial. The beaches North of it and Kwa Zulu Natal are nice.

Ok, that ought to be a start as far as the less visited African countries. Let me know if you need more food for thought.