How many days in Kenya is enough?
Wondering how much time to spend in Kenya? Paul Woollacombe is your guide to Africa's favourite safari destination.
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Africa
350 posts
A surreal drive across Madagascar’s highlands
Jetlagged and confused, John Gimlette finds himself slipping in and out of reality on a - very slightly dangerous - drive across Madagascar's highlands, now a deforested, landslipping plain.
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Top South African holiday resorts
It's a long time since Sun City was the only option for South Africans who want a gambling holiday. These days South Africa has some pretty compelling casinos: Paul Woollacombe looks through the options.
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A bad day in Fez for one slightly skinny chicken
On a cooking course in the Medina of Fez, Morocco, Michael Edwards has to face mortality, culture, and the soul of North Africa.
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It used to be ‘Mzungu!’ Now ‘Corona’ is a Nairobi greeting
On a visit to Kenya, Lee Ruddin finds that the children of Kibera, one of Nairobi's most infamous slums, have a new reason to respect visitors from a now toxic West.
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A journey through Angola, with contrasts and surprises
Lesley Pritt takes a tribal safari through Angola, a country with little experience of tourists. Her interest in tribal traditions is met by a lofty indifference as to what makes her tick, as long as she makes the 'traditional' donation.
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On safari in the Central African Republic
Lesley Pritt takes an unusual safari though the Central African Republic and finds elephant, bongo and forest hog.
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Horned zebu cattle and potholes: motorbike Madagascar
Donal Conlon finds obstacles and attractions aplenty on the road to Madagascar's northern tip.
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Fishing with Daz off Madagascar’s coast
Donal Conlon finds himself paddling a leaky outrigger pirogue into the Indian Ocean in the hope of catching lunch.
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A motorbike ride through rural Madagascar
Donal Conlon finds a motorcycle is ideal for passing through the rural regions of Madagascar
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Smiles and flirts on Maputo’s best beach
Donal Conlon relaxes on Mozambique's best beach - and finds there's plenty going on.
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An unreliable train links Madagascar’s highlands to the coast
Donal Conlon takes the train that still - usually - links Fianarasoa to the east-coast town of Manakara. It takes a while.
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Taking a taxi-brousse across Madagascar
There's nothing routine about overland travel in Madagascar. Donal Conlon has to wade rivers and rent canoes to complete a one-day journey to Diego Suarez that takes him three.
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Pissed on a plane on the flight to Beira
Donal Conlon finds he has some very drunk company on his night flight across a sleeping Mozambique.
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Fishing for prawns off the Mozambique coast
For most visitors to Maputo prawns are a treat that you find on your plate. Donal Colon joins the fishermen to experience the thrill of catching them in the wild.
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On roads that echo: bicycling too far. Part 1: Asia
Charlie Walker cycles far too far - though not fast - as he pedals across India on his way to Africa. Here there's a river in the way.
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Lost – and then found – on the way to Lalibela
Donal Conlon loses his bus in a small truckstop on the way to Ethiopia's buried churches. With no Amharic he has little alternative but to (try to) hitch.
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Turning blue in Morocco’s Western Sahara
Blaine Bonham meets the 'Blue Men', the ancient Berber tribe that inhabits the Sahara Desert. He meets them amongst the dunes of Morocco's Erg Chebbi region.
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Morocco’s Red City’s hidden green heritage
Lee Ruddin finds oases of calm in Morocco's most visited city. Along with the locals he takes refuge in the many public gardens that are part-hidden in Marrackesh.
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A thoughtful stay in the not-so-Democratic Republic of Congo
The DRC is a strikingly mis-named country, finds Ben Cooke. It's undemocratic, for a start, and a republic only in name. He starts in Lubumbashi, heads into the hinterlands of small-town Kipushi and then braves the capital, Kinshasa. He finds the Congo's reputation for being dangerous has been superseded by its capacity to relentlessly hassle any visitor - especially if carrying a camera - and he finds the unremitting focus on a lone white traveller forces his mind into solitary reflection.
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The boredom is broken defending Algeria’s colonial border
In the Seventies while the Foreign Legion tries to suppress the resistance to French colonial rule, Colin Wallace finds a way to help at least one Algerian.
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Joining the Foreign Legion soon leads to violence
Perhaps it's bad luck that when Colin Wallace joins the Foreign Legion they happen to be fighting the Algerian War. He starts to realise he's on the wrong side.
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Five convincing reasons to sponsor a Zambian child
Karen Beattie introduces Project Luangwa, a ground-breaking charity working in one of Zambia's most beautiful parks. This is a way to sponsor a child through school - and know there's an actual child at the end of it. Click through and remember it's Christmas.
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The moment a drugs mule realises he’s bust
This is the moment Colin Wallace discovered his car had been stuffed with hash to smuggle from Morocco into Europe.
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Warning signs missed in a North African bar
On a bar-crawl through Tangiers in the seventies, Colin Wallace misses some big warning signs that he's out of his depth and being soft-soaped by drug smugglers.
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Thanks for the memories: a night in Morocco
Travelling with friends, Bonnie Lynn finds a moment of tranquility in Morocco's desert spaces.
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The ultimate packing list for a Tanzania safari
If you're heading off on an African safari, it's worth putting some thought into what you need to pack. Lucy Barker has a handy guide.
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Vic Falls comes to London’s ‘Destinations’ show
In a shrewd marketing move for the selfie generation Zambia's recreated the Victoria Falls in central London. Paul Woollacombe reports.
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A new National Park comes to Benin, West Africa
Some American foreign adventures are actually useful. Jack Barker reports on a new initiative to preserve West Africa's critically endangered wildlife.
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In the bush in Zimbabwe: Safari so good
David Markus finds a visit to Africa defied the norm, exceeded expectations, and opened the door to a whole new world of travel and discovery.
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When rangers come to the rescue of a hyena in distress
When a ranger in the Southern Luangwa Valley spots a hyena that's picked up a snare he sends for the Zambian Carnivore Programme, who dart to the rescue. Emily Hayes tells to the fairytale ending.
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Carnivores on steroids on a safari in Botswana
The daily drama of Africa's wildlife is on open display when Lesley Pritt heads out into the wilds of Botswana.
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The coastal serenity of Atlantic Essaouira
Following his son's advice, Eric Whitehead quits Marrakesh for the coastal town of Essaouira, a former Portuguese enclave on the Atlantic coast.
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7 ways the Rwenzori Mountains trump Kilimanjaro
Anyone wanting to trek East Africa's great mountains should look beyond the obvious peaks. Adele Cutler says Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains have far more to offer.
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A series of luxurious events: Mauritius with money
Adam Jacot de Boinod tours the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, discovering plenty of luxurious hotels but - strangely - not much else.
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Inexpensive and interesting: Uganda’s fast food
Ugandan cuisine is something of a revelation. Bananas are at the heart of most meals, but Adele Cutler turns up some more unusual dishes.
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The Roman Empire’s African arm: Volubilis in Morocco
In its prime, the Roman Empire stretched across all Europe and deep into Africa. Sankar Chatterjee visits Volubilis, the great Roman city built in Morocco.
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A field guide to Africa’s little-climbed mountains
Trails of visitors labour up Kilimanjaro, but look at Africa's other mountains and you'll almost always have them to yourself. Adele Cutler has some suggestions for high-altitude adventures.
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