The trans-Saharan trade

No one knows exactly when the trans-saharan trade first began. It may well have begun 2000 years ago. The trans-saharan trade involved two regions North Africa and Western Sudan.

Western Sudan is at present part of west Africa. The northern traders were the Berbers of North Africa. In the 7th century AD the Muslim Arabs conquered North Africa. The Arabs were great traders who were quick to see the potential of the trans-Saharan trade. The trade reached its peak during the period between the 8th and the 16th centuries AD.

For trade to take place, there must be a need between two people who have something the other doesn’t have, and wants. Read more

The Spice Tour - Zanzibar Tanzania

As the ferry glides into Zanzibar, an island off the Tanzania coast, one cannot help but imagine what the cargo of the ferry might have been were it the 1800’s. Probably tusks of ivory, some salt, cloves and African slaves being herded by their Arab owners.

Zanzibar Island is an enthralling melting pot of Arabic, Indian and African cultures as a result of being colonized by many powers ranging form the Chinese, Persians, Arabs to the British. This legacy of having different occupying powers has led to a diverse cultural mix reflected in Zanzibar’s architecture, culture, religion and cuisine. The Island has emerged from a turbulent past in its role as a trading centre for spices, slaves and ivory Read more

The Wildebeest

Wildebeests can be found in most parks in Eastern and Southern Africa. The best place to see these creatures would be in East Africa.

‘Every year between july and November, up to 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of other animals, including about 600,000 zebras and 200,000 Thomposon’s gazelles, move in a large herd between Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Masai mara in Kenya. Read more

Top 10 African safari - vacation destinations

These are Africa’s Top Safari Destinations

10- Okavango Delta, (Botswana)

The Okavango is a labyrinth of lagoons, lakes and hidden channels covering an area of over 17,000 square km making it the largest inland delta in the world. Trapped in the parched Kalahari sands it is a magnet for the wildlife who depend on the permanent waters of this unique feature. On the mainland and among the islands in the delta, lions, elephants, hyenas, wild dog, buffalo and hippos can easily be seen. It certainly is a vacation destination that would provide you with a lifetime of memories. Read more

Organizing a safari- Planning a safari

There are three ways to arrange a safari – buy a tailor made or what is known as a customized safari with an African Safari Tour Operator, buy a package, or arrange everything yourself.

Whatever you choose depends on you and each has got its own advantages. For people seeking to maximize on their holidays a prearranged safari would be advised so as to save hours and days which could be spent trying to find reliable transport and accommodation.

Caution should be taken when choosing a safari company or Tour Operator especially since it is standard practice to pay in advance to ensure a booking. The nightmare scenario would be to pay for your safari and then get to your destination and discover that the company does not exist! Read more

Choosing Accommodation On your visit to Africa

For the visitor to Africa you will find a wide range of accommodation from very basic and cheap guest houses that are meant for locals and charge a few dollars a night to exclusive luxurious lodges and hotels. It all depends on your budget.

The terminology used for hotels varies slightly from one country to another but the basics remain the same. You will also be surprised that hotel rating varies slightly from country to country. For example a five star lodge in Tanzania may be classified as four star in some other countries. The lower the star rating of the hotel the trickier it gets, so you may want to consider more than the star rating of a hotel when looking for accommodation. Consider also what others have to say about the hotel by reading reviews. Read more

Kenya As A Tourist Destination

Kenya a country found on the Eastern part of Africa is one of Africa’s most exciting wildlife destinations. For the visitor, Kenya is a promise of the world’s finest game viewing, unspoilt beaches, rugged mountains, spectacular landscapes, ancient Swahili cities and gracious, unaffected hospitality. Read more

Beaches

Africa is known for its great white sand beaches. But before you pack your bags and head on to just anything that looks like a beach in Africa here is some advice on choosing one in the first place.

By far the most popular beach areas are those that are sheltered from ocean currents like along the Indian Ocean from Kenya to Mozambique, also along the Mediterranean which includes countries like Tunisia, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and also on the Indian Ocean islands of the Comoros and Madagascar.
Ghana too is fast becoming a popular tourist destination and has quite a lot of history even dating back to the days of slave trade. Read more

Ten Commandments Of an African Safari

Africa has a lot to offer, so forget those media images you see of poor and famine stricken Africa.

Oh and you might also want to put away those images of Tarzan in Africa with wild animals always attacking him. The creator of Tarzan never visited Africa and most of the episodes were filmed in southern California.

What Im about to share with you should be extremely useful so don’t discard it. You will be glad you read it. Read more

Breath - Taking Experience At Naro Moru River Lodge

Naro Moru River Lodge is one of the places that you should be having on your list on places to visit before the end of this year if you are a resident in Kenya. The lodge is located 170 km from Nairobi making it a 2 hour journey. One would opt to use the karatina Nyeri road to Marua River Bridge then off Kiganjo before heading to Nanyuki. The place is situated at the side of Mount Kenya; therefore by the time you get there, the temperatures are quite low since the altitude is 2155 m above sea level. Read more

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