LP Africa

557 Pages·2015·24.29 MB·English

© Lonely Planet Publications
9
Contents
13
The Authors Southern Libya 136
Libya Directory 138
19 Transport in Libya 140
Getting Started
142
24 Morocco
Itineraries
Rabat 147
32 Around Rabat 151
Snapshot The Mediterranean
Coast & the Rif 151
33
The Atlantic Coast 169
History
Central Morocco &
38 the Atlas Mountains 178
The Culture Morocco Directory 190
Transport in Morocco 194
47
197
African Music
Sudan
51
Environment Khartoum 201
Around Khartoum 205
56 Northern Sudan 206
Africa’s Wildlife
Eastern Sudan 207
South of Khartoum 208
Africa & Development:6 2 Sudan Directory 209
What Gives? Transport in Sudan 211
213
Tunisia
North Africa 67 Tunis 218
Northern Tunisia 223
68
Algeria Central Tunisia 227
Southern Tunisia 232
Algiers 73 Tunisia Directory 239
Northern Algeria 75 Transport in Tunisia 241
Central Algeria 75
Southern Algeria 75
West Africa 243
Algeria Directory 77
Transport in Algeria 79 244
82 Benin
Egypt
Cotonou 247
Cairo 86 Southern Benin 252
Around Cairo 98 Northern Benin 255
Sinai 98 Benin Directory 257
Suez Canal 102 Transport in Benin 259
Red Sea Coast 103 261
Mediterranean Coast 104 Burkina Faso
Western Desert 108
Ouagadougou 265
Nile Valley 111
Southern Burkina
Egypt Directory 120 Faso 269
Transport in Egypt 123 Northern Burkina
126 Faso 272
Libya Burkina Faso
Directory 273
Tripoli 131 Transport in Burkina
Northern Libya 134 Faso 274
10 CONTENTS
276
The South 378 Petite Côte & Siné-
Cameroon
Guinea-Bissau Saloum Delta 488
Yaoundé 280 Directory 379 Casamance 490
Western Cameroon 284 Transport in Guinea- Senegal Directory 494
Southern Cameroon 293 Bissau 381 Transport in
382 Senegal 496
Northern Cameroon 294 Liberia 498
Eastern Cameroon 299 Sierra Leone
Cameroon Directory 299 Monrovia 386
Transport in The Coast 387 Freetown 502
Cameroon 302 The Interior 387 Around Freetown 506
303 Liberia Directory 388 Northern Sierra
Côte d’Ivoire Transport in Liberia 389 Leone 507
Abidjan 307 391 SLeoounthee rn Sierra 508
Mali
The Eastern Coast 309 Sierra Leone
The Western Coast 309 Bamako 395 Directory 508
The Centre 310 Niger River Route 401 Transport in Sierra Leone 510
The North 310 Dogon Country 512
Côte d’Ivoire (Pays Dogon) 410 Togo
Directory 311 Southern Mali 414
Transport in Côte d’Ivoire 313 Western Mali 414 Lomé 515
314 Mali Directory 415 Around Lomé 519
The Gambia Southern Togo 520
Transport in
Mali 417 Northern Togo 521
Banjul 318 Togo Directory 523
SAetlraenktuicn dCao a&s tt he 320 Mauritania 420 Transport in Togo 525
Around Banjul & Serekunda 325
Nouakchott 424
Lower Gambia River 325 Central Africa 527
The Atlantic Coast 426
Upper Gambia River 326
The Adrar 427
The Gambia Directory 327
Transport in the The Road to Mali 430 Central African 528
Gambia 329 Mauritania Republic
Directory 430
330
Ghana TMraaunrsiptaonrtia i n 431 Bangui 532
Around Bangui 533
Accra 335 434 Around CAR 533
Niger
The Coast 342 CAR Directory 534
The Centre 345 Niamey 437 Transport in CAR 536
The North 348 Southwest Niger 442 538
The East 350 Southeast Niger 443 Chad
Ghana Directory 350 Northern Niger 445
N’Djaména 542
Transport in Ghana 353 Niger Directory 448
South of N’Djaména 546
356 Transport in Niger 451
Guinea 453 North of N’Djaména 547
Chad Directory 548
Nigeria
Conakry 360 Transport in Chad 549
Western Guinea 364 Lagos 458 551
Fouta Djalon 364 Southern Nigeria 463 Congo
Southern Guinea 365 Northern Nigeria 465
Brazzaville 555
Guinea Directory 367 Nigeria Directory 468
Around Congo 556
Transport in Guinea 368 Transport in
371 Nigeria 471 Congo Directory 557
Guinea-Bissau 473 Transport in Congo 558
Senegal
BAirsqsuauip élago dos 374 Dakar 477 DReepmuobclriac toicf Congo 559
Bijagós 376 Around Dakar 484
The Northwest 377 Northern Senegal 484 Kinshasa 563
The Northeast 378 Central Senegal 487 Around Kinshasa 564
CONTENTS 11
Around DRC 565 The Red Sea Coast 645 Northeast Tanzania 778
DRC Directory 565 Dankalia 646 Southern Tanzania 779
Transport in DRC 566 Western Eritrea 646 Lake Tanganyika 780
568 Eritrea Directory 647 Tanzania Directory 782
Equatorial Guinea Transport in Eritrea 649 Transport in
Tanzania 785
Malabo 572 651
Ethiopia 793
Bioko Island 574 Uganda
Rio Muni 574 Addis Ababa 656
Isla Corisco 576 Northern Ethiopia 664 Kampala 798
Equatorial Guinea Eastern Ethiopia 669 Western Uganda 804
Directory 577 Southern Ethiopia 671 Eastern Uganda 813
Transport in Ethiopia Directory 672 Northern Uganda 817
Equatorial Guinea 578
Transport in Uganda Directory 818
580 Ethiopia 675 Transport in
Gabon Uganda 820
677
Libreville 584 Kenya
Around Libreville 589 Southern Africa 823
Nairobi 684
Northern Gabon 590
The Rift Valley 692
Southern Gabon 591 824
Central Kenya 694 Angola
Eastern Gabon 592
Northern Kenya 697
Gabon Directory 594 Western Kenya 698 Luanda 828
Transport in Gabon 596 The Coast 700 Coastal Angola 832
Southern Kenya 707 Southern Angola 834
São Tomé & 598 Kenya Directory 708 Angola Directory 835
Príncipe Transport in Kenya 713 Transport in
Angola 836
São Tomé Town 601 717
Around São Tomé 604 Rwanda Botswana 838
Príncipe 606 Kigali 722
São Tomé & Príncipe Around Kigali 726 Gaborone 843
Directory 606 Around Gaborone 847
Northwestern
Transport in São Rwanda 726 Northern Botswana 848
Tomé & Príncipe 608
Southwestern Eastern Botswana 858
Rwanda 728 Botswana Directory 859
East Africa 609 Rwanda Directory 730 Transport in
Transport in Rwanda 732 Botswana 861
610 864
Burundi Somaliland, Lesotho
Bujumbura 613 Puntland 734 Maseru 869
Around Bujumbura 616 & Somalia Around Maseru 871
Around Burundi 616 Somaliland 737 Southern Lesotho 871
Burundi Directory 616 Somaliland Eastern Lesotho 873
Transport in Burundi 617 Directory 742 Northern Lesotho 875
619 Transport in Lesotho Directory 875
Djibouti Somaliland 743 Transport in
Puntland 743 Lesotho 876
Djibouti City 623 Somalia 743
878
Around Djibouti 627 745 Madagascar
Djibouti Directory 630 Tanzania
Transport in Antananarivo 884
Djibouti 632 Dar es Salaam 751 Central Highlands 890
634 Around Dar es Southern
Eritrea Salaam 756 Madagascar 894
Zanzibar Eastern
Asmara 639 Archipelago 757 Madagascar 898
Northern Eritrea 644 Northern Tanzania 765 Madagascar
Southern Eritrea 644 Mount Kilimanjaro 774 Directory 900
© Lonely Planet Publications
12 CONTENTS
986
Transport in Zambia Directory 1068
South Africa
Madagascar 904 Transport in Zambia 1071
908 Cape Town 993 1074
Malawi Around Cape Town 1001 Zimbabwe
Lilongwe 912 The Garden Route 1001 Harare 1079
Northern Malawi 916 Sunshine Coast 1004 Northern Zimbabwe 1085
Southern Malawi 921 TWrailnds Ckoeia astn d the 1005 Eastern Zimbabwe 1086
Malawi Directory 928 KwaZulu-Natal 1007 Central Zimbabwe 1087
Transport in Malawi 931 The Drakensberg 1013 Western Zimbabwe 1088
934 Gauteng 1015 Zimbabwe Directory 1093
Mozambique Mpumalanga 1026 Transport in
Zimbabwe 1096
Maputo 939 Northern Cape 1028 1098
Southern Free State 1029 Africa Directory
Mozambique 944 South Africa
Central Directory 1030
Mozambique 945 Transport in South Transport in 1116
Northern Africa 1034 Africa
Mozambique 947 1038
Mozambique Swaziland 1130
Directory 949 Health
Transport in Mbabane 1042 1140
Mozambique 951 Around Swaziland 1044 Language
954 Swaziland
Namibia Directory 1048 1152
Glossary
Transport in
Windhoek 959 Swaziland 1050
Around Windhoek 964 1051 Behind the 1155
Western Namibia 964 Zambia Scenes
Northwestern
Namibia 970 Lusaka 1055 1163
Eastern Zambia 1060 Index
Northeastern
Namibia 976 Northern Zambia 1062 1182
Southern Namibia 978 The Copperbelt 1063 World Time Zones
Namibia Directory 981 Southeastern
Zambia 1064 1184
TNraamnsibpioar t in 984 Southwestern Zambia 1064 Map Legend
© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
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© Lonely Planet Publications
19
You can buy, download and
Getting Started print individual chapters from
this guidebook.
Get Africa chapters
There are no hard and fast rules for travelling in Africa. Climate, behaviour
and customs all vary from the top to the bottom of the continent. A T-shirt
and sandals in January in Cape Town? Perfect. A T-shirt and sandals in Janu-
ary in Tripoli? You’re looking at verbal abuse and a nasty cold. The following
section is only intended to give you general information that might be useful
before you set off. For more specific titbits, flip to the Africa Directory on
p1098 . No matter how prepared you are, however, nothing will quite prepare
you for the overwhelming sensory and cultural experience that is a first visit
to Africa. But isn’t that why you’re going?
WHEN TO GO
For climate information
The equator cuts Africa in half, which not only means that water goes in
about each country, see
opposite directions down the plughole in the north and the south, but the
the relevant country
continent experiences huge climatic variation. Watch out for the wet or
chapters. General climate
rainy seasons, which can turn dirt roads into rivers and curtail travel to
information is given on
remote regions. Just as uncomfortable can be the searing hot season in
p1102 .
some countries, which can make moving around during the day nigh on
impossible.
Late October to February is a great time to visit the Sahara and arid Cen-
tral Africa (although be prepared for cold nights) and you can also enjoy
the warm summer days of southern Africa or beachcomb along the West
African coast.
By around January or February, East African wildlife is concentrated
around diminishing water sources and is therefore easier to spot. In con-
trast, the usually arid lands of North Africa spring into life between March
and May.

COSTS & MONEY
Africa can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. Travelling around
like a maniac is going to cost much more than taking time to explore a small
region slowly and in depth.
WHAT TO TAKE?
We guess you know to take things like a bag, toothbrush and spare underwear. Here are a few
more items to consider:
(cid:1) Cash – you can’t go wrong with a wad of US dollars or euros in your pocket (or, better,
strapped about your person). Travellers cheques and ATM cards are good too, but not always
viable.
(cid:1) Medicine – general first-aid gear and all sorts of pills and potions (such as antimalarials) are
available without prescription, but it’s a good idea to have some with you. Mosquito repellent
and sunscreen are absolutely essential.
(cid:1) Memory cards – if you’ve got a digital camera, bring along a couple of spare memory cards.
You’ll take more pictures than you think, and it’s useful to have a backup in case one gets
damaged.
(cid:1) Photocopies of important documents – photocopy your passport data pages (and those with
relevant visas), tickets and travellers cheques, and pack them separately from the originals.
(cid:1) Water purifier – bottled water is available everywhere, but the plastic bottles are an environ-
mental nightmare.
20 GETTING STARTED •(cid:127) Top African Reads lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com GETTING STARTED (cid:127)(cid:127) Conduct 21
The actual cost of living (food, transport etc) varies around the conti- CONDUCT
nent, and travellers commonly blow big chunks of their budget on car hire It’s hard to generalise about appropriate behaviour for travel in Africa.
(US$30 to US$150 per day), internal flights, balloon rides, adrenaline sports, Certainly, traditional values remain strong and vibrant across the continent,
organised safaris or treks (at least $100 a day in East/southern Africa), and even when they’re masked with a veneer of Westernisation: in East Africa,
diving or language courses. a Maasai moran (warrior) may carry a briefcase in town and then pick up
Africa is thought of as expensive among some budget travellers, but you a spear once he’s home.
can still scrape by for under US$20 per day. If you’d like a few more comforts By and large Africans are easy-going and polite. Your social gaffes are
(such as an in-room shower), reckon on US$30, plus a slush fund of, say, usually forgiven and are more likely to cause confusion and amusement than
$100 a month for unexpected expenses. Beyond that, the scope for spending offence. At the same time, good manners are respected and many people
money is limited only by your bank account or your credit limit… will think you most rude if you don’t say hello and inquire after their health
For more on money issues, see p1107 . The Fast Facts boxes in the country before asking them when the next bus is going to leave. That’s why it’s use-
chapters provide more specific country budgets. ful to learn a few local greetings, although in some African societies these
initial exchanges can go on for minutes and you’ll inevitably have to switch
TOP AFRICAN READS back to English or French.
If you can’t get enough of
Country-specific books are mentioned under Arts in each of the country Shaking hands is a big deal in most African countries. Men who know
African literature, check
chapters, but the following selection should give you a starting point for each other well will often clasp each others’ hands for many minutes, with
out the website of literary
literature that covers a broader geographical spectrum. much enthusiasm. There are more than a few styles of shake: in some places
magazine The African
The Heinemann Book of African Poetry in English, ed Adewale Maja-Pearce, shakers link thumbs in the clasp, others touch their right elbow with the left
Review of Books (www
features poems written by authors continentwide over the last 30 years. hand during the shake or touch their hearts with the right hand after releasing
.Africanreviewofbooks
The Traveller’s Literary Companion to Africa, ed Oona Strathern, is a the clasp. You’ll soon pick it up. Local women don’t usually have their hands
.com), which has a top
handy volume of extracts from African works of fiction and biographies shaken, but foreign women are sometimes treated as honorary blokes; see
100 list as well as reams
of their authors. p1114 for more general information about female travellers.
of news, reviews and
Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuscinski and The Zanzibar Chest by Africans operate with a smaller area of personal space than most Western-
book gossip.
Aidan Hartley are both searing memoirs of their authors’ decades spent as ers, which can feel odd at first. There are few queues in Africa – just scrums –
foreign correspondents in Africa. More contemporary issues are dealt with and people showing you the way somewhere will often grab your hand as
in John Reader’s excellent Africa: A Biography of the Continent. they go along.
The Tree Where Man Was Born by Peter Matthiessen, although written in Hospitality towards travellers is common, and only in a few overtouristed
the early ’60s, remains for many the definitive African travelogue. areas does it come with a catch, where travellers are occasionally exploited
For a more visual experience, get hold of African Ark by Carol Beckwith for income or hustled for money by the people they believed to be their
and Angela Fisher, also a few years old but still one of the most beautiful friends.
photographic works on Africa.
INTERNET RESOURCES DO
Every savvy traveller knows that the best information comes from fellow
travellers, and the World Wide Web is now full of sites where those on (cid:1) Learn to use the local language – a little goes a long way
the road can upload their own travel experiences for the benefit of others. (cid:1) Interact with local folks; don’t hide in tourist ghettos
Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum (http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com) is a (cid:1) Share your food and drink with local people on long journeys
good place to start, and the following sites are also great for meeting fellow
(cid:1) Respect local customs and superstitions
Africa enthusiasts online:
Bootsnall (www.bootsnall.com) (cid:1) Show photos of family and friends back home to break the ice
IgoUgo (www.igougo.com) (cid:1) Get off the beaten track; people can be more warm and welcoming
Travellers’ Point (www.travellerspoint.com)
(cid:1) Tread lightly; leave little lasting evidence of your visit
Trip Advisor (www.tripadvisor.com)
Virtual Tourist (www.virtualtourist.com)
DON’T
Some commercial sites also provide reams of good travel information. Have (cid:1) Undermine the authority of elders and officials; treat them politely and with respect
a look at www.go2africa.com or www.siyabona.com, both tour operators’
(cid:1) Insult touts and hustlers, no matter what the provocation
sites that have some excellent travel articles, or www.travelafricamag.com,
a British travel magazine that provides a wealth of information (some of it (cid:1) Show too much flesh
only available to subscribers). The National Geographic site has an Africa (cid:1) Stumble around drunk
Archive section (www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/africaarchive) with
(cid:1) Camp on or wander across private land; ask permission first
enough articles and photos on it to keep you lost for hours.
Two very useful academic sites that provide links to Africa-related websites (cid:1) Use your left hand for eating or passing anything on
are Penn University (www.africa.upenn.edu) and Stanford (www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg (cid:1) Partake in public displays of affection
/africa/guide.html).
22 GETTING STARTED (cid:127)(cid:127) Top Ten... lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com GETTING STARTED (cid:127)(cid:127) Conduct 23
Dress
TOP TEN…
Urban hipsters in Dakar or Nairobi may like their hip-hop gear, but Afri-
Films can society is generally conservative in outlook. It’s inappropriate to wear
immodest and revealing clothes. Being meeting-granny neat will help your
The comedy and tragedy of African life has always attracted filmmakers, with recent years producing
cause when applying for visas, crossing borders or otherwise dealing with
an outstanding crop of features and documentaries. For further reviews see each country chapter.
authorities. On the road, T-shirts and shorts are just about OK in major
(cid:1) Out of Africa (1985) Evergreen adaptation of a classic novel
tourist areas, but revealing tops or bottoms are unacceptable almost every-
(cid:1) Lumumba (2000) Biopic of the doomed Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba where except on tourist-only beaches. Extra care is needed in rural areas and
(cid:1) U-Carmen eKhayelitsha (2005) Bizet’s opera Carmen set in a South African township Muslim countries, where women should keep shoulders (and sometimes
hair) covered and wear long skirts or loose trousers.
(cid:1) Xala (1975) The story of a corrupt politician in newly independent Senegal
(cid:1) The Constant Gardener (2005) Thriller set in Kenya starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz Giving Gifts
(cid:1) Adanggaman (2001) Seventeenth-century slave trading among West African tribes Be very careful when distributing gifts to locals. Visitors handing out freebies
to locals (especially children) can have a detrimental effect on social net-
(cid:1) Nowhere in Africa (2001) Oscar-winning German account of a Jewish family’s life in Kenya
works and create communities of people likely to greet travellers with their
(cid:1) Yesterday (2004) Tragic story of a South African AIDS victim hands outstretched. You should expect a few requests from locals for you
(cid:1) Tsotsi (2005) Tale of violence and hope in Johannesburg to give them your flashier travel items, clothing or other gifts, but a polite
knock-back isn’t considered rude. If you want to help the people you meet,
(cid:1) The Lost Boys of Sudan (2003) Two Sudanese refugees journey to America
donate to a charity or go via community leaders, schools and hospitals. If
Novels you’re offered a gift, don’t feel guilty about accepting it – to refuse may bring
Africa’s rich literary scene has yielded some fiction classics, not all of which get the publicity shame on the giver.
they deserve in the rest of the world.
Taking Photographs
(cid:1) The Famished Road (Ben Okri) Extraordinary magic realism epic from Nigeria
Always, always ask permission before taking photos. Many Muslim women
(cid:1) The Book of Secrets (MJ Vassanji) Interwoven tales in past and present Tanzania feel very strongly about having their photographs taken by strangers. Like-
(cid:1) Disgrace (JM Coetzee) Confronting tale of post-apartheid South Africa wise, some tribal peoples get really hacked off with being constantly photo-
graphed. If you’re asked for money, negotiate a reasonable fee when asking
(cid:1) Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe) Classic tragedy by the Nigerian master
permission. Don’t offer to send photos back unless you’re really prepared
(cid:1) So Long a Letter (Mariama Ba) The marital drama of a Senegalese Muslim woman to do it.
(cid:1) Purple Hibiscus (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) A young Nigerian girl comes of age
(cid:1) The Cairo Trilogy (Naguib Mahfouz) Sweeping family drama set in 1940s Egypt
(cid:1) The Heart of Redness (Zakes Mda) Tradition and modernity collide in South Africa’s Transkei
(cid:1) Nervous Conditions (Tsitsi Dangarembga) Two girls experience different lives in Zimbabwe
(cid:1) Houseboy (Ferdinand Oyono) Darkly humorous tale of colonialism and sin in Guinea
Festivals
If your travel times are flexible, why not plan your trip around one (or more) of Africa’s many
festivals and cultural events. There’s no better way to party with the locals…
(cid:1) Panafest (www.panafest.org) Biennial festival of theatre and culture in Ghana
(cid:1) ZIFF (www.ziff.or.tz) Film and music festival held every July in Zanzibar
(cid:1) Festival in the Desert (www.festival-au-desert.org) Tuareg culture meets rock music in Mali
(cid:1) Lake of Stars (www.lakeofstars.com) Superstar DJs come to Lake Malawi each September
(cid:1) Durbar Festival – Spectacular traditional parade of horsemen, annually in Kano, Nigeria
(cid:1) Dakar Rally (www.dakar.com) Iconic car rally across the Sahara
(cid:1) Fespaco (www.fespaco.bf) Africa’s biggest film festival, held every two years in Ouaga-
dougou, Burkina Faso
(cid:1) Timkat Ethiopian Epiphany celebration – Colourful and ceremonial; every January
(cid:1) Imilchil Moroccan – ‘Festival of brides’; every September
(cid:1) Sauti za Busara (www.busaramusic.com) Swahili and world music festival, every February in
Zanzibar
24 lonelyplanet.com ITINERARIES •(cid:127) Classic Routes 25
Itineraries SOUTHERN AFRICA SMORGASBORD Three Months
Start in South Africa’s mother city, vibrant Cape Town ( p993 ) then head north
to take in the endless sand dunes of Namibia in Namib-Naukluft Park ( p968 ).
Continue north and east along the Caprivi strip to Kasane, the gateway to
CLASSIC ROUTES Botswana’s Chobe National Park ( p856 ) and its amazing concentration of ele-
phants, then fly to Maun for a few days poling through the swampy maze
of the Okavango Delta ( p848 ). Back in Kasane, it’s a short hop into Zambia’s
Livingstone ( p1064 ), Africa’s adrenaline capital and the place to see the spec-
TOP TO BOTTOM One Year tacular Victoria Falls ( p1064 ).
Begin in Tunisia ( p213 ), then head east past Libya ( p126 ) to Egypt ( p82 ). Hope Continue on from Livingstone to Zimbabwe’s Harare ( p1079 ) for trips to
for smooth sailing across Lake Nasser ( p119) to Sudan ( p197 ), then head into the Mana Pools National Park ( p1086 ), Hwange National Park ( p1090 ) and the ruins
Ethiopian highlands. From Ethiopia ( p651 ) journey down to Nairobi ( p684 ). of Great Zimbabwe (p 1087 ).
An alternative for hitchers or self-drivers is to go via the west coast, through From Harare, make your way towards Mozambique’s Nampula ( p947 ), the
Morocco ( p142 ) and south to Nouâdhibou ( p426 ), Mauritania. There’s no official jumping-off point for trips to the unforgettable Ilha de Moçambique ( p947 ),
public transport for this desert crossing, but there are some hitching opportuni- via Malawi’s Blantyre ( p921 ) and the white beaches of Cape Maclear ( p927 ).
ties. Reports from overland travellers who’ve taken the once-impossible west- Take a trip to the lost-in-time Quirimbas Archipelago ( p949 ) then head south
coast overland route are now coming in. The latest suggest that it’s possible to via the sleepy towns of Quelimane ( p947 ), Beira ( p946 ), Vilankulo ( p945 ) and
take a ‘desert taxi’ between Dahkla, Morocco and Nouâdhibou. Inhambane ( p944 ). Next stop is Maputo ( p939 ), the only Latin city in Africa,
If you’re less of a purist, you can avoid the long haul from Cairo and con- for a fiesta of seafood and caipirinhas, then it’s on to Johannesburg ( p1015 ),
centrate instead on the classic jaunt from Nairobi to Cape Town – passing South Africa’s hustling, bustling commercial capital. From here you can
through the wildlife-sprinkled plains of Kenya ( p677 ) and Tanzania ( p745 ) and head to the Kruger National Park ( p1026 ) or set off back towards Cape Town
onto the warm and welcoming villages of Malawi ( p908 ) and Zambia ( p1051 ). via Durban ( p1007 ).
From here, it’s back into wildlife territory with Botswana’s Okavango Delta
( p848 ) and Namibia’s Etosha National Park ( p972 ), before finishing up right
at the bottom in the stunning city of Cape Town ( p993 ), South Africa. It pays
to factor stunning Mozambique ( p934 ) into this round trip.
Go large – why This itinerary
TUNIS
not travel from RABAT TUNISIA MEDITERRANEAN SEA takes in the best
the very top to the MOROCCO DEMOCRATIC southern Africa
very bottom? TRIPOLI LIBYA CAIRO ORFE PCUOBNLGICO TANZANIA has to offer – most
NNMoOuâAUdAUhKiRbCoIHTuAONTTIA Tropic of Cancer ENGLaYaskPseeTr R E D S E A Quirimbas paiscl awceciesdssei ablyrle es, p eEoanksgiellynis h
Archipelago
KHARTOUM ANGOLA MALAWIMOZAMBIQUE and the countries
SUDAN ZAMBIA Cape Maclear MoIçlahma bdieque are well set up for
AABDADBISA PoMolasn NaP Blantyre Nampula overseas visitors.
ETHIOPIA
Equator GGuulifn oeaf KENYA Caprivi SCtrhipobLei vNinPgstone ViFcatollrsiaZIMBABHWAERARE Quelimane
NAIROBI NAMIBIA Hwange Beira
TDAONDZOAMNAIA OkDavealtnago NP ZimGbreaabtwe Vilankulo
MALAWI WINDHOEK BOTSWANA Inhambane Tropic of Capricorn
S O U T H A T L A N T I C MOZAMBIQUE Kruger NP
O C E A N ZAMBIA LILONGWE Namib- MAPUTO
Tropic of Capricorn WINDEHtoOsNhEPaK OBkDaOveLaTltUnaSgSWoAKAANA MozambCihqaunenel NauPkalurfkt JohanLnEesSbOurTgHO SWAZDILurAbNanD IO N C D E I AA NN
NAMIBIA MAPUTO SOUTH AFRICA
PRETORIA
SOUTH
AFRICA I N D I A N O C E A N
Cape Town Cape Town
26 ITINERARIES (cid:127)(cid:127) Classic Routes lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com ITINERARIES (cid:127)(cid:127) Roads Less Travelled 27
EAST AFRICAN EXTRAVANGANZA Two to Three Months ROADS LESS TRAVELLED
Fly into Kenya’s Nairobi ( p684 ) and explore the Central Highlands around
Mount Kenya ( p694 ) then head east via Mombasa ( p700 ) to the palm-fringed
beaches, sleepy atmosphere and coral reefs of Lamu (p 705 ).
Head south into Tanzania to Arusha ( p765 ), the safari capital of the country, FRENCH FOOTSTEPS
from where you can arrange all sorts of activities including 4WD safaris to Flights into Senegal’s Dakar ( p477 ) are cheap and its vibrant nightlife, the
the Ngorongoro crater ( p771 ) or Serengeti National Park ( p770 ) and trekking beautiful colonial architecture in St-Louis ( p484 ), the wildlife-watching op-
trips up Mount Kilimanjaro ( p774 ). Head south to Dar es Salaam ( p751 ) and hop portunities of Parc National du Niokolo-Koba ( p488 ) and the spectacular birdlife
offshore to drink in the Swahili history and culture of Zanzibar ( p757 ) and of the Siné-Saloum Delta ( p488 ) all make it a good place to start. Most people
neighbouring Pemba ( p765 ). From Dar es Salaam head west towards remote, then head southeast to Guinea.
stunning Lake Tanganyika ( p780 ) to watch chimpanzees, then make your way After checking out some fine beaches, Guinea’s pumping music scene and
across to Mwanza ( p772) and western Lake Victoria ( p789 ). From here you can the beauty of walking in the Fouta Djalon highlands ( p375 ), it’s easy to cut up
move up through Rwanda, which is still recovering, but is a great place to into Mali by shared taxi. The vast, ornate mud mosque in Djenné ( p402 ), the
see mountain gorillas, or head directly into western Uganda. The Ssese Islands vibrant port at Mopti ( p403 ), trekking in the fascinating Dogon country ( p410 )
( p812 ) are a good place to chill out, there’s fantastic white-water rafting at and the legendary desert outpost of Timbuktu ( p406 ) are among the highlights
Jinja ( p813 ) and Murchison Falls National Park ( p817 ) is a gem. to be discovered along the Niger River. Camels and Tuareg nomads are found
From Uganda cut back east to explore western and northwest Kenya, in Agadez ( p445 ), Niger’s premier ancient city, while the desert scenery of
perhaps starting with a trip north to remote Lake Turkana ( p698 ). Adventurous the Aïr Mountains ( p448 ) and Ténéré Desert ( p448 ) leaves powerful memories.
jaunts to Ethiopia, Eritrea or northern Mozambique are also possible – or From Niger you have a couple of options: head south through Nigeria to
head to Lake Malawi for some laid-back beach time. Cameroon or southwest to Burkina Faso and on to Ghana. Ghana’s national
parks are excellent, but the beaches and colonial coastal forts on the Gulf of
Guinea draw the most travellers.
Many travellers Pack a French
ERITREA
choose to focus on phrase book and
East Africa, but ALGERIA hone your sign
SUDAN
few spend all their language for a trip
time hanging out through the sights
SOMALIA Tropic of Cancer
on safari with lions and sounds of West
and zebras. ETHIOPIA Africa.
MAURITANIA
Lake MALI Aïr Mountains Desert
DOERMFE PCOUOCBNRLAGICTOIC BRUWKRIGUAANNLKDDISAsIAMesPeA ILsNUlAMagFGnoCuardrAroMlasJlScntNsihnewe gNjrrViDoaasePrioLnnAconzatgaokeretiia NArPTuushrkaNaMMAKntaIEt RK KNOileYBinmAIyMaanojmParebomaLsbaamau IO N C D E I AA NNEquator DSAinKéDA-CSReOaltlaNSouAESmKtN-RLEYoGuFiAsoHuLitgah dPlDauajnr aNdcloGs iNonUkaotIiNloonE-KaAloBbAaMAKDOjMenonpNéitiRgDieovgreonr CoBunGUtrFyHRATKAiSmIONNbAuAktu NIAMEY NIAGNgEaIdRGeIEzAR Tenéré
DODOMA Zanzibar
Lake TANZANIA Dar es Salaam
Tanganyika
CAMEROON
Lake
ZAMBIA Malawi
MOZAMBIQUE
Equator
MALAWI GABON
28 ITINERARIES (cid:127)(cid:127) Roads Less Travelled lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com ITINERARIES (cid:127)(cid:127) Roads Less Travelled 29
SWAHILI GHOSTS SURFING HIPPOS & NESTING TURTLES
Begin in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo ( p939 ). Head north via Inhambane Fly into Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé ( p280 ), then head east via lazy beaches
( p944 ) and Vilankulo ( p945 ) to Beira ( p946 ), where the ruins of the legendary around Limbe ( p288 ) to explore Mount Cameroon ( p288 ) and the Ring Road
gold-trading port of Sofala lie. Continue north to Nampula ( p947 ), then cross ( p291 ), a circular route through rolling hills and mountains, lakes and wa-
to Ilha do Moçambique ( p947 ), an important port in the Swahili heyday, with terfalls in the heart of Cameroon’s northwestern highlands. Put in some time
its Arab-influenced stone houses and carved wooden doors. North from in Islamic Foumban ( p292 ) then head south via the white sandy beaches of
here you’ll start to hear the lilt of the Swahili language with its mixture of Kribi ( p293 ) to Ebolowa ( p294 ) and onwards across the Gabon border to Bitam
African, Arabic and Portuguese words and sounds. ( p590 ). Northern Gabon is uncharted territory and ripe for exploring off-
North again to Pemba ( p949 ) and the Quirimbas Archipelago ( p949 ) for a off-off the beaten path. Some remaining Pygmy tribes are even rumoured to
multiday sailing safari in a traditional Swahili dhow (a wooden boat with a live in the northern forests. After exploring to your heart’s content continue
huge triangular sail) around these stunning islands. If the wind’s in the right south to uncover the mind-boggling highlights of Gabon’s many newly cre-
direction and the captain’s in the right mood, you might even be able to pick ated national parks, which include watching surfing hippos on the beaches
up a dhow from Moçimboa da Praia ( p949 ), in Mozambique’s far north, all the at Loango ( p591) or tracking the vibrant mandrill troupes of Réserve de la Lopé
way to Mtwara ( p780 ) in southern Tanzania. From Mtwara it’s a rough bus ( p592 ). Most of these unique ecotourism opportunities are only accessible
trip (there are interesting Swahili ruins on the way), or an overnight boat by plane from Libreville ( p584 ), Gabon’s capital, so you may have to base
journey to Dar es Salaam ( p751 ) and thence to Zanzibar ( p757 ). Here the Swahili yourself here and shuttle back and forth – it’s not cheap, but for the chance
legacy is most strongly felt in the ancient mosques that sit among the palm to see some of Africa’s most pristine natural areas before mass tourism takes
trees, the stone bridges that cross the town’s narrow streets and the Persian hold, it’s worth it. Accessible by road is Lambréné ( p591 ), the site of Albert
festivals that are still celebrated with music and dancing. If you’ve got a bit Schweizer’s famous hospital, which nestles in the heart of an impressive lake
more time, you can carry on right up the East African coast to Mombasa ( p700 ) network. Finish the trip with a jaunt to one of Africa’s smallest countries,
in Kenya, once an Arab stronghold, and on to Lamu ( p705 ), a Swahili island São Tomé & Príncipe ( p598 ), a land of nesting turtles, perfect tropical beaches
so peaceful it seems to be lost in time. and ghostly old plantation houses.
This rarely done Throw yourself
trip follows the into some of
land and sea routes West Africa’s
of the 10th-century UGANDA KENYA most unexplored
Equator
Swahili sultans, natural regions
NAIROBI NIGERIA
slavers and mer- Lamu with this way-off-
chants who once TANZANIA Mombasa IO N C D E I AA NN the-beaten-track
DEMOCRATIC
ruled the East REPUBLIC itinerary. Throw
African coast. OF CONGO DODOMADar es Salaam Zanzibar CAMEROON CAEFNRTICRAANL in several tribal
Ring Road REPUBLIC kingdoms and
Foumban
Mtwara Mt Cameroon sultanates, and it’s
Moçimboa da Praia Limbe YAOUNDÉ an ecotraveller’s
Pemba Quirimbas paradise.
MALAWI Archipelago Kribi Ebolowa
ZAMBIA Nampula MoIçlahma bdioque Bitam
CONGO
BOTSWANA ZIMBABWE MOZABMeViBirlaaInQkuUloE M o z a m b i q u e C h a n n e l &SÃ POR ÍTNOCMIPÉE LLaomanbgréonéLIBREVGILALEBORéNserve de la LopéEquator
Tropic of Capricorn
Inhambane
MAPUTO