Africa travel blog
Travel tips, background stories and tales from Africa – by our guides and travel experts.
La Réunion – France with a difference
La Réunion – have you ever heard of it? The island belongs to France, but lies almost 10,000 kilometres south of it in the Indian Ocean between Mauritius and Madagascar. For several years I had been dreaming of travelling to La Réunion and getting to know this island, which seems very mystical to me.
Mauritius – a pearl in the Indian Ocean
We flew with Air Austral from Réunion to Mauritius. After arriving and collecting our rental car, we set off for the south-east of the island. From Réunion we were used to very good road conditions and infrastructure. In this respect the drastic difference to the island, just 45 minutes' flight away, is hard to believe.
Palate pleasers: bobotie
I love weekends! – Of course … who doesn't? – But since I really like eating and like even more being spoilt with a good meal, weekends are the best opportunities to appreciate restaurant menus or my friends' cooking and celebrate food.
TIA – This is Africa
Hello, dear friends of the blog! Since my arrival here on the African continent, the expression "T.I.A. … This is Africa" has been one of the most frequently heard everyday remarks. "This is Africa" is best translated as "You have to live with it" or "That's just how it is".
South African chicken curry with sweet potato mash
South Africa is a country of many faces, which is also reflected in South African cuisine. The country's typical dishes are shaped mainly by English, Boer, Indian and Malay influences and are popular far beyond its borders. Anyone who has been to South Africa themselves can certainly vouch for this!
Holiday on a guest farm in Namibia
Anyone who wants to get to know not only the landscape and nature but also life in Namibia should definitely spend a few nights on a guest farm. Compared with lodges, guest farms are somewhat simpler but smaller and more personal. To give you an impression, we would like to introduce Onduruquea Guest Farm…
Vaccine against malaria
Malaria is one of the oldest and still most common infectious diseases worldwide. While 2,500 years ago people already suspected that the disease originated in swampy areas, it was only in 1897 that proof was provided that the Anopheles mosquito transmits the disease to humans.
Botswana – the call of the wild!
Eager to discover and experience something new, in May 2014 I set off somewhat further south in Africa than I was used to. This time my journey took me to Botswana with a short detour to Zimbabwe to visit Victoria Falls.
Zimbabwe is coming back!
Zimbabwe was once a country with good tourist infrastructure and many enthusiastic travellers. Because of the political situation and natural disasters, Zimbabwe became the poorhouse of Africa and tourists stayed away. A veil of standstill settled over the country.
Trip to Namibia and Botswana
In June 2014 I flew with South African Airways to Namibia. After a long flight I arrived exhausted in Windhoek, where I was welcomed by my colleagues and by the sun, which was to shine non-stop for the next few weeks.
4x4 tours in Namibia and Botswana
Hello dear Africa enthusiasts, or those who are about to become one: Southern Africa is home to quite a few beautiful places that are worth visiting. Fortunately, for most of these places the times when getting there still had the character of an expedition are over.
My trip to the treasures of Botswana
Full of anticipation, in November 2013 I set off on my very first trip to the African continent. A slightly modified version of our 9-day fly-in safari through Botswana was planned. I flew with Air Namibia from Frankfurt via Windhoek to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Tanzania, here I come!
In October 2013 I flew with a lot of luggage from Frankfurt to Tanzania with Ethiopian Airlines. After landing I was welcomed by Tanzania's hot weather, and then things got off to a very African start, when it was a matter of waiting for the visa.
From Victoria Falls to Dar es Salaam
On 27 August 2013 my second educational tour in Africa began. This time an overland tour was on the agenda. Emirates took me overnight via Dubai to Johannesburg. In Dubai I had a layover of barely 5 hours, which was not long given the huge airport.
Exploring Southern Africa
Since I had to cancel my first tour because of an appendix operation, in July/August 2013 I got another chance to catch up on what I had missed. First I took part in a section of the accommodated tour "Discover South Africa", from Durban to Cape Town.
A dream of Zanzibar and Tanzania in June/July 2013
My journey began with a departure from Frankfurt with Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa to Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. The flight was very pleasant, but I was still glad to finally arrive on the continent, which was still completely foreign to me.
Kenya: of high mountains, wide landscapes & turquoise sea
In May 2013 the time had come again – I travelled to East Africa once more, this time not to Tanzania but to its northern neighbour, Kenya. I was very curious beforehand whether my impressions and experiences in Kenya would be similar to those in Tanzania.
South Africa for self-drivers
On 19 March 2013 my second, long-awaited trip to Southern Africa began. After a flight on Lufthansa's Airbus A380 and one night, I met our colleague Marinda Louw for the first time, who works as a travel writer in our partner office in Somerset West.