Bellafricana published in africa, Destinations, People & Culture, Travel

Tourism The Beauty Of Africa – 3 Things To Do In Cairo

Cairo, Egypt’s sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. At its heart is Tahrir Square and the vast Egyptian Museum, a trove of antiquities including royal mummies and gilded King Tutankhamun artifacts. Nearby, Giza is the site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century BC. In Gezira Island’s leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views. Apart from these really cool ”serious” stuff, there are so many fun hings to do in the beautiful capital of Egypt, and I have highlighted 3 things you should definitely do when you get to Cairo.

1. Take a hike

From late March to early June, temperatures in Cairo are springtime perfection, wavering around a median 30°C. The trees are in bloom, students are finishing exams and Cairenes are all smiles and more relaxed. Take in the carefree vibe with a walk through downtown’s cluttered maze, along the breezy Corniche or around Zamalek’s leafy streets. Beware of April’s sporadic sand storms and thunderstorms; if the sky turns a dusty colour, it’s time to duck indoors.

2. Drop in on an arts festival

D-CAF, Cairo’s three-week Downtown Contemporary Art Festival, runs to late April, and it’s spread over multiple sites downtown. The festival fuses performing arts with film, photography and urban vision workshops run by top artists and educators from around the world. Expect cross-genre mashing, such as ‘interactive dance calligraphy performance’. Check out the concert photography workshop, which promises to teach the skill of the ‘killer shot’, or a new media arts workshop, such as the 3D projection mapping audio visual performance training. If you prefer to sit back and take in a film, save a night in mid-May for an art house film at Zawya, which hosts the Cairo Cinema Days festival, showcasing around 40 contemporary award-winning feature and documentary films from across the Arab region. The festival also screens some historic heavy hitter films and has panels and Q&A sessions with filmmakers.

3. Scout out contemporary Egypt in Old Cairo

Old Cairo is home to a trove of historic wonders, from the 7th-century Hanging Church of Coptic Cairo to the millennium-old Mosque of Amr Ibn Al As. But within the Fustat area of Old Cairo stands Darb 1718, an outdoor contemporary art and culture centre that in springtime weather, is the perfect place to spend an afternoon. The centre hosts live music concerts, fashion, art exhibitions, open-mic nights and education workshops. This spring you can get your hands dirty with a pottery workshop and or learn about light refraction and shutter speed at a photography class. April’s hieroglyphics workshop is sure to be a hit.

What other things do you love to do, or are you looking to do in Cairo? Feel free to leave a comment.

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Bellafricana published in africa, Destinations, Life Style, People & Culture, Travel

5 Reasons Why I Want To Visit Mauritius

Lately I have been thinking about travelling the world, and making memories that I will gist my kids about later on when they’re born, and almost everyone around me seemed to be talking about Mauritius, so I decided to do some research, and now I really want to go there!!!! Don’t judge me yet though, here are 5 reasons why I really want to visit Mauritius.

  1. I always aced Geography in high school, and I really did love the subject. But I never got to see many of the things I was taught in my textbooks. E.g Volcanos. Interestingly, Mauritius is a volcanic island that first rose above the waves eight million years ago. Who wouldn’t want to see that? Especially if you claim to love Geography
  2.  In 2017, Mauritius was named one of only four countries in the world which had no involvement in ongoing international or domestic conflict and no tensions with neighboring countries. The others were Botswana, Chile and Uruguay.
    (Source: p.13, Global Peace Index 2017) 

  3. Known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century , Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch, the French and the British in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries respectively. It finally gained independence in 1968.
    (Source: CIA World Factbook) Four different colonial masters, and they still managed to stay grounded till date? Please I need to go there and ask some questions.

  4. The is no official language in Mauritius, although English and French are the ‘national languages’. The vast majority of the population (85.6%) speak Creole, a French-based patois.
    (Source: CIA World Factbook) I am thinking about teaching a few people the Pidgin English I learnt while I visited Warri for 4 months. I’m positive that they will love to learn it.
  5. The life expectancy in Mauritius – 70 years for men and 75 years for women – is higher than the world average and is well above the average for African countries.
    (Source: Britannica) I just want to find out how they live that long. I want to live long too. I need to confirm if the world will actually be run by robots like all those sci-fi movies tell us.

Above all, Mauritius is a really beautiful island, and I love beaches, I am a fine girl, and I have a good camera on my phone. Don’t we just go together like bread and butter?

Have you been to Mauritius? I’d love to hear about your experience. Please leave a comment below.

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Bellafricana published in africa, Articles, bellafricana, Destinations, Resorts,

Tourism The Beauty Of Africa : Top 8 Wildlife Safari Parks In Africa

An African safari trip is an experience of a lifetime as you get to satisfy your wanderlust in the wild and marvel at nature at her absolute finest. Each destination is as diverse as the culture and people so visitors always have a wealth of options for their adventure.

Some travelers come in for the amazing scenery, while others flock to get some outdoor action like hiking and hot air balloon rides. As such, it pays to have an idea of which locations offer what experiences you seek. If the highlight of your safari is to witness majestic wildlife in their natural habitat, however, then consider these top eight wildlife safari parks on the continent:

1. Kruger National park

This is one of the largest wildlife reserves in Africa and is located in the northeastern parts of South Africa in the province of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The park occupies a 19,485 km square and is regarded as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The Kruger National Park is a beautiful wilderness that is home to the ‘Big Five’, as well as hundreds of mammals, including antelope, wild dog, jackal, giraffe, and Blue wildebeest.

2. Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti National Park is located in Tanzania, stretching all the way to the East Masai Mara regions in Kenya. It is a world famous safari park spanning over the 30,000km square with an unparalleled panorama of vast rolling plains. The Serengeti boasts a variety of wildlife including the famous ‘Big five’ – Lions, African leopard, African bush elephant, eastern black rhinoceros and African buffalo. There are over 500 species of birds and carnivores like cheetah, hyena, honey badger, and African wild dogs.

One unique feature and a must-see for every tourist is the annual migration of wildebeest. Over 2.5 million wildebeest, zebras, Thomson’s gazelle, and antelopes migrate here between June and November to find better grazing. This phenomenon has been categorized as a world wonder.

3. Hwange National Park

Formerly known as Wankie game reserve, Hwange National Park is the largest wildlife reserve in Zimbabwe today. The park spans an impressive 14,651 km square and was named after a local Nhanzwa chief. It became a national park in 1961 and is located in the northwestern part of Zimbabwe between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. Hwange offers an amazing variety of wildlife, such as impalas, African buffaloes, lions, as well as one of the largest population of elephants on the planet, and more than 400 bird species.

4. Masai Mara National Reserve

Recently ranked as the number one Safari Park on the planet by World Travel Award(WTA), the Masai Mara Game Reserve is indeed a wonder to behold. It is located in the southwest of Kenya, running along the Tanzanian border and occupying a 1,510 km square area. The park is named in honor of the famous Masai tribe and is famous for its exceptional variety of wildlife including the ‘big five’ and the Great Wildebeest Migration.

5. Chobe National Park

This breathtaking wildlife park is located in the northern parts of Botswana. It is the first national park in the country and third largest park after Kalahari and Gemsbok national parks. Covering up to 12,000km square of land, Chobe National Park plays host to concentrations of diverse wildlife including lions, giraffes, antelopes, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeest and over 450 species of bird. The Park is divided into four areas: The Serondela area, the Savuti march, the Linyanti March, and Hinterland.

6. Kibale National Forest Park

Kibale forest national park is located in western Uganda and spans across 776 km square. It is regarded as having the highest concentration of primates in all of Africa because of its impressive array of chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys, and L’Hoest’s monkeys, as well as other endangered species. Visitors here will also be amazed by the lush rainforest and scenic landscapes.

7. Etosha National Park

Located in the northwest region of Namibia, Etosha National Park covers more than 20,000km square and is famous for its ease in spotting varieties of wildlife. Unlike other African safaris where you have to drive round to see the animals, the animals at Etosha national park usually come to you. Simply park your vehicle near one of the many water holes and enjoy viewing animals in their hundreds — lions, elephants, gemsbok, springbok and various bird species.

8. Luangwa National Park

Several wildlife enthusiasts have dubbed Luangwa National Park as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. This is because the concentration of animals around the Luangwa River and oxbow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa. The park is situated in the eastern part of Zambia and covers 9,050 km square area. The river is filled with hippos and crocodiles, while the land supports over 60 species of mammal, including Thornicroft giraffe, cape buffaloes, elephants, and leopards. It also supports a large population of bird species.

Article culled from africa.com

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Bellafricana published in africa, Destinations, Life Style, Resorts, Travel

Tourism The Beauty Of Africa : Most beautiful beaches in Kenya

I have always loved pictures of the amazing places in Kenya. Even when asked where I want to spend my holiday, most times I’d just passively say Nairobi. I wasn’t sure what drew me to Kenya, but looking through pictures while putting this article together, I’ll have to say that subconscious just knows how to pull me closer to the things I love. Beaches are a happy place for me anytime, and I have even been jokingly saying that I’d love to have a beach side wedding. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something right? Hahaha….

Although Kenya is justly celebrated for its national parks and wildlife, it’s also home to some of the continent’s best beaches.
Astride the equator on roughly the same latitude as the Seychelles and Maldives, Bali and northern Brazil, Kenya enjoys the same geographical conditions as some of the world’s top sun, sea and sand destinations.
The Indian Ocean is soothingly warm, colored varying shades of green and blue. Coral reefs, many of them protected inside marine national parks, shelter much of the coast, providing habitats for a plethora of sea-life.
There’s enough breeze for sailing and wind-powered adventure sports, but not so much that it’s going to blow you away.
Once upon a time, there wasn’t much in the way of beach side hotels beyond Mombasa and Malindi. Nowadays, however, there’s accommodation at every level, from backpacker hostels to chic boutique properties.
The same goes for the restaurant scene, where a wide selection of places serve modern takes on traditional Kenya cuisine, as well as international dishes.
Most of Kenya’s best beaches are located just north and south of Mombasa in the southeast. The northeast shore is virtually deserted except for exotic Lamu Island and a few hideaways around Mambrui. Read on for the lowdown on the best beaches in Kenya.
Diani
Despite the powder-soft sand and seawater that runs a dozen shades of blue, Diani Beach on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast always has you looking skyward.
At the black-and-white colobus monkeys swinging through the trees and scampering over the roofs of the seaside villas. At the skydivers and kite surfers hovering high above the strand. And — if you’re up early enough — at those incredible sunrises over the Indian Ocean.
Framed by coconut palms, Diani is wide, white and very long. Coral reefs protect the beach from heavy surf, creating perfect conditions to swim, float or snorkel. Beach side bars and cafes provide snacks and liquid sustenance. After dark, some of Kenya’s best coastal nightlife is on offer here.
Diani also makes it easy to combine surf with safari at nearby Shimba Hills National Reserve and Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary, both little over an hour away. It’s also an adventure sports hub, renowned for kitesurfing, skydiving and deep-sea fishing.
Overnight digs run the full range, from backpacker hostels and modest B&Bs to beach side boutique hotels like AfroChic, and upscale private villas such as Alfajiri.
Chale Island.
Kenya’s only private island resort floats less than the length of a soccer field off the mainland but feels like it’s a million miles away.
Surrounded by coral reefs and covered in thick tropical vegetation, the island has one main beach as well as several small secluded strands where yours are likely to be the only footsteps in the sand. Except for amphibian fins, that is, because Chale is a nesting place for several species of endangered sea turtles.
The Sands at Chale Island hotel curls around the main beach on the island’s windward shore. Beach bumming is the main activity, but the resort can also arrange snorkeling or scuba diving in Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park, kayaking in the nearby mangroves, catamaran sailing, deep-sea fishing and excursions up the coast to Diani Beach.
Gazi
Perched along the coast road between Diani and the Tanzanian border, this secluded sandy stretch is known only to the most ardent Kenya beach freaks. Sheltered by Chale Island, the waters are calm and the sand backed by old coconut groves which provide shade for those who find the equatorial sun too strong.
Mangroves thrive at the north end of the beach, accessible via the Gazi Women’s Mangrove Boardwalk, a landmark coastal ecology and ecotourism project. Women from the village manage the site and provide guided tours of the mangroves. The closest hotel is the Cove Treehouses, on the far side of the mangroves from Gazi village.
Kikambala
This lovely stretch of coast between Mombasa and Malindi is a different beast to the rest of Kenya’s beaches. Until a few years ago, the shoreline was more renowned for its sisal (agave) plantations than fun in the sun.
But several new mega-resorts have transformed the beach area into something more resembling the Caribbean. Foremost among these is Vipingo Ridge, a sprawling hilltop compound with incredible Indian Ocean views and the top-rated golf course in Kenya. Also new is the daily Safarilink air service connecting Kikambala with Nairobi and Diani Beach.
Despite the frantic development, you can still find refreshingly empty sands and more modest digs along Kikambala’s southern stretch, as well as further north, around Kilifi Creek.
Lamu Island
The old Swahili town of Lamu is a living museum of the hybrid African-Islamic-Arabian culture that dominated the East African coast for hundreds of years.
Shela Beach on the island’s windward side is long, soft and entirely undeveloped. And because there’s no barrier reef, this is one of the few places along the Kenya coastline where you can hang ten on fairly surfable waves.
Crash at Kizingo resort and spend your evenings wondering the waterfront, popping in for drinks on Peponi’s breezy terrace or the rooftop bar at the old and venerable Petley’s Inn.
Mambrui 
A short drive north of Malindi on the coast road, Mambrui flies under the beach-going radar, a hideaway for those who know the coast well. Steady offshore winds make this another kitesurfing nirvana, but Mambui also lends itself to deep-sea fishing, snorkeling at Malindi Marine Park, long strolls on virtually empty beaches, and quick jaunts into nearby Tsavo East National Park.
There are a few modest hotels in town, but the place to stay is Che Shale out on the cape. Founded in the 1970s and still run by the Aniere family, the stylish seaside escape caters to couples, diehard kitesurfers and those who just want to get away from it all.
Nyali 
Located across the creek from Mombasa, Nyali is Kenya’s most metropolitan beach. Happily, though, the lack of high-rise hotels and urban traffic makes it feel farther away from the big city than it really is.
Behind the long white-sand strip lie upscale beach homes and resorts like Whitesands and the Serena. The coral reefs and sea grass meadows of Mombasa Marine National Park are ripe for exploration by scuba or snorkel.
There are also plenty of urban distractions here: Malls and supermarkets, butterfly and crocodile farms, Hindu temples and even a golf course.
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