Guides to the African continent

Ethiopia country profile

By Ian M Packham December 27, 2020 July 12, 2023 Uncategorized

Is Guinea-Bissau safe to visit?

By Ian M Packham December 23, 2020 May 23, 2023 Africa, Guides, Guinea-Bissau

Why ask if Guinea-Bissau is safe to visit? Here’s why. Check out images of Guinea-Bissau’s beaches, and you’ll be booking flights. Read up on its recent political history, and you’ll probably be rushing to cancel them. But for the hardened or adventurous traveller (you do need to fall into one… Continue reading

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Review of 2020

By Ian M Packham December 20, 2020 December 20, 2020 Latest

In what has been a difficult year for everyone, it’s difficult to know quite where to start in reviewing 2020. As travel plans rapidly disintegrated to nothing by the beginning of March, I turned my attention to writing from my south London desk. As a result, I have worked 21… Continue reading

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Africa’s best diving destinations

By Ian M Packham December 11, 2020 September 7, 2023 Egypt, Guides, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Zanzibar

This short guide aims to highest Africa’s best diving destinations. Think of Africa, and it’s likely that it’s the continent’s plains and rainforests that come to mind. And you should definitely take any opportunity to head out on safari and enjoy the sights and sounds of happy elephant. But don’t… Continue reading

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What are the Big Five?

By Ian M Packham December 2, 2020 May 20, 2023 Africa, Guides, Safari

Spend any time on a website dedicated to Africa’s awesome national parks and safari destinations and you’re sure to come across reference to the Big Five (or Big 5). But what are the Big Five? And where doesn’t the phrase come from? I’ll try to answer both questions. I’ll also… Continue reading

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Is Ethiopia safe to visit?

By Ian M Packham November 21, 2020 August 23, 2023 Africa, Ethiopia, Guides, Safety tips

One of the biggest stumbling blocks to people visiting Africa’s treasures are safety fears. This guide aims to answer the question is Ethiopia safe to visit. You should then feel confident that travelling to this east African nation isn’t foolhardy or stupid. What is Ethiopia like? If you’ve never visited… Continue reading

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The coolest festivals in Africa

By Ian M Packham November 15, 2020 August 23, 2023 Africa, Burkina Faso, eSwatini, Guides, Malawi, Mozambique, Senegal, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zanzibar

Africa has an incredible array of cultural celebrations. They range from tribal gatherings to modern dance and music events. Experience a different side of the continent with what I think are the coolest festivals in Africa. 1. Lake of Stars, Malawi If there’s a better name for a festival I… Continue reading

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Best time to visit Morocco

By Ian M Packham November 6, 2020 May 2, 2023 Africa, Best time to visit, Guides, Morocco

Often considered the gateway to Africa, at its closest point Morocco lies just nine miles (14 kilometres) south of Spain. With desert, mountains and coast on two fronts, Morocco’s weather is pretty changable. This can make it tricky to work out the best time to visit Morocco. But help is… Continue reading

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Best places to see gorillas in the wild

By Ian M Packham October 29, 2020 May 1, 2023 Africa, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, DRC, Gabon, Guides, Uganda

Ever since Sir David Attenborough famously sat with gorillas in the late 1970s for the BBC, gorilla trekking has topped bucket lists. At the time it was unheard of and a pretty DIY affair. The good news is that seeing wild mountain and lowland gorillas has never been easier. Here… Continue reading

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11 fun facts about Africa

By Ian M Packham October 16, 2020 April 24, 2023 Africa, Guides

With these fun facts about Africa, I aim to dispel some common misconceptions. They should hopefully guide you into a better understanding of Africa and perhaps lead you to check out a few more of the articles on this site… Fun facts about Africa 1. Africa is not a country… Continue reading