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Best time to visit Guinea

  By Ian M Packham August 9, 2021 July 24, 2023 Africa, Best time to visit, Guides, Guinea
A young woman gazes down to the ground as she holds a small clear umbrella over her head to protect against falling rain

When it rains in Guinea it really rains. Roads quickly become impassable and pretty much everything comes to a halt. It’s therefore vital to know the best time to visit Guinea. I reveal all right here. The seasons in Guinea As you may have guessed from the introduction, Guinea has… Continue reading

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Top national parks in Ethiopia

  By Ian M Packham August 4, 2021 July 24, 2023 Africa, Ethiopia, Guides, Top national parks
Close up of a lechwe marsh antelope, one of the many species that can be seen in the top national parks in Ethiopia

By most accounts Ethiopia has 20 national parks. They can be roughly (and artificially) divided by the periods in which they were created. Some of the country’s most famous national parks date back to the 1960s. There was then an expansion of the national park system in the 1990s, and… Continue reading

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Best 9 things to do in Nigeria

  By Ian M Packham July 30, 2021 July 21, 2023 Africa, Best things to do, Central African Republic, Guides, Nigeria
Two Nigerian women hug each other in front of a fish stall at a market

Nigeria and tourism are not two words that are normally brought together. However, as the most populous nation in Africa, this country has no shortage of attractions for the curious. Be aware of the latest safety advice, and you too can take in the best 9 things to do in… Continue reading

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Curious Pavel Podcast

  By Ian M Packham July 25, 2021 July 23, 2021 Latest, Sierra Leone

I was recently invited to discuss travel in Sierra Leone for the Curious Pavel podcast, the first time in 33 episodes it went to Africa. You can listen by following this link: https://curiouspavel.com/travelpodcast/. Continue reading

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Best time to visit Zimbabwe

  By Ian M Packham July 25, 2021 July 21, 2023 Africa, Best time to visit, Guides, Zimbabwe
The tomb of Cecil John Rhodes, Motobo National Park, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s main attractions are its 47,000 square kilometres of national parks and reserves, together with Victoria Falls, the world’s largest cascades. But when to visit them? There is no terrible time to visit Zimbabwe. That being said, the best time to visit Zimbabwe depends in some part on what your… Continue reading

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Is Western Sahara safe to visit?

  By Ian M Packham July 20, 2021 July 18, 2023 Africa, Guides, Morocco, Safety tips, Western Sahara
View of the coast of Dakhla Lagoon, Western Sahara

Western Sahara lies just south and west of Spain’s Canary Islands on the northwest coast of Africa. It has been one of the world’s trouble spots for half a century. A disputed region, Western Sahara is either an integral part of Morocco to the north, or the world’s largest non-self-governing… Continue reading

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Top National Parks in Lesotho

  By Ian M Packham July 15, 2021 July 18, 2023 Africa, Guides, Lesotho, Top national parks
High altitude grasslands leading to attractive mountain peaks that are home to the flocks of Lesotho's shepherds

Fully surrounded by South Africa, Lesotho is one of just a handful of monarchies in Africa. The only independent state that lies entirely above 1,000 metres, it’s sometimes called the ‘kingdom in the sky’. Although Lesotho is primarily known for its cultural attractions, linked to the Basotho majority, the country… Continue reading

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Top things to do in the Caprivi Strip, Namibia

  By Ian M Packham July 10, 2021 August 23, 2023 Africa, Best things to do, Guides, Namibia
The colourful market in Rundu, Caprivi strip, Namibia

Imagine a clenched fist (thumb tucked in) with the first finger pointing to the right. You have the basic shape of Namibia down to a tee. The pointing finger is the Caprivi Strip, a narrow ribbon of land. It extends 250 miles (400 km) towards (but never quite reaching) Zimbabwe…. Continue reading

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Treasure Islands for JRNY magazine’s premier issue

  By Ian M Packham July 5, 2021 July 2, 2021 Latest

The channel between Kent and the islands is millpond flat. Despite the early hour there are plenty of fishermen out in their canoes, taking advantage of the first, pinky light of dawn. Their colourfully painted hand-shaped vessels line up across the three-mile strait like the trains coming and going from… Continue reading

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Best 9 things to do in Liberia, west Africa

  By Ian M Packham July 5, 2021 July 18, 2023 Africa, Best things to do, Guides, Liberia
Local fishermen stand on the tide line of the beach in Robertsport Liberia pulling in their nets

When it comes to obvious tourist destinations, few would put the west African nation of Liberia high on the list. The brutal but long-ended civil war of the 1990s still casts a dark shadow over the country. Internationally, it’s difficult for anyone to forget the images they witnessed. Within the… Continue reading

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