KENYA
1.Amboseli
Amboseli National Park is located at the foot of the famous Mount Kilimanjaro and in the center of Rift Valley, making it the perfect place to get a glimpse of the Great Migration. We saw elephants, lions, wildebeest, zebras, hyenas, giraffes and so much more! We opted for the cheapest alternative; hiring a private driver and inviting him to safari with us in Amboseli National Park.
2.Ragati
The Ragati Reserve is a fly-fishing camp also located at the base of a mountain, Mt Kenya. The animals came out at night and we fished during the day.
3.Goat
After wrapping things up on the Ragati River, we stopped roadside for some classic BBQ goat; complimented with a hand washing service, cold drinks and lots of salt.
UGANDA
1.Humidity
As soon as we arrived in Uganda we could immediately feel the rise in humidity. Our hair began to curl and our clothes began to stick.
2.Mud Roads
The roads were slick with red mud and covered with potholes while bustling with motorbikes, carrying 4-5 people, sometimes a goat or two.
3.Gorillas
We finally made it across the country to the border of the Congo where we saw a troop of mountain gorillas. There were Silverbacks, females and all of their offspring playing, eating and carrying on as if we weren’t even there. The weekend we spent in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest hiking to the gorillas was the most incredible few days we have ever had!
TANZANIA
1.Train
The train ride across the country was beautiful but we didn’t get much sleep on this party/ commuter train! The sleeping quarters were separated carts with all the women and children in one train cart and the men in another. Music was played loud and all night, repeating the same three songs over and over. As the train would through villages, people would wave and the children would come running towards the tracks.
2.Zanzibar
We took a small plane to Zanzibar Island so we could explore Stone Town and eat some seafood. We spent our time swimming the most beautiful beach we have ever seen in Paje, hand lining for small fish and touring Tortoise Island!
3.Border Crossing
We planned on taking the secondary exit from Amboseli National Park (Kenya) to the border crossing. The road quickly turned into a bush track, then into no track at all. As we were almost crossing the border illegally, the military showed up in a truck then guided us ‘back to the road’. They pointed us in the direction of a rock in the far distance. We drove across dry river beds, thorn bushes and tall grass that lions den in and picked up a teenage Masai Mara hitch-hiker. We could only communicate a few words so we dropped him off at the nearest village where we picked up someone else, who then safely guided us back to the paved highway taking us to the legal border crossing.
Click here for photos!
MALAWI
1.People
Malawi has beautiful waterfalls, lakes and rivers that make up this landlocked country although it is the people that made it so memorable. Some locals we shared a taxi with were kind by offering us dried sardines but some people were aggressive and physical. We saw a number of punches being thrown and some pretty insane roundhouse kicks.
2.Lack of Food
There wasn’t much food variety, the staples were tomatoes, sardines, red onions and cookies. The common dish was rice and one vertebrate of meat. There isn’t even food for the livestock, it is common to see cows, horses and pigs eating from the garbage piles in the streets.
3.Livingstonia
Leaving from the Mushroom Farm, we spent the morning at a waterfall before hiking up to a small town called Livingstonia. It has a university, chill vibes and no cash machines so be prepared!
Click here for photos!
ZAMBIA
1.Lusaka Bus Terminal
Our first stop in Zambia was the crazy Lusaka bus terminal. It tested our patience being grabbed at, watching everyone pushing and shoving but we found some accommodation nearby where we could decompress.
2.Victoria Falls
Devil’s Pool is an absolute must do if you are visiting Zambia. We did a half day tour that takes you out to the edge of Victoria Falls. At the edge there is a small pool of water that protects you from going over the edge. There is also a guide holding your foot, just in case! As you are a couple meters from being swept off the edge, there are small fish nibbling at your toes and suckling your feet! It makes quite the surprise!
3.Zambezi River
We hired a fishing guide to take us out on a boat, on the Zambezi River to try and catch some Tiger Fish. The river was calm and when the fish hit, they hit hard. The sandy beaches were covered in crocodiles and every once in a while we saw hippos surfacing. After some successful tiger fishing we managed to catch a couple catfish on the line before heading back to the lodge.
Click here for photos!
ZIMBABWE
1.Bus Ride
Busing through Zimbabwe was so much fun and all the credit goes to the passengers who kept us laughing and smiling the entire way.
2.No Cash
Cash shortage in Zimbabwe is for real! Stopping shortly after crossing the border, security guards warned us not to use the ATM’s to prevent you from never seeing your debit card again nor being able to collect cash. The restaurants offer you a discount if you pay with american dollars.
3.Border Bananas
After a very annoying border crossing with a full bus of people, a few ladies had smuggled bananas over the border and shared them with everyone!
BOTSWANA
1.Border Crossing
The border crossings were confusing to say the least but luckily our bus driver knew what was going on and ensured we made it across.
2.Store Sizes
We were blown away to see nice gas stations with modern convenience stores and large supermarkets in some small towns near the border.
3.Chobe
The bus route drove you through the marshlands of Chobe National Park loaded with hippos, zebras and elephants not far from where we got to see sweet little Meerkats.
NAMIBIA
1.Etosha National Park
We rented a car in Namibia to make it easier to see every corner of the country. The Rhino having eluded us in Kenya, didn’t escape our sights in Etosha National Park, which was our first stop on our road trip. Here we also saw elephants, antelope and jackals!
2.Sand Dunes
From the drastic orange sand dunes to the waves of the Southern Atlantic, the coast line of Namibia should not be skipped. We climbed Dune 45 in the middle of the day and it was just like being inside a dry sauna. There were no tourists around, because it was the hottest time of the day, and the wind was hot, blowing sand at us but we managed to spend the afternoon in the sweltering heat.
3.Fish River Canyon
We drove the highway down to Fish River Canyon, located on the border of Namibia and South Africa , where we did some fly fishing and quiet camping. If you see something lurking in the distance, don’t worry, it is just a baboon.
Click here for photos!
SOUTH AFRICA
1.Danger
While travel advisories and horror stories may keep you from visiting this country, it shouldn’t. The coast is beautiful, the city is eccentric and the wildlife is pretty sweet too. There are neighbourhoods that are more troubled than others so make sure you do your research on where to stay and travel.
2.Table Mountain
Table mountain is very accessible from the ‘Hop on Hop off bus’, you can catch the bus all over the city. If you hike during the day on the Plattekipe Gorge, you will be far from alone with all the other hikers around.
3.Penguins
Another great half day trip was a train ride out to Simon’s Point to see the penguins! These knee height, pink eyebrow penguins are so freaking cute they will steal your heart running from water, chasing fish and chasing each other!
