Africa Travel Blog

Category: Destinations

  • Nairobi Hotels

    High-End Hotels in Nairobi:

    Ngong House, Nairobi – Ngong House is located 30 minutes from the city center on land that was originally a coffee estate. Houses are around US$650/night. Meals included.

    Mid-Range Hotels in Nairobi:

    Country Lodge, Nairobi – Country Lodge is located on Nairobi’s Upper Hill. Single rooms are around US$65/night. Breakfast included.

    Cheap Hotels in Nairobi:

    Upper Hill Campsite, Nairobi – Located close to the city center, the hotel has cabins and rooms. Single rooms are around US$13/night.

  • Jomo Kenyatta Airport, Nairobi

    Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi is Kenya’s large international airport.

    The Nairobi airport security measures can be extremely time-consuming, so make sure to leave plenty of time when traveling.

    Also keep in mind that some regional airlines in Kenya (Precision Air in particular) overbook all of their flights and regularly bump passengers to later flights. Make sure to arrive at the airport extra early to ensure your place on the plane.

  • Riad Edward, Marrakech

    Riad Edward in Marrakech is located in the Zaouia quarter of the Medina, near the Djemaa el Fna square. Riad Edward is notable for its beautiful original tile work, carved wood, and sculptures. Riad Edward has a large central courtyard with a plunge pool as well as a roof deck with stunning views of Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains.

    Room rates at Riad Edward range from 120-240EUR/night, depending on the season.

  • How to Get to Zanzibar from Tanzania and Kenya

    Flights to Zanzibar from Tanzania and Kenya:

    There are regular daily flights to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam, Pemba, and Arusha. There are also flights to Zanzibar from the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania and some of the game parks in northern Tanzania.

    There are regular daily flights to Zanzibar from Mombasa and Nairobi, Kenya.

    Beware that Precision Air overbooks all of its flights to Zanzibar, so get to the airport extra early to avoid getting bumped to a later flight.

    Ferry to Zanzibar from Tanzania and Kenya:

    Ferries run regularly to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam and Pemba. There are also dhows to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Bagamoyo, and Mombasa.

  • Tembo House Hotel, Zanzibar

    Tembo House Hotel
    Forodhani Street, Box 3974, Zanzibar, Tanzania
    Tembo House Hotel Phone: 255 (24) 2233005

    The Tembo House Hotel in Zanzibar is right in the heart of Stone Town. A former American Consulate in Zanzibar, Tembo House is conveniently located on the beach and is close to many shops and restaurants.

    Part of the Tembo House Hotel is an old Arab house with authentic decor and design and traditional Tanzanian furniture. The hotel boasts a large outdoor swimming pool and great views of the ocean. The open-air restaurant at the hotel is a relaxing place to watch the sunset and enjoy a meal.

    Room rates at the Tembo House Hotel in Zanzibar are around 90USD per night.

  • Visiting Tanzania and Zanzibar

    Visiting Tanzania and Zanzibar – Suggestions for hotels, transportation, and sightseeing from someone who has lived and traveled extensively in Africa. Don’t book travel until you read through this site!

    Ngorongoro Crater Safaris

    The Ngorongoro Crater is a popular destination for Tanzania safaris. The crater is a hollowed-out volcano that forms a natural self-contained safari park that is 20km wide.

    The Ngorongoro Crater boasts of having one of the most populous game areas in Africa. With over thirty thousand animals, the Crater makes for a great place to see rare animals like rhinos.

    The Ngorongoro Crater is 180 km from Arusha, Tanzania, and is about a 4-hour drive on a mostly dirt road.

    The gates of the Ngorongoro Crater park open at 7:00 am and close at 4:00pm. All vehicles must be out of the crater before 6:00 pm.

  • Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge, Zanzibar

    Akuna Matata Beach Lodge
    Chuini Ruins/Bububu, Box 4747, Zanzibar, Tanzania
    Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge Phone: +255 (0) 777 45 48 92

    Zanzibar’s Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge is located on the west coast of Zanzibar, about 12km from Stone Town. Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge offers private bungalows and spa treatments and is located right on a secluded beach.

    The Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge’s restaurant serves up fresh cuisine in its beautiful beach-front outdoor dining area, and owners Fritz and Rose are kind and helpful in setting up trips to town and tours of the island.

    Room rates at the Hakuna Matata Beach Lodge range from 65-130USD per person per night (double room including breakfast), depending on the season.

  • Stone Town, Zanzibar

    Stone Town is the main city on Zanzibar island in Tanzania. Although small in size, Zanzibar’s Stone Town is rich in culture and history and is a beautiful place to explore.

    Visitors can wander through Stone Town’s narrow, crooked streets, stopping to browse local artisans’ shops or to sip tea in an open-air cafe. Water enthusiasts can visit Stone Town’s beach or sail in a dhow in the Indian Ocean. There is no shortage of restaurants in Stone Town, including the outdoor beach-front restaurant at the Tembo House Hotel in Stone Town.

    For those interested in the history of Zanzibar, visitors can view part of the old Zanzibar slave market, which was sadly once a vital part of Zanzibar’s economy.

  • Wildebeest Migration in Kenya

    The annual wildebeest migration happens from July – September between Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. Thousands of wildebeest and zebras make the seasonal migration in search of food during this time, and predators such as lions take advantage of their movements. The wildebeest usually arrive in Masai Mara in August and September and leave in October and November, but the timing is slightly different every year.

  • Best Time of Year for Kenya Safaris

    The best time of year for Kenya safaris is during the annual wildebeest migration, which goes from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The wildebeest migration takes place from July to September.

    Outside of the annual wildebeest migration, July to February is the best time to go on a Kenya safari.

    The best time of year for flowers in the Masai Mara is March to June and again in September and October.

    The best time of year for birdwatching in Kenya is October to April.