Africa Travel Blog

Category: Places

  • Lake Nakuru Kenya

    Located in the Rift Valley 140km northwest of Nairobi, Lake Nakuru is a great place to spend a few days before or after a safari in the Masai Mara or a trip to Mombasa. Nakuru is a 150km drive from Nairobi on the A104 highway.

    Lake Nakuru is a great place to see the elusive white rhino in Kenya. Nakuru National Park is comprised of grasslands, stunning rock cliffs, marshes, woodlands, and forests. The area also features the stunning Makalia waterfalls.

    Home to thousands of flamingos, Lake Nakuru is also a great place for birdwatching in Kenya.

    Park fees for Lake Nakuru are 200 shillings for adults, 100 for children, and 50 for students.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Kenya Money

    The Kenya money is the Shilling, or KES (KSh for prices). Kenya shillings are split into 100 cents. Kenya money comes in bills and coins, denominated as follows:

    Kenya shilling coins: 50 cents, 1, 5, 10, 20, 40 Kenya shillings

    Kenya shilling notes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 Kenya shillings

  • Ngorongoro Serena Hotel

    The Ngorongoro Serena Hotel and Safari Lodge is located right on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.

    Like all Serena hotels, the Ngorongoro Serena Hotel is luxurious and has all the amenities of a world-class safari lodge. The hotel blends into the earthy backdrop of the crater edge, and is a perfect jumping-off point for your safari game drives in the crater.

    Rooms at the Ngorongoro Serena Hotel are decorated in neutral tones with all the attention to detail one would expect from a Serena destination. The hotel offers an array of meals, including BBQ lunches, as well as spa facilities and a boutique.

    Room rates at the Ngorongoro Serena Hotel are $555USD/night for a double room during the high season (Jun 1-March 31), $335USD/night for a double room during the low season (April 1-May 30).

  • Top Places to Visit in Morocco

    When planning your first trip to Morocco, there are a lot of options for where you can go. While the best cities to visit are in traveling distance from one another, keep in mind that distances can be far and transportation is not always fast, clean, or reliable. With that said, the top places to visit in Morocco are:

    Marrakech – With the bustling Medina and busy souks, Marrakech is sure to keep your senses stimulated for your entire stay.

    Fez – The cultural capital of Morocco won’t disappoint with its beautiful architecture.

    Essaouira – This seaside town is a great retreat from the heat of the desert.

    Atlas Mountains – High above the desert, the Atlas Mountains are a beautiful place to camp or drive.

    Casablanca – Famous for the movie by the same name, Casablanca is an amazing city and well worth a visit.