what's your favourite african country and why? how about

I just posted this in another thread -- good African countries for beginners are Morocco in the north, Gambia in the west, Namibia or SA in the south, Kenya or Tanzania in the east.
The second tier of accessibility includes Senegal, Gambia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique.

>>1193056
Oops, I meant Ghana, not Gambia, although both fit on that list.

>tfw I want to visit Ethiopia but I'm afraid of the language barrier and current unrest

>>1193283
>he doesn't speak Amharic

I think reddit is more your style, anon.

>>1193056
You left out Botswana. Easily accessible, safe, stable, and has some beautiful safaris.

>>1193283
problem with ethiopia is decades of charity tourism means they see white people as walking wallets and never stop asking for money

every country has beggars, but even middle class people will follow visitors asking for money

>>1193023
I'm going to say Kenya, on the grounds that it is the only African country I've ever visited.

>>1193364
Is Ethiopia really that bad?

>>1193441
I didn't really experience much of that. Then again I'm pretty patient and not white. Most middle class people i met were very hospitable and invited me for beers, food and khat.

Guess it all depends on how you carry yourself.

>>1193596
Where are you from? What do you look like?

Only African country I have been to was Tunisia for a couple weeks. Roman ruins, berber cave dwellings, nice beaches, and the desert.
But I am flying to Ethiopia Jan 10th and staying with a friend. Haven't planned anything, but I would like to visit the north. Should I just fly there and contact travel agencies?
Also, I don't have a flight out of the country. I was thinking of visiting another friend in Kigali, but don't know what's up in Rwanda besides paying a few hundred dollars to look at gorillas in the mountains.
Anyone got any suggestions on where would be great places to go from Addis?

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>>1193023

I'm so tempted to go to Africa, i'd like to start with Tanzania or South Africa...what are the most common activities?

>>1193058

My mom's planning a trip to somewhere in Africa (it'll be her first time there), and she asked some West African coworkers of hers about Ghana. They said that Ivory Coast is the much more tourist-friendly country in the region, which surprised the shit out of me.

As it stands she's leaning South Africa, though.

>>1193441
I've heard it's bad in some areas that I didn't go, like the north. There were beggars everywhere but I didn't consider it a major issue in Addis or in the east.

The bigger problem right now is the potential for violence, but I think that's gotten calmer in recent months.

>>1195732
South Africa is extremely tourist-friendly with tons of people coming in from Europe during the south african summer (i.e. now). But in many places the tourists are targeted for muggings, even in the tourist zones of cities - more so than anywhere else in the world that I saw, even more so than latin america.

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Planning a two week trip split between Dubai and Tanzania. I never really considered East Africa as a potential place to go until I read this BBC article:

http://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-37677833

The pictures are just so magical, now all I can think about is hunting octopus with my melaniated bros in those crystal clear Zanzibar waters.

>>1195732
Ghana is more accessible. Ivory Coast is a nice country and all that, but there's not that much to do. Unless you're looking for mountainous rainforest, Ghana probably has the better equivalent of pretty much anything.

>>1193056
>Kenya
Can't really agree on that. It's one of the more accessible countries in Africa, but it's also a polluted shithole with several violent conflicts simmering and a not very friendly population, bordering on hostile towards foreigners. I wouldn't go there for my first Africa trip.

t. went there for my first Africa trip

>>1196129

From what I'be read, Ethiopia has a ton to see and do, but:

1) infrastructure for travelling the country is quite limited, beyond what someone new to Africa could reasonably navigate
2) I've heard a fair number of stories from Westerners visiting Ethiopia for tourism, and >>1193364 sums up every one of them.

>>1195957

In terms of safety, though? It was my understanding that Ghana was pretty safe, so hearing that it apparently isn't surprised me.

>>1195795
>According to data from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, catches in Tanzania have increased from 482 tonnes in 1990 to more than 1,250 in 2012.

I dunno dude, doesn't seem like those octopus can last much longer at that rate

Faves are Namibia and Botswana

Have spent months in both.

Never a safety concern in either provided you don't act like an idiot

>>1196418
>Never a safety concern in either provided you don't act like an idiot
Can you expound upon this? How do I remain safe in Africa as a naive white American tourist?

Im going to Senegal soon. The Gambia too maybe.

>>1196450
>The Gambia too maybe.
...yeeaaaahhh, I'd probably wait a little while on that one

>>1196450
Pro tip: Several West African nations have said they're going to invade Gambia if the current president doesn't step down soon, I think mid/late January. Check the news before you cross that border bro.

>>1196452
>>1196461
Calm the fuck down, guys. They're not gonna be rioting on the beaches. Worst case scenario they close borders and you're stuck sipping your mai tai in Casamance.

>>1196466
I'm not one to shy away from "dangerous" places, I've been to parts of Africa and the Middle East that's marked red on travel advisory maps, but when a mulit-nation coalition is invading a country because their dictator won't step down, it's usually not the best time to visit.

>>1196472
>I've been to parts of Africa and the Middle East that's marked red on travel advisory maps
Where?

>>1196608
I took the bus from Mombasa to Lamu in Kenya, passing through al-Shabaab territory, the last hours on the road we even had a military escort. Three buses, with an APC in front and back. Pretty sure I was the only white guy there. I visited some islamist hotspots in Jordan, like Karak and Ma'an, even though it was pretty unexciting when I was there. Visited much of the border areas of Lebanon, Tyre and further south, Baalbek, 'Akkar, and also went to Tripoli while they were still fighting. According to British and French travel advices, these areas are/were no go zones.

I went to these places because I took a calculated risk. I listened to locals, read information online, and tried to find out which travel advices were outdated, politcally motivated, or just plain wrong. Lamu hasn't seen any action since 1812 and south Lebanon is "dangerous" only because of Hezbollah. Same can be said about Gambia I guess, but I still rest my case, I'd wait with it for now.

>>1193879
Once upon a time anon

>>1196979
I'm really curious, what did you get out of traveling to those places?

>>1197011

Nigger dick and aids.

>>1196979
Wow, cool.

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>>1197011
>Lamu
Like I said, the actual island of Lamu is perfectly safe. Taking the bus instead of the plane I did more because of the thrill really, also locals had assured me the road was safe at the time. What can I say, I like the idea of ridiculously long bus rides. Lamu is the chillest place I've been, and it also gave me one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen, pic related.

>Tyre
Literally milennia of history, and some of the best preserved roman ruins in the world.

>South of Tyre
Went with a Lebanese friend. I wanted to see the border with Israel and her village, also went to Qana.

>Baalbek
See Tyre.

>North Lebanon
Beautiful hiking scenery.

>Tripoli
Went with friends on a day trip, no particular reason except we were in Lebanon for the first time and wanted to see its second city. The fighting was sporadic, not directed at tourists, and contained in two specific neighbourhoods we had no intention of going near. Actually heard gunfire from the citadel, but otherwise we didn't feel unsafe while there.

>Ma'an
Curious story, on the reverse side of the Jordanian five dinar bill is "Ma'an Palace" depicted. Me and a friend went while en route Aqaba-Amman only because we had seen it there, not even knowing of the palace even still existed, we couldn't find any info online. We arrived and showed the first local we saw the bill, asking if he knew where the palace was, and he offered to drive us there. Turns out it existed, though the place itself was pretty unexciting, it's basically an old train station.

>Karak
Huge crusader castle.

Also what do people get out of traveling anyway? I've always been drawn to more off-the-beaten-path places, and each and every one of these places has left me with fond memories, and not once did I feel threathened. Only time I've been robbed abroad was in Krakow while out drinking, a city safe by every standard.

I've only ever traveled in Asia and America. What is different about traveling in Africa? I assume it's a lot more dangerous, but how so?

>>1198582
Different countries of varied infrastructure. Get Lonely Planet's Africa guide and pay attention of visa requirements to go from one country to another,currency problems and transport.

>>1198582
Lack of infrastructure. I did a lot of traveling in SE Africa, most of which by hitchhiking. Public transport is extremely uncomfortable, and I stress the word extremely. I still suffer from injuries that I incurred simply sitting in a crammed van. You get stuck in a town for the night? Tough shit, there are no hotels or hostels or places to stay. You'll either have to camp or knock on someone's door to sleep there. Thankfully people are overwhelmingly generous so it's never an issue finding a place to sleep. Roads are garbage, vehicles break down with almost comedic regularity.

In much of Africa, the odds are stacked against a traveler because the act of traveling itself is inherently difficult. The people aren't the problem, they just have nothing to work with most of the time. Since they have nothing, there isn't really much for a traveler to latch onto.

What about madagascar ? Any experiences ? Or egypt ?
Have friends who have been to namibia they say its safe and a good time

>>1193023
I've been on a few school trips but I'm planning my first solo trip to SA right away.
I'm planning on backpacking, staying in hostels mostly, and I'm working on getting my bag packed. I have a few sets of quality clothes (2 pants, 2 shorts, few shirts and 6x socks/underwear). Have toiletries, water bottle/camelback, sun protection.

Planning on washing as I go and buying what I need, but where can I find a more comprehensive list of recommended items? Also happy to hear any recommendations from travellers here.

Mostly planning on killing my days on beaches, some hiking, safari etc.

>>1199383
Info:
Canadian, 21, male
Planning to keep budget to a minimum, but have up to 2500 (after tickets) if shit hits the fan.
Going for 3-4 weeks
Mid February to mid march
Any other questions ask away
(Not very familiar with /trv/ board)

I travelled through all of Southern Africa, Kenya, and Ethiopia.

For a short trip: Fly into Victoria Falls. Do the stuff around the falls (whitewater rafting if in season, gorge swing, see the falls). Then do a daytrip to Chobe National Park to see the elephants and other animals.

Etosha National Park in Namibia was also incredible experience but it's hard to access (if you can pay to fly direct to there or fly to windhoek and take a 2-3 day tour though, maybe it's worth it).

Botswana was a really safe place, the safest in africa perhaps, and full of great people.

South Africa is the beginner tier africa, and completely different from the rest of it. There's lots to do there, it's beautiful, but personally I don't find it that exciting and it's very touristy in parts. Also probably the most dangerous as they specifically target tourists in the cities.

Nairobi for hooking up with cute black girls. I travelled all throughout Asia, Africa, Latin America, etc. and nothing compares to the ease of getting laid on Tinder in Nairobi if you're white. Really cool girls too. But a dangerous place and you need to take ubers door to door and stay out of the center of the city.

Ethiopia is fascinating for the culture, but I didn't get a great vibe from the locals while I was there. It's not welcoming and friendly like the rest of Africa, although it's safe because it's a totalitarian regime that protects foreigners. Also, hard to hook up with locals if you're into that.

>>1199343
Madagascar is slow to travel but apart from that really rewarding country if you are into nature and wildlife. Don't expect nice cities or towns though.

>>1199396
I just came back from a month in Ethiopia and my experience couldn't be more different. I went partying with locals twice and almost everybody was really friendly and helpful, apart from the few exceptions but far fewer than I experienced in more touristy places. They might ask you for stuff but if you decline they will not insist. My impression was that they are in need and that's why they ask but they are very honest

>>1199401
Sure, I should qualify what I said then - people in Addis were generally a bit cold towards me, people in other cities were great. I went partying with locals in Harar but had lots of bizarre experiences in Addis.

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Anyone been to Nigeria, specifically Lagos? One of my best mates is from there so I figured it would be fun tovisit sometime

>>1199396
>But a dangerous place and you need to take ubers door to door and stay out of the center of the city.

care to expand on this? I was thinking of visiting Africa for the first time this year and Nairobi sounded like a good choice. What exactly makes is unsafe? (Pickpockets, robberies?)

>>1199988
Crime and bombings by al-shabab. The Westgate bombing was the worst.

>>1200027
oh shit I mixed up Nairobi and Namibia there for a second lol nvm then I guess

>>1199988
I've been to Kenya. Nairobi is a crime-ridden, polluted shithole. The coast and interior is fine. The terror threat is real, but somewhat exaggerated, the odds of being caught in something like that is fairly slim outside of shabaab territory.

>>1199977
I can't imagine going to Lagos could be fun