I'm finishing up my two-month trip to 15 countries
so the advice in this article strictly refers to the places
I have been but it will likely be relevant for everywhere also please take what
I say with a grain of salt because everyone has different travel preferences
budgets and allocated time that being said here my top 12 tips for traveling to
Africa
fly everywhere Africa is massive it can fit the US-China
and Brazil inside of it unless you have years to spend then you should be
flying most places take advantage of local airlines such as pro flight Sambia
over a wand air it's best to arrive in the daylight for safety especially over
land borders as they close before dark crossing the border now engineers who do
to bring extra US dollars Africa is very expensive especially if you're the
foreigner you will get ripped off and it's inevitable US dollars remain King
and are accepted everywhere most visas require payment in US cash brings three
times the number of dollars you think you'll need and have small bills for tips
because many people can't break the 20s also make sure your bills are unrest
and newer than 2013 or else many won't accept it
get local SIM cards just got a SIM card here in Uganda if
you want your phone to work which I highly suggest then your best bet is to get
SIM cards from local providers my t-mobile SIM card and tap hotspot device
didn't work in most countries so local sims were a lifesaver and they're
usually pretty cheap it's gonna tip now for bringing bug spray Africa is hot
and humid which attracts mosquitoes bring lots of bug spray to avoid getting
malaria or other mosquito-borne diseases that will ruin your trip I didn't take
malaria pills or any other meds I just protected my body
other travel accessories this is you need to have wet wipes
in Africa I just walked around and got so dusty my legs are destroyed it does
well if I had to recommend an essential kit I'd say bring wet wipes sunscreen a
headlamp hand sanitizer outlet converters and always have bottled water
have patience there's an expression called ti a meaning
this is Africa it refers to things being very slow always like the Wi-Fi and
the roads which have many police checkpoints and speed bumps and the traffic is
horrible if someone tells you five minutes they really mean one hour
say hello and smile weird what about you and many African
cultures it's important to simply say hello and acknowledge each other's
presence are you don't be intimidated by all the attention you'll get most
people just want to welcome you and if they call Umizoomi oh it means white
person but not in a derogatory way
get out of cities the massage tribe is the most well-known
tribe in Kenya we are now crossing the Omo River to visit the Sassanids tribe
take as many trips as you can into local villages to observe local lifestyle
get in the bush to see animals that's the beauty of Africa the preservative
wood paper cooling city life is still fun as in Nairobi Joburg and Addis Ababa
I'm here in Addis Ababa but the real experiences lie off the beaten path
defend local drivers uber doesn't exist in the majority of
cities and you will need to hire private drivers to take you around making
friends with one and he can also be your guide Beverly if the man yeah I did
this in every place best driver yes it's expensive but safe and enjoyable can
prepare your visas check in advance which countries you'll need a visa for if
you're American then you can take my exact trip without applying for visas in
advance except for Somaliland I got all visas on arrival at the airport or land
borders just crossed into Uganda got my visa right here and they cost anywhere
from 30 bucks to 130 bucks in US cash
it dresses down to get ready your fancy watches shoes and
shirts you won't need them try not to look flashy as it just draws unnecessary
attention and always remember to respect the culture and traditions
mentally prepared so it's warm Africa will have its ups and
downs it's both challenging and enriching beautiful and dirty just prepare
yourself for a wild adventure and realize that these experiences can't be replicated
anywhere else on earth finally here are some quick tips make sure to have your
yellow fever shot and proof of it because you'll need to show it at some
airports to get inside bring all over-the-counter and prescription medications
with you it's in your best interest to avoid seeing foreign doctors have good
travel insurance I use Allianz and they're great always be drinking bottled
water and lastly try to be awake for the first few hours of daylight it's the
best time of the day to explore if you have any further questions about
traveling to Africa please comment below and I'll answer them.
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