Before deciding on taking a trip to Africa, I had no idea where I was going to go. A flight deal came up on Scott’s Cheap Flights to Kenya roundtrip for 2 weeks at $600 and my decision was made. I had 3 months to plan this trip with little to no knowledge on where to start. I began my research, asked one of my friends who has been numerous times, and came up with the itinerary for 2 weeks. Traveling within Africa is nothing like Europe. Flights are expensive and there aren’t trains that go back and fourth through countries. There are less expensive options like shuttles, but the ride is long and you may not be as comfortable. Taking all of these factors into consideration, my itinerary was:
- Nairobi, Kenya- 3 days
- Moshi, Tanzania- 6 days
- Jambiani, Zanzibar 7 days
One thing I was told before going, is that you can’t expect everything to go as planned in Africa. Because of that piece of advice, this was my first trip where I didn’t have a solid plan. I was on edge throughout the planning process & the time there because I HATE operating without a plan. I need everything set in place. But, the information you find online through your research, can be different from what you hear from the locals when you get there. I had a list of what I wanted to do, but kept those plans flexible. What I had planned was:
- A Safari (how do you go to Africa and not do it?)
- Giraffe Manor
- Day Hike on Mt. Kilimanjaro
- Chemka Hot Springs
- Materuni Waterfall
- Village Coffee Tour
- Prison Island
- Stone Town
One main thing to remember when traveling to Africa is to use your resources or find them. My friend follows a girl on Instagram who currently lives in Tanzania. Being that the prices for tours through tour companies are expensive, the best and cheapest option is to find a local to show you around. A lot of people in Tanzania are taxi drivers and having someone who knows their way around to show you around for less, is the best option you can have. She reached out to a few people she knew who could be a guide for us throughout our stay in Moshi, Tanzania. She found us a guide who was willing to take us to where we wanted to go for half the price.
There are so many things I learned taking this trip. I’l break down each country to give you a better understanding of how to plan a trip to Africa.