Things to do in Africa
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FEATURED
Cape Town To Kenya
45 days (Cape Town)
by Intrepid
Hear the roar of the mighty Victoria Falls, Glide down the Okavango Delta in a canoe, Delight your senses in spice-filled Zanzibar, Keep up with the pace of…Not LP reviewed
from USD$5,730 - All things to do
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Museum Africa
This museum is housed in the impressive old Bree St fruit market, next to the Market Theatre complex. The thoughtful curatorship features exhibitions on the Treason Trials of 1956-61, the development of South African music and the history of housing in the city. The satirical ‘Cartoons in Context’ are worth a look, as is the Sophiatown display, which contains a mock up of a shebeen (unlicensed bar).
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Musée d'Art Camerounais
This museum forms part of Yaoundé's Benedictine monastery in the lea of Mt Fébé. It has a wonderful collection of masks, bronzes, wooden bas-reliefs and pottery. Look out for the brass sculpture of the 'Great Maternal Figure', from the area northeast of Foumban - similar sculpture is still produced at Foumban's Village des Artisans. The monastery's chapel (underneath the main church) is decorated with Cameroonian textiles and crafts, and kora are sometimes used to accompany the singing at Mass.
The museum has a really handy English/French guidebook available at the entrance.Take a shared taxi to Bastos and then change for Mt Fébé.
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Kenyetta Conference Centre
Towering over City Square, Nairobi's signature building the Kenyetta Conference Centre was designed as a fusion of modern and traditional African styles, though the distinctive saucer tower looks a little dated next to some of the city's flashier glass edifices.
Staff will accompany you up to the viewing platform and helipad on the roof for wonderful views over Nairobi. The sightline goes all the way to the suburbs, and on clear days you can see aircraft coming in to land over the Nairobi National Park. You're allowed to take photographs from the viewing level but not elsewhere in the building. Access may be restricted during events and conferences.
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Musée National du Moudjahid
This museum sits beneath the Makam Echahid, its mission to collect, preserve and display objects and memories of the struggle against colonialism. It starts with the story of the French invasion of 1830, but focuses on the glorious struggle from the uprising in Sétif, Constantine and Guelma in 1944 to Independence Day in July 1962. Although information is in Arabic, the meaning of the exhibits is easy to understand, from Abdelkader’s pistols to reports of executions of ‘terrorists’. The museum’s lower floor is a domed sanctuary, a natural shrine of low light and no noise, its walls inscribed with verses from the Quran.
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Jardin Majorelle & Museum of Islamic Art
Owned by the Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint-Laurent Foundation, this exotic sub-tropical garden provides a haven away from the hectic pace outside. The garden was designed by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, who lived here from 1922 to 1962. In among the cooling water features, the cacti, majestic palm trees and cascades of bougainvillaea, is a small museum.
The museum contains one of those Moroccan collections you'd love to scoop up and take home, including Berber and Tuareg jewellery and textiles, carpets, wedding curtains and cobalt blue pottery - all labelled in Arabic and French. Another room is dedicated to Majorelle's work.
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Clifton Beaches
Giant granite boulders split the four linked beaches at Clifton, accessible by steps from Victoria Rd. Almost always sheltered from the wind, they are top sunbathing spots, despite the lack of local facilities. Local lore has it that No 1 and No 2 beaches are for models and confirmed narcissists, No 3 is the gay beach, and No 4, the busiest, is for families. If you haven’t brought your own supplies, vendors hawk drinks and ice creams along the beach, and you can hire a sun lounge and umbrella.
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Iziko SA National Gallery
The impressive permanent collection of South Africa’s premier art space harks back to Dutch times and includes some extraordinary pieces. But it’s often contemporary works, such as the Butcher Boys sculpture by Jane Alexander, looking like a trio of Lord of the Rings orcs who have stumbled into the gallery, that stand out the most. Also check out the remarkable teak door in the courtyard, carved by Herbert Vladimir Meyerowitz with scenes representing the global wanderings of the Jews. His carvings also adorn the tops of the door frames throughout the gallery. There’s also a good shop with some interesting books and gifts.
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Le Tour Hassan
Le Tour Hassan. Towering above the Oued Bou Regreg is Rabat's most famous landmark. This enormous minaret was begun by the Almohad sultan Yacoub al-Mansour in 1195 and was intended to reach 60m, making it the largest and highest in the Muslim world. However, the sultan's grand plans were thwarted by his death four years later, and the tower was never completed. Abandoned at 44m, the beautifully designed and intricately carved tower still lords over the remains of the adjacent mosque.
The mosque was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, and today only a forest of shattered pillars testifies to the grandiosity of Al-Mansour's plans.
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Place el-Hedim
The heart of Meknès medina is Place el-Hedim , the large square facing Bab el-Mansour. Built by Moulay Ismail and originally used for royal announcements and public executions, it's a good place to sit and watch the world go by - kids playing football, hawkers selling miracle cures, and promenading families. The western side of the square is edged by an excellent covered produce market and catches the spill-over from the souqs to the north.
To the south, the impressive monumental gateway of Bab el-Mansour leads into Moulay Ismail's imperial city. The narrow streets of the old mellah are in the west of the medina.
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Circe Launches
Although increasingly given over to tourism, Hout Bay’s harbour still functions and the southern arm of the bay is an important fishing port and processing centre. From here you can catch a boat to Duiker Island (also known as Seal Island because of its colony of Cape fur seals, but not to be confused with the official Seal Island in False Bay). Three companies run cruises daily, usually with guaranteed sailings in the mornings. The cheapest, with a none-too-spectacular glass-bottomed boat, is Circe Launches; the others are Drumbeat Charters and Nauticat Charters.
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Rick’s Cafe
‘Here’s looking at you kid!’ Cashing in on the Hollywood hit Casablanca, this beautiful bar, lounge and restaurant is run by a former American diplomat, with furniture and fittings inspired by the film, and serving a taste of home for the nostalgic masses. Lamb chops, chilli, hamburgers and American breakfasts as well as a few excellent French and Moroccan specialities are all on the menu. There’s also an in-house pianist, a Sunday jazz session, wi-fi access and, inevitably, souvenir T-shirts. It’s a stunning setting and a good place for late-night drinks. You can watch the film again and again on the 1st floor.
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Irente Viewpoint Walk & Irente Farm
An easy walk is the Irente Viewpoint Walk (about 1½ hours return), which begins on the road running southwest from the Anglican church and leads gradually uphill to the viewpoint, with wide views on clear days. It's impressive to see how abruptly the Usambaras rise up from the plains below.
En route is Irente Farm (;08:00-17:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-17:00 Sat & Sun), where you can buy fresh cheese (they're in stiff but good-natured competition with the nearby Montessori Centre - buy some cheese at both and judge for yourself), home-made rye bread and granola, and also get accommodation.
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Spice Souq
For herbal Viagra, Berber lipstick, cures for baldness and exotic spices, the spice souq is the place to go. The jovial traders will try and draw you in with their more eccentric wares but the best buys are the aromatic spice blends for tajine, fish and chicken. You can also buy argan oil products here as well as the traditional amlou (about Dh40 per bottle). Nearby is the fish souq, an interesting place to wander even if you're not buying, and across Ave de l'Istiqlal, is the jewellery souq, a small area of jewellery shops with everything from heavy Berber beads to gaudy gold.
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Hatfield
There are several bars and nightspots in trendy Hatfield, catering for all types. Yet again, Hatfield Square is a good place to start, but remember that 'guns, fireworks and motorbikes are strictly prohibited'. Unusually for South Africa, Burnett St offers a high density of bars, eateries and clubs, all cut through with lashings of backpacker bravado and student shenanigans.
You can wander between venues easily and safely, saving the endless taxi journeys that usually punctuate a night in a big South African city. It's the easiest pub crawl in the country.
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Skala de la Ville
The dramatic, wave-lashed ramparts that surround the medina are a great place to get an overview of the labyrinth of streets. The ramparts were famously used in the opening scene of Orson Welles' Othello for a panoramic shot where Iago is suspended in a cage above the rocks and sea. The easiest place to access the ramparts is at Skala de la Ville, the impressive sea bastion built along the cliffs. A collection of European brass cannons from the 18th and 19th centuries line the walkway here and you'll also get great views out to sea and wonderful sunsets.
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National Cultural Centre Complex
The National Cultural Centre Complex is set within spacious grounds and includes a model Ashanti village; craft workshops where you can see brassworking, woodcarving, pottery making, batik cloth dyeing and kente cloth weaving; a gallery and crafts shop; the regional library; the tourism office; and the small Prempeh II Jubilee Museum.
The craft workshops aren't always active, especially on Sunday, and it's all rather low-key, but the grounds are shady and it's an agreeable place to spend a few hours including lunch at the restaurant in the complex.
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Gandhi's Shrine
Near the source of the Nile plaque is a small memorial garden commemorating Mahatma Gandhi, the centrepiece of which is a bronze bust donated by the Indian Government. This area is becoming quite a pilgrimage site for Ugandan Indians, as this is one of the places where Gandhi's ashes were scattered. (It seems that on Gandhi's death in 1948, his ashes were divided up and sent to many locations around the world to be scattered - and some ended up in the Nile River in Uganda.)
So Gandhi was rafting the Nile long before the Adrift team came to town.
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Ethiopian Explorer
44 days (Gonder)
by Intrepid
Spot Ethiopia's exotic wildlife on a game drive, Be amazed by the pink brilliance of flocks of flamingos, Experience distinct local cultures and traditions in…Not LP reviewed
from USD$4,050 -
Patrick Mavros
At the end of Haslemere Lane, 1km off the Umwinsedale Rd, is this place; it is signposted. It's set atop a spectacular hill, overlooking a picture-perfect valley complete with giraffes and buffalo - a visit is a must. The studio and gallery sells designer silverware from jewellery to tableware and whimsical paperweights (collector items or presents for the person who has everything). Mavros's signature style in his jewellery is the ndoro shell, the original currency of Zimbabwe. He also has a shop in Knightsbridge, London, though this one is cheaper!
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Union Buildings
These sweeping sandstone buildings are the headquarters of government and home to the presidential offices. They sit in an elevated position, surveying beautiful terraced gardens planted with indigenous trees and the city beyond. The gardens are often used for public celebrations and Mandela’s inauguration took place here back in 1994. Statues of a few former prime ministers inhabit the grounds, including an impressive General Louis Botha on horseback. There’s also a WWI memorial here, and a memorial to the South African police. The buildings, designed by Sir Herbert Baker, are about a 2km walk from the city centre; alternatively, catch just about any bus heading east on…
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Voortrekker Monument & Nature Reserve
A visit to the striking Voortrekker Monument is a near spiritual experience for many Afrikaners. It was constructed between 1938 and 1949 – a time of great Afrikaner nationalism – to honour the journey of the Voortrekkers, who trekked north over the coastal mountains of the Cape into the heart of the African veld. It pays tribute in particular to the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838, during which 470 Boers, under the command of Andries Pretorius, defeated approximately 12,000 Zulus, killing many of them.
A visit to the striking Voortrekker Monument is a near spiritual experience for many Afrikaners. It was constructed between 1938 and 1949 – a time of great…
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Khan al-Khalili
Jaundiced travellers often dismiss the Khan al-Khalili as a tourist trap; there's no ignoring the fact that it's a favoured stop of tour buses and has all the associated annoyances (touts and tat) that come with them. But it's worth remembering that Cairenes have plied their trades here since the founding of the Khan in the 14th century - the buying and selling didn't begin with the arrival of the first tour group.
Today the market still plays an important role in the day-to-day commercial life of thousands of locals.
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Parc National de Pendjari
This 275,000-hectare national park 45km (28mi) north of Natitingou, is the wildlife park par excellence in this part of West Africa. Visitors may spot lions, leopards, elephants, baboons and hippos. The best viewing time is near the end of the dry season when the animals start to hover around the water holes.
With waterfalls, a woody landscape and good tracks, it is a pleasure to drive around. The park adjoins the Parc National d'Arli in Burkina Faso and is bordered to the west, north and east by the Pendjari River.
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Masala Chaat House
The sheer number of Indians eating here should tell you something about the authentic flavours and affordable prices at this local institution. Located opposite the National Theatre, it serves cheap vegetarian thalis and has stacks more to keep vegetarians smiling for the night.
Meat and fish dishes are also available, as well as a wide selection of tasty masala dosas (a large savoury crepe stuffed with a delicious filling of potatoes cooked with onions and curry leaves) and other southern Indian delights.
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Parque Natural de Corralejo
The beach dunes of the protected Parque Natural de Corralejo stretch along the east coast for about 10km from Corralejo. It can get breezy here, hence the popularity with windsurfers and kite boarders. The locals have applied their ingenuity to the sand-sticking-to-the-suntan-lotion problem by erecting little fortresses of loose stones atop shrub-covered sandy knolls to protect sun-worshippers from the wind. The area is free to enter, and sun lounges and umbrellas are available for hire in front of the luxury hotels.
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