Welcome to Thorntree's Africa branch!

You'll find plenty of useful information about travelling to Africa here. We highly recommend that new users check out the Africa FAQ thread before posting a new thread as you may find many of the answers you seek there. It also has helpful information on how to search the forum and advice on how to post your questions. Returning users or Africa gurus, please help us keep the FAQ up-to-date by adding important information which is absent, or pointing out information which is no longer accurate.

SEEKING TRAVEL COMPANIONS OR SAFARI PARTNERS? Please post on our Travel Companions branch, not here on the Africa Branch. Any such topics posted on this branch will normally be moved by the moderators to the Travel Companions branch without notice. ... more »

Migrating to a new server

Hi all,

The whole of lonelyplanet.com, including Thorn Tree, is changing hosting providers in the following days. While this change takes place, Thorn Tree and the Lonely Planet website will be unavailable for a short period of time. We will communicate the exact time nearer the date. This migration will hopefully be a matter of hours but we have a lot of Thorntree content to move! We will do everything we can to cause minimal disruption to users. You will be able to chart the progress of the work while the site is down through our Twitter account.

Thanks,

Zabba

Couple of Windhoek Questions

Hello all. Making my 1st visit to Windhoek next month and had a couple of questions....

1) Is there a Thai restaurant in town?

2) Can someone reccomend a downtown coffee shop with wifi and iced lattes?

3) I would like to by a cholesterol drug called Niaspan. Where I live (Bangkok) this does not require a prescription....but in the US a prescription is required. Do Namibian pharmacies require prescriptions for common medications as is common in Europe and US?

Thanks!

Best Overland Route Banjul-Conakry?

Hello,

I'm on my way to Conakry (Guinea) next week, and due to the threat of an air controller strike in CKY I am making some contingency plans. My flight goes through Banjul, so I'm looking at the possibility of disembarking there and continuing overland (if the strike reaches such a dire state of affairs.)

http://www.guineeconakry.info/index.php?id=118&tx_ttnewstt_news]=13063&cHash=2508f3fc32a7fc8c765087de4bc9df1d

I've gone overland several times from Dakar to Labe (in north west Guinea), but never from Banjul.

Would I take land transport to the eastern corner of Gambia, and then catch a ride on the Tabacounda (Senegal) - Koundara (Guinea) road? It doesn't look like there's a border town (or even a connecting road out there), so I don't know if that's possible.

Option two would be to go through the Casamance. I guess, find transport from Banjul to Kolda, and the... more »

Dress codes for western women

Hi

I have been trying to work out what is acceptable dress for western women in Tunisia. I've read LP on Tunisia and various forums and am now quite confused as it seems quite contradictory.

We are staying in Tunis and near Sousse and travelling during the day to various Roman sites by private minibus.

My big question is how much of my arms should be covered. I am trying to balance respect for local customs, with the fact that it will be hot for me, and that it's hard to buy summer clothing in the UK that have full sleeves. So at the moment I have lots of modest tshirts, that cover the shoulders but cut off mid upper arm. I'm starting to think that that's not enough coverage, but would be interested for any useful advice.

South Omo

Hi,
I am arriving in Addis on July 29th. I have about 10 days before being joined by friends. Is anyone planning on going down to south Omo at that time? In need of a person to make up numbers and spread costs? Also, any good recommendations for guest house for 2/3 nights in Addis?
Thanks
Rachel

Danakil Depression, Ethiopia

Went to Ethiopia mid April for two weeks. Had already covered quite a lot of Ethiopia during my previous 4 week visit in 2012 (and loved it!).
One of my biggest wishes - since seeing a documentary about is some 10 years ago - was travelling into the Danakil Depression. It not being high season anymore it proved impossibe to find a group to join. I contacted Gerard Pennings from Ethiopian Impressions in Addis who had organised some of my travelling last year. He warned it would not be cheap but recommed A.K. Ahadu in Mekele to go and speak to.
So that is what I did. I travelled to Mekele and went to their offices just behind the Axum hotel where I spoke to Carmen. She proved to be most helpful and very friendly.

I decided on doing a solo 3 day tour to the Danakil (just Dalliol and the Salt Lakes) and combine it on the way back with a visit some rock churches in the Gheralta Cluste... more »

Livingstone to Windhoek

Hello, can anyone tell me what options my family of 3 (including a 7 year old) has in getting from Livingstone to Windhoek? I've heard of Intercape bus line and am curious to know people's experiences. Is that something we could book from Livingstone a day or two in advance, or should we book sooner? Also, can we get our visa to Namibia at the border? Thanks for words of guidance!

suam border

hello

according to my last message- trekking mount elgon- i have another question. we start in kenya and want to enter uganda via the suam border by local transport continuing to sipi and budadiri.
has anybody done this way.? are there daily buses or shared taxis?
how long does the trip take from kitale to sipi normally

thank you all
hans; salzburg