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 »

Burkina Faso: visa on arrival at airport still possible?

EU passport holder, off to Burkina for a short tourist visit next month, arriving from IST via Turkish Airlines. I've heard conflicting accounts of whether visas can still be obtained on arrival at Ouagadougou, and would welcome information from people who have recently done or tried it.

Security in some parks in Uganda

Hi.. Those on the ground

Our Foreign Affairs Website has issued a travel warning for Western Uganda “Reconsider the Need to Travel” citing a risk of banditry specifically in places like Murchison Falls and Bwindi

We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Uganda's border with the DRC, including the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the Mgahinga Gorilla Park, and the Murchison Falls National Park because of the risk of banditry and attacks by armed groups.
On 24 April 2013, the US Government warned its citizens of an ongoing terrorist threat in Uganda. The warning stated that regional terror groups continue to threaten targets in Uganda.
Because I am still nominally a serving officer, I am obliged to acknowledge such warnings. If they become really painful I’ll bring forward my retirement!

My question to you is do you have any int on the matter - these are often... more »

train from Casablanca airport to Marrakesh

Hi there,

We're scheduled to touch down in Casablanca in July at 6:50pm and are inclined to go directly to Marrakesh. But it looks like we'll have missed the last train for the night.

The two of us are looking for advice. Is the train trip from the airport to Marrakesh pretty enough to need to see it by daylight? Or should we arrange for transportation (Taxi? Grand Taxi??) in the dark? Maybe we should spend the night near the Voyageurs station (did i get that right?) and take the first train in the morning...

that's my first set of questions as we plan our trip, there will be more. thanks in advance,

MSR

DMJ Bus to Umtata

Has anyone taken this 13 hour bus trip from Cape Town to Umtata? What's the us like?

Metema border town

Are there any decent places to stay overnight in Metema when I cross to Ethiopia from Sudan, how is the "vibe" of this small town? I know it's not too far from Gondar where I'm heading but I'm asking still as I don't like doing too long bus days unless really necessary.

Tour Companies Marrakech to Desert

We are planning a trip to the desert (Erg Chagaga) from Marrakech in October. After reading the Lonely Planet I have been in contact with two companies:

Zbartravel (5 days)
Sahara Services (4 days)

Both provide a private tour that we are interested in and their prices are very similar. I am wondering if anyone has used either company. If you have could you please let me know what you thought of them?

I would like to finalize our tour soon.

Thanks for your help!

Street musicians Tangiers or Marrekesh?

My friend wants to get some film of street musicians for a video. He could take a train and do a day trip from Algeciras or fly to Marrekesh from Madrid.
Can anyone help me find a guide? I have done day tours, but never hired a private guide in this area. Or...How difficult would it be to cross via the ferry and navigate without a guide? Where are good places to find musicians. I have never seen any by the Souk.

Any advice appreciated.

2 weeks in Madagascar - Transportation and suggestions please

Hello fellow travel experts,

Recently, I had this unique traveling oportunity at a 60% to travel from Lisbon to Madagascar which I just couldn'tmissing since its a country that always fascinated me. So, I bought the way I like it, impuls..not looking back.

I will be arriving to Antananarivo with a friend in the 22th September at night and leaving on the 5th of October at 1am so this leaves us With 13 nights / 14 (12 full) days. Were are conscicous that this is not a lot of days for a country like Madagascar but it was our last period of available vacations and hell... Better than nothing right?!

We know we can't go too much low pace and calmmly on such a short period but we have experience on the move from a travel last year around India and the Rajasthan area. The plan is: explore the capital city/markets/culture and food, explore and maybe spend a couple of nights in a nat... more »