Africa, my Motherland has 54 countries, all different and diverse in unique ways. Tourism in Africa is beginning to thrive in many countries and If you are looking to travel to Africa, this post will give you the best tips on how to travel to Africa, the best time to visit some countries in Africa and the required shots for travel to Africa.
Africa is a beautiful continent with diverse landscapes, beautiful scenery and breathtaking views. Depending on the country you wish to visit, you will need to take precaution, get the required shots for your travel and figure out the best ways to travel around Africa.
You might be fascinated with the continent Africa, the stories, the people and the safari adventures and you might be wondering if it is safe to travel to Africa or what documents you might need to travel to Africa or what the required shots are for your travels to Africa. I hope to provide the ultimate guide on how to travel to Africa with this post.
3 Best ways to travel to Africa
There are 3 best ways to travel to Africa. They are by air, by ferry and by land.
How to travel to Africa by air
Flights to Africa takes from 3 hours to countries like Morocco to about 11 hours when you are travelling directly to Mauritius from the UK. The good news is as the tourism interest in Africa grows, more airlines are flying directly to some African countries. This makes travelling to Africa more accessible and enjoyable. Here is a list of airlines travelling directly to African Countries from The UK and Europe.
List of Direct Flights to African Countries
Direct flights to Africa from the UK
Duration
Average Cost of flights
South Africa
Virgin Atlantic Airways
British Airways
South African Airways
10 hours 45 minutes
10 hours 50 minutes
11 hours 10 minutes
from £500 per person for return flights
Uganda
Unfortunately, there are no direct flights to Uganda from the UK. British Airways stopped its direct flights to Entebbe in 2015.
However, these flights have one stopover from London to Entebbe.
Kenya Airways
Emirates
Qatar Airways
Turkish Airlines
KLM Flights
Ethiopian Airlines
Egypt Air
10 hours 45 minutes
10 hours 50 minutes
11 hours 10 minutes
from £450 per person for return flights
Seychelles
British Airways
10 hours 15 minutes
from £550 per person for return flights
Morocco
There are several flights that frequent Morocco daily. There are direct flights from London to six destinations in Morocco. Casablanca, Agadir, Fes, Essaouira, Tangiers and Marrakesh.
British Airways
Easy Jet Flights
Ryanair Flights
Tui Flights
All fly directly to Marrakesh.
3 hours 40 minutes
from £150 per person for return flights
Egypt
There are direct flights from the UK to three destinations in Egypt. They are Cairo, Hurghada and Luxor.
British Airways
EgyptAir
4 hours 30 minutes
from £150 per person for return flights
Mauritius
Direct flights to Mauritius takes almost 12 hours.
British Airways
11 hours 55 minutes
from £550 per person for return flights
Ghana
There are direct flights to Accra, Ghana from the UK.
British Airways
Virgin Atlantic Airways
6 hours 35 minutes
from £550 per person for return flights
Gambia
There are direct flights from the UK to Banjul.
Tui Flights
6 hours 20 minutes
from £550 per person for return flights
Tunisia
There are direct flights to Tunisia from the UK to Enfidha and Tunis.
British Airways
Easy Jet
4 hours 15 minutes
from £250 per person for return flights
How to travel to Africa by Ferry
It is possible to travel to Africa by ferry. To travel to Africa using the ferry, you will need to take the ferry from Spain to Morocco. The most popular ferry route is from Algeciras to the port of Tangier. This takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. The service is frequent and up to 25 services a day.
Another route is for you to head to Motril in Spain. Take the ferry services from Motril to Al Hoceima. From here, a 2 hour drive will get you to Fes and a further 6 hour drive will get you to Casablanca.
How to Travel to Africa by Land.
The most popular route to Africa by land is through Spain. Take a bus for Cordoba Central in Spain to Casablanca, Morocco. The bus takes 14 hours and runs a 6 times a week service for between £50 and £60.
The other option of travelling to Africa by land is through Israel to Egypt. I will strongly recommend a tour for this route however, if you are up to it, take a bus from Jerusalem Central Bus Station to Cairo. The journey will take you up to 10 hours, but the scenery by the Gaza Strip and the East Mediterranean will make it a memorable journey to have.
How to Travel around Africa
When planning your holiday to Africa, consider how you will travel around Africa when you arrive there.
There are 7 ways to travel around Africa with the means of transportation around countries in Africa developing rapidly.
Uber
Buses – Baz Bus, ABC Coach West Africa, Coast Bus
Private Hire cars
Mini Vans
Ferry
Safari Tours
Public Buses
Uber
Is there Uber in Africa?
Yes, Uber is available in 8 countries in Africa.
Here is a list of countries in Africa where Uber operates.
Uber in Egypt
Uber in Ghana
Uber in Kenya
Uber in Morocco
Uber in Nigeria
Uber in South Africa
Uber in Tanzania
Uber in Uganda
Uber operates in 23 cities across Africa.
Here is a list of cities in Africa where Uber operates.
In Egypt:
Alexandria
Cairo
Canal Cities
Demietta
Delta
Hurghada
Mansoura
Zagazig
In Ghana:
Accra
Kumasi
In Kenya:
Mombasa
Nairobi
In Morocco:
Casablanca
In Nigeria
Abuja
Lagos
Benin City
In South Africa:
Cape Town
Durban
East London
Johannesburg and Pretoria
Port Elizabeth
In Tanzania:
Dar Es Salaam
In Uganda:
Kampala
Buses
Buses in Africa are called mini buses or coaches depending on which country you are travelling in. The mini buses or coaches are the preferred means of transportation between cities in Africa.
In South Africa, The Baz Bus is the most popular bus company offering Hop on and hop off services, Kruger Safari Tours and Travel Passes from Cape Town to Johannesburg and vice versa, Cape Town to Port Elizabeth and vice versa, Cape Town to Durban and vice versa.
The Baz Bus company uses mini buses with the capacity of 20 people. There are scheduled overnight stops in Port Elizabeth and Durban. Consider travelling in the low season for the best price and spaces in the buses. Although the Baz Buses are fantastic for all age ranges, they are most suited for the under 50 years old, solo travellers, couples and families with tweens and teenagers.
In Nigeria, the ABC Transport company is the most popular and safe way to travel across cities in Nigeria and West Africa. The ABC Transport Company offers services between cities in Nigeria and West Africa. You can get a coach from Lagos to Lome in Togo, Lagos to Accra in Ghana, Lagos to Cotonou in Benin.
In Kenya, the Coast Bus operated by Coastline Safaris provide services from Nairobi to Mombasa daily, from Mombasa to Kisumu daily, from Mombasa to Kitui daily. Check Buupass for the best way to book bus tickets in East Africa.
Private Car Hire
Using a private car hire is the most convenient way for families to travel around Africa. Although it costs more, you will be paying for the flexibility it gives you to make the best use of your time.
Minivans
The minivans are the cheapest ways to explore when you are in Africa. The load times are not static or specific, there are usually long waiting times and expect you opt to pay for an empty seat, you might be sitting and waiting for a minivan to load the last person for 2 hours.
Ferry
Ferry rides are convenient and reasonably priced ways to explore different parts of Africa. For example, I took a ferry from Des de Saalam, Tanzania to Stone Town, Zanzibar. It was a 2 hour ride. The ferry consisted of seats in different classes – The Royal class, the VIP class, the Business class and the Economy class. The fare was between $60 and $35 per person.
Safari Tours
There are several Safari Tours in many Africa countries. My top tour company for the best experience of Africa is Exodus.
Exodus have perfected the act the Safari travel and they have the best local and knowledgeable tour guides for Safari tours. They are great for:
- Family adventure lovers
- Extended families and multi-generational travel
- Group travel experience
- Option for private adventure option.
- Local experts tour leaders
- Wildlife Safari breaks
Public buses
I will recommend the public buses as the last resorts when exploring Africa. They are fantastic experiences but the noise and the number of people they take in a 20 – seat bus makes it a big no from me.
List of Required Shots for Africa Travel
Hepatitis A – Adults
Yellow Fever Vaccinations
Typhoid
Tetanus, Diphtherias & Polio
Rabies
Meningitis ACWY
Hepatitis B
In some African countries, they will refuse you entry if you don’t have the required health certificate. Ensure you book a visit to your travel clinic in quality time to ensure it fully protects you to enjoy your travels in Africa.
Top Health Tips for Africa Travel
Here are some top health tips you will need for your travel to Africa. Preparation is key when you are planning your travel to any part of Africa. Here are 7 important things you will need for your travel to Africa.
Sun Protection: Temperatures in countries in Africa vary and can rise to about 52 degrees Celsius. Take sun protection accessories like sun-glasses, sun hats and light long-sleeved clothing.
Antimalarial Medication: Antimalarial medication is used to prevent and treat Malaria. Visit a travel clinic in wonderful time before you travel and follow the recommended dose and the cause of antimalarial treatment.
First Aid Kit: Take a first aid essential kit that will have products like hand sanitisers, alcohol swabs, iodine wipes, hydrocortisone, antibiotic ointment, antihistamines, digital thermometer, latex gloves, bandages, paracetamol and lip balm.
Yellow Fever Vaccination: Yellow Fever is a serious infection spread by mosquito. I recommend a Yellow Fever vaccine for people from 9 months of age who are travelling to countries in Africa where Yellow Fever is found and to countries in Africa where Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is required. Get a Yellow Fever Vaccine at least 10 days before you travel to allow enough time for the vaccine to work.
Water-borne Conditions: Take care to avoid food and water-borne conditions such as stomach upsets and traveller’s diarrhoea. To prevent Water-borne illness, take drinks served in unopened, factory-produced cans or bottles. Avoid food prone to contamination such as salads, uncooked fruits and vegetables and food exposed to flies.
Clothing – Wear light breathable fabrics and long-sleeved comfortable clothing.
Footwear: Pack sturdy shoes for walking and breathable shoes like sandals and flip-flop.
How to travel to Africa: Final thoughts
Make your travel to Africa a memorable one. Take the required shots for Africa travel to maintain your health and research your destination before you go.
The people of Africa are friendly, support their local community if you can, be generous with tips, respect their culture, language and customary, leave footprints and not graffiti. Enjoy your travel to Africa!
If you have questions about travelling to Africa, please ask in the comments, I will try my best to answer them and if you have travelled to Africa, please share your experience with me in the comments.