Africa is a continent full of contrasts that offers us infinite possibilities to disconnect from our routine for a few days, especially during this last year marked by the pandemic. Whether due to a population pyramid that has not aged at all or better preparation for a situation of these characteristics than, for example, the West (Ebola has been present in recent years, containing it quickly and effectively in different areas), the epidemic of COVID-19 has been felt much less intensely on the African continent than in other parts of the world.
That is why at Rift Valley we have prepared various options to travel to Africa that will not leave you indifferent, and that we are sure will infect you with the passion for Africa that unites us as a whole team.
Below you will find a selection of the Great Trips to Africa:
TANZANIA – TANGANYKA ROUTE
Evoking Tanzania,It is inevitable that the famous Serengeti or Ngorongoro parks, located in the north of the country, come to mind. In this case, from Rift Valley we have prepared a fantastic route to travel to the south of Tanzania, entering parks much less visited and known but no less interesting, such as the Mikumi NP or the Ruaha NP, which will show us their rich fauna. During this trip we will be able to see, in addition to animals, archaeological sites or learn in depth the process of coffee production, whose cultivation is the country’s largest export. We will also go to the Gombe National Park sailing on Lake Tanganyika, a place that is not usually visited because it is far from the usual tourist routes, but which contains one of the wonders that we can find in the country:
UGANDA – KUBWA ROUTE
Uganda is much more than mountain gorillas. Traveling to Uganda will allow us to enjoy its varied fauna, its jungle landscapes and enter tribal villages in the north that are not usually visited on most of the routes offered. This great 23-day trip will allow us to discover other less crowded places in the country, as well as enjoy all the essential places that Uganda offers us. Murchison Falls, Kibale and Queen Elizabeth Park will be combined with authentic coexistence with tribes from little-visited areas of the country, such as the Karamajong, the Dodoth, the Ik or the Tepes, as well as visits to local solidarity projects. We will end the trip with a visit to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, how could it be otherwise, to see the mountain gorillas that live there.
ETHIOPIA – COFFEE ROUTE
On any trip to Ethiopia , the smell of coffee accompanies us throughout the route. Ethiopia and coffee are closely linked, since it is part of the cultural identity of the Ethiopians and is a legacy of their past. We will travel to the south of Ethiopia, where the coffee plantations that continue to be a benchmark in the world market are proudly exhibited, establishing a real coexistence with various tribes in this area, fleeing from the typical visits of a few hours in which integration is practically residual. On this trip to Ethiopia we will discover the great anthropological diversity that the country, the cradle of humanity, offers us, as well as the variety of its nature.
BENIN – ETHNIC GROUPS AND PARKS
Traveling to Benin will allow us to discover a different Africa, full of history, which is maintained thanks to the architecture of its buildings and which evokes a past marked by slavery. The path of the slaves, the Afro-Brazilian houses or the sacred forest of the voodoo deities will take us into the reality of the slave trade. In addition, we can soak up the country’s main religion, Voodoo, visiting fetish markets and attending ceremonies where it is put into practice. We will visit royal palaces of the country and we will have a small coexistence with the Holi tribe, in a more than complete trip that will not leave us indifferent.
UGANDA, RWANDA AND TANZANIA – THE GRAND ROUTE
If what we want is to squeeze our trip and get to know the most important areas of various countries, this is your route. We will start the trip in Uganda visiting Kibale, Queen Elizabeth NP and Ishasha, and we will say goodbye to Uganda visiting the only mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Before resuming our journey through Tanzanian lands, we will make a stop along the way in Rwanda,specifically in its capital, Kigali, to admire one of the most modern cities in the entire continent, in which we will feel as if we were in any European capital. The second part of the trip will take place in Tanzania, which will allow us to be exceptional spectators of the Great Migration that will take place in the Serengeti. We will trek to the Empakai crater and visit the Ngorongoro, a place that houses more than 25 thousand animals of different species. From the jungle landscapes of Uganda to the vast plains of Tanzania, this complete journey through the eastern part of Africa will allow us to take a break, if we wish, in the wonderful Zanzibar.
