Africa

The Gambia is one of the smallest countries of Africa. Yet is has a lot to offer. In january 2004 we visited the Gambia for 8 days, while we stayed in of the big resorts, the Senegambia Hotel, on the coast. Although some tourists don't leave the hotel at all, we ventured is far as we could to see as much as we could of this little country. Once you are away from the touristy coast you encounter the 'real' African Gambia. We rented bikes to visit a couple op nice small National Parks and reserves. We also made use of the services offered by a very amable guide, who showed us several nice places, which we woudn't have found and visited on our own. For a firsttime visitor of Africa, The Gambia is a good choice: They are friendly, speak English and is relatively close to Europe.

Uganda is called the pearl of Africa. And it totally lives of to this name. Of course Uganda is mainly known for its Chimpanzees and Mountain Gorillas, but it also has its share in fine savannah parks which are home to most of the big game found in other part of Africa. This combination of both (mountain) rainforests and savannah parks, makes it a unique country to visit. The experience of looking straight in the eye of our closest relatives (both gorilla and Chimpanzee) in their natural environment is unforgettable. In addation, the people speak English and most importantly are genuinly friendly.

I visited Gabon twice to conduct a Field study on the influence of parasitic worm infections on the human immune system. We worked in The Albert Schweitzer hosptial in Lambaréné. Gabon is a French speaking country and is one of the richest countries of Africa. As a result, for African standards it's an expensive country and therefore not yet touristy at all. Although I was mainly occupied with the field work I have been able to get a quick look at the natural beauty that Gabon possesses. It harbours enormous rainforests boastin gan incredible amount of animals and plants, including forest elephants, lowland Gorilla's and Mandrills. Luckily, 11% percent of its surface has recently been designated as national Parks. Hopefully this will help to in some extent halt the devastating effects of logging in central Africa including Gabon. During my last trip in May 2007 I had the oppurtunity to visit Loango National Park where we came across forest elephants and buffalos. A wonderful place to visit!

In 2003 we went to Kenya and Tanzania in group with the travel organisation Afriesj. It was our first time to Africa and we definately wanted to see the African savanna in optima forma. It was a wonderful experience. The Ngorongoro crater and the serengeti are a magnificant wildlife spectacle. And the rift valley lake Bogoria and Baringo are home to thousands of flamingos and other birds. In addition to venturing into national parks, we also visited tribes like the hazabe (bushmen), Datoq, Masai and Samburu. This is the Africa as we had imagined it. Now that we also visited Uganda, we can say retrospectively, that this part or Africa is really becoming (too) touristy. In the serengeti for instance, you'll always be accompanied by other jeeps in search for animals. Nevertheless, to see animals like the wildebeests in such vast numbers is exceptional, even if more people are watching.

For The Gambia and Kenya & Tanzania photos were shot with normal film, so these digitalized photos might be of less quality due to the scanning

www.travelandnaturephotos.com

In 2010 as part of a 4 month round trip through Southern Africa we visited Mozambique. In contrast to its surrounding countries it's not the game parks that attract tourists. The main draw is the coast, with ample oppurtunities for diving, swimming and Island hopping. So that's what we did: diving, snorkelling and enjoying the coast. We were several times warned for corruption, especially amongst policemen trying to get some money from tourist by fining them for no clear reasons. However we didn't experience much problems at all while driving through the country. Unfortunatley we only spent 10 days in Mozambique, which was too short to explore the interior of the country.

In 2010 as part of a 4 month round trip through Southern Africa we visited Malawi - the warm heart of Africa - as it's called. We really loved Malawi. It's a small country but with a lot of attractions. Great hiking areas in the mountains, some beautiful national parks such as Liwonde National Park and of course Lake Malawi with its beaches, cichlids and layed back atmosphere. The people are very friendly and it's a very safe country. We visited only the southern part of the country, but if we would have had more time, we definately would have stayed longer to explore the northern region as well.

In 2010 as part of a 4 month round trip through Southern Africa we visited Zambia. This country is stocked with a big diversity of National Parks,such as South Luangwa, Kafue, Kasanka and Lower Zambezi. These parks are all worth a visit to Zambia in their own right, as they harbour many species of birds and mammals that you are unlikely to see anywhere alse in Southern Africa as it is the southern limit of there distribution. However, the main tourist attraction is of course the majestic Victoria Falls at the border with Zimbabwe. They are indeed impressive, though somewhat over commercialized if you ask us. Luckily, once you're leaving the falls behind the rest of teh country is not that touristic at all and the people are generally very friendly.

In 2010 as part of a 4 month round trip through Southern Africa we visited Botswana. Northern Botswana is basically one big wildlife park. Animals are able to roam freely between Chobe National Park, the Okavango delta and Moremi reserve. And it's teaming with wildlife. We visited Chobe National Park, famous for its high density of Elephants and the Okavango delta. The latter we explored from the panhandle by mokoro boat. The ultimate way to relax and to enjoy the scenery and animals. Lastly, to learn something about the history of the San proepl we went to the Tsodilo hills, well known for its rock paintings.

In 2010 as part of a 4 month round trip through Southern Africa we visited Namibia. Namibia is named after one of the driest and most beautiful deserts in the world: the Namib. The focal point in this desert is the sossusvlei, with its gigantic red sand dunes. The leading National park in Namibia that crivals Kruger NP for its abundance of wildlife, is Etosha NP. We loved this park with all its waterholes that attract a plethora of animals. Furthermore, Namibia is home to some interesting tribes such as the San and Himba that still practice their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle. Finally, for the more adventurous people,you can go sandboarding,quadbiking and do a bunch of other thrillseeking water sports, along the coast near Swakopmund. We had a great time there

In 2010 as part of a 4 month round trip through Southern Africa we visited South Africa. South Africa is unique in the way it combines the nature and wildlife typical of the African continent with the potential luxury and facilities of most Western countries. This obviously has its advantages, However it also looses some of its charm that less organized countries in Africa have. In addition, the contrasts between the poor and the rich, mostly along racial lines, are very obvious when you travel through this country. Nonetheless South Africa is a great holiday destination as it has something for everyones liking. The national parks like Kruger, Kaglagadi and the ones in Kwazulu Natal are fabulous for wildlife viewing, while hikers will love the Drakensberg mountains and the Garden route. And if you're more of city person, Cape Town should definately be on your list.

In 2010 as part of a 4 month round trip through Southern Africa we visited Madagascar. While Madagascar is closest to the African mainland, it is totally different in every aspect. First of all, the flora and fauna are absolutely unique and approximately 80% of the species you'll encounter are endemic to the island. In addition, the people of Madagascar and their culturehave much more affinities with Asia. For example Malagasy, the language spoken on the island, is 90% identical to a language spoken on Borneo. Of our travels through Southern Africa, the visit to Madagascar was probably the highight of our trip. We enjoyed every bit; the natural beauty, the amazing friendliness of the people and the interesting mix of african and asian cuisine. Since we only had two weeks and wanted to make the most out if it, we travelled with a rented car and a driver, on a prebooked itinerary, booked via Tsara Travel. We will definately go back some time to explore more of the beautiful country.