Hi everyone,
This is my second post in a series of discussions in which I am sharing some findings on the way people curate, organize and share travel content. The main objective here is to engage in conversations with the broader Travel Massive community.
The first topic was covering the different sources used by travellers to collect travel inspiration and information and is available here:
travelmassive.com/posts/what-is-your-go-to-source-for-travel-information-737921570
Now, I would like to dig deeper in some of those information sources and understand what makes them attractive / trustworthy sources. The second topic therefore relates to the current usage of travel guidebooks.
Here's a summary of my findings based on numerous interviews:
Travel guidebooks have long been a popular resource for travellers looking for information about destinations, attractions, accommodations, and more. With the rise of digital technology, however, many people are now turning to o...
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Hi everyone, I am a travel blogger and tour guide from Mombasa, Kenya.
Have you ever been to Africa? Which country did you enjoy the most? What were your experiences?
Been to South Africa, and I loved it! The Safari experience was truly remarkable. But really, my dream destination in Africa is Madagascar.
Wow. Big job. Africa is so diverse. I've been privileged to visit many times and even backpacked the length of Africa so here's a few of my favourites.
1. You can never get enough elephants. Go everywhere there are elephants. Game reserves in Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, little towns in Botswana and the Okavango, Murchison Falls NP etc.
2. The Sahara is amazing. Petroglyphs from ancient times, huge mountains, silence and solitude, perpetually calm camel traders, simple hard working villagers working the areas around the wadis.
3. Wander the ancient towns like Timbuktu and Agadez. Such a deep, rich culture.
4. Gorillas. Close encounters with these amazing creatures can't be undersold. I saw them on the Congo-Rwanda border but I think Uganda has them too.
5. Dance and party with the locals - Jo'burg rocks, West Africa soars in places like Togo, Cameroon and Benin. The Cure Salée Festival is not to be missed.
6. Relax on the beaches of Zanzibar. Take a water taxi down Lake Kivu or Lake Malawi. Really stunning parts of the world.
7. The walk up Mt Kilimanjaro is really like reaching the rooftop of the world. (Pack warm clothes & give away later)
8. Grab a shared taxi. You never know who you'll meet and where you'll end up. Locals everywhere love to show of their towns. Nairobi is one of the funnest.
9. Negotiate in the market places is fun. Zimbabwe is one of the funnest and the locals try to show you how knowledgeable they are
10. Waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls. Of course Victoria Falls and Murchison Falls are 2 big standouts.
11. See it from the air. Helicopter rides, light aircraft flights and hot air balloons can show you a much bigger perspective of this amazing continent.
12. For the more adventurous try hitch-hiking. You'll meet some beautiful characters and discover places not on any maps.
13. I really liked the Dogon Country and Mali too but these days its too dangerous. Put it on the list for later though.
Its hard not to have a great time in Africa! Enjoy.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, Mark. Let's connect and discuss more.
Wow that's some extensive traveling, thank you for sharing. my bucket list is to travel Africa as much as i can, although it's my home i haven't travelled as much, been to south Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, and east Africa.
Interesting list, Mark. You left out the City of Aquatic Excellence - Lagos, Nigeria - also home to the Grammy Award-winning BurnaBoy, the Afrobeat Legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the WTO DG Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, Literary icon Chimmamanda Ngozi Adichie, and the current World Record breaking Athlete & Sprinter, Tobi Amusan.
Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic nationalities and cultures, unbelievable waterfalls, awe-inspiring caves, authentic local markets, and a flourishing tech, film and fashion industry. Our Nollywood is in the global top 3. Microsoft, Netflix, Meta, and Netflix have their regional offices in Lagos. The largest economy in Africa is a place every true nomad must aspire to explore!
Ah yes Sam - but I've not been to Nigeria yet. I did try when in Cameroon but the visa requirements we're that conducive at the time.
Hi Mark, you are missing alot in Kenya. The heart of East Africa. It is the only African country with a National Park at the Centre of the capital city. Great place to enjoy the wild beast migration in June.
Beautiful sandy beaches in diani, Mombasa, Malindi, Kilifi.
The bucket list is long to exhaust. What do I say?
Just plan and travel. You will be left yearning for more.
Hello Mark, I bumped into this discussion when checking your profile. It's a great one. Is there a chance you have Nomad Stays in Kenya? Are there possibilities and how do Nomad Stays work? Do you have agents in countries you advocate for?
Gift , Nomad Stays doesn't have any Stays in Kenya right now but new Stays and deals come online daily. Here's a link to how we operate www.nomadstays.com/how-it-works . We don't have agents scouting for us though. We find that our online profile & social reach naturally attracts innovative properties to join us. We do have a range of Ambassadors in various countries too who help with spotting new partners. One of the big keys to success in the digital nomad space is the state of the local business innovation ecosystem & effort by local destination managers to create attractive communities for digital nomads. This combination can help turn leisure tourism places into digital nomad hubs. If you're in Albania this week at the Tirana Digital Nomad Festival you'll here us talking more about this.
Hello Mark, thank you for your reply. I am glad to here. Can I be an ambassador to Kenya , helping you identify stays?
Kindly,I'd like to have a private discussion about it. Can we DM?
Sure. Happy to chat. DM sent
So far, my favourite is Lagos, followed by Capetown, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zanzibar, Nairobi, Morocco and Egypt!
I am really glad to know. Lets connect!
Sure!
I'm from Africa (Kenya) and is very hard to choose one country because each country has its own beauty, culture, nature, and traditional diversity, so far been to seven countries which I think is too few to pinpoint the best out of the continent.
I think the biggest challenge for me is transportation either inaccessible by road or too expensive to fly. Every country I've been to (South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Namibia, Mozambique) had something to give in a different way i enjoyed all my travels and looking forward to getting back in the road in the near future.
Amazing. You should come to Lagos, Nigeria!
Hi Florence,I am also from Kenya, Mombasa.
planning to very soon
Hi Gift, great question and one I could spend too long on. such an amazing continent. I have only lived/Travelled to East African countries and South Africa. Sam, Nigeria is on the list to travel to one day. I loved Mombasa when I was there and fond memories. One African country for me that will always steal my heart and get my vote is Tanzania. Such a great diverse range of wonderful places to visit and experience. Such a huge diversity of wildlife in the Northern Safari circuits and not just in the parks, also Rift valley waterfalls, hot springs, lakes as well as an amazing culture. My Favourite thing of all time is to sit in a Maasai weekly market with a banana beer and some BBQ goat, talking to new and old faces. Also, you have Zanzibar which is such a beautiful place.
Lovely
I am glad you came to Kenya. Let me know the next time you are here. I hope you had a lovely time here.
Did you passby the old town? How about the Fort Jesus ? Share more ☺️
I will let you know thanks. I visited the old Town and Fort Jesus but a long time ago now, loved it, also went to Mamba village, is it still there? Also did a very cost-effective Safari to Shimba hills. One of the first driving Safaris I did so a great experience.
Hi Gift and everyone
great list Mark. I'm from Zambia and would definitely recommend my beautiful country Zambia.
There is a lot to see, the Mighty Victoria Falls, Wildlife, Adventure activities and experience the beautiful culture
Great question ... this continent offers so much and it is so diverse and mostly untouristed. Some great memories of my travels
Visiting the Grand Mosque of Djenne
Attending a wedding in the Guinea Highlands
Trekking for gorillas in DRC
Seeing Prince Charles at the Akwasidae Festival in Ghana
A private audience with the King of Ibadanland in Nigeria, who dressed me down in front of his court since my "gift" was too small
An amazing performance of the Royal Drummers of Burundi
Playing golf at the Firestone course in Liberia
And so many more...
When are you planning to come to Kenya ? It should be in your bucket list.
I am sure you'll have a great time.
I have been....great experience at Masai Mara!
Lovely, always feel free to come back for more experiences and memories.
Hey! Austin from Malawi here.
If you ever consider a place, it would have to be Lake Malawi, the lake of stars. Enjoy lazy days on the beach or snorkel in the Lake Malawi National Park, home to over 700 species of cichlid fish. The whole stretch of the lake is a short distance to national parks, mountains and tea estates - great places to view game or engage in activities.
Hi Austin, thanks for sharing.
My favorite destinations in Aftlrica,Of course Uganda is at the top,Kenya,Rwanda,Tanzania, Seychelles, Maldives,Egypt, Ethiopia,Zambia and SouthAfrica
Hi Rosette, I felt relief after I saw Kenya on the list. What awed you during your time in these lovely countries?
Hi Gift,
A great question ! My day job is helping people find out of the way places in Botswana. And there are plenty of really interesting places here. But my favourite place in Africa has to be Hhoho Province in Swaziland. Out in some rugged, beautiful mountains with no internet, no phone, lots of animals and some of the friendliest people on the planet. I wound up stuck in Swaziland for about a week a decade ago on my way to a meeting in Mozambique when the Mozambican border closed unexpectedly. Made some forever friends and had a ball. I return whenever I can.
I've never been to Kenya I'm afraid - Tanzania is as close as I have come.
Graeme
If you're looking for wild & remote yet not impossibly difficult to get to if you have the right vehicle or are travelling with a group, you have to factor in Botswana. To name a few: Tsodilo Hills (World Heritage Site rock art), the panhandle for incredible birds and camping wild on islands in the delta, Moremi Nature Reserve for its wildlife, Nxai Pan to see Baine's Baobabs, the Central Kalahari (where Delia Owens of "Where the Crawdads Sing" lived with her husband and later wrote "Cry of the Kalahari about the experience"). So much, so beautiful.
Hello Andrea, thank you for sharing. I will research the Tsodilo Hills and get more info about it. I also noted that you are a writer. Although I am an SEO expert and content writer, I recently started my travel blog for the love of travel and my newfound travel start up "Tembea East Africa" , Tembea means "walk" or "go around" . Find the link on the bio, picking up really well and I'll be happy to write about it. Do you have a blog yourself? We could share info and advice if you don't mind.
Namibia is my favorite so far, I've been there twice and I'm definitely looking forward the thrid.
When it comes to People nothing tops the energy in Nigeria and Kenya, for music Côte d’Ivoire, DRC and Angola, for food Mocambique, wildlife Zambia, Botswana, Uganda and Rwanda, not to take away from the Safari capitals of Kenya and Tanzania.
Madagascar is fascinating and right now I'm enjoying the people and the places of small town South Africa.
Ghana & Senegal! Amazing food, beautiful people, and waterfalls lol.
I've only been to Namibia - but I'd gladly go back tomorrow! It was a wonderful experience, and left me wanting more!