Africa
A continent, not a country: It may be worth repeating, despite the fact that many of the countries that comprise this expansive destination remain hidden in plain sight for travelers, thanks to various socio-political issues dating back years, or even centuries. Still, the world’s second-largest and second-most-populated continent is the birthplace of humankind and deserves much more respect and adoration from travelers. Africa has played an incredibly instrumental role in shaping the fields of agriculture, art, dance, fashion, language, and music, to name a few. As such, what Africa offers from one country to the next is as diverse as the 55 nations in the African Union. Diversity is on full display through the topography alone, from the famous animal reserves in the south to the Sahara Desert in North Africa, the breathtaking beaches (and slavery’s African origins) in the west, and, finally, to jaw-dropping views in the east, with global landmarks like Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti. This continent will likely require more than one bite off the apple; it’s a place you can return to over and over again and have an entirely new experience with each trip.
Cape Town
Cape Town is perhaps the African destination most likely to pass for a major city by other continents’ standards, while also being an ideal starting point to an African adventure. Offering some of the continent’s most beautiful beaches and reserves – where elephants, giraffes, lions, and other large mammals roam – South Africa is also a country that resembles the varied conditions of life in the U.S. depending on one’s economic and social standing.
Dakar
If you find yourself in this Senegalese capital (hopefully not during rainy season from August-January), we hope you embrace the uniqueness of the vibrant city rather than comparing it to another. That openness will help you grasp the depth of a destination that, as the westernmost point of Africa, looks the part of a modern, upscale city while also looking like a city that’s far from developed, where main roads quickly give way to dirt and livestock roam the streets freely. You’ll be even harder pressed to compare Dakar to another city when you see the African Renaissance Monument, a controversial 160-foot statue just outside the city.
Featured Localeurs in Africa
Thaïs Martin, Marrakech
Robert Larnyoh, Accra
Emma Nzioka, Nairobi
