June 4

36 Reasons Why You Should Never Travel to Africa

By Matthew Sterne on June 4, 2023

Are you planning on travelling to Africa? Naaah, rather save your money and avoid life-chaning experiences that you will cherish forever. Who needs those?! As the World’s Best Safari Company, we know that it’s reeeeally not worth it. Not at all. But have a look yourself 😉

 

  1. So some people like to believe Africa is some kind of special place.
    Serengeti Sunset in Africa
  2. But those people are dreaming.

    African Elephants Walking Under A Rainbow
    Image credit: Beverley Joubert
  3. It’s not even mildly pretty.

    Zebras Wading Through Water in Botswana
    Image credit: Linyanti & Selinda
  4. The sunsets are mediocre at best.

    Londolozi Founders Camp - Rangers at Sunset
    Image credit: Londolozi Founders Camp
  5. There’s absolutely nothing breathtaking to see here.
    Aerial View of Reunion Island
  6. No impressive landscapes.
    Oryx Standing on a Dune in Namibia
  7. And no remarkable animals.
    Baby Gorilla with mother in Uganda
  8. You can’t even get that close to them, anyway.

    Elephant in front of two people at Old Mondoro Lodge (Photo by Marsel van Oosten)
    Photo Credit: Old Mondoro Lodge
  9. The birds are just OK.
    Bald Eagle and Martial Eagle in Africa
  10. All the animals are basically the same.
    Lemur Climbing a Tree in Madagascar
  11. You call this a big cat? Oh Africa, please.
    Lion on a Misty Morning in Sabi Sand
  12. The trees are stupid.
    Baobab Trees in Madagascar
  13. I mean Namibia is mostly sand.
    Sossusvlei in Namibia
  14. And Botswana is mostly water – suppose that’s expected in the world’s biggest inland delta though.

    A mokoro trip in Botswana
    Image credit: Okavango Expeditions
  15. Victoria Falls might be the largest waterfall in the world, but who likes tons of cascading water in an exceptional setting?
    Victoria Falls Zimbabwe
  16. And Kilimanjaro might be the biggest freestanding mountain in the world, but who wants that snow-covered giant as your backdrop?
    An elephant with Mount Kilimanjaro in the background
  17. The Serengeti is way too big.
    The wildebeest roam the Serengeti
  18. And those Indian Ocean islands are way too small.
    Island in the Maldives
  19. But this one is too big.
    Aerial_View_Mauritius
  20. There is no history.
    Pyramids and Sphinx in Egypt - Sam valadi
  21. And no famous icons.
    nelson-mandela-African icon
  22. It has close to no traditions.

    Himba tribe in Namibia
    Image credit: Tee La Rosa
  23. There’s never anything to do.

    View of the Great Migration on horseback
    Image credit; Art of Safari
  24. You can’t even find a good place to eat.

    Benguerra Island in Mozambique
    Image credit: Benguerra Island
  25. Let alone somewhere good for a drink.

    Chobe Under Canvas dinner and drinks, Botswana
    Image credit: Chobe Under Canvas
  26. And stargazing is not even a thing.
    Stargazing Okavango Delta in Botswana
  27. The children aren’t even friendly.

    Friendly School Children Uganda
    Image credit: USAID
  28. The cities are nothing special.
    City of Cape Town Aerial View
  29. The houses are dull.

    The colourful Bo Kaap in Cape Town
    Image credit: Stephan JVV
  30. And so are the roadsides.
    Ostriches in South Africa background of Canola
  31. Honestly, where is the thrill in this?
    Hot Air Ballooning Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
  32. Or this?

    Great White Shark Breach near Cape Point
    Image credit: Chris Brunskill
  33. Damn open fields.

    Maasai warrior walking Maasai Mara National Park Kenya
    Image credit: Elephant Pepper Camp and Cheli & Peacock
  34. Told you those sunsets were mediocre.

    Sunset showing Giraffe In Maasai Mara Kenya
    Image credit: Dana Allen
  35. I’d rather watch a Friends re-run.
    A cheetah in a tree
  36. Seriously, why would anyone want to visit Africa?
    Elephants walking in the grasslands
  37. Okay, we joke. Obviously, you should come to Africa! Did you not see the photos above? If you’re thinking about it or would like to know more, just contact our Travel Experts today and we’ll put you on the path to the most wonderful places of Africa.
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About the author 

Matthew Sterne

Matt discovered a passion for writing in the six years he spent travelling abroad. He worked for a turtle sanctuary in Nicaragua, in an ice cream factory in Norway and on a camel safari in India. He was a door-to-door lightbulb-exchanger in Australia, a pub crawl guide in Amsterdam and a journalist in Colombia. Now, he writes and travels with us.

  • Incredibly its been almost 7 years since we visited southern Africa. I still think about it before going to sleep each night.

      • One of the best jokes ever. ??? the heading just shocked me and made me to view it like real quick and the content just filled me with a great smile?….
        Good job writer ?? you’re just amazing.!

  • I think its only Africa where you can visit and you always feel like revisiting again.www.primeugandasafaris.com

  • So glad I live here!! Who took the pictures?? Would love to follow some of the artists – amazing work capturing this beautiful place

    • Hi Faustin, thanks for the comment. The photos are unfortunately unavailable for your use as they come from the lodges we work with around Africa. Thanks for stopping by!

  • Hi, can concur, lived in Kenya for a year and my husband and I traveled by road through central Africa and down the east coast of Africa back to Joburg. Seen some of the most beautiful places. Would do it all over again. I also think people that just fly into places or lodges miss so much of the real Africa as well.

    • Hi there, wow that sounds like a great trip! Living in Kenya must have been amazing, Africa must be in your blood!

  • The photographs used for reasons 10 and 12 are not from the continent of Africa. Lemurs and that species of baobab are endemic to Madagascar.

    • Not from the Continent but African all the same for Madagascar is a Southern African Island. I have seen baobab trees in other countries in the Continent, too but, of course, I do not know whether they were the same species.

      • Not part of the African continent – it is outside the continental shelf and over 400km away from the continent. Due to its unique mix of plants and animals found nowhere else, some ecologists actually regard it as the “eight continent”. Currently the country is included in the AU, but apparently this position is being reconsidered due to political reasons.

        • I live in Madagascar and being from here, I can tell you with 100% surety that it is part of beautiful Africa… Broke off of South Eastern Africa…. Merci.

        • Thats the dumbest thing I’ve read in a while. If you use that thinking then Japan, Malaysia and all the other islands in Asia are not ‘IN” Asia because they are not connected to the continent. They are ALL Asian countries and That country is an African country.

    • Madagascar is an African Country. Such Ignorance. I read through you other comments and can you pass on a message to your fellow Ignorant beings that said this. “Due to its unique mix of plants and animals found nowhere else, some ecologists actually regard it as the “eight continent”. That you all need to go back in a class and learn the Geography of Africa and it’s many Islands. The best thing humble human beings do when they have been corrected is to say thank you and not become all defensive and providing crap research as evidence. Tell that to someone from Madagascar that they are not African because of your sheer nonsense , you won’t have it easy.

      • The prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana separated the Madagascar–Antarctica–India landmass from the Africa–South America landmass around 135 million years ago. Madagascar later split from India about 88 million years ago, allowing plants and animals on the island to evolve in relative isolation.[17
        17 University of Berkeley: Understanding Evolution (October 2009). “Where did all of Madagascar’s species come from?”. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.

        Geology tells us Madagascar broke away from the India land mass, NOT Africa!

  • Can anyone still wonder why all of us OLD FOLKS never even considered leaving this lovely and vibrant Continent for other Greener Pastures? Love all the crazy comments too.

    • Hi Jono, thanks for the comment. Madagascar is considered part of Africa so we thought we’d include them in the list, even if they are stupid 😉

  • Nice post. I learn something more challenging on different blogs everyday. It will always be stimulating to read content from other writers and practice a little something from their store. I’d prefer to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a link on your web blog. Thanks for sharing.

  • You have no idea how many years i have been wanting to go to africa. And i hope one day i end up making it xx

  • I lived in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe for 38 years and these pics made me so homesick. Have been back a few times as well as to South Africa. I may have left Africa but Africa will never leave my heart.

  • I was so ready to jump in and give you a piece of my mind when I first saw the title hahaha. Great post! And Africa is indeed the bestest place on earth!

  • This is an amazingly written blog. Few words, with photos holding a thousand more. Gives me great pride to call Africa my home!

  • I am a South African, living in the US. I have been in the US for a long time. I miss it so much. I do go back to visit, I still have family in SA. It is still the most beautiful country in the world. But I worry about the problems in SA. I will always be homesick.

  • JUst BEAUTIFUL. I traveled to East Africa.. But I want to have the opportunity to travel to all of Africa. Thank you for sharing.

  • What a wonderfully enchanting way to expose the beautiful South African animals and countryside. I have been fortunate enough to go there on many occasions as I have relatives living in Wilderness and George, I live in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and we, too, have some outstanding animals and very beautiful scenery. How lucky I am. Good bye Africa, I don’t think I will be seeing you again . Thank you.

  • huo ni ujinga na upongufu wa akili unapotosha watu je katika inchi yenu kuna mambo mazuri kama haya uwezo wako wa kuchanganyua mbambo ni mdogo inatakiwa upigwe kofi la kichwa ku restore memory nyumbu wewe!!!!!!!!

  • Thank you, very nicely done Matthew and sure to melt or even break the hearts of many of the diaspora who had to leave this beautiful part of the world. I had to 6 years ago.

    But on a positive note, I have the tools, the skills and the wherewithal to fill my newly launched website with my art, photography and photo-blogs but right up till now have felt a totally blocked and overwhelmed – like staring at a blank canvas- until this lovely blog popped up on my FB. And I am totally re-inspired.

    So thank you.

  • I have been fortunate enough to have visited 4 times seeing 7 countries. I booked yesterday to see the Danakil Depression in November. Hope to get to the Omo Valley also!

  • Love ❤️ this! We live in Cape Town. I treated my spouse to a trip to Kruger National Park for his 50th (our second trip). The highlight for me was a leopard in a tree with Wild dogs at the base of the tree! My husband loves wild dogs, so it was a very special sight for us! Pictures are so awesome, wish we could do this more often. ?

  • Welcome to Tanzania, you won’t regret and you wouldn’t want to leave either!!! You climb mt. Kilimanjaro, take a glace at Ngorongoro, make jokes at Serengeti on your way to Zanzibar beaches

  • The photos are out standing…. credits to u:) I’m looking forward to visit in nov … africa hv been in my mind for soo long…can’t wait to go ..plz send me more details 🙂

  • Now, I really don’t think Africa is that special, and the children are so unfriendly, I keep going each winter just to check things really are that detestable. I’m forced to stay there for 90 long days, just because South Africa are so mean to only give me a 90-day visa.
    And me spending 6.5 days per week working in the totally ungrateful children’s home where they do nothing about suppressing the population as they keep being soft and rescuing abandoned babies to grow up into graduates who flaunt themselves on TV playing Rugby for Wits. Not a thought for football. I suppose they might go on to play cricket, next. Oh no it might be baseball.
    Oh, it puts me off how then build fires in the firepits I built and have jolly parties there. What a things!

  • I’ve done a fair amount of traveling. Africa was the trip of a lifetime. The photos shown should prove that…….outstanding!

  • Not sure how to take that comment Ken, Africa is beautiful, I was born in Rhodesia 76 years ago, lived there for 61 years, the last 20 years under African rule, the country is majestic, the ruling higherarcy are not, anything but, I now live in the UK, very happy, new chapter, but what a wonderful 61 years, visit Africa, you’ll love it as a tourist, you will be astounded, astonished, thrilled and beguiled, worth every penny/dime spent.

  • I thought that there was only ONE reason to never travel to Africa: Let its enchanting, unimaginable natural beauty live and thrive!!!

  • Seriously, Mat the answer to to your question is: Western wild life hunters. They should rather stay home and find another adventurous hobby.

  • Amazing story with a rather weird heading…….nearly pissed my nose only to find the jokes! Kazi nzuri sana.

  • Born and raised in Dar es Salaam….but never get tired of watching the sunsets along the cost…..Always a Sundowner

  • Had the chance to spend
    3 weeks there visiting South Africa in 1999 , it was truly a beautiful country!! I would love to go back and see more of the continent one day !

  • I had to read the article when I saw the heading….”how could someone say that???” We went to SA, Zambia last year and it was the most amazing trip of our lives. I would move there today but we are too old now (61 and 63). I had a friend who’s father visits every year. I always wonder why until I had finally visited myself. The animals of course are awesome but I also love the people, very thoughtful and gentle.

  • Conspicuous written the other way round on the title. When you don’t make the welcome caption oblivious it inspires some curiosity which gets overly twisted by the surprises wrapped inside there; it is like saying welcome to Hell then one finds himself in heavenly Disney land once there . . .

  • Africa is by far the most attractive, beautiful, best, diverse, friendly, natural, and significant continent in the world, and certainly worth a visit! You ain’t been anywhere, until you’ve visited the amazing, dark and exciting continent of Africa!

  • Dear Matthew,
    My hubby and I have the so called Kenya fever now for 35 years.In that time we missed the winter holidays only twice becaus of some circumstances. Even 10 years ago, after the election we were there. We love Kenya, but slowly coming to an age, 76, 80, where it might be the last time next January.We usually stay for 8 to 10 weeks. Having a foster Elefant Baby at the Voi Sanctuary we visit her every time also, We just love Kenya……
    I enjoyed your fotos very much, thanks for sharing….
    Kwaheri, Ursula

  • We lived the best 27 years of our lives in Southern Africa. Despite all the problems, struggles, political parties and corruption, Africa will ALWAYS be in our veins… it is part of our DNA… no place like this gorgeous continent. Not just the nature side of it is beautiful … the people are amazing … everywhere we went we found great camaraderie, friendship, warmth, welcome and joy (despite the daily pain of living under oppressive and corrupt governments — a thing that we find everywhere in the world!). Africa is Africa. Gorgeous continent, great place to raise kids, overwhelmingly beautiful … a place that took our hearts and minds forever! IF I could, I would return today…!

  • I was brought up in Kenya in the 1950’s. What a fabulous place to live and learn in.
    I’ve been back but was shocked at the deterioration of buildings, schools, roads etc.
    I am 74 now and living in North East England, but still think of our life there.

  • I am touring Europe at the moment, and being dazzled by all the sights.
    Yet I am missing my Cape Town and the many routes to camping sites I love in South Africa.
    I realise that no man made sight can compare with the natural God given beauty we have in Africa.
    Thanks for the beautiful reminder.

  • Brilliant…what a twist in the tale…Apparently, according to a renowned National Geographic photographer, who has photographed in 175 countries, there is something magical about the light in Africa..

  • Just forget the part that young generation haven t ingenious ideas. There is no start up , no transportation .no internet connection
    You can t do any good business and earn money. Lol..because Africa is modern ,busy , irresistible and people are wonderfully surprising.we should not forget this part.some People think we are locked in the past when Facebook owner and jack Ma Of Alibaba are putting a billions to develop Africans start up companies.

  • Stunning photos…., we left our hearts in Africa after a three month self drive, this was our second trip to Africa we’re returning next year for another three months……soooooo beautiful and amazing.

  • Wonderful photos. I am just back from Uganda and Rwanda. Two incredible countries, that makes 12 African countries I’ve visited. I love them all.
    Africa in into your blood, that’s for sure. I will return. Thanks for the photo journey, love your humour.

  • The heading is quite catchy, no wonder i had to go through the whole article and pin the specific reason as to why one should not visit africa. infact i like the sarcasm. Welcome to Africa!

  • You can take a person out of Africa but cannot take Africa out of the person. My wife says there is a magnet under Table mountain which prevents her from leaving.

  • I was about giving this writer the insult of his life..lol
    But I said to myself ,just chill and read to the end
    And I’m glad i did
    Nice one writer !!

  • I was smiling the whole time going through this photo blog, thinking to myself, “Hahaha, there’s probably someone out there who actually thinks these statements are true…poor them”. I’m so blessed to live in Africa. 😉

  • My trip to South Africa was the trip of a lifetime! I loved every place we went: Kruger Park, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. But the most amazing part was the people – they were kind, welcoming, friendly, and very proud of their country.

    • Hi there Achari,

      Thank you so much for your lovely message, we really appreciate it.
      We totally agree with you, Africa is one of a kind and a very special place.
      We hope that many many people get to experience it if they haven’t already.

      Sunny regards from beautiful Cape Town,
      The Rhino Africa Team

  • My wife and I were married in Kenya, and spent 16 years in Africa, in four very different countries: Kenya, Somalia, Liberia, and Botswana. fascinating cultures, varied climates and beautiful people.

    • Hello Anderson,

      Thank you for taking the time to read our article and leaving a comment. We completely agree with you that despite being very different countries, the people and cultures of Africa make it feel like a united nation. Although the landscapes may vary, each place has a sense of belonging and comfort.

      We hope that you and your wife will have the opportunity to revisit Africa in the future if you haven’t already.

      Best regards from sunny Cape Town.
      Unathi

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