Short Gaps via Africa

Short Gaps via Africa

Africa is the second largest continent in the world and it’s great to travel around. It has more than a few countries too; 54 to be exact!

There are plenty of options to choose from for your stop gap, but the two most popular countries are Kenya and South Africa. There are a number of wildlife reserves and it’s the African wildlife that’s the major pull for tourists.

Gambia, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt a very popular in the north, especially as holiday destinations for a few weeks. Morocco is a lot closer than people think, and it’s a cheap country to fly to; you can even go for a weekend break.

There’s more than enough to see and do in Africa - visit the Maasai Mara tribe in Kenya ; dive in some of the words best dive sites in Madagascar; sandboard the Skeleton Coast in Namibia; test your nerves cage diving with great white sharks in South Africa; climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania the highest point in Africa; stand before the largest waterfall on the planet in Zambia; and watch the countless animals on safari. All you have to do is get there…

If you have any time between school, university or a job then a stop gap is for you. You’ll be amazed what you can do in a short amount of time.

Key stops in Southern Africa

The vast majority of flights fly into/out of Johannesburg and/or Cape Town in South Africa, although some routes take you via Nairobi in Kenya.

Popular routes that include Southern Africa

London >> Cape Town >> Port Elizabeth >> Johannesburg >> Nairobi >> London

Most popular countries in Africa

The most popular countries in Africa are South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

South Africa is the most advanced country in Africa and home to a number of adventure activities, such as the world’s tallest bungy jump and cage diving with a great white. There’s plenty to see and do in South Africa – most travellers take three to six weeks to see the country, making it perfect for a stop gap.

Lesotho and Swaziland are countries within the borders of South Africa. They’re surprisingly different and extremely independent compared to South Africa and well worth the visit.

While there’s plenty of game in South Africa, we rate Botswana as the best and cheapest place to see the ‘big five’ (buffalo, elephants, leopards, lions, and rhino) in Southern Africa.

For those wanting to try something new then head on up to Mozambique: it has some of the most amazing wildlife and the diving is out of this world. There is coral that hasn’t been disturbed by tourists for decades due to the war and is now open for the world to see.

Kenya and Tanzania are the next stops up the coast from there. One has amazing safaris; one has the tallest peak in Africa.

Other popular countries are Egypt, rich with history, and Morocco, home to one of the world’s biggest bazaars.

The Garden Route

The first question you’re going to ask is “what’s the garden route?” The garden route is a stretch of coastline in South Africa. It’s the stretch between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, though some people say the garden route continues through to East London, and it’s considered one of the most scenic coastlines in the world.

A popular route in South Africa is:

Cape Town - Garden Route - Johannesburg (or vice versa of course)

Overland Tours

When you look at the map you'll see that Southern Africa is big. Very big. Travel is cheap, but pretty haphazard, and it can take a long time to get from place to place. That’s why we would recommend an overland tour with one of the overland truck companies. They’re loads of fun and one of the best ways to see each country from the grass level with like-minded people. There are a number of companies, packages and tours to choose from, so make sure you do your research to find the best one for you…

What we recommend...

If you want to have a real African experience on your stop gap, then go to South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. You can do it in less than two months and it’s relatively cheap to travel around.

Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya are great if you have a bit more time... or you can save them for another stop gap…

Why Africa?

For many people, Africa holds a fascination that no other continent can ever hope to rival. There is something about the place that stirs primal instincts in even the meekest amongst us. It's impossible to describe the sensation you feel when sitting alone under the stars, listening to the sound of lions roaring in the darkened distance. Starting in glamorous Cape Town, on Africa's southern tip, within a few days you can have seen whales, dived with sharks and witnessed some of the world's most spectacular wildlife. Oh, and enjoyed some wicked night life. As you head further up, you'll encounter a series of fascinating and friendly countries, each of which offer their own rewards and challenges. Expect to see, almost every day, something that you'll remember for the rest of your life.

What others say…

Hannah Simmons: "South Africa is such an amazingly beautiful country from Table Mountain, to the Garden Route to Kruger National Park. The people were so friendly and welcoming and I saw a wide array of wildlife. At one point, in Kruger, we were only a few feet away from a resting lion.

“My favourite couple of nights were spent at a beach front backpackers in Wilderness, a village in the middle of nowhere. We had the best pizzas ever, homemade and cooked in an open clay oven, then spent the night sat round a large bonfire with a couple of cold beers listening to the ocean waves crashing in the distance."