Holy Cow
Revered across generations and consumed in special bars, milk is much more than the liquid you use to pour into your coffee in Rwanda. We visit Kigali's best milk bars to find out why the drink is so important to millions.
11 ways to visit Benin on a budget
Already one of the most budget-friendly destinations in Africa, there are still plenty of ways to make your Benin trip even cheaper.
From flopping on a sunbed on palm-fringed beaches of the Atlantic coast and learning about Vodou to swimming in lakes and spotting elephants, lions, and cheetahs in Parc National de la Pendjari, it’s easy to make some lifelong memories in this small West African country – and all for next to nothing.
Here is how to see Benin on a budget.
• Basic room for two: $50
From flopping on a sunbed on palm-fringed beaches of the Atlantic coast and learning about Vodou to swimming in lakes and spotting elephants, lions, and cheetahs in Parc National de la Pendjari, it’s easy to make some lifelong memories in this small West African country – and all for next to nothing.
Here is how to see Benin on a budget.
• Basic room for two: $50
Local Coffee Is Finally Getting Its Due in This Vibrant African City
Stepping into Cave Coffee is a multisensory experience. Lush, verdant green plant life punctuates every corner, while mahogany brown walls are set off by bright yellow seating lining the floor-to-ceiling windows that allow the Rwandan sun to stream in. And it’s all awash with the bitter-sweet scent of what’s brewing. It’s a carefully curated coffee shop that perfectly represents a destination known as the “land of a thousand hills,” Kigali, Rwanda. And the 2024 Global Tastemakers panel of food a
I've Tried 9 Different Religions...What Do I Believe Now?
Religion has always been a source of great spiritual importance in African communities. Faith unites us and provides a common cause, a united ground where we can worship God. I’ve been on a religious journey for the last 10 years that has taken me to the heights and depths of diverse dogmas and belief systems. I have experienced 8 religions from various cultures starting from my Roman Catholic birth origin to Pantheism at 25. It’s been one soul-searching adventure and I have no regrets whatsoever.
On the Dark Origins of Tanzania’s Spice Island
Zanzibar is a tropical oasis shaped by migration and multiculturalism.
A group of islands off mainland Tanzania, with two large islands called Pemba and Unguja, Zanzibar has a 20,000-year-old history that brought both progress and oppression to the archipelago. For centuries, Africans, Arabs, Europeans, and Indians influenced this land known as “Spice Island,” creating a multiracial and multicultural society.
A group of islands off mainland Tanzania, with two large islands called Pemba and Unguja, Zanzibar has a 20,000-year-old history that brought both progress and oppression to the archipelago. For centuries, Africans, Arabs, Europeans, and Indians influenced this land known as “Spice Island,” creating a multiracial and multicultural society.
The 4 best road trips in Benin
Underrated and underexplored, the small slither of West Africa that makes up Benin is best covered by road.
Neighboring Nigeria to the east, Togo and Burkina Faso to the west, and Niger to the north, Benin has as much to offer as each of them. From experiencing Vodou culture in Ouidah and learning about the Dahomey Kingdom in Abomey to visiting the revered watermen of the “Venice of Africa,” surprises and spectacular locations keep coming.
Here we've picked five road trips that take in the hig
Neighboring Nigeria to the east, Togo and Burkina Faso to the west, and Niger to the north, Benin has as much to offer as each of them. From experiencing Vodou culture in Ouidah and learning about the Dahomey Kingdom in Abomey to visiting the revered watermen of the “Venice of Africa,” surprises and spectacular locations keep coming.
Here we've picked five road trips that take in the hig
Do I need a visa to visit Benin?
Visas are an essential part of travel – the physical gatekeepers of entry or exit into a country – and citizens of many countries outside Africa will need a visa to visit Benin.
The Pioneering Town of West African Weaving
Tucked away 18 km off the Kumasi-Mampong Road in Ghana is an ancient African village that has preserved its unique way of life for centuries by creating one of the most popular textiles on the continent — kente. The village of Bonwire (pronounced “bon-ray”) is dedicated to the age-old custom of West African weaving that lies at the core of the Ashanti tribe’s rich traditions.
A visit to the Bonwire Kente Weaving Centre showed me a lively cultural destination where visitors can take a tour to le
A visit to the Bonwire Kente Weaving Centre showed me a lively cultural destination where visitors can take a tour to le
When is the best time to visit Benin?
Benin is a small West African nation, proud member of the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and travelers often discover it alongside a trip to Togo.
Best things to do in Benin with kids
Benin is a fun-filled country that has a lot to offer traveling families: stunning beaches, fascinating history, incredible national parks, and more. If you have children and are considering of an affordable, family friendly African country to visit that's off the beaten track, Benin is the best bet for you.
7 top places to visit in Benin
Benin is one of the most unique and historically significant destinations in West Africa.
It played a fundamental role in the transatlantic trade of enslaved people, while also being the birthplace of the Voodoo religion. These attributes have created a complex and rich history that constitutes the fabric of the nation.
It played a fundamental role in the transatlantic trade of enslaved people, while also being the birthplace of the Voodoo religion. These attributes have created a complex and rich history that constitutes the fabric of the nation.
Technological innovation in the wild
You’ve spent all day in the back of a Land Rover, peering through binoculars and trying not to move a muscle while you listen for distant roars or paws crunching through undergrowth… yet you’ve barely seen a single mammal. Sound familiar?
8 of the best things to do in Benin
Benin is the birthplace of voodoo – a religion that worships natural spirits and reveres ancestors. It was also a significant source for transatlantic slave traders. A history you’ll learn more about at its museums.
This small West African country is blessed with luscious natural surroundings, beautiful beaches and unique markets. It's a popular destination for adventurers who want to discover more about the country's rich culture..
This small West African country is blessed with luscious natural surroundings, beautiful beaches and unique markets. It's a popular destination for adventurers who want to discover more about the country's rich culture..
11 things to know before traveling to Benin
Benin may have fewer visitors than its larger West African neighbors but that's no reflection of what it has to offer travelers.
The best ways to get around in Benin, West Africa
Apart from the capital city of Porto Novo and the major tourist attractions of Ganvie and Ouidah, the large majority of the small West African country of Benin goes unnoticed by most travelers.
A Traveler’s Guide to Ubud, Bali’s Spiritual Center
Avoid the crowds and delve into Balinese culture. Join Mwende Mutuli Musau (aka Tuli) as she discovers serene temples, learns about the Hindu religion, and explores Bali’s gorgeous landscapes.
Why Nairobi is a Top Destination for Wildlife Fans
Filled with majestic wildlife and luscious forests amid metropolitan madness, Nairobi is the only world capital that boasts a national park within its city limits. Despite its role as the “economic titan of East and Central Africa” due to its fast-paced nature and entrepreneurial culture, Nairobi is the best city to catch a glimpse of the African wilderness. Even within a limited timeframe, one can experience an authentic Kenyan safari.
The hard knock life of an African immigrant living abroad
As Africans, we’ve always been made to believe that the grass is greener on the other side. The Western world has been long branded as the “land of opportunity.” It’s allegedly deemed to be a big bright place where all of your dreams can come true.
This is true to an extent. There are functioning systems here – the Australian government takes care of its citizens with a great education, free healthcare, an amazing pension for senior citizens, the highest minimum wage rate in the world at AUD 26
This is true to an extent. There are functioning systems here – the Australian government takes care of its citizens with a great education, free healthcare, an amazing pension for senior citizens, the highest minimum wage rate in the world at AUD 26
Meet Rebecca Lolosoli, a Samburu Woman Defying Patriarchal Standards
Umoja Village, founded by Rebecca Lolosoli, is a female-led safe haven for homeless women, domestic abuse survivors, sexual assault victims, and young girls escaping child marriage and the cultural practice of FGM.
Rebecca Lolosoli was in the hospital recovering from a brutal beating when she decided to create a safe place where only women could reside. Her crime? Educating women in her village about their human rights.
In 1990, Lolosoli and 14 other women took the bold step to establish Umoja
Rebecca Lolosoli was in the hospital recovering from a brutal beating when she decided to create a safe place where only women could reside. Her crime? Educating women in her village about their human rights.
In 1990, Lolosoli and 14 other women took the bold step to establish Umoja
The Maasai Play a Key Role in Saving the Great Migration from Extinction
Spanning from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara in Kenya, the circular Great Migration path is an awe-inspiring display of biodiversity, but it is in grave danger. Those most attuned to the land — the Maasai tribe — are also the ones best equipped to save it.
The Great Migration in the Maasai Mara is one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Every year, 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebras, 12,000 elands, and 300,000 Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles make the 1,930-kilometre (1,200-m
The Great Migration in the Maasai Mara is one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. Every year, 1.5 million wildebeest, 400,000 zebras, 12,000 elands, and 300,000 Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles make the 1,930-kilometre (1,200-m
My Month of Learning the Language of Maasai Beads
Over boisterous conversations and lots of laughing, Maasai women taught Mwende Mutuli Musau about the traditions and meanings of the tribe’s rich bead-making culture.
One cold morning in the midst of Kenya’s cold season, I packed my belongings in a big backpack, said goodbye to my family, and headed out for a month of volunteer work with AIESEC, a non-governmental student organisation. I was 19 years old as the van began its long, bumpy journey away from the comfortable urban lifestyle I was ac
One cold morning in the midst of Kenya’s cold season, I packed my belongings in a big backpack, said goodbye to my family, and headed out for a month of volunteer work with AIESEC, a non-governmental student organisation. I was 19 years old as the van began its long, bumpy journey away from the comfortable urban lifestyle I was ac
Erasure and extraction: The unofficial history of Fast Food in Africa
Fast Food Franchises are crippling the African continent on a monumental scale. According to the World Health Organization, fast food has been attributed as the leading cause of the global obesity epidemic — “globesity”. As Think Global Health describes, the number of overweight children in Africa nearly doubled from 5.4 million to 10.3 million between 1991 and 2016. In Ghana, the obesity rate grew by 650% between 1980 and 2017 to more than 13% of the adult population. Kenya’s obesity rate has i
Fodor's Go List 2023: Africa & the Middle East (Tanzania)
Becoming one of the most popular travel destinations in Africa, Zanzibar has risen to prominence since the pandemic began—and for good reason. It’s an oasis on the Indian Ocean heralding pristine white beaches, it’s home to thick luscious forests, and it boasts an abundance of marine wildlife. In other words: it’s a perfect tropical paradise.
The Best Hotels in Africa 2023 (South Africa)
Within the heart of South Africa’s most distinguished wildlife zone lies the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Here you’ll find Cheetah Plains, a renowned and refined eco-luxury experience offering a once-in-a-lifetime safari adventure. Each of its villas is divided into two parts: private accommodation and shared living space, which are intriguingly named after significant feline personalities who left their pawprints on the property. All guest accommodation is off-the-grid; their electricity is powered
Load More