As a traveler you may have always wanted to visit Africa but never got a chance to actually go there. There can be many reason behind that, Africa still remains as a land of mystery and considered not that safe for traveling. However those are just misconception, Africa is a beautiful land and there is nothing to worry about traveling there. Though you may not get a luxury air conditioned environment while traveling to Africa, but if you are a adventure loving person you should definitely visit Africa. So here are some tips for you if you are planning a trip to Africa for the first time
The Weather
The first thing that comes in your mind hearing Africa is the desert, hot and humid condition. However the reality is somewhat opposite. Africa can be freezing sometime. The temperature in some tourist attractions of Africa like Tanzania can drop to -9C, which is quite cold. There are some places in Africa where you will see snowfall. So you better pack your bag according to the weather.
Rain forest
Africa is not all about endless lands of sand and desert. There are beautiful mountains and rain forest in Africa. There are some places in Africa which are full of green and mountains. You will find beautiful rain forests in Uganda and Congo. Green land can also be found in countries like Senegal and Guinea. The Kalahari desert also has some green parts where beautiful lakes are seen. So the land of Africa is full of surprise, you never know what you will find there. You can expect all kinds of lands like desert, swamp, lush vegetation there.
Beware of Hippos
If you see a lake or river in Africa, you are likely meet some Hippos there. People are often afraid of wild animals of Africa like lion, cheetah, wild elephants. But the one animal you should be really afraid of are the Hippos. They are natural killer and each year more people are killed by Hippo other than mosquito. Hippos are naturally aggressive and territorial. They will certainly attack you if you enter their territorial. So be careful when traveling on boats in Africa.
Language
It is always difficult to communicate with people while traveling to a new location. There are countless numbers of language spoken in Africa. English may not be that helpful there. However if you know french that can be really helpful for you. French and Portuguese are the most common languages Africa. If you are traveling to west or central Africa, you must know how to speak french to communicate with people there. French is a widely spoken language in Africa countries like Algeria, Djibouti, Tunisia.
Visa Problem
You wont need separate visa to travel different countries of Africa. You can get a single visa to travel all of the West Africa. The visa will be valid for 2 months and the cost is around $50.
So those are the things you should know about Africa before traveling there for the first time.