Africa
Much more than safari
There's some dispute over the etymology of the name 'Africa' but one theory is that it came from the Ancient Greek and Roman words for "warm" and "sunny."
If this is indeed the case, it seems sadly fitting: this is the continent that has been the object, rather than the subject, for much of its history. The continent that has been talked about and done to by outsiders, at the cost of finding its own voice and place in the world.
The tourism industry plays its own grubby role: property ownership and tax domiciliation – especially at the super luxury high-end of the market – are murky subjects. Marketing imagery is still overwhelmingly of black Africans serving wealthy white visitors. Things are changing, but not fast enough.
It almost feels tasteless to attempt to talk about "Africa" as a singular entity. Instead we'd much rather talk about its various regions, countries and locales – on the human scale, where local cultures, stories and heritage have more space to breathe.
One thing we can tell you: despite the tourism industry's emphasis on traditional safari, there's so much more to this continent than staring at the Big Five from an open-top jeep. Come for the wildlife, stay for the human connections, the emerging slow travel scene and the myriad other ways to hear, finally, Africa talking for itself.
Hidden gems in Africa
Okavango Delta
See African wild dogs in the Okavango Delta
ExperienceThe African wild dog, also known as painted dogs, are an endangered species with a wild population that has plummeted to just 6,500. They are found in sporadic and isolated patches across southern and east Africa, but by far their biggest concentration is in my backyard, the Okavango Delta, and watching a pack call and 'rally' before embarking on a hunt is one of the most enthralling safari experiences you can find anywhere in Africa. Just like its domesticated relatives, the wild dog are extremely social and highly verbal: communicating with each other in clicks and whistles that sound more like birdsong than a dog growling or barking. This helps them achieve impressive feats of coordination as they take down impala, or sometimes even wildebeest. Trust me – you have to see a wildebeest up close to understand how daunting an undertaking this is! You can see wild dogs throughout the Okavango Delta, but my recommended spot is around the Linyanti area in the north. Some camps are located close to resident packs of wild dogs and you can hear them crying, jostling and playing in the morning and evenings. The wild dog's main threat is habitat encroachment by agriculture, and farmers who engage hunters to protect their livestock. Thus, well-managed tourism and conservation is an excellent bulwark to help conserve their habitats and this is an experience I'd recommend to anyone.
Read moreAtlas Mountains
Jebel Sirwa trek
ExperienceThe 3,305 metre Jebel Sirwa makes for a moderately challenging climb, mostly for the trail and sun conditions than the elevation gain itself. This trek involves about five days of hiking with mules and a mixture of wild camping and traditional gite homestays. The landscapes here are on the severe side, but the views over the Anti-Atlas range from Jebel Sirwa summit are incredible and even better: you’re unlikely to be sharing them with any other hikers.
Read moreDadès Valley
Valley of the Roses trek
ExperienceThe Valley of the Roses detours north from the Dadès Valley at Kalaat M'Gouna and is the heart of Morocco’s rose growing country. This hike follows the M’goun river as it weaves past thick bushes of the valley’s namesake damask roses with a stunning backdrop of traditional Berber villages and the remains of hilltop kasbahs. It’s an easy-going hike at lower altitudes than other Atlas Mountain treks, suitable for all abilities. It’s usually four days’ hiking, with the option of extending the trip into the Dadès Valley. Accommodation is in traditional gite-style homestays. Come in May to witness the rose harvest and local festivals.
Read moreEast Africa
Lesser-known gorilla safari locations
There are a couple of parks in west-central Africa where western lowland gorillas can be seen in the wild. These are the Congo Republic’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park and Central African Republic’s Dzanga-Sangha Forest Reserve, both of which protect vast tracts of lowland rainforest inhabited by the likes of forest elephant, lowland bongo and chimpanzee. At the moment, these parks only really cater to high-end fly-in gorilla safaris and are difficult to reach on a normal holiday or travel budget.
Read moreVirunga National Park
Virunga National Park (currently closed)
Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse national park, home to an astonishing tally of 200 mammal and 700 bird species, will mark its centenary in 2025. Unfortunately, however, the park’s politically volatile location means that celebrations are likely to be muted. Indeed, having closed for COVID-related reasons in March 2020, Virunga National Park has yet to reopen as a result of a fresh outburst of instability and military activity. As and when the park does reopen, it will still probably be a riskier destination than its neighbours. That said, gorilla tracking is experientially comparable to any other park in the region, and it will be relatively affordable if the permit fee of US$400 is maintained. For me, the biggest highlight of this incredible park when I visited a few years back was not gorilla tracking but the incredible overnight hike to the summit of Mount Nyiragongo, an active volcano that hosts a permanent lava lake. In the meantime you may want to support WWF's campaign to prevent oil drilling in Virunga.
Read moreKahuzi-Biega National Park
For underrated & affordable gorilla treks
Kahuzi-Biega is East Africa's most underrated gorilla-tracking destination. This little-visited Congolese park is the only place in the world where you can see the eastern lowland gorilla in the wild. As with Virunga National Park, tracking permits cost US$400, the difference being that Kahuzi-Biega is currently regarded to be reasonably safe so it has reopened to tourists post-COVID. For independent travellers, the park can be visited on an overnight or day tour from the Rwandan port of Cyangugu.
Read moreMgahinga Gorilla National Park
Uganda's hidden gem
Mgahinga, set on the Ugandan slope of the Virungas, is my personal favourite among East Africa’s gorilla tracking destinations. True, there’s only one habituated group here, but if you can secure one of the park’s eight daily permits, you're in for a special experience. This is because the group in question is overseen by a trio of massive male siblings, making for superb silverback viewing. In addition, the gorillas here are generally found in bamboo forest or other relatively open areas, hiking conditions are usually quite undemanding, and low tourist volumes give the park a relatively off-the-beaten-track feel. What’s more, the location, below the volcanic Virunga peaks, is utterly spectacular, and other activities on offer include golden monkey tracking and various volcano hikes.
Read moreBwindi Impenetrable National Park
Best all-round gorilla trekking in Bwindi
Bwindi vies with Volcanoes National Park as Africa's best all-round gorilla tracking destination. Its densely forested slopes are home to 45% of the world’s mountain gorilla population, and a total of 23 habituated groups means that 180-plus permits are available daily. True, tracking conditions are generally less predictable than they are in Rwanda, and the denser foliage can sometimes make it more difficult to obtain clear views. But this is mitigated by the fact that permits are less than half the price (in other words, you could track here on two successive days and pay less than you would for a single excursion in Rwanda) and by the park’s relative accessibility to independent travellers. Be aware that there are four discrete tracking hubs in Bwindi. Each hub is serviced by its own cluster of lodges, so it is important you coordinate your permit and accommodation booking around the same place. The oldest hub is Buhoma, which usually offers the easiest hiking conditions, is accessible on public transport, and has the widest range of accommodation (from luxury lodges to simple local guesthouses) but is also the most likely for permits to be booked solid months in advance. Nkuringo hub offers the most challenging tracking (almost always bookended by a steep one-hour descent and two-hour ascent). Rushaga has the most permits, with 9 habituated groups resident, so it is good for last minute bookings. Ruhija is the only tracking hub set deep within the park, rather than on the periphery, which makes it highly alluring for other wildlife and birding.
Read moreVolcanoes National Park
Accessible gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park
ExperienceVolcanoes National Park, which protects the Rwandan slopes of the volcanic Virunga Mountains, has positioned itself as Africa’s premier gorilla tracking destination. One reason for its popularity is that it lies a short drive north of the Rwandan capital Kigali, making it a convenient add-on to any multi-country African trip or Big Five safari elsewhere in the region. Another is the association with Dian Fossey; the iconic primatologist worked here for two decades prior to her death, and several scenes in the Oscar-winning movie Gorillas in the Mist were shot here too. In my experience, Volcanoes generally offers relatively easy tracking conditions compared to Bwindi, its main rival, and the range of luxury lodges bordering the park is second to none. A negative for budget conscious visitors is the relatively hefty price tag of US$1,500 for one of the park’s 96 daily tracking permits. Once here, other recommended activities include tracking a habituated troop of endangered golden monkeys, the day climb to the spectacular crater lake at 3,711m summit of Mount Bisoke, and a hike to Dian Fossey’s grave at her abandoned research centre.
Read moreSouth Luangwa National Park
Chikunto Safari Lodge
There’s some good accommodation in South Luangwa but one of my favourites is Chikunto Safari Lodge, located on a horseshoe bend in the Luangwa River near the Mfuwe entrance in the park’s southern edge. What makes this place really stand out is the six-metre high platform with panoramic views over the river and a private tented suite where you can camp out overnight under the stars. When I visited I found it totally breathtaking. It doesn’t come cheap, but I always recommend it for honeymooners or couples looking for something extra special.
Read moreLiuwa Plain National Park
Wildebeest migration without the crowds
Liuwa Plain is home to the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa and, compared to the more famous wildebeest migration in East Africa, this spot is hardly known. Each year in November, with the start of the rainy season, massive herds of blue wildebeest, 45,000 strong, migrate to Liuwa Plains, often mingling with zebras along the way.
Read moreLower Zambezi National Park
Canoe safaris in Lower Zambezi & Bangweulu
Seasoned safari-goers who are tired of the conventional game drive should ditch the 4X4 and get into a canoe for a watery safari in either Lower Zambezi National Park or the Bangweulu Wetlands. For me there is something timeless about travelling through these swamps. I find it a world away from racing around in a safari jeep. Your guide at the front of the canoe, long pole in hand, propelling you through narrow channels, between the thick reeds and papyrus. Silence, except for slight burbles and gurgles as you glide through the water. It’s one of my all-time highlights.
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See African wild dogs in the Okavango Delta
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Jebel Sirwa trek
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Valley of the Roses trek
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Lesser-known gorilla safari locations
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Chikunto Safari Lodge
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Canoe safaris in Lower Zambezi & Bangweulu
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Where to see everything in one place
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Bush Rover Migration Camp
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Greystoke Mahale
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Chada Katavi
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Sand Rivers
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Roho ya Selous
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Jabali Ridge
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Lake Natron Camp
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Ndutu Safari Lodge
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Namiri Plains
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Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
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Ngorongoro Crater Camp
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Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
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Tarangire Safari Lodge
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Lake Manyara Tree Lodge
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Hatari Lodge
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Mbali Mbali Mahale Lodge
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Manyara Best View Lodge
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See chimpanzees at Mahale Mountains
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Walking safaris in Ruaha National Park
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Off the beaten track in Nyerere
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Tree-climbing lions at Lake Manyara
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Incredible views at Ngorongoro
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Elephants and baobabs in Tarangire
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See the migration in the Serengeti
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Dodging tourists at Victoria Falls
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Canoe safaris in Matusadona National Park
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Scenic Gonarezhou National Park
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Walking safari in Mana Pools National Park
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Elephant spotting in Hwange National Park
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Serena Serengeti Safari Lodge
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Serengeti Safari Camp
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Ulusaba Game Reserve
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Sabi Sabi Game Reserve
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Mala Mala Game Reserve
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Londolozi Game Reserve
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Lion Sands Game Reserve
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Aquila Private Game Reserve
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Pilanesberg National Park
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Waterberg Biosphere Reserve
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Pumba Game Reserve
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Lalibela Game Reserve
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Kwantu Private Game Reserve
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Kariega Game Reserve
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Shamwari Game Reserve
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Timbavati Game Reserve
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Thornybush Game Reserve
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Manyeleti Game Reserve
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Klaserie Nature Reserve
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Karongwe Game Reserve
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Kapama Game Reserve
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Balule Nature Reserve
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Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
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Best for big cats
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Maili Saba
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Offbeat Meru
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Sasaab Camp
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Umoja Village Camp
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Elephant Watch Camp
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Galdessa Camp
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Kitani Safari Lodge
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Finch Hattons
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Ol Tukai Lodge
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Cottars 1920’s Camp
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Kicheche Bush Camp
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Saruni Eagle View
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Offbeat Mara
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Up close and personal with baboons
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Lewa Conservancy
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Saruni Samburu
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Kilaguni Serena Lodge
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Saruni Rhino Camp
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Campi ya Kanzi
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Witness the migration river crossings – but expect crowds!
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Stay in a community-owned conservancy
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Learn about the living desert
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Horse ride (or ebike) past fairy circles at Wolwedans
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Wake early for sunrise at Deadvlei
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Erg Zahar trek
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Erg Chigaga trek
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Kaingo Camp
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Savé Valley Conservancy
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Imire Rhino & Wildlife Conservancy
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Great Zimbabwe
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Rhino Safari Camp
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Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge
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Ruckomechi Camp
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Camping at Main Camp
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Linkwasha Camp
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Splash Camp
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Okavango kayaking expedition
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Savute Under Canvas
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Camp out in Khutse Game Reserve
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Nata Bird Sanctuary
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See the baobabs of Kubu Island
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Khama Rhino Sanctuary
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Chitabe & Qorokwe concessions
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Birding in Liuwa Plain
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Fishing on the Lower Zambezi
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Tswalu Kalahari Private Reserve
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|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
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Amakhala Game Reserve
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Karoo National Park
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Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
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Madikwe Game Reserve
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Timbavati Private Game Reserve
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Phinda Game Reserve
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Talassemtane National Park Circuit
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Chefchaouen to Akchour Waterfalls day hike
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Tichka Plateau Traverse
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Jebel Saghro Loop
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Aït Bougmez Valley
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M’Goun Traverse
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M'goun Circuit trek
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Go bananas in Kampala
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Hike to the Spanish mosque
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See dawn over the Masai Mara in a hot air balloon
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