The Rough Guide First-Time Africa tells you everything you need to know before you go to Africa, from visas and vaccinations to budgets and packing. It will help you plan the best possible trip, with advice on when to go and what not to miss, and how to avoid trouble on the road. You'll find insightful information on what tickets to buy, where to stay, what to eat and how to stay healthy and save money in Africa. The Rough Guide First-Time Africa includes insightful overviews of each African country highlighting the best places to visit with country-specific websites, clear maps, suggested reading and budget information. Be inspired by the 'things not to miss' section whilst useful contact details will help you plan your route. All kinds of advice and anecdotes from travellers who've been there and done it will make travelling stress-free. The Rough Guide First-Time Africa has everything you need to get your journey underway.
Detailed and opinionated, it offers just the kind of practical advice an independent first-time traveler to Africa needs to avoid falling victim to that heart of darkness that often afflicts the unequipped in faraway places. --Chicago Tribune - The Resourceful Traveler
Jens Finke is author of Rough Guides to Tanzania and Zanzibar
Most helpful customer reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful.
By Christopher Culver
Rough Guide's "First-Time" series give a basic overview of a given part of the world meant to orientate people who have a vague plan of going there and a little uncertainty about independent travel. Indeed, each installment contains much the same information about basics like how to pack, how to get air tickets, and what to wear. A large portion of the book is made up of two-page summaries about each African country, excepting those currently dangerous to travel in (CAR, Buruni, Republic of Congo, Somalia). These summaries sketch the major places to see and the daily budget you'll need. There's also general coverage of African culinary traditions, health matters, and how to stay safe. I found the boxed texts with travel anecdotes fun, where travelers write in to talk about zany or touching situations they found themselves in.
There is nothing here that you couldn't pick together from disparate Internet sources. And certainly, this is more valuable as something to get psyched up with than to plan your trip in any detail. However, if your budget allows, this is an entertaining all-in-one resource to get you started on going to Africa.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
By Deborah V
Another reviewer mentioned that there was nothing in this book that you couldn't find on the Internet with your own searches. This may be true, but having been to Kenya, I was interested in going to other countries and picked this book in order to get a feel for my next African visit.
The book profiles each country and gives you summary information such as population, currency, temperatures, and minimum amount needed daily to travel in the country. The body or text of the country's profile lets you know the main attractions, festivals, books and online websites.
There is a section on additional books/websites to visit, what to take, culture and culture shock, getting around, and more.
Yes, the book is basic and yes you can find most of this on the Internet, but I didn't want to take the time to "visit" each country via the Internet. I was able to narrow down my next African visit to five countries and with the aid of this guide I was directed to some books and Internet sites to start my journey.
This isn't an in depth book--it is a jump off point for additional refining for your next safari into Africa or your first time visit!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
By Cynthia
We were looking for an overview of travel in Africa, and The Rough Guide to First-Time Africa was exactly what we were looking for. We downloaded the kindle version. Each country represented has an entry providing a snapshot of the place, with additional links to attractions, red tape, and other information. We're planning a year-long travel sabbatical, and this guide has helped us begin building the framework of where we want to go and how long we might want to stay there. With this basic framework established using the Rough Guide, it has become easier to research more in-depth. The book also helped me feel more at ease that Africa is accessible, and not necessarily by signing up with a packaged tour.
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