West Africa vs East Africa: Culture, Safari, and Travel Compared
West Africa and East Africa are both part of the same continent, but they are two very different travel experiences. West Africa is known for its music, its bold traditional dress, and cities like Lagos and Accra that never really slow down. East Africa is known for the safari, the Great Migration, and a tourism […]
The Great Zebra Migration: Do Zebras Migrate in Botswana?
Yes, zebras migrate, and Botswana is home to one of the most remarkable examples anywhere on the planet. Most travelers have heard of the wildebeest crossing the Mara River in Kenya and Tanzania, but far fewer know that plains zebras in Botswana carry out their own great zebra migration every year, one that scientists only […]
Do I Need Travel Insurance for an African Safari?
Yes, you need travel insurance for an African safari, and as of 2026, it’s no longer just a strong recommendation for some of the continent’s most popular destinations. Kenya now legally requires it. Zanzibar has required it since 2024. Bush camps sit hours from the nearest hospital, standard US health insurance does not follow you […]
How to Book Affordable Flights to Africa From US (Tricks That Actually Work)
Finding cheap flights to Africa from the US usually comes down to two things: knowing which hub gets you there fastest, and knowing a few booking tricks the airlines will not advertise. I help travelers plan Africa trips every week, and the flight is almost always the part people stress about most. Airfare to Africa […]
Luxury Safari in Africa: The Best VIP and Private Safari Parks, Lodges, and Trips
Planning a luxury safari in Africa starts with the land itself, not the lodge. The parks and reserves you choose decide everything else: which animals you will see, what the landscape looks like at sunrise, and how far you will fly or drive between stops. I have spent years building the most luxurious African safaris […]
Do White Lions Exist? The Truth About Real White Lions in Africa
Yes, white lions exist, and they are real, living lions found only in one small pocket of the wild. If you have searched are there white lions or does a white lion exist because of a movie, a photo, or a story a guide once told you, the short answer is that white lions are […]
How Many Countries Are in Africa?
Quick answer: There are 54 countries in Africa, fully recognized by the United Nations. That includes 48 mainland countries and 6 island nations. Two more territories, Western Sahara and Somaliland, function as independent states but are not fully recognized, so most official counts leave them out. The African Union counts 55, since it recognizes Western […]
Types of Lions: All Living and Extinct Species
The short answer is 7 living types, plus 4 extinct lions. The 6 African types are the Southern African lion, the Katanga lion, the West African lion, the East African lion, the Ethiopian lion, and the Northeast Congo lion. There is only one Asian type, the Asiatic lion, which is found in India today. The […]
Facts About Lions: What a Lion and a Lioness Are Really Like
Guests come to Kenya expecting one version of a lion, then meet the real animal and realize almost everything they thought they knew was wrong. Lions are not lazy. A lioness does most of the actual hunting. And a lion’s roar carries much further than anyone expects. Let’s go through the real facts about lions, […]
Best Time to Go to Zanzibar: A Month by Month Guide
People ask me when the best time to go to Zanzibar is almost every week, and the honest answer depends on what you actually want out of the trip. Here is the real answer, broken down month by month, no guesswork. What Is Zanzibar? Zanzibar is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, sitting off […]