Landscapes in Africa
A bumpy dirt road leads from Roca Belo Monte to this spectacular viewpoint over the equal spectacular beach. A golden sand banana-shaped beach with azure waters and black boulders flanked by jungle.
As you travel towards Santa Catarina from Neves on the nordwest coast of Sao Tome Island, the road makes a steep descend. From the top is a magnificent view of the stone beach below, where there normally are many wooden canoes, some in the making. The viewpoint is a mandatory photo stop.
Some of the continent's best beaches are found an easy day or weekend trip from Freetown. Stretching all the way from Freetown to the bottom of the peninsula are white and golden coves of sand backed by palms and rainforest covered mountains. Out towards the Atlantic Ocean the water rolling in is a light see-through blue. Most famous is River No. 2 Beach after Bounty (the chocolate bar) set a 70's commercial here. It turns into a serious party spot on weekends. Closest to Freetown, Lakka Beach is the most convenient, while Tokeh Beach, just past No. 2, is probably our favourite white sands beach on the coast. For a secluded getaway, the last beach on the peninsula's western shore, Bureh Beach, offers perfect golden sand and surfing.
The Drakensberg, or Dragon Mountains, are so named after the many jagged peaks that give an appearance of teeth. They are a hiker's paradise, providing some of the finest trails and views in all of Africa. The sheer vastness of the mountains - the range stretches for some 1000 km - means that there is practically unlimited choice depending on weather, fitness levels and interests. The best hiking (and certainly the best facilities) is arguably in KwaZulu-Natal, although Lesotho boasts some impressive sites, too. Walks range from short and easy to multi-day treks, with everything in between. The mountains are also covered with San rock paintings, and they boast an impressive array of flora and fauna. The weather is unreliable at best, and some of the roads are impassable in winter due to snow. But the walks are enjoyable in sunshine or rain, and the mood of the mountains changes dramatically from moment to moment. Although some of the camps get busy, the trails rarely do, and there is a magnificent feeling of having the world to yourself when visiting the Drakensberg.
Camdeboo National Park is part of the Karoo, South Africa's vast, inland semi-desert. The park is divided into different sections; one is dedicated to wildlife viewing (but feels more like an open-air zoo due to its small size and fenced boundaries), whereas others are wide open and provide absolutely stunning views. The Valley of Desolation, made up of massive vertical dolorite columns, is without a doubt the most scenically striking part of the park, with vistas in all directions. It is an easy drive to get up, and the informative walk around the "peak" is worthwhile. You have a reasonably good chance of seeing leopard tortoises, lizards, oryx, kudu, duiker, hartebeest and vervet monkeys - don't feed them! - and the park boasts an impressive number of plant species, many of which are succulents endemic to the region. There are also more than seventy species of flowering plants, and the area comes alive with colour every spring and summer. Highly recommended!
South Africa's west coast is wild - there is no other way to describe it. The Atlantic Ocean is cold and often rough, creating very dramatic scenery. The West Coast National Park is no exception, but has the advantage of a calm lagoon located in its centre, providing beautiful beaches and ideal sailing waters. The best part of the park is no doubt the Postberg. The grasslands here are home to a number of herbivores - elands, zebra, wildebeest and bontebok. But the Postberg peninsula also plays host to a dazzling wildflower display every spring. Fields full of daisies adorn the park, and the coast itself is particularly stunning - here, the flowers grow all the way down to the beach. When done admiring the flower displays, spend some time in one of the park's numerous bird hides, go for a hike or bike ride along the coast, have a picnic or - in season - watch the whales swim by.
Namaqualand National Park is not much to see - and the temperature won't be very pleasant - if you visit in late summer. In spring, however, it is a entirely different story: the park and surrounding farmlands come alive with wildflowers. If there was a list of the world's seasonal wonders, the transformation of this arid region into a carpet of orange, yellow, white, red, blue, purple and pink would surely be on it. Walking, biking or driving through this dazzling display of colour is without a doubt a highlight of any visit to the African continent. It is extremely popular with South Africans, particularly since the drive from Cape Town can be done in a day, but it is never difficult to feel alone in this quite large park. Although it is the least remote section of the park, Skilpad is a good place to start any visit to the park, since the flower displays tend to be good here even during poor years. There are no large, dangerous animals here, so walking and biking is perfectly safe.
Perhaps we've seen too many Hollywood movies about deserts, but for most, the first visit to a desert can be disappointing. There are no sweeping dunes, oases or camel caravans. That is, except for the area known as the Grand Oriental Erg. Spilling over Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, this massive expansive of shifting sands is everything you picture it to be. And given the options, Tunisia is the best place to see it, and the southern town of Douz makes for the best launching off point. Camel treks, nights in nomadic tents and staring at an endless sky or stars are all part of the experience not soon to be forgotten.
There's no doubt about it - Lake Mutanda has to be one of the most beautiful lakes in Africa, if not in the world. Its gorgeous, island-dotted waters are surrounded by lush, green hills, the bird life is prolific, and clawless otters abound. As if that wasn't enough, the lake has one of the most dramatic backdrops possible: the Virunga volcanoes. Need another incentive? There's no bilharzia in the lake, nor are there crocodiles or hippos, so swimming is perfectly safe (although the locals will most likely think you're mad - only a mzungu would do something so bizarre). This place has yet to be properly discovered by tourists, so most likely you'll only be sharing it with local fishermen. It's within very easy reach of Kisoro - in fact, the adventurous can walk there from the lake's southern tip in just over an hour, passing through fields and villages on the way - but once at the lake you'll still feel like you're a very far way from anywhere populated. It's also a great place to try out a traditional dugout canoe. A definite highlight of Uganda, and one not to be missed!
The eastern part of Uganda is rather flat. But close to the border with Kenya, Mount Elgon massif rises like a wall, on which flanks is located the village of Sipi. The area offers stunning views of Mount Elgon, of the seemingly endless surrounding plains, some sharp cliffs, many terraced hills, and of course the chief attraction: the waterfalls. The three main falls (around 95, 70 and 80 m drops) can all be taken in from the southernmost point in Sipi, but each one should be viewed up close for they all offer something unique, be it a gorgeous backdrop, a background cave or lush vegetation. A visit to all of them can be done in a two to four hour walk involving some downhill sliding in muddy trails (if in rainy conditions), caves, coffee plantations, friendly people and incredible landscape in every direction. A must-see in Uganda.