Malawi is definitely an incredible country covered with the spectacular Lake Malawi along with infinite towns found on the coastline, you can’t fail to eat up on its seafood and lakeside adventures and savor every single moment of this. 

Lake Malawi covers around 1 / 3 of landlocked Malawi in southeast Africa and it is known as "The Lake of Stars". Adventurer David Livingstone nicknamed Lake Malawi "The Lake of Stars" in relation to the remote lamps of fishing boats around the lake that appear to be just like stars coming from very far.

The picturesque Lake shores are sprinkled with sleepy fishing communities, along with several budget accommodations which are favored by backpackers and overland vacationers. You will definitely get to blend with the local people, better known for their friendliness, and meet up with other travelers across the shores of Lake Malawi.

Malawi is among the poorest nations in Africa and, as it is a fact of life, this tends to bring a sincerity and kindness from the residents so it’s difficult not to really like the spot. Normally, because of its poverty, Malawi is really an inexpensive spot to travel and due to this, you could end up staying for much longer compared to you anticipate!

Budget: Can simply manage on $20 each day.

Transportation: Different, not comfortable, enjoyable, low cost and eventful! You’ll spend some time on congested buses (without a doubt), around the back of pick-ups, around the back of cargo in the back of pick-ups, on push-bike taxi cabs, kayaks, steamboats as well as dhows and many others.

Accommodation: If you wish to rough it, you could sleep for the reasonable price! Let’s face the facts, you don’t want more than a clean sheet, a bed mattress as well as an insect net - do you?!  If that’s only your requirements then $2-$5 rooms are super easy to find.

Food: Feed on local and you’ll eat good food. For pittance. Steer clear of the eateries presented within your guidebook and you’ll pocket will reap all the benefits! The food here is clearly normal no matter how much you would spend, so you may also pay out $1 to have an average meal compared to $10!

Entertainment: Lots and lots and lots. Generally focused on the lake - scuba, snorkeling, kayaking, lounging on the beach nursing a hangover, watersports. Stuff is pretty reasonably priced and for $10 you can try your hand at water-skiing, banana boating etc.

MOST POPULAR PLACES TO VISIT IN MALAWI

Nkhata Bay - Stunning, enjoyable, fantastic accommodations and favored by backpackers.

Kande Beach - Simply south of the Nkhata Bay, fewer people, stunning beach, favorite for overland vehicles and great for horseback riding.

Cape MacClear and Monkey Bay - Very favored for diving, partying volunteers as well as backpackers.

Lilongwe - Stay an evening or two max, great for restaurants or an evening out however otherwise nothing extreme fun about the main city.

Mzuzu - Excellent backpackers near to town having an exceptional supermarket, however, not very much to do apart from a volunteer in Malawi.

Chitimba Camp - Favored for overlanders, owners are great, there’s a beautiful beach, a town outside and it’s simply a wonderful destination or camp on the whole.

Ethiopa

Historical temples, wild hyena feedings, one of the most scrumptious foods in Africa, low cost as chips - that really seems like a backpackers dream. Here you are at Ethiopia!

Ethiopia is among the ideal spots you can go to as a backpacker for a lot of reasons. You've got diverse cultures, numerous scenery, a rich history, great food, lots of adventure, and it’s affordable to visit. As a matter of fact it's among the most exciting places you can see in Africa, or even the entire world.

It’s shocking then that it doesn’t get a larger backpacker field. However the lack of more tourists contributes to its attraction, and those you do meet are generally of the same mindset of escaping the more common spots.

It could be partly to an image problem which the country acquired around the 1980’s, with images of starving individuals in an unhealthy environment. The truth is that you will observe poverty, however the pictures of the previous years are transforming to one of hope and optimism.

Traveling to and spending cash to the economy can help it advance forward towards a more happy future.

The Stunning Scenery

Forget that thought you might have about dry, dusty deserts. Of course it does have these in abundance, however it’s just a section of the greatly transforming landscape.

Think about green rolling hills going upwards into magnificent mountain peaks. Rich green woodlands stuffed with life. Volcanic plains. You will discover all of them.

Around the north you can find the Simien Mountains, an ideal hiking spot. Over there you could vanish into the mist and run into the gelada monkeys which live in the mountain range, along with other animals.

The northern section of Ethiopia is incredibly green and fertile. The amazing Blue Nile Falls can be found there, as well as the close by Lake Tana is ideal for relaxing at.

The huge desert regions are mainly around the eastern side, in which you will see the Danakil Depression, among the hottest spots in the world. The region is encompassed by salt flats as well as active volcanoes, and it is incredibly hot. However the remote location as well as severe landscape simply make it much more of a unique spot to go to.

In order to arrive there you will have to be with a team of cars for security purposes, as breaking down could be horrible to put it mildly. Traders acquire pieces of salt and get them on camel trains coming from the region to be sold around the markets. It’s well known.

The south boasts forests packed with wild animals, and a few mountain ranges. You can find dry landscapes punctuated with a few bushes and tree that can be found in the western side of the nation. Around the south-east it’s really extreme desert.

Crocodile swarmed rivers are also out there, in which you could cross in tiny wooden canoes which barely float. Really nerve racking if you see the crocodiles around the banks get into the water and vanish.

Getting arrived at the opposite side blistering heat is waiting for you in the forest and difficult terrain.

The People and Food

There are plenty of different groups of individuals in Ethiopia. It may feel as if you're seeing many various countries. Coming from the distant communities around the south in the Omo Valley, to the muslims from the eastern side in Harar, the Afar tribe on the deserts, and a lot more.

The majority of people will be interested to meet up with you and are welcoming. Dependent on which area of the country you're in, more would be welcoming compared to others. The more distant areas are often the most friendly.

As with any country you'll get some who aren't really good, and in Ethiopia it's generally the problem you obtain from touts and children/teenagers begging which are the greatest annoyance. However you can go beyond that and dig deeper to the mindset of the majority of Ethiopians and discover a fantastic cultural individuals.

You will come across the orthodox Ethiopian christians many in areas such as Lalibela, Tigray, and Lake Tana areas of the north, and more.

Backpacking around Kenya

Kenya is famous as being the home of the Safari and also it is among the best places for experiencing all of Africa's native wildlife. One of the most popular encounters are animals such as elephants, lions, giraffes as well as rhinocerous that can be seen in large quantity on many well organized safari tours. Along with the wildlife the landscape is definitely wonderful and nothing could quite match the view on sun setting over the huge savannah plains or indigo sea lapping leisurely from the pristine sand beaches of Africa's eastern region.

Kenya is perhaps among the easiest spot to backpack in comparison to some other African nations. If you're an English speaking individual, you can find Kenya very easy to go through as numerous Kenyans talk English.

The Value of Backpacking around Kenya

Africa is among the most affordable spots for any backpacker.  With regards to accommodation, depending upon the spot where you wish to stay, you will find a dormitory bed in hostels for about $10-15 based on which section of the country you happen to be at. Across a town such as Nairobi you'll find so many havens of cheap hotels where you could stay in. A double or twin private double room may cost around $20-30. A great hotel room, fully clean with basic facilities could cost from $50 to $90. To get a guide on lodging, you should check out Cheap Hotels in Kenya. 

Places to eat

The majority of hostels for backpackers and hotels will offer morning meal, and for lunch and supper you could eat in the hotel or out, while you visit the spots. To get a good meal in Kenya you'll need to pay out at a sit down dining for $5-10. You could have a few Asian food, Japanese, Indian or some other cuisine at a few upper end hotels for about $15 to 50. A litre of drinking water may cost $0.5-0.8.

An Evening Out

Kenyan night life is lively, they are pretty good at having a party. Don’t skip the night life particularly if you happen to be in Nairobi or Mombasa. Depending upon the spot where you head out, a bottle of beer will cost you around $1.5- $4. You can purchase alcohol coming from grocery stores and drink in your hotel room, or take with you together with your safari tour.

Transportation

Once you discuss transportation in Kenya, you'll be directed of the well known ‘matatus’ particularly in Nairobi. The local method to travel through Nairobi is also to ride ‘matatus’ or buses, that are less expensive compared to taxis however not as comfortable. They could be noisy at times; however will assist you to move inside the city, particularly in the daytime. Also it is among the unique Kenyan encounters, why don't you try new things?

You may use a taxi if you're not traveling for a lengthy distance. When you are traveling away from Nairobi, you could use a long-distance bus, a train, or perhaps a plane. You can find local cheap flights which you can use, such as Flight 540, or Jambo Jet- local flights which are cheaply costed. Alternatively, a tour firm could drive you to your vacation spot particularly if you are going over a safari. The majority of hotels provide trips and tours; they're best since they offer transportation, and also you travel along with other backpackers.

South African Travel

Venturing all around Southern Africa is among the world’s fantastic travel experiences, and something everybody must have on their particular wish list. Coming from Namibia’s amazing deserts and Lesotho’s rising mountain tops to South Africa’s golden shorelines and Swaziland’s bushveld reserves, you don’t need to be rich to savor this particular classic slice of Africa.

With a bit of planning, you can view the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) in impressive wildlife parks, as well as experience the natural scene of Victoria Falls, without the need of bankrupting yourself.

The circle of well-equipped backpacker hostels, many in places where top Western hotels, and inexpensive transport options make budget independent journey a piece of cake. Having a lively backpacker scene providing activities coming from township visits to dawn safaris, backpacking all around Southern Africa reveals the very best of this lovely section of the continent.

Accommodation

South Africa includes a wide selection of hostels and backpacker lodges around towns and common tourist regions.

The typical cost of a hostel or lodge is 100-280 ZAR (£6-16) per night.

Nearly all of hostels in South Africa will supply linen and bathroom amenities. Normally you will see cooking and internet services and also a common area as well as laundry services.

Camping and budget accommodation around game reserves and national parks also are feasible.

Activities and Highlights

Safaris: The most common reason behind going to Africa would be to take a safari. Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa are some of the most favored countries to view wild animals. Kenya's Masai Mara National Park is probably the most cost effective choice, however depending upon the season, you might be better off going to the Serengeti in Tanzania or Kruger National Park in South Africa. Animals migrate, even though you do wish to save a couple of bucks, don't do this at the risk of missing out on what you really came for. 

Tribal Experiences: A lot of people visit Africa for the culture. Life goes on in a few regions virtually untouched by today's technology. Around Turmi, Ethiopia you will get a peek at how life was previously. Rituals and traditions continue in place regardless of the transforming world outside. In Mali, West Africa, you could travel over the Dogon Country and discover women doing their day-to-day walk towards the well to get water. Generally, to get off the beaten path you might need a guide as well as hired vehicle. 

Beaches: A few African countries have internationally renowned beach locations, and although it isn't really the first image which comes in the mind whenever you think about your African holiday, it could be a fantastic way to relax right after an African experience. Spots such as Zanzibar, Tanzania are called backpacker havens, while Cape Town, South Africa attracts a greater end crowd. There are a few excellent places for diving in the Red Sea from the coast of Egypt, and you will find a few amazing beachfront resorts in several nations having a coastline. 

Mountain Climbing: Going up the Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, is really a life long ambition for many individuals. It is a great trek that needs a lot of planning and patience, however the reward makes it worth while. Or alternatively, you can check out a few less known peaks around Africa like Mount Kenya. 

Camel Treks: If you are seeking a very unique adventure, the camel trek can get you off the beaten track to view the scenery as well as the Bedouin culture. You will rest beneath more stars than you thought possible and meet up with several of the most amazing individuals. It is a wonderful experience, regardless of whether you decide to do it on Morocco or Egypt.