Things They Don’t Tell You About Visiting Africa
This article summarises tips that will enhance your African visit. By following these guidelines, you’re bound to have an enjoyable and stress-free African tour.
Africa is filled with amazing topographical locations, diverse wildlife, and rich culture, which create exceptional experiences for tourists from all over the world.
In this article, we summarise some of the tips on navigating cities and villages in the region. We hope they will help you prepare for an exciting experience on the continent.
Over-generalization
While we are all Africans, we each have our own culture, beliefs, understanding, and, most importantly, we are spread across 54 different countries. For that reason, never tell a Ugandan citizen about a South African contact you met and assume they might know them.
He might not even know his next-door neighbour, let alone an individual living many miles away, separated by mountains and the sea. Specifically, never assume that a particular person you met must belong to a famous ethnic group you have read about in the past. For example, not all Kenyans are Maasai, nor can they run.
In fact, many Africans hate to be referred to by their tribal connections due to past (horrible) experiences. Kenyans might not be as sensitive to such a conversation as a Rwandan or Burundian would be.
Avoid discussing ethnicity unless you have found a friendly individual willing to share the history with you. Also, be careful not to refer to the country you are visiting as Africa. Africans find this impolite and lacking in knowledge.
Lighting your cigar
Many African nations are implementing anti-smoking laws, and while you might want to puff your favourite local or home brand, look for designated smoking zones.
Anti-smoking laws within each country come with rules and regulations which range from penalties to jail terms. Be Warned!
East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda) has some of the toughest laws on smoking and tobacco sales. In Uganda, for example, if one is found to be contravening the law, they’re at risk of being fined up to $60 or jailed for two months. It would be unfortunate if you had to spend your hard-earned money to offset a fine that you could have avoided in the first place, or waste your tour in a local jail.
Dress code/culture
Africans are mindful of their public attire. While you might find one or two individuals wearing barely any clothes, local people depreciate such dress codes. You might not get anyone saying anything to you, but the looks passed across the streets could leave you feeling awkward.
Learn the culture of the country/city/village you are visiting and dress appropriately. In a Muslim community, let’s take The Gambia, for example, you might feel safer and much more in sync with the locals if you are well covered up, depending on where and who you will visit, and pack appropriately.
Crossing roads/ traffic lights and rules
It is no news that many Africans do not observe traffic rules. As basic as this may sound, motorists and pedestrians alike often fail to consider this common-sense safety advice.
In Kenya, where I reside, we cross the roads in the city not necessarily because the traffic lights are green but because the road is clear, and so are vehicles sometimes. Sometimes, Traffic police disregard traffic lights, thus creating a menace in the whole system.
All in all, be careful when driving or walking around. Anything can happen!
While at it, please keep your phone to yourself when crossing the road. In Kenya, traffic police or city council officers can arrest or fine you for talking on the phone while crossing the streets. Given that there are so many people on the streets, you may not see the officers coming your way.
Above all, it is a safety precaution for you and your phone.
Accepting food and gifts
Africans are known for their generosity. They often carry gifts with them when visiting friends and relatives, and the hosts reciprocate by giving gifts to visitors. That said, if you are invited to a friend’s home or are visiting a distant relative in the village, remember to carry something. Sometimes it can be as small as a kilogram of sugar, milk or bread (this is typically the case in Kenya).
Most Africans feel insulted if you don’t eat something they have offered you. Even if you have to nibble on it politely, please do it. You don’t want to disappoint a host who went an extra mile to make your visit comfortable. Learn a bit of the lingo.
English is commonly and widely spoken across Africa, but in some countries, fewer people speak the language. Depending on the country you are visiting, learn a few common words used.
Some local words have found their way into English and are used commonly by locals without a second thought. In Kampala, Uganda, locals refer to Men as “Ssebo” and to Women as “Nyabo”, respectively. The phrases are used to show respect to the person being addressed. ‘Kale’ in Luganda means ok.
In Kenya, you will find ‘sawa sawa’ (ok), ‘Poa’ (good or ok), ‘nyama choma’ or just ‘choma’ for barbecue and ‘for tomorrow. ‘Braai’ in South Africa refers to barbecue, ‘robot’ is for a traffic light and ‘lekker’ refers to something nice. ‘Howzit’ is a common greeting in this region as well.
These and more phrases are usually thrown around in conversations, so do not panic when you hear them during a chat. Just learn the lingo or ask around when necessary, as locals assume you’re part of the English language and that you should be familiar with it already.
Security Checks
Following insecurities across many parts of the region, security checks are a must in many countries, including Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda, among others.
Do not be in a hurry or rude to the security guards at the entrances of many hotels, malls, and other institutions you might visit in the region. They are just doing their job. In fact, prepare yourself by emptying your pockets and unzipping your handbag. It makes the process better and faster.
If you want better services, smile and appreciate the guard. It makes them feel better, and in the process, you receive quality and faster services.
Need I mention Africans don’t put much importance on time? Things fall into place as they unfold. Thus, events start and end later than expected. Keep that in mind, and you will not be frustrated by meetings that take longer or by a person who arrives later than agreed upon.
Also, we barely care much about space. We like being close. Thus, you are most likely to find a person sitting next to you, even though there could be space elsewhere. Africans are known for their caring and gracious nature, often going an extra mile to show gratitude and appreciation, which may be unusual to some tourists.
Is there anything else you feel might add to this article? Have you experienced a situation that you think could make another tourist’s trip to Africa more enjoyable? Feel free to share your thoughts with us.
