Africa by Land or by Cruise?

I snapped this picture as we sailed from Cape Town in December 2017

Cruises have a lot of appeal. For me, the biggest is the convenience of unpacking one time while still visiting multiple places.  The cruise ship serves as your floating hotel, providing all your meals and entertainment along the way.

That said, I recently completed a 15-day cruise that sailed round trip Cape Town, South Africa.  Based on my personal experience, I have concluded that Africa is a destination best experienced by land.  I had been fortunate to have spent 10 days exploring South Africa and Zimbabwe before boarding the cruise, but had I traveled all the way to Africa and done only the cruise, I would have been immensely disappointed.

Missed ports and many days at sea meant we walked the deck a lot!

A cruise along the southern coast of Africa is inherently unpredictable.  The cruises sail around the Cape of Good Hope where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet.  Throughout the ages, sailing these waters has always had the potential to be treacherous, with high winds and corresponding rough seas.  Aside from the discomfort that such weather can bring to cruise ship guests, it also can mean missed ports of call.  Indeed, on my 15-day cruise, out of a total of 6 ports of call, we missed 3 and arrived significantly late to a fourth.  In addition, the ports we did visit were not conducive to truly experiencing Africa.  The ship was docked away from anything within walking distance and taxis were scarce.

Best to get off the ship & experience South Africa by land! I took this picture of a Zebra in one of South Africa's National Parks.

For these reasons, it’s best to plan to see Africa by land.  You’ll be able to linger in a game reserve to spot the elusive leopard, marvel at Africa’s crimson sunsets, meet local families and tribesman to learn and witness firsthand their customs and traditions, tour a South African township and visit an after-school program to discover how such programs provide children skills they can use to break out of generations of poverty.  None of these experiences would be possible if your only trip to Africa is aboard a cruise ship.

Africa is on so many people’s dream list.  If it’s on yours, don’t take chances.  Work with an experienced travel consultant to make your Africa experience as enriching and rewarding as you hope it will be.

Visit my website, and then email me or give me or one of my colleagues a call to begin planning your African trip of a lifetime.

Sent from my iPad