Harare, formerly known as Salisbury is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe and has an estimated population of 1.6 million people. The city is its administrative, commercial and communication center of the country, as well the trade center for tobacco, maize, citrus fruits and cotton. Manufactures include textiles, steel and chemicals, and gold is mined in the area.
Harare is a beautiful modern city with many spacious parks and gardens within the city limits. Getting round in the city isn’t any problem, its north to south streets are named ”Streets” and its east to west streets are named ”Avenue/Road”. Besides the many taxis meters will bring you where ever. Walking through the narrow shopping streets which are colored by season you will notice a mixture of beggars and musical street bands which create an African sociable environment. In Zimbabwe the summer falls in the winter months with a lot of heat and sunny days, a unique street view are many the ice cream street vendors selling ice cream under red neon lights and a negligent setup Christmas tree.
If you enjoy strolling a local market with African products the Public Gardens are the place to go, each Sunday its market day filled with African music, tasty Zimbabwean and other African dishes, street vendors selling clothing, jewelry and hand wood. Not to far from the market is its National Gallery, where often art galleries take place showing International arts but also African. The museum is free for anyone to enter.
Nationals worldwide require a valid passport and visa to enter Zimbabwe from Harare International Airport. Travelers are advised to look after their belongings and don’t walk alone at night time, petty crime and theft are part of Harare’s daily activities against tourists and locals due to poverty.
Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya. Its situated next to its evenly named river in the south of the country. The city has a population of 2.8 million people and is the most populous city in East Africa. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi Province.
Nairobi doesn’t have the best reputation as a travel destination, its mostly used by travelers as a fly-in hub to arrive at safari parks or beach resorts somewhere in Kenya, yet travelers are missing its thrill and culture not stopping for a day or two in Nairobi. The city is a big cosmopolitan filled with street scenes, local markets, sophisticated cafes, restaurants serving worldwide dishes and a superb bars and nightclubs. Besides the only city on this globe having its very own wildlife resort just outside the city center.
Nairaboi’s National Park is located just outside the city center, its a full 45 square miles wildlife resort where animals like lions, buffaloes and giraffes life in the wild with a skyline of skyscrapers. With the the national park in Nairobi the city’s nickname is well deserved ‘Green City in the City’. The Karen Blixen museum, located inside the house of the former author of the book ‘Out of Africa’ shows how life was in the early centuries.
All nationals worldwide traveling to Nairobi are required a valid passport and visa. The best period to visit are the summer months which are sunny and warm, from December through March. Nairobi is notorious for theft and petty crime, avoid visiting in areas such as Mathare and Kibera. Watch out for unscrupulous children on intersections and highways, never encourage beggars or roll down a window.
Rabat (الرباط) is the capital city of the Kingdom of Morocco and is situated on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg. Rabat is worldwide known for its textile industry as well food production and construction industry. The city has a estimated population of 1.5 million people.
In the recent years travelers have been discovering Rabat’s hidden delights, particularly its local markets where shop owners are nice and won’t harass you, monuments and magnificent museums, old cafes and restaurants with delicious Moroccan dishes. Watch the changing of the Friday’s morning change of the Royal Guard at the Royal Palace or walk the narrow streets of the Casbah des Oudaya and visit the 12th century tour Hassan.
Morocco is just a step from Europe, yet its feels like a world away in culture, color and experiences. This is partly due to its geographical position, situated where East meets the West and where Africa shakes hands with Europe, and the Mediterranean merges with the Atlantic.
Travelers to Rabat are required a valid passport. Most nationals are not required a visa, just a return ticket and passport that’s at least 6 months valid. Travelers are advised to contact the Moroccan embassy before a trip. The best months to visit are June till August, with the least rain and best temperatures.
Cape Town is the second most populous city, as well as the provincial capital of the Western Cape and legislative capital of South Africa. The city is the center for the national parliament and many other government offices. Cape Town has a population of approximately 3.5 million people.
The city is world famous for its harbor, as well its natural settings including the well known landmarks and top tourist attractions as Cape Point and Table Mountain, a mountain that’s 700 million years old. Aside from Cape Town’s natural and tourist attractions that draw 3 million people per year to the city, the city also offers outstanding restaurants, cafes and bars that serve locally brewed wines which have worldwide recognition. Cape Bay is filled with modern hangout spaces while Long Street has several great options for dining and nightlife.
The traveler should feel blessed with a trip to the most popular South African destination for tourism, with its resplendent landscape such as the beaches, the harbor, the vineyards and Victorian styles buildings. It impresses many first timers to South Africa‘s freshly reborn ‘Mother City’.
Travelers to Cape Town require a valid passport and visa. American citizens can visit without need of visa unless the stay extends 90 days. Petty crime and theft are common issues for tourists, its advised to look after your belongings and ignore the many con-artists trying to sell or offer you something.
