TRAVEL - The African Mirror

Apr

24

2026

Join us on a journey along the Garden Route in South Africa, voted the best in the world

TRAVEL

CLOSE your eyes. Go on - close them properly. No cheating. Now imagine the world's finest road trip designers sat down with an embarrassingly large budget, borrowed God's colour palette, raided the continent's best forests, invited the Indian Ocean to show off a little, and then - just to rub it in - sprinkled in some of the warmest, most irrepressibly alive communities on Earth. That is the Garden Route. And it didn't need to try quite so hard. And yet, here we are. CHAPTER I · THE BEGINNING Mossel Bay Greets You Like an Old Friend Who Owns the…

Jul

26

2025

By MARY MUNDEYA

African content creators are redefining travel

TRAVEL, MULTIMEDIA

KIMORA Smith Mensah is a Ghanaian travel storyteller and tour guide known as Efyakimora on TikTok, where she has more than 100,000 followers. Her journey is rooted in a deep curiosity about Africa and a mission to inspire others to explore it. For Mensah, food has become a vibrant entry point into understanding culture. “When I started exploring, I also started trying new things, especially food. I love it,” she explained. “Culture isn’t just about dance or tradition, it’s also about what people eat and how they eat it. Respecting culture means respecting food.” She recommends following social media content…

Oct

18

2024

By The African Mirror

Discover Morocco’s west-coast marvels: A journey riding waves and embracing culture

TRAVEL, MULTIMEDIA

ON the western stretches of the North African coastline, cradled by the Atlantic's rhythmic swells, Morocco's shores have risen to become an international surfing destination catering to wave riders of every skill level. In the second episode of 'No Contest: Off Tour' Season Two on Red Bull TV, influential surf figures, including Big Wave surfer Othmane Choufani, professional surfer Soufiane Charoub, and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Ramzi Boukhiam - the first Moroccan to qualify for the World Surf League's Championship Tour - shed light on the captivating allure that solidifies Morocco's status as a global hub for all those who ride…

Sep

06

2024

By MADISENG PHORI

South African heritage tourism could uplift rural communities, with a little help: the case of Sekhukhune

TRAVEL

IMAGINE visiting a remote valley surrounded by mountains, hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest city, listening to local people explaining hundreds of years of history to you. The Tšate Valley, in South Africa’s Limpopo province, is one such place. Housing the Tšate heritage site and home to the Bapedi nation, the area has a rich natural and cultural history. This is where the Bapedi empire rose in the 15th century and fell to colonisers in the 19th century. The area is still home to two Bapedi royal houses. Today, the Sekhukhune area, where the valley is located, has a…

Aug

21

2024

By ARIEL SARAH PRINSLOO and JENNIFER FITCHETT

Réunion is a tropical island getaway – our climate study shows that it could attract more tourists during European summers

TRAVEL

YOURE scrolling through Instagram, only half paying attention to your friends’ updates, when a photo of a beautiful, pristine beach grabs your eye. Somebody you know is lounging on that very beach – and suddenly you want to be there, too. You check the location tag: Réunion Island. Réunion is a French department in the south-west Indian Ocean, situated between Madagascar and Mauritius. It ticks many of the boxes associated with a dream island holiday: beautiful green mountainscapes, waterfalls and sunny skies (and, of course, beautiful beaches). Its tourism marketing plays heavily on its year-round favourable weather and outdoor activities.…

Aug

21

2024

By OPINION PIECE BY MOKY MAKURA

Mountains, pyramids, deserts, souks, beaches, islands and wildlife – Inside Tourist Africa

TRAVEL

WHETHER you are African or a foreigner, Africa has experiences that should be on your bucket list, according to Moky Makura, Executive Director at Africa No Filter, and a founder at bird story agency. As she points out, the continent is also pulling out the stops to make its tourism world-class. During a lively discussion at a fan zone at the recently concluded UEFA Euro 2024, a chat with a Scottish stranger about travels in Africa brought up the usual oversimplified tropes. "Is it safe?" he asked. I fumbled for some assuring words; “Absolutely, as safe as it can be.…

Jan

18

2024

By CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

bird TenX: Africa’s 10 ‘most open’ countries for travel

TRAVEL

IN the past eight years, 35 countries have improved their visa policies and, since 2016, five countries have abolished all visa requirements for African travellers. As a result, citizens of at least five countries can now enjoy visa-free travel in 42 different countries, compared to just three in 2020. According to the Africa Development Bank's Africa Visa Openness Report 2023, most countries are making progress towards simplifying entry processes and dropping restrictions for other nations. The report also indicates that the free movement of people has advanced within Africa’s regional economic blocs. In the past year, six of the eight…

Nov

08

2023

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

bird’s TEN X SERIES: Top tourist destinations in Africa

TRAVEL

AS the world emerges from the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic, several African nations are not just rebounding but are surpassing their pre-pandemic visitor numbers and revenue benchmarks, heralding a golden era of tourism and cultural exploration on the continent, according to the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). MoroccoAfrica's premier tourist destination with an impressive influx of nearly 12 million globetrotters in 2022, Morocco is a treasure trove of experiences. Wanderers can meander through the serpentine passages of Marrakech or indulge in the quintessential Sahara Desert escapade. Fes merits applause for its venerable medieval cityscape, a UNESCO World Heritage marvel, with…

Sep

22

2023

By CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Domestic Travel Boom: African airlines prepare for traffic surge

TRAVEL

OVER the next two decades, Africa’s jet fleet is projected to more than double to 1,550 aircraft - when Africa’s population is forecast to hit 2.17 billion, surpassing those of America, India and China combined, according to data from the International Air Transport Association. The growth will come on the back of significant growth in airline passenger numbers. IATA shows major airline markets in Africa had already outperformed their 2019 levels in terms of origin-destination (O-D) air passenger traffic by Q2 of 2023, thanks largely to domestic market recovery and outperformance. Nigeria recorded the highest growth in passenger numbers, adding…

Oct

15

2022

By The African Mirror

African countries in push to collect international tourism dollars

TRAVEL

CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY AFRICAN countries are pumping energy and resources into campaigns to woo international tourists, as arrival numbers close in on pre-COVID levels. Kenya’s Tourism Board (KTB) has expanded ‘The Real Deal’ a digital marketing campaign targeting global tourists with videos and banners showcasing the country’s diverse wildlife, culture and adventure activities. The campaign started in September with North America, the country’s source arrival market has been scaled to cover European countries- UK, France and Germany. “This is not only a very timely and relevant initiative but also an important part of our strategy for attracting visitation…