Essay Sample on Activities and Must-see Places in Africa

Introduction

From its expansive landscape and diverse wildlife to its rich cultural heritage, the African continent is, arguably, a sight to behold. Apart from these attributes, the thought of visiting a place that has largely remained the same for years brings about a sense of Africa being one of the most inspiring global destinations. A breathtaking view of the Great Rift Valley from its escarpments, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy that is home to the two of the remaining white rhinos in the world; rock pools and the endangered African penguins at the Boulders Beach in Cape Town; the African traditions that the Maasai people are still holding onto strongly and the mosques in Timbuktu that were built in the 15th and 16th century are some of the places and activities in the continent that guarantee a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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Traversing more than five countries from Israel to Mozambique, the Great Rift Valley is an outright spectacle that awaits someone on visiting East Africa. This valley covers a length of over half a million square kilometers with various elevated viewpoints that provide a hawk's eye view of the geographical features such as mountains and lakes down the valley (Wambui, 2018). A case in point is the Iten View Point where as the road meanders down the valley's escarpment, one gets to see the Cherangani and Tugen Hills as well as River Kerio, which is home to lethal crocodiles. Furthermore, along this valley, one will find the Saiwa swamp that gives tourists an opportunity to see the De Brazza's monkey that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet and the Sitatunga antelope, which is peculiarly semi-aquatic.

Still in East Africa, for those interested in seeing fauna that may become extinct in the future, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy is a destination that one can visit to see over 100 endangered black rhinos in addition to two of the remaining northern white rhinos in the world (Ol Pejeta Conservancy, 2018). Aside from this experience of natural landmarks and wildlife, one can decide to get a sneak peek of the Maasai culture, which is among the most well-conserved African heritages (Kenya Information Guide, 2015). The distinct traditions of the Maasais, who are nomadic pastoralists, their strategic zones in Tanzania and Kenya, their unique dressing style as well as the fascinating design of their houses known as "Manyattas" are the possible social experiences that await a tourist on visiting the East African region.

Crossing over to the West African region, one will find Timbuktu, one of the oldest cities in Africa, which was a crucial Islamic hub in the 1400s and 1500s. Within this center lies three mosques that facilitated the growth of Islam across the continent in the 15th and 16th century. Besides these mosques, the Timbuktu museum provides visitors with an opportunity to view the traditional objects such as musical instruments, jewelry and weaponry used by various societies in Mali. Additionally, tourists can also visit the home of Heinrich Barth, a peculiar German explorer, who unlike other Europeans was keen to learn the African history and traditions as opposed to annexation (Morelock, 2018).

The African tour will not be complete without visiting the Boulders Beach in Cape Town, where apart from swimming and enjoying the cool ocean breeze, visitors get to see the endangered African penguins. According to Cape Town Tourism (2018), a unique aspect of this beach is seen in its boulders that protect the ocean line against erosion from huge waves. People also get to swim in the False Bay water, hike these boulders and walk around the rock pools.

References

Cape Town Tourism. (2018). Meet the penguins at Boulders Beach. Retrieved from http://www.capetown.travel/visitors/see-do/top-attractions/boulders/headline-boulders-beach/

Kenya Information Guide. (2015). Maasai Tribe (Masai) People of Kenya - History and Culture. Retrieved from http://www.kenya-information-guide.com/maasai-tribe.html

Morelock, J. (2018). Places to See in Timbuktu. Retrieved from https://traveltips.usatoday.com/places-see-timbuktu-59015.html

Ol Pejeta Conservancy. (2018). Rhinos; Witness the Mighty Vulnerable. Retrieved from https://www.olpejetaconservancy.org/wildlife/rhinos/

Wambui, C. (2018). The Beautiful Rift Valley. Retrieved from http://www.traveldiscoverkenya.com/the-beautiful-rift-valley/