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Here’s a diverse range of specialist operators offering Cultural Africa holidays throughout that great continent. These tour and accommodation companies are all dedicated to local communities and destinations, and ensure that your visit will benefit both. These African cultural holidays enable you to immerse yourself in local places, for a more authentic holiday experience.
These full and frank independent Cultural Africa holidays reviews are from travellers who have booked directly through responsibletravel.com. They are not edited by us or any of the companies we work with. Find the real story, from real travellers below.
I felt this holiday was a win-win way of supporting African people. We got to see one of the most beautiful countries on earth and gained an insight into Kenyan culture, the local people gained employment and an incentive to protect the game life.
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The most memorable part of the holiday was the private walks with the Masaai and night drives in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy where we saw lions hunting & mating, a leopard on a stroll, porcupines, springhares, hyenas, etc. (more)
We were really excited to see the Ethiopian wolf! Bisangari lodge was beautiful... watching the sunset over the lake, watching the sea eagles and pied kingfishers fish and playing cards with our guides in the tree bar. (more)
When we descended into the rift valley, we came across a family of nine Giraffes. I had not been to Africa before, and this was the moment that it sunk in what I was about to experience. (more)The scenery and the climate were spectacular, but the general feel of Ethiopia is great, much cleaner than I expected...Eskinder and the operator were great, they looked after us every step of the way, and we have some wonderful memories to keep.
(more)Easter Saturday night in Lalibela churches was the most memorable part...A must for the ones that want to discover different cultures, people and places.
(more)I have been in a few places in Africa, and normally we go local, this time with Aly organising everything for you, I had the most luxurious trip with fabulous hotels and great food all the way... I would highly recommend booking with Aly. (more)To pick one would be impossible - but how about visiting and dancing with new friends from a Lobi village while listening to their incredible music (one of the "instruments" was a shovel) or following an elephant's footprints, then hearing him, particularly the sound of his ears flapping, before seeing him. (more)The trek in the Simien Mountains was truly memorable. It felt like we had the whole Mountain range, a world heritage site, to ourselves. (more)There were many moments, but if i had to choose it was whilst driving through Kruger Park a group of five elephants crossed the road, we stopped the car and waited for them to pass. The last elephant before crossing altogether raised its trunk at us as a sign of thank you for letting them cross. It was fantastic. (more)
The host families helped us learn some of their language, customs, farming practices, crafts, cooking, and generally how to enjoy life without electricity! We didn't see another white person the whole week - wonderful!! I cannot recommend it highly enough. (more)An experience of a life time....The sheer diversity of it: From our wedding at Matemwe, to watching two male cheetahs, and reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro. (more)The people of Casamance are the nicest and most hospitable people I've ever met. They are also extremely proud (and rightly so) of their culture. It is a very beautiful part of the world. (more)
It was our first visit to Africa. I can now understand why so many people have a love affair with Africa! It is impossible vast and breathtaking. The people were friendly and welcoming. It's a surprising land of contrasts. (more)
The most exciting was the gorge swing & white river rafting in Victoria Falls as well as the night game drives following lions stalking prey in the Okavango. (more)We had a wonderful time at Mfuwe Lodge in South Luangwa but the highlight of our week was going back to Chingola on the Copperbelt where we had taught for 3 years in the early 70's. (more)Visiting compounds and seeing the real Ghana. Great to meet the locals and see how they lived. Also: river safari with the hippos; tree top rainforest walk; learning about the slave trade .... and much more.
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Most memorable moments were scuba diving the beautifully unspoiled reefs of Ras Abu Galum, stargazing at night while sipping Bedouin tea, loving the wonderful camels and letting your mind remain silent while taking in the beautifully stark and wild scenery of South Sinai. (more)
Mosr memorable was visiting the amphitheatre at Leptis Magna as the sun began to sink in the late afternoon, with absolutely nobody else there. Excellent.
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Visiting the burial ground of Kwame Nkrumah and seeing the places from which Ghana's independence was launched was moving; learning more about the Ashante people and the work of DuBois fascinating. (more)We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
Few of us enjoy the feeling of sticking out like a sore thumb when we are on holiday. We giggle about the strange habits of overseas tourists here in the UK, but maybe it’s them laughing at us when we are away on holiday? However sometimes cultural faux pas are no laughing matter. Although our intentions might be good some of our behaviour can inadvertently cause great offence in destinations. For example, that little pink mini skirt which looks great in Brighton or Miami can, when worn away from the beach in Muslim countries, cause offence. The same types of culture clashes happen in conservative Christian communities in Polynesia, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Beyond causing offence to individual people tourism can impact on the culture in entire destinations. The tourism industry packages up and sanitises religious rituals, dress, ethnic rites and festivals to conform to tourist expectations. Once a destination begins to see itself through the eyes of tourists it begins to lose its sense of itself and its identity (and pretty quickly the reason why tourists came in the first place). Read more about cultural Africa holidays in this cultural holidays article.
