6 of the best: African Inland Beaches

A day at the beach is a classic and favourite getaway, but let’s face it, it has its drawbacks.  The sand, sun and water combination is what we go for, but in most seaside locations the wind blows sand in your face, the waves pound you into a pulp and the salt burns your eyes.  A different type of beach beckons – Africa has some of the world’s largest and most beautiful lakes, and most of these lakes have great beaches that offer sand, sun and water without the salt and seaside weather.  As an additional bonus, they are often set in amazing landscapes and near some amazing cultural and wildlife destinations.  So grab your bucket, spade, towel and sunblock and head inland…

1.    Chikale Beach, Nkhata Bay, Lake Malawi, Malawi

Lake Malawi, or the “Lake of Stars”, is a massive, pristine, crystal clear inland sea almost 600km long which is home to more species of fish than any other body of fresh water in the world.  It gives the landlocked country of Malawi one of Africa’s longest coastlines, and the small town of Nkhata Bay, about halfway up the lake shore, is the most popular destination.  It is a delightfully relaxed and stunningly beautiful place, but be careful – after a couple of days here all the pressures and commitments of real life seem very far away, and you’ll be bargaining with yourself about ways to extend your stay.  Nkhata Bay is full of people who came on holiday twenty years ago and never went back!  Malawians are exceptionally warm and friendly, and even a quick dip in the lake will have you surrounded by brilliantly coloured fish found nowhere else on earth.

Best for: Snorkelling, chilling out

Stay at: Mayoka Village Beach Lodge; Njaya Lodge 

Nearby attractions: The surprisingly massive Anglican cathedral on Likoma Island, horse-riding and mountain biking at Nyika National Park.  Ask at your lodge or around town for details.

Getting there: The nearest city is Mzuzu, about 50km away.  Regular buses run from Blantyre and Lilongwe to Mzuzu, taking six to eight hours.  A new ferry service began operation in November 2013 so check this out for a unique way to travel.

2.    Matema, Lake Nyasa, Tanzania

Head north along the lake shore from Nkhata Bay and in about five hours you cross the border into Tanzania, where Lake Malawi is known as Lake Nyasa.  The only Tanzanian village on the lake is Matema, a sleepy little place wedged between the lake and the Livingstonia Mountains.  There is nowhere near the same level of tourism development here, but the beach makes up for it – a huge expanse of perfect sand fringed by palm trees and mountains that seem to leap out of the water right in front of you.  Being less tourist-oriented it takes some time and effort to uncover the area’s attractions, but they are worth it.  Or you can just relax on the beach…

Best for: Exploring, solitude

Stay at: Blue Canoe Safari Camp; Matema Lakeside Resort

Nearby attractions : Hikes to several nearby waterfalls, as well as boat trips to the Nakyala Ritual Cave.  Contact Newton Weston at EnviCulture to arrange activities

Getting there: Matema can either be accessed from the south through Malawi by boat or bus, or from the north via the Tanzanian city of Mbeya.  Flights are available from Dar es Salaam to Songwe airport near Mbeya, from where it is an hour or so to Matema.  The bus direct from Dar es Salaam takes about 12 hours.

3.    Mahale Mountains, Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania

Lake Tanganyika is Africa’s deepest lake, and vies with Lake Malawi as the most beautiful.  They are the two most southerly Rift Valley lakes, and have similar characteristics – fringed by forest-covered mountains that plummet straight down into deep, clear waters teeming with tropical fish.  Tanganyika is the more remote, extreme and mysterious of the two.  Most of its 700km east coast belongs to Tanzania, and about halfway up a cluster of forest-cloaked mountains jut out into the lake, creating the Mahale Mountains National Park.  This is one of the few places in the world where you can see chimpanzees in the wild, and it is fringed with some of Africa’s best beaches to boot.

Best for: Wildlife, snorkelling

Stay at: There are 4 very luxurious private lodges with price tags to match: Kungwe Beach Lodge; Greystoke Mahale Camp; Flycatcher Mahale Camp and Nkungwe Luxury Tented Camp

The TANAPA camp and best option for the budget conscious: KasihaCamp 

Nearby attractions: The Mahale Mountains National Park is primarily a chimpanzee sanctuary, but there are also rare baboon and monkey species as well as big game to be seen.  Mahale has no roads to speak of so walking and boating are the only ways to get around the park.   

Getting there: There are flights into Kigoma from Dar es Salaam every day, and from there you can fly (45 minutes), take a boat (4-7 hours) or board the historic MV Liemba ferry (10 hours) to Mahale.  Arrange transport and activities with your accommodation establishment before you travel.

4.    Ssese Islands, Lake Victoria, Uganda

Lake Victoria is the second largest body of fresh water on earth, a staggering 340km across, with over 4000km of lake shore.  Unlike the Rift Valley lakes, Victoria is relatively shallow and surrounded by hills and floodplains rather than mountains, and millions of people live around its shores.  Getting away from the crowds can be a bit of a challenge, but the Ssese Islands in the Ugandan part of the lake are a tranquil haven for intrepid travellers.  There are 84 islands in total, with at least ten different accommodation establishments that provide great places to relax and contemplate the sheer size and magnificence of this huge inland sea.  When the sun goes down, Kalangala Bay on Buggala Island brings out the party, but in a delightfully low key way.

Best for: Nightlife, relaxing

Stay at: Most accommodation is on Buggala Island, the largest in the archipelago: Ssese Islands Beach Hotel; MirembeBeach Resort 

If you’re feeling like taking the off the beaten track thing a little further, head for the unforgettable Banda Island 

Nearby attractions: You’ll be far away from everything except the islands, but if you get bored of the one you’re on you can always take a boat trip to the next one…

Getting there: Several ferries transport people and goods from the islands to Entebbe, which is conveniently the location of Uganda’s international airport.  Water taxis and small boats connect the islands to each other.

5.    Gisenyi, Lake Kivu, Rwanda

Rwanda is another landlocked African country that, thanks to the region’s unique geography, has a beautiful coastline.  The country’s thousand hills end abruptly at Lake Kivu, another Rift Valley lake and one of the most dramatic.  At the northern end of the lake is the town of Gisenyi, where you can relax on the beach with a cocktail with a panoramic view of an active volcano (Mount Nyiragongo).  Like the rest of Rwanda Gisenyi is refreshingly hassle-free and well organised by central African standards, and a few days on the beach is a great way to finish off a gorilla safari in the nearby Volcanoes National Park.

Best for: Photography, bird watching, gorillas.

Stay at: Lake Kivu Serena Hotel; Palm Garden Resort; INZU Lodge

Nearby attractions: Rwanda offers incredible gorilla tracking experiences at the nearby Volcanoes National Park, its expensive and requires booking well in advance but is a once in a lifetime experience.  There are lots of tour companies online, the Rwanda Development Board is a good place to start. Depending on the security situation just across the border in the DR Congo, it may be possible to arrange an excursion to visit or even climb Mount Nyiragongo – check with your accommodation establishment.

Getting there: It takes about 3 hours and $10 to get to Gisenyi from Kigali on Rwanda’s very safe and reliable public bus system, the views are spectacular, get a window seat on the right. There may also be flights from Kigali but these are currently suspended.  Kigali International Airport has links to many international hubs. 

6.    Eliye Springs, Lake Turkana, Kenya

Lake Turkana is the most northerly Rift Valley lake, also called the Jade Sea.  It is an otherworldly destination miles from anywhere, on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya, with palm trees, a volcanic desert landscape, ever-changing waters and deeply traditional local people.  It will make you feel like you’ve dropped into an episode of the Arabian Nights.  Very few travellers make it this far into the wilderness, but the ones that do gather at Eliye Springs on the lake’s western shore to sip cool drinks, watch the burnished copper sun go down over the Jade Sea and swap tall tales about how they got there.

Best for: Adventure, solitude, culture.

Stay at: Eliye Springs Resort

Nearby attractions: Two of the lake’s three large islands are accessible, weather permitting, from Eliye Springs.  Both are national parks and offer spectacular scenery, lots of crocodiles (don’t go swimming) and occasional volcanic activity.  The Lake Turkana Cultural Festival happens at the lake’s southern end each May.

Getting there: Flight from Nairobi to Lodwar, then the resort will come and collect you.  Alternatively, catch the bus from Nairobi via Kitale and Lodwar, then hire a taxi to take you to Eliye Springs.

By Matt Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Matt)

'The roads we've traveled (so far)' in pictures

How to get accommodation right

Recently I had the opportunity to stay at Gibbs Farm near the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania and was blown away from the second I arrived…every single detail had been attended to in the most perfect way. Nothing was ostentatious, but it all felt special and you could tell that everything about the working farm is geared towards the guests’ needs.  From the car wash for your dust-ridden vehicle as you arrive and the pre-dinner canapés served to guests while the resident bush babies are also being fed,  to the in-room post safari massages to ensure no amount of game viewing results in a stiff neck, Gibbs Farm has got it all right! What was most striking, however, was the ways they showed that ensuring your guests’ stay is an unforgettable experience is not complicated nor needs to cost the earth.  So, based on my incredible break from reality at Gibbs Farm, here are 5 simple guidelines that can help you do the same…

1) Great food from fresh produce – sounds simple but too often the focus is on variety of food rather than quality. The number of ingredients required to offer this variety means the quality and freshness suffers – there’s just no way around this, and that’s regardless of the skills of your chef.  Rather stick to a few dishes you do fantastically well and with great ingredients, this means your food costs will fall even though guest satisfaction will improve. Gibbs Farm, as already mentioned, is a working farm and 90% of all food served – the cheese, meat, vegetables and even the coffee – is grown or made on the premises. And you can tell with every bite. The lunch buffet I just sampled only featured 8 dishes, but each was mouth-watering and so much more enjoyable than a typical 30 meal buffet filled with 27 bad dishes that must be suffered through to find the 3 decent ones. To ensure you really feel spoilt Gibbs Farm have added a cake & coffee buffet in the afternoons, again not massive in variety but to die for in taste…so still far from the 30 meal buffet in quantity but also far more enjoyable, luxurious and unforgettable. This learning applies to more than just the buffet but even the size of your menu – nobody likes being faced with a 20 page menu anyway, guests and chefs alike!

First: Matt helping with the daily harvest. Second: Pre-dinner snacks as only Gibbs Farm can do! Third: Ishtar taking the freshly harvested produce up to the Gibbs Farm Kitchens to be cooked 

2) Put yourself in the shoes of your guest                                                                                          

Think about where they’ve had to come from, how they get to your accommodation and what needs arise from the specific conditions related to these questions and your establishment. So if getting to you means a long dusty road offering a car wash as guests arrive, and get whisked off to their rooms, shows that you not only understand their journey but care about making it as comfortable as possible. If you know they have traveled through a particularly cold region ensure the hand towels waiting to greet them are heated. Think about what facilities they are most likely to require as they arrive and ensure they are immediately accessible: for example if the warm water in rooms needs to be switched on and requires time to heat up ensure this is done before your guest arrives. Make sure that the number of guests per room is accommodated for – in terms of the number of towels, glasses for water etc.  Little things like this easily convert a mundane experience into something luxurious, and each little special touch may not specifically be remembered but will contribute to an unforgettable overall experience.

3) Think of alternative ways to meet guests’ needs, think of local ways to meet guests’ needs

Too often establishments rush to look and be exactly the same as millions of others around the world forgetting that by looking to solve challenges with local solutions they can not only save money but develop a point of differentiation and interest. This can be as simple as the alternatives to non-drinkable tap water that don’t need to mean costly bottled water! At Gibbs Farm water filters are used, and the water served in beautiful hand crafted glass jugs – much classier, environmentally friendly and best of all for proprietors, cheaper.  Even better these jugs are made locally using glass bottles recycled from the farm - proof that a really simple solution can have a positive impact, not only for the establishment and guests but for the surrounding community too. They take this a step further and even the lamp shades for the wall lights in the rooms are made locally from the farm’s recycled glass, resulting in décor that is note-worthy, unique and cheaper, even though this is in no way visible in the end product.

4) Keep your guests busy                                                                                                                    

The more remote your establishment the more important this becomes – and while remoteness can be a major pull factor, unless it is coupled with something to do the visit will never be for more than a few days. Gibbs Farm offers a range of daily activities for almost every hour of the day – starting with bread-baking classes, wildlife censuses and coffee roasting in the morning; to vegetable harvesting and volleyball during the day, all finished off with Bush Baby feeding and sometimes even live music in the evenings. It is impossible to get bored at Gibbs Farm regardless how long your stay. So if you want to encourage guests to stay longer all you need to do is offer an incentive to do this – and free or low-cost activities are much more likely to do this! 

First: Coffee Roasting with guests first thing in the morning. Second: The Rhythm of the Farm - & how guests can get involved. Third: Matt & Ishtar taking a tour of the studio of the Gibbs Farm artist in-resident, Athumani Katongo.

5) Offer free Wi-Fi

The fact that this still needs to be offered as advice to accommodation establishments astounds me, especially with the large number of very reasonable uncapped data packages available on the market.  Yet even some of the biggest hotel chains in the world do not offer this, or even worse do offer Wi-Fi but at an additional cost to guests. This has become a non-negotiable factor, like clean rooms, for many travellers and I know I am not alone in actively boycotting places that do not offer free Wi-Fi. Gibbs Farm is in an incredibly remote location – part of its charm – and if they can get fast and reliable Wi-Fi out at the edge of the Ngorongoro crater you have no excuse!

Words by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)

A Photo Essay...

Travel Tips for Southern Namibia

Having just spent a magical few days exploring southern Namibia we learnt a couple of things we thought were worth sharing - from how to drive, where to stay and what to see. Here's our top 8 tips: 

Draw cash before you cross the border from SA, or before you head south from Windhoek.  There are ATMs in most towns but they often seem to have run dry!  The first working ATM we found was in Keetmanshoop, and you’re likely to need fuel before then.  Petrol stations accept garage cards but not credit cards for fuel purchases.    

     
 Refuel regularly.  The distances are vast, and most of southern Namibia has a landscape that looks like the surface of Mars – desolate, rocky and searingly hot – the sort of place you really don’t want to run out of fuel in.  The people are exceptionally helpful, friendly and welcoming, but there are very few of them around.  Pick up a couple of five litre water bottles and keep them full, just in case.

     Take regular stops or change drivers frequently.  The roads are in very good condition, even the dirt tracks, but they are so long and straight and the landscape can get monotonous, making it much easier for the driver to lose concentration.  After 200km without a single village or even a bend in the road, a goat or gemsbok can appear out of nowhere and catch you completely off guard.

        Ideally, find a place to rest up around lunchtime when the heat is fiercest.  One of the best places to do this is the Canon Roadhouse, at the northern edge of the Fish River Canyon.  After miles of dusty nothing you stumble upon an oasis of retro quirkiness – a restaurant filled with beautiful old cars, classic old signs, good food, cold drinks and excellent hospitality.  Hippies must enter through the side door, as per the sign:)  You can spend the night if you like, or just take a couple of hours to absorb the ambience, refresh and recharge before pushing on.

1. 
   

1. 
   
2. 
   

 
The other great place to stay in the Canyon area is the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort.  It is well serviced and well run and the starting point for some great hikes up the canyon.  There is a large swimming pool which is incredibly inviting after a long day through the desert, but you’ll get a bit of a shock when you jump in and find its actually a warm spa pool fed by the Ai-Ais hot spring nearby!  Getting out is the refreshing part, but the water is great for tired and sore muscles.  The restaurant is excellent.  Secure your tent/room well – the baboons are a bit of a nuisance.  It is a much better bet than the Hobas camp further north (near the Fish River Canyon viewsite) which is near this spectacular location but not as well run as Ai-Ais.

      As you get further north, Namibia begins to get busier.  Rehoboth, a town about an hour south of Windhoek, is the first place that shows signs of recent development.  Its quite a bustling little place and has a fascinating history.  Rehoboth was founded in the 19^th century by a group of Griqua trekkers from the Cape Colony.  They founded a de facto independent state, much like Stellaland near where Kimberley is today, and became known as the Rehoboth Basters.  Their descendants still live there today, but it has also become something of a commuter town for people working in Windhoek.  Watch out for the sudden increase in traffic between Rehoboth and Windhoek, especially in the evenings.

        Always stop at the police roadblocks, even if it doesn't seem like there is anyone around. The police just want to check your driver’s licence and ask if you’re carrying any drugs.  It also seems to be illegal to transport fresh meat from the south to the north (probably to control livestock diseases), so finish your stock before you head out or you might have it confiscated.

        Enjoy!  The landscape may be empty but it is hauntingly beautiful, and it will help you appreciate the relatively lush terrain further north.

Words by Matt Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Matt) & photos by Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace)

What's in the box?

We've been packing for a while now and the newest addition to the packing table is this box. Ishtar & Matt have no idea what is in it or when it will be opened...Tracy's keeping mum. Any guesses from your side? Check out the discussion on Facebook for more hints & clues!

T2T Visa Requirements