Traveling Africa is trending. In the last two years, I have noticed travel groups and organizations popping up that are focused on delivering a unique Africa travel experience. Several of these travel groups are black-owned, which is great!
They all emphasize different aspects: some are about diving into he glitz and glam of big African cities like Accra and exploring the hottest restaurants and coolest bars or attend art festivals like Chale Wote. Others focus on sporty activities like hiking and climbing. Some travel groups are all about the educational/cultural aspect of traveling, others are more about partying and a few are even targeting designers & creatives who want to source materials and meet local artisans. All of them want to deliver a unique and instagrammable experience.
Trending countries seem to be Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Morocco and South Africa. Before you join a trip – do your homework and make sure that the focus/theme of a travel group will match your needs and expectations.
Here is my personal check-list:
- Is it luxury or low budget (will you have a to share a room with someone?)
- Are all activities and trips included in the price?
- Is there room for alone time or is it a packed itinerary?
- What is the age/gender mix of people usually attending?
- How big is the group?
- Are there references/reviews from past participants available?
After doing my first ever group trip last year to Kenya & Tanzania, I went back to just traveling with friends this year. I don’t think traveling in a big group is necessarily for me. But on the plus side, I would have never seen that many places or done that many activities if I had organized the trip by myself.
Here are some travel groups that focus exclusively on trips to the African continent or offer a lot of destinations on the continent (this is just a selection, not an endorsement):
- Africa with Us
- Tastemakers Africa
- Travel Noire
- Calabar Imports
- Africa Fashion Guide (sourcing focused)
- Curious on Tanzania
- Black Voyageurs
- Black & Abroad
What is your experience with group travel? Any other travel groups you can recommend? Comment below!
