מסלול טיול בנמיביה
23/09/2019
10 Best National Parks in Western USA
11/05/2023
My solo travel in Africa
This is my first post in a long time, probably since the corona knocked on our plane's door, and kind of forced us to stay in our own countries for a while.
However, I have many memories of my solo travel in this special continent called Africa, and I would love to share them with you.
This is my personal story of what was it like to travel solo in Africa that hopefully encourages you to embark on a similar journey yourself.
My solo travel in Africa actually started solo, but with time turned into a trip where I met some good friends who, even so many years later, are still so present in my life.
In the following post you can read about my personal experience as a woman alone in Africa, about the decision to travel there alone and fulfill a big dream of mine, and how I came back more in love than ever in this place.
By the way, if you want to read about my other solo travels around the world, you are welcome to take a look at my story about my solo trip to Europe in the fall of 2019, my solo trip to Mongolia and Siberia in the summer of 2018, and of course a powerful trip that changed my life most - a solo trip I did in Mexico.
So come on, let's go on a journey together :)
Alone, but never really alone
Africa as a distant dream
I always dreamed of Africa.
Going back to my childhood memories when I sat with my father, watching together National Geographic videos.
The wild expanses of this continent, together with the natural connection I always had to animals and nature, left a mark on me that stayed with me for many years after.
There were many reasons why I didn't go on this trip earlier in life - starting with the fear of traveling in such a place, traveling ALONE in such a place, a relationship that was difficult for me to let go of, feeling too dependent on my life routine back home, and a list of other factors that kept me from going out into the world I wanted to see.
Those who know me today probably won't believe the kind of person I was before I started really traveling the world.
With the years I converted my love for metal and beer parties into a love for climbing and nature, and over time a new identity formed that I connect more with today.
Naturally over time, I surrounded myself with new people who are more suitable for the new lifestyle that was taking shape.
(Still, of course, metal and beer are deep in my heart, and with them my metal family - because metal is forever!), but:
I started climbing, at a certain point slackline entered my life, and the spirit of adventure that had been dormant for a long time just erupted from within at a certain point, and reached its peak the day my foot first touched African soil.
I will not tell you now about my first trip to Africa, but about the trip I went on a year later, alone, to fulfill my biggest dormant dreams.
Dreaming of exactly this!
Africa was a distant dream approaching
In the last 4/5 years I have gone through a significant process of overcoming fears and chasing my dreams.
At that time, I wrote a list of my dreams on a piece of paper, and I wasn't ashamed to tell people about them (whether they wanted to know or not ;)).
Over time, many of my fears broke apart, the excitement of adventures took the place of fears, and the dreams I wanted to fulfill seemed stronger than any fear.
Suddenly, Africa no longer seemed like a distant dream. I was ready!
I was ready in my burning body to go on this journey, even without knowing how exactly, where exactly or with whom exactly. But I knew it would be Africa.
As I was getting excited for my courage, I realized very quickly that I was doomed to be traveling there alone.
But I knew I needed this solo trip to overcome things in me that were difficult for me, and let go of the things I wanted to leave behind.
So I just did it.
It sounds easy, but it really wasn't.
The moment I booked my plane ticket to Uganda, my starting point of this solo travel, was unbelievable - I couldn't believe that here I am, in a month or so, about to go alone (!!) to Africa (!!) as a woman (!!).
The excitement was reaching its peak as the time passed. It wasn't the usual pure pre-trip excitement, it was more like 'I'm scared to death' kind of excitement :).
It was an excitement mixed with tears of saying goodbye to my dogs, cat, friends and family, for a period of several months.
Adding to all of this, I was also stressed about finishing everything I need at work, training the new employees there and completing all the necessary frame works so that the office continues to function while I am not there. (Spoiler - it didn't!)
But after all this preparation, the day has arrived - in just a few hours I was about to say goodbye from all I have known so far and embark on an unknown journey that is mine, solo.
Packing my things. But the cat stayed at home..
The day I set off alone to Africa..
As you might know me by now, not everything went as smoothly as I hoped so on my first day.
As I arrived in the airport, at the check in they did not agree to let me go on the flight because I did not have a return ticket out from Uganda.
Under the pressure of the moment, I ordered a flight ticket out of Uganda (by the way, through Expedia you can cancel free of charge in the first 24 hours).
Of course I ordered a flight from another questionable source which refunded me some of the money back, but I still lost around 100 Euros.
After all this awkwardness, I finally passed through the gates and had a few final conversations with everyone who wished me luck on my first solo travel.
In just a few hours I was about to leave to a whole new place.
On the plane, a cute girl named Tal sat next to me, whom I still remember till this day (Tal, if you ever come to my blog - know that I remembered you!).
Tal flew to South Africa to meet a friend from abroad who she always meets at a different destination.
The truth is, meeting Tal calmed me down a bit. I know that I am a sociable person, who finds interest in almost every person I meet, yet there was still the fear that I might not get along there on my own.
I had a connection flight in Addis, there Tal and I parted ways with a hug, she continued to South Africa, and I boarded my connecting flight to Kampala, Uganda.
This moment was worth all the fears of before
My first day alone in Africa
I landed in Entebbe where my taxi driver I had arranged in advance, was waiting for me (for a very long!).
In fact, before this trip there were only two things I planned in advance - who would pick me up from the airport, and where would I go. The rest remains a mystery..
At the airport I had a major delay since I chose to get a SIM card there (a mistake - don't do it!).
They managed on my first hour in Uganda to already rip me off while making me wait for an hour to set everything on my phone.
I finally got out, and after half an hour of mutual searching, my driver and I found each other and set off. What a relief that was to see him still waiting for me there :)
On the way to the hostel, of course we had a flat tire :)
There is nothing like spending my first hours in Africa on the side of the road with a flat tire.
But after all these hours I finally arrived at the hostel safely. When I arrived, the owner of the hostel gave me a tour and told me that there was a room in which most of the guests there are Israelis.
I was still in a bit of shock as I arrived there, doing a short round of greetings to the people around.
To be honest, all I wanted was to enter the room, cancel the flight I had booked a few hours earlier, and lay in my small bed.
Very quickly while lying on my bed, the anxieties began to overwhelm me - How would I manage? How much I would now like to be on my bed with my fat cat as a small spoon, and how much I miss my dog's ears and my other dog's snoring.
All my fears just surfaced and I tried to go to sleep hoping they would go to sleep too.
When I woke up after an hour or two, surprisingly the fears and anxieties were still there, but I took a deep breath and went out to the hostel's yard to get to know the people who were there with me.
Within a few minutes I had already connected with some of them, and in fact, the very next morning I continued with three of them on a new interesting adventure.
In the evening we all ate pizzas together at the hostel, drank some beers, and slowly things sunk in and I started to enjoy this first day of my solo trip in Africa.
Flat tire on my first hours in Africa :)
Where do I go from here?
I started my trip in Africa with a girl who had some common destinations we wanted to reach for in Uganda.
On our first days together, a quiet guy named Guy, who has seen a lot of African sun in the last few months, has joined us.
You will hear a lot about Guy when you read my posts about Africa on the blog, because over time he became my ultimate travel partner there.
Since that moment we met in my first days in Uganda - he pretty much stayed there with me.
No matter who I traveled with in the upcoming months of my journey in Africa, our paths always crossed again.
I loved traveling with him and building such a beautiful routine during our journey there together.
Even when we parted ways here and there for a few days, we always returned travelling together, and knowing that we would meet gave me the feeling that I was actually never alone.
Guy became an integral part of my solo (not so much solo anymore) trip to Africa, until the day we chose other countries to continue on to. Guy decided to continue to Ethiopia and I decided to cross into Malawi.
But as mentioned, while we were traveling together we also met other travelers of course, among them a girl name Tzlil, who became my partner for the rest of the trip and my little ray of light.
So in fact, until my last day in Africa she was there with me.
From the moment we met in Dar a Salaam, Tanzania, until my flight out from Windhoek Namibia, Tzlil and I spent every day together, all day!
Alone in Africa? Really?
So, did I really get to travel alone in Africa?
Although I started the trip alone, it is hard for me today to say that I really traveled alone in Africa.
In every place I came to, I found people I connected with, fell in love with and went on further adventures with.
They weren't there apart pf my journey there because I was afraid of being alone, or because I wanted to keep my traveling costs low, or for any other reason that prevents me from actually traveling alone.
They were there because I chose to continue traveling with these people, because the connection between us was so good that I didn't want us to part ways at all.
In Uganda and Rwanda I had Guy and Tamar, in Tanzania we joined forces with our legendary safari group that included Orel, David and Yishai.
During my time I also discovered the beautiful Or, in the tough hiking of Uganda the funny couple of May and May, and from Malawi onwards I was spending all of my time with Tzlil.
Obviously I cannot ignore all the amazing and funny locals I met along the way, people I traveled with for just a few days or people whose story I only heard for a few moments. All of these people gave me the feeling that I was never really alone.
It's a pretty rare experience in my eyes to meet such perfect travel partners, that you don't want to part ways with.
Perhaps this is actually the most beautiful thing about going on a trip around the world alone. You are open to so many types of people, and along the way, you get to find lots of people you connect with.
And some of them stay with you even years after..
Our safari gang :)
Preparing for my solo travel in Africa
Although the two things that were certain for me before I left for my solo trip in Africa were the first country I would land in (Uganda in my case), and a place to stay the first night - I was still reading, going to lectures and planning part of my trip.
In Uganda, I did check which attractions I would like to do, such as the Rwenzori Mountains hike or the gorilla trekking tour, etc.
I researched and tried to figure out which things I wouldn't want to miss, and based on that, it made it easier to understand what my costs would be for a trip of several months in Africa.
I knew, of course, how many months or so I had to travel (which of course were extended), and roughly which countries I would like to visit (and yet I ended up in countries I didn't think I would travel to).
But the main thing that accompanied me in the planning, is the thought that this is a trip that I will do alone, and I can only rely on myself along the way.
So on this trip I made a file with some information about each country (which I didn't open at all to be honest, during my entire trip), because I knew there were things that were important to me that I would want to do even if I had to do them only with myself.
Uganda - The place it all started
What is it like to travel in Africa solo as a woman?
The question that probably concerns many of you women who wants to travel Africa and afraid to do it alone.
I must say that my personal experience was very positive. Adding to that, I think it was actually a distinct advantage for me to travel Africa solo as a woman (specially after hearing the stories from my male friends who traveled there alone).
It's true, sometimes the locals can be a bit annoying, but that's something that has happened to me in about every country I traveled to ;)
But generally, Africans respect tourists very much, women's included, and even though they can be irritating at times or try to cheat you in the most inelegant way possible, they are still super.
I did not feel in danger there at all as a solo traveler, but again - this is only my personal experience.
Wherever I went, women and men helped me, accompanied me and made sure that I arrived safely to my destination.
There wasn't even a single time where anyone tried to touch me, kiss me or do anything against my will. However, I did get a few marriage proposals from random guys :)
Alone in Africa
Rules I followed as a solo traveler in Africa
Despite my good experiences, it is still important to take care of yourself, that's why it is important for me to point out that my personal experiences are not necessarily an indication of what you might experience.
Therefore, I would be happy to share with you some rules that I always followed during my solo trip in Africa, and not only in Africa, but in all my solo trips around the world.
Avoid going to places at night
In all my trips, without exception, I avoid going to unfamiliar areas at night.
I especially try not to arrive or walk around at night in the big cities, that's why I always schedule flights or buses so that I arrive during the daytime at my desired destination.
Walk with confident, even when lost
It is true that there are many moments when the feeling of security decreases a bit, especially if you get lost on the way or not sure where exactly you need to go.
Even in such situations of insecurity, I always make sure to project confidence and that I know exactly where I am going.
Personally, I tried to avoid situations where I look confused on the street and in need for help because I didn't want to attract people who might take advantage of my momentary distress.
When I had situations where I needed help - I was the one who chose who to turn to for help according to my own intuition.
Drinking alcohol
I personally completely avoided drinking alcohol during my entire trip (except with my close friends at the hostle). I always stayed sober and always in control.
I chose during the trip to enjoy in other ways that do not require me to consume any sort of substances, so that no matter what happened I was always fully aware of it.
Jewelry and valuable products
During my solo trip to Africa I did not travel with any jewelry on me that could flash to potential robbers.
In general, I find it very respectful to arrive in a place like Africa without showing off my wealth as a western person.
I always made sure to keep my cell phone or camera down (except of course while hiking or safaris), when I was in the company of locals and also in hostels with shared rooms.
Someone always knew where I am
Families I stayed with, good people I connected with for a few days, travelers I met - someone always knew where I was going and when I was expected to return. (specially when I went out for a few days).
Luckily, it was pretty easy for me to be remembered in a place like Africa, so locals could always know where I'm at.
Don't fight with locals
This is a rule that I didn't really follow, but I will mention it anyway - don't get into fights with locals.
Even though I didn't feel in danger even while arguing with locals, you never know who you might fall into!
You were cheated and you are angry? Nonsense. It's just money. Your personal security is more important than this. Don't be like me!!
And I'll end with this, that the only experience I felt that I was drawn into because I'm a girl and there was apparently real danger in it is the story of my (failed, it should be noted) robbery in Namibia.
And even in this case, I would not recommend that you behave as I did in the situation I've had.
Flashing my camera only during safari
Things I took for my solo trip to Africa
As a solo traveler, there are things that accompany me on every trip.
Knowing that I'm mostly alone, I must depend on myself at any time, so this is why I always carry with me the following:
First Aid kit
With all the necessities I need, from pain killers to antibiotics, I carry with me medical care items that I can count on while traveling solo.
Make sure to carry with you all you need for sanitizing wounds, burns and potential digestion issues.
I also carry with me my vitamins, and other medicines I need.
For Communication
I took with me anything that enables me to contact the world, even in difficult situations.
Besides my cell phone, I also took a portable charger (power bank) and rented a satellite device.
As a women
Among all the things I took, there was one major thing that I read about and decided to take with me for my solo trip in Africa and that is - a wedding ring!
Although I am not married, I realized that African men respect a man's wife, so everywhere I went alone, I showed my new wedding ring ( which I ordered from Ali Express for $2).
Sometimes the locals I've met were interested in who I was married to, so I would just show them random pictures of my favorite friends :)
General things
I took with me other gear that I knew would come in handy and allow me to travel with peace of mind, whether it was a solo trip or not.
I won't go into to many details here, as you are welcome to read my ultimate list of gear I carry on my solo backpacking trips >>
Enjoy your journey :)
I'm back home but Africa is still in my heart
I already returned from my solo trip in Africa several years ago.
During those years I chose to go to many new places, see different cultures and experimented with different traveling styles.
But no matter where I went, Africa remains within my heart.
Africa will always be the first place I went to travel alone in the world, it is the place that taught me more than anything to dream big, and to continue pursue my dreams around the world.
There is no continent more special than Africa in my opinion, and no other place has the most beautiful people like in Africa.
Africa is such a diverse place - from different countries, cultures and landscapes, but it will forever be my second home, my heart and the place I always look forward to returning to again.
Africa is always in my heart
Last Words
To my trip in Africa I went just me and my backpack, knowing I'm there to handle things on my own.
In Africa I've made so many dreams of mine come true, ine the biggest ones being swimming with Whale sharks.
It took me so many years to lift up the courage to go there, and I hope to inspire and encourage you to do the same.
After Africa I continued my solo travel in Germany, where I explored Berlin and the area around it.
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Thank you very much for the support and I wish you an amazing solo trip in Africa :)
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Enjoy your trip :)
