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African wildlife

African flora and fauna is a highlight of trips to Africa, especially on visits to the continent's national parks. Going on a safari is a common way to see it.

Most of Africa is part of the Afrotropical realm, together with the southern Arabian peninsula and a small part of Iran. North Africa is part of the Palearctic realm, and contains Eurasian wildlife. The wildlife of Madagascar differs a lot from the mainland, and is described in a separate article.

Many safari visitors are keen on seeing the Big Five — buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino — but there is a lot more out there if you know where to look.

Primates
Africa is home to an extremely wide variety of primates, including all the extant great apes except the orangutan. Modern humans are also believed by most scientists to trace their origins to Africa.

Baboon

Papio ursinus, also known as the common baboon, lives in social groups guided by a dominant male. Newborn baboons are black and are carried around by their mothers. Later, they ride on the back of their mother and after three to four months they change color to the adult brown-grey.

Mandrill

The mandrill is (Mandrillus sphinx) is known for its distinctive colourful face. Males are noticeably larger and more brightly-coloured than females. Females and their juvenile offspring usually live in large groups called hordes that can number up to several hundred, while adult males are usually solitary, only approaching hordes during the mating season. Alpha males are recognisable by their brightly-coloured posteriors.

Bonobo
The bonobo (Pan paniscus), formerly known as the "pygmy chimpanzee", is an endangered great ape closely related to the chimpanzee, with both species being humans' closest living relatives. Like its slightly more robust cousin, its diet consists mostly of fruit, though it supplements its diet with eggs, meat, honey, and insects. It's found exclusively in the Congo Basin, separated from the range of the chimpanzee by the Congo and Kasai Rivers. Because of their jungle habitat and timid nature, bonobos are rarely seen in the wild. The main threats to the species are habitat disruption, the bushmeat trade, and ongoing wars in the region.

Chimpanzee
The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), while more numerous than the bonobo, is also listed as endangered. There are four recognized subspecies (with a fifth proposed), with one living in coastal West Africa and the others to the north and east of the Congo River in Central Africa. Unlike the bonobo, which prefers rainforests, it can adapt to habitats ranging from open savanna to thick rainforests. They're easier to spot than bonobo, as they're less timid and can more often be found in open environments. The main threats to chimps are similar to those faced by bonobo, and also include infectious diseases that may also affect humans.

Gorilla
Gorillas are divided into two species: eastern (Gorilla beringei) and western (Gorilla gorilla). Both are endangered, and both are only found (in the wild) in poor African countries.

The most practical way of seeing gorillas in the wild is through organized tours in Rwanda or Uganda. To see western gorillas, the Republic of the Congo appears to be the best option. Outside of these organized tours/treks, not only do you have to get very lucky to see a gorilla, but you may have to deal with dangers both natural and human.

Gorillas can be found in zoos throughout the world.

Vervet monkey

Cercopithecus aethiops is a social monkey that lives close to rivers and feeds on leaves, fruits and insects. Family groups are up to 20 members strong.

Newborn vervet monkeys are dependent on their mothers for three months, and from then on they become youngsters.

Carnivores
Meat-eating mammals are the kings of the bush.

Cheetah

Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are the fastest hunters in Africa, but you are quite lucky if you can see them very close because they tend to be hidden in the high grass. You don't see them in the dense thickets of South Africa whereas the savanna in Kenya and Tanzania allows for better viewing. Cheetahs usually travel alone or in small groups consisting of the mother and her offspring. They hunt in the cool hours of the day. Cheetahs reach a maximum speed of up to 100 km/h in a short and explosive burst, and tackle their prey in a single attack. The preferred prey is Impala, but birds are on the menu as well.

Leopard
Panthera pardus are famously elusive hunters that stalk their prey at night. For most visitors, the only chance of spotting one is on night drives, and Zambia's South Luangwa National Park (which allows night driving) is claimed by some to have the highest density of leopards in all of Africa.

Lion

Panthera leo are common in the wider part of Africa and can be best seen in Lake Nakuru National Park, Masai Mara National Park, Serengeti and to a lesser extent in South Africa, nevertheless you have to be lucky to see them very close. Lions hunt early in the morning or in the night and during the day they allow themselves to be lazy. To see them in action you have to get up before the crack of dawn or you see them only resting after a big dinner.

Their menu consists mainly of bigger mammals and zebras seem to be the favourite if available. Males often do not contribute to the hunting but they demand the "lion's" share, as they are responsible for defending the pride's territory, and female youngsters have to wait until it is their turn.

Lion cubs are dependent on their mothers for up to two years, and they start to hunt when they are about 11 months old. Lions are social cats, living in prides of 3-30 lions consisting of 1-4 males and several females.

Spotted hyena
Crocuta crocuta has a bad reputation for no good reason. They are good at hunting and are not dependent on the leftovers from lions.

They live in packs of 3-4 animals and can form larger groups as well. The leader of the pack is a female and they hunt often during the night but can be spotted during the daytime as well. They prey on insects, mammals such as zebras and wildebeest and sometimes they bring down a giraffe, or fight off lions from their catch. They tend to explore bins in national parks.

Cubs are dependent on their mum's milk for 9-12 months and start to look after themselves within 15 months.

African wild dog
Lycaon pictus live in packs of 10-15 members. Wild dog sightings are always a big event, so watch out for them because they are considered to be the rarest predator in Africa. Wild dogs are mainly active during the day and they hunt in the early hours or late afternoon. They prey on small mammals, Impalas, Springbok and occasionally buffaloes as well.

The packs have hierarchical structures where only the dominant female has pups and the rest help to care for them.

The pups are born in a den and they stay there for up to three weeks before they explore their environment. After five weeks the pups start to eat regurgitated meat. After 8-10 weeks they leave the den forever and follow the pack until they are about a year old. At that point, young females will leave their birth packs for new ones, while males will remain in their birth pack for life.

Unlike other members of the dog family, African wild dogs either do not have the copulatory tie during mating, or have a very short one.

Black Backed Jackal
Canis mesomelas can be found throughout Southern Africa.

Caracal

The caracal is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterized by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long tufted ears, and long canine teeth. Their name means cat with black ears.

Antelopes
Antelopes are among the most common animals seen on safari, but there are numerous species that, to the untrained eye, can be difficult to distinguish.

Bontebok
Damaliscus pygargus pygargus are mainly found in the Western Cape of South Africa. They have white, light and dark brownish markings and are easily recognised. They live in herds. However, males leave the herd at a certain age and form in small groups of their own.

Blesbuck
Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi, closely related to the Bontebok, Blesbuck are mainly found on the highveld region of South Africa.

Blue Duiker

Cephalophus monticola is a small (under 40cm shoulder height) antelope found in forested areas throughout Southern and Central Africa

Blue wildebeest

Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) are large antelopes that form small groups and are seasonal breeders. Offspring arrive from November to February, and are born within the herd. Calves may be defended fiercely against any attacker.

Eland
Two species of antelope are known as "eland". They are the world's two largest species of antelope.

The common eland (Taurotragus oryx) can be found in open and semi-open areas throughout East and Southern Africa, though not dense forests. Males average around 1.6 m (5 ft) at the shoulder and over 500 kg (1,100 lb), though can be nearly 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Females are roughly 25–35% smaller than males. Both sexes have fairly straight horns that spiral around the axis of growth. They are not considered endangered, and have a relatively calm disposition; some have been successfully domesticated.

The giant eland (Taurotragus derbianus) is the largest antelope; while it overlaps greatly in size with the common eland, it averages about 5–10% larger. Like its cousin, it lives mostly in open and semi-open areas, but can also live in dense forests. The horns in both sexes are similar in shape to those of common eland. The giant eland is harder to observe than the common eland, being more alert and wary. Two subspecies exist—the western giant eland (T. d. derbianus), living mainly in West Africa (particularly Senegal and Mali), and the eastern giant eland (T. d. gigas), living in Central Africa between Cameroon and South Sudan. The species is considered vulnerable but not yet endangered.

Impala

Aepyceros melampus live in big herds and newborn calves join the herd after 1-2 days. They are excellent sprinters and can outrun many predators. Males have impressive horns which are mainly used for fights over females rather than as a defence weapon.

The impala can be distinguished from other antelopes by its distinctive backside, marked with white and black stripes that resemble the McDonald's logo. Impala are hunted by lions and leopards, although in reality they are hard to catch, because the whole herd will jump and run around, totally confusing the hunting animal.

Kudu
Tragelaphus strepsiceros is a big antelope and is very common in the Kruger National Park. Calves are born outside of the herd and are kept in a secret location for 1-2 weeks before they join the herd. They are loved in the national park, but farmers hate them because a 2-m-high fence does not stop them from entering farm premises and eating the crops.

Puku
Kobus vardonii are common in Zambia, but not common elsewhere. Usually found in small herds of about half a dozen, puku have large lyre-shaped horns, reddish-brown fur and lack the backside markings of impala and waterbucks.

Red Hartebeest
Alcelphus buselaphus can be found in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa

Springbok
Antidorcas marsupialis

Often mistaken for impalas, because they look like a small impala. However their colour is different and they prefer living in the wide open fields of the arid regions of southern and southwestern Africa. They are very difficult to spot, especially in high grass.

Thomson's gazelle
Eudorcas thomsonii

Essentially East Africa's equivalent of the springbok; the two are quite similar in size, coloration, and habitat preference. Probably the best-known of the gazelle species.

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus is a medium-size antelope with grey-brown fur and distinctive backside markings. There are two types: one has white ring often likened to sitting on a just-painted toilet seat, while the other has a solid white circle.

Aardvark

The Aardvark (Orycteropus afer, sometimes also called antbear or anteater) is a medium-sized mammal. The name comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch for earth pig ("aarde" earth, "varken" pig), because early settlers from Europe thought it resembled a pig. However, the Aardvark is not closely related to pigs.

Bat-Eared Fox

The Bat-eared Fox is named after its huge ears. Bat-eared Foxes have tawny fur, their ears, legs and parts of the face are black. They are 55 cm in length (head and body), their ears are 13 cm long. It is the only species in the genus Otocyon. The teeth of the Bat-eared Fox are much smaller than teeth of other dog species. This is an adaptation to their insectivorous diet. 80% of the diet consists of insects. Bat-eared Foxes visit termite hills, follow locust swarms or stay close to herds of zebras or antelopes in order to feed on the insects landing on their excrements. In addition to insects Bat-eared Foxes eat rodents, birds and eggs, and sometimes fruits. Bat-eared Foxes are nocturnal animals that live in small groups consisting of a couple and their young. The pairs live in dens and raise the pups (two to five) together.

Buffalo

Syncerus caffer are fierce beasts; males may reach up to 700 kg in weight. They live in herds and have a strong social bond. They can form groups of up to several thousand members when the environment permits and groups are organized by dominant males and females. Predators are actively attacked to defend calves, injured or old members. Mothers give birth to 40-kg calves which are capable of walking shortly after birth. Calves are weaned after seven months, but stay close with their mum for 12 months. Their preferred habitat is savannah with thicket or open savannah, with protective properties.

Dwarf mongoose

Helogale parvule live in social groups with one dominant breeding pair and the rest of the group assisting with raising the offspring. The mongoose is active during daytime. They run quickly into their tunnels when they are frightened but they return quickly and are amusing to watch. They are often found close to streams, rivers, ponds, as well as along open camp sites surrounded by high grass and thicket. The mongoose lives on insects, small birds and eggs.

Elephant

Most authorities now recognize two separate species of African elephant—Loxodonta africana, the African bush elephant, and Loxodonta cyclotis, the African forest elephant. The bush elephant is the largest land mammal in the world; the forest elephant is the third-largest (with the related Asian elephant falling in between). Almost all elephant viewing in Africa is of bush elephants, whose typical habitat is far more open and accessible than the forest elephant's home range in the Congo Basin. Loxodonta africana are among the most common sightings in the Kruger National Park and you will be able to see them very close up. Amboseli in Kenya is famous for the biggest tusker in the world. For some it may be too close — it is definitely not for a fainthearted visitor.

Bush elephants are the biggest land mammals in the world. A male can weigh up to 6,000 kg and a female up to 3,500 kg. They live in large family groups led by the most experienced females. Males are only tolerated until a certain age when they have to leave the family and often form bachelor groups. Males join the female group when they are in musth but only the strongest bulls are tolerated.

Bush elephants can often be seen around rivers when they have a bath and a good sip of water. They must drink up to 160 litres of water and eat several hundred kilograms of plants per day to survive. Elephants are active at both day and night time. They are peaceful creatures and only become aggressive when they are wounded or when they feel driven to protect their young.

Giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis are the tallest mammals on earth. Males reach a height of up to 5.2 metres and females 4.7 metres. Giraffes have a maximum mass of 1400 kg. In addition to the common giraffe, a subspecies known as Thornicraft's giraffe, with white legs and faces, inhabits Zambia's South Luangwa National Park.

Giraffes give birth after 450 days of pregnancy to a single calf of up to 100 kg and the calf can instantly stand on four legs and walks soon after. Giraffes live in loose family groups and newborn calves join the group after one week. Young giraffes grow fast and reach one meter in height within six months. Family groups can range in from 4 to up to 30 members, but the structure is loose and fluctuations are common.

Giraffes are browsers and can reach leaves that are not accessible by any other ground-based mammal. To maintain such an enormous size as a herbivore, giraffes eat for up to 20 hours a day and rest only during the hottest hours of the day.

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius tolerate direct sunlight poorly, so during the day they are often spotted lurking in the river, little more than their nostrils visible. They come out to graze during the night. Hippo calves have a birth mass of around 30 kg and are dependent on their mothers for 5 months. After that, they start to graze.

Hippos are said to account for more deaths than any other African mammal: keep well clear of these unpredictable beasts, and ensure that they have a clear path to retreat to water.

Honey Badger

Mellivora capensis does not actually eat honey, but will raid bee hives for the larvae. These are tough little creatures that can even survive bites of venomous snakes.

Meerkat

Suricata suricatta is a tiny mammal and part of the mongoose family. A group of meerkats is called a "mob" or "gang". Meerkat is a loan word from Afrikaans. The name came from Dutch but by misidentification. In Dutch meerkat (as Meerkatze in German) means guenon, a monkey of the Cercopithecus genus which possibly derives from Sanskrit markata (monkey). The traders of the Dutch East India Company were likely familiar with such animals, but the Dutch settlers attached the name to the wrong animal at the Cape. In Dutch the name for the suricate is stokstêrtje ("little stick-tail"). According to African popular belief, the meerkat is also known as the sun angel, as it protects villages from the moon devil or the werewolf which is believed to attack stray cattle or lone tribesmen. They are fascinating to watch and you could easily do so for hours. These little rascals are also the stars of the highly acclaimed Animal Planet program Meerkat Manor. Tours are available to see them at sunrise from Oudtshoorn, South Africa.

Pangolin
Pangolins have large scales on their skin and their name is derived from the Malay word pengguling ("something that rolls up"). The physical appearance of pangolins is marked by large, hardened, plate-like scales. The scales, which are soft on newborn pangolins but harden as the animal matures, are made of keratin, the same material of which human fingernails are made. It can curl up into a ball when threatened, with its overlapping scales acting as armour. The scales are razor-sharp, and provide extra defense for this reason. The front claws are so long that they are unsuited for walking, and so the animal walks in a hunched-over manner on its hind legs, balanced by its large tail. The pangolin can also emit a noxious smelling acid from glands near the anus, similar to the spray of a skunk. Pangolins have short legs, with sharp claws which they use for burrowing.

Rhinoceros
Africa has two species of rhino—Ceratotherium simum, the white rhino, and Diceros bicornis, the black rhino. They are among the rarest of all large African mammals. The most common subspecies is the southern white rhino, with an estimated wild population of over 20,000. The northern white, on the other hand, is all but extinct, with no known wild specimens and only two, both female, known in captivity (the last known male died in 2018). The black rhino has three surviving subspecies, with a combined wild population approaching 5,000. Hunted to near-extinction in the 1970s and 1980s, herds have been reintroduced into select parks around the continent and are now slowly growing again.

There is no difference in colour between the "Whites" and the "Blacks". The White Rhino differs from the Black Rhinoceros because of the shape of its mouth – it is wide, for cropping large swaths of grass. According to one theory, the term "White" actually comes from the Afrikaans word "weit", meaning 'wide'.

Calves can stand immediately after birth, but they are very slow at walking. After one month they can follow their mother grazing and stay close to their mother for up to three years.

Warthog

Phacochoerus aethiopicus are medium sized mammals with a mixed diet. Warthog babies are born at the beginning of the rainy season (December-January) and live for the first 6-7 weeks in their burrow and then start to follow their mothers. Note their interesting habit of bending their front legs to graze!

Zebra
Africa features three species of zebra.

The plains zebra (Equus quagga) is common in national parks throughout eastern and southern Africa and easily recognized due to its striking white and black stripes. It is divided into seven subspecies, of which six still exist (the quagga, E. q. quagga, was hunted to extinction in the late 19th century). Burchell's zebra is one of the more common subspecies, with gray "shadow" stripes, while the rarer Crawshay's zebra (found in Zambia's South Luangwa) lack these. The mountain zebra (E. zebra), a separate endangered species, is found in the dry and hilly regions of southern Africa, notably the Mountain Zebra National Park. The third and physically largest species, Grévy's zebra (E. grevyi), found only in small parts of Kenya and Ethiopia, is even more endangered than the mountain zebra and is strongly protected in both countries.

Some national parks in Kenya and Tanzania support groups of thousands of zebras. The mare leaves the herd to give birth to the foal and rejoins after birth.

Crocodiles

Africa has six species of crocodile. All live along rivers and are successful hunters

The Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is the largest, most aggressive, and most widely distributed of these. It ranges throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa, and is also found along the west coast of Madagascar. They control their body temperature by lying in the sun to warm up in winter or to cool down in water in the hot summer. Modern DNA testing has found that it is more closely related to crocodilians of the Americas than to the other African species.

The West African crocodile (C. suchus) was believed to be a subspecies of the Nile crocodile until being reclassified as a separate species in the 21st century. While not quite as large or aggressive as its Nile cousin, it is still a formidable predator. It ranges widely through Central and West Africa, and some populations even survive in the Sahel and Sahara, staying dormant in caves and burrows during the driest periods and emerging with the rains.

The West African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) is a critically endangered medium-sized crocodile found in that region. It feeds mainly on fish and small invertebrates.

The Central African slender-snouted crocodile (M. leptorhynchus) was believed to be the same species as its West African cousin until being confirmed in the 2010s as a separate species. It is also classified as critically endangered, and has much the same dietary preferences as the West African species.

The dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) is either the smallest, or among the smallest, species of crocodile, with the largest specimens being barely above 1.9 m (6.2 ft) in length. It ranges through West Africa. In the 2020s, one species has already been split from it, and many scientists believe that the current population is actually two separate species.

Osborn's dwarf crocodile (O. osborni), found in the Congo Basin, was split from O. tetraspis in the 2020s.

Leopard tortoise

Geochelone pardalis can be best spotted on tarred roads (they are virtually invisible in the high grass from a car). They like to drink water from tarred roads.

African Black Oystercatcher
Haematopus moquini can be found along the South African and Namibian coastline.

Blue Crane

Anthropooedes paradisea is the national bird of South Africa and also the symbol of the Zulu Royal House.

Found almost exclusively in South Africa (less than 100 still remain in Namibia), these birds are under threat with populations declining rapidly and less than 30,000 remaining in the wild.

Cape Sugarbird
Promerops cafer can be found in the Western Cape.

Carmine-chested bee-eater

Merops nubicoides is a bird that preys on insects such as bees and grasshoppers, easily recognized by its striking red chest and even more striking blue wings (only clearly visible in flight). It breeds in Zimbabwe and Transvaal, but can occasionally be seen in flocks of hundreds — a stunning sight.

Crowned Plover
Vanellus coronatus

Darter
Anhinga rufa can be spotted close to dams, when drying their feathers from a previous dive.

Fish eagle

Haliaeetus vocifer is a fish hunter and can be spotted along the Sabie river in South Africa.

Ground hornbill
Both living species of ground hornbill—not to be confused with just "hornbill"— make their homes in Africa. These ground-dwelling birds grow up to about a metre in height and weigh about 2-6 kg when fully grown. The southern ground hornbill is slightly larger than the Abyssinian ground hornbill, and has a less distinctive horn. Their ranges don't overlap much, so you can typically tell them apart based on location. Their plumage is generally black, with either red (males) or blue (females) colour on their throats. Both species are endangered and there are citizen-science tracking projects for enthusiastic travellers to help report about them.

Helmeted guineafowl

Numida meleagris can be spotted often in small groups along roads when they are picking insects or seeds.

Hornbill
24 species of hornbill are native to Africa. Hornbills are characterised by their long, frequently brightly-coloured, bills which curve down. These monogomous birds typically feed on fruit and small animals, with varying ranges – some prefer dense forests, whilst most prefer open woodlands and savanna or even semi-desert. Most species of hornbill in Africa are medium sized birds, typically around 40-80 cm in length.

Ostrich

The two existing species of ostrich—the common ostrich (Struthio camelus) and Somali ostrich (S. molybdophanes)—are the biggest birds on earth. They can grow up to two metres. They eat grass, berries and seeds and normally live in family groups. Males are coloured white and black, while females are of a brownish colour. The two species are distinguished mainly by the color of their neck and thighs—pink for the common ostrich, and greyish-blue for the Somali ostrich. They also differ in their habitat preferences; the Somali ostrich tends to feed by browsing in more thickly vegetated areas, while the common ostrich mainly grazes on open savanna. Ostrich eggs are the largest of any animal, weighing up to 1.4 kg/3.1 lb, but interestingly are the smallest of all bird eggs relative to the size of the adult.

Redbilled oxpecker

Buphagus erythrorhynchus give relief to grazing animals by removing ticks from the skin of Kudu, Impala and Steenbok.

Spottedbacked weaver

This is a very colourful yellow bird with characteristic hanging nests. Breeding colonies can often be seen along rivers and birds often visit camps for some scraps of food.

Saddlebilled stork

Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis is easy to spot because of its colourful appearance and its size. It spends winter in the KNP.

Penguins
Penguins are common around the Southern African coast, especially in the colder waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

A breeding colony can be found a stone's throw away from Cape Town at Boulder Beach

Whales
A good place for whale watching is in Cape Peninsula and Overberg, South Africa.

Seals
Seals can be found in many parts of Africa and often make themselves at home on the beach.

Umbrella thorn
Acacia tortillis is one of the best known trees from Africa. As its name suggests it is full of thorns and only specialist herbivores can eat its leaves without suffering from the thorn defence (see also Giraffe).

Paperbark Thorn
Acacia sieberiana is common throughout Southern Africa and is often the tree used to give photographs that African feeling since the umbrealla it forms is generally very well defined.

King Protea
Protea cynaroides

The National flower of South Africa.

Aloe
Aloe is common throughout Southern Africa.

Weeping boer-bean

Schotia brachypetala is a tree that prefers wet ground and is commonly found on river banks and flowers only after years of good rainfall. Beautiful red flowers appear in September to October.

Welwitschia

One of the world's most unique plants, Welwitschia mirabilis is (depending on the authority) the only living member of either its family or its order. To put this into perspective, the order Artiodactyla, which includes antelope, bison, buffalo, camels, cattle, deer, giraffes, goats, goat-antelopes, hippos, pigs, and whales (not a complete list), has over 20 families and nearly 350 existing species. Welwitschia are endemic to the northern half of the Namib Desert along the coast of southern Angola and northern Namibia. After germination, two leaves develop at the edge of a woody crown. While the crown grows to no more than 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in height (as in the example pictured at right), the outside edges of the leaves split over time and can spread over a circumference as great as 8 m (26 ft). The species has separate male and female plants, with insects as the pollinators. Welwitschia are thought to be among the longest-lived plants, with some possibly being more than 2,000 years old. While not immediately threatened, it is vulnerable to overgrazing, disease, and damage from off-road vehicles. Populations in Angola are better protected because land mines laid during that country's past civil war have kept collectors away.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: African wildlife


text:
African national parks

Many of these parks are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They can be visited for safaris, to see the African flora and fauna.

Botswana

 * - in the heart of the Okavango Delta
 * - in the heart of the Okavango Delta
 * - in the heart of the Okavango Delta
 * - in the heart of the Okavango Delta

Eswatini

 * - known for its rhinos

Ethiopia

 * — stunning mountain scenery and important wildlife populations in Ethiopia
 * — stunning mountain scenery and important wildlife populations in Ethiopia
 * — stunning mountain scenery and important wildlife populations in Ethiopia
 * — stunning mountain scenery and important wildlife populations in Ethiopia
 * — stunning mountain scenery and important wildlife populations in Ethiopia
 * — stunning mountain scenery and important wildlife populations in Ethiopia
 * — stunning mountain scenery and important wildlife populations in Ethiopia

Lesotho

 * — remote mountain reserve great for hiking with rare wildlife, impressive waterfalls, and ancient rock paintings and stone shelters
 * — the largest national park in Lesotho: rugged wilderness at a high altitude

Malawi

 * — famous for its incredibly high level of diversity in fish species
 * — large highland national park in Malawi
 * — large highland national park in Malawi
 * — large highland national park in Malawi
 * — large highland national park in Malawi

Namibia

 * - including the Fish River Canyon Park
 * — Composed by ex "Caprivi Game Park" and ex "Mahango Game Reserve".
 * — Abundant wildlife in the "big white place"
 * — one of the world's largest canyons.
 * — Maybe the most remote of all Namibian national parks, known for its tourist-terrorising elephants
 * — contains the famous Sossusvlei valley and the world's highest dunes
 * — Another good place to watch wildlife.
 * — Another good place to watch wildlife.
 * — Another good place to watch wildlife.
 * — Another good place to watch wildlife.

Réunion

 * – Réunion's only national park protecting the island's volcano, mountainous landscapes, and a popular spot for hiking

Rwanda

 * — in Rwanda is full of impressive rainforest and volcanic scenery of the Virunga Mountains, and is perhaps the best place in the world to see rare mountain gorillas. Also crosses into Uganda where it is known as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
 * — in Rwanda is full of impressive rainforest and volcanic scenery of the Virunga Mountains, and is perhaps the best place in the world to see rare mountain gorillas. Also crosses into Uganda where it is known as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

South Africa

South African national parks are administrated by SANParks.

National parks administrated by KZNwildlife (selection):

Wild Card
A daily conservation fee is charged at all National Parks in South Africa, both for day visitors and visitors booking into accommodation in the parks. Should you plan an extended stay within the National Parks it may be cheaper to obtain a Wild Card. The Wild Card is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase and allows access to all SANParks, Cape Nature provincial parks (Western Cape), Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife provincial parks (KwaZulu-Natal), Msinsi private parks and some big game parks in Eswatini (Swaziland) without having to pay the daily conservation fee.

Tanzania

 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya
 * — huge national park in Tanzania, perhaps the archetypal African game park; becomes the Maasai Mara National Reserve over the border in Kenya

Uganda

 * — home of the almost mythical, otherworldly scenery of the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda
 * — home of the almost mythical, otherworldly scenery of the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda
 * — home of the almost mythical, otherworldly scenery of the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda
 * — home of the almost mythical, otherworldly scenery of the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda
 * — home of the almost mythical, otherworldly scenery of the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda

Zambia

 * — very accessible, with lechwe, zebra and buffalo
 * — largest national park of the country
 * — excellent for bird watching
 * — used to be the president's private game reserve, now pristine wilderness without mass tourism
 * — used to be very popular in the 1970s but has declined in the last decades
 * — one of Africa's great safari destinations
 * — one of the world's largest waterfalls
 * — used to be very popular in the 1970s but has declined in the last decades
 * — one of Africa's great safari destinations
 * — one of the world's largest waterfalls
 * — one of the world's largest waterfalls
 * — one of the world's largest waterfalls
 * — one of the world's largest waterfalls

Zimbabwe

. 99. Hwange National Park

Note: The National Parks in Dr Congo are generally not safe to visit. Same is said for Central African Republic and Niger.

title: African national parks


text:
Afrikaans phrasebook

Afrikaans is spoken throughout South Africa and Namibia. The language is mainly derived from Dutch but has been influenced by the Malay language. However, most Afrikaans speakers in the workplace have some knowledge of English and increasingly, those who have studied at a tertiary-level establishment are instructed in English.

Vowels

 * a : as in sun
 * e : as in met but sometimes as in meet or angel
 * ê : as in apple
 * ë : usually pronounced the same as 'e', but when it is accented due to grammar, such as in words like 'geëet' which means 'to have eaten', it can be pronounced three other ways: meet, fear or wet
 * i : as in bit
 * o : as in fort or mood or boy
 * ô : as in cauldron
 * u : as in u in hut with rounded lips
 * y : as in ay in say, which is the Dutch equivalent ij,
 * 'n : in 'a' as in 'a dog' or 'a song'. This is the article; it is never capitalised even if used at the start of a sentence: the word that follows is capitalised.

Note that Afrikaans pronunciation is extremely difficult and can be a challenge, even for Dutch speakers.

Consonants

 * b : as in bat
 * c : as in king (uncommon, usually proper nouns e.g. 'Coetzee'
 * d : as in dance but pronounced as English 't' at the end of words
 * f : as in fan
 * g : similarly to the 'ch' in bach, but a lot harder and more glottal - a bit like hawking up phlegm :-).
 * h : as in hat
 * j : as in yak
 * k : as in king
 * l : as in lamp
 * m : as in man
 * n : as in nap
 * p : as in pet
 * r : as in rant, but the sound is rolled
 * s : as in set
 * t : as in tale
 * v : same as the English 'f'
 * w : pronounced the same as the English 'v' as in vet
 * x : as in fix but extremely rare, usually found in scientific terms or loanwords.
 * z : as in blitz

In some loan words, 'g', 'v' and 'w' may be pronounced the same as their English equivalents, but this is uncommon.

Digraphs and trigraphs

 * aa : as in father
 * ae : two sounds, one after another, quite quickly. Starts as 'aa' and is quickly finished off with the Afrikaans 'a' as in dust
 * ch : can be pronounced in three ways: loch or shine or king
 * kk : as in cane
 * nn : as in man
 * sj : as in machine
 * ee : as in fear
 * eë : as in fear but pronounced as two separate sounds. Sounds almost like 'ee-ye'
 * ië : same as eë
 * ei : as is sale
 * eu : pronounced two ways: as in ear or as in mew
 * gh : same as English 'gh'. For example: ghost
 * ll : as in lamp
 * mm : as in mend
 * ie : pronounced either as long 'ee' like in breed or as 'i' in sick
 * kn : as in pick 'n pay
 * ng : as in sing
 * nk : as in think
 * oe : pronounced either as the long 'oo' as in loot or as a short 'oo' as in foot
 * oë : as in English doer
 * oo : same as German "ü", make your lips into the position of "o" but say "ee" instead.
 * ou : as in coat
 * rs : like farse, but the 'r' is rolled
 * tj : as in chunk
 * tj : combined with ie as in kid
 * ui : also a unique sound. Sounds like play but with pouted lips. The name shane is the closest English equivalent
 * uu : similar to German über but pronounced with more emphasis and much longer. Identical to the final 'yy' sound
 * aai : like the 'y' in shy, but a pronounced a lot longer.
 * eeu : A unique trigraph. The closest English equivalent is the English word ewe. Try blending the sounds 'ew' and 'oo'
 * oei : similar to phooey but pronounced with a rapid 'w' in it
 * ooi : similar to oil but pronounced with a rapid 'w' in it
 * uie : similar to player but pronounced much longer

Note on Afrikaans
Like English, double consonants in Afrikaans are pronounced as a single sound, and not two separate sounds, unless occurring at a syllabary break: 'wekker': 'vack-er' (alarm clock) but 'melkkoei': 'melk-koo-ee' (milking cow).

Note that although Afrikaans digraphs and trigraphs contain mostly vowels and sound as though they contain many syllables, they in fact are seen as a single syllable.

For example, the word 'Goeie' sounds as if it contains 3 syllables, but in fact contains only two: 'goei' and 'e' are the 2 syllables.

From this, you can see Afrikaans pronunciation, like English for a foreigner, can be rather irregular. Pronunciation can be hard and the accent is extremely difficult to master, but when spoken correctly, Afrikaans is the most melodic Germanic language.

However, one should not be daunted. Afrikaans grammar is really quite simple and is more similar to English than to any other Germanic language. Verbs are even simpler than English: there is no am or are or were but only is and was.

One who is learning Afrikaans will probably catch onto it rather quickly and will have no problem with speaking Dutch or understanding German.

Important differences between Dutch and Afrikaans
When new concepts are developed, the Dutch will often adapt the English word whereas the Afrikaaners will invent their own word. Thus the Afrikaans word will make sense to a Dutch-speaker even though the Dutch-speaker themselves would not use the word.

A rukkie in Afrikaans is a short period of time, not a sexual act performed on oneself. Common use examples are Ek gaan 'n rukkie slaap or Ek sal oor 'n rukkie daar wees

Certain words in Afrikaans are also derived from Malay and might therefore not be understood by Dutch speakers. Such words include "baklei ("fight" or in Dutch "vecht"), "piesang" ("banana" or in Dutch "banaan") and "baie" ("many" or in Dutch "veel"), though the word "veel" is also widely used in Afrikaans.

Basics

 * Hello. (formal) : Goeie dag. ("...")
 * Hello. (informal) : Hallo. ("...")
 * How are you? : Hoe gaan dit? ("...")
 * Fine, thank you. : Goed, dankie. ("...")
 * What is your name? : Wat is jou naam? ("...")
 * My name is ______. : My naam is ______. ("...")
 * Nice to meet you. : Aangename kennis. ("...")
 * Please. : Asseblief. ("...")
 * Thank you. : Dankie. ("...")
 * You're welcome. : Dis 'n plesier. ("...")
 * Yes. : Ja. ("...")
 * No. : Nee. ("...")
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : Verskoon my. ("...")
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : Verskoon my / Jammer. ("...")
 * I'm sorry. : Ek is jammer. ("...")
 * Goodbye : Totsiens. ("...")
 * Goodbye (informal) : Baai. ("...")
 * I can't speak Afrikaans [well]. : Ek kan nie [ goed ] Afrikaans praat nie. ("...")
 * Do you speak English? : Praat jy Engels? ("...")
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? : Is hier iemand wat Engels praat? ("...")
 * Help! : Help! ("...")
 * Look out! : Oppas! ("...")
 * Good morning. : Goeie môre. ("...")
 * Good evening. : Goeie naand. ("...")
 * Good night. (to sleep) : Goeie nag. ("...")
 * I don't understand. : Ek verstaan nie. ("...")
 * Where is the toilet? : Waar is die toilet? ("...")
 * I am wearing jeans. : Ek dra 'n denim-broek. ("...")

Problems

 * Leave me alone. : Laat my met rus./Los my uit. (...)
 * Don't touch me! : Moenie aan my vat nie!/Moenie aan my raak nie (...)
 * I'll call the police. : Ek sal die polisie roep/bel. (...)
 * Police! : Polisie! (POLI-see)
 * Stop! Thief! : Stop! Dief! (...)
 * I need your help. : Ek het u hulp nodig. Ek benodig u/jou hulp. (...)
 * It's an emergency. : Dit is 'n noodgeval. (...)
 * I'm lost. : Ek is verdwaald. (...)
 * I lost my bag. : Ek het my sak verloor. (...)
 * I lost my wallet. : Ek het my beursie verloor. (...)
 * I'm sick. : Ek is siek. (...)
 * I've been injured. : Ek is beseer. (...)
 * I need a doctor. : Ek het 'n dokter nodig. (...)
 * Can I use your phone? : Mag ek u(formal)/jou(informal) telefoon gebruik? (...)

Numbers
... ...
 * 1: een ("...")
 * 2: twee ("...")
 * 3: drie ("...")
 * 4: vier ("...")
 * 5: vyf ("...")
 * 6: ses ("...")
 * 7: sewe ("...")
 * 8: ag ("...") / agt ("...")
 * 9: nege ("...")
 * 10: tien ("...")
 * 11: elf ("...")
 * 12: twaalf ("...")
 * 13: dertien ("...")
 * 14: veertien ("...")
 * 15: vyftien ("...")
 * 16: sestien ("...")
 * 17: sewentien ("...")
 * 18: agtien ("...")
 * 19: negentien ("...")
 * 20: twintig ("...")
 * 21: een-en-twintig ("...")
 * 22: twee-en-twintig ("...")
 * 23: drie-en-twintig ("...")
 * 30: dertig ("...")
 * 40: veertig ("...")
 * 50: vyftig ("...")
 * 60: sestig ("...")
 * 70: sewentig ("...")
 * 80: tagtig ("...")
 * 90: neëntig / negentig ("...")
 * 100: eenhonderd ("...")
 * 200: tweehonderd ("...")
 * 300: driehonderd ("...")
 * 900: negehonderd ("...")
 * 1000: eenduisend ("...")
 * 2000: tweeduisend ("...")
 * 1,000,000: een miljoen ("...")
 * 1,000,000,000: een miljard ("...") Note the difference with American English numbers.
 * 1,000,000,000,000: een biljoen ("...")

Ordinal Numbers
... ...
 * 1: eerste ("...")
 * 2: tweede ("...")
 * 3: derde ("...")
 * 4: vierde ("...")
 * 5: vyfde ("...")
 * 6: sesde ("...")
 * 7: sewende ("...")
 * 8: agste ("...")
 * 9: negende ("...")
 * 10: tiende ("...")
 * 11: elfde ("...")
 * 20: twintigste ("...")
 * 100: honderdste ("...")
 * 101: honderd-en-eerste ("...")

Time

 * now: nou (know)
 * later: later (...)
 * before: voor (...)
 * morning: oggend (...)
 * afternoon: middag (...)
 * evening: aand (...)
 * night: nag (...)

Clock time

 * What time is it?: Hoe laat is dit?
 * one o'clock (when AM/PM are obvious): een uur
 * half past one (when AM/PM are obvious): half twee (half [an hour before] two [o'clock])
 * two o'clock (when AM/PM are obvious): twee uur
 * one o'clock AM: een uur in die oggend
 * two o'clock AM: twee uur in die oggend
 * noon: middag
 * at noon: om twaalf in die middag
 * one o'clock PM: een uur in die middag
 * two o'clock PM: twee uur in die middag
 * midnight: middernag
 * at midnight: om middernag

Duration

 * _____ minute(s): _____ minuut (...) / minute (...)
 * _____ hour(s): _____ uur (...) / ure (...)
 * _____ day(s): _____ dag (...) / dae (...)
 * _____ week(s): _____ week (...) / weke (...)
 * _____ month(s): _____ maand (...) / maande (...)
 * _____ year(s): _____ jaar (...) / jare (...)

Days

 * today : vandag (...)
 * yesterday : gister (...)
 * the day before yesterday : eergister (...)
 * tomorrow : môre (...)
 * the day after tomorrow : oormôre (...)
 * this week : die week (...)
 * last week : verlede week (...)
 * next week : volgende week (...)
 * Monday : Maandag ("...")
 * Tuesday : Dinsdag ("...")
 * Wednesday : Woensdag ("...")
 * Thursday : Donderdag ("...")
 * Friday : Vrydag ("...")
 * Saturday : Saterdag ("...")
 * Sunday : Sondag ("...")
 * Weekend : Naweek ("...")

Months

 * January : Januarie (YAN-ua-ree)
 * February : Februarie (VEE-brua-ree)
 * March : Maart ("...")
 * April : April (AH-pril)
 * May : Mei (May)
 * June : Junie (YOU-knee)
 * July : Julie (YOU-lee)
 * August : Augustus ("...")
 * September : September ("...")
 * October : Oktober ("...")
 * November : November ("...")
 * December : Desember ("...")

Writing time and date

 * Day : Dag ("...")
 * Week : Week ("...")
 * Month : Maand ("...")
 * Year : Jaar ("...")
 * Century : Eeu ("...")
 * Leap Year : Skrikkel-jaar ("...")

 * 1:00 PM : 13:00 / 13h00
 * 2:00 PM : 14:00 / 14h00
 * 3:00 PM : 15:00 / 15h00

 * 12:00 PM : 24:00 / 24h00 / 00:00 / 00h00

Colors

 * Red : Rooi ("...") (Intensive form: bloed-rooi, blood red)
 * Yellow : Geel ("...") (Intensive form: goud-geel ("..."))
 * Green : Groen ("...") (Intensive form: gras-groen ("..."), grass green)
 * Blue : Blou ("...") (Intensive form: hemel-blou ("..."), sky blue)
 * Black : Swart ("...") (Intensive form: pik-swart ("..."), pitch black)
 * White : Wit ("...") (Intensive form: spier-wit ("..."))
 * Purple : Pers ("...")
 * Orange : Oranje ("...")
 * Brown : Bruin ("...")
 * Grey : Grys ("...")
 * Pink : Pienk ("...") / Rooskleurig ("...")

Bus and train

 * How much is a ticket to _____? : Hoeveel kos 'n kaartjie na _____? (...)
 * One ticket to _____, please. : Een kaartjie na _____, asseblief. (...)
 * Where does this train/bus go? : Waarheen gaan hierdie trein/bus? (...)
 * Where is the train/bus to _____? : Waar is die trein/bus na _____? (...)
 * Does this train/bus stop in _____? : Stop die/hierdie trein/bus in _____? (...)
 * When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : Hoe laat vertrek die trein/bus na _____? (...)
 * When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : Hoe laat sal die trein/bus in _____ arriveer? (...)

Directions

 * How do I get to _____ ? : Hoe kom ek tot in _____ ? (...)
 * ...the train station? : ...die trein-stasie? (...)
 * ...the bus station? : ...die bus-stasie? (...)
 * ...the airport? : ...die lughawe? (...)
 * ...downtown? : ...middedorp? (...)
 * ...the youth hostel? : ...die jeug-hostel? (...)
 * ...the _____ hotel? : ...die _____ hotel? (...)
 * ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? : ...the Amerikaanse/Kanadese/Australiese/Britse konsulaat? (...)
 * Where are there a lot of... : Waar is daar baie... (...)
 * ...hotels? : ...hotelle? (...)
 * ...restaurants? : ...restaurante? (...)
 * ...bars? : ...kroeë ? (...)
 * ...sites to see? : ...besienswaardighede? (...)
 * Can you show me on the map? : Kan jy dit vir my op die kaart aandui? (...)
 * street : straat (...)
 * Turn left. : Draai links. (...)
 * Turn right. : Draai regs. (...)
 * left : links (...)
 * right : regs (...)
 * straight ahead : reguit vorentoe (...)
 * towards the _____ : in die rigting van _____ (...)
 * past the _____ : verby die _____ (...)
 * before the _____ : voor die _____ (...)
 * Watch for the _____. : Wees op die uitkyk vir die _____. (...)
 * intersection : kruising (...)
 * north : noord (...)
 * south : suid (...)
 * east : oos (...)
 * west : wes (...)
 * go uphill : gaan op teen die heuwel (...)
 * go downhill : gaan af teen die heuwel (...) / The road goes downhill : Die pad loop afdraand (...)
 * It is uphill : Dit is opdraande (...)
 * It is downhill : Dit is afdraande (...)

Taxi

 * Taxi! : Taxi! (...)
 * Take me to _____, please. : Vat my asseblief na _____ toe. (...)
 * How much does it cost to get to _____? : Hoeveel kos dit om na _____ toe te gaan? (...)
 * Take me there, please. : Vat my soontoe, asseblief. (...)

Lodging

 * Do you have any rooms available? : Het u enige kamers beskikbaar? (...)
 * How much is a room for one person/two people? : Hoeveel kos 'n kamer vir een/twee persone? (...)
 * Does the room come with bedsheets : Is daar lakens in die kamer? (...)
 * Does the room come with... : Het die kamer... (...)
 * ...a bathroom? : ...'n badkamer? (...)
 * ...a telephone? : ...'n telefoon? (...)
 * ...a TV? : ...'n TV? (...)
 * May I see the room first? : Mag ek die kamer eers sien? (...)
 * Do you have anything quieter : Het u enige iets stiller? (...)
 * Do you have anything... : Het u enige ... kamer? (...)
 * ...bigger? : ...groter... (...)
 * ...cleaner? : ...skoner (...)
 * ...cheaper? : ...goedkoper... (...)
 * OK, I'll take it. : Goed, ek sal dit neem/vat. (...)
 * I will stay for _____ night(s). : Ek sal ____ aand(e) bly. (...)
 * Can you suggest another hotel? : Kan u 'n ander hotel aanbeveel? (...)
 * Do you have a safe? : Het u 'n kluis? (...)
 * ...lockers? : ...sluitkas(te) (...)
 * Is breakfast/supper included? : Is ontbyt/aandete ingesluit? (...)
 * What time is breakfast/supper? : Hoe laat is ontbyt/aandete? (...)
 * Please clean my room. : Maak asseblief my kamer skoon. (...)
 * Can you wake me at _____? : Kan u my wakker maak teen _____? (...)
 * I want to check out. : Ek wil uitteken. (...)

Money

 * Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? : Aanvaar u Amerikaanse/Australiese/Kanadese dollars? (...)
 * Do you accept British pounds? : Aanvaar u Britse ponde? (...)
 * Do you accept credit cards? : Aanvaar u kredietkaarte? (...)
 * Can you change money for me? : Kan u geld wissel vir my? (...)
 * Where can I get money changed? : Waar kan ek geld verwissel? (...)
 * Can you change a traveler's cheque for me? : Kan u 'n resigerstjek wissel vir my? (...)
 * Where can I get a traveler's cheque changed? : Waar kan ek 'n reisigerstjek verwissel? (...)
 * What is the exchange rate? : Wat is die wisselkoers? (...)
 * Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? : Waar is 'n autobank/ATM? (...)

Eating

 * A table for one person/two people, please. : 'n Tafel vir een/twee person(e) asseblief. (...)
 * Can I look at the menu, please? : Mag ek 'n spyskaart sien, asseblief? (...)
 * Can I look in the kitchen? : Mag ek in die kombuis kyk? (...)
 * Is there a house specialty? : Is daar 'n huis-spesialiteit? (...)
 * Is there a local specialty? : Is daar 'n lokale spesialiteit? (...)
 * I'm a vegetarian. : Ek's/Ek is 'n vegetariër. (...)
 * I don't eat pork. : Ek eet nie varkvleis nie. (...)
 * I only eat kosher food. : Ek eet net/slegs kosher kos. (...)
 * Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) : Kan u dit asseblief olie-vry voorberei? (...)
 * fixed-price meal : Vaste prys ete / buffet-ete (...)
 * à la carte : à la carte (...)
 * breakfast : ontbyt (...)
 * lunch : middag-ete (...)
 * tea (meal) : tee (...)
 * supper : aandete (...)
 * I want _____. : Ek wil _____ hê. (...)
 * I want a dish containing _____. : Ek wil 'n gereg met _____ hê. (...)
 * chicken : hoender (...)
 * beef : beesvleis (...)
 * fish : vis (...)
 * ham : ham (...)
 * sausage : wors (...)
 * cheese : kaas (...)
 * eggs : eiers (...)
 * salad : slaai (...)
 * (fresh) vegetables : (vars) groente (...)
 * (fresh) fruit : (vars) vrugte (...)
 * bread : brood (...)
 * toast : roosterbrood (...)
 * noodles : noedels/pasta (...)
 * rice : rys (...)
 * beans : bone/boontjies (...)
 * May I have a glass of _____? : Mag ek 'n glas _____ kry? (...)
 * May I have a cup of _____? : Mag ek 'n koppie _____ kry? (...)
 * May I have a bottle of _____? : Mag ek 'n bottel _____ kry? (...)
 * coffee : koffie (...)
 * tea (drink) : tee (...)
 * juice : sap (...)
 * sparkling water : vonkelwater (...)
 * water : water (...)
 * beer : bier (...)
 * red/white wine : rooi/wit wyn (...)
 * May I have some _____? : Mag ek _____ kry? (...)
 * salt : sout (...)
 * black pepper : swart peper (...)
 * butter : botter (...)
 * Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server): Verskoon my? (...)
 * I'm finished. : Ek is klaar. (...)
 * It was delicious. : Dit was heerlik. (...)
 * Please clear the plates. : Kan u asseblief die tafel skoonmaak. (...)
 * The check, please. : Die rekening, asseblief. (...)

Bars

 * Do you serve alcohol? : Bedien u alkohol? (...)
 * Is there table service? : Is daar tafel-diens? (...)
 * A beer/two beers, please. : 'n Bier/twee biere, asseblief. (...)
 * A glass of red/white wine, please. : 'n Glas rooi/wit wyn, asseblief. (...)
 * A pint, please. : 'n Pint, asseblief. (...)
 * A bottle, please. : 'n Bottel, asseblief. (...)
 * _____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. : _____ ( ) en _____ ( ), asseblief. (...)
 * whiskey : whiskey (...)
 * vodka : wodka (...)
 * rum : rum (...)
 * water : water (...)
 * club soda : soda (...)
 * tonic water : tonic (...)
 * orange juice : lemoensap (...)
 * Coke (soda) : Coke (koeldrank)
 * Do you have any bar snacks? : Is daar enige versnaperinge / snoepgoed? (...)
 * One more, please. : Nog een, asseblief. (...)
 * Another round, please. : Nog 'n rondte, asseblief. (...)
 * When is closing time? : Hoe laat is toemaaktyd? (...)

Shopping

 * Do you have this in my size? : Het u dit in my mate/grootte? (...)
 * How much is this? : Hoeveel kos dit? (...)
 * That's too expensive. : Dit is te duur./Dis te duur (...)
 * Would you take _____? : Sal u _____ aanvaar? (...)
 * expensive : duur (...)
 * cheap : goedkoop (...)
 * I can't afford it. : Ek kan dit nie bekostig nie. (...)
 * I don't want it. : Ek wil dit nie hê nie. (...)
 * You're cheating me. : Jy kul/verneuk my. (...)
 * I'm not interested. : Ek stel nie belang nie. (..)
 * OK, I'll take it. : OK, ek sal dit vat./Reg, ek sal dit vat. (...)
 * Can I have a bag? : Kan ek 'n sakkie kry? (...)
 * Do you ship (overseas)? : Verskeep u (oorsee)? (...)
 * I need... : Ek het ... nodig (...)
 * ...toothpaste. : ...tandepaste. (...)
 * ...a toothbrush. : ...'n tandeborsel. (...)
 * ...tampons. : ...tampons. (...)
 * ...soap. : ...seep. (...)
 * ...shampoo. : ...shampoe. (...)
 * ...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) : ...pyntablet (...)
 * ...cold medicine. : ...verkoue-medisyne. (...)
 * ...stomach medicine. : ...maagmedisyne. (...)
 * ...a razor. : ...'n skeermes. (...)
 * ...an umbrella. : ...'n sambreel. (...)
 * ...sunblock lotion. : ...sonbrand-olie. (...)
 * ...a postcard. : ...'n poskaart. (...)
 * ...postage stamps. : ...seëls. (...)
 * ...batteries. : ...batterye. (...)
 * ...writing paper. : ...skryfpapier. (...)
 * ...a pen. : ...'n pen. (...)
 * ...English-language books. : ...Engelse boeke./Boeke in Engels. (...)
 * ...English-language magazines. : ...Engelse tydskrifte. (...)
 * ...an English-language newspaper. : ...'n Engelse koerant. (...)
 * ...an Afrikaans-English dictionary. : ... 'n Afrikaans-Engelse woordeboek. (...)

Driving

 * I want to rent a car. : Ek wil 'n motor huur. (...)
 * Can I get insurance? : Kan ek assuransie kry? (...)
 * stop (on a street sign) : stop (op 'n straat teken)
 * one way : een-rigting (...)
 * yield : gee toe (...)
 * no parking : geen parkering (...)
 * speed limit : spoed-beperking (...)
 * gas (petrol) station : petrol-stasie/vul-stasie (...)

Authority

 * I haven't done anything wrong. : Ek het niks verkeerd gedoen nie. ("...")
 * It was a misunderstanding. : Dit was 'n misverstand. ("...")
 * Where are you taking me? : Waar heen vat jy my? ("...")
 * Am I under arrest? : Is ek onder arres? ("...")
 * I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. : Ek is 'n Amerikaanse/Australiaanse/Britse/Kanadese burger. ("...")
 * I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. : Ek wil met die Amerikaanse/Australiaanse/Britse/Kanadese ambassade praat. ("...")
 * I want to speak to a lawyer. : Ek wil met 'n prokureur praat. ("...")
 * Can I just pay a fine now? : Kan ek onmiddellik 'n boete betaal? ("...")

title: Afrikaans phrasebook


text:
Afton

Afton is a city in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. It lies nearly on the banks of the Saint Croix River, which forms the natural eastern border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Understand
Afton was originally settled in 1837 by a French-Canadian voyageur. In the following decades Afton would become the home for a large concentration of Swedes and Germans. Today, Afton serves as one of the last stops in Minnesota before a traveler plunges into the harsh beauty of the Wisconsin countryside. It is a lovely community with nearly 3,000 individuals living inside the city limits.

Get in
From the capital city of Saint Paul potential visitors can easily reach Afton by traveling nine miles east on Interstate 94 before heading south on Minnesota State Highway 95, which is also known as Saint Croix Trail. The town of Afton lies directly in the path of this road and is no more than three miles south of the Interstate 94 exit/entrance.

Get around
The downtown area of Afton is compact enough to be easily traversable on foot. Still, as there is next to nothing in the public transit department access to a car is, like most of the United States, somewhat of a necessity. The only other option is to perhaps strap-on some Lance Armstrong spandex, brush the dust off your bicycle and take to the road. You will not be alone.

Connect
The closest public library would be the Valley Branch Library which is located just north of Afton in neighboring Lakeland.

Stay safe
Afton is perhaps one of the safest and most benign communities that you will ever visit -with non-existent levels of violent crime and a warm and welcoming atmosphere that is exciting and refreshing. The most significant threat to public safety comes from the high level of deer that are native to the surrounding forests. It is not uncommon to have a nighttime drive interrupted by a shocking jolt of adrenaline due to these impish mammals suddenly appearing on the side of darkened road. Constant vigilance is strongly suggested during the night in order to avoid a costly accident.

title: Afton


text:
Afula

Afula is medium-sized town in the northern Israel. It is the largest city in the Jezreel Valley and the capital of that region.

Understand
Dating back at least since the 11th century, but possible several thousand more years. Afula remained a small village but became somewhat of a logistics node when the Jezreel Valley railway was inaugurated in 1904. The whole town was bought in 1925 by American Zionist Commonwealth as part of the Sursock Purchase, the largest Jewish land acquisition during Mandatory Palestine. About one hundred Arab families who had lived in the area either accepted compensation for their land and left voluntarily or were evicted. In the following decades Afula saw a large influx of Jewish immigrants and it has grown into a modern and well-developed town, however lacking in tourist sights.

By bus or taxi
You can use buses from Tel Aviv (825, 840), Haifa (300, 301), Jerusalem (953) and Tiberias (541, 840). From other cities in the valley (Migdal Ha'emek, Bet Shean, Nazareth) you can get to Afula by Superbus buses or by sherut (shared) taxis. Sherut taxis also available from Tel-Aviv, Haifa and Tiberias. Note that buses departing from Afula to bigger cities stops at 22:00.

From the West Bank
From Jenin (also applicable to Nablus and Ramallah): Take a shared taxi (sherut/serviis) or hitchhike to the border, and cross on foot. From the Israeli side of the border, taxis to Afula cost ₪40-50. Alternatively, you can take bus 52 from the roundabout after the border into Afula (₪7.40).

By train
There is a train every one hour from Haifa and from Beit She'an. Local buses are synced with train arrivals and departures. Notice that buses from Nazareth does not stop directly at the railway station.

By bus
Superbus operates 10 internal bus lines (2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 19, 20) inside Afula. Lines 10 and 11 have a nearly identical route except the section at city center and both have very high frequency of every 10 minutes combined. Line 20 is a special line to the market and it operated on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday only. The line's frequency is every 30 minutes. Line 19 has few stops in the city but it continues to the towns Marhavia and Sulam. The line's frequency is every 60 minutes. Line 6 is a special line to the cemetery and it has only 5 trips per day each direction.

Eat

 * Spoons - coffee shop. Located at the center of the city, Near Karmel Hotel.
 * Aroma Espresso Bar - There are two branches of this chain in Afula. One is at the center of the city by the end of Arlosoroff Boulevard (Near the city hall), the second is located inside the G-Ba'Emek open mall (on the road from Afula to Tiberias).More information about Aroma Esspreso Bar. Also inside G-Ba'Emek you will find branches of BBB Burgers Bar, Cafe Greg and other coffee shops and restaurants.
 * Spoons - coffee shop. Located at the center of the city, Near Karmel Hotel.
 * Aroma Espresso Bar - There are two branches of this chain in Afula. One is at the center of the city by the end of Arlosoroff Boulevard (Near the city hall), the second is located inside the G-Ba'Emek open mall (on the road from Afula to Tiberias).More information about Aroma Esspreso Bar. Also inside G-Ba'Emek you will find branches of BBB Burgers Bar, Cafe Greg and other coffee shops and restaurants.

Go next

 * Tel Megiddo is located nearby (10 minutes drive) in the Jezreel Valley.
 * Mount Tabor is a natural site and Christian holy place in the Lower Galilee.

title: Afula


text:
Afyonkarahisar

Afyonkarahisar or Afyon is a city in Central Anatolia 250 km southwest of Ankara, with a population in 2020 of 245,405. Its fortress or citadel perches on a black volcanic crag, an obvious defensive position. The area is dotted with similar volcanic plugs, and underground heat makes this a geothermal area, with many hotel spas. These and the collection of mosques around the foot of the citadel are the main reason to visit.

Understand
Afyon - kara - hisar literally means "opium black fortress". This is a large growing area for opium poppies - the open fields have been burned out to curb the illegal trade but production continues under tight control for medicinal opiates such as morphine.

Afyon produces fine marble, the Docimian Pavonazzetto variety being white with purple veins. The quarries are ugly places and the best place to admire the marble is in the many grand buildings it has gone to adorn, such as the Pantheon and St Peter's in Rome, and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

In 2004 the Turkish parliament decided it didn't like having a city called Opium (maybe too much confusion with YSL perfume?) and changed the name to Afyonkarahisar. "Afyon" is what it remains locally and on this page, but you might want to give it the full name when explaining your travel plans to border guards.

By bus
Buses from Istanbul run every hour or two, taking 7 hours via Gebze, Izmit, Adapazarı and Kütahya, for a fare in 2022 of 230 TL. Some continue to Antalya or Konya.

Buses from Ankara run every 30 min, taking 3 hr 30 min via Polatlı for a fare of 180 TL. Some continue to Izmir, another 5 hours.

Buses from Bursa run every two hours via İnegöl, Bozüyük, Eskişehir and Kütahya.

Bus lines on these routes are Metro Turizm, Flixbus and Pamukkale Turizm.

is the bus station just off the bypass 3 km northwest of town centre. It's modern and spacious with cafes and shops, and long-distance buses often take a rest stop here. Take a taxi or dolmuş to get downtown.

By train
Konya Mavi Tren runs daily from Konya at 19:00 to reach Afyon shortly after 23:00. It trundles on through the night via Uşak and Manisa to reach Izmir by 07:30. The eastbound train leaves Izmir towards 20:00 to reach Afyon at 04:30 and Konya at 08:30.

A regional train runs from Eskişehir at 17:45 via Kütahya to reach Afyon by 21:00; the return train leaves Afyon at 07:30. Two other trains down this line only run as far as Kütahya, and trains no longer continue from Afyon to Konya.

A YHT line under construction towards Izmir may one day bring high speed trains from Istanbul and Ankara. Don't hold your breath.

is the town railway station, an Art Deco structure of 1939 named for the minister of transportation of that era. It's 1 km northwest of the castle.

Şehir Garı (City Station) 1 km west off Atatürk Blv was the terminus of trains from Izmir until it closed in 2017. The area has been redeveloped for industry, so its Ottoman chalets have been swept away.

By road
From Istanbul follow O-7 east onto O-5 then O-22. Continue on D200 via İnegöl and Bozüyük, then D650 / D230 south past Kütahya.

From Ankara take E90 / D200 / D260 via Polatlı and Sivrihisar.

Get around
AFRAY is a city suburban railway under construction. There's no word on when it might open.

See

 * (Great Mosque) near the start of the castle ascent was completed in 1277. Its roof is supported by an array of 8 by 5 wooden pillars that were originally richly carved. It's one of five world heritage listed wooden mosques in Anatolia.
 * on Birlik Cd north of the castle was built in 1813.
 * on Kurtuluş Cd is centrepiece of a kulliye, a religious complex with a medrese (seminary), imaret (hospice) and hamam. It was built in 1472 and restored in 1795.
 * The Archaeological Museum at the foot of Kurtuluş Cd has closed down. It's not known what will become of its extensive collection.
 * was built in 1209, and is still used by light vehicles. Altıgöz means six eyes or arches. The setting is scrappy and not scenic.
 * means "old windmill", a wooden tower. You mostly come for the view, as it's not as tough a climb as the castle.
 * is a geothermal area 25 km north of town on D665. Lots more spa hotels here.
 * was built in 1209, and is still used by light vehicles. Altıgöz means six eyes or arches. The setting is scrappy and not scenic.
 * means "old windmill", a wooden tower. You mostly come for the view, as it's not as tough a climb as the castle.
 * is a geothermal area 25 km north of town on D665. Lots more spa hotels here.

Do

 * Football: Afyonspor play soccer in 2. Lig, Turkey's third tier. Their home ground Afyon Kocatepe Stadyumu (or Zafer Stadyumu, capacity 15,000) is 5 km northwest of town centre.
 * Lunapark amusement park 2 km northeast of town centre is in poor shape in 2022, with many broken rides.

Buy
Supermarkets are mostly in the residential areas northeast towards the railway station. The closest to the old town is Migros, corner of Kadınana Cd and Yeşil Yol Cd, open daily 09:00-22:00.

Eat
Cheap eating places cluster in the lanes radiating southwest from the roundabout on Birlik Cd.

Drink
Kızılay and other brands of mineral water are produced from sources around Afyon, but the tap water is safe to drink.

Many cafes and restaurants serve beer. A couple of free-standing bars remain closed in 2022.

Connect
Afyon and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Nov 2022, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Akşehir southeast was the home of the fictional Nasrettin Hoca, hero and sly wit of many folk tales.
 * Konya further southeast was the medieval Seljuk capital and main lodge of the Mevlevi "whirling dervishs".
 * Kütahya north makes decorative tiles, which adorn its mosques.
 * Uşak west has a collection of preserved Ottoman houses.

title: Afyonkarahisar


text:
Afytos

Afytos, also spelt Athytos or Afitos, is a city on the Kassandra peninsula in Greece.

Understand
Athytos (ancient: Aphytis) is known for its traditional architectural beauty and stunning sandy beaches. It is a picturesque and lively community that has kept all the characteristics of a rural seafront village and also offers excellent dining and entertainment options. Athytos is certainly one of the most beautiful villages in Kassandra peninsula. The village's beautiful stone houses with the distinctive architecture and the inscriptions and reliefs, are very interesting. Athytos is known for its rich cultural tradition. During the summer, you can attend numerous events such as music and dance performances, visual arts events, painting exhibitions and folkloric events.

History
Since about 3000 BCE people came and settled in the area where Afytos is now. The place was a natural fortress, which was a very important factor at the time. The crag would protect the city against any attacks from the sea. Also, the little lake that existed till 1963, and which was very close to the sea, would serve as a small bay, a natural harbor for the mooring of ships.

During the archaic and classical times, Afytos was a very prosperous city which minted its own currency bearing the head of its patron god, Ammon Zeus. This prosperity was mainly due to agriculture and viniculture.

Shipping must have played a great role in the financial situation of Afytos, taking into consideration the size of its harbor, which is to be found today in the seaside park with the pine trees.

In 1307–1309, the village was destroyed by Catalan invaders and the inhabitants settled, for a period of time, in their scattered farm houses. Afytos had been destroyed numerous times by the invaders of the times. The last catastrophe recorded was the one in 1821 during the Greek revolution against the Turkish oppression.

In 1995, the inhabitants of Aphytos, resisting the wide use of concrete in modern villages, and supporting the initiatives of the then president of the village, Vasili Pavli, pushed forward the idea of a traditional village by re-erecting the old stone houses, paving the streets, creating pavements, etc. So the old local porous stone quarries reopened and today every contemporary edifice is built with the local stone.

Get in
It is about a 1 hour drive without traffic from Thessaloniki on the A24. Afytos is also served by the KTEL bus from Thessaloniki on KTEL taking between 65-85 minutes with multiple daily departures. The fare is €8.70 as of October 2022.

Get around
The village is high above the beach and the path steep - you need a vehicle if you are not good on foot

See
Visit the Rock - the "Village Balcony" - and Koutsomylos - the "Village Acropolis" - to admire the fascinating view of the bay of Toroni, Sithonia and Kassandra.

title: Afytos


text:
Agadez

Agadez is a historic city of 110,000 inhabitants in the Aïr region of Northern Niger.

Understand
Founded in the 11th century, Agadez was an important stop for caravans crossing the Saharan Desert for centuries. Agadez was held by the Mali Empire during part of the 14th century, captured by the Songhai Empire in 1515, and controlled by Bornu in the 17th century. It remained a trade center until the late 19th century. During much of this time it was a center of Islamic learning and the seat of several sultanates before its capture by the French in 1900.

It is a center of Tuareg culture, and of unrest: there have been Tuareg rebellions in 1990-1995 and 2007-present. The Tuareg are renowned for their metal and leather workings. The region around Agadez is known for its spectacular desert and mountain scenery. It is also the center of one of the largest uranium mining regions on Earth.

The historic centre of Agadez was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013.

Climate
Agadez has a desert climate with temperatures exceeding 40 C during July and August. While the air has a relatively low humidity, extreme temperatures can easily lead to dehydration and fatigue.

By car
Agadez lies on the Trans-Sahara Highway, also known as the Algiers-Lagos Highway. The highway provides access north across the Sahara to Algiers and south to Nigeria with a terminus in Lagos. The Trans-Sahelian (or Dakar-N'Djamena) Highway, bisects the Trans-Saharan Highway about 600 km south of Agadez.

Due to the security situation, vehicles without a security escort are prohibited from leaving Agadez after 4:00PM.

By bus
There is bus service to Niamey.

See
The historic centre of the cityis divided into 11 quarters with irregular shapes. They contain numerous earthen dwellings and a well-preserved group of palatial and religious buildings including a 27 m high minaret made entirely of mud brick, the highest such structure in the world. The site is marked by ancestral cultural, commercial and handicraft traditions still practiced today and presents exceptional and sophisticated examples of earthen architecture

Do

 * Annual Salt Festival

Buy
Agadez Tuareg Cross - The markings and geometrical design of Tuareg crosses and Tuareg jewelry in general translates into protective symbolism. "God is the center of the universe, we are one with God" and "no matter where you go God and I shall always be with you and protect you" are common Saharan interpretations. Those of the Muslim faith believe that the arms of the cross will disperse all evil from the individual, thus keeping him out of harms way. Tuareg parents are known to give these exquisite silver crosses to their children when they are about to depart from home but they are worn by all as a form of good luck and protection. The silver crosses are uniquely shaped and are named after the town of Agadez from where they originate. The cross bears the jeweler's mark on its back. The beaded necklace contains four cylindrical decoratively embossed silver segments.

The Touareg crosses sold come in a number of designs. The Agadez cross is the most common, but many others are available. Each design is associated with a particular Touareg market town. Other examples include the Timia cross, the Iferouane cross and the unusual Ingal cross.

Leather and silver handicrafts are common.

Stay safe
See the warning on the Niger article.

Go next
There is not much around Agadez to visit.
 * Air and Ténéré Natural Reserve
 * Aïr mountains
 * Tuareg festival in Iferouane

title: Agadez


text:
Agadir

Agadir (Moroccan Arabic: أݣادير) is a city in the southern part of Morocco. Agadir is a tourist resort that is popular with European travelers and Moroccans alike. It has a beach with all the appropriate facilities for beach-tourism. The city is especially attractive, it is clean and orderly with very friendly locals.

Understand
Agadir is of interest primarily because of its location, as it is surrounded by the Anti Atlas, the Sahara Desert, many natural parks, and secluded beaches which are all easily accessible from Agadir.

By plane

Getting there: Official taxi costs 200 dirham plus 20 dirham per each bag. Cheaper taxis can be found just outside of the airport, with prices starting at 80-100 dirham (as of Jan 2018).

There are no direct buses from the airport, however a transit bus #37 can be caught at the main road junction just outside the airport, it goes to Inezgane for 7 dirham every 40 minutes or so. From there you'll need to catch another bus for 4 dirham or grand taxi to Agadir for another 7 dirham (as of Jan 2024).

The Alsa bus company launched the airport shuttle between the city center and the airport for 50 dirham one way, and or round-trip for 80 dirham per person, as of Jan 2024.

More international connections and ultra low-cost flights from Europe fly to the airport of Marrakesh. From there you can take an intercity bus to Agadir.

By train
There is no train connection with Agadir.

By bus

Between Essaouira and Agadir it is very easy to catch an intercity bus anywhere along the way. During the day there is one bus about every hour. While CTM and Supratours are not allowed to pick up additional passengers, local intercity buses do not have such a restriction. This is a great way to explore the coast including Taghazout between these two cities without issues. The regular price for the full distance is 50 dirham.

On foot
The touristy part of the city is small enough to be able to walk it.

By bus
There is a public bus service which is quite reliable. Fares are usually 3.50-5 dirham, directly paid to the driver, who will hand you a proper ticket. Keep the ticket until the end, there might be controls. Maps can be obtained from the Tourist Office which is along the Boulevard Mohammad V near the Miramar Hotel. Alternatively, also OpenStreetMap has the Agadir bus network available, so get yourself one of the mobile apps using OpenStreetMap, like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz.

By taxi
Most of the Agadir's petit taxi are quite legal and use the taximeter (you can ask the driver to do it without any problems).

If you go around the center though, they will ask you normally from 30 to 50 dirham (as of 2019). This is not legal, and you can refuse to pay anything but the price listed on the taximeter if it has been reset at the beginning of the trip.

By motorbike rental
Mopeds can be rented around Hotel Kenzi, but they are expensive, more than 100 dirham an hour.

Do
Agadir is primarily a resort and as such has a limited number of attractions
 * Football:
 * Football:
 * Football:
 * Football:
 * Football:
 * Football:

Buy
Agadir is maybe the city with the least charm to buy the typical Moroccan handcraft goods. All the souk is around a big square behind the Uniprix (Blvd. Hassan II with Ave. Sidi Mohammed). There is a concrete building called Marché centrale with many shops inside. Is possible to get in also from Ave. Prince Moulay Abdallah. All the goods are made outside the Agadir region, and it's difficult to find them at a good price. The good thing of buying in Agadir is that there are many fixed-price shops, which is good if you don't know how to haggle well. In fact, you may find that the cheap things you bought in Marrakech are not so cheap!

In the Uniprix shop it is possible to buy small typical pieces in maybe the least authentic shop in Morocco, but the prices are not so high and there is nobody pushing you to buy.

Eat
There are four main zones in which to eat in Agadir:
 * New Talbourjt: The cheapest restaurants are here. There are menus for 35 dirham. It's one of the cheapest zones in Morocco for tourists.
 * The beach: Next to the beach, there are many restaurants. You can find from international fast food to Indian food, good fish restaurants, etc. It's the most expensive and tourist zone.
 * Around the Uniprix: It's the mid-price zone. There are tourist restaurants and some restaurants for the local people.

If you're looking for a quick snack, keep an eye out for the pastry vendors who roam the beach carrying big plastic trays, selling sweet fried bread that are called "sfinj."

Beware, however, that these friendly hawkers will often approach you on the beach, strike up a conversation, and then thrust a pastry into your hand, whether you asked for one or not. Which, of course, you are then expected to pay for (1-2 dirham, not 5-10). If you don't want to buy, simply refuse the offer with a polite smile. They are delicious, though.

Drink
Agadir is prepared for European tourists, so you can find night clubs in the tourist zones, where you can find more tourists beside the usual locals looking for tourists.

Alcohol is found in all the tourist places and can also be purchased at the Uniprix and Atacadao supermarkets.

If you are looking just to talk and drink something during the evening, you can go to the nice and big cafes that are at ave. Hassan II, like La Fontaine, La Veranda, Le Dome, etc. It's a real ritual for many Agadir citizens.

Sleep
The main budget accommodation area is in the Nouveau Tablorjt. A simple double room will set you back around 150–180 dirham although you might find a really basic hotel with crappy toilets for 80 dirham. Arrive early as hotels tend to fill up quickly in high season.

Hostels you can find in Tamraght and Taghazout, 15km from Agadir.

Go next

 * About 40 km south from Agadir, there is the Souss-Massa river national park. 1½ hr along the same road is Tiznit. Another half an hour later Mirleft and after yet another 30 minutes one is in Sidi Ifni.
 * At about 80 km east from Agadir, there is the city of Taroudannt, which is worth the visit if you don't plan to visit Marrakech or other big historical cities.
 * The coast northern to Agadir has very nice and accessible beaches, like Taghazout which is 15 km away. You can get to these towns by bus #60 and bus #12 that leave from the center of Agadir. Bus #32 runs every 20 minutes or so north on Boulevard Mohammend V, 12 dirham.
 * Imouzzer with its famous cascades is located about 60 km northeast of Agadir, although the trip through the mountains will take longer than the distance suggests.

title: Agadir


text:
Hagåtña

Hagåtña (pronounced huh-GAHT-nya) is the capital of Guam. It is the island's second smallest village in both area and population. Hagåtña is the seat of local government and one of the island's major commercial districts. It has a population of only 1,100, but the surrounding metropolitan area is much larger.

Understand
Formerly known as Agana in English, Hagåtña (also spelled as Hagatna on various publications) is now known by its original name in the native Chamorro language, which was restored in 1998. It is speculated that Hagåtña roughly translates as "related to Agat" or "more/better Agat," Agat being a southern Guamanian village where the founders of Hagåtña are thought to have migrated from.

From the 18th through mid-20th century, it was Guam's population center; but following heavy bombardment during World War II, much of the village was destroyed and a majority of Hagåtna's population permanently relocated to neighboring villages. It was rebuilt to include large government and office buildings, and storefronts.

By plane
The main airline serving Guam is United Airlines, which offers non-stop service to Honolulu and Tokyo with onward connections from either airport to Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington-Dulles. It also offers non-stop flights from Guam to most major cities in Japan, Hong Kong, Palau, Manila and Cebu City in the Philippines, and many of the Federated States of Micronesia.

All other service to Guam is through East Asia on Delta Air Lines, and JAL (both serving Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya), Jeju Air (Seoul), Jin Air (Seoul), Korean Air (Seoul and Osaka), ANA (Osaka), China Airlines (Taipei), Eva Air (Taipei) and Philippine Airlines (Manila).

title: Hagåtña


text:
Agartala

Agartala is the capital city of Tripura, and is the second-largest city in North-Eastern India after Guwahati. It is on the banks of the Haora River, near the Bangladesh border, about 90 km (55 mi) east of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka. Agartala is being developed under the Smart Cities Mission, a flagship scheme of the Government of India, the third international internet gateway after Mumbai and Chennai.

Understand
Agartala is a city of 400,000 people (2011) on a plain along the Haora River, although the city also extends to the low-lying hills on its northern parts.

Climate
Agartala has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate just short of being hot enough to qualify as a borderline tropical savanna/tropical monsoon climate. Large amounts of rain fall all year except during the dry "winter" or "cool" season. The city experiences long, hot and wet summers, lasting from April to October. Average temperatures are around 28 °C or 82.4 °F, fluctuating with rainfall. There is a short, mild winter from mid-November to early March, with mostly dry conditions and average temperatures around 18 °C (64 °F). The best time to visit is from September to February. Summers are long and extremely hot with much sunlight and warm days. Rain is very common in this season, and the city can be found flooded. The Haora River flows through the city and remains flooded with water during the time of monsoon.

Get in
You can get in to Agartala by plane, train and bus.

If coming via road from Bangladesh, the nearby Akhaura Land Port accepts eVisas. The Cumilla Land Port, further south, does not (July 2023). Exit of Bangladesh incurs a "Travel Tax" of 1000 taka.

By plane

To get into the city from the airport, there are infrequent buses, or you can take an auto (tuktuk). There's a counter outside at the pickup and dropoff area where you can buy a ticket for your auto journey at a guaranteed zone-based price, ranging from about ₹200-400 depending on the destination.

By train

Agartala lies on the Sabroom-Lumding line, with daily trains south, to/from Sabroom, and north, as far as Silchar. Trains to/from further destinations occur less frequently, on alternate days, or even weekly.

The new Tripura Sundari Express links Delhi with Agartala once every week via Guwahati.

is just over 5 km south of the city centre. Some regional trains also stop at, which is closer to the city.

By bus
Agartala can be reached directly by bus from Guwahati, Shillong and Silchar. The Akhaura check post also connects Agartala to Dhaka. This route extends to Kolkata in West Bengal.

By sumo
There's intermittent sumo service (shared SUV) direct from Aizawl in Mizoram, but it only runs when enough passengers have booked seats in advance, which doesn't happen every day. As of May 2023, the cost is ₹1300 per person (or you can "reserve" the whole car for ₹13,000). If starting from Aizawl, inquire at the sumo counter inside a convenience store just uphill from Temple Square. The ride is notoriously long and bumpy.

Get around
Public transport like buses along with cabs and taxis can be used to commute around the city.

Pedal Rickshaws are the principal mode of travel within the city limits. The fare may range from ₹5-25.

The battery-operated rickshaws which are locally called tomtom are very popular because they have the cheapest fares. Some cycle rickshaws have been converted to a battery-operated rickshaw. The drivers are genuine rickshaw drivers from backward classes.

Auto rickshaws plying on fixed routes are also available. Designated stops are at Motorstand, Nagarjala, Abhaynagar, Old RMS, etc. All you need to do to catch an "auto" (locally known as "Tempu" or "auto") is to stand on the route and be watchful. Auto rickshaws have an authorized sitting capacity of 3 persons, and passengers are comfortable squeezing in by little adjustment. Auto-rickshaws are available for travel to the airport also.

Government city buses ply throughout the city and its sub-urban areas. The fare ranges from ₹5 to ₹10, but the frequency is low. They ply on 7 routes covering the whole city.

For a day trip to Kamalasagar, Sipahijala, Udaipur, Neermahal etc. a cab can be hired from Battala syndicate.

Buy
Cane and bamboo artwork is available.

Eat
Indian, Chinese, Continental food is available in any good restaurant in Agartala.And the local food of tiprasa people like gudok, chakhwi, wak (pork) mosdeng are very tasty and appreciated by the non-tribals and tourists. Prices are low compared to Indian metros and comparable in quality. Excellent street food available and the main street is a hub of activity during the evening where you can get anything from chai to particularly good popcorn.
 * Sherwoli Sweets: It is near ujjayanto palace. Mini Thali is awesome here.
 * Sherwoli Sweets: It is near ujjayanto palace. Mini Thali is awesome here.

Drink
Agartala is teeming with liquor shops where cheap brands are easily available. It is not permissible to drink openly on the roads or in public places.

Sleep
As Agartala is still a growing city, you will not find grand old hotels as in other cities, but there are many good hotels.

Go next

 * Domboor Lake and Raima valley — Domboor Lake has 48 islands surrounded by green forests and vegetation. Water sports are an attraction for travellers and for bird watchers. Raima valley is a scenic area with several decorative gardens
 * Gondacherra Wildlife Sanctuary — Forested area for various species of primates, tiger, etc. Surrounding bodies of water provide home to several species of birds and seasonal migratory birds
 * Jampui Hills — Sparsely populated area; once a site of orange plantations, now provides a leisurely and peaceful atmosphere of scenic views for travellers
 * Matabari — is the site for the extremely revered Tripureswari Mandir and festival
 * Melaghar — a small town approx. 50 km from Agartala, hosts several festivals during the year and is home to Neermahal (one of the few water palaces in India)
 * Pilak — an archaeological site where Buddhist and Hindu artifacts have been discovered
 * Sipahijala Wildlife Sanctuary — is a woodland area with an artificial lake and contains natural botanical and zoological gardens. There are enclosures for a wide variety of animals
 * Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary — has areas of virgin forest containing some rare vegetation. Indian Bison is an attraction as well as species of birds, deer, langur, reptiles and other animals
 * Unakoti — an historic and ancient Shaivite (Hindu sect) place of pilgrimage where one can view the many rock carvings and murals in an area of mountains and waterfalls. This place is awesome, but beware of the travel from Agartala to Unakoti. The roads are in very bad condition and taking a train from Agartala to Kumarghat and from there shared rickshaws for about ₹80-100 will take you to Unakoti. It is on the way from Kumarghat to Dharmanagar. This place is totally worth the fun

title: Agartala


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Agawam

Agawam is a town in the Hampden County part of the Pioneer Valley region of Massachusetts. It includes the village of Feeding Hills.

Get in
By car

U.S. Route 5 runs along the eastern border of Agawam along the Connecticut River. It connects to Suffield, Connecticut in the south and West Springfield in the north. State Route 57 is the major east/west route through the city.

title: Agawam


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Agdam

Agdam is a city in Southern Azerbaijan. It was abandoned during the first Nagorno-Karabakh war in the 1990s and long remained a ghost town. In the 2020s, Azerbaijan undertook an ambitious project to rebuild and resettle the city.

Understand
Agdam was completely deserted and left in ruins in the 1990s when Azeris lost the city to Armenian forces during the war which saw the Azeri loss of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan regained control in 2020 and undertook the city's redevelopment, aiming to completely rebuild the city by 2050.

Get around
Try to locate the minarets of the Agdam Mosque and walk towards them. Climb to the top of a minaret in order to better orient yourself.

See
The Agdam Mosque was one of the few buildings not destroyed during the siege. The bottom floors are inhabited by cattle, but you can escape the stench by climbing a terrifying flight of stairs to the top of one of the minarets. From the top of the minaret you will have an opportunity to see most of the abandoned city.

An old mural on the side of a building a few hundred meters from the mosque is a reminder of the city's once vibrant past. Difficult to find, but don't miss it.

title: Agdam


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Ageo

Ageo (上尾) is a city in Saitama.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site.

Get in
Ageo Station is on the East Japan Railway Company's Takasaki Line.

Buy
Maruhiro Ageo1st Fl., Maruhiro Dept. Store Ageo-ten, 1-1 Miyamoto-cho tel. +81-48-777-1181 Maruhiro website

Go next

 * Saitama
 * Okegawa
 * Ina
 * Hasuda
 * Kawajima
 * Kawagoe
 * Yoshimi
 * Shobu
 * Konosu

title: Ageo


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Aggressive dogs

''Wikivoyage articles have a stay safe section with location specific advice. This article contains general information relevant to many destinations.''

Understand

Aggressive (stray) dogs are a common problem when travelling in places such as Asia, South America and some Eastern European countries like Romania, Albania, or Georgia (country) and, in Western Europe, Portugal. The dogs are often feral (and hence not used to taking commands from people) and may be running wild in packs, which can be extremely intimidating if you are confronted by one. The obvious precautions – travel in groups, avoid areas where the dogs are, don't go out at night when they are most active, and carry a walking stick if you must go – will reduce the risks but not eliminate them.

Guard dogs
Some guard dogs are aggressive, even to travellers who are merely passing by. While they could be restrained once the owners are alerted and understood that their dogs are causing a nuisance, some advice on feral dogs does apply. However, any actions that hurt guard dogs may lead to legal consequences, unless you are really attacked by them. Remember that these dogs are protecting their territory and trying to assess whether you are going to trespass or otherwise make trouble. If passing the yard they are defending, don't stare at them, don't do anything odd, but try to pass the yard as you would do if they weren't there and you knew where you are going.

If you need to go into territory a dog sees as theirs, the strategy is similar. First, if you think the dog may be dangerous, consider calling the owner by phone, or asking for help from a local. If you need to proceed on your own, and the dog is just big and alert on you, it might be viable to just walk forward in as normal a manner as you can, not staring at the dog. If it comes close you should acknowledge it, stop and let it check you out, still not staring and without sudden movements. You should still back off if it shows it doesn't like your approach.

Such dogs are rarely rabid, but it is possible. Consider being vaccinated against rabies before travelling to such areas. See individual articles here for region-specific information and consult a physician (preferably one with expertise in travel medicine) for advice on vaccinations before you travel.

Encounter

 * DO NOT RUN! – Although it may seem counter-intuitive when you suddenly see an angry, barking and snarling dog running towards you, the most important thing to do is not to turn and run. The dog's natural hunting instincts will kick in, and you are unlikely to outrun it.
 * Stay calm, don't make any sudden movements, and don't look the dog directly in the eye: dogs see this as a challenge and may react by becoming more aggressive.
 * Try to turn sideways on: this isn't necessarily a submissive gesture but is seen by the dog as less provocative. Also, if a dog does attack, this protects your throat and other sensitive areas.
 * Walking backwards away from the dog does also help – it is defending its territory, getting out of it seems reasonable.
 * Picking up a stone with the dog seeing it may helps as well: where locals do so, the dog will remember the last painful incidence of this type. If it does not help, throwing stones, dirt or sand at dogs that begin to approach you is often the last resort. For instance, in certain areas such as Iran, the locals' response on seeing dogs nearby is often to pick up a few stones to throw at them. The dogs will fairly often retreat if they just see you bending over for ammo.
 * Holding a stick, on the other hand, will often increase the aggressive behaviour of the dog. Likewise, they remember this as a painful experience, but they understand that they are in no danger to get hit unless they are close enough. This will make them come closer (than with stones) and remain aggressive instead of seeking shelter or hide somewhere where a stone cannot hit them.
 * If you are confronted by a dog when bicycling a good thing to do is to grab your bicycle water bottle and throw water at the dog. This causes the dog to back off. When dismounting away from the dog, your bicycle can be a useful barrier.
 * If you are confronted by a dog when motorcycling, approach it slowly to upset its timing, then speed up to leave it behind.

Protect
If you're unlucky enough to get attacked, there are a number of things you can do to minimize the damage.
 * If you have an object (bag, coat, umbrella, etc.), you can hold out in front of you, offer this to the dog as it attacks. Alternatively — if you have time — wrap some padding around your arm and use this. If the dog bites on this, keep hold of it: if you let go, the dog will realize that it's not part of you and go for something else.
 * If lawful in your destination, try using a pepper spray and spray it directly into the face. Repeat spraying until the dog goes away.
 * If you get bitten, don't yank yourself away from the dog; its teeth are designed to stop things being ripped out of its mouth, Also, the animal's instincts will be to bite harder.
 * If you have been bitten, clean the wound thoroughly with soap and water and see a doctor as soon as possible; in destinations where rabies is endemic, you need rabies vaccination as a matter of urgency. The incubation period varies from days to many months, so get that vaccination even if you couldn't get it immediately! When symptoms develop, there is no cure any more.

title: Aggressive dogs


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Agios Ioannis

Agios Ioannis, Mouresi, Kissos, Anilio, Papa Nero and Ntamouchari are in Northeast Pelion in Greece. Since these villages are close to each other, they are considered to be one travel destination.

Get in
There are frequently buses from Volos Interurban Bus Terminal ("Yperastiko KTEL") (KTEL Volou) to most of the villages in that area. Details on buses, can be found online here

Do
Swim on Ag. Ioannis, Papa Nero, Plaka, Ntamouchari beach

title: Agios Ioannis