“I’ve traveled to more than 70 countries across five continents, but even that couldn’t prepare me for much of what I experienced in Africa.”
TikTok traveler and blogger Eli Solidum (@elisolidum), from the Philippines, tells MailOnline Travel about his amazing four-month trip through Africa, a trip that had plenty of challenges but also had ‘surreal’ and ‘otherworldly’ experiences.
The 28-year-old reveals the best country on the continent for first-timers, why the wildlife is a shock to the system and the common mistakes people make when planning a trip to Africa.
But first, what were the ‘tons’ of challenges he faced?
Eli traveled to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, RwandaZambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africaand revealed: ‘Logistically speaking, this might be the most difficult trip I’ve done. Just between infrequent and unreliable public transportation, lack of affordable accommodation options in certain parts, outdated and inaccurate maps, fewer online resources covering my destinations, I had to adapt a lot of it freestyle and quickly.
‘I didn’t come across many travelers to exchange advice and plans with. It was also mentally challenging being a foreigner because you stood out no matter what. It was impossible to keep a low profile and I just wasn’t used to the constant attention, even if most of it was out of harmless curiosity.’
The 29-year-old traveler explains that there is a ‘sweet spot’ when it comes to planning a trip in Africa. Eli says: ‘I didn’t have set in stone which countries I would visit, so spontaneous detours to Uganda and Rwanda required visas that I had to wait for.’
The wait meant Eli had to stay in Kenya ‘longer than planned’ and ‘adjust’ his visa in ‘a whole 10-day mess of walking around Nairobi to sort everything out’.
Eli Solidum spent four months traveling through Africa. He tells MailOnline about his odyssey and the best countries he visited. He is pictured above at Victoria Falls, which he describes as ‘awesome’
LEFT: Eli crashed a train between Tanzania and Zambia. He is depicted boarding the train in the former. RIGHT: He describes Soussusvlei in Namibia as ‘surreal’ and ‘otherworldly’
He reveals: ‘Even if you don’t like to plan your trips, which I very much don’t, I would recommend looking at the visa requirements for each country you may visit, to see what vaccines and medications are required or is recommended, from where the main transport hubs and airports are, and then go from there.’
But on the other hand, Eli warns it’s easy to make the common mistake of over-planning a trip to the mainland.
The traveler says: ‘If you plan too much and have strict bookings and flights for every leg of the trip, that plan will soon fall apart.
‘Things often move slowly here, like the three-day train ride from Dar-es-Salaam to Lusaka. I was about three days in when it broke less than half way to the destination. I later met some people in Lusaka who planned to take the same train and reach Dar-es-Salaam in time for a flight exactly three days later. I haven’t kept in touch with them, but I’m willing to bet they missed their flight.’
Then there are the buses. They usually make it easy to get from place to place, but there is always the danger of getting on the wrong one.
Eli explains: ‘East Africa had no shortage of buses or shared minibuses called matatus and it was easy to get from place to place. But bus stations were often chaotic or overwhelming and arriving as a foreigner with two backpacks strapped to either side of me usually meant being dragged everywhere by people trying to get me on their bus, which wasn’t always the case. the right bus.
“Things are bound to happen, and a simple domino fall can destroy your entire travel plan.”
Fortunately, there’s no planning needed to enjoy Africa’s spectacular wildlife, and Eli revealed that he was surprised by how ubiquitous it was.
LEFT: Eli says reaching the summit of Mount Kenya was ‘unforgettable’. RIGHT: He is pictured at the Makgadikgadi Pan salt flats in Botswana
Eli says he ‘had to stop for half an hour on the highway’ in Botswana ‘because a large herd of zebras (above) and elephants were taking turns to drink from a water hole on one side of the road’
Botswana (above) is where Eli had one of ‘the most peaceful experiences’ of his life – on a mokoro (a flat canoe)
He explains: ‘You don’t even have to go on safaris to see wildlife. I would ride my bike and have to stop to let a giraffe pass. I walk to lunch and a baboon rips open a trash can in front of me, while a warthog grabs the trash and runs away with it. I was driving in Botswana and we had to stop for half an hour on the highway because a large herd of zebras and elephants were taking turns drinking from a water hole on one side of the road. It was awesome, and never got old.’
Botswana is also where Eli had one of ‘the most peaceful experiences’ of his life, despite the appearance of a terrifying uninvited guest. He reveals: ‘Being on the mokoro (a flat, narrow type of canoe) gliding through the waters on the (Okavango Delta) in the morning light was one of the most peaceful experiences of my life. It was peaceful, the stillness of the water, the chirping of the birds, it just felt like a dream.
‘At the same time you are on this tiny, defenseless slab of wood in waters inhabited by countless manatees and elephants. We were charged by a hippo on the way back to our starting point, and those few seconds felt like an eternity. Luckily it was a bluff charge and it dropped back, but it was a massive jolt of adrenaline to contrast with how calm the morning had been so far. It really brought home the reality of how wild, untamed and untouched some of the places I visited still were.’
So, apart from Botswana, what are the bucket list places?
Eli recommends Sossusvlei in Namibia, a salt pan surrounded by desert dunes, which he describes as the ‘most surreal, otherworldly place I’ve visited’. Mount Kenya was also a highlight. Eli reveals: ‘Reaching the summit of Mount Kenya was unforgettable because it was such a challenge, fighting the altitude and starting our summit at two in the morning.’
He adds that Mosi-oa-Tunya, the Zambian National Park that is home to half of Victoria Falls, is ‘awesome’, living up to the hype and then some.
And don’t miss Uganda.
Eli explains: ‘It wasn’t even on my radar when I landed in Kenya, but I met so many Ugandans in Kenya and they were always smiling and laughing. I became curious and wanted to see why everyone in the country was so happy all the time. I only spent 10 days there, but I loved it.
‘It has a bit of everything. Gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, Murchison Falls, the source of the Nile River, crater lakes and the snowy Rwenzori Mountains, home to some of the highest peaks in Africa. It is one of the most luxurious countries I have ever been to and the people there were some of the friendliest and funniest. The nightlife scene is amazing and probably the best in East Africa.’
This aerial view shows the beautiful Botswana Okavango Delta, a place that Eli says ‘felt like a dream’
For the first time visitor to Africa, Eli recommends South Africa as the ‘best introduction’. He explains: ‘Cape Town and the Garden Route are a good place to find your footing, because they are a good mix of Western and African cultures. I found it a good introduction, like gently letting yourself into the mainland before diving into the more remote and culturally different regions.
‘If I hadn’t visited Cape Town five years ago, I think I would have had more trouble traveling the rest of the continent. It’s a great place to meet other travelers too, so you can get advice from them or even meet up with them along the way.’
Although Africa is not a well-trodden route on the backpacker circuit, it can have unexpected benefits. Eli reveals: ‘There weren’t too many backpackers traveling the continent when I was there. It would be nice sometimes because you would pay $10 (£7.88) for a shared accommodation in a hostel and have the whole room, sometimes even the whole hostel, to yourself.’
Eli loved Uganda, which he describes as ‘one of the most opulent countries I’ve been to’. Pictured above is the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, home to Uganda’s mountain gorillas
Eli noted that some of the “fancy hundreds of dollars a night” lodges offer campsites for a fraction of the price and that he would sometimes stay in a hotel or apartment when he needed a break after a great adventure. ‘ – but his budget was mostly $20 (£15.76) or less a night.
So what would Eli say to someone who is hesitant to visit Africa?
He says: ‘I think it’s good to have a bit of indecision and anxiety before you go. This is not your typical travel destination and there will be challenges. Backpacking Africa isn’t for everyone, but if adventure is what you’re after, there are few places in the world that can offer what Africa does.
‘Most travelers I’ve met have said the same thing. It is not easy, but it is an extremely rewarding experience and perhaps the most fulfilling journey I have ever taken. If you want to come away from your trip with countless stories and lifelong memories, then Africa will provide them in abundance. It’s unlike any trip I’ve taken before.’
