17 articles tagged with east africa
The chaotic symphony of Nairobi's streets might initially overwhelm your senses, but don't let that—or misconceptions about cost—keep you from exploring Kenya's fascinating capital. Having navigated my fair share of supposedly 'expensive' destinations on modest budgets (my insurance salary only...
The first time I set foot in Mbarara—Uganda's western commercial hub—I was struck by how this emerging city perfectly encapsulates the economic transition happening across East Africa. Nestled amid rolling hills with the misty silhouettes of distant mountains, Mbarara offers...
The light in southwestern Uganda has a quality I've never encountered elsewhere – golden and rich, yet somehow soft against the rolling emerald hills of Mbarara. After documenting monasteries across three continents, I found myself drawn to this lesser-traveled corner...
When my husband Arjun suggested we take our five-year-old daughter Nia to his colleague's homeland of Uganda, I was immediately intrigued by the photographic possibilities. Having spent years documenting our family's wellness journeys across continents, I was eager to shift...
As I stepped off the small aircraft onto Lamu's airstrip, the absence of motor vehicles announced itself not through silence, but through different rhythms—wooden dhows cutting through turquoise waters, the gentle clip-clop of donkey hooves on ancient pathways, and the...
The moment my feet touched Djiboutian soil, I knew I'd stumbled upon something extraordinary. Far from the well-worn tourist paths of East Africa, Djibouti City rises from the desert like a mirage—a fascinating blend of African, Arabic, and French influences...
When I tell folks I'm heading to Rwanda, they immediately ask about gorilla trekking. Don't get me wrong – those magnificent creatures are bucket-list worthy – but there's a whole different Rwanda waiting to be discovered in Butare (officially Huye)....
As I stepped off the bus in Butare (now officially Huye), the cool highland air carried hints of eucalyptus and wood smoke. This cultural heart of Rwanda immediately felt different from bustling Kigali—more relaxed, more academic, more connected to the...
The moment my motorcycle taxi crested the hill overlooking Ngozi, Burundi's second-largest city, I knew this wouldn't be like my previous culinary expeditions. No tourist infrastructure, no English menus, not even a proper guidebook entry—just pure, unadulterated Burundian food culture...
The rhythm of a city is best felt through its street food pulse. That's what I discovered when I landed in Dar es Salaam last month—not for a marathon this time, but for what turned into a different kind of...
When most travelers think of Nakuru, Kenya, the iconic images of pink flamingos dotting Lake Nakuru's alkaline shores immediately come to mind. But here's what three years of exploring East Africa has taught me—Kenya's water landscapes extend far beyond the...
The air in Mbarara hits differently than the crisp Canadian Rockies I grew up in or the bustling streets of Philadelphia where I now work shifts as an EMT. It's heavy with moisture, carrying the scent of red earth and...
The midday sun beats down on Hargeisa's dusty streets as money changers fan out their Somaliland shilling notes like playing cards on makeshift tables. This is not a scene from your typical business destination, but that's precisely what makes Hargeisa...
The first thing that hits you in Ali Sabieh isn't the heat – though at 95°F in December, it's certainly present – it's the rhythm. Not just the cadence of daily life unfolding in this second-largest city of Djibouti, but...
The morning light in Asmara hits differently – casting long shadows across Italian-designed facades that feel simultaneously out of place and perfectly at home in this corner of East Africa. My running shoes hit the pavement at dawn, each stride...
