Most visitors come to Elmina to take a tour around St George's Castle. The castle was built by the Portuguese in 1482 making it the oldest European building still in existence in sub-Saharan Africa. During the trans-Atlantic slave trade, thousands of slaves were shipped from this site, trudging through the "door of no return". Visitors get a sobering peek into the dungeons and holding cells.

Fortunately, the incredibly lively and vibrant fishing port that surrounds the Castle provides a wonderful antidote to the depression you feel after the tour. I found Elmina to be one of the most fascinating towns I've ever visited, and can't wait to go back and spend some more time there. The beaches aren't too bad around these parts either!

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It may be winter in South Africa, but that's not stopping lots of festivities taking place this July. Durban hosts its annual film festival, Cape Town celebrates fashion, and Grahamstown celebrates the arts. Zanzibar will host East Africa's premier film festival, a week long event. You can enjoy music, arts, literature, film and more, from all over Africa and countries bordering the Indian ocean. Dhow races take place throughout the festival. July also marks the start of Ramadan this year, find out how this month of fasting and feasting may affect your travels in Africa.

Click here to find out all about: July Festivals and Events in Africa...

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A Nelson Mandela tour of South Africa will introduce the traveler to some of the highlights of the great man's life as well as some of the most interesting sights in South Africa. In honor of Nelson Mandela who is struggling with his health in hospital right now, I hope this will inspire you to take this journey -- in the footsteps of Madiba.

A Mandela tour would start along the Wild Coast of South Africa's Eastern Cape region, where he was born. The next stage would be a visit to Soweto, where Mandela lived as a young man. His home is now a museum. No Mandela tour would be complete of course without visiting Robben Island where he was held prisoner for 18 years. He has now retired back in his home on the Wild Coast, in the Eastern Cape, close to the village he was born in. See more details ...

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Casablanca is often the first port of call for travelers flying into Morocco. While most people move on to either Marrakech or Fes within hours of arrival, Morocco's largest port and busiest city is worth more than a mere glance through a taxi window. There's plenty of well preserved art-deco architecture to enjoy, a vibrant contemporary arts scene, and bustling outdoor markets. The Hassan II Mosque alone is an absolute "must see" for any visitor to Morocco. It took 6,000 traditional Moroccan artisans, five years to build this magnificent mosque, with its intricate mosaics, stone and marble floors and columns, sculpted plaster moldings, carved and painted wood ceilings. Non-Muslims have restricted access but if you take a tour you'll get to see a little more.

Find out what else there is to ...

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Palm trees covered in snow doesn't quite look right, but this is what Capetonians woke up to on Sunday. Not quite the image most people have when they think of a vacation in Africa. The penguins at Boulders beach must have been very excited! Of course local people had a lot of fun, some intrepid folks even managed to scrape together a snow man at the Cape of Good Hope.

So for those of you heading to South Africa and expecting a hot African sun - bring a fleece, it's winter time! Snow is really quite rare in Cape Town, but it is more common in Johannesburg and at higher elevations. It doesn't tend to stick on the ground too long though, and the only ski resort in South Africa closed down a few years ago as it just wasn't getting enough of the white stuff.

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Merzouga is a dusty little town located right on the edge of the magnificent Erg Chebbi dunes. You may recognize the dunes from desert scenes in films like SATC2 (2010), The Mummy (1999), and Sahara (2005). If you're in Morocco it's certainly worth spending at least a night in the desert. Ride a camel out to camp and enjoy some traditional Berber music under the brilliant starry night sky. There are lots of hotels to choose from in and around Merzouga, ranging from luxurious Kasbah's, to small Riad's with cool rooftops to sleep on. The best time to visit is during the cooler months from October to February. It's a great place to ring in the New Year if you are looking for something different to do. Read more about Merzouga, how to get there, what to do and where to stay by clicking -- ...

More About: Morocco's Top Attractions l Best Things to Do in Morocco l SATC2 in Morocc ...

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It's likely that you are familiar with the great annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra that make their way through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara. You may have heard of the great annual sardine run that takes place in May through July along South Africa's Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal coast. Literally billions of fish gang together for safety as they swim up the coast, eagerly chased by birds, sharks, seals and even penguins. But it's unlikely that you've heard about the parrotfish run. I had not heard about this fishy event until quite recently.

The parrotfish run takes place every year between June and August, just upstream from the Victoria Falls where the river marks the border between Zambia from Zimbabwe. With the long rains over, millions of fish from the ...

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The UN has recently urged more people to eat insects to combat hunger. I grew up eating flying ants in Malawi, but things change as you become an adult, and my affinity for insect eating abated. I did have the opportunity to taste Mopane worms a year ago. The fact that Mopane worms are not worms, but caterpillars (Empire moth larva to be exact), did not make them any more palatable. But I was somewhat game to try them because many rural people throughout Southern Africa eat them, they are healthy ... and I knew my children would appreciate the story.

The opportunity presented itself at the Boma Restaurant on the grounds of the lovely Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. I had bungee jumped first thing in the morning, enjoyed an elephant-back safari in the afternoon, and felt pretty confident going ...

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South Africa is an amazing destination for a family vacation. It's easy to get to with direct flights from several cities in Europe and the US. The roads are excellent, so renting a car in South Africa poses no problems, and gives you the flexibility you need when traveling with children. Malaria-free safaris offer a stress free experience for parents with children who are sensitive to medications Do your planning properly and your family will truly have the holiday of a lifetime.

There are plenty of options, from a simple trip to the beach or mountains, to once-in-a-lifetime thrill such as a hot air balloon ride or an elephant ride through the African bush. Here's a list of "Top 10 Activities for Children in South Africa", giving you a taste of some of the most exciting options ...

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If you happen to be on South Africa's eastern coast during the winter months (June - July), check out the Sardine Run. It takes place along South Africa's Wild Coast and is hailed as one of nature's most spectacular events. It's an underwater version of the great annual migration of wildebeest in East Africa. Every year millions of sardines spawn in the cool waters of the Agulhas Bank (south of South Africa) and move northward to the warmer waters, just along South Africa's east coast. It's not unusual for shoals to be 4 miles long and 1 mile wide, they are clearly visible from the surface of the ocean.

The sardines are followed eagerly by predators. Thousands of dolphins, sharks, sea birds and seals enjoy this fishy banquet. To protect themselves from this onslaught, sardines form into ...

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