Botswana The Okavango Swamp, also known as the Okavango Delta, is one of the world’s largest inland river deltas, and probably its most famous. Fed by the Okavango River, the delta is famously absorbed into the surrounding landscape, essentially ending in the middle of nowhere. This makes the area very fertile and supports an amazing variety of wildlife. The Okavango Swamp … [Read more...]
LAKE NAKURU
Kenya Lake Nakuru is the showpiece lake of the great Rift Valley that sprawls across East Africa. A relatively small body of water, at least compared many of the rift’s other lakes (especially nearby Lake Victoria), it is nevertheless one of the most picturesque and among the most visited. Abounding with wildlife year round, it is particularly famous for its giant population … [Read more...]
TABLE MOUNTAIN
South Africa (1,085 m) – Most Iconic Mountain in Southern Africa Table Mountain is a magnificent mesa-like mountain which looms over the South African city of Cape Town. Essentially a flat-topped outcrop of sandstone, Table Mountain is a solitary peak left behind by the erosion of the land around it. Located close to the southernmost tip of Africa, it is one of the best … [Read more...]
MOUNT MARGHERITA
Uganda/Congo (5,109 m) – Traditional Source of the Nile River Mount Margherita is is one of the great, ancient volcanic peaks that dot East Africa. Located close to Lake Edward, the snowmelt from the mountain and its neighbors was for many centuries thought to be the ultimate source of the Nile River, though it is actually just one of several. Mount Margherita is more … [Read more...]
MOUNT CAMEROON
Cameroon (4,040 m) – Most Active Volcano in West Africa Mount Cameroon is the most active volcano in West Africa, and one of the most prominent peaks southwest of the Sahara Desert. Located almost exactly at the crux of the angle near the coast where West Africa meets Central Africa, it is also one of the most important natural landmarks on the continent and was an important … [Read more...]
MOUNT KENYA
Kenya (5,199 m) – 2nd Tallest Mountain in Africa Mount Kenya is the second tallest mountain in Africa. Consisting of a central inactive volcano surrounded by a series of smaller volcanoes, Kenya has a very rugged system of peaks despite its height. The mountain is famous for its highly diverse regions, from small glaciers at the top to forest and cultivated land at the … [Read more...]
MOUNT KILIMANJARO
Tanzania/Kenya (5,895 m) – Tallest Mountain in Africa Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa. Independent of any mountain chain, Kilimanjaro is also the highest freestanding mountain on Earth. It consists of three volcanoes, one of which is dormant, while the others are extinct. The mountain’s name is of Swahili origin, but the exact meaning is uncertain. It … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF JADOTVILLE (JADOTVILLE BATTLEFIELD)
Likasi, East Congo (1961 AD) The Battle of Jadotville was, depending on how you look at it, one of the last battles of the Colonial era in Sub-Saharan Africa, or one of the first and most disastrous United Nations peace keeping missions in the area. Fought in the southeastern province of Katanga, one of the most isolated regions on the continent, it represented a briefly … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF MAFEKING (MAFEKING BATTLEFIELD)
Mafeking, South Africa (1899 AD) The Battle of Mafeking was one of the most decisive engagements of the Boer Wars in South Africa and one of the most famous battles to take place in the history of Sub-Saharan Africa. Fought between British colonial forces and the Dutch Boers, the battle, actually a siege that lasted more than seven months, the battle was pivotal in upending … [Read more...]
BATTLE OF OMDURMAN (OMDURMAN BATTLEFIELD)
Omdurman, Sudan (1898 AD) The Battle of Omdurman was one of the greatest victories of the British during the Colonial era, and in some ways may have been the high-water mark, militarily speaking, of the British Empire. It checked, at least for the time being, the greatest threat to the British in Africa, and helped to secure the Suez Canal zone as war began to loom amongst … [Read more...]
