Mention Africa to anyone and you're bound to get their own version of "Africa" that involves some combination of the following:
The Sahara desert spanning Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia, historical archives in Egypt and Mali, prime wildlife viewing to spot the "Big 5" in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania) and Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, South Africa), tracking gorillas and other primates in Central Africa (Uganda, Rwanda), dramatic landscapes and sand dunes along Namibia's coastline, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, opportunities to volunteer, study abroad, and cultural exchange programs.
Not to mention - other images of starvation, civil wars, and complex political systems.
With over 6,000 unique ethnic groups and languages, various climates ranging from arid deserts in the North, mangrove rainforests in the West, mountainous regions in the East, and wildlife-rich savannahs in the South, its no wonder trying to describe Africa in a few sentences seems impossible.
So we're writing articles and putting together photo essays to do Africa the justice it deserves.
Doing a self-drive safari comes with some risks...
The island is also home to Jonathan, one of the world's oldest tortoises aged 191.
It's the only one of the Seven Summits where you may see elephants.
You can absolutely go on safari without breaking the bank -- or opt for full-on luxury.
Guests aren't happy about missing an entire country on the now-shortened cruise.
Kruger is hardly the only amazing park in South Africa
It's about as "off the beaten path" as it gets
You could spend a month here, but if you only have a week, here's what to do