If the idea of an African 'cultural experience' brings to mind superficial tribal dancing or local people forced into demeaning, stereotypical roles – then rest assured: this is absolutely not what we offer.

Looking through the website you'll find very few places where we write of traditional cultural experiences. That's because we simply do not send visitors to interact with local people who live in Africa's more fragile, original cultures unless we can be sure that it'll be beneficial to both our visitors and their hosts. Fortunately, there are a few places like this where you can meet individuals living traditional lives – and the meeting leaves you with a mutual understanding and respect.

Namibia heads our list of favourites. If you're interested in getting to know people of a radically different cultural background then by far the best experience that we know of is with the Bushmen of the Kalahari at Nhoma Camp near Tsumkwe. Getting to know these people takes time so spend at least three or four nights in this area. We've had several guests fall in love with the experience, even returning to spend several weeks with the villagers.

North-western Namibia is also an interesting area, with a lot of community development happening around the excellent Damaraland and Doro Nawas camps – while trips onto the Skeleton Coast Camp and to Serra Cafema include sensitively-arranged visits to local Himba villages.

In Botswana, visiting Bushmen communities with anything like the depth of experience that's found in Tsumkwe is surprisingly difficult. Mobile trips to the Tsodilo Hills can offer an interesting historical perspective on their culture and it's possible to meet San/Bushmen guides at Jacks and San camps and Deception Valley Lodge.

Visitors to Zambia should seek out Kawaza Village, beside South Luangwa National Park, for a very genuine glimpse into traditional Kunda life. This is a super experience that we can't recommend too highly. Meanwhile Songwe Village beside the Victoria Falls isn't quite in the same league but does give an opportunity for mixing with the villagers and seeing a side of Africa that many visitors miss.

In Tanzania there are several opportunities to interact with traditional Maasai communities, perhaps the best being a couple of the small, tented camps in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Loliondo area.

Zanzibar is full of different cultures, but accessing them on a short visit can be tricky. Chumbe Island has a great local flavour, and some of the day-trips (ask us about Ufufuma Forest) on the island can give great insights. Nearby Chole Mjini Lodge, on Mafia Island, is built beside a village, and closely integrated with it – for the benefit of both the villagers and the visitors.

For some of our favourite ideas - use the search box on the right. Better still, call our experts now on +44(0)20 8232 9777 and ask us!


Traditional Cultures in Africa | Traditional Cultures in Botswana | Traditional Cultures in Malawi | Traditional Cultures in Mozambique | Traditional Cultures in Namibia | Traditional Cultures in Tanzania | Traditional Cultures in Zambia | Traditional Cultures in Zanzibar


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