From Mount Teide To Table Mountain

The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is a beautiful and scenic island which enjoys year-round sunshine and is dominated by Mount Teide. The mountain range runs through the centre of the island, with fertile valleys on the northern side. In the central part of the range is the gigantic natural crater of the Cañadas del Teide, about 14 miles in diameter. Santa Cruz, the island’s pretty capital, was originally a small fishing village but has now grown into a modern city, and also contains 16th-century civic buildings and ornate private mansions. Near the pier is the Santa Cruz Palmetum, a Botanical Garden covering an area of 29 acres, specialising in palms.

The Atlantic waves meet the coast at Dakar and the city itself seems to sway to their rhythm. There’s a lot going on in the colourful streets and the markets are filled with fragrances and sounds. Echoes of the past, the dark history of the slave island Ile de Goree, can still be felt here now. And yet hope is in the air: drums, lively street music, children’s laughter and the smiles on people’s faces tell the story of a new beginning. Dakar is a kaleidoscope of colour and emotion, a city that never stands still and is always alert, always in motion, full of life and energy.

Dakar, set at the tip of the Cape Vert peninsula, is West Africa’s westernmost point and the capital of French-speaking Senegal. Although it was not founded until 1857, it is West Africa’s oldest European city and one of the most westernised. The opening of the Dakar-St Louis railway in 1885 put the town on the map; it subsequently became a French naval base and in 1904, the capital of Afrique Occidentale Française. It bears the legacy of Africa’s French colonial past, especially so in the downtown Plateau area, where the architecture is redolent of southern France. Every inch a modern city, Dakar is a frenetic buzz of activity, which can be startling. Perhaps sample the popular mint tea and try your hand at bartering in the colourful craft markets for traditional embroidery, woodcarvings, metalwork and costume jewellery.

Where the Gambia River flows into the ocean, experience the vibrant life of the city in all its colours. Banjul’s Albert Market, a lively tapestry of exotic fruits and handicrafts is filled with the scents of the tropics. The palms that line the river whisper of colonial times, while Arch 22 proudly rises up into the sky. Everywhere you go, you will feel the rhythm of everyday life as drums ring through the air and the ocean glitters on the horizon. Banjul is lively, full of movement and a centrepiece of West Africa that never stands still.

The tiny city of Banjul is the capital of The Gambia, a country that itself is little more than the banks of the mighty river that shares its name. Situated on St Mary’s Island, where the River Gambia joins the Atlantic, Bathurst, as Banjul was previously called, was established by the British in the early nineteenth century as a naval outpost dedicated to putting a halt to the trade in human beings. In 1943, Franklin Roosevelt visited Banjul on his way to the Casablanca conference with Churchill, becoming the first serving American president to visit Africa. Today, Banjul plays host to a thriving tourist trade, thanks to its pleasant climate, and is the political centre for the oldest democracy in Africa.

Thick vegetation rising up towards the sky and palms bending over golden beaches – Sao Tome is an island full of contrasts and unspoilt nature. The region is part of a chain of volcanoes, with remarkable rock and coral formations as well as rainforests – and home to the Obo National Park, a jungle region with a wide variety of species. The island’s interior is enticing with clear streams and waterfalls amongst forests and mountains. Sao Tome is a place where you’ll feel the heart of Africa in all its beauty and tranquillity.

São Tomé seems to embody a kind of lush tropical paradise usually associated with the South Pacific. The atmosphere here is palpably luxury and it is an intoxicating blend of sunlight, sea, air and fantastically abundant vegetation. São Tomé and Príncipe is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about 87 miles (140 kilometres) apart and about 155 and 140 miles (250 and 225 kilometres), respectively, off the northwestern coast of Gabon. Both islands are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range. São Tomé, the sizable southern island, is situated just north of the equator. It was named in honour of Saint Thomas by Portuguese explorers who happened to arrive at the island on his feast day. São Toméan culture is a mixture of African and Portuguese influences. São Toméans are known for ússua and socopé rhythms, while Principe is home to the dêxa beat. Portuguese ballroom dancing may have played an integral part in the development of these rhythms and their associated dances. Tchiloli is a musical dance performance that tells a dramatic story. The danço-congo is similarly a combination of music, dance and theatre.

Life never stands still in the streets of Luanda: the rhythmic beating of hands on drums, the scent of grilled fish and the warmth of a city that makes the most of life – a blend of modernity and tradition. Along the Marginal promenade, the Atlantic waves shimmer and the Sao Miguel fortress stands over the capital city of Angola like a silent guardian. Here, state-of-the-art buildings meet colonial relics and the Mercado do Artesanato reveals a bright kaleidoscope of colours and fragrances: Luanda has its own unique way of bringing contrasts together.

To visit Luanda is to witness the inhabitants of Angola rebuild a great city with their newly-acquired wealth. The sense of pride and confidence is overwhelming, and is demonstrated by the city’s new highways and skyscrapers, and by the wildlife and habitat rehabilitation programmes being carried out by the conservation authorities. The modern city of Luanda was founded in 1575 by Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais, and soon became a centre for trade between Portugal’s African colonies and Brazil. Apart from a short period of Dutch occupation, Luanda was under Portuguese rule until 1974. In the four decades since independence, Angola has become a peaceful and increasingly prosperous country, rich in diamonds and Africa’s second largest oil producer: many international companies now have head offices in Luanda. Please note: Owing to the destruction caused to the country’s infrastructure during the civil war that ended in 2002, Angola lost much of its ability to produce and distribute food: the resulting heavy import duties and high taxes have driven up the cost of goods and services, making Luanda one of the world’s most expensive cities. The price of excursions in this port reflects the prevailing local conditions.

Like a gleaming gem, Lobito nestles in the wide arc of the bay of the same name. Palm trees line the Avenida Marginal and on the horizon fishing boats bob up and down on the glistening water, while the tropical sun caresses the coastline. Here, the city’s colonial past meets the present-day life of a lively port city, whose houses tell the tale of ancient trading routes. The tranquillity of the sea and the hustle and bustle of the port form a harmonious backdrop to the meeting point between modern life in Angola and the traces left behind by its history.

About equidistant from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Namibia on Angola’s stunning coastline lies Lobito, a small town in the Benguala Province. Long under Portuguese colonisation, the city suffered somewhat — albeit it less than the country’s capital Luanda, during the long, drawn out civil war of 1975-2002. However, Lobito has begun the rehabilitation process (primarily through funding from both China – who are implementing a railway system throughout the country and Brazil) and the grass roots of restoration have very definitely started. The result is a city in search of a new identity, whose natural resources include unspoilt tropical Atlantic beaches, vast national parks and a chequered heritage of Portuguese rule and struggle for independence.

Walvis Bay nestles softly in the coastline of Namibia, where the dunes of the Namib desert meet the deep blue of the Atlantic. Flamingoes and pelicans gather at the lagoons, while dolphins glide playfully through the glittering waves. The panorama of golden dunes and blue water seems surreal, as if nature is revealing its most beautiful colours. The breeze carries the salty scent of the sea over the waterfront promenade as the fishing boats bob up and down on the waves in the distance. Walvis Bay is a place in which the bleak grandeur of the desert and the tranquillity of the ocean come together in a magical way.

Once a whaling station, Walvis Bay provides a gateway to the extraordinary desert landscapes of Namibia and is itself an area of unusual natural beauty. The showpiece of the Walvis Bay area is the natural lagoon where you can see flamingos in their thousands at certain times of the year, along with a variety of other wading birds such as the white pelican. Further inland you will find the stunning Namib Desert, which provides an unlikely home for a diverse array of wildlife. Alternatively, you could venture into the desert of Sossusvlei, whose mountainous ochre sand dunes are said to be the highest in the world, or visit the colonial town of Swakopmund.

Once a whaling station, Walvis Bay provides a gateway to the extraordinary desert landscapes of Namibia and is itself an area of unusual natural beauty. The showpiece of the Walvis Bay area is the natural lagoon where you can see flamingos in their thousands at certain times of the year, along with a variety of other wading birds such as the white pelican. Further inland you will find the stunning Namib Desert, which provides an unlikely home for a diverse array of wildlife. Alternatively, you could venture into the desert of Sossusvlei, whose mountainous ochre sand dunes are said to be the highest in the world, or visit the colonial town of Swakopmund.

In the barren expanse of the Namib desert, Luderitz appears like a mirage on the edge of the Atlantic. The colonial houses with their bright facades tell the story of the town’s past, while time seems to have stood still in the ghost town of Kolmanskop. Penguins and flamingoes gather at the water and the natural beauty seems raw and untamed. Luderitz, where the desert meets the sea, is a place full of contrasts, in which tranquillity, melancholy and the beauty of solitude have a story to tell.

The reopening of the diamond mine at Elizabeth Bay 20 years ago has brought the development of tourism and fishing back to this small 19th century village on the barren, windswept Namib Desert coast. One of Namibias oddities, it has everything you'd expect from a small German town - delicatessens, coffee shops and a Lutheran church. Here, the icy but clean South Atlantic is home to seals, penguins and other marine life and the desolate beaches support flamingoes. It was founded in 1883 when Heinrich Vogelsang purchased Angra Pequena and some of the surrounding land on behalf of Adolf Lüderitz, a Hanseat from Germany, from the local Nama chief. Lüderitz began its life as a trading post, with other activities in fishing and guano-harvesting. As a sign of Luderitz's revival, 1996 staged the first traditional German Karneval since 1960.

At the foot of the imposing Table Mountain lies Cape Town, a lively metropolis and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The charming blend of Victorian villas on Long Street and modern skyscrapers in the financial district are what give the city its unique character. The popular Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with its boutiques, cafes and excellent restaurants will make visitors’ hearts soar. A cable car ride to the plateau of Table Mountain promises to be an exciting experience and offers a magnificent view over the city and peninsula. This stretches as far as the Cape of Good Hope, where idyllic beach resorts meet unspoilt nature, making Cape Town an even more unforgettable destination.

Sometimes referred to as the Mother City, Cape Town is the most famous port in South Africa and is influenced by many different cultures, including Dutch, British and Malay. The port was founded in 1652 by Dutch explorer Jan Van Riebeeck, and evidence of Dutch colonial rule remains throughout the region. The port is located on one of the world's most important trade routes, and is mainly a container port and handler of fresh fruit. Fishing is another vital industry, with large Asian fishing fleets using Cape Town as a logistical repair base for much of the year. The region is famous for its natural beauty, with the imposing Table Mountain and Lions Head, as well as the many nature reserves and botanical gardens such as Kirstenbosch which boasts an extensive range of indigenous plant life, including proteas and ferns. Cape Town's weather is mercurial, and can change from beautiful sunshine to dramatic thunderstorms within a short period. A local adage is that in Cape Town you can experience four seasons in one day.