If you’ve decided to take a trip to Africa, chances are you’re a seasoned traveler. I mean, you’re done the carribean, seen Big Ben and maybe even travelled the grand canal in Venice on a gondola, but an Africa vacation is totally unique.

I took my first trip to Africa 10 years ago, and believe me it is a culture shock. Never have I felt like I was truly away as I did in Africa. Like most people, I wanted to go on a Safari, so I went to Kruger National Park. It was one of the most spectacular sights on earth. It makes the San Diego Zoo look like a Pet shop. But that was only the beginning.

My next stop was South Africa where I stayed at a boutique hotel right on the water with a backdrop of “Table Mountain”, what a magnificent and exotic vacation. Now, a few words of advice, do your homework and research. There are things that you may not know, like the fact that you should get some recommended shots before leaving, (ask your doctor).

A word of advice here, if you are thinking that travel throughout Africa will be easy, get that out of your thinking…cabs and rentals are very difficult even from the biggest cities. It’s very easy to get overwhelmed and lost in Africa without a guide that you can trust.

Additionally, it’s not cheap, but what is, so get online and start to plan accordingly, there are so many points of interest that aren’t known by your standard Liberty Travel Agent and aren’t offered on a Perillo Tour. So try find what suits you on your own, Plus is more fun to plan it for yourself. Touring Africa will affect you in so many ways, it’s almost like being your own explorer but remember to bring your sunscreen, chap stick and a pair of good hiking boots.

Six weeks. That’s how long I would give myself to fully prep for an Africa vacation.

If you are serious about taking a once in a lifetime Africa vacation, you need to do some leg work…but the rewards are simply unreal.