Our African Calendar: What's Happening for the Rest of 2010 | Africa Travel Newsletter

by Kimberley O'Sullivan, 20 May 2010

Prrrfffft! will be the sound millions around the world hear on June 11, as the whistle is blown for the opening game of the FIFA Soccer World Cup, sending Bafana Bafana and Mexico headfirst into 4 weeks of football madness.

But come July and the players would have flown home, the crowds disappeared and the football fields left muddy and churned up. The good news is that Africa's calendar for the next 6 months is still packed with exciting arts, culture and food festivals, wildlife migrations, and landscape transformations that make almost anywhere a great place to visit.

Migratory Antics

If you are here for the World Cup, you're sure to have some time to spare. The famous Sardine Run, which takes place along South Africa's scenic Wild Coast, is a spectacular migration, as hundreds of swirling shoals run north-east into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. What makes this even more impressive is the frenetic activity of sharks, dolphins, Cape gannets, cormorants and seals as they gather to feed on the millions of silver fish.

Well if fish are not your thing, that 'other' migration is coincided to start round about in the middle of the World Cup. The Great Wildebeest Migration begins in June and continues through to about November, ushering over a million of these odd-looking beasts through the Serengeti, over the Grumeti River and into Kenya's Masai Mara.

It's nothing short of incredible: imagine a sea of waving savannah grasses dotted with thousands upon thousands of grazing wildebeest, zebra and gazelle, all slowly making their way through the deathtrap that is the crocodile-infested Grumeti River and into the lush Masai Mara.

Getting Festive in Africa

Africa is known for her festivals: food, wine, culture, music, film, dance... the list goes on. June kicks off with the Grahamstown Arts Festival in the Eastern Cape. A long-standing and popular celebration of South Africa's finest cultural talent, the Arts Fest is an annual 'must-do' for many South Africans and foreigners.

If you're here for the World Cup and have some time to spare, take a break from the soccer crowds and go mingle with the sophisticates in Grahamstown.

Still in SA in July? The Knysna Oyster Festival kicks off early, with a feast of seafood, jazz, cycling, mountain biking, running, culture and music to scintillate the senses. Commonly referred to as 'The Best 10 Days of Your Winter', this South African festival is not to be missed.

Heading for somewhere warm after the final whistle? The Festival of the Dhow Countries kicks off in Zanzibar in July, and it's East Africa's largest film & arts festival, this year showcasing creative works on the theme Hopes in Harmony.

Something a Little Different

If you're coming to see the wildebeest migration in August, maybe make time to visit the International Camel Derby in Maralal, a small market town in northern Kenya. A highly festive and culturally significant event, visitors will see camel races, donkey rides and regional dancing competitions. Those looking for some adventure can even hire a camel for the day!

Down south in Botswana's Kalahari Desert, all of the Kuru San Bushmen from South Africa, Namibia as well as Botswana gather in the village of D'Kar to dance, sing and make traditional music around the fire. This unique event occurs only once every two years, so if you're in southern Africa in August come along to witness this exceptional celebration of a culture thousands of years old.

September brings the stylish out of their winter gear, as the Concours D'Elegance Festival takes place at the Nairobi Race Course. Showcasing exotic, vintage and outrageous cars and motor cycles, this event is accumulating attention world-wide. If you're a car fundi and on a Kenyan safari or beach holiday, then the Concours D'Elegance is worth a visit.

Springtime in Africa

As winter shakes off the cold, the seasons change, and Africa's landscapes change with it. In South Africa's Northern Cape province, the striking Namaqualand flowers peep out and cover a huge area in an array of brilliant colour.

Less than a days drive from Cape Town, a 'flower visit' is an ideal way of exploring more of South Africa's countryside. Like a botanical artwork, the Namaqualand flowers are a sight to behold, and an ideal destination for a family adventure.

September also brings out new life along the Whale Coast, as crowds flock to Hermanus and Gansbaai to witness the southern-right whales mating and birthing just off shore. The Whale Festival is a hugely popular event for both locals and foreigners, so if you're planning a trip up South Africa's southern coastline or Garden Route during September, bring along your binoculars for some keen whale-watching!

Arts, Culture, Music and More

As we head into October, the Swaziland Reed Dance takes place, where young girls throughout Swaziland make a few days journey to the Royal Swazi household to dance before King Mswati III, who will chose from among thousands of girls his next wife.

A proud tradition, it seeks to celebrate chastity until marriage and bring about awareness of HIV/Aids which is a prevalent issue in this tiny southern kingdom. Many international visitors gather to watch this event, which is a cultural highlight on the Swazi calendar.

October is also the month of the Lake of Stars Festival in Malawi, an arts, culture and music festival aimed to promote Malawi as a tourism destination and expose local artists to international crowds.

Set on the shores of shimmering Lake Malawi, the festival is a great addition to a Malawian travel itinerary, as it exposes people to not only the beauty of the area, but also to the rich artistic heritage of the country.

A Taste of Kreole

In October the Kreole Festival kicks off in the Seychelles - a melting pot of unique cultural celebration, artistic expression, arts and crafts, music, dance and of course, food. It's a fascinating week of the colours, flavours and fragrances of the diverse Seychollois people.

A little later in November, the International Mauritius Kreole Festival kicks off on Africa's best known island where locals and international visitors share in the cuisine, the language and the faith of the Mauritian people. Poetry is recited, gourmet food is eaten, songs are sung and a general feeling of unity pervades the festival area. A worthy inclusion on an island holiday.

Here's to 2010

As South Africa gets ready to welcome international soccer stars to brand new stadiums, and begins the final preparations, its definitely worth knowing that Africa is still full of exciting activity, transformations, celebrations and events for the rest of 2010.