Yuletide times is a magic period and a great time for thousands of tourists to fly to various countries in for exotic and relaxing holidays. Christmas in Africa is a time of outdoor fun, due to the warm summer weather. Tourists during this time will observe magnificent scenery in Africa, either by a coastline near the ocean, a valley with the rivers or a big safari park with wild nature.
Other attractions include the unique African Christmas traditions of special cuisines and dishes, cultural displays and carnivals amongst a host of other activities. Here are the top destinations in Africa at Christmas that will change any boring situation forever!
Calabar, Nigeria
Calabar in Nigeria is one of the best destinations for Christmas celebrations and holidays. The whole city offers so many amazing events and attractions. Many tourists come into the city, to attend the famous Calabar Carnival, often regarded as Africa’s Biggest Street Party. The first Calabar Carnival was organized in 2004 in order to attract tourists into the city and the idea turned out to be very successful. The Carnival gained popularity extremely fast and now many celebrities from around the world now participate in this festival – there are lots of parties, street performances, concerts and competitions for young and old. Calabar is probably the most exciting and fun place to celebrate Christmas in Nigeria. The Carnival begins on November 31 and lasts for one month.
Seychelles
A lot of tourists prefer to have a very relaxing holiday far from their usual environment and many choose to travel to the Republic of Seychelles, a gorgeous island country in Africa.
During Christmas season, Seychelles weather is warm and tourists typically spend their time relaxing in the snow white beaches whilst trying to forget their home routines. With scenery so spectacular and wonderful – it’s no wonder it’s the first destination in Africa most families and couples choose to spend their vacation. A well-developed tourist industry offers high quality services that will make tourists’ stay very comfortable in addition to the exotic culture of the Seychelles. At Christmas, there are many festive activities and concerts organized by restaurants and hotels.
Cape Town, South Africa
If you want to celebrate Christmas in South Africa, the best destination to visit would be Cape Town which has magnificent beaches surrounded by mountains. There is also a rich local culture, so you will get to experience Christmas in a unique and unforgettable way. What you can do in Cape Town? You should visit the official switch-on of the festive lights on Adderley Street, see the Nutcracker Ballet and Fairy Parade, go up the Table Mountain or visit the dozens of restaurants and bars which have special entertainment programmes during the Christmas season. Another reason why Cape Town is a city that you should visit is because there is very little rain and the temperature is 25 degrees centigrade in December. Usually, there are 11 hours of sunshine a day in December in Cape Town.
Etosha National Park, Namibia
Tourists who travel to Africa have a rare opportunity to visit the national parks where hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, and mammals live in the wild. Nowadays, the national parks are very tourist-friendly and offer excellent hospitability services. For example, in Namibia, there is Etosha National Park which offers visitors accommodation in one of the five sites located within the park with lodges or camping facilities. In some of the sites there are swimming pools, restaurants and other facilities that are important for the tourists. December is the best month to visit Etosha National Park, because the weather is dry and warm. Namibia is an exotic country. It used to be a Germany colony, so when you see the Namibian Christmas cookies and decorations, they are bound to have roots with Germany.
Kenya
Kenya is another country with many opportunities for tourists during the December holidays. There are multiple national parks such as Masai Mara National Reserve, Tsavo National Park East, Amboseli National Park, etc, where one can see rare animals.
If you are not in the mood for going anywhere, you can relax in Diani Beach with a refreshing drink and swim in the warm sea. You could also ride a camel or take a bike tour in order to see how the local people live in the nearby villages.
Finally, if you decide to stay for a few days in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. There are many places such as museums and parks to visit. From Nairobi, you may easily travel to the nearby national parks and other popular destinations. Very often tourists like to cross a symbolic equator line which divides the world into two hemispheres. The weather is very pleasant in Kenya starting from mid-December after the end of the short rainy season.
Yankari Games Reserve
Children will be tickled at the sight of baboons, hippos, elephants and other 50 species of wildlife including variety of fishes and birds. The Marshall cave Systems and Wikki Warm Springs are exciting attractions ideal for family fun. The Wikki River is a natural swimming ground. Yankari also has outdoor and indoor sports facilities and suitable accommodation.
Okomu National Park, Edo State
Photo Source: Vencarta
The Okomu National Park is a rain forest. It is a favorite spot for family picnics. Imagine watching above 150 varieties of birds each with its distinctive acrobatic display with your family. Similarly, children will be amazed at the sight of White throated monkey, forest elephants and other 33 wildlife species. Suitable air-conditioned accommodation is available.
Tinapa Business Resort
Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort is located near Calabar Free Trade Zone, it has top-notch facilities for wholesale and retail trade as well as entertainment and leisure. It has a children’s arcade, an eight-screen cinema, a mini Amphitheatre, restaurants and pubs. It is a great place for a family vacation.
Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort
Ikogosi Warm Spring is a natural wonder, warm water spring flows side by side with a cold spring. The spot where the two springs merge is a distinctive attraction. The resort situated around the warm spring has various accommodation and recreational facilities suitable for family vacation.
Olumo Rock, Abeokuta -Tourist Centre
Tarkwa Bay located along the harbor of Lagos is a sheltered beach that can be accessed by boat from either Maroko or under Falomo Bridge on Victoria Island. It offers safe swimming conditions for small children and other recreational water sports.
The Calabar Museum
The Calabar Museum is a slave trade museum set in a beautiful colonial structure. The museum offers a variety of exhibitions which include artefacts and artworks of pre-colonial and colonial era as well as documentations on slave trade and relics of British Empire.
Terra Kulture
Terra Kulture is a place for recreation for the whole family while educating your kids on African culture. Crafts and arts of different Nigerian ethnic groups are on display. Terra Kulture which is located in Lagos state has library with rich information on Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
Maiyegun Beach
Maiyegun beach is situated in Oti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. It is well known for hosting the famous Lekki Sunsplash Musical Concert. The beach is a great vacation destination, where you can enjoy the sun and have a picnic with your family while gazing at the beautiful water views.
Lekki Conservation Center
Lekki Conservation Centre is a reserve for wildlife in Lagos. The natural habitats of this centre has preserved making it a vacation spot for nature lovers from around the world. It is located situated in Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos, on Lekki Peninsula.
Eleko Beach
Eleko Beach is a beautiful, serene and tranquil public beach along the peninsula. It is one of the best beaches for family hangout in Lagos. There are nice beach huts and food joints along the seashore. Eleko beach is lauded for its beautiful landscape, sun-dappled water and sands.The beach is family-friendly.
National Children’s Park and Zoo
The National Children’s Park and Zoo located in Asokoro District, Abuja has wildlife and domestic animals. It also has plenty of playgrounds and activities for children. It allows children to get up close to some of the most exciting animals like the lions and monkeys.
Ifoko Beach
Ifoko Beach is a popular spot in Port Harcourt. It is maintained by the residents. Rainforest borders the shoreline which offers tourists a chance to stroll along the shore and impressive scenery and also follow the nature trails to see wildlife living in the rainforest. The centre serves as a tourist attraction as well as being significant for the culture, tradition and history of the Igbo people.
Erin Ijesha Waterfall
Erin Ijesha waterfalls also known as Olumirin waterfalls is a natural sauna located in Ijesha, Osun State. The falls has seven layers of ascending plains with all the levels having breathing views and the freshness of the water is energising. Being at these different levels and just basking in the invigorating freshness of the falls is an unforgettable experience for the whole family.
Do you have a favorite family vacation destination? Tell us in the comments below:
Tinapa Resort
Tinapa is a business and leisure resort located in Calabar, the beautiful capital of Cross River State in the South-south.
The resort offers amazing features like a casino, children’s arcade, an amphitheatre, retail and wholesale outlets for your shopping needs and an 8-screen digital cinema.
Located at the Calabar Free Trade Zone, you can equally seize the opportunity to buy electronic items at very cheap prices as well as check out some business opportunities within the zone.
Finally, don’t forget to attend the colourful Calabar Festival.
Obudu Ranch Resort
The Obudu Ranch Resort is one of the wonders of Nigeria and arguably the best vacation spot for anyone seeking to enjoy a holiday in an environment that offers a perfect blend of nature and modernity.
The resort features a water park, a golf course and horse riding, night club as well as bonfires. A walk through the forest of Obudu brings one closer to nature as you listen to beautiful birds singing melodiously to your delight.
If you are looking for a vacation spot to help you establish a lasting bond between you and your spouse or family, then Obudu is the perfect choice.
Abraka Turf and Country Club
The Abraka Turf and Country Club is situated along the bank of the serene Ethiope River in Abraka, Delta State.
The first thing that hits one on entering the facility is the expansive and well-manicured plants with horses grazing on the lawn, which provides every visitor a feeling of calmness and tranquility.
The resort features first class accommodation and catering services for people of different budgets, horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, fishing and swimming in the mysteriously clear River Ethiope; the river is so clear that one can see fishes swimming in it. If you are a lover of nature and serenity, the Abraka resort is the place to spend your Christmas.
Kofar Gamji Amusement Park
Kofar Gamji Amusement Park was the first amusement park built in the heart of the Kaduna City. Located along the Shooting Range New Extension, it is indeed the most visited place during celebrations such as Christmas.It has wide lawns for relaxation, eateries, a swimming pool, and a terrace for couples who may choose to stroll hand in hand. The scenic view of the Kaduna River, which cuts across the park, is a pleasure to behold.
Kofar Gamji is also host to CD World Play Club, where comedians, dancers and other performers entertain guests.
Nike Lake Resort:
Nike Lake Resort lies on the banks of the Nike Lake, Enugu. It doubles as a tourist attraction and has historical relevance as it was the site of the Biafran army headquarters during the civil war. The resort offers accommodation, leisure facilities ranging from tennis courts and outdoor pools to boating and fishing facilities.
The Old Government Lodge:
The Old Premier Lodge Enugu was once occupied by Nigeria’s first president, late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. The lodge houses some of his personal belongings like letters, books, reading glasses, pictures and several other items provided by his widow, Prof. Uche Azikiwe.
Wonderland Amusement Park
This 330,000 square meters’ ultra-modern park located in Nigeria’s federal capital is unarguably the biggest and most equipped park in Nigeria.
The park offers leisure gardens for visitors’ recreation and rides as well as an amazing arcade. A visit to the Millennium Park would not be complete until one enters the popular Fulani Ranch that offers a variety of tasty local and intercontinental cuisines.
A host of other restaurants and shops are also on ground to cater for your needs while at the park. The park also boasts of a clinic for treatment of minor injuries.
With all these in place, you would be right to call the Millennium Park a fun haven.
So, if you are planning a family picnic, a group get-together or want to spend quality time bonding with your lover, then this park is highly recommended.
Yankari Game Reserve
This large wildlife park located in Bauchi State came into being in 1956 as a game reserve but was later turned into a national park in 1991.
The park covers an area of about 2,244 square kilometers and is home to about 50 species of wildlife such as lion, leopard, hippopotamus, antelope, elephant, and waterbuck as well as over 350 species of colorful birds.
The reserve equally boasts of a decent and affordable accommodation for visitors. If you visit Yankari this Xmas, don’t forget to take a deep in the warm spring. But remember always to guard your belongings against the baboons!
Oguta Lake Resort
Also, known as the lake of treasure, it is located in Oguta, a quiet town about 30 minutes’ drive from the ever-busy capital of Imo State, Owerri.
The most striking part of this park is the confluence of the Oguta lake which is blue in colour and the muddy Ulasi River, with both maintaining their unique colours.
Even an attempt to mix the two by scooping water from one to another will only leave a stain for a short while; this is better seen than read or imagined!
A deep into the Oguta Lake is also refreshing and safe as the lake is fresh water and does not harbor dangerous creatures.
For your pleasure, the resort equally features a golf course with 18 standard international holes, cruise boat services for that exciting sail you have always imagined, recreational park, standard lodging accommodation and excellent restaurant. It also allows you to enrich your knowledge of history by visiting relic of war constructed by the defunct Biafran Navy during Nigeria’s civil war.
Jos Wildlife Park
This 8 square kilometers park is arguably the most developed man made wildlife park in Nigeria.
It is a home to various wildlife species like lions, buffalos, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, horses, ostriches etc. The park equally features various attractions like a superb restaurant, picnic pine forest, video viewing centre and so on.
Olumo Rock
This amazing granite rock used to be a place of refuge for the people of Egbaland in present Ogun State during intertribal wars in the olden days.
It has several spot caves, some of which are about 20 feet long and 25 feet wide. However, this rock has been modernized with elevator, eateries, and many more to serve as a tourist destination.
One can as well choose to take the staircase instead of the elevator to the top of rock. This serenity at the top of this rock is better experienced than told.
Port Harcourt Tourist Beach
Planning on a family vacation or picnic this Christmas, this amazing and scenic beach is the place to go.
The live performances of Cultural entertainers add to the fun.
The resort also offers restaurants and accommodation for all classes as well as sunbathing sites.
Movies to watch this season
Norman Vincent Peale once said, “Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful”.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year as they say. Many will gather with family and friends to celebrate another year passed. They will remember good times with family by eating, sharing gifts and hopefully sitting down to watch some holiday movies.
For many, watching certain movies during the holiday season is a tradition that you would not dare skip. Perhaps you are looking for another film to add to your traditional watch, look no further. Here are seven vintage movies to enjoy with your Suya, barbecue fish, drinks and fireworks to close out the year.
Happy holidays!
“A Christmas Story”
A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author, raconteur Jean Shepherd.
Ralphie Parker’s quest for a Red Rider BB Gun is shot down at every turn by his parents, mall santas and his teachers. While all this is going on he is trying to fend off the bullies at school who won’t stop taunting him.
Jean Shephard’s semi-biographical account of young Ralphie Parker has some of the most memorable Christmas scenes of any movie. Flick’s tongue stuck on the icy flag pole, The Old Man receiving his fishnet stocking leg in the mail, and a department mall Santa telling Ralphie he’ll shoot his eye out if he gets a BB gun.
It’s a story of hilarious and loveable vignettes that have become so engrained in American holiday culture that they are inescapable. “A Christmas Story” is so culturally relevant that it is more than just a movie.
2“Miracle on 34th Street”
Miracle on 34th Street (initially released in the United Kingdom as The Big Heart) is a 1947 Christmas comedy-drama film written and directed by George Seaton.
Christmas seems to have lost its meaning for the citizens of New York until one day a man claiming to be the real Santa Clause applies at Macy’s.
Kris Kringle is indignant to find that the man assigned to play Santa in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is intoxicated. When he complains to event director Doris Walker, she persuades Kringle to take his place. He does such a fine job that he is hired as the Santa for Macy’s flagship New York City store in Herald Square/34th Street.
“Miracle on 34th Street” is an unusually fun Christmas film set against the backdrop of a courtroom drama.
3“It’s A Wonderful Life”
It’s a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra. The film is now among the most popular in American cinema and because of numerous television showings in the 1980s has become traditional viewing during the Christmas season.
When George Bailey decides, his average life isn’t worth living, a guardian angel named Clarence shows him what life would be like if he had never been born.
A classic in every sense of the word. Beautifully captured, heartwarmingly kind and wonderfully acted. It’s a touching movie about how everyone’s life has value. Its visuals are weak compared to today’s standards, but its story and characters are what keep fans coming back. It moves from incredibly comedic to hauntingly dramatic to create a movie that is the epitome of an emotional roller coaster.
The travels of George Bailey and Clarence Odbody through an alternate universe makes for a fantastic and thrilling ride that culminates in a beautiful and wise ending that transcends across the sentiments of many generations.
4“A Charlie Brown Christmas”
Since its debut on December 9, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been a staple of the holiday season over generations.
Unable to find joy in the upcoming Christmas holiday, Charlie Brown takes on the task of directing the school play but finds resistance at every turn. Eventually, Charlie is able to find the true meaning of Christmas.
When it comes to animated Christmas movies, there is only one to turn to in my opinion: A Charlie Brown Christmas. Its animation is quaint, its jokes are funny, and its moments iconic. It has amazing music as well. Vincent Guaraldi’s arrangements of classic Christmas carols have become so prolific they are a permanent part of the Christmas music canon.
A Charlie Brown Christmas is an animated television special based on the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. Produced by Lee Mendelson and directed by Bill Melendez.
5“Elf”
Elf is a 2003 American Christmas comedy film directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum. It stars Will Ferrell, James Caan and Zooey Deschanel. The story is about one of Santa’s elves (Ferrell) who learns of his true identity as a human and goes to New York City to meet his biological father (Caan), spreading Christmas cheer in a world of cynics as he goes.
“Elf” is a favorite among the younger generation of movie-lovers. Will Ferrell’s character of Buddy is one of the funniest and most uplifting characters in the holiday movie genre. Some might be tired of “Elf” but that doesn’t make it any less of an enjoyable and funny ride that will lift your Christmas spirits.
Not to mention its endless barrage of quotable lines. “You sit on a throne of lies!”
You are sure to get a kick out of this Christmas comedy classic.
6“Bad Santa”
Bad Santa is a 2003 American Christmas black comedy crime film directed by Terry Zwigoff and starring Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox and Bernie Mac.
Career criminals Willie and Marcus disguise themselves as Santa and his elf to rob mall stores at night.
Some people get tired of watching all the family-friendly holiday movies. Look no farther than the excellent “Bad Santa.” The movie is sure to give adults a fun escape from all the kid-friendly movies they’re usually forced to watch.
7“White Christmas”
White Christmas is a 1954 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Michael Curtiz.
A musical classic that is known for its abundance of classic and beloved Christmas Carols. Even still, it boasts some hilarious sequences as well as a heartwarming love story that focuses on romantic love as well as brotherly love. The movie is known for its beautiful colours and amazing music which is competently handled by well-known musical talents. The crooning lounge voices of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney will be sure to put your heart in a warm, fuzzy, Christmas feeling. It’s one of the best musical’s out there, and certainly the best Christmas musical.
