Best Tourist Places to Visit in Gbarnga, West African, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Gbarnga, West African, Africa

Gbarnga is a city and the administrative centre of Bong County in the northeastern part of the country, lying around 250 meters above sea level. In terms of population, Gbarnga is Liberia’s most populous urban area. Gbarnga coordinates with 7°0′8″ N latitude and 9°28′0″ W longitude and experiences tropical monsoon climate, which is nearly same of the capital Monrovia’s climate, but rainfall comparatively less in Gbarnga. Gbarnga is situated around 190 km northeast of Monrovia, the capital of Liberia.

Gbarnga is the birth place of an American football outside linebacker, Tamba Hali, who represents Kansas City Chiefs, which plays in the National Football League. There is a prominent college, Cuttington College, situated near the city of Gbarnga. Gbarnga was once noted as the base for the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, led by Charles Taylor, during the First Liberian Civil War.

 

Connectivity to Gbarnga:

The Roberts International Airport is the closest major airport to Gbarnga, located around 160 km southwest of Gbarnga. The airport is served by British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Delta Air Lines and many other famed airlines with scheduled flights from London, Brussels, Casablanca and New York.

Gbarnga is connected to the airport location by direct bus services, though buses are not frequent, so visitors are advised to hire taxi or car for comfortable and convenient airport travel.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Gbarnga:

Tamba Hali, an American football outside linebacker representing Kansas City Chiefs football team in USA, was born in Gbarnga.Gbarnga houses both traditional and modernized shops and restaurants, but number is less.

 

Things to do in Gbarnga:

  • City tours
  • Traditional shopping
  • Walking

 

Tourist Attractions in Gbarnga:

 

Cuttington University:

The Cuttington University is a university, situated in the town of Suacoco, near the city of Gbarnga. It was initially founded as a college in 1889 and holds the dignity of the oldest private institution in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a perfect place to know the Liberian culture and history.

 

Monrovia:

Monrovia is the capital city of Liberia, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline, around 190 km southwest of Gbarnga. Monrovia is a city with many recognized natural as well as manmade tourist attractions, most importantly its beaches with different enjoyable water sport activities. Monrovia is also home to the Liberian National Museum and the University of Liberia.

 

Lofa-Mano National Park:

The Lofa-Mano National Park is spread over an area of 2,300 square kilometers, located on the border of Sierra Leone and Liberia. It is a proposed national park, housing a large number of hippopotamus. Visitors are advised to hire a rental for easy exploration of the park.

 

List of other places of interest near Gbarnga include:

  • Kpa-Tawe Waterfalls
  • Gertylue Floral Park
  • Monkey Island
  • Beaches of Monrovia
  • Liberian National Museum
  • Ce Ce Beach
  • Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
  • Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex
  • The Kendeja Cultural Center
  • Providence Island
  • Liberia’s Centennial Pavilion
  • Sky Bar Entertainment Center

 

Best time to visit Gbarnga:

Probably during the months between December and March is the best time to visit Gbarnga when the weather relatively remains dry and pleasant.

 

Hotels in and around Gbarnga:

Hill Top Hotel is the most important accommodation centre in Gbarnga serving visitors coming from the different regions of the country. For more options, visitors can consider hotels in the national capital Monrovia that are listed below:

  • Palm Spring Resort
  • RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas
  • Atlantis Beach Hotel
  • Hotel Provident
  • Mokos Bed and Breakfast
  • Krystal Oceanview Hotel
  • Tilda Guest House
  • Royal Grand Hotel
  • Mamba Point Hotel
  • The Cape Hotel
  • Bella Casa Hotel & Suites
  • El Meson Hotel
  • Liberia Golden Gate Hotel
  • GMJ Hotel
  • Golden Key Hotel

Tourist Places to Visit in Monrovia, Liberia, West African, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Monrovia, Liberia, West African, Africa

Monrovia is the capital and largest city of Liberia, located on the Atlantic Ocean coastline, covering an area of 13 sq. km. Lying between 6°18′48″ N latitude and 10°48′5″ W longitude, Monrovia is the financial hub of Liberia with a large harbor and numerous substantial manufacturing units, particularly food products, cement and furniture. Monrovia experiences a tropical monsoon climate with an average of 5,100 millimeters annually. When comes to tourism, Monrovia is a city with a wide range of tourist attractions, highlighted by pristine beaches, museums and traditional markets. Monrovia is also noted for its educational institutions, dominated by the University of Liberia.

 

History of Monrovia:

According to the historical records, Monrovia was founded in the year 1822 and got its name from then U.S. President James Monroe. Monrovia was the site of a conference of the Organisation of African Unity in 1979, in which then president of Liberia William R. Tolbert was chairman and during his term, public housing was considerably improved in Monrovia.

 

How to link Monrovia?

Monrovia is served by Roberts International Airport with scheduled flights from London, Freetown, New York, Brussels, Accra, Banjul, Dakar, Douala and many other world cities.

Monrovia has not good international bus network, but it is well connected by bus to all the major Liberian cities. The local transportation of Monrovia is served by taxis, minibuses and rental cars. Instead of using shared taxis, hiring a taxi independently is safer and comfortable.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Monrovia:

Monrovia is the cultural capital of Monrovia, housing the the University of Liberia, the African Methodist Episcopal University and the Liberian National Museum.

Monrovia is a perfect place to bag genuine Liberian handmade products, particularly home decor items, costumes and jewelry.

Some recommended restaurants in Monrovia include:

  • Bishoftu Ethiopian Restaurant
  • Beach Bar & Grill
  • Golden Beach Restaurant & Bar
  • Dona Maria

 

Things to do in Monrovia:

  • Swimming
  • Fishing
  • City tours

 

Places of interest in Monrovia:

 

Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex:

The Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex is a multiuse stadium in the suburb of Paynesville in Monrovia. Constructed in 1986, the stadium is highly used for soccer games and it has a capacity of holding 35,000 spectators.

 

Liberian National Museum:

The Liberian National Museum is one of the landmark sites of Monrovia, established in 1958 during the presidential term of Dr William V.S. Tubman. The museum houses a large collection of objects that showcases the country’s culture, tradition and history. Portable video system and archival materials are the other notable features of the museum.

 

Beaches of Monrovia:

Beaches are one of the main reasons for tourists coming to Monrovia from the different regions of the country. Beaches are excellent condition, offering different water sport activities, including swimming and surfing. There are also many western restaurants serving beaches.

 

Monkey Island:

The Monkey Island is a group of six small islands, situated around an hour and a half travel distance from Monrovia. All these six islands houses six different chimpanzee groups and those are famous among both locals and tourists.

 

List of other places of interest in and around Monrovia include:

  • Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
  • Kpa-Tawe Waterfalls
  • Gertylue Floral Park
  • The Kendeja Cultural Center
  • Providence Island
  • Liberia’s Centennial Pavilion
  • Sky Bar Entertainment Center
  • Ce Ce Beach

 

When to visit Monrovia?

Like most African cities, the ending and beginning months of the year (from November to March) are best to visit Monrovia as when the city receives relatively no rainfall.

 

Hotels in Monrovia:

Monrovia is a city for all types of tourists with all standard hotels with the blend of traditional Liberian and Western facilities and services. Apart from amenities, hotels in Monrovia are also famous for serving visitors with mouthwatering Liberian delicacies. Here are some such top hotels in Monrovia:

  • Royal Grand Hotel
  • Mamba Point Hotel
  • The Cape Hotel
  • Palm Spring Resort
  • RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas
  • Atlantis Beach Hotel
  • Bella Casa Hotel & Suites
  • El Meson Hotel
  • Liberia Golden Gate Hotel
  • GMJ Hotel
  • Golden Key Hotel
  • Hotel Provident
  • Mokos Bed and Breakfast
  • Krystal Oceanview Hotel
  • Tilda Guest House

Liberia Tourist Places to Visit in Liberia, Western Africa, Africa

Liberia Tourist Places to Visit in Liberia, Western Africa, Africa

Liberia is a Western African country, housing over 4 million people in the area of 111,369 square kilometers. It lies on the Atlantic Ocean at 6.3167° N 10.8000° W, sharing its land borders with Ivory Coast to the east, Guinea towards the north and Sierra Leone to the west. The Government of Liberia follows the unitary presidential and constitutional republic system, in which president is the head of the country. As like most African countries, Liberia also has an environmental based tourism, mainly spectacular beaches on the Atlantic Ocean coastline.

Monrovia is the capital and largest city of Liberia and the other important cities of Liberia are:

  • Gbarnga
  • Kakata
  • Bensonville
  • Harper
  • Voinjama

 

History of Liberia:

What is today’s country Liberia originated as a colony in 1820 for freed African Americans, who later identified themselves as Americo-Liberians. The colony developed as a new country with the support of the American Colonization Society and became the Republic of Liberia in 1847. The current constitution of Liberia came into existence on 6 January 1986.

 

Getting Liberia:

The Roberts International Airport is the gateway to Liberia, situated near Harbel town, around 55 km away from the country’s capital, Monrovia. The airport covers many global destinations like London, Freetown, New York, Casablanca, and Nairobi.

Liberia has no railway service, while intercity bus service covers many major Liberian cities. Taxis are popular for both short and long distance travels in Liberia. Advance booking of cars and bikes is available in all the prominent cities of the country.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Liberia:

Liberia is predominantly Christian country with around 85% Christian population, while English is the official language of Liberia. Rice is the major staple food used in Liberian dishes and fufu is a dish popular among both locals and visitors in Liberia. Printed fabric and masks are purchasable items in Liberia.

 

Must see in Liberia:

 

Liberian National Museum:

Situated in the national capital Monrovia, the Liberian National Museum is centered on showcasing the culture, tradition and history of Liberia with well preserved artifacts and artworks in three different galleries, historic, ethnographic and cultural gallery. There is also a craft shop.

 

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve:

The Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shared between Guinea and Liberia. The reserve features a mountain Mount Nimba, where around 200 endemic species are found, including big cats, civets and Chimpanzees. Yekepa is the nearest settlement to Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve in Liberia.

 

Sapo National Park:

The Sapo National Park is the only national park of Libria, covering an area of around 1,804 sq. km. Established in 1983, the park is located in Sinoe County, where Greenville is the closest city to Sapo National Park. Including African fish eagle, great blue turaco and African civet, the park houses a substantial number of wildlife.

 

Lake Piso:

The Lake Piso is Liberia’s largest lake with a surface area of 103 km². Coming under Grand Cape Mount County, the Lake Piso is famous among tourists as a great water sport destination, with the opportunities of swimming, canoeing and water skiing.

 

List of other places of interest in Liberia include:

  • Liberia’s Centennial Pavilion
  • Firestone Rubber Plantation
  • Ce Ce Beach
  • Sky Bar Entertainment Center
  • Providence Island

 

 

Best time to visit Liberia:

The climate of Liberia is classified as hot and equatorial, with the greater percentage of rainfall between May and October. The ideal time to visit Liberia is from December to January.

 

Accommodation in Liberia:

Liberia owns a relatively upgraded hospitality industry and its most hotels are located in the capital city Monrovia with latest tourist favor facilities like spa, sauna, fitness centre, AC, internet and doctor on call service. The prominent hotels in Liberia (Monrovia) include:

  • Royal Grand Hotel
  • Mamba Point Hotel
  • The Cape Hotel
  • Palm Spring Resort
  • RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas
  • Atlantis Beach Hotel
  • Bella Casa Hotel & Suites
  • El Meson Hotel
  • Liberia Golden Gate Hotel
  • GMJ Hotel
  • Golden Key Hotel
  • Hotel Provident
  • Mokos Bed and Breakfast
  • Krystal Oceanview Hotel
  • Tilda Guest House

Tourist Places to Visit in Zomba, Malawi, South Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Zomba, Malawi, South Africa, Africa

Zomba is a city situated in the southern part of the southeastern African country, Malawi. It is one of the important cities of Malawi as it served as the capital of the first British Central Africa and then independent Malawi from 1964 to 1974. Currently it is the hotspot of tourists, mainly for its British colonial architecture and natural scenery. Zomba is the seat of Zomba District, lying at the foot of the vivid Zomba Plateau. Zomba is located between 15°23′ S latitude and 35°20′ E longitude, around 330 km southeast of Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi.

 

History of Zomba:

Zomba holds a strong and long historical background, served as the capital of the first British Central Africa and Nyasaland and then the Republic of Malawi from 1964 to 1974, when the capital was moved to Lilongwe. Some British establishments still existent in the city include the Sir Harry Johnston Primary School, Zomba Gymkhana Club, the botanical garden and the golf course.

 

How to reach Zomba?

Zomba is served by the Chileka International Airport, located around 60 km southwest of the city of Zomba. This airport receives flights from Johannesburg, Beira, Harare, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Tete and Nairobi.

Zomba has a good connectivity by bus to all the major cities in Malawi, including Mangochi and Lilongwe, catered by kombi bus service, National Bus Service and mini-buses.

Zomba is home to many car hire companies that offer cars for both short and long terms.

 

Culture, Shopping and Food in Zomba:

The population of Zomba covers the blend of Muslim and Christian people, who live in peace.

There is a supermarket People Supermarket and other than this, the city houses many traditional shops specialized in offering carved wooden curios and paintings.

Some nice restaurants in Zomba are as follows:

  • Annie’s
  • Tasty Bites
  • African Heritage – Luso Lathu

 

Things to do in Zomba:

  • Golfing
  • Mountain-biking
  • Horse riding
  • Rock-climbing
  • Fishing
  • Hiking

 

Tourist Attractions in Zomba:

 

Zomba Plateau:

The Zomba Plateau is the first preference of visitors coming to Zambia. Tourists mainly visit the plateau to enjoy different outdoor activities it offer like mountain-biking, horse riding, rock-climbing, fishing and hiking. There are also many lodges and guest houses within the plateau.

 

Botanical garden in Zomba:

The botanical garden in Zomba was constructed during the British rule in Malawi when Zomba was the capital. The garden is located in the vicinity of the old parliament building, frequented by locals and tourists.

 

The Zomba Gymkhana Club:

The Zomba Gymkhana Club is one of the old establishments in Zomba, which was earlier used for different social activities but now its use is declined. Although now it is allowed for visitors to see what communal activities took place here.

 

Educational institutions in Zomba:

Zomba is the site of many reputed educational institutions that have made impression on visitors coming to the city by organizing regular cultural activities and other colorful programs. The major institutions in the city include the University of Malawi, Sir Harry Johnston International Primary School and Zomba Catholic Secondary School.

 

Other attractive places in Zomba include:

  • Zomba Theological College
  • Mulunguzi River springs
  • Zomba Central Prison
  • Zomba Hospital
  • Golf course
  • Zomba Mosque
  • Zomba District Council Building
  • CCAP Church

 

When to visit Zomba?

Zomba is a year round destination, although visitors can make its best tour in any month between May and October.

 

Hotels in Zomba:

Holding a title of the former capital of Malawi, Zomba draws a large number of tourists during dry months and in order to serve them, the city houses all sorts of upgraded hotels with all kinds of modern and traditional facilities. Here are some nice hotels in Zomba and Blantyre (around 60 km):

  • Hotel Masongola
  • Sunbird Ku Chawe Inn
  • Annie’s Lodge Zomba
  • Pakachere Backpackers
  • Casa Rossa
  • Zomba Forest Lodge
  • Casa Mia Lodge & Restaurant
  • Leslie Lodge
  • Pedro’s Lodge
  • Annie’s Lodge Blantyre
  • Studios de France
  • Top Lodge
  • Mount Pleasant Inn
  • The Namiwawa Blantyre
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