Bori Hausa ceremony: animist practices in Niger
Niger is a diamond in the rough. With an enormous cultural heritage and very friendly people. We fell in love with it without a doubt. Among its cultural riches, we were able to attend the Bori ceremony of the Hausa and the dance of the Tauri warriors, both animists. Here is the chronicle, a preview […]
Lomako – Yokokala Wildlife Reserve in DR Congo
Created in 2006, the Lomaoko-Yokokala Reserve is a protected area with an area of 3,625 km² (slightly larger than Luxembourg) and is situated between the Lomako and Yokokala rivers in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Lomako-Yokokala Reserve is home to about 1,000 bonobos. In this reserve in the middle of the […]
A curious maternity leave in Congo (DRC)
On the 2023 Jungle Kongo Expedition trip, Austerio Alonso and the other travellers had the good fortune to witness a ceremony to mark the end of the Ekonda pygmies’ “maternity leave”. But let’s start at the beginning…
Pende Tribe, the people of the great initiations (DRC)
We travel to the southwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo in search of the Pende tribe. This is one of the ethnic groups that attracts us the most because of their desire to preserve their traditions, and we want to continue getting to know them on future trips.
The Kuba Kingdom of Congo and its fantastic past
We like to include a strong cultural component in our trips. For example, the Kuba kingdom of the Congo, an ancient and powerful civilisation whose descendants still preserve some of the traditions of yesteryear. It is these traditions that continue to define their identity as a people.
Makoko, community and resistance in gigantic Lagos (Nigeria)
Makoko is like an island in the chaos of the big city. It is a floating neighbourhood and we are in the largest city in Africa. Its name, by the way, was given to it by the police and means “criminals”.
Dancing to the sound of Afrobeat in Lagos, Nigeria
To be recognised as the father of a musical style is no small matter. In Lagos, the economic centre of Nigeria, they can boast about it. For this reason, and because the occasion arose, we went to spend a couple of nights at the centre of Afrobeat’s origins in Lagos: the Kalakuta Museum.
Benin City and Edo culture, pure Nigerian history
In the Africa Overland expedition we did in Kumakonda between March and April 2023, we knew that Nigeria was not going to make it easy for us, but we also knew that this is a very interesting destination. So much so that it has left us with the desire to repeat and go deeper. For […]
The Wodaabe of Chad: origins, symbols and relationships in Gerewol
In Kumakonda’s trips we have accumulated many encounters with the Wodaabe of Chad, and we even travel to their Gerewol festival once a year. For us, this nomadic people belonging to the great Peul family is one of the most fascinating of the African continent, so we were looking forward to publishing an article in […]
Discovering the Dozo hunters, an esoteric and powerful brotherhood of the Malinké Country
Among the enormous variety of worldviews that exist in West Africa today, we can find brotherhoods or confraternities. These are more or less secret societies with a strong esoteric, spiritual or shamanic component. A great example is the Dozo or Doso hunters.
Introduction to the peoples and nomads of Lake Chad, a fascinating labyrinth of societies
The human presence in Lake Chad dates back thousands of years, and the archaeological remains that have been found bear witness to this. Later, in what we call the Middle Ages, is when the history of the region became very complex and exciting. Some of the peoples and nomads of Lake Chad on whom this […]
Lake Chad, a stunning natural and cultural ecosystem
Lake Chad is a mythical place in Central Africa. It is one of the great symbols of the continent, like Kilimanjaro or the Sahara Desert. Divided between Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon since 1880, for a long time it was a great inland sea that watered the life of the Sahel. In this article we […]
Trip to Equatorial Guinea, reserved matter
A trip to Equatorial Guinea, one of the world’s most opaque countries
Lekedi Park in Gabon, observation of mandrills
Lekedi Park in Gabon offers the opportunity to get up close and photograph two large troops of wild but habituated mandrills.
Sapeurs, the dandies of the Congo and the “SAPE”
In Brazzaville and Kinshasa, the capitals of the two Congos, hundreds of sapeurs are part of the urban subcultural movement known as SAPE.
Tata Gonda, the celestial army
In the depths of the province of Congo Central, the followers of the now dead prophet Tata Gonda live in total autarchy.
Mercedes overland truck 4×4 for sale
Characteristics of our Mercedes 4×4 overland truck I only attend to people who are really interested: +34 635419035 or info@kumakonda.com Overland truck 4×4 for sale After having made several trips with passengers in West and Central Africa over the last few years and having enjoyed some great adventures, the time has come to say goodbye […]
National Gungu Festival of Congo, traditional Pende culture
Gungu Festival, traditional culture and community development The National Gungu Festival (FESNAG) is a manifestation of socio-cultural and touristic promotion of the traditional Pende culture, promoted from within by the local communities themselves for its development. The aim of the Gungu Festival is to protect and revalue the ancestral cultural heritage of the Pende culture […]
Travel to Chad: Ennedi Massif Natural and Cultural Reserve
One of the main objectives of travel to Chad is to visit the Ennedi Massif, one of the most sublime corners of the African continent.
Niergui Wodaabe refugee camp in Chad
In the Niergui Wodaabe refugee camp in Chad, more than 200 people survive on charity and NGO projects.
Kinact: Festival Kinshasa in action in DR of Congo
The KinAct Festival is itinerant and takes place in several popular neighbourhoods of Kinshasa. Street performances, arts, social criticism and awareness-raising.
Malebo, encountering bonobos in Congo
Malebo, bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo With the idea of spotting wild bonobos we travelled to Malebo Site. A unique habitat of savannahs, forests and floodplains in the southwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Malebo is located in the province of Mai Ndombe, in a difficult to reach region 500 kilometres north […]
Yangambi, treasures in the Congo Basin
Yangambi, a trip on the Congo River In the province of Tschopo, in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the heart of the Congo Basin forest, lies an unexpected treasure: Yangambi. Sailing from Kisangani some 100 kilometres downstream on the Congo River, we reach this immense scientific city. Built by the Belgians […]
Isolated Tibesti, the legendary Sahara
Tibesti, a massive array of volcanoes, canyons, oases, dunes, strange peaks and isolated villages inhabited by the rude Teda people.
Mundari cattle camp, trip to South Sudan
We visited a Mundari cattle camp on our trip to South Sudan. For the Mundari, cattle represents much more than a way of life…
Expedition to the best place to see gorillas in Africa central – Part ¾
From Sahara in Chad to deep jungles in CAR, heading to Dzanga Sangha, some of the best place to see gorillas in África central.
Expedition in Central Africa – Part 2/4
Viaje en camión en África central en el que descenderemos desde Ennedi y el Parque Nacional de Zakouma en Chad, a la Reserva de Dzanga Sangha en las selvas.
Africa overland trip: from the desert to the rainforest. Part 1/4
Africa overland trip from Ennedi massif inthe Sahara desert to the african jungles visiting Dzangha Sangha and Zakouma National Park.
Travel to Benin – Travel guide to discover the voodoo country
Travel to Benin. Its main richness is its immense cultural heritage, its varied traditions (some forty ethnic groups), and its dense and tumultuous history.
West Africa, journey through our senses
To enter West Africa is to penetrate ancestral Africa, in a mysterious world of secret societies, initiation rites, masks and lots of music.
Ecotourism in Chad and community development
Ecotourism and development of local communities. Walking and Bicycle Routes in Chad
The Guera Mountains have a great tourist attraction and more and more travellers are interested in their landscapes, their different cultures and in some very interesting collaboration and development projects that are taking place in the Chad area.
People and cultures in Chad, encounters across the Sahel
En los pequeños mercados de las zonas rurales, en los caminos polvorientos del Sahel, en los restaurantes locales, o junto a los estanques y fuentes de agua es donde nos acercamos a los pueblos y culturas de Chad en nuestros viajes.
Ennedi; the Eden of the Sahara. Chronicles of a tour to Chad II
World Heritage, the Ennedi massif, located in northeastern Chad, is known as the “Eden of the Sahara”, hides some of the most beautiful desert landscapes on the planet. Incredible rock formations in the form of arches, pillars or needles, deep canyons and hundreds of cave paintings.
Ounianga Lakes, chronicles of a tour to Chad I
Like a big secret, Chad keeps jealously one of the most beautiful deserts on the planet with awesome places like Ounianga lakes, Ennedi massif or Tibesti region.
Zakouma National Park in Chad
Visiting Zakouma National Park In Kumakonda we could not start 2019 in a better way, just finished with a new prospective trip in Chad in which we visited the Zakouma National Park. Chad is perhaps the great unknown of the African continent but at the same time it is incredibly beautiful and wild. The traveler […]
Gerewol of the Wodaabe, the ceremony of the most beautiful people in the world
The Gerewol festival of the Wodaabe combines the three centers of attention of the Fulani, the beauty, the cattle and the family.
Dambe: the fight club in northern Nigeria
Dambe. Welcome to the Fight Club.We travelled to northern Nigeria, specifically to Kano, the oldest city in West Africa.
Bijagos Islands in Guinea Bissau, where women rule
On our last trip to Guinea Bissau in February 2018 we were lucky to learn more about this West African country, small in territory, but immense in diversity and cultural richness. One of the most fascinating parts of the trip was the tour among the Bijagos Islands. Discoverong Bijagos Islands This archipelago, declared a Biosphere […]
Visiting the Cantanhez National Park in Guinea Bissau
Travelling to Cantanhez National Park The Cantanhez National Park in Guinea Bissau is located in the district of Tombali, in the south of the country, about 250 kilometers from the capital Bissau. To get there the road is in good condition except for the last 60 kilometers that become a terrible but beautiful forest track […]
Tiwai Island Sanctuary Sierra Leone
Discovering Tiwai Island, travelling to Sierra Leone The Tiwai Island Sanctuary in Sierra Leone is one of the great highlights of a journey through this exciting West African country. Tiwai Island ( Big Island in Mende) is an inland island in the Moa River, about 12 km², located inside the Upper Guinea Tropical Rainforest in […]
Traditional Fabrics of Ivory Coast
Traveling through the different regions of northern Ivory Coast we find the craft production of traditional materials. Traditional Kita The “kita” or also called “kente” is the traditional material that is worked on the looms. Men are organized in a cooperative called Association of Young Artisans of the Ivory Coast (AJACI). The origin of these […]
Why travel overland in Africa?
After years traveling overland in the African continent we are firmly convinced that trucks are the best means of transportation for group travel in Africa. Good reasons to travel overland in Africa with Kumakonda Reliable, hard, robust, safe, load-bearing, capable of passing through really difficult places (4×4) and comfortable for our passengers, these are the […]
Niofoin and its fetish houses. Visit one of the most peculiar villages of Ivory Coast
In northern Ivory Coast, in the heart of the Senufo country, between Boundiali and Korhogo, lies Niofoin, one of the most interesting and picturesque villages in the whole country. Visiting Niofoin Niofoin is a medium-sized town that has grown a lot in the last years. Mainly agricultural and animist, many of the ancient traditions are […]
Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary and Fouta Toro in Northern Senegal
In the last two trips we have run in Senegal in late 2016 and early 2017, we have explored the northern part of Senegal along the river that gives the name the country. Travel to remote nothern Senegal Due to the timely conflict and border closure in Gambia because of the former dictator Yahya Jammeh’s […]
Travel to Sierra Leone, 12 reasons why you should not miss this country
Still thinking about old clichés? … Forget about it! Do you think that traveling to Sierra Leone is not safe? War and conflicts ended in 2002. Today Sierra Leone is an incredibly beautiful country, totally safe
Hiking in Fouta Djallon, Guinea Conakry
Fouta Djallon’s mountainous region is in the central – west area of Guinea Conakry. Welcome to Fouta Djallon in Guinea Conakry This mountain range of surrealistic reliefs which height goes between 700 and 1500 meters, is the source of some of the big rivers in Western Africa, as the Gambia, the Bafing (Senegal), the Bakoy, […]
East Nimba Nature Reserve, Liberia
One of the most surprising places we can visit in West Africa is without a doubt East Nimba Nature Reserve in Liberia. We can enjoy stunning scenery, nature, walking trails on the mountains and visit to surrealistic abandoned places. In addition, Yekepa is an absolutely different city from all the others you have already visited. […]
Iwol village in the Bédik Country and the Dindefelo waterfall, Senegal
Placed in the remote south-east of Senegal, in the surroundings of the green hills of Fouta Djalon and 20km away from Kedougou you find Iwol, one of the most beautiful and picturesque villages in all Senegal. At Iwol inhabit the Bédik, an ethnic minority with Mandingo origins and coming from Mali that arrived in […]
Overland Trip from Morocco to Senegal (Marrakech-Dakar)
We begin our trip in Marrakech, one of the most touristic and interesting cities in Morocco. After going through the lightbulb, the parks and the always busy and striking place of Jemaa el Fna we go towards the south by the mountainous road which takes to Tizi n’Test in the Atlas. The Tinmel mosque is […]
Saint Louis, Senegal, architectural and cultural patrimony
The city of Saint Louis in north Senegal (UNESCO) with its nice colonial colorful buildings, relaxed atmosphere, very attractive cultural offer and magnificent natural environment, is one of these places you will never wish to leave. History of Saint Louis Founded in 1659, Saint Louis was named in honor of the king of France Luis […]