With the rise in diaspora travel, culinary tours in Africa are also on the rise. Designed to be a one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience that allows you to experience a country through its food, culinary tours are quickly becoming popular amongst savvy travelers who are wondering how they’re going to eat when they go abroad.
According to AccessTrips, which provides curated culinary tourism experiences to places like Cuba and Vietnam, these types of tours are actually considered the best ways to “connect” with a place, especially if it’s a place you’ve never been to before.
“Culinary tourism has become the hottest way to view a new culture, and why not? We all eat, and those who travel thirst for in-depth experiences that bring often unseen aspects of a culture to life. Food is literally at the root of every place you visit,” they said.
For those looking to have a culinary tourism experience in Africa, the culinary tour goes a bit deeper. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to connect with your ancestral foods and homeland, especially if you’re traveling to Africa from a place that doesn’t make Afrocentric food readily available.
We’ve found these four unique culinary tours in Africa through the Tripaneer app. Each of these trips includes airfare and other accommodations. But it’s best to call ahead of time to make sure your desired dates are available.
2 Day Culture, Nature, and Culinary Tour in Ethiopia
On this unique trip, you’ll go to Bole International Airport. At the end of the two-day experience, you’ll know how to prepare a traditional Ethiopian dish, take part in a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, visit the market in Awassa, and more! (Book the trip here.)
Price Per Person: $1,150/Price Per Couple: $1,400
6 Day Winelands and Wildlife Safari in South Africa
While the sticker price seems expensive, on the surface, it helps to remember that this is an all-inclusive price that works out to about $2,000 USD per person. In any event, on this week-long South African experience, you’ll enjoy picnics on the estate and their locally grown wine.
If you’re a little less adventurous, you might want to consider one of the two restaurants on-site. (Book the trip here.)
Price Per Couple: $4,104
9 Days Culinary Tour Cape Town, South Africa
This is truly a five-star experience for hard-core foodies. With five-star accommodations at Hilton properties and a first-class chef at your beck and call, this culinary tour has been voted one of the best in Africa. (Book the trip here.)
Price Per Person: $3,891/Price Per Couple: $5,448
4 Week Healthy Mauritius Food Tour
This is a culinary tour with a twist. For this one, you’ll never have to leave the comfort of your own home (which is great if COVID-19 is still a concern), but you’ll get an authentic Mauritian experience through their food. Best of all, Mauritian food is said to be healthy and detoxifying, so it’s a great thing to help you with your weight-loss goals, if you have any.
And we all know the pandemic got the best of us all. No judgment here. (Book the trip here.)
Price Per Person: $1,447