Planning Christmas is always a hard job. You must make tradition, religion and entertainment match also by choosing the right place where to celebrate all. And you might have never imagined to plan your Christmas time in … Africa! But you should, because today Africa is the best place where to be, in December. It is cheaper than any other European capital city, it has the perfect climate … not too hot but not cold at all. Even though most nations do not celebrate Christmas, as a religious event, over there they always know how to make foreign tourists enjoy it. Here we suggest five African places where you can – and should – spend your Christmas holidays in 2021.

South Africa

South Africa is on the other side of the world, this means that seasons are inverted. December is a late spring-early summer month, over there, so you will enjoy a special Christmas … on the beach, perhaps! The best place for your Southafrican Christmas holiday is Cape Town. The city of sun, fun, sea and celebrations will welcome you with anything you need: from restaurants to beach bars, from Christian churches for the mass to nightlife.

Kenya

December in Kenya is the month of bloom. The beautiful natural parks – Amboseli, Maasai Mara – are green with fresh grass, there are flowers everywhere and water too. Animals come to the plains to find partners and raise their little ones and safaris will allow you to admire this and a lot more. You can try to climb the mountains on the border with Tanzania and enjoy a trip to the snowy top of Kilimanjaro. If you love sun, instead, you can rest and dinner on your Christmas night at Diani Beach.

Rwanda

The route of the volcanoes and the green mountains of Rwanda are a great idea for a Christmas holiday. You will live the excitement of a real African safari but in a landscape and climate that reminds more of the European hills, except for one important “detail”: the mountain gorillas! These wonderful animals, the symbol of Rwanda, will make your holiday special. But you could also decide to have a nice time in the capital city, Kigali, where you can walk through nice urban parks.

Namibia

The climate of Namibia is perfect in December. You can decide to have safaris along the valleys, looking for local elephants, or go on boat trips along the rivers. Visit the stunning sandy hills overlooking the Ocean, the highest dunes in the whole world. Or just book a flying safari, so to admire the landscapes from above with small local airplanes. The lovely weather of Namibian Christmas time will make the air trip wonderful.

Ethiopia

If Christmas is still a religious event, for you, and if you want to admire the most beautiful Christian symbol in Africa, go to Ethiopia. And to Lalibela, to be exact. This incredible archaeologic site was entirely carved in the rocky soil, so to create 13 churches all sinking into the ground for tens meters! Some churches are still in use, and you can enter and have your private prayer time in there. The magic of this place has no equal in the world.