How to See the Lowland Gorillas in the DRC

Welcome to the Democratic Republic of the Congo!

There are three places in Africa to see the lowland gorillas: Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC. Rwanda is the most expensive, while the DRC is the least expensive; most people’s biggest concern is the security of the DRC, so I recommend going with the guide I went with!

HOW TO GET THERE: BURUNDI - DRC BORDER

On the day we were supposed to cross the border to the DRC, there was some political conflict; Rwanda had sent police over to the DRC over the death of someone in Virunga National Park but the locals were unhappy about it, so they shut down the borders. Surprisingly enough, they let us through the next day and we didn't have any issues.

DRC GUIDE

Even though Your Burundi Guide set up all the logistics and guides, we were handed off to a Congolese guide who was fantastic. Really motivated to make change in the DRC and knew how to talk our way out of the random police checkpoints that come up frequently. If you're looking for someone just in the DRC, Justin is amazing! He's based in Bujumbura but does frequent trips in both countries. Whatsapp: +25776119310

COVID / PCR / CUSTOMS

We were planning on using our PCR on arrival at the Bujumbura airport to cross into the DRC, but because of the delay it was no longer valid. There's a white tent on the right as soon as you cross the bridge and you can do an Antigen test for $10. It's really disorganized and the person performing the PCR test wouldn't let us have our results until we paid a bribe. We kept saying we didn't have anything but we were already held up so long the guide paid 3000 Congolese Francs ($1.50). We also had to show our yellow fever cards. The power went out when we were in the head immigration office to get our passports stamped, and even though we had the DRC letter of invitation, they wouldn't let us through til the power came back (2 hours later) because they needed to make sure they had their copy.

GORILLAS: KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK

Due to the incident at Virunga National Park, it was closed so we went to Kahuzi-Biega National Park to visit the lowland gorillas. Permits cost $400, whereas it's around $600 to see them in Uganda and $1500 in Rwanda. It was about a 20 minute trek to see them and we had about an hour with them. The only precaution was that we had to wear masks the whole time to make sure we didn't transmit anything to the gorillas. Really awesome experience getting to be so close to these beautiful creatures!

BUKAVU

We stayed the night in the border town of Bukavu. For our next trip we desperately needed USD, and luckily there's plenty of ATMs that dispense dollars in brand-new crisp $100 notes. EcoBank dispensed the most at $600 at a time and didn't charge a fee.

Everything You Need to Know about Burundi

Welcome to Burundi!

Located in the heart of Africa, this tiny country really surprised me with its greenery and such warm people!

ARRIVAL / VISA

We wanted to take advantage of the new VOA program that just started a few weeks ago! "Your Burundi Guide" arranged the whole trip and sent us a letter from the hotel we'd be staying at to show on arrival at Bujumbura Airport.

It's a little confusing when you arrive at Bujumbura airport; first thing is to show your negative PCR test before entering the building. Then, go straight ahead to the window in the very middle -- there's a big visa sign above. You give them your passport and they start inputting your info into the system. After that, go to the window to the left for the cashier. You have to pay for the visa ($90 for 30 days, $30 for a 3-day transit) and PCR on arrival ($100). You can pay in USD and they give you change in Burundi Francs. After you receive your receipts, go back to the middle window so they can put your visa in your passport. Then go to the window on the right to show your PCR on arrival receipt and they give you a slip of paper to do your PCR. Proceed to the next window to get your passport stamped, then go to baggage claim to put your bags thru the x-ray machine, and go through a back door next to one of the baggage claim conveyor belts to do your PCR test.

ACTIVITIES

TEA PLANTATION & GISHORA DRUMMERS

The first day we went to a tea plantation near Gitega; I was surprised how green everything was! It was really beautiful. In the afternoon we went to the famous drummers of Gishora, and it did not disappoint. The energy was fantastic and the local village all crowded around to watch.

BUJUMBURA

The second day we did a Bujumbura city tour. My favorite activity of the day was the boat ride on Lake Tanganyika to see the hippos. After that we went to some monuments around the city, but it was fun driving around seeing so many bicyclists and their way of life.

Top Tips to Explore Aswan, Egypt

This is my second time visiting Egypt, so I wanted to explore somewhere new! I only had a few days in between destinations, so Aswan was the perfect place to squeeze in on my travels. Here are my top tips and must-see places in Aswan, Egypt!

Nubian Village

From Aswan you can take a short boat ride over to the Nubian Village. It’s pretty touristy to be honest, but it’s perfect if you’re looking for a day trip away from the city of Aswan and want the perfect Instagram photos.

Abu Simbel

This is another huge draw to Aswan, visiting the ancient ruins of Abu Simbel. If you’re looking for a way to visit without any crowds, all the tour buses leave at the same time in a 4 AM convoy. This is due to the desert road being closed until 5 AM, so you end up at Abu Simbel with mass amounts of people.

Instead of leaving your hotel at 4 AM, I highly recommend leaving at 8 AM to arrive around 11 or 12 PM after all the tour groups leave! Then you’ll be able to enjoy this UNESCO Heritage Site all to yourself.

Everything You Need to Know about Somaliland

Welcome to Somaliland

A de facto sovereign state located on the Horn of Africa, most consider it to be a part of Somalia. Unlike most unrecognized countries, Somaliland is a special case because it is completely independent, stable and functional, and entirely politically isolated. Here’s everything you need to know about Somaliland!

SOMALILAND VISA

When we arrived to Djibouti, Moussa took us to the Somaliland consulate to pick up visas. Really easy and straightforward; we left our passports, 1 passport photo, and paid 11,000 DJF. They're only open Monday - Thursdays 9 AM - 1 PM but often times they close early. We came back the next morning at 9 AM and they were ready. Do NOT lose the receipt they give you, they check it at the border and at the police checkpoints along the overland journey.

How to Get There: 4X4 DJIBOUTI TO SOMALILAND

Moussa helped arrange our overland trip to Somaliland. It's in a random part of town where all the 4x4s line up across from this khat stand (I'll include in the photos). We paid 7000 DJF each for the front seat and it leaves at about 4 PM, but you need to make a reservation early in the morning and come back at 2 PM. Moussa said that's the cheapest he's ever seen it for the front seat though, so normally it might be more.

It takes about an hour to drive from Djibouti City to the border, and they only check the PCR on the Djibouti side to exit. After going through Somaliland customs, we had dinner, got sim cards, and exchanged money. We got a Telesom sim card for 400 DJF, which included 0.5 GB of data, plus paid an extra 200 DJF for another 1 GB of data. We exchanged our DJF for both Somaliland Shillings and USD; since inflation is so high we received a huge stack of bills and converted the rest to USD (they accept USD in Somaliland). The exchange rate is really good here compared to Hargeisa, so we exchanged as much as we could. We also wore our headscarves as soon as we crossed since they're much more conservative.

It was a long, bumpy ride to Hargeisa. There were no roads, just tracks in the sand. We stopped every couple hours at random camps on the side of the road where there were latrines, food, and people resting. At 4 AM, everyone got out and laid out mats under the stars. We were confused what was happening, but a woman led us to a hut with mattress pads and blankets on the ground and motioned us to sleep. When the sun rose at 6 AM, we hit the road again and made it to Hargeisa at about 10:30 AM.

SOMALILAND

We were pretty exhausted after the overland trip so we took some time to rest and wandered the streets of Hargeisa. I found the money market was really fascinating. As a woman, if you have an abaya, that is preferred, otherwise a headscarf and loose clothing are okay. We wore loose, long clothing and a headscarf but we definitely attracted a lot of attention; people looked at us as if we were naked. We stayed at the Oriental Hotel for $18/night and had decent wifi, breakfast was included.

COVID

The only place you can get a PCR done is the General Hospital of Hargeisa. It was $45, and you come back the next morning to pick up the results. Even though our next destinations don't require PCRs, we decided to get one since we've heard that Ethiopian Airlines will still ask for it (even though it doesn't say it on the website). This turned out to be a good move, since every checkpoint in the airport when leaving asked for it.

BERBERA

The best public transportation minibus service is Sahal (bright yellow buses). It was $5 one way to Berbera and took about 4 hours in total. We stayed at Alloore Hotel Berbera ($20 no AC, $30 with AC) and was nice and clean, plus took a taxi to Batalaale Beach for $4. Great for sunset and the ocean was clean and clear.

LAS GEELS

We asked the hotel in Berbera how much it would be to arrange transport to Las Geels and then to Hargeisa. They found a driver for $100 and said he had police connections since technically you need a permit to visit; we thought we were gonna get a random dude in a tiny car, but he seemed to be a formal driver with a military badge in a 4x4 Landcruiser and we didn't have any issues at the police checkpoints. If you go this route, there's obviously a risk and it depends on how well your driver can talk their way through. It took about 2 hours to reach the Las Geels turn-off and we paid $25 each for entry.

CAMEL MARKET

We took a taxi for $4 to the camel market in Hargeisa. The most popular time is 9 AM - noon. People seemed to welcome photos, although we got yelled at because my friend's shirt, although long and loose, had buttons and apparently that's a no-no. Wearing an abaya is probably better. We went at 9 AM and there seemed to be taxis coming and going, but if you go at less popular hours you might need to ask your taxi to wait for you.

Everything You Need to Know about Djibouti

Welcome to Djibouti

This small African country is probably one of my favorites to date and will always be a special one! It usually gets a bad rap but if you have the time to really explore this unique country, you will find how special it is.

COVID

Upon arrival at the airport, you must take a PCR for $30. It says they accept credit cards but they don't so bring cash. To depart, even if you don't need a PCR for your next destination you need it to leave Djibouti. You can take one at the hospital for $30, or you can do an express PCR for $60.

UPDATE | I visited Djibouti in December 2021 so PCR requirements may have changed since then.

SIM CARD / MONEY

Bought a Telekom sim card for 1000 DJF, then you can buy data for 500 DJF (3 days, 5 GB). The best place to withdraw money is the Bank of Africa in the main square. The fee was 600 DJF, whereas other random Bank of Africa/Saba Africa ATMs charged 1600 DJF. We stayed at CityGuest hotel on our first and last night in Djibouti City and had good wifi and AC for $60. One more thing to note, because of the conflict in Ethiopia, social media is banned in Djibouti. The only VPN that worked was the app "SuperVPN"

WHERE TO STAY

On our first and last night in Djibouti City we stayed at City Guest Hotel. For $60 it was decent and had good wifi and AC — that’s all you can ask for when going to off-the-beaten-path places in Africa, right?

Update: Unfortunately I can no longer find City Guest Hotel online, so here’s an alternative budget friendly option with great reviews.

SEARCH | Alternatively, check out Booking.com for more options in Djibouti City.

THE TRIP

We did a 3-day trip with a fantastic guide, Moussa. He was very responsive, super fun and friendly, and extremely hospitable. I can't recommend him enough. We compared pricing and trip offers with 8 other tour companies/fixers and Moussa by far had the best package. I know a lot of people aren't a fan of Djibouti, but Moussa made it such an incredible experience that I would love to go back one day!

Moussa Whatsapp: +25377278015

WHALE SHARKS

I'm an avid diver (freediving as well) and have been fortunate to swim with whale sharks in multiple locations around the world, but Djibouti is by far the best I've ever experienced. For predictability, visibility, few number of tourists, and the amount you see -- it can't be beat.

LAC ASSAL

We arrived in the evening on our first day after the whale sharks and camped nearby in local huts. There was a chef that cooked us a local meal, then we woke up early to float in the lake the next morning.

LAC ABBE

This was a long drive, but it was like being on another planet. We arrived for sunset on our second day, and there was a camp with electricity, nice toilets and showers. On the way back to Djibouti City we stopped at a local village. People were very friendly and welcomed photos.

Mozambique Travel Guide | Everything You Need to Know

M O Z A M B I Q U E

“But why Mozambique?” I shrugged my shoulders and smiled, “I heard so much about the pristine beaches and diving here, I had to see for myself!”

A country on the coast of East Africa, Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975. I spent nearly two weeks in-country, from the capital of Maputo to the beaches of Tofo and islands off Vilanculos. Here’s everything you need to know about visas, transportation, traveling overland, and the best places to see in Mozambique!

Arriving to Mozambique

Chances are, if you’re coming from the US or Europe you’re going to need a visa to enter Mozambique. Luckily you can get a visa on arrival at the airport in Maputo! It costs $50 and you need to make sure you have a letter from your accommodation along with a printed return ticket. They’re really strict about it so make sure you come prepared!

Next comes the nitty gritty before heading into the city: sim card and money. Picking up a sim card is easy in the arrivals terminal; there’s a booth near the exit that you can stop at. Regarding money, I usually just pull out cash from ATMs instead of exchanging since rates are always poor at airports, but I would make an exception for Mozambique. I had difficulty being able to take out more than $50 worth at a time from the ATM in the airport (actually, any ATM for that matter) so I would highly recommend exchanging in this case. Since most places only accept cash, it’s important to assume credit cards aren’t accepted and make sure you prepare at the start of your trip.

Maputo

The goal was to get to Tofo Beach on the coast, but information online is so hard to find anything on transportation. The local transport is mostly mini-buses, or chapas, to get around cheaply. Since I didn’t really know the chapa schedule, I found Fatima’s Backpacker Hostel incredibly helpful; they offer a daily shuttle at 5 AM to their sister hostel in Tofo Beach. I had the first day to explore Maputo, but honestly there wasn’t much to see besides the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

Update as of September 2023: Unfortunately I can no longer find the website to Fatima’s Backpacker Hostel, so I’ll provide a few other recommendations below.

WHERE TO STAY IN MAPUTO

Hotels

LIV INN GUESTHOUSE: When traveling in Africa for extended periods of time, as much as I’m flexible with whatever is thrown at me, I do need a clean place where I can unwind so I don’t get burnt out. Liv Inn Guesthouse is a great option since it’s not only a newer place, but it includes breakfast and has an airport shuttle.

HOSTELS

THE BASE BACKPACKERS: This hostel has both dormitories and private rooms if you’re just looking for something basic before heading towards the coast. Great reviews!

Tofo Beach

The chapa was nearly a 12-hour journey from Maputo to Tofo, but it dropped me off right at the hostel so I didn’t have to worry about changing buses several times. My plans were to go diving to see whale sharks, but the swell was too large for the boat to go out. Diving in Mozambique has been on my bucket list for a long time, so I was sad I didn’t get to go. Maybe one day I’ll return! The hostel I stayed at was right next to Liquid Dive Adventures, which was beautiful to just hang out at. They have AMAZING breakfast and juices, it felt like I was right back at home!

Update as of September 2023: Unfortunately I can no longer find the website to Fatima’s Backpacker Hostel, so I’ll provide a few other recommendations below.

WHERE TO STAY IN TOFO BEACH

HOTELS

LIQUID DIVE ADVENTURES: Like I previously mentioned, I absolutely loved this place and highly recommend it. The food was incredible and it was such a great place to relax.

HOSTELS

KITESURF TOFO HOUSE: Although I didn’t check this place out in-person, it has great reviews if you’re just looking for a good hostel to stay at!

Tofo Beach to Vilanculos

This trip was a little bit of an adventure via public transport. From the main part of the town in Tofo, you can take a chapa to Inhambane. Walk to the port and catch a boat across the bay to Maxixe. There’s an area in the town of Maxixe, a couple blocks from the port, where you can find a lot of chapas lined up. Just look for one that says “Vilanculos” and you’ll be on your way! There’s some larger buses that are much more comfortable, the chapas can get pretty hot and they pack them full until people are hanging out the door.

Vilanculos

If I could give any piece of advice: if you’re not a diver, just take the flight from Maputo to Vilanculos and skip Tofo and the headache of figuring out public transportation. The days are long and they run whenever they feel like it. The beaches in Vilanculos are amazing though and are so worth it! There’s not much to the town itself; it felt more like everything was centered around the resorts.

WHERE TO STAY IN VILANCULOS

HOTELS

BAHIA MAR: If you’re looking for something a little more luxurious, I loved Bahia Mar! Their service was outstanding and everything about it was absolutely fantastic.

HOSTELS

BAOBAB BEACH HOSTEL: If you’re on a backpacker budget, I recommend Baobab Beach Hostel. The huts are right on the beach and the food is incredible!

WHAT TO DO IN VILANCULOS

One of the best things to do is to take a boat trip out to the islands of Bazaruto and Benguerra for the day. Sunset Dhow Safari had a great package that includes snorkeling; the first island we went to, Bazaruto Island, was great for lunch but my personal favorite was Benguerra Island. The water was an insane shade of blue and green, everything I thought Mozambique would be. Another great activity is either a sunrise or sunset traditional dhow cruise! Dhows are lateen-rigged sailboats, typically found in the Indian Ocean.

Health and Malaria

I was traveling with a friend of mine who had been in Central African Republic prior to Mozambique, where he believes he contracted malaria unknowingly. The signs are different for everyone, but I noticed he started acting strangely like hallucinating and had a really high fever, until he collapsed and was unresponsive. I was able to carry him from the hotel to find a tuk-tuk to take him to the hospital, where they confirmed it was malaria right away. They gave him a series of injections for three days, then had him continue to take tablets. He made a full recovery, but if you’re feeling unwell, don’t ignore the signs. Go to the doctor right away.

Another key item to note is the health care system in Mozambique; there are public hospitals and private hospitals. Sadly, the public hospitals are in poor condition and are extremely corrupt. My first night in Maputo I had a UTI in the middle of the night and went to a public hospital, but that was a huge mistake. That in itself is a long story, but to make it short, go to a private hospital if you have any health-related issue. I’m so glad I had that knowledge before my friend came down with malaria, because it saved his life. The private hospitals are extremely clean, the doctors are very attentive, and the service was amazing.

Where to get a PCR in Mozambique?

Since we were in Vilanculos at the private hospital, we decided to just get one done there instead of Maputo. All-Around Medical Solutions clinic was the only place to get a PCR in Vilanculos anyways, so your hotel can set up an appointment here!

Update as of September 2023: PCR tests are no longer required to enter Mozambique as long as you have a COVID-19 vaccination certificate. PCR tests are no longer required for exit.

South Africa Road Trip | Ultimate Itinerary and Route

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is an incredible country with much to do and see; it also borders two tiny countries that I’ve been wanting to visit, Lesotho and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Unfortunately I didn’t get to visit Cape Town on this trip, but I highly recommend adding it to your itinerary if you have the time! With this new era of travel with PCRs and covid, I’ll go over the best route and logistics!

Day 1: Arrival in Johannesburg, South Africa

After picking up your rental car, head to Ampath Labs to get a PCR done! Even if you just arrived, it’s beneficial to get one done right away if you’re heading straight to Lesotho. In Lesotho, you’re able to use the same PCR if it’s within 72 hours so you want to maximize your time as much as possible. There’s many labs in Johannesburg, but Ampath had the quickest turnaround time; if you take it by 4 PM you’ll have it by the next morning. After the PCR, start your drive towards Ladybrand, South Africa for the night!

LESOTHO

Day 2: Crossing the Lesotho border

There’s not much to do in Ladybrand, so once you wake up and receive your PCR test via email head towards the Maseru Bridge border. My friend and I tried to cross and were turned away since Lesotho was technically under lockdown, even though we didn’t see any restrictions online and we had our PCR tests, which was the only requirement listed. I was going to be working with a hotel as a photographer, and since we didn’t have any cell service on the Lesotho side I wasn’t able to call to see if they could write us a letter of invitation. We tried walking back towards the South Africa side to see if we could get some signal, but luckily a customs officer was able to hotspot us to make a call and receive the letter. Then we finally were able to cross!

We didn’t think it could get any worse, but it did. Mind you, we didn’t have service besides the downloaded Google maps, our spare tire was flat from hitting a pothole the day before, and we didn’t have any local currency. But, it did get worse. We got another flat and we were in the middle of nowhere. A car happened to roll by as we were walking down the highway, and a man from the health department spoke English and was willing to help us. I waited by the car while the man took my friend to different repair shops to fix our two tires. Since we didn’t have any service, I had no idea what was happening or when they would be back. I laid on a bench nearby thinking to myself how long I should give before I walking down the highway to contact someone, but after three hours they returned. New tires were slapped on the car and we continued to the town of Semonkong.

Day 3: Maletsunyane Falls, Lesotho

We had the honor of staying at Semonkong Lodge, which is the only hotel near Maletsunyane Falls, a 192 meter waterfall, the highest waterfall in the country. It was about a 30 minute hike to the falls, so it was the perfect location. Most of the grass was brown and dead, and when we got there close to sunset there was quite a large shadow, so I recommend visiting during the spring or summer months during midday. I also really enjoyed wandering among the local villages; the people are so unique covered in warm blankets.

SOUTH AFRICA

Day 4: Crossing back into South Africa

We crossed back into South Africa at the same Maseru Bridge border without any issues. It was a little confusing because we had to go to a health window to get our PCRs verified first before going to formal customs. After we were cleared into South Africa, we headed towards the town of Bethlehem for our next PCR to enter Eswatini! This Ampath Lab sends their results to Bloemfontein since it’s a larger city, so it would take up to 48 hours. We decided to take our time and slowly make our way towards the Eswatini border.

Day 5: Waiting for PCR results

There wasn’t much to do or see on the way to Eswatini; we would have taken the route through Durban if we could cross through the pass, but since it was winter we were advised not to do so if we didn’t have 4×4 or a car that could handle the snow. We spent the night in a city called Newcastle and found some good wifi to do some work before crossing the border.

ESWATINI

Day 6: Crossing the border to Eswatini

We finally received our PCR results and crossed the border to Eswatini! Everything was really straightforward so we didn’t have any issues like we had in Lesotho. We checked out Swazi Candles and the Mantenga Cultural Center, then grabbed a drink at Malandela’s Restaurant before heading to the next hotel I was working with.

Day 7: Mantenga Lodge, Eswatini

My friend really wanted to go to Kruger National Park in South Africa, but I convinced him that we should stay one more night in Eswatini so I could have more time to craft content and we could relax a little bit. Mantenga Lodge has a stunning view of the mountains nearby and had some of the best Swazi food!

SOUTH AFRICA

Day 8: Crossing back into South Africa

There’s a new rule regarding PCRs between South Africa and Eswatini and that they’re valid for 14 days, so you don’t have to worry about how much time you spend! After crossing back into South Africa, we headed towards Kruger National Park. I was a little wary about going to this park since it’s extremely expensive, but you can definitely do it on a budget! One way is to drive to the town of Skukuza and you can stay in a little bungalow and take game drives whenever you please. It’s a little bit like a resort town with lots of gift shops and restaurants, but it was perfect for budget travelers!

Day 9: Heading back to Johannesburg

Take one last PCR test at Ampath Labs before grabbing your flight to your next destination! There’s not much to see in Johannesburg so you don’t have to worry about setting aside extra time to explore. Thanks for following along!

Comoros Islands Travel Guide | Everything You Need to Know

COMOROS

A tiny cluster of islands in the Indian Ocean, the Comoros Islands are a unique off-the-beaten-path destination with gorgeous beaches and friendly smiles. Comoros wasn’t really on my radar until my plans to visit Malawi were cancelled and I had to find another destination that Ethiopian Airlines flew to, and was open during this time.

Entry Requirements

• PCR Test Within 72 Hours Of Arrival

• Health Declaration Form

• Visa On Arrival Application

VISA ON ARRIVAL

The VOA application is relatively new at no extra cost; if you’re staying at a local guesthouse this must be filed with a local guide, otherwise if you’re staying at a major hotel like The Golden Tulip there’s no need for this. My guide had to go to immigration with my passport and airline ticket info and file the paperwork. He then sent me the application confirmation signed and stamped. The VOA is 30€/$50. Highly recommended to bring Euros since USD does not exchange well. Also went to four ATMs around Moroni and the only one that worked was Exim Bank.

I spent 3 full days in Grand Comoros; I found it to be quite pricey as a budget traveller so I didn’t go to the other island Moheli unfortunately, but I hear it’s incredible to watch the turtles hatch on the beach and stay at Laka Lodge. There’s 2 main hotels in Grand Comoros, but my guide fixed a guest house for 40€/night near the Golden Tulip. Once I spoke to the guest house owner I realized that my guide was up-charging a lot so it’s a lot cheaper to contact the owner directly. It was perfect to be able to walk over and use the wifi at the Golden Tulip and hang out at their private beach. I also got a Huri sim card for 10€.

When my guide picked me up from the airport, he took me into Moroni to sign my name in to take a PCR test the next morning. Since there’s only 1 place in the whole country to take a PCR, there’s hundreds of people that line up everyday so you need to allot 3 days at least for them to process your test. Luckily the guesthouse owner was able to make some phone calls to get my name at the top of the list. It used to be a lot cheaper but with the huge number of people trying to take PCRs, it’s now 100€ — they put the date of the PCR as the date of your flight so you don’t have to worry about it expiring. My guide told me that he had a guest that only spent 1 day in Comoros and they pretty much spent the full day doing the covid test and having to personally deliver everything to the lab for 250€, but this is not recommended and was nearly impossible to pull off.

The next morning my guide picked me up at 6 AM to take me to the testing center; even though we were there early (it opened at 8 AM) there was already over 100 people lined up. He mentioned that everyone is vaccinated and “there’s no covid anymore,” but a lot of locals are traveling now for work, which is why there’s a huge influx of testing. I was nervous that something would’ve happened and I wouldn’t get to take the test first since I didn’t see my name on the sign-up sheet, but luckily they did call my name! Afterwards he took me around the island for a day-trip and saw all the main sights: the kissing rock, Bouni beach, Lac du sâl, Mitsamouli beach.

On the last day, my guide picked up my PCR test results in Moroni then dropped me off at the airport. I’ll share more soon, but for now, I hope this helps someone looking to visit these gorgeous islands!