( CNN ) -- At the risk of propagating a dodgy cliché , Africa remains one of the last frontiers of travel . Non-air-conditioned travel , that is , i.e . the kind where you risk stubbing your toe occasionally or getting genuinely lost . From gorilla sighting in the Ugandan highlands to skiing -- yes , skiing -- in Morocco , it promises untold travel wonders . But new Africa hands should worry less about stocking up on viral jabs and safari suits than ditching their preconceptions . For a start ... Africa can be very cold indeed . It might straddle the equator but not everywhere in Africa is scorching . Mt Kilimanjaro ( Tanzania ) and Mt Kenya both have glaciers and nights can be dangerously chilly in the desert , with temperatures dropping to as low as -10C . It snows in places , too . You can go skiing in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco , the Maloti Mountains , Lesotho and in the Eastern Cape Highlands , South Africa . Alongside desert , there are mountains and rainforests . Africa does have vast swathes of desert and flat savanna but also mountainous and exceptionally green parts . There are the sprawling rainforests of Uganda , Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo ( Zaire ) and the soft green hill country of Senegal , Guinea and Tanzania . For more cultivated greenness , South Africa 's garden route , on the south-east coast , is so-named because of its lush vegetation and lakes . And not every desert is a stretch of barren wilderness . The Kalahari is known for its spring flowers , while the Namib , the oldest desert in the world , is home to desert-adapted elephant , rhino , giraffe and lion . More on CNN : Touring Nelson Mandela 's South Africa . Hippos are the big killers . You should worry less about lions and Nile crocodiles and instead keep an eye out for hippos . They 're the biggest people-killers on the continent . Found in sub-Saharan Africa , the animal is aggressive , unpredictable and can charge at 28kph . If you 're in a boat ( where many people will encounter them ) hit the sides to signal your position . If on foot , keep your distance and never get between a mother and her calf . Hippos are most aggressive in the dry season when water levels are low and food supplies limited . Listen out for oxpeckers since the birds issue warning calls if hippo are around . You wo n't need every shot in the book . Your childhood vaccines should be up to date for an Africa trip but you do n't need prevention against every disease going . A rabies shot is advisable -- but plan it in advance as it 's a series of jabs -- along with injections against hepatitis A , meningococcal meningitis and typhoid . You may need yellow fever vaccination , too . For some countries , such as South Africa , it 's an entry requirement . Consult with your doctor about your specific travel plans and medical history . Find out more about virus protection while traveling at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website . French is useful -- African French even better . Africa 's countless ethnic groups mean there are several hundred languages , many with distinct dialects , you could come across . Former colonial languages -- English , French and Portuguese -- are common , but English may not be as widely spoken as you think . French is almost essential in West or Central Africa and will probably come in useful in Algeria , Burundi , Djibouti , Rwanda and Tunisia . African French , however , is very different from what you were probably taught at school -- while you should be able to make yourself understood , you might find it harder understanding others . The informal `` tu '' is used much more frequently in Africa than it would be in France , but if you 're dealing with officials it 's perhaps safer to stick with `` vous . '' More on CNN : 10 of the best golf courses in Africa . You do n't need countless visas ... If you 're traveling in West Africa , consider getting a Visa Touristique Entente ( VTE ) which covers Benin , Burkina Faso , Niger , Togo and Cote d'Ivoire all in the one document . It costs around $ 50 , is valid for up to two consecutive months and should save you time and money . Embassies of Benin seem to issue these with the least amount of hassle , although theoretically they 're available from any of the countries ' embassies . ... But your car will need papers . If you plan to drive a hire car through Africa you may well need a carnet de passage or a triptyque ( the former is for entry to multiple countries , the latter to one ) , although neither is required for Morocca , Algeria and Tunisia . Carnets are issued by national motoring organizations and act as a guarantee that import duties will be paid if a vehicle is taken into a country and remains there . Hire companies wo n't issue you with a carnet unless they have proof you can afford any duties , so you 'll need insurance to cover this . Some southern African countries do n't demand a carnet , although they 'll insist you buy a Temporary Import Permit at the border . Find out more about vehicle documentation at the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile website ( page in English ) . Karen Bowerman is a travel writer and former BBC broadcaster who specializes in conservation issues and adventure travel .
What should every new Africa traveler ditch first ? The answer is a lot of things. It 's not scorching everywhere -- there are glaciers . Crocs and lions are n't the most lethal animals . And you need n't have every virus shot in the book .