Ethiopia

With historic towers and churches dating back to the fourth century, Ethiopia has many sites that suggest Wakanda. The country was never colonized and its people are very proud of that, just as the people of Wakanda are proud of their history of independence. The obelisks of Axum and the churches of Lalibela, carved out of rock, speak of ancient traditions. Ethiopians wear flowing embroidered cotton robes and also like their reputation as the place where coffee was first grown and served, which you can appreciate with an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Victoria Falls, Kenya and more Victoria Falls, where the Zambezi River spectacularly plummets 350 feet (106 meters) to make one of the world’s largest waterfalls, is located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The awe-inspiring falls throw up a perpetual mist that supports a lush rainforest. The indigenous Tonga people called the falls “Mosi-oa-Tunya” which means “Smoke That Thunders.” It’s a fabulous place to visit and may bring to mind the waterfall fight scene from the movie.

Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, is another city that is reminiscent of “Black Panther.” Perhaps the place that best captures the juxtaposition of modern and rural Africa is Nairobi National Park, just 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from the city, where you can see rhinos, giraffe and elephants, and look over their shoulders to see the office towers of the city in the background.

East Africa’s expansive savannas, with flat-top acacia trees, seen in Maasai Mara park and Tanzania’s Serengeti park, look like they are right out of a sweeping movie scene.

But maybe the best place to get that Wakanda feeling is the Wits University campus in Johannesburg. To be surrounded by smart, opinionated, articulate students, fashionably dressed in colorful, sharp clothes,