20 Best Places to Visit in Africa
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20 Best Places to Visit in Africa. Book your next dream vacation to Africa. Last minute flights, hotels, tours and cruise holidays.
Victoria Falls is a waterfall on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, which provides habitat for several unique species of plants and animals
Home to 54 countries, Africa has something for everyone. From Egyptian Museum, Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza in Egypt to South Africa’s iconic urban skylines, the second-largest continent in the world, too, has landscapes as diverse as its animal kingdoms. Here we have listed 20 of the most incredible places to visit in Africa based on accessibility, affordability and variety of things to do!
1. Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls is a waterfall on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, which provides habitat for several unique species of plants and animals. It is located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and is considered to be one of the world’s largest waterfalls due to its width of 1,708 metres (5,604 ft).
2. Wildebeest Migration in Kenya and Tanzania
The Great Migration is one of the natural wonders of the world. The scale of the Migration is hard to imagine, each year over 2 million wildebeests follow the rains in a 1,800 mile (2,900 km) circle through Tanzania and Kenya. With these massive herds come fellow migrants. Zebra and antelope travel with the wildebeest herds seeking water and fresh grass, while lions, cheetahs, and other predators follow in the herds wake seeking an easy meal. The Migration represents a dynamic, flowing ecosystem at work as so many different animals move across the region. Witnessing the Great Migration is an incredible, unforgettable experience that draws people from all across the world to the Serengeti each year.
3. Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania
The main feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority is the Ngorongoro Crater, the World’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. The crater, which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago, is 610 metres (2,000 feet) deep and its floor covers 260 square kilometres (100 square miles). Estimates of the height of the original volcano range from 4,500 to 5,800 metres (14,800 to 19,000 feet) high. The crater floor is 1,800 metres (5,900 feet) above sea level. The crater was voted by Seven Natural Wonders as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa in Arusha, Tanzania in February 2013.
4. Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Volcanoes National Park is a national park in northwestern Rwanda. It covers 160 km sq (62 sq mi) of rainforest and encompasses five of the eight volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains, namely Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo. It borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. It is home to the mountain gorilla and the golden monkey, and was the base for the primatologist Dian Fossey.
5. Okavango Delta in Botswana
The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta in northern Botswana. It’s known for its sprawling grassy plains, which flood seasonally, becoming a lush animal habitat. The Moremi Game Reserve occupies the east and central areas of the region. Here, dugout canoes are used to navigate past hippos, elephants and crocodiles. On dry land, wildlife includes lions, leopards, giraffes and rhinos.
6. Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
Mount Kilimanjaro is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It has three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest single free-standing mountain in the world: 5,895 metres (19,341 ft) above sea level and about 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) above its plateau base. Kilimanjaro is the fourth most topographically prominent peak on Earth. The first people known to have reached the summit were Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller, in 1889. It is part of Kilimanjaro National Park and is a major climbing destination. Because of its shrinking glaciers and disappearing ice fields, it has been the subject of many scientific studies.
7. Merzouga: Sahara Dunes in Morocco
The remote village of Merzouga, Morocco by the Sahara sand dunes is a fun place to visit. Merzouga is a village in the Sahara Desert in Morocco, on the edge of Erg Chebbi, a 50-km long and 5-km wide set of sand dunes that reach up to 350 m above the plain and 808 m above sea level. Most visitors come here to take a camel safari into the dunes, and to get a taste of remote (but certainly tourism-influenced) Berber life.
8. Kruger National Park in South Africa
Kruger National Park, in northeastern South Africa, is one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Its high density of wild animals includes the Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos. Hundreds of other mammals make their home here, as do diverse bird species such as vultures, eagles and storks. Mountains, bush plains and tropical forests are all part of the landscape.
9. Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda
The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a large primeval forest located in south-western Uganda in the Kanungu District. The forest is on the edge of the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift, at elevations ranging from 1,160 to 2,607 metres. The forest is one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth, where half the world’s population of the highly endangered mountain gorillas live in its jungles. The forest has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as a World Heritage Site for its biological significance.
10. Lake Malawi in Malawi
Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.It is the fourth largest fresh water lake in the world by volume, the ninth largest lake in the world by area—and the third largest and second deepest lake in Africa. Lake Malawi is home to more species of fish than any other lake, including at least 700 species of cichlids. The Mozambique portion of the lake was officially declared a reserve by the Government of Mozambique on June 10, 2011, while in Malawi a portion of the lake is included in Lake Malawi National Park.
11. Cape Town in South Africa
Cape Town is the second largest city in South Africa and is the capital of the Western Cape Province, as well as being the legislative capital of South Africa. It is located in the south-west corner of the country near the Cape of Good Hope, and is the most southern city in Africa. It is a stone’s throw from South Africa’s world-famous Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. It is also one of the most iconic cities in the world.
12. Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya
Lake Nakuru National Park is one of Kenya’s two Premium Parks, and is a birdlover’s paradise. It surrounds Lake Nakuru, located in the Central Rift Conservation Area in the Southern Rift Valley region of Kenya. Originally protected as a bird sanctuary, this park hosts over 400 bird species, including 5 globally threatened species, and is an important stop on the African-Eurasian Migratory Flyway. This park was also the first national Rhino sanctuary and hosts one of the world’s highest concentrations of the Black Rhinoceros.
13. Sossusvlei in Namibia
Sossusvlei is a common tourist destination in the southern part of the Namib Desert, Namibia. The word vlei is an Afrikaans word that means “marsh” and Sossusvlei is in a small valley between the dunes which sometimes gets snow! The name of the ‘town’ is Sesriem, also the name of a nearby canyon. Deserts, though they are very harsh, are a delicate ecosystem with a surprising amount of life living around and underneath the dunes. Keep this in mind when roaming around and driving in the area. The Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world and stretches over 1,500 km from the Orange River in the south into Angola in the north. There is a wide range of landscapes in the Namib, from gravel, to rocky mountains to huge dunes in varying colours of sand.
14. The Great Pyramids at Giza in Egypt
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex bordering present-day Giza in Greater Cairo, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact.
15. Rhumsiki Rock in Cameroon
Rhumsiki, is a village in the Far North Province of Cameroon. Rhumsiki is located in the Mandara Mountains 55 km (34 mi) from Mokolo, and is located 3 km (2 mi) from the border with Michika LGA, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Rhumsiki is one of Cameroon’s most popular tourist attractions and “the most touristic place in northern Cameroon”. The attraction is the surrounding scenery. Gwanfogbe, et al., describe it as “remarkable”, Lonely Planet as “striking”, Rough Guides as “breathtaking” and Bradt Guides as an “almost lunar landscape”. Writer and explorer André Gide wrote that Rhumsiki’s surroundings are “one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.” The spectacular effect is created by surrounding volcanic plugs (the remnants of long-dormant volcanoes), basalt outcroppings, and the Mandara Mountains. The largest (and most photographed) of these rocks is Kapsiki Peak, a plug standing 1,224 m (4,016 ft) tall.
16. Avenue of the Baobabs in Madagascar
The Avenue of the Baobabs, or Alley of the Baobabs, is a prominent group of Grandidier’s baobabs (Adansonia grandidieri) lining the dirt road between Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina in the Menabe region of western Madagascar. Its striking landscape draws travelers from around the world, making it one of the most visited locations in the region. It has been a center of local conservation efforts, and was granted temporary protected status in July 2007 by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests — a step toward making it Madagascar’s first natural monument.
17. Lake Abbe in Djibouti, and Ethiopia
Lake Abbe, also known as Lake Abhe Bad, is a salt lake, lying on the Ethiopia-Djibouti border. It is one of a chain of six connected lakes, which also includes (from north to south) lakes Gargori, Laitali, Gummare, Bario and Afambo. The river Awash flows into the no-drain lake. Lake Abbe is the center of the Afar Depression. Lake Abbe is considered one of the most inaccessible areas of the earth. The water itself is known for its flamingos. The scenery is unique.
18. Zanzibar Island in Tanzania
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous archipelago off the coast of Tanzania consisting of Zanzibar Island (locally, Unguja), Pemba Island and many smaller islands. Zanzibar island itself is approximately 90km long and 40km wide. There is a lot to see and to do on Zanzibar island. First and foremost, do enjoy the amazing white sand beaches especially at the north, east and south coast. The sand has the consistency of castor sugar! The best beaches are Nungwi/Kendwa, Matemwe/Kiwengwa and Paje/Jambiani, each offering different appeal.
19. Hoggar Mountains in Algeria
The Hoggar Mountains are a highland region in the central Sahara, southern Algeria, along the Tropic of Cancer. The mountains cover an area of approximately 550,000 square km (212,000 square miles). This mountainous region is located about 1,500 km (930 mi) south of the capital, Algiers. The area is largely rocky desert with an average elevation of more than 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level. The highest peak, Mount Tahat, is at 2,908 m (9,541 ft).
20. Bazaruto Island in Mozambique
Bazaruto Island lies in Bazaruto National Park, off the coast of southern Mozambique. Resorts dot the island’s white beaches, and it’s known for marine life like turtles and dugong. The clear waters of Two Mile Reef are filled with colorful fish, reef sharks and moray eels, while the deeper area in Indigo Bay is home to sailfish and marlin. Traditional dhow boats run to nearby islands Santa Carolina and Benguerra.
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You will visit the following 15 places:
Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a large country in Eastern Africa within the African Great Lakes region. Parts of the country are in Southern Africa. Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania. Tanzania is diverse, composed of several ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. Tanzania is a presidential constitutional republic, and since 1996, its official capital city has been Dodoma, where the President's Office, theNational Assembly, and some government ministries are located. Dar es Salaam, the former capital, retains most government offices and is the country's largest city, principal port, and leading commercial centre.
Kenya
Kenya is a country in Africa and a founding member of the East African Community (EAC). It encompasses savannah, lakelands, the dramatic Great Rift Valley, mountain highlands and abundant wildlife such as lions, elephants and rhinos. The country is known for its safaris, diverse climate and geography, and national parks such as the East and West Tsavo National Park, the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru National Park, and Aberdares National Park. Kenya has several world heritage sites such as Lamu and numerous beaches, including in Diani, Bamburi and Kilifi, where international yachting competitions are held every year.
South Africa
South Africa is a country on the southernmost tip of the African continent, marked by several distinct ecosystems. It is the 25th-largest country in the world by land area, and with close to 53 million people, is the world's 24th-most populous nation. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World or the Eastern Hemisphere. It is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, which is among the highest number of any country in the world. With golden beaches, jagged mountains and national parks overflowing with wildlife, South Africa is the Africa you’ve always imagined. While memories of a troubled past remain, the republic is well on the way to regaining its throne as the holiday capital of Africa, visited by nearly 10 million people every year.
Egypt
Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, claims one of the world’s oldest cultures, descending from an ancient civilization that emerged in the 10th millennium BCE. It is best known as the home of the ancient Egyptian civilization, with its temples, hieroglyphs, mummies, and - visible above all - its pyramids. Less well-known is Egypt's medieval heritage, courtesy of Coptic Christianity and Islam - ancient churches, monasteries and mosques punctuate the Egyptian landscape. Egypt stimulates the imagination of western tourists like few other countries and is probably one of the most popular tourist destinations world-wide.
Morocco
Morocco, officially known as the Kingdom of Morocco, is a sovereign country located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Geographically, Morocco is characterized by a rugged mountainous interior and large portions of desert. It has Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. Ethnically speaking, Morocco is composed mainly of Arabs and Berbers or a mixture of the two. Sizeable numbers of Berbers live mainly in the country’s mountainous regions, long areas of refuge where they have preserved their language and culture. Some segments of the population are descendants of refugees from Spain and Portugal who fled from the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, that spanned until the 15th century.
Madagascar
Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Southeast Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90% of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. It's home to thousands of animal species, such as lemurs, found nowhere else, plus rainforests, beaches and reefs.
Uganda
Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. Famously called the Pearl of Africa by Winston Churchill, it is home to one of the most diverse and concentrated ranges of African fauna including the highly endangered mountain gorilla and the endangered common chimpanzee. Culturally, much of the action happens in the capital, Kampala, an urban sprawl ringed by farmland and perched on the muddy banks of Lake Victoria. A popular spot for wildlife watching is Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is home to four of the Big Five, a flock of flamboyant flamingos and the rare tree-climbing lions of Ishasha.
Algeria
Algeria is a North African country with a Mediterranean coastline and a Saharan desert interior. The country is a semi-presidential republic consisting of 48 provinces and 1,541 communes. A beguiling blend of cultures, landscapes and traditions, this vast chunk of land contains everything from tranquil fishing ports and vibrant cities to the unmatched drama of the Sahara Desert and Hoggar Mountains.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, a place of ancient culture, in the Horn of Africa, is a rugged, landlocked country split by the Great Rift Valley. Being the most populous landlocked country in the world, as well as the second-most populous nation on the African continent, Ethiopia is the place of origin for the coffee bean. It is a land of natural contrasts, with its vast fertile West, jungles, and numerous rivers, and the world's hottest settlement of Dallol in its north. The Ethiopian Highlands are Africa's largest continuous mountain ranges, and Sof Omar Caves contain Africa's largest cave. Ethiopia has also the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa. It's ancient Ge'ez script, also known as Ethiopic, is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world.
Botswana
Botswana is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. As a tourist destination, it is popular for its wildlife, areas like the Chobe National Park, Moremi National Park in the Okavango Deltaand the Central Kalahari Game Reserve have a very high concentration of game.
Rwanda
Rwanda is a relatively stable East African country, and easily accessible from Kenya and Uganda. It is relatively easy, safe and simple to travel around. It is landlocked, surrounded by Uganda to the north, Tanzania to the east, Burundi to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Rwanda is not only the land of a thousand hills, but also a country rich in flora and fauna and stunning natural beauty in its scenic rolling and breathtaking green savannah. The country hosts some rare species of animals like the silverback mountain gorillas as well as unique birds and insects in the tropical forest of Nyungwe.
Mozambique
Cape Town
The City of Cape Town is the metropolitan municipality which governs the city of Cape Town, South Africa and its suburbs and exurbs. The city is famous for its harbour, for its natural setting in the Cape Floristic Region, as well as for such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. As of 2014, it is the 10th most populous city in Africa and home to 64% of the Western Cape's population. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa. The city was named the World Design Capital for 2014 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. In 2014, Cape Town was named the best place in the world to visit by both The New York Times and The Telegraph.
Namibia
