Back to grid

Best adventure destinations in Africa

Back to grid
Cape Town
Mountains, Beaches and a Vibrant Culture
7.6
Table Mountain rises 1,085 metres directly above the city centre and its flat top is easy to spot. Hikers can climb it by the Platteklip Gorge route in about two hours. Others ride the rotating cable car for the views. Paragliders launch from nearby Signal Hill and float over the Atlantic coast.
Highlights:
  • 🍽️ Explore the V&A Waterfront and dine by the sea
  • 🚡 Ride the cable car for breathtaking city views
  • 🥾 Hike to the top of Table Mountain
Kruger National Park
Where Africa's Big Five Roam Free
7.6
Self drive routes let visitors watch lions, elephants and rhinos across nearly two million hectares of bush. All of the Big Five live in the park. Guided night drives and bush walks add to the experience. Rest camps such as Skukuza offer chalets and campsites inside the reserve.
Highlights:
  • 🌅 Experience a sunset safari and watch wildlife at dusk
  • 🌿 Take a guided bush walk and learn about the ecosystem
  • 🦁 Spot Africa’s Big Five on classic game drives
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Witness the Great Migration
7.0
More than a million wildebeest cross the Mara River each year in the Great Migration. Crocodiles wait at the crossing points along the riverbanks below the steep banks. Balloon flights lift off at dawn and drift over the golden plains. Maasai villages nearby welcome visitors for cultural visits.
Highlights:
  • 🎈 Take a sunrise hot air balloon safari over the savannah
  • 🐃 Witness the Great Migration crossing at Mara River
  • 🦁 Embark on twice-daily game drives to spot the Big Five
Serengeti National Park
The Ultimate Safari Adventure
7.9
The Great Migration circles the Serengeti each year with about 1.5 million wildebeest. Herds follow the rains between the southern plains and the Mara River. Visitors can join game drives and camp in tents on the open plains. Lions rest on granite outcrops called kopjes.
Highlights:
  • 🎈 Enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon safari over plains
  • 🚙 Take a thrilling game drive to spot the Big Five
  • 🦓 Witness the incredible Great Wildebeest Migration spectacle
Victoria Falls
The Smoke That Thunders
7.5
The Victoria Falls Bridge stands 111 metres above the Zambezi gorge on the border with Zambia. Bungee jumpers leap from its centre. Rafters run Grade five rapids in the gorge below the falls. Trails on the Zimbabwe side lead to viewpoints where spray soaks visitors.
Highlights:
  • 🚤 Take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River
  • 🪂 Bungee jump from the historic Victoria Falls Bridge
  • 🌊 Admire the thundering Victoria Falls from lookout points
Kilimanjaro National Park
Africa's Rooftop Adventure
7.4
The Marangu route sleeps climbers in huts instead of tents. It takes five to six days to go up and come back down. Day hikers can enter the park to walk to Mandara Huts. Colobus monkeys are common in the forest on the lower slopes.
Highlights:
  • 🌅 Watch the sunrise above the clouds from Stella Point
  • 🌿 Hike through rainforest trails filled with colobus monkeys
  • 🏔️ Climb to Uhuru Peak, the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro
Livingstone
Gateway to Victoria Falls Adventure
7.7
Devil's Pool is a rock pool on the very edge of Victoria Falls in Zambia. It opens for swimming when the river drops from about September to December. Guides lead swimmers from Livingstone Island to the lip of the falls. Rafting trips run through Zambezi rapids below the falls from town.
Highlights:
  • 🦁 Go on a game drive at Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
  • 🚣‍♂️ Take a thrilling white-water rafting trip on the Zambezi
  • 🌊 Witness the thundering Victoria Falls, a natural wonder
Réunion
An Island of Adventure and Beauty
8.3
Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It erupts often and sends lava towards the sea. Hikers can walk across the lava fields to the rim of the crater. Canyoning routes and paragliding launch sites fill the steep green cirques of the island.
Highlights:
  • 🚁 Explore the Cirque de Mafate by air or on foot
  • 🏖️ Swim in turquoise waters at L’Ermitage Beach lagoon
  • 🌋 Hike the active Piton de la Fournaise volcano crater
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Nature's Untamed Sanctuary
7.1
The crater floor lies about 600 metres below the rim of this collapsed volcano. The crater is about 20 kilometres across and holds a soda lake. Safari vehicles descend a steep track to spot rhinos, lions and elephants. Maasai herders graze cattle on the highlands around the crater.
Highlights:
  • 🛖 Visit a Maasai village and learn their traditions
  • 🐘 Spot the Big Five in one morning safari
  • 🦁 Descend into Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla Encounters in Ancient Forest
8.3
Hundreds of mountain gorillas live in the misty, steep forest of this Ugandan park. Trackers lead small groups on hikes that last from one hour to most of a day. Once you find a gorilla family you get one hour to watch them. Permits are required and must be booked well ahead.
Highlights:
  • 🐦 Birdwatch over 350 species including rare Albertine endemics
  • 🥾 Join guided nature walks on scenic forest hiking trails
  • 🦍 Trek with endangered mountain gorillas in their habitat
Namib-Naukluft National Park
Endless Dunes and Desert Drama
8.2
Big Daddy dune near Sossusvlei climbs about 325 metres above the desert floor. The orange sand glows deep red at sunrise. Climbers walk the crest at dawn and run down the steep face. Dead trees in Deadvlei stand on a white clay pan just below the dunes.
Highlights:
  • 🧗 Hike Sesriem Canyon’s narrow rock walls and riverbed
  • 🌵 Explore the eerie Dead Vlei clay pan and ancient trees
  • 🌅 Climb Big Daddy dune for sunrise and desert views
South Luangwa National Park
Walking Safaris and Wild Encounters
8.0
Guided walking safaris follow game trails beside the Luangwa River. Armed scouts lead small groups past hippos, elephants and giraffes on foot. Night drives often spot leopards, which the park is well known for. Camps line the riverbank with views of the animals from the tents.
Highlights:
  • 🦜 Spot over 400 bird species in diverse habitats
  • 🚶‍♂️ Experience walking safaris guided by expert rangers
  • 🦁 Go on thrilling game drives to see the Big Five
Jinja
Vibrant riverfront town beside Nile’s source
7.9
Grade five rapids on the White Nile draw rafters to the town. Half day and full day trips run through rapids with names like Silverback. Bungee jumpers leap from a 44 metre platform above the river. Calmer kayak trips and quad bike rides suit less confident travellers.
Highlights:
  • 🥾 Hike to Murchison Falls viewpoint
  • 🐘 Explore Queen Elizabeth National Park wildlife safari
  • 🛶 Kayak across Victoria Falls' misty spray
Okavango Delta
Africa’s Uncharted Water Wilderness
8.0
Dugout canoes called mokoros glide through shallow papyrus channels in the delta. Polers stand at the back and steer past lilies and hippos. Visitors camp on remote islands and walk with guides at dawn. The delta floods each year from rain that fell in Angola.
Highlights:
  • 🦜 Spot diverse bird species during dedicated birding tours
  • 🛶 Glide silently through waterways in a traditional mokoro
  • 🦁 Explore the wildlife on guided 4x4 safari drives
Mount Kilimanjaro
Africa's Roof, World's Highest Freestanding Volcano
Climbers tackle the Machame route in six or seven days. It crosses the Barranco Wall, a steep rock scramble that needs hands as well as feet. Porters carry gear while guides help with pace and altitude. Uhuru Peak at 5,895 metres is the goal at the end of the climb.
Highlights:
  • 🌅 Watch sunrise over the Serengeti plains from above the clouds
  • 🥾 Hike through rainforest and alpine desert zones on the ascent
  • 🏔️ Climb to Uhuru Peak, the summit of Africa’s highest mountain
Danakil Depression
Earth's Hottest, Most Alien Landscape
6.1
Erta Ale volcano holds a lava lake that has glowed for decades. Trekkers walk at night across black lava fields to the crater rim. Nearby Dallol shows yellow, green and orange salt formations in a barren landscape. Daytime temperatures often top 40 degrees Celsius on the salt flats.
Highlights:
  • 🧂 Explore vast white salt flats at Karum Salt Lake
  • 🌋 Trek to the glowing lava lake of Erta Ale volcano
  • 🌈 Witness surreal colors at the Dallol sulfur springs
Feedback