Best aquarium destinations in Africa
Best aquarium destinations in Africa
Coastal marine life display centers and tidal pool exhibits in Africa
Africa's biggest aquariums are concentrated in just a couple of countries, with South Africa and Egypt both home to some of the largest on the continent.
Durban's uShaka Marine World is Africa's largest aquarium, built inside a set of replica shipwrecks on the city's waterfront, with tanks holding thousands of animals including sharks and rays. Cape Town's Two Oceans Aquarium takes its name from its location, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet, and includes a well known kelp forest exhibit alongside sharks, turtles and penguins. Hurghada's Grand Aquarium on Egypt's Red Sea coast offers a different focus, built around a long glass tunnel that walks visitors through the region's own Red Sea marine life. All three combine the aquarium itself with a wider day out, from water park rides in Durban to a small zoo in Hurghada.
Visiting early in the day usually means thinner crowds at all three, especially during school holidays when local families make up a large share of visitors.
Lists by region
City in South Africa
Cape Town
Mountains, Beaches and a Vibrant Culture
The Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Exhibit at the V&A Waterfront aquarium shows ragged tooth sharks. Spotted gully sharks live in its kelp forest. African black footed penguins and northern rockhopper penguins share a dedicated exhibit. About 500,000 visitors pass through the aquarium each year.
City in South Africa
Durban
Sunny beaches and rich culture
uShaka Marine World opened on 30 April 2004 on 16 hectares of land. Its tanks hold a combined 4.6 million US gallons of water. About 10,000 animals lived there in 2010. The uShaka Wet n Wild water park lies inside the same grounds, so one visit can combine aquarium and slides.
Country
Mauritius
Tropical Bliss in the Indian Ocean
Odysseo opened in September 2021 near Le Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis. It is the first oceanarium in Mauritius and the Mascarene Islands. Its 45 tanks hold a combined 2 million liters. About 4,500 animals from over 200 species live there, all from the Indian Ocean. Sharks appear in an outdoor tank.
City in Egypt
Hurghada
Red Sea Bliss and Adventure
The Grand Aquarium opened in 2015 and is described as the largest aquarium in Egypt. Only uShaka Marine World in Durban is larger in Africa. The nearby Red Sea averages about 24 degrees Celsius. Diving sites around the Giftun Islands include shipwrecks such as the El Mina and Rosalie Moller.
Island in Tanzania
Zanzibar
Turquoise Waters and Spice Perfume
The Mnarani conservation pond in Nungwi is run by a nonprofit that aims to protect sea turtles. Local people bring in turtle eggs they find so the eggs can hatch there. Injured adult turtles recover in the pond. Once a year in February, hatchlings and recovered adults are released into the ocean.
Aquarium in Cape Town
Two Oceans Aquarium
Marine Wonder at Cape Town Waterfront
Opened on 13 November 1995, the aquarium stands at the V&A Waterfront. It holds over 300 species and about 8,000 animals. Its largest tank holds 2,000,000 litres of water. The Kelp Forest Exhibit houses shoals of coastal fish and living South African kelp. The name refers to where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet.
City in Kenya
Nairobi
Where urban life meets wild adventures
Started in January 1961, the snake park at the National Museum of Kenya includes an aquarium. It shows freshwater fish from Kenyan lakes, dams and rivers. Species from Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika are also on display. A marine section presents assorted fish, live corals and other invertebrates from the Indian Ocean.
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