Why Africa travel is difficult? Is it because of fear of Malaria, unhygienic surroundings, uncomfortable hotels or unsafe water? None of the above. The real reason is the difficulty in choosing the destination based on attractions. There are simply, too many mind-blowing most beautiful places in Africa to visit.
Another reason is, you have to travel far and wide to witness the wonders of Africa.
The task is truly overwhelming. Nonetheless, this article will be a very useful guide to plan your Africa trips.
Yes, due to numerous places to see in Africa, you cannot cover them all in a single trip. You have to plan multiple trips to Africa to experience different culture, taste different cuisine, and see and appreciate all of African wonders.
26 Most Beautiful Places in Africa
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Bazaruto Island
Bazaruto Island is one of the 6 islands of Bazaruto archipelago.
The other 5 islands are:
- Benguerra
- Banque
- Magaruque
- Santa Carolina
- Shell
They are located quite far off from Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. From Maputo, you have to travel some 720 km north towards the Indian Ocean.
You will reach a coastal town called Vilankulos. From there, Bazaruto Island is 80 km boat ride away.
These islands in Indian Ocean and they belong to Africa. These are the real examples of ‘exotic places’ in the world. They are sheer tropical paradises with unseen wildlife thus far, unique geography, and alien people.
The diverse marine lives warranted the creation of a national park to preserve the ecology. It is known as Bazaruto Natiional Park.
All the 6 islands have huge deposits of sand washed ashore by Save River that meets the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Vilankulos.
The islands are great African wonders. Scuba divers and snorkelers in thousands, visit the island to encounter numerous and diverse marine creatures including the Dugong (Sea cow).
The large sand dunes are great for sand surfing but I wonder if any visitors indulge in sand surfing.
There are no hotels on the island but you can stay in one the tents put up on the sandy beach. Alternatively, you can stay in a lodge in Vilankulos and make a day trip to Bazaruto Island.
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Volcanoes National Park
Where else can you see several live volcanoes in a single place other than Africa? To visit the Volcanoes National Park, you have to go to Rwanda, a small African country. The volcanoes are big African wonders.
This is Mount Bisoke, one of te volcanoes. Isn’t it striking and inviting you to trek to the crater summit?
You can see as many as 8 volcanoes here. Put together, they are called ‘Virunga Mountains’.
The whole region is full of lush rain forests that act as added attraction of Volcanoes National Park.
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Gorilla sighting in Rwanda and Congo.
Try to contact a Gorilla Safari organizer who arranges an exciting and thrilling Gorilla safari, one of he biggest attractions of Africa.
The Gorillas are protected and their habitat preserved in Mgahinga Gorilla national Park, Uganda.
The national park is the habitat of the Gorillas The national park geography constitutes different kinds of forest such as montane forests, and bamboo forests.
Another primate species is te bamboo leaves eating, attractive Golden Monkey.
I consider them as one of the African wonders as they are not found anywhere else in the world. Moreover, golden monkeys are endangered as of now.
The third endangered primates are the Black and White Colobus.
You can have an encounter with the Batwa people, the natives of Uganda forests.
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Kilimanjaro Mountain
One of the highly visited, and frequently mentioned African wonders is the Kilimanjaro mountain.
It is now a dormant volcano with three craters at the peak. No other volcano in the world has more than one cone. Its last eruption was some 200,000 years ago, approximately.
One of the craters’ name is (shown above) Kibo. It stands at 19,330 feet!
The African country Tanzania is the proud owner of Kilimanjaro, one of the biggest tourist attractions in Africa. Moshi is the town to reach to see Kilimanjaro closely and to trek on one of the eight trails. Moshi is located 360 away from Dodoma, one of the two capitals of Tanzania.
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Victoria falls
Victoria Falls is one the waterfalls in the world that is taller than the much popular Niagara Falls. Water falls from a height of 355 feet in Victoria Falls.
To see the Victoria falls, one can either go to Zimbabwe or Zambia because of its 5600 feet width that spreads into the neighboring country Zimbabwe.
If you are visiting Zimbabwe, you need to go to a town named after the Victoria Falls. I read the view from Zimbabwe’s side is more spectacular.
The exact location is Livingstone town, some ten km away from Zambia. The falls are fed by Zambezi River. It is one of the longest rivers in the world, flowing more than 2700 km.
See a video clip of Victoria Falls.
Did you wish the video lasted longer?
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Fish River Canyon
Namibia, one of the popular African countries for wildlife viewing is the host of the Fish River Canyon. It attracts tourists in thousands every year.
Fish River Canyon is geographically divided into upper and lower canyons.
In order to see the magnificence of it, you have to visit the lower canyon. Its measurements are:
- Length 56 km
- Width 5 km (this is really big; you can’t see the other end of the Fish River Canyon)
- Depth 1800 feet
The formation of the canyon was caused by the relentless erosion by the Fish River.
Hiking the Fish River Canyon pulls hundreds of adventure buffs every month.
You can see this African wonder only from May to mid September. The other months’ climate is not conducive to wander through.
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Giza pyramids
Ah, you and I, and millions of people in the world have seen this picture of Giza Pyramid, one of the big wonders of Africa. Not only that; it is one of the seven wonders of the world.
Egypt, an African country is the home of the pyramids that are considered as the tombs of the Egyptian ancient rulers.
When you go to Egypt to see the Great Pyramid of Giza, you can see the two other magnificent pyramids known as the Memphis and the Necropolis.
In order to see these great pyramids in Egypt, you need not travel far and wide. They are only 8 km away from Cairo, where you will be invariably staying.
In fact, from some hotels in Cairo, you can see the outlines of the great pyramids in the distance.
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Red Sea Reef
Red Sea itself is a big wonder in the world. It is actually the Indian Ocean that flows between Saudi Arabia and Africa. Red Sea is an inlet of the sea.
The geographical terms of fjord, sound are examples of an ‘inlet’.
Here is a sample image of an inlet:
Expand the image to see a desert on one of its side and Saudi Arabia on other side. In addition, you can spot where Cairo and Jordan are.
Red Sea’s length is a whopping 2250 km and the width is 355 km!
The Red Sea Reef is simply mind-boggling and one of the biggest attractions in Africa, You have to either dive or indulge in snorkeling to see this marine world spectacle.
You can access the Red Sea Reef from several African countries and also from Saudi Arabia because of its length that extends up to 2000 km!
They have been in existence since 5k to 7k years. The man-made engineering wonder Suez Canal is built on the Red Sea. The Suez Canal connects the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea.
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Okavango Delta
This delta comprises a mind-boggling 20,235 sq.km. The Kkavango Delta is located in Botswana, one of the largest countries of Africa.
Formed by the Okavango River, the UNESCO has recognized it as a World Heritage Site because the whole eco-system in endorheic, resulting in a vast wetland and swamp.
A wetland acts as a habitat for countless reptiles, amphibians, insects that are prey to numerous species of birds. As many as 400 species of birds live around the Okavango Delta.
The lesser-known Moremi Game Reserve is located adjacent to the Okavango Delta. Several lagoons that are formed during the dry season, serve as waterholes for the forest animals of the Moremi Game Reserve.
Every African animal including the Big Five comes to drink water from the lagoons of Okavango Delta.
The Kalahari Desert is a part of Botswana.
It is more of a world geographical wonder than one of the African attractions.
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Namib Desert
Every desert has its own intrinsic attractions. If you don’t mind the heat and the thirst, a desert safari is equally exciting as a forest safari.
Namib Desert is 2000 km long, starting from Angola, passing through Namibia, and the west of South Africa, along the Atlantic Ocean.
The Namib Desert’s width is 200 km, penetrating eastwards into the inland of South Africa.
Look at the map of this African wonder known as the Namib Desert.
It may surprise you but the desert’s “Sand Sea” is considered as a one of the important Africa attractions.
Wind-swept sandy area of Namib Desert
At some places, the height of the sand dunes touches nearly 1000 feet!
The Namib Desert is uninhabitable. If any creatures are found to be living in the desert, they must be endemic to the vast desert.
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Sahara
First, read these mind0boggling metrics of Sahara Desert and you will understand why Sahara also attracts a large number of tourists.
Length 4800 km
Width 1800 km
Total area 9.2 million sq. km
Such a vast of wilderness is indeed a world geographical wonder; so why not consider it as one of the African attractions?
How to access the Sahara?
You have a wide variety of option because of its staggering vastness.
In addition, you can enter the Sahara Desert from the following countries:
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Chad
- Libya
- Morocco
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Tunisia
- Sudan
You will be surprised to know that organized Sahara Desert Safaris are more than 30. Morocco leads the pack because, Sahara is best viewed from Morocco.
An ATV (All terrain vehicle) is ideal for a safari in Sahara. Similarly, a hot-air balloon ride gives youa different perspective of the great desert.
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Serengeti Great Migration
An incredible number of Africa’s Wildebeest, zebra, eland, and gazelle, move (migrate) together across Tanzania.
The Great Migration takes place from November to September. So, it is almost a year long event.
The Serengeti Migration begins from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The animals’ destination is Masai Mara in Kenya.
River Mara comes on their way. The millions of animals cross the river with elan. See a video clip of the Mara river crossing below.
The distance covered by the migrating animals is roughly 2000 km.
Therefore, plan your exclusive trip to Tanzania to witness the breathtaking migration of animals. It is truly one of a kind.
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Ngorongoro Crater
This geographical African attraction is located in Tanzania, one of the highly visited African nations for wildlife viewing.
Do you know a crater is the mouth of a volcano from which the volcanic mountain spews fire and molten lava.
Don’t imagine a small area because it is the mouth. The area of the crater comprisess nearly 8,300 sq. km! Now you know why the Ngorongoro Crater is one of the African wonders?
To see this UNESOCO World Heritage Sight, you have to reach the city of Arusha in Tanzania.
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.
The vast area of the caldera is home to a number of wildlife. Since the Serengeti National Park is located close by, this African attraction attracts 5 million people every year.
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Blyde River Canyon
It is not as long as the Grand Canyon but still, the Blyde River Canyon is one the beautiful attractions in Africa,
This is 26 km long. The major difference between the Blyde River Canyon and other canyons in the world is the rocks of this canyon are not devoid of any vegetation. It is actually covered with foliage resulting in earning the name “Green Canyon”.
You don’t have to travel far and wide in Africa to see the Blyde River Canyon. It is one of the highway attractions of the world-famous Panorama Route.
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Panorama Route
This most-traveled road in Africa is 200 km long. The entire route holds places of cultural and picturesque landmarks in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province.
Apart from the Blyde River Canyon, you can stop your car to witness several waterfalls.
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Kalandula Falls, Angola
The feeding water-body is the Lucala River. The water flaws from a height of 344 feet. However, the Calandula Falls’ width is much more than its height. 1340 feet is the falls’ width.
You have to travel 360 km from your hotel in Lunda, the capital city of Angola.
I think it is worth taking the trouble of driving such a long distance.
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Tundavala Gap, Angola
The sheer magnificence of the geographical beauty will make your mouth open wide and eyes broader.
This African attraction is again a part of Angola.
This terrific viewpoint is situated in the rim of a mountain range known as Serra da Leba. You view the gorge from a height of 7200 feet! I think many would avoid looking down.
Though it is located some 900 km south of Lunda, it is one of the must-see attractions in Africa,
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Blue Nile Falls, Ethiopia
What a lustrous, voluminous waterfalls!
Obviously, River Blue Nile is the feeder of the falls. This stunning African attraction is in Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia. From the nation’s capital city Addis Ababa, the Blue Nile Falls is 510 km, towards north.
Strangely, the height of the waterfalls is only 140 feet whereas, the width is an impressive 1300 feet!
Here is a video clip of Blue Nile Falls.
The falls achieve this much volume only from August to September. The rest of the year, you can see only a trickle.
Wattled Ibis, an endemic bird to this region can be spotted easily.
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Wadi al-Hiton, Egypt
What you see above is the skeleton of a large whale. There are hundreds of similar fossils in Wadi al-Hiton.
It is alternatively called the ‘valley of whales’. Ah, that makes it easy to understand the importance of the place.
Wadi al-Hiton is located some 150 km west of Cairo, the capital of Egypt.
Do you know it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site? This fact attracts paleontologists from all ovr the world.
The Valley of Whales is a sort of open museum in Egypt, Africa.
Whales were land-bound animals:
From the study of the fossils of these ancient whales revealed a surprising and an incredible fact. The earliest whales were living on the earth and not in seas and oceans.
Their skeletons are many and some of them are huge. Dwell deep and you will be awestruck.
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Table Mountain
This is considered as one of the African Wonders. The Table Mountain is so called because of its flat that resembles a table top.
It is seen anywhere from the city of Cape Town, South Africa. The table top is situated at a height of 3,300 feet!
Table Mountain is one the foremost attractions in Africa, especially South Africa.As many as 4.5 million people visit this great tourist landmark, every year.
The Table Top can be seen at close quarters if you hike up to it or if you ride in a cable car that hovers over the summit.
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Bwindi Forest
Biwindi Forest is an impenetrable forest in Africa. The video below shows the real face of this tropical forest.
Did you notice a waterfall deep inside the forest? Did you see the Gorilla? The Bwindi Forest is famous for Gorilla Safari.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is located in Uganda that is known for extraordinary natural beauty.
The entire area is mountainous with peaks standing up to 8,500 feet! The flora and fauna of Bwindi Forest is diverse that attracts thousands of wildlife and botany lovers.
Bwindi Forest is one of the true natural attractions in Africa.
The great Virunga Volcanoes are near this forest.
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Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park of South Africa is a world’s leading wildlife watching site.
Kruger national Park is an iconic place for the Mpumalanga province of South Africa.
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White Desert National Park, Egypt
I never believed a national park could be carved out of a desert and that too in Egypt where, 96% of the country’s land area is desert.
I thought a national park means a place for green foliage that acts as a fodder, and habitat for birds, insects, and various animals.
A white desert in Egypt is known for white sand and rock formed out of white sands. Don’t you think it is an African Wonder.
The White Desert National Park constitutes of a few oasis namely:
- Ain El Wadi Oass
- Farafra Oasis
- Ain El Maqfi Oasis
Another unique geographical feature and you cannot see anywhere else in the world is sand area that comprises an incredible, and mind-boggling 72,000 sq.km.
In layman words, its length and breadth is 650 km by 300 km.
This endless and intimidating place in the Sahara is rightly called the “Great Sand Sea”.
The vast and never ending sea of sand is located between Egypt and Libya.
Why such a barren and dry area is a big Africa attraction? The sand dunes show different patterns that are awesome to look at.
The White Desert National Park preserves several species of Gazelles, and foxes.
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Flamingos of Kenya
You might raise your eyebrows as if to ask what is so wonderful of Flamingo.
At any time, the flamingos attract us with their lovely pink color and a black beak that is too big a size for a bird.
In addition, the flamingos run extremely gracefully. How about seeing thousands of these pink flamingos at one place?
See this video below to trust what I am saying.
Are you aware your eyes are wide and mouth agape?
The place to see these long distance flying birds is Lake Nakuru in Kenya.
They can be seen almost throughout the year.
Actually, my estimate of thousands of flamingos is wrong.
It is reported the population spectacular flamingos of Kenya can be up to TWO MILLIONS!
Surely, it is the greatest bird spectacle in the world, An absolute African Wonder!
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Africa’s Longest Canopy Walk
A canopy walk means, a walk on a suspended wooden bridge, built well above the ground. It usually runs through thick forest so that you can have bird’s eye view of tress, birds, and their nests.
Here is one such walk in Africa and it is the longest canopy walk in all of Africa.
It is in Nigeria. The length of the canopy walk is 1300 feet!
To experience the canopy walk on this suspended wooden bridge, you have to visit the Lekki Conservation Center.
It is located at a distance of 750 km south of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria/ The nearest city to the longest canopy walk is Lagos at just 30 km north-west.
This canopy walk in Nigeria is the most oxygenic walk, pure and unpolluted.
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The Pinkest Lake in the world
There are pink lakes in the world but this Lake Retba is the pinkest. In addition, its salt content is the highest in the world.
People harvest edible salt from this lake! To see this beautiful lake, you have to visit Cape Verde in Senegal, one of the West African countries.
Africa is wild, wild nation with extremely diverse geography. Its richness in natural resources, wildlife, culture, and beliefs are unmatched in the world.
