Dubbed as the Mother Continent due to it being the oldest inhabited continent on Earth, Africa is still home to the Earth’s best travel destinations. Africa offers many hidden gems with great lakes, crystal blue beaches with pearly white sands, jaw-dropping flora and majestic wildlife and mountains within its borders. In this article we will look at top travel destinations in Africa.
Table Mountain, South Africa
Table Mountain makes Cape Town, one of the world’s best beach cities, also one of the world’s most photogenic.
Cable car rides are available to the top of the mesa, giving great views, fantastic sunrises/sunsets and a great photo.
Seychelles
The 115-island country with the smallest population of any African state, the Republic of Seychelles, is a hidden gem located in the Indian Ocean and is perfect for a romantic getaway. The Outer Islands of Seychelles are the less visited of the island-country, offering pristine beaches, lonely rock outcrops and untouched habitats for many species of wildlife. The Outer Island groups, namely Alphonse and Desroches, currently offer luxurious lodges for accommodation, as well as idyllic and untouched spots for fishing, sailing and diving.
Seychelles is definitely among the best travel destinations in Africa. The best and most interesting facet of the Seychelles is their multi-ethnic population comprised of peoples from all four corners of the earth. Every nation is represented on the island, including freed slaves, European settlers, political exiles, adventurers, traders of Arab and Persian origin as well as Chinese and Indians. Creole (a lilting, French-based patois), English and French are widely spoken in the Republic, and knowing a few phrases makes your stay more enjoyable as you’ll be able to interact with the locals.
Travel to the main island via Air Seychelles, and get to the Outer Islands via Zil Air. No visas are required to enter the country, however a valid passport, return or onward tickets, proof of accommodation including contact details and sufficient funds for the duration of the stay are all documents that will need to be shown in order to obtain immigration clearance at the Seychelles International Airport.
When visiting the Outer Islands, you can stay at the beach front resort of Alphonse Island at a cost of between $3,689 and $9,497 per night per person. Another exquisite resort is the Desroches Island Resort on Desroches Island. The prices ranges from $1,101 to $2,202 per double room per night. When on the main island of Mahé, a popular hotel is the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Hotel & Spa, which is a 5-star resort offering the most scenic views of the Indina Ocean and spectacular sunsets.
Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe
One of the world’s most majestic water spectacles, Victoria Falls (also called Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “The Cloud That Thunders) — were reportedly first seen by a European when Scotsman David Livingstone journeyed here in 1855.
Since then thousands have enjoyed the spray from the 108-meter high cascade, which was once recorded flowing at 12,800 cubic meters per second — double that of Niagara’s highest flow.
Bom Bom Island, PrÃncipe
Surrounded by the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa, the island nation of São Tomé and PrÃncipe is home to some truly spectacular beaches. PrÃncipe is the smaller of the two islands, with a population of just 5,000 people. Two of the island’s best beaches are part of Bom Bom Island Resort, an eco-friendly accommodation option on PrÃncipe’s northern shore. Its bar and restaurant are located on a tiny islet, linked to the mainland by a long walkway. The virgin forests of PrÃncipe are a birdwatcher’s paradise. Other activities include snorkeling, whale watching, deep-sea fishing, and keeping an eye out for the region’s nesting turtles.
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Mount Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 meters (19,341 feet), is Africa’s highest peak — and an item on thousands of bucket lists. It is a “Sky island,” creating a varied and dramatic natural habitat.
Rising through lush rainforests and alpine meadows, climbers finally cross a barren lunar landscape to reach the twin summit, often above the clouds.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Imagine relaxing on a hammock drooping slowly between two trees, which offer shade on a sun-kissed sandy beach, sipping a cocktail while you listen to the sound of waves lapping gently against the shore – this is what it’s like in Zanzibar. The island is steeped in history and culture and features pristine beaches, waterfront resorts and hotels, stunning attractions and a wide range of fun activities. Zanzibar, also known as Unguja is a large island in the Zanzibar Archipelago, and it’s located off the east coast of Tanzania. It is synonymous with a relaxed vibe and you’ll feel the warmth from the instant you set your foot off the plane.
Zanzibar is a popular travel destinations in Africa among many travelers. Zanzibar Ocean Panorama Hotel is a popular hotel on the beach, with rooms ranging from $35 to $50, with dormitory rooms costing $20. A visa is required for all visitors entering the country, which can be acquired at any Tanzanian consulate or on arrival at the country designated entry points at the cost of $50.
A flight from Dar Es Salaam to Pemba Island will cost from $130 with ZanAir and a flight from Zanzibar to Pemba will cost from $84 with the same carrier.
Tanzania’s hidden gem, Pemba Island, is about 100 kilometres outside Zanzibar and is abundant with healthy coral reefs, mangroves, lagoons and fish, which makes it heaven for diving fanatics and beach lovers. It’s natural surroundings have earned it the nickname ‘the Green Island’.
30-minute flight from Stone Town airport in Zanzibar will get you to the island. Historically, the island was a major spice producer and provided the Omani sultanate with money for trade and military dominance over the surrounding areas. The island is still a major spice producer in the Zanzibar archipelago, and it depends more on agriculture than on tourism. Pemba’s terrain is hilly and fertile, filled with fruit and spice trees, and its beaches, with diverse species of marine life, beautiful coral reefs and crystal white sand, remains unspoiled and is a diver’s delight. What makes the island a true gem is that it gets far less visitors than Zanzibar, which makes it the perfect getaway from congested holiday sites and the best way to experience a true island holiday.
The island portrays the idyllic African village, with traditionally-designed square mud houses with thatch roof, ox-drawn carts stacked high with a variety of fruit, villagers who speak mainly Swahili and a small population of 350,000 people. Main attractions include the island’s main town of Chake Chake, Vumawimbi beach and Makoba beach.
Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakesh is a place that travelers either love or hate. But it’s also one of these places where you need to adjust your expectations accordingly and be prepared that it’s a place like no other.
In Marrakesh you have to forget about maps. They simply don’t work in here, especially in the Medina when streets reminded me a lot of Italian ones, however way busier and more complicated. Even Google Maps gets lost all the time, so try to remember your walk back to your riad or hotel.
All streets eventually lead to the legendary plaza – a psychedelic space where acrobats, snake charmers, fortune-tellers and Berber musicians compete for your attention. Drummers thump from noon to night, men in flowing robes offer games of chance (“Pick a card sir, any card”) and the street performers are so accomplished you sense they must hold auditions behind the bazaar.
Lamu Archipelago, Kenya
One of the best places to visit in Africa, Kenya remains one of the top choices for safari adventures. With numerous protected parks teeming with wildlife, wide range views of open savanna and snow-capped mountains, and opportunities to learn about local cultures, this is one destination you don’t want to miss on your African vacation. After your safari adventure, extend your trip to the Kenyan coastline to enjoy the crystal clear waters of the stunning Indian Ocean.
Lamu is a collection of islands located off the coast of Kenya, north of Mombasa. The beaches of Shela Village on the main island offer the quintessential Indian Ocean ingredients: powdery white sands, excellent snorkeling, and clear blue waters. Lamu Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Kenya’s oldest settlements, founded by the Swahili nearly 700 years ago. Its quiet, narrow streets are fascinating to explore and the fact that there are no cars on the island just enhances the sense of stepping back in time. To see more of the archipelago’s secret beaches, book an island-hopping cruise on a traditional Dhow.
The Namib Desert, Namibia
The oldest desert on earth. One of the most inhospitable places imaginable.
 At 55 million years old, the Namib Desert is the oldest desert on Earth.
 Homo sapiens have only been on Earth for 200,000 years and the Sahara is only 6000 years old.
 With just 8mm of rain a year, Pelican Point, on our route, is one of the driest places on earth. The UK had an average of 1086mm in 2013.
 Namibia itself is over three times the size of the UK, yet has a population 30 times smaller than ours – just two million.
 Home to some of the tallest sand dunes on Earth at over 1,000 feet high and 20 miles long.
 Despite its dryness, some areas of the desert experience up to 120 days of fog every year.
 Incredibly the desert is home to almost 3,500 species of plant, some believed to be over 1000 yrs old.
 Namibia is home to the Himba people. As few as 20,000 of them live on the edge of human existence.
 Namibia is one of the youngest Commonwealth nations – joining in 1990.
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
The most famous of the structures at Giza, near Cairo, the Pyramid of King Cheops was built around 2650 BC from 2.5 million blocks of limestone. Its sides are oriented exactly to the north, south, east and west.
The Chephren pyramid, built by Cheops’ son, is similar in size and incorporates the entrances to a burial chamber that still contains the large granite sarcophagus of King Chephren. The pyramid of Mycerinus is smaller than both and all three are surrounded by other smaller pyramids and dozens of tombs.
