Africa is the world’s second largest continent hosting 54 countries. It is a continent that has something for everyone; from the dry Sahara Desert of Algeria and other countries in the North through to the iconic urban skylines of South Africa. The wildlife, spectacular landscapes covered with Savannah and others with water bodies and rolling hills. Not convinced yet? Below are
50 most beautiful destinations
that shouldn’t miss out on your bucket list as you plan to travel to Africa.
The Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls are one of Africa’s tourist attractions and one of the world’s most stunning falls forming the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. These falls are found on the Zambezi River, Africa’s fourth longest river and were first viewed by Scottish explorer and missionary David Livingstone in November 1855.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its thunderous roar can be heard 40km away while the mist and spray from the falling water rises to the about 400m which can be seen from a distance of 50km by travellers. The locals were right to call it Mosi-oa-Tunya which means ‘Smoke that Thunders’. Whether you viewing the falls in Zambia or Zimbabwe, you will still have an unforgettable experience while there.
Bo-Kaap, South Africa
Bo-Kaap formerly known as Malay Quarter is a distinct neighbourhood found in Cape Town situated at the foot of Signal Hill.Bo-Kaap is covered with bright colored houses which were formerly rental houses that were constructed and leased to slaves, they were painted white then but when that rule was eventually lifted, the slaves were allowed to purchases these properties and hence decided to paint their houses with bright colours as a sign of their freedom. There is so much to see, explore and taste while there including the Bo-KaapMuseum on the oldest building in Wale Street.
Rhumsiki, Cameroon
This is a situated in the Mandara Mountains approximately 3km from the border with Nigeria and 55km fromMokolo in the Far North Province of Cameroon. Its scenery is breathtaking and hence one of Cameroon’s famous tourist attractions with scenery. This spectacular surrounding is created by the volcanic pugs, MandaraMountains, and the Basalt outcroppings. One that iseye-catching to tourist is the Kapsiki Peak standing at 1,224m high. There are also craftspeople such as potters, blacksmiths, traditional dancers, weavers and spinners.
Lake Naivasha, Kenya
Lake Naivasha is a scenic freshwater lake and lies northwest of Nairobi in the District of Nakuru approximately 10km from Naivasha Town and 90km from Nairobi. It is a shallow lake about 5m deep and 13km across. It hosts incredible numbers of over 400 bird species and wildlife such as hippos, provides breathtaking boat trips and near it are many accommodation options that suit all budgets therefore that is why it is good stop for various tourists especially families.
Alley or Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
This is one of the beautiful places to see Baobab trees in Africa, also referred to as a natural monument.This avenue is a collection of baobab treesspreading along the 260m dirt road in the region known as Menabebetween Belon’iTsiribihina and Morondava. This is an impressive road surrounded with about 20 to 25 baobab trees and one of Madagascar’spicturesque, popular and most visited places with stunning sunsets.
Abu Simbel, Egypt
Abu Simbel is a village in Nubia where two massive ancient rock temples are found, in the southern part of Egypt near the border with Sudan. These were originally cut into a solid rock cliff during the reign of Ramesses II around. The larger temple contains four colossal statuesof a seated pharaoh Ramesses II
Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Situated in the Virunga Massif which hosts 8 ancient volcanoes, which are shared by 3 countries Rwanda DR Congo and Uganda.This is Africa’s oldest National Park and home Rwanda’s endangered Mountain Gorillas, it also hosts charming golden monkeys with striking bamboo forest that make the park’s scenery spectacular. It is a 2hours drive from Kigali to Volcanoes National Park hence easily accessed by tourists.
Lake Abbe, Djibouti and Ethiopia
Also known as Lake Abhe Bad, is an extraordinary salty small lake which lies among the chain of 6 connected lakes, it is shared by two countries; Djibouti and Ethiopia. It is filled with water form Awash River that flows from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. It is surrounded by with strange, lunar, and spectacular landscapes.
Giza, Egypt
Giza is the capital of Giza Governorate and the third largest city of Egypt. It is a plateau located along the western bank of River Nile outside the outskirts of Cairo. It hosts the Great Pyramids which are a landmark of the ancient Egypt and are among the 7 wonders of the ancient world hence are a must see. They are 3 Pyramids named Khufu (the greatest pyramid), Khare and Menkaure.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Zanzibar is a beautiful island found in the Indian Ocean, it is among the Zanzibar archipelago which is comprised of 50 islands. Also known as the Spice Island,Zanzibar is a “must visit” destination with rich culture, history and white sand beaches with lazily swaying beautiful palm trees in the sea breeze. It hosts Stone Town a small town with great history and mall alley of streets and other attractions.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
Chefchaouen is a magical area in the Northwest of Morocco also known as the “Blue City”. It was established by Moulay Ali Ben Moussa in 1471, it served as a fortress for the slaves from Spain and as years went by more people including the Christians and Jews were welcomed to this place with blue buildings. It is surrounded by Rif Mountains which has created a dramatic scenery while there hence it’s a photographer’s paradise.
Blyde River Canyon, South Africa
Located in the Northeastern part Mpumalanga Province in South Africa, Blyde River Canyon is part of the Drakensberg escarpment and one of South Africa’s most spectacular views. It is the 3rdlargest canyon in the world however, the largest green canyon in the world. Activities range from swimming and hiking to taking scenic drives, this is an unforgettable experience.
Bwindi Forest, Uganda
Situated in southwestern Uganda, Bwindi forest is one of the Earth’s biologically diverse areas and among Uganda’s old rainforests dating backing to over 25,000 years. It is a World Heritage Site and home to about 400 endangered mountain gorillas which is half of the remaining number on the earth. It also harbors over 120 mammals, about 350 species of birds, and also an indigenous tribe called the “Batwa” who have a unique culture.
Ahaggar Mountains, Algeria
Also known as the Ahaggar Mountains are located in the south of Algeria in the vast Sahara region. It is from them that the Ahaggar National Park was established, it covers an area of 450,000sqkm; it is made up a rich ecosystem such as the jagged rock mountains, undulating sand dunes, Ahaggar Mountain, Sahara Desert, perennial grasslands, the lush oasis of Tamanrassetamongo thereye-catching features. It also hosts wildlife such as the desert cheetahs.
Okavango Delta, Botswana
This is Africa’s largest inland delta found in the northwest of Botswana. It has a rich ecosystem including permanent swamps, seasonally flooded grasslands, and wildlife species like Cheetahs, Lions, African wild dogs, Leopards, large herds of Buffaloes and Elephants, all sharing the floodplains among others. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can be explored while on a game drive,on foot or by a mokoro (local canoe). Amazingly the delta’s water drain into the Kalahari basin desert sands since there is on outlet to the sea.
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Established in 1952, Serengeti hosts the greatest wildlife sight on earth, this includes the famous Annual Wildebeest Migration which involves over 1.5 wildebeests and over 250,000 zebras crossing to the Mara of Kenya in such for food and water. It is an exciting time to watch the migration. Other animals found here are lions, elephants, crocodiles, cheetahs, giraffes, as well as beautiful bird species.
Sossusvlei, Namibia
This possibly the popular and most spectacular attraction in Namibia. It is located in Africa’s largest conservation area (the Namib-Naukluft NP. Sossusvlei is a vast, white-salt and clay pan and attracts tourist from all walks of life and is an all year round open destination. It is comprised of large red dunes of which most of these dunes are some of the world’s highest reaching almost 400m high. What the photographic enthusiast receive here whether in the morning or evening are wonderful images.
Ganvie, Benin
It is a Lake village situated in the lower southern region of Benin lying in Lake Nokoe. It is possibly Africa’s largest lake village and attracts several tourists. It was established in the 16th century by the Tofinu people that chose to take the lake avoiding Fon warriors who captured slaves for sale. It accommodates about 20,000 people and about 3,000 homes all built on stilt water.
Praslin, Seychelles
Praslin is Seychelles’ second largest Island situated 45km northwest of Mahe. It is great tourist destination covered with tropical forests with different birds species, sand beaches, resorts and hotels, it also host the Praslin Island Airport.
Ngorongoro Crater
Once a gigantic volcano, Ngorongoro Crater is found in the Northern region of Tanzania and is the world’s largest caldera. Some people say that before its eruption, Ngorongoro would have been higher than Kilimanjaro which is Africa’s highest mountain peak. It is a vast highland area with a 600m deep Crater as its main point. It is home to the most attractive wildlife in the world including the buffaloes, zebras, giraffe, wildebeests, black rhinos, elephants, hippos among others.
The Skeleton Coast, Namibia
It is Namibia’s northern region of the Atlantic coast, it is the world’s largest ship cemetery stretching 500km long and 40km wide. As per its name, the Skeleton coast is one of the country’s beautiful areas with great scenery and various skeletons of both animals and ships, it where you found the shipwrecks of the Dunedin Star.
Fontainhas, Cape Verde
According to National Geographic, this fairy tale village is among the villages with most the beautiful view in the world. It is found in the north of the island of Santo Antao. It is a picturesque area made up of colored houses that are found at the edge of deep cliff, it’s also surrounded by green mountains with great sea views. It is a place to visit.
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Standing at 5,896m tall, Mountain Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest free standing mountain and still among the continent’s wonderful natural sights. It is a snowy mountain located in the North of Tanzania near Moshi town, it is a protected area and regulated carefully for mountain climbers. And by the way this magnificent mountain is in Kilimanjaro National Park and over 75,000 travelers hike the mountain yearly.
Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique
The Bazaruto Archipelago is famously known for its diverse ecologies and pristine beauty. It is found in Mozambique, made up of 6 islands which include; Bazaruto, Banque, Magaruque, Benguerra, Shell and Santa Carolina. In 1971 this archipelago was established as a national park and its unspoiled coral reefs harbor over 2000 fish species hence has in plenty the butterfly fish, reef fish, surgeon, Moorish idols, angel and parrots. Also whale sharks, manta, game fish, sea turtles are usually spotted. This area is a great place for the snorkelers and divers.
Table Mountain, South Africa
The Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain with the main feature as the level plateau which stretches about 3km from side to side with extraordinary cliffs on the edges, attracting millions of tourists from all over the world. It overlooks the city of Cape Town hence a very significant tourist attraction for South Africa. It forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, and just at its eastern foot are the impressive Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. It is home to over 2,200 plant species, it is SouthAfrica’s most photographed attraction with many surprises found when you visit it. Most visitors use the cable car or they hike to the top.