Choosing the best places to visit in Africa can be overwhelming, with 54 countries to choose from! So, here's a list of 9 top places to visit in Africa to get you started.
We searched far and wide and took recommendations from Lonely Planet, Getaway, the New York Times, Forbes, CNBC, CNN, National Geographic, Rough Guides, Leisure & Travel, and Condé Nast to make a comprehensive list of the best places to visit in Africa right now.
Best Places to Visit in Africa |
Volcanoes National Park is one of the premier destinations for gorilla trekking. Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only Big 5 destination and surprisingly boasts savannah landscapes that will delight visitors to this up-and-coming gem.
One of the best countries to visit in Africa in 2024, Rwanda is recommended by National Geographic, Forbes, and CNBC Travel. This safe East African country, famous for great food, gorilla trekking, and some of Africa’s most welcoming and friendly people, is popular with travellers of all ages.
Rwanda offers outstanding travel destinations, excellent wildlife (including the Big 5 and gorillas), and lush mountain scenery.
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The Okavango Delta offers one of the most exclusive, remote, and profound wildlife adventures in Africa. Moremi Game Reserve, in the eastern part of the Delta, is more accessible and offers an impressive diversity of wildlife.
Nearby Chobe National Park is famous for its elephant herds, and nestled between the two is the Khwai River Area. Last but not least, venture into the Makgadigadi Pans of Northern Botswana for a surreal Kalahari desert experience.
Botswana has long set the benchmark for high-quality safari encounters. With a host of world-famous safari destinations and a rapidly expanding travel sector, Botswana is one of the best places to visit in Africa for a safari according to Leisure & Travel, CNBC and Conde Nast Travel Magazine.
Botswana’s Okavango Delta is the lifeblood of an otherwise arid and unforgiving landscape. Botswana’s popularity amongst safari enthusiasts has to do with its wilderness appeal and exceptional game viewing.
Recently Botswana has experienced a surge in demand resulting in new and exciting safari lodge options. Add to this Botswana’s reputation for a proactive approach when it comes to community-owned concessions, and visiting Botswana becomes an enticing option.
The Southern Safari Circuit of Tanzania is a less-visited region, with parks sought-after by safari aficionados because they are so vast and wild. Until recently southern Tanzania was too expensive for budget safaris. But, now, affordable private tours make the southern parks accessible to budget travellers, including Nyerere and Ruaha national parks.
If you're looking for a classical African safari, Tanzania is near-impossible to beat. ABS, CNBC, and Lonely Planet all rate Tanzania as one of the best places to visit in Africa for safaris in 2024. It is one of our Best Travel Destinations in Africa.
Tanzania is one of the original, and most iconic, African safari destinations. It sports high wildlife concentrations and the quintessential African plains scenery. Geared for tourism with excellent road networks and accommodations, Tanzania's safari industry is one of the best anywhere in Africa.
The Nothern Safari Circuit offers one of the best traditional big-game safari experiences in Africa. This includes the famous Serengeti, home to the Great Migration, and rolling savannahs teeming with wild animals.
Add the Swahili Coast to your Tanzania safari for the ideal African bush and beach break. The Swahili coast is dotted with alluring destinations like Zanzibar, Mafia Island, Kilwa Kisiwani, and Pangani which boast azure seas, fascinating culture, and sandy beaches.
Lemur Island and Nosy Be in northern Madagascar are the top picks for intrepid travellers looking for an off-the-track adventure. Lemur Island is where you'll encounter the endemic lemurs of Madagascar up close. Nosy Be Island, off the northwest coast, is Madagascar's top travel destination with idyllic beaches, forests, ylang-ylang, and more.
The exotic island of Madagascar is tipped by Conde Nast and the NY Times as one of 2024's hottest African travel destinations. This unique island is known for its exotic wildlife, otherwordly nature, and tropical island feel, but the capital city Antananarivo, is also making a name for itself with a burgeoning art scene.
Get off the beaten track and go a little further to discover something unique. Find endangered lemurs and other rare creatures in the rainforests of Madagascar, experience a few lazy days on one of the secluded beaches, explore the Avenue of Baobabs and Baobab Amoureux, or dive into the cultural scene of its vibrant capital.
According to Getaway Magazine, CNBC, Time Out, Lonely Planet, and Rough Guides, Cape Town is one of the best places to visit in Africa this year.
Cape Town is worth visiting for its natural beauty, cosmopolitan flair, and abundance of activities, not to mention its proximity to the Cape Winelands, Hermanus, and the Garden Route.
Cape Town is South Africa's most popular city for many good reasons. In addition to the incredible array of attractions in and around the city, there are several Big 5 game reserves near Cape Town, as well as cheap flights directly to Kruger National Park.
Furthermore, the excellent rand/dollar exchange rate means that Cape Town offers exceptional value for money for international visitors.
Zanzibar Island is the heart of Africa’s Swahili Coast which is one of Lonely Planet's best travel regions for 2024. Rich history and culture meet idyllic beach getaways, water sports, diving, and luxurious hotels.
Gorgeous beaches and exotic spices. Culture, history, and cheap food in Stone Town. Affordable beach resorts and lodges. Beautiful sunsets.
One of the reasons we love Zanzibar is because it combines so well with Big 5 safaris in Tanzania. It's easy to visit Zanzibar as well as Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater on one budget safari. So, you can enjoy a blissful beach holiday and see plenty of safari animals in one. Plus, if you time it right you can catch the famous great migration in Serengeti.
Zanzibar Island itself is one of Africa's top beach destinations. Highlights include fantastic scuba diving and snorkelling, along with traditional dhow sailing trips.
Explore the cobbled alleyways of old Stone Town and head north-east for sandy beaches. If you're looking for a more hidden beach holiday, go the extra mile and visit Pemba Island.
Kruger National Park remains one of the top Big 5 safari destinations in Africa. Affordable, accessible, and packed with wildlife, Kruger, and the Greater Kruger reserves is not only our best South Africa travel destination in 2024 but also makes it onto Lonely Planet’s list of best sustainable travel destinations in the world.
The main reason to visit the enormous Kruger National Park is to witness the Big 5 of Africa in a wilderness setting. The great thing about Kruger is that it will not cost you an arm and a leg, and there are a huge number of budget safari options for you to choose from. For endangered wild dogs, a smorgasbord of antelope, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras and more, Kruger is the place to be.
One of the best things about Kruger safaris is that there are so many safari options. Guided, private, self-drive, 4x4, walking, etc, and many accommodation options for all budgets. Chat with a travel pro at African Budget Safaris. We can help you find the best budget Kruger safari or we can tailor-make one for you.
Kenya has been picked by Lonely Planet, The New York Times, and Travel & Leisure for three distinct travel destinations. Lonely Planet has tipped Nairobi as one of 2024’s best city destinations, the New York Times has given a shout-out to Tsavo and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and Travel & Leisure have their sights set on Amboseli.
Nairobi is buzzing with a culture and heritage that brings Afrocentrism to the fore. With unique rhythms, amazing food in restaurants, on food carts, and in roadside cafés, and a happening art scene that is as fresh as it is prolific, Nairobi has its own distinct sense of cool. Not to mention a national park on the city's fringes that teems with wildlife.
Amboseli National Park is famous for its massive elephant herds and iconic views of Mount Kilimanjaro across the border in Tanzania. Game drives, cultural experiences organised in partnership with local communities, and incredible views all make Amboseli a classic out-of-Africa experience.
Kenya is bucking the trend and their elephant population has grown year-on-year since 2014. Almost half of Kenya’s elephants are to be found in Tsavo. Tsavo National Park is also the home of Africa’s most renowned elephant conservation organisation, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. From raising orphaned elephants to mobile veterinary clinics, rehabilitation initiatives, anti-poaching teams, and other important conservation work, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust offers all sorts of feels-good. 2024 will see the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust open its first lodge, adding one more reason to visit Kenya.
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KwaZulu-Natal has long been a favourite with locals seeking surf, sand, and warm Indian Ocean waters. But KwaZulu-Natal, or KZN, is rising fast in the safari world with some excellent Big 5 game reserves, making it one of Travel & Leisure's best places to visit in 2024.
Besides the beaches and seaside resorts, KZN boasts two World Heritage Sites, the majesty and breathtaking beauty of uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park and the incredible biodiversity of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. In addition to these two gems, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve remains an important player in rhino conservation and there are some up-and-coming destinations like Babanango, Phinda, and Nambiti.
South Africa regularly features in Best of Travel awards for good reason. This year it makes the list with CNBC, Time Out, Lonely Planet, Condé Nast, and Rough Guides, and due to a favourable exchange rate, 2024 offers some of the best value-for-money travel in the world. As South Africans, we wholeheartedly believe it is one of the very best places to visit in Africa.
Affordable, diverse, and ridiculously beautiful, South Africa always impresses. Starting with Cape Town’s all-round appeal, Johannesburg’s gritty edge and excellent restaurant and arts scene, and moving on to the Garden Route, and Kruger National Park, South Africa’s cornucopia of cultures, activities, biodiversity, landscapes, and wildlife are unique. It's also one of the few African countries where it's easy to do a malaria-free Big 5 safari and beach holiday all in one.
These are some of the best places to visit in Africa in 2024 according to Lonely Planet, Getaway, the New York Times, Forbes, CNBC, CNN, National Geographic, Rough Guides, Leisure & Travel, and Condé Nast. At the end of the day, deciding where to go in Africa comes down to who you are and what you want to experience.
The best way to figure out where to go in Africa this year (and beyond) is to talk to a friendly safari expert. We are here to help you find the right trip to the best places to visit in Africa, for you.
Explore these destinations mentioned in this post.
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