Best Places to Visit in Africa

Best places to visit in Africa at a glance

How to plan your Africa trip

The most useful first step is to think in regions rather than trying to see a whole continent at once. North Africa (Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia) is about medinas, deserts and ancient history, and it is generally the most affordable and easiest to reach from Europe. East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia) is the heartland of the classic savanna safari and gorilla trekking. Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia) pairs excellent wildlife with polished infrastructure and self-drive options, while West Africa and the Indian Ocean islands round out the picture with culture and beaches. Picking one or two neighbouring regions per trip keeps travel times and costs sane.

Timing is driven largely by the dry season. As a rule, the dry season is the best window for East and Southern African safaris, because thinner vegetation and shrinking water sources concentrate wildlife around rivers and waterholes and make animals far easier to spot. The same dry, firmer conditions make gorilla-trekking trails in Rwanda and Uganda more manageable. North Africa flips the logic: there the appeal is cooler, milder weather, so the shoulder and cooler months are more comfortable than peak desert heat. Because seasons in the southern hemisphere are reversed from the northern one, always check the local pattern for the specific country rather than assuming.

Budget spreads widely by region and style. Safaris are the expensive end of African travel, especially premium camps in places like the Okavango Delta and permit-based gorilla trekking, where costs are driven up by exclusivity and conservation fees. North Africa and overland travel in countries like Ethiopia sit at the cheaper end. On logistics, distances are large and overland roads can be slow, so most multi-country itineraries lean on internal flights between regional hubs. Book marquee safari lodges and gorilla permits well ahead, since the best options sell out months in advance, and build in buffer days around connecting flights.

Practical tips for traveling in Africa

• Time wildlife trips to the dry season. For East and Southern African safaris, the dry months generally offer the best game viewing because animals gather around limited water and vegetation is sparse.
• Sort out health well before you go. Several African countries have general vaccination and anti-malarial recommendations, and some require proof of yellow-fever vaccination on entry, so consult a travel-medicine clinic several weeks ahead.
• Decide between guided and independent travel by region. Safaris and gorilla treks are best done with reputable operators and guides, while self-drive works well in places with good infrastructure such as South Africa and Namibia.
• Carry some cash. Card acceptance varies outside cities, and small notes are useful for tips, markets and remote lodges; keep a modest reserve for guides and drivers.
• Plan on internal flights for long hops. Overland distances are large and roads can be slow, so regional flights between hubs often save days on multi-stop itineraries.
• Book the headline experiences early. Top safari camps and limited gorilla permits sell out far in advance, so reserve those before locking in the rest of your route.
• Check visa and entry rules per country. Requirements differ widely, with some offering e-visas and others needing advance applications, so verify each destination on your route.