Africa is a leading tourist destination with popular sites such as the Serengeti National Park, the Victoria Falls, Masai Mara Game Reserve, and Okavango Delta attracting millions of visitors from across the globe.
However, what many travelers fail to realize is that the
attractions and list of fun things to do and see vary dramatically from one
African country to another.
I mean, should you visit the Pyramid of Giza and explore
ancient Egyptian civilization? Or would you rather travel to Morocco and
explore its cuisines and cultural gems? How about traveling to Kenya and
Tanzania and witnessing the annual wildebeest migration? Indeed, planning which
African country to visit can be a challenge. Next, we look at the top five
tourist destinations to visit in Africa.
1. Kenya (Top Tourist Destination: Masai Mara National
Reserve)
Masai Mara (Maasai Mara) is among the best-known game
reserves in Africa and is famous for its extraordinary wildlife collection.
Although it makes up a mere 0.01% of African’s landmass, the park hosts over
40% of the continent’s large mammals. The park is equally popular for the
annual Great Wildebeest Migration, a phenomenon that takes place between the
end of June to early October. The annual event begins from the Serengeti National
Park in Tanzania and sees the yellow Mara savannah dotted with over 1.8 million
antelopes, zebras, and wildebeest.
The Mara is home to a large population of leopards,
cheetahs, lions, elephants. It boasts over 96 different species of Mammals and
over 450 bird species. The Mara scooped Africa’s Leading National Park award
six times in a row between 2013 to 2018.
Its neighbor’s the Mara Triangle, a unique area wedged
between the Oloololo Escarpment and the Mara River on the Western side of Mara
and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
Masai Mara Game
Reserve is an all-year tour destination, with the dry months between
July to October offering the best game viewing opportunities. The rainy season
between March and June is an excellent time for budget travelers, plus the park
is less crowded at this time. Besides game drives in the Mara, other activities
to do during a Kenya Safari in the Mara include:
- Relaxing
in the coastal beaches of Kenya, like Diani and Tiwi
- Visiting
the various islands on offer like Watamu.
- Canopy
walks in Aberdare National Park.
- Hiking
the different mountains and craters, including Mt. Kenya and Longonot
- Enjoying
game drives in over 50 national parks such as Meru, Nairobi, Mara, and Amboseli
- Taking
boat rides in Lake Nakuru, Naivasha, and Victoria
- Watching
hundreds of bird species at Arabuko Sokoke National Park.
2. Tanzania (Top Tourist Destination: Serengeti National
Park)
The
Serengeti National park was crowned 2019 Africa’s Leading National
Park, effectively ending Maasai Mara six years reign as the King of National
Parks in Africa. Serengeti was established in 1951, and 28 years later, it was
recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage.
The Serengeti Ecosystem is an area with the untouched
wilderness that includes grassy plains, lakes, and woodlands of Ndutu in the
south and the Masai Mara river in the north. The Ecosystem is made up of
interdependent and interlinked phenomena like wildlife, topography, situation,
climate, and human usage. The Serengeti ecosystem supports a wide range of
animals including lions, giraffes, elands, buffalos, black rhinos, elephants,
wildebeests, leopards, and others.
The best time to visit Tanzania is between July and October
when the weather is dry. July-October is also the season when the Great
Migration happens around River Mara. Other things to do in
Tanzania include:
- Viewing
flamingos at Lake Manyara
- Relaxing
at Matema Beach on Lake Malawi
- Visiting
the Serengeti Hippo Pool
- Taking
a walk at Arusha Cultural Heritage Center
- Seeing
the oldest building in Zanzibar, Old Fort
- Visiting
Ngorongoro Crater
3. Uganda (Top Tourist Destination: Bwindi Impenetrable
National Park)
Bwindi is a 32,000 hectares national park located at the
junction of a mountain and plain forests in south-western Uganda. It is famous
for the biodiversity it provides, with over 100 species of ferns and 160
species of trees.
The park is marked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with
about 120 types of mammals, 350 bird species, and 310 butterfly species.
However, the park is mainly visited for Gorilla Trekking. While at it, you will
also get a chance to see the endangered species such as mountain Gorilla,
Chimpanzees, and Colobus Monkeys.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park took home the TripAdvisor
Certificate of Excellence in 2012. It is currently ranked as a 5-star safari
destination in Africa on tripadvisor.com.
The best times to visit Uganda is between June
to August and December to February. The weather is favorable during the two
seasons and is particularly ideal for trekking to see Chimpanzees and Gorillas.
Other things to see in Uganda include:
- Gorilla
trekking at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
- Taking
a photo at the magnificent monument marking the equator
- Marveling
at Murchison Falls National Park
- Parting
in the capital, Kampala
- Visiting
River Jinja and raft away, kayak, bungee jump, or bike
- Touring
Queen Elizabeth National Park to see the Elephants
4. Seychelles (Top Tourist Destination: Islands and
Beaches)
Seychelles is recognized for its attractive beaches and
islands. The destination’s soft, white sand beaches boarded by warm, clear
waters of the Indian Ocean are often featured in the front pages of world
travel magazines.
One great thing about Seychelles beaches is that they are
never crowded, even the most popular ones like Anse Source d’Argent and Anse
Intendance. The destination boasts having many accolades with the latest one
being the Favorite Beach Island Destination Award in 2019 by Conde Nast
Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards.
The best time to visit Seychelles is the months of April,
May, October, and November. They represent the transition months between the
humid and hot northwest trade winds and the chilly southeast trade winds.
Things to do in Seychelles include:
- Visiting
the three main islands, which are La Dique, Praslin, and Mahe
- Spending
some time sunbathing at one of the many beaches
- Experiencing
the excitement of scuba diving, swimming, and snorkeling in the Indian
Ocean
- Creating
some muscle through rock climbing
- Visiting
Valle De Mai Tour to see some birds
- Exploring
diverse flora and fauna at Morne National Park
5. South Africa (Top Tourist Destination: Kruger National
Park)
Kruger National Park rests on around two million hectares of
land to make it the most prominent game reserve in Africa. It offers one of the
best road networks in Africa’s safari destinations that can enable a 2WD car to
move with ease. The land features archaeological and historical sites, 507 bird
species, 336 tree species, 147 mammals, 114 reptiles, and 34 amphibians. You
can find hundreds of wildlife like elephants, lions, buffalos, white rhinos,
great kudus, impalas, and others.
The best time to visit South Africa is between
May to September when skies are clear, and wildlife viewing is at the peak.
Bird lovers should consider touring the region between October and April when
millions of migrant birds settle. The list of popular things to do while in SA
include:
- Wildlife
viewing in Kruger National park
- Crocodiles
and hippos viewing during a river cruise
- Wildlife
safari while riding horses
- Canopy
tours and zip lining
- Road
trip from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town
- Visit Cango caves
Wrapping Up – Africa is Beautiful
Africa is a beautiful continent with everything a tourist would ever want to see and do while on a safari. The expansive continent has something for everyone including the Great Wildebeest Migration in Kenya and Tanzania, Honeymoon destinations in Seychelles, Gorilla trekking in Uganda, and wildlife viewing in South Africa.