Africa is a vast and widely diverse continent, with formidable wild life, incredible landscapes and sites of archaic and historical relevance. A melting pot of cultures with over 54 countries chose from. It’s hard to know where to begin and what countries to visit in Africa.
Because Africa is also known as a region of high crime and ever-lasting conflicts, many people fear that that no place on the continent is actually quite safe to visit. But this is quite far from the truth.
Africa has the nicest and friendliest people in the world. Actually, most countries in Africa pride themselves on their kindness and friendliness to foreign visitors. Of course, that’s not to say that you don’t have to exercise caution when interacting with locals, or other people around.
But although the large majority of travelers to Africa return home without encountering any serious problems, it’s always wise to check the news and get the latest safety advice before making your travel plans for Africa.
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Best Countries to Visit in Africa
Planning your first trip to Africa may seem intimidating, so in this post we are going to take a look at some of the best countries to visit in Africa. These are must-see places that you should try to visit at least once in your lifetime. Think of it as your ultimate Africa Bucket List!
Egypt
While many people often make the mistake of thinking of Egypt as an Asian nation, it is in reality situated at the northern point of Africa. You’ve probably heard of the ancient culture of the Pharaohs – and this is the key drawing factor of the region.
The Great Pyramids of Giza are one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and are definitely still worth a visit for intrepid explorers in the 21st century. We all know a little about the archaic culture of Egypt, so why not find out more by checking it out for yourself?
Ghana
Ghana is one of the best countries to visit in Africa. It is tropical, warm, sunny, safe and politically stable. They never had a civil war. It has beautiful landscapes, rich history and culture, great food and very welcoming and friendly people.
Accra is the most developed city in Ghana and is also the national capital. However, the most interesting places to visit are actually outside Accra. The Bunso Arboretum and Canopy walkway, Aburi Botanical Gardens, Okyehene’s palace at Kyebi are some of them.
Kenya
Kenya is one of the best countries to visit in Africa. Nature lovers will have a blast here. The country has a series of extravagant and beautiful national parks that provide explorers with a sense of adventure.
In most of these spots you can come face-to-face with a bevy of exciting wildlife, all under the watchful guidance of trained specialists who have forged a career out of learning about how to deal with potentially dangerous animals. Kenya also offers some of the great safaris in East Africa.
Morocco
Rounding off our list is another North African country which is famous for its culture. Morocco might not have the same impressive sites as Egypt. However, hustling and bustling markets like Jemaa el-Fnaa, or historic khasbas like Ait Ben Haddou, are not any less interesting.
Cities like Casablanca, Fés, or Chefchaouen provide any traveler to Morocco with great itinerary options.
There are also many beautiful excursions that you can take around these big cities. Like a day trip to Meknes, or the archeological site of Volubilis. Or a day trip to Chefchaouen from Tangier, or a desert tour from Marrakech.
Morocco is popular primarily because of its proximity to Western European countries. It also has plenty of interesting history as well. Morocco is probably the most “backpacker-friendly” in terms of an abundance of cheap hostels and good bus and train networks to go from city to city.
Namibia
There’s a good chance if you’re not a rugby fan you haven’t even heard of this African nation. But despite that, this relatively under-populated country is nevertheless well worth checking out. Namibia is best explored by car, so if you have the time you should definitely put together a self drive Namibia itinerary.
The Etosha National Park is a particular point of interest, with what is in essence a giant safari encompassing a huge expanse of land. Swakopmund, one of the larger cities in Namibia, is also the primary hub of adventure tourism in Africa as a whole.
Rwanda
Rwanda might have a turbulent history, but then what African nation doesn’t? However, Rwanda has now managed to move past that dark period and stand out as one of the best countries to visit in Africa. Absolutely worth trying out at some point in your life.
Some of the most aesthetically pleasing sights in Rwanda are its National parks, like Akagera and the Nyungwe Forest. The country’s tourist sector that was once rundown, has now been completely transformed.
Check out this post if you want to find out what to expect in Rwanda.
South Africa
What better spot to kick off our list than with one of the most easily recognizable independent states in the continent. South Africa is famous for its serene beaches and roaring waterfalls. The hosts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup have come a long way economically in recent years, and now stand out as a primary destination for tourists.
From the one-of-a-kind Table Mountain on the outskirts of Cape Town, to the world renowned Kruger National Park, there’s no end of fantastic adventures to sink your teeth into when it comes to an excursion to this diverse and multi-cultural nation. And if you have the time, don’t miss the charming coastal villages of Cape Town.
Tanzania
Tanzania is many things to many people. To safari lovers it means gazing at elephants, lions, leopards, and rhino in the Serengeti National Park. To outdoor enthusiasts it means the vast majesty of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.
For some other people Tanzania is this tropical paradise where can see whale sharks and colorful coral reefs around islands like Zanzibar, or Mafia.
Tanzania is very culturally diverse, being home to about 126 tribes. Each tribe speak their own language, but the national language is Swahili, which everybody knows.
Tips for Traveling to Africa
Fancy a trip to any of these spots? Many of the countries in Africa are quite safe for traveling so if you decide visit any of these African nations in the future you’ll be amazed by the versatile range of things you can do there. However, keep in mind that when traveling to Africa it’s always wise to buy travel insurance.
One of the things to keep in mind when traveling to Africa is corruption. You may encounter this especially at the border crossing. Most of the time you’ll pass with no issue, but there may be times the you’ll be asked to wait for hours for your passport to be processed with no explanation. Or you may be asked to pay a bribe to make things move faster. It’s wise to be aware of the visa requirements before visiting any country in Africa.
Below is some common advice you should follow when traveling to Africa:
- Always travel by day.
- Never carry big amounts of money with you and always wear a money belt.
- Carry anti malarial medication, antibiotics, antihistamine, and hydrocortisone cream.
- Always use insect repellent when going outside
- Wear your seatbelt when traveling by bus/car
- Expect delays. People here don’t have a sense of time.
- Be prepared to negotiate the price for anything you buy. Even for the bus fare!
Should have any questions about what to take with you when you visit any of these countries in Africa, here is a great guide on what to pack. Make sure you give Africa a try at some point in your life.
All the above countries are worth visiting and I’m sure many other African countries are worth visiting too.
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nani
One of the great websites i have ever visited. This information was so helpful!
Muleza Mooya
Leaving Zambia out of this list is incomplete.
Mohamed
Lovely trip! Thanks for sharing your travel guide and tips!
Anda
Thank you for taking time to read it, Mohamed.
Mohamed
You are so welcome Anda
Adele Gee
Thanks for the list Anda! Africa is a very big continent with so many countries that it helps a lot to have a breakdown. I have seen Egypt and South Africa and impressed two times over. According to what I read here , Kenya and Tanzania are both interesting countries to add to my to-visit list.
Nicole LaBarge
This is a great list. I have been to all 8 countries and my favourite is Rwanda. Such a beautiful country that is really moving forward. And it is so clean after banning plastic bags.
Milijana
I have been only to Egypt on this list. But lately, I caught myself dreaming of Africa a lot. Red landscapes of the Namib desert in Namibia and hiking Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania are high on my bucket list.
Anda Galffy
Egyps is one of the safest and most interesting countries in Africa.
Chris Bloomfield
Great guide to exploring Africa! While my oldest son would be thrilled to have to haggle over the prices of everything, that would be so strange to me. I can’t wait to visit Africa.
Trisha
Africa is one of the most underrated continents for travelling but I totally agree that it has some of the best sights and experience! I lived in Morocco for a while and I still remember the music and the evenings in Jamaa El Fna. Also had fun memories of Namibia! haven’t had the chance to cross borders by land but it would be really interesting to see how corruption unfolds in front of you.
sherianne
I have jumped over to Morocco for a day trip while in Spain otherwise I have not had any of these experiences. Zanzibar and Madagascar are high on my list. I would love to do a gorilla trek and safari, these are all great options!
Linda (LD Holland)
We have visited Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. But I see we have more reasons to go back to Africa. Political stability is something we look for. Morocco is definitely on the travel wish list. So many people went recently. So Ghana might make the list. The National Parks in Rwanda would be a big draw. But might look for an organized tour to visit. Thanks for some teasers to add other places in Africa to our “list”.
Rosemary
Africa is an incredibly diverse continent with its own particularities. Which is also true for other continents and countries around the world. I’ve been to two countries on the list and would really love to visit Morocco and Egypt next. Great tips for traveling to the various African countries, though applicable in almost every country in the world.
noel
I’ve only been to Morocco so still have a lot of unexplored destinations to visit. Thanks for the summary of the best highlights on the continent.
Jenn and Ed Coleman
Negotiation in Africa is such a way of life. Once we figured out the differences between numbers and letters in Egypt, all of the prices went down. lol. Eventually, we were paying the same prices as the locals with the same expectations. For instance, when we would buy soda, we would be expected to drink it at the stand and return the bottle. At tourists prices, they just didn’t care if we walked away.
Anda Galffy
Hahaha, that’s a custom I also saw in Romania, back in the 60s. They are trying to reuse the bottles.
Claudia
Africa is certainly on my list of places to visit, and I appreciate your primer on which ones I should start with. Botswana is in my top three, but your choices of Morocco, Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya are definitely as well. I would argue that Rwanda has a more turbulent history than most African or other countries, given that country’s genocide. But they are dealing with that time in their history in a very positive way, from what I understand from others who have recently visited.
Lisa
I’ve been to a few countries in Africa but South Africa is definitely top of my list – Table Mountain looks so incredible! I’d also love to visit Morocco, your picture of Jemaa el Fna looks enchanting ?
Charles McCool
On your list, I have only been to Morocco. The other countries are definitely ones I should visit and hope to!
Lisa
I was in Morocco last October, and travelled the country. It’s an incredible place, with changing scenes and terrains too. I’d love to travel to Namibia and see Etosha National Park. It’s one place that look remote and dare I say, still authentic. Africa is an incredible continent.
Sandy N Vyjay
Africa is indeed the most fascinating of the continents. After all the origins of the Human race are trace to Africa. I had the privilege of visiting my First African country last year which was Rwanda. The experience was mind-blowing, especially the Gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park. Looking forward to visiting the other countries too.
Tonkin
Set South Africa and Kenya first priority. Never been but see and read a lot. Beside, I love to take photos of lion in close. 🙂
Agness of Fit Travelling
This versatile continent is amazing, Anda! I couldn’t agree more with your about the countries which should be visited in Africa.
Anna
Ony been to Egypt so far and heading to Morocco soon… South Africa and Kenya have been on my bucket list for a while. However, I´ve never thought of Rwanda. It seems very green and mountainous and I´ve read you could do lots of rainforest hikes and even track mountain gorillas through the bamboo forests… Thanks for sharing!
Sand In My Suitcase
Very timely post – as we have Africa on our brains right now. In the past, we’ve visited Egypt (those tombs and temples are really mind-boggling!). And we’ve seen the Big 5 on safaris in Zambia and South Africa. This year, we’re hoping to visit Zambia again, Mozambique and Cape Town. In future, it would be awesome to see the gorillas in Rwanda :-).
Anda Galffy
Wow, Janice, you have a lot to brag about when it comes to traveling. I need to catch up with you.
Lolo
It would be a pretty amazing trip to be able to explore Africa thoroughly one day!
Lyn @thetravellinglindfields
I absolutely agree that South Africa should be on the list. We went there for the first time last year and loved it. Table Mountain is impressive but it is not ‘one-of-a-kind’. Mt Wellington in Hobart, Tasmania could easily be Table Mountain’s twin.
John
Great post! I’ve never been in Africa. My dream is to see Mount Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria …
Rhonda Albom
These are all good bucket list countries. I’ve only been to one so far. I can’t wait to travel to more.
Enock Piroro
Leaving Zimbabwe and the Victoria Falls including so many beautiful places will be incomplete.For your own information, Zimbabwe is one of the most safest nations with welcoming and friendly people in Africa.
Anda
Thank you for letting me know.