Africa Things to Do

  View from Boulders Beach at sunset
by CatherineReichardt
 
  • View from Boulders Beach at sunset
      View from Boulders Beach at sunset
    by CatherineReichardt
  • Rockpools at Umhlanga
      Rockpools at Umhlanga
    by CatherineReichardt
  • Beach at Umhlanga
      Beach at Umhlanga
    by CatherineReichardt
  •   Things to Do
    by fachd
  •   Things to Do
    by fachd
 

Most Viewed Things to Do in Africa

151.

Naama Bay   Sharm El Sheikh

Naama Bay, Sharm El Sheikh

 24 Reviews  Na'ama bay is the centre of all action in Sharm-el-Sheikh. Everything lives to tourism and from tourism. The beach is segmented in several private concessions, with a band of less than 20 meters... 

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152.

Egyptian Museum   Cairo

Egyptian Museum, Cairo

 238 Reviews  One of "must see" places, regardless there are more findings in other countries museums (f.e. British). It is good idea to take official guide trough museum. There are experts and there are not to... 

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153.

Djamaa El Fna - Square   Marrakesh

Djamaa El Fna  - Square, Marrakesh

 136 Reviews  We just returned from a phenomenal trip of Marrakesh. Al Moussika was our base to explore the medina and for trips to the coast and to the Atlas mountains. The riyad is a carefully and tastefully... 

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154.

Table Mountain   Cape Town

Table Mountain, Cape Town

 195 Reviews  Wherever you go in Cape Town, Table Mountain dominates the skyline, so what could be more natural than finding out what the city looks like from the top? The cablecar ride to the top of Table... 

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155.

Snorkeling   Hurghada

Snorkeling, Hurghada

 29 Reviews  Hi, I visited Makadi Bay (south of Hurghada with my wife in September 2010 mainly for snorkeling. The experience was really nice. Here is a link to a portfolio of pictures and videos of the below... 

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156.

Game Reserves   Johannesburg

Game Reserves, Johannesburg

 33 Reviews  De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre Besides 'normal' cheetahs, De Wildt has a number of King Cheetahs, distinguished by the different coat pattern. There is also a healthy population of African wild... 

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157.

Valley of the Kings   Luxor

Valley of the Kings, Luxor

 150 Reviews  I was stupid not to figure out at first what's VOK or Q means, like seriously it inhabits me for 5 minutes. The valley necropolis was the burying grounds of the Pharaohs for 500 years during the... 

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158.

Montazah palace and gardens   Alexandria

Montazah palace and gardens, Alexandria

 27 Reviews  Muntaza is the western-most part of the city that lies along the coast. It has a number of hotels and restaurants, and benefits from the fact that it is close to the former King’s palace. The district... 

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159.

Hassan II Mosque   Casablanca

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca

 78 Reviews  One of the main attractions Casablanca has is the Mosque of Hassan II, the 7th largest mosque in the world. Besides being so huge, it is also unique in that it is built so that part of it hangs over... 

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160.

Giraffe Center   Nairobi

Giraffe Center, Nairobi

 18 Reviews  Giraffe Center is situated about 15 kilometres far from Nairobi and not easy to reach there unless you take the taxi. Make sure to stipulate the price for a ride before departure, in both directions,... 

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161.

Museum   Addis Ababa

Museum, Addis Ababa

 18 Reviews   St George Church Museum is located inside the St. George’s Church compound. It was established in 1975 to preserve not only ecclesiastical items, but also significant historical treasures from... 

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162.

Bird Valley   Agadir

Bird Valley, Agadir

 5 Reviews  The Birds Valley or Vallée des Oiseaux is not only an aviary, but also a small zoo. This zoo with mouflons, lama's and monkeys is as zoo itself not really a very interesting and exciting 'must see',... 

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163.

Big 5   Kruger National Park

Big 5, Kruger National Park

 40 Reviews   The African Elephant is easily distinguished from Asian Elephants as they have larger ears. The fact that you are in Africa is also a give away. They guys are massive. They are the largest land... 

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164.

Desert and dunes   Namibia

Desert and dunes, Namibia

 85 Reviews  This is brilliant fun! Basically you climb to the top of a dune, sit or lie on a board, and slide down. The higher the dune, the more fun it is. The only drawbacks are that if you want to do it again... 

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165.

Excursions   Sharm El Sheikh

Excursions, Sharm El Sheikh

 43 Reviews  It was a great day! St. Katherine, Coloured Canyon, Blue Hole, were the highlights of a day trip that included the usual performance of a jeep bogging in the desert, with tourists pushing it under a... 

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166.

Gizeh Pyramids   Cairo

Gizeh Pyramids, Cairo

 352 Reviews  We have just returned from our honeymoon in Egypt and we only spent two days in Cairo, and believe me, it was more than long enough! The moment I saw a poor dog lying dead at the side of the road... 

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167.

Majorelle Gardens   Marrakesh

Majorelle Gardens, Marrakesh

 45 Reviews  We loved Marjorelle Gardens. Please check out my travelogue for the full story. I enjoyed it because of the vibrant colours, cactus gardens, water lily pond and quaint shady paths. The best way to... 

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168.

Penguins / Boulders Beach   Cape Town

Penguins / Boulders Beach, Cape Town

 84 Reviews  However often we visit Cape Town, we never tire of Boulders Beach. The main visitor centre with the wooden boardwalks down into the penguin colony are great, and lots of other tourists have written... 

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169.

Scuba Diving   Hurghada

Scuba Diving, Hurghada

 22 Reviews  Hurghada is idealistic for scuba diving, since the water is so clear and the are so many different kinds of fish, plants and corals. I never tried to scuba dive myself but I was recommended by... 

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170.

Gold Reef City   Johannesburg

Gold Reef City, Johannesburg

 22 Reviews  Gold Reef City is a Johannesburg institution and as my kids have been nagging me to go for months, I finally succumbed early in the New Year. I have to declare my bias: I hate theme parks, I dislike... 

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171.

Karnak Temple   Luxor

Karnak Temple, Luxor

 201 Reviews  On left side of the Hypostyle Hall, there is an exit that will lead to the Open-air Museum. There is also an exit point at the Great Court where you can access this site. This museum requires a... 

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172.

new Library of Alexandria   Alexandria

new Library of Alexandria, Alexandria

 44 Reviews  The Bibliotheca Alexandrina or Library of Alexandria is a huge complex situated on the Mediterranean Sea. It was inaugurated on October 16th, 2002. In 1974 a plot of land was chosen by the Alexandria... 

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173.

Old Medina   Casablanca

Old Medina, Casablanca

 20 Reviews  The old part of Casablanca, within a set of city walls and known as the Medina, is surprisingly easy to miss. You could wander around the city centre for a few hours, then take a taxi out to the big... 

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174.

David Sheldrick Animal Trust - Elephant Orphanage   Nairobi

David Sheldrick Animal Trust - Elephant Orphanage, Nairobi

 14 Reviews  A well worth trip is to the David Sheldrick Wildlife trust. If you are on Safari then you will see plenty of the wild herds of elephants later, but this will give you an insight into the problems... 

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175.

Mercato   Addis Ababa

Mercato, Addis Ababa

 6 Reviews  The Mercato market is actually a part of a district with many buildings and street scattered around. The location is in the area close to the main bus station. It is said to be the largest outdoor... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

MAURITANIA, ksour

by sachara

Chinquetti is with Ouadane, Tichitt and Oualata one of the four ancient ksour, which are on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These ksour are medieval towns, founded in the 11th and 12th centuries, and served originally the caravans crossing the Sahara. These ksour became not only important trading centres, but also religious centres of the Islamic culture and thought. In the 17th-19th century Chinquetti reached its zenith because of its religious and scholarly eminence, supporting its trading role. We visited Chinquetti, which is the seventh holy city of the Islam. In former centuries it was an important gathering point for pelgrims en route for Mecca. The old mosque of Chinquetti is the main attracction of the town, but off-limits for non-muslims. The image of this mosque you can find also on the Mauritanian banknotes.For more information look at my Mauritania page

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MADAGASCAR: unique bioversity

by sachara

In the eastern part of Madagascar are several National Parks with rainforest. In 2007 they became an UNESCO natural word heritage site, because 'the relict forests are critically important for maintaining ongoing ecological processes necessary for the survival of Madagascar's unique biodiversity, which reflects the island's geological history." Separated from all other land since more than 60 million years, Madagascar's plant and animal life evolved in isolation, so the endemic species in the forests have a rate of 80 to 90 percent.There are many rare and threatened species of mammals, including at least 25 species of lemurs.During my visit to Madagascar I visited several National Parks and saw many different species of lemurs, sifakas and chameleons, like in the Ranomafana National Park. We made great walks with guides to look for the lemures and other interesting animals and plants by...

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MALI, Falaise de Bandiagera

by sachara

The Falaise de Bandiagara, the country of the Dogons is one of the most impressive sites in West Africa because of its geological, archaeological, architectural and ethnological importance. The natural setting of the villages at the cilffs of the escarpment and at the plateau is striking. The area is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are still several old traditions in the area involving ancestor worship, rituals, ceremonies, use of masks. Also the ideal lay-out of the villages has traditionally the lay-out of a human body. The village should be north south, like a man on his back. The patriarchal ginna house is at the place of the chest, the round menstrual huts at the hands, the oil-crushing stones and the foundation altar at the female and male sexual organs and the communal altars at the feet.For more information and pictures have a look at my Bankas & Bandiagara escarpment page...

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MALI, Djenne

by sachara

Djenne, inhabited since 250 AD, became an important marketplace and link in the trans-saharan goldtrade. In the 15th and 16th centuries Djenne was one of the centres for propagation of the islam. Djenne, not changed since centuries, became an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The about 2000 traditional houses have survived and the town is not touched by any modern development. I was very excited to visit Djenne and to see the mud architecture with its sculptural forms and natural colours of the buildings, the houses, the medresses and the grand mosque. Finally the medieval and mystique atmosphere was beyond any imagination. It was an enchanting experience to walk around in the town in a time there were almost no other visitors.For more pictures and information have a look at my Djenne page.

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MALAWI, Lake Malawi National Park

by sachara

Lake Malawi is one of the main attractions of the country. At the southern end of the lake is the peninsula Makumbu with Cape Maclear at its tip. Cape Maclear is very popular with travellers. Lake Malawi National Park, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, covers most of the peninsula, 100 M of the surrounding lake and nine of-shore islands. Some fishing villages, as Chembe, are enclaves in the park. From the park-headquarters small paths are leading into the hilly area. There are several walking routes. In Lake Malawi is the largest number of fish species in the world, almost all endemic. They are very important for study of the evolution. In the Park there are also hippos, leopards, different kind of antilopes and an varied birdlife.Other places to visit in Malawi are Shire River, Liwonde Park, Zomba Plateau, Lengwe National Park and the Mulanje Massif. For more information and pictures have...

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LIBYA, rock art in the Tadrart Acacus

by sachara

Not far from the Tassili N'Ajjer in Algeria, very famous because of the rock paintings, lies the Tadrart Acacus in Libya. Also this rocky massif at the Libyan side has thousands of rock paintings. Like Tassili N'Ajjer, also the Acacus is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.The rock art in the Acacus is dating from 12.000 BC till 100 AD, so you will see many different styles. Looking at the paintings, you can read the history of the region, like the changes in fauna and flora, and the different ways of life of the people during the milleniums.To reach the south we crossed the desert along the Algerian border to Ghat in the middle of the Sahara. Ghat has an interesting ancient (inhabited) city on a hillside. In former days Ghat lies at one of the important trans-saharan caravan routes. We started our ride to the Acacus in Ghat, crossing first an area with huge sanddunes in the south, from where...

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LIBYA, old desert town Ghadames

by sachara

Ghadames is one of the oldest pre-Saharan cities. The name Ghadames means ''the day after'', because before the foundation of the town people were looking for water without any result, but found it after they spent the night in the oasis. The architecture of Ghadames is an outstanding example of the knowledge, how to deal with the extreme climate of the Sahara. The alleyways are covered with roofs, so the temperature is there much lower than outside. Ghadames is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.The houses are made of local materials, like mud and trunks of palmtrees. The architecture of the houses is characterized by a vertical division of functions. At the groundlevel of the alleyways is the public life and the storage of supplies. At the next level lives the family and at the top there are open-air terraces for the women, allowing passage for them from one house to another for gathering...

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LESOTHO, little kingdom in the sky

by sachara

Lesotho, a former British colony, is independent since 1966. Now it's called ''the liitle kingdom in the sky'' with Letsie III as king, crowned in 1997. Lesotho's lowest point is 1000 M and highest point 3.500 M. Lesotho with its two million inhabitants is enclosed by the border with South Africa. The Basotho people, living in Lesotho, are very friendly and still have some traditional life-styles.Thaba Bosiu or ''mountain at night'', fortress of king Moshoeshoe the Great, is the most important historical site in Lesotho. Here Moshoeshoe founded Lesotho in the 19th century. We climbed up to the top of this mountain with a guide, who could tell a lot of interesting stories. At the top was not much to see, but the views were amazing. So we saw the pinnacle, looking like the traditional Basotho hat, the national symbol.For more information look at my Lesotho page.

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KENYA, wildlife

by sachara

The abundant wildlife in Kenya makes that game-viewing in the national parks is one of the main attractions for visiting this country. Kenya's national parks and game reserves are of the best in Africa. All of the big five (lion, buffalo, elephant, rhino and leopard) can be seen in Kenya, but also many other mammals and birds.I visited Kenya three times and visited several parks. Each park has its own character and natural beauty. Except protecting wildlife, some parks have been created to preserve the landscape itself. In the visited parks I experienced the following as the most striking: Mount ElgonNP: landscape & cave elephantsKakamega Forest: rainforest, birds, monkeys & tea plantationsLake Bogoria National Reserve& Lake Baringo: hot springs, geysers, flamingo's & hipposSamburu National Reserve: elephants, lions & landscape Marsabit NP: landscape with huge cratersLake Nakuru NP:...

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LIBYA, Leptis Magna

by sachara

Leptis Magna, as one of the most important Roman ports in Africa, is an UNESCO World Heritage Site "being one of the most beautiful cities of the Roman Empire, with its imposing public monuments, harbour, market-place, storehouses, shops and residential districts.''We visited Leptis Magna for a full day and still didn't succeed to see everything. Our guide who accompanied us during our trip in 2006 was an archaeologist working in Leptis Magna. He was very proud to show us 'his' Leptis Magna at the end of our trip en we felt lucky to have him with us able to tell us all about every detail at the site.Approaching the site you will see first the striking Severan Arch at the entrance of the city. Other interesting 'must sees' are the Hadrianic baths, the new and old forum, the market place, the theatre and -a bit east of the main site- the amphitheatre.Many parts of the site aren't yet...

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Top 3 Hotels in Africa

Four Seasons At The First  Cairo

 4 Reviews and 208 Opinions  You must go through a street barrack and through metal detectors just to get to the elevator and get... 

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The Table Bay Hotel  Cape Town

 9 Reviews and 344 Opinions  One of the more expensive options, but if you can afford it then go for it. The location is great,... 

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Riad Kniza  Marrakesh

 2 Reviews and 563 Opinions  Beautifully decorated room, cozy aura, clean bathroom, delicious food and warmhearted staff. I got... 

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Questions and Answers

mrbubl3s profile photo

Q:  Hello, sometime near the end of the year a friend and I are planning to go on an expedition in Africa. However we've been having a... 

Odinnthor profile photo

A: I am afraid that you are caught in a timewarp. This is a different world today, and I can tell you, that you are not going to Africa, especially "around" the Sahara,... 

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