Adventure

For many travelers, the best way to experience Africa is on foot, on the water or high above it. The continent offers adventures for every level, from gentle village walks and canoe trips to multi-day mountain treks and white-water rafting, led by expert local guides who make them safe and memorable.

Mountains and treks

Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak, is the continent's great trekking challenge: a non-technical climb through rainforest, moorland and alpine desert to the snows of the summit, typically over six to nine days. Morocco's High Atlas offers treks between Amazigh villages and a two-day ascent of Jebel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak. The volcanic islands of Santo Antão and Fogo in Cabo Verde have spectacular trails, and South Africa's Drakensberg and coastal paths suit keen walkers.

Wildlife on foot and by water

Tracking mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park is a physical and emotional adventure, and walking safaris in Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa bring you close to the details of the bush. Canoeing past hippos on the Zambezi, poling through the Okavango Delta by mokoro or kayaking among seals in Namibia adds a different perspective.

Adrenaline

Victoria Falls is one of Africa's adventure hubs, with white-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge, bungee jumping and helicopter flights. Along the Garden Route you can bungee from the Bloukrans Bridge or surf and kayak the coast, Namibia's dunes offer sandboarding and quad biking near Swakopmund, and the lagoons of Mauritius and Cabo Verde are playgrounds for kitesurfers.

How we plan adventure trips

Adventure should be challenging, not reckless. We choose experienced, licensed guides and operators, ask the right questions about equipment and safety, and build in acclimatization and rest days. We'll be honest about fitness levels, age limits, such as the minimum age of 15 for gorilla trekking, and seasonal conditions, and we balance hard days with comfortable lodges. Explore our Gorillas & the Great Migration and Cabo Verde Sun & Mountains journeys for ideas.