A trekking tour is a chance for nature lovers to fulfil their dreams. As you ascend to the summit, it helps you appreciate the beauty of the mountains and leaves you gasping for air. Walking through nature’s giants reveals a self of freedom from the digital world.
Africa is full of beautiful and challenging hikes for the adventurous traveler; some provide access to treasures. Lace-up a pair of hiking boots and travel to destinations that are only renowned for hiking. Africa is full of amazing sites, wild animals and amazing gardens. See our list below of places you must visit when exploring Africa.
Kilimanjaro is the most stunningly beautiful and the highest peak in Africa, known as The Roof of Africa. The spectacular area will inthrall you with its life-challenging adventures and breathtaking views of Africa.
This journey rises to a height of 5,895 meters (19,341 feet) and follows the stunning Marangu and Machame Route, with snow-capped summits rising over the great plains.
Approximately 30,000 people climb Kilimanjaro each year, starting from hot plains and progressing through tropical rainforests, meadows, and deserts before reaching snow and ice. Most tourists climb the trek’s summit to capture the breathtaking and touching perspective. The view from the summit will reassure you that it was all worthwhile.
Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa
The Drakensberg Mountain is the highest mountain range in South Africa to trek 155 miles (250 kilometers) across the length of its peaks. The Drakensberg less challenging treks have a wealth of natural beauty and fantastic trek opportunities.
There are many other treks available, ranging in length from a few hours to multi-day adventures. These hikes offer views of enormous peaks, dramatic pinnacles, and the breathtaking Tugela Falls, which cascades as the second-highest waterfall in the world, 3,000 feet (950 meters) over five rivers.
Before reaching the chain ladders that go to the top of Sentinel Peak, you will pass monkeys playing in the grass along the path. The Drakensberg Royal Natal National Park offers some of the most outstanding hiking on the continent.
Mount Kenya, Kenya
Boasting the scenic beauty of the forest, moorland, and swathes of wilderness Mount Kenya is the second tallest peak in Africa.
With one of its highest peaks, Batian, at 5,199m, Mount Kenya offers three peak options and five primary routes for climbing, each requiring varying levels of fitness, technical understanding, and appropriate gear.
It is the best choice for those looking for the best hikes in Africa, swathed with slopes, the lush bamboo rainforest, alpine moorland, and snowy glaciers. When trekking, hikers should warn the animals by making sounds as they approach so as not to scare them.
The Simien Mountains, Ethiopia
Stunning scenery, gorges, streams, and unique wildlife make for outstanding trekking. The beautiful Simien Mountains are a vast mountain range, and the best cliff walks in northern Ethiopia, with numerous summits soaring above 4,000m. The tallest is Ras Dashen which, at 4,543m, is Africa’s fourth-largest mountain.
Famed for its scenery and singular wildlife, keep an eye out for the rare Ethiopian wolf and gelada monkeys. The Simien National Park is called the Grand Canyon of Africa for its deep valleys, providing a window into the lives of local mountain communities.
Otter Trail, South Africa
The iconic Otter Trail, Located along South Africa’s picturesque garden route. This forty-three-kilometer-long, breathtakingly gorgeous track around the coast, passing pristine sandy beaches, crystal-clear rock pools, charming woodlands, and unending fynbos.
This tour is a must-do because of the region’s rugged coasts and floral fynbos farms.
The Fish River Gorge, Namibia
Head to 52 miles (85 km) Namibia, one of the best hikes in the world and the most popular in southern Africa. This trial will take you to the Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world, with towering rock faces, deep ravines, and a wide variety of bird and animal wildlife.
This one is for those who would consider hiking more than a hobby. It affords hikers exciting scenery and the chance to hike through 5 billion years of geological history. Be ready for a challenge because it is considered one of Africa’s toughest hikes.
Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda
The Rwenzori Mountains, known as Mountains of the Moon, lie between the Democratic Republic of Congo border and Uganda just north of the equator, with numerous soaring peaks permanently bejeweled with glaciers.
This World Heritage Site is hard but offers a stunning variety of other landscapes, including forests, alpine meadows, lakes, past bogs, boulders, high glaciers, and rock cliffs, with snow-capped peaks lining the panorama and diverse wildlife.
The Rwenzori Mountains are one of the truly unique places on earth and the safest to visit in Uganda. The Central Circuit Route and the less-visited Kilembe Route have different trails.
Witness the high glaciers, groves of trees covered in hanging Spanish moss, huge trees topped with cabbage-like branches endemic to the mountains, a sweeping valley with nine lakes, rocky cliffs, and snow-capped peaks lining the background.
Mount Toubkal, Morocco
Located at the highest point in Morocco, Mount Toubkal is North Africa’s highest peak at 4,167m (13,667 ft.) and one of the most incredible hikes in Africa. The hikes wind through remote valleys and fascinating Berber villages, whose communities have thrived in these mountains for centuries.
At the beginning of this hike, you can admire the incredible views of rural Morocco. As you ascend, you walk alongside waterfalls, calm brooks, lush green river banks, and walnut forests. The best part is encountering adorable mules along the route.
Hiking Mount Toubkal is challenging but worth it for the spectacular views with stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
The Sinai Trail, Egypt
Mount Sinai is the most sacred mountain in the world, Also known as Mount Moses, and is said to be where Moses received the 10 commandments. The mountain is popular with pilgrims and trekkers both.
Most tourists ascend the 2,285m peak at night to ensure a clear view of the surrounding mountains, valleys, and sweeping dunes of the Sinai Peninsula at sunrise.
Mount Mulanje, Malawi
Mount Mulanje dominates the rest of southern Malawi, towering over the fields of tea plantations surrounding its base and the craggy peaks. It is known for its breathtaking rock climbing and a variety of diverse animals. Around the mountain, there are several different pathways to explore.
Sapitwa Peak, the tallest peak in Central Africa at 3002 meters, is the most well-known trek and offers breathtaking vistas.
It is a biodiversity hotspot with up to 500 flora and wildlife, including vervet monkeys, rock hyraxes, and black eagles. Mulanje’s Mountain Huts are outstanding, along with its breathtaking environment.
Happy trekking!
