Top 10 walking holidays in Africa
Our top 10 walking holidays prove that Africa is not just for wildlife. Besides offering thrilling challenges and spectacular views, walking also takes you to communities that can be hard to reach by vehicle, such as remote mountain and rainforest villages where visitors are a rarity. Just pausing for a coffee or a guided wander around the rice fields can make a difference to the local economy. And when you do encounter wildlife as you explore on foot, you’ll also gain unique perspectives on these creatures and the landscapes they inhabit without the rumble of an engine disturbing them.
Keep reading to discover our top 10 walking holidays in Africa.
Keep reading to discover our top 10 walking holidays in Africa.
1. Trekking Morocco’s Atlas Mountains
Stay in a luxurious, renovated kasbah on the trailhead to Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, with our tailor made Morocco trekking holiday. You have countless routes to explore and the option to spend a night at a trekking lodge with its own hammam. Trips directly benefit projects in the local Berber community, who also share their expertise as mountain guides and porters.
Our top trip: Luxury trekking holiday in the Atlas Mountains
See all our trips: Morocco walking holidays
Read more: Walking in Morocco travel guide
Our top trip: Luxury trekking holiday in the Atlas Mountains
See all our trips: Morocco walking holidays
Read more: Walking in Morocco travel guide
2. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
There are seven established routes up Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, each with its own pros and cons, but all of them offering a fantastic sense of achievement alongside spectacular views. Marangu is the shortest at just five days, and you sleep in mountain huts rather than tents. Longer routes, of which Lemosho is among the most scenic, offer more time to acclimatise. Local guides and porters are fairly paid and not under pressure to carry too much.Our top trip: Lemosho trek up Kilimanjaro
See all our trips: Mount Kilimanjaro holidays
Read more: Beginner’s guide to climbing Kilimanjaro
3. South Africa walking safari
The safari experience is so much more vivid once you step out of the jeep and on to the soil. Our small group walking tours roam grasslands, rainforest, historic sites such as battlefields from the Anglo-Zulu War, and the jagged Drakensberg escarpment, which the Zulus call Quathlamba (the Barrier of Spears). And you’ll enjoy plenty of animal sightings, of course, in national parks such as Kruger.Our top trip: Walking safari in South Africa
See all our trips: South Africa walking holidays
Read more: South Africa travel guide
4. Gorillas & mountains in Uganda
The Rwenzori Mountains between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are a spectacular setting, with glaciers, waterfalls and lakes all to be found in this UNESCO-rated national park. Treks are challenging, with long days at altitude on often uneven terrain, but local guides and porters know the best paths. Tracking endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest requires permits that benefit conservation efforts. Then it’s on – to volcanoes, chimpanzees and more.
Our top trip: Gorillas and hiking Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains
See all our trips: Uganda holidays
Read more: Uganda travel guide
Our top trip: Gorillas and hiking Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains
See all our trips: Uganda holidays
Read more: Uganda travel guide
5. Walking & wildlife in Namibia
Walking in Namibia immerses you in some of Africa’s most striking landscapes, from the Kalahari and Namib deserts to the Sossusvlei salt pans pricked with dead trees and surrounded by red dunes, and the Swakopmund wetlands. Walks range from one hour to a full day and can be tailored to your interests. A highlight is three days on the Tok Tokkie Trails where you sleep beneath a canvas of stars in a Dark Sky Reserve.Our top trip: Namibia walking and wildlife holiday
See all our trips: Namibia holidays
Read more: Namibia travel guide
6. Climbing Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya makes for a challenging but exhilarating trek. Far less busy, and with more varied scenery, than Mount Kilimanjaro 400km to the south, it takes around five days to summit this dormant volcano, with several established routes. Highly experienced local crews manage everything from guiding to cooking, so you can focus on the walk – and the views.Our top trip: Mount Kenya trekking holiday
Read more: Climbing Mount Kenya travel guide
7. Madagascar trekking & rafting
Exploring Madagascar on foot surrounds you with natural beauty and amazing wildlife. Trek through remote rainforest in Perinet Nature Reserve, camping in clearings, before reaching the Sahatandra River, where you’ll take to rafts to tackle the rapids. Porters, who are fairly paid and not overloaded, accompany you, so that only a basic level of fitness is needed for this thrilling expedition.
Our top trips: Trekking and rafting expedition in Madagascar
Read more: Madagascar walking travel guide
Our top trips: Trekking and rafting expedition in Madagascar
Read more: Madagascar walking travel guide
8. Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains
Walking in Ethiopia brings highs and lows. The Simien Mountains are home to some of Africa’s tallest peaks, where you’ll encounter troops of gelada baboons, and be welcomed into villages for traditional coffee ceremonies. And in the south-east, the Danakil Depression is one of the lowest, hottest places on Earth, boasting otherworldly, immensely photogenic landscapes.Our top trip: Simien Mountains and Danakil Depression adventure
See all our trips: Ethiopia walking holidays
Read more: Ethiopia walking travel guide
9. Walking safari in Zambia
Walking in Zambia offers a unique perspective on the country’s wildlife as you venture into remote wilderness areas, following the path of the Mupamadzi River. Accompanied by an armed scout and an expert naturalist guide, you’ll learn not only how to track lions, but also about the different ways birds sculpt their nests, and the industrious habits of ants.Our top trip: Mobile walking safari in Zambia
See all our trips: Zambia holidays
Read more: Zambia travel guide
10. See the Serengeti on foot
The wilderness zones of the Serengeti are so remote that some areas have barely seen any human presence beyond the occasional park ranger in decades. Exploring these places on foot is fascinating. Moving slower, you won’t see as many animals as you would from a jeep, but walking safaris allow you to put all your senses to use, ensuring a much deeper, more immersive experience.
Our top trip: Tanzania holiday with Serengeti walking safari
See all our trips: Serengeti National Park holidays
Read more: Serengeti travel guide
Our top trip: Tanzania holiday with Serengeti walking safari
See all our trips: Serengeti National Park holidays
Read more: Serengeti travel guide
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