To list the best hikes in Africa is no easy task. This is a continent famed for its big landscapes and big skies; for great lakes, vibrant wildlife and remarkable sunsets.
Africa is also home to remarkable mountains ranges, though, from Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya to the Botswana bush and Morocco's Atlas Mountains. There are rocky summits, montane forests and jungles to explore - not just stunning savannah - and that's before you even get to the six island nations off the coast of the continent, which offer a wealth of hiking adventure.
To narrow 54 counties down into a list of hikes is an impossible task; so what we have aimed to do here is provide an introduction to some of the best national parks, mountain ranges and hiking regions across Africa and on the islands.
A guide is essential for almost all of these walks, owing to the challenging and remote nature of most of them. For some of the hikes, government-appointed armed guards are actually required, and in certain cases, you may be required to book ahead. Look into specific requirements before arriving at each hike site.
It’s important to note that these route descriptions are only short summaries, designed to inspire but not to serve any navigational purpose. They are not intended to guide you on the route and further mapping and planning (or a local guide!) will be required if you want to safely walk any of the trails featured.
1. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895m) via the Machame Route, Tanzania
- Perfect for: The ultimate African adventure
- Country: Tanzania
There can be no list of the best hikes in Africa without mention of Mount Kilimanjaro, which at 5,895m (19,340ft) is the highest mountain in Africa.
There are numerous ways to get up Kilimanjaro - with acclimatisation time crucial for safety. The Machame Route is known as the "Whiskey Route" because it’s a harder trek than the more common Marangu Trail - or “Coca-Cola route”.
This is a camping route - meaning there are no huts to sleep in along the way. As a result, it’s also a lot more peaceful than the Marangu Trail. You’ll start in the rainforest zone, at the Machame Gate, enjoy views of the Shira volcanic cone and tackle steep, undulating trail. The route takes you around the Lava Tower and over the Barranco Wall, then onto the summit base of Barafu. On summit day, you’ll likely start hiking before midnight - earning a sunrise over Africa from Uhuru Peak. You’ll descend on a different route to Mweka Camp in the rainforest zone.
If you’re curious about other routes up Kilimanjaro, we’d recommend looking at the Rongai route, which approaches Kilimanjaro from the north, or the Lemosho Route, coming at Kilimanjaro from the remote west. Add on a safari afterwards, and you’re looking at one of the ultimate African experiences.
Read more: The Beginner's Guide to Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
2. Climb Mount Toubkal (4,167m), Morocco
- Perfect for: Bagging a first 4,000m mountain
- Country: Morocco
At 4,167m (13,671ft), Mount Toubkal is the highest peak in Morocco and North Africa. Sitting in the Atlas Mountains - where there is plenty of lower-level hiking to be done as well - this non-technical summit is a two-day trek, with the first day taking you up to the Refuge du Toubkal, and then a long second day taking you all the way up to the summit and then back down to Imlil.
It’s a 90-minute drive from Marrakech to Imlil, the gateway to the Atlas Mountains. From there, you will hike up through Berber villages, surrounded by snow-sprinkled mountains, and walking through high mountain valleys. The altitude is real on this climb, and you may notice it as you follow the trail. There can also be snow. You’ll come to the refuge at 3,207m (10,521ft) and find dormitories, toilets, warm meals to be had and plenty of hikers to chat to.
Waking up while it's still dark, you'll head off to scramble and climb to the summit of Toubkal. If you’re quick enough and left at the right time, you can watch the sunrise over North Africa. Then it’s the long descent back down to Imlil.
Read more: A Guide to Climbing Mount Toubkal
3. Hike the Spitzkoppe Mountains, Namibia
- Perfect for: Desert lovers
- Country: Namibia
Namibia is a land famed for stunning sand dunes which meet the Atlantic coast, but further inland you’ll also discover this country has remarkable mountains. The Spitzkoppe mountains are perhaps the most fascinating place in the Namib Desert - which at 55-80 million years old, is thought to be the oldest desert in the world.
The mountains are a series of bald granite peaks between Usakos and Swakopmund, and they cut truly striking features within the desert. Set out to hike these massive natural pyramids - which reach up to 1,650m (5,413ft) - and pass by the iconic stone arches which have drawn so many to the area. If you get the opportunity, this is a particularly wonderful spot to camp, with an experienced guide always able to keep you right.
Hike around Grosse Spitzkoppe, one of the highest peaks in the range, often referred to as the Matterhorn of Africa. Once you’re done in the area? Take a classic African safari through Etosha National Park, explore the capital of Windhoek, or check out the beauty of the Skeleton Coast.
Read more: Hiking Among the Wonders of Namibia: A Photo Story
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4. Bush Walk, Botswana’s Okavango Delta
- Perfect for: Wildlife lovers
- Country: Botswana
The Okavango Delta in Botswana is a sprawling, 7,813 square mile (20,235km square) inland delta, renowned for the grasslands which flood seasonally and which provide the habitat for a sublime variety of wildlife - from African bush elephants and buffalo to hippos, leopards, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, rhinoceros, zebras and so, so much more. There’s nowhere quite like this.
Venture out into the African bush, and you can embark on some epic wildlife-watching. These trips are enormously enriched by the expert local guides, who will point out animals, spot them and their tracks, and be able to tell you all about local life in the area. On a three-hour walk here, you have a good chances to spot giraffes, zebras, antelopes, buffaloes, elephants and countless bird species, as well as big cats. Being on foot is a completely different experience to a safari drive.
Read more: Witnessing the Circle of Life in Wild Botswana
5. The Drakensberg Grand Traverse, South Africa
- Perfect for: A tough mountain epic
- Country: South Africa/Lesotho
The Drakensberg Grand Traverse is a notoriously difficult long-distance hiking route which snakes between the border of South Africa and Lesotho. The trail runs 140-miles (230km) through the Drakensberg, the eastern portion of the Great Escarpment which encloses the central South African plateau.
Only around a third of the route has a 'proper' trail, meaning navigation and route-finding are extremely difficult, meandering through shrubbery and grasslands. People have got lost out there. Phone and satellite signal is unreliable (if non-existent) and the terrain is challenging, often technical - and there is unpredictable weather and critters like snakes to worry about too. So why hike this route?
Well, it's also known for its beauty. One day you could be hiking through lush green; the next scaling steep moonscape mountains. You spend most of the hike above the 3,000m (9,842ft) mark. There are 34 ridgelines on this route, an array of remarkable waterfalls, and near constantly beautiful views. The route also takes you up the six highest peaks in the region. Just be clear: this is seriously strenuous, and should only be attempted by outdoor experts, confident in navigating.
If in doubt? hire a guide. Our Hike, Kayak and Wild Swim in South Africa trek samples the Drakensberg hiking routes, led by an expert guide. It's a great way to see the terrain while ensuring you stay safe - and that you don't get lost out there.
Read more: 7 of the Best Things to Do in the Drakensberg Mountains
6. Climb Pico Papagaio, São Tomé and Príncipe
- Perfect for: The route less travelled
- Country: São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe is a couplet of islands off the west coast of Africa. It has beautiful beaches, virgin rainforest, remarkable endemic wildlife and stunning mountains - yet it remains one of the least visited places in the world today.
If you do visit the island, you’ll arrive first on São Tomé. Fly on over to Príncipe and if you’re up for a challenge, you can join a guided hike up Papagaio Peak, the iconic volcanic landmark of Principe visible from the capital.
You’ll climb on steep and muddy forest trails to reach the 680m (2,230ft) summit and in return, will be rewarded with sweeping panoramas. The trail itself ventures deep into the wildlife-rich Parque Natural do Príncipe – home to oca trees, monkeys, butterflies and colourful wild orchids. Afterwards, head down to Roça Sundy, an enormous cocoa plantation, and you can stand in the spot where Sir Arthur Eddington proved Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity in 1919.
Read more: 10 Reasons to Visit São Tomé and Príncipe
7. Gorillas Trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
- Perfect for: Seeing mountain gorillas
- Country: Rwanda
Volcanoes National Park is a huge park in the north of Rwanda famous around the world for one reason - it's here that you can join a group of wildlife enthusiasts and, following in the footsteps of Dian Fossey, hike into the green hills to see mountain gorillas.
The permit fee to do so is high ($1500 USD per person per day at the time of writing), but for good reason. The money benefits conservation in the area and is also being used to build local schools, health centres and roads - this is an example of genuinely regenerative, positive-impact tourism at its best.
The experience of seeing one of these mighty gorilla families up close is unforgettable too. There are currently 12 families living in the national park. Only 96 permits are available each day in Rwanda, and hikes can last 40 minutes or four to five hours, depending on your fitness level, location and where your local guide decides to take you (which will be based on how fit your group is).
8. Climb Pic Boby (2,658m), Madagascar
- Perfect for: Combing lemurs and lush mountains
- Country: Madagascar
Think Madagascar and you probably think lemurs. There are over 110 species, and all of them - small or tall, cuddly or lanky - live on this huge island, off the southeastern coast of Africa. There are plenty of spots where you can see lemurs, not least Anja, a community-run nature hub home to Madagascar's highest concentration of ring-tailed lemurs, but this a big island - and there’s also some serious mountains to climb too.
In this entry, we’re taking you to Andringitra National Park, 29 miles (47km) south of the capital of Ambalavao. Not only do 13 species of lemur live in this park, but it’s also home to Pic Boby, the second highest mountain in Madagascar, and perhaps the finest to climb. You’ll begin the route by hiking through the Andohariana plateau, which leads you out to huge granite cliffs which mark the beginning of the ascent. After two and half hours of steady hiking and scrambling, you'll reach the summit - enjoying a full panorama of the surrounding area.
Read more: Inside Anja, the Community Reserve Where Lemurs Thrive
9. Climb Mount Kenya (4,985m), Kenya
- Perfect for: The ultimate Kenyan adventure
- Country: Kenya
Climbing Mount Kenya is in someways a technical mountaineering pursuit. We say that because the two highest peaks on the mountain, Batian, at 5,199m (17,057ft) and Nelion at 5,188m (17,021ft), can actually only be reached with mountaineering equipment and experiene climbing. However, there is a way to trek to one of Mount Kenya’s peaks - taking a long, and still very demanding, hike up to what is known as Point Lenana at 4,985m (16,354ft).
The quickest route to Point Lenana is the route with Naro Moru, but this isn’t the most scenic route. In our view, that’s the Chogoria Route. It has no huts along the way, so climbers have to be entirely self-sufficient, but in return you get a remarkable route, passing tussock grass and moorland, taking in Lake Ellis at 3,390m (11,122ft), with panoramas of the spikes of Mount Kenya, looking out over the Gorges Valley. You’ll also camp above Lave Michaelson before reaching the high point. This is a great route, and one that also excites the guides.
Needless to say, don't attempt this without a guide. Descend from Africa’s second highest mountains - then head out on safari to see the big five.
Read more: A Guide to Climbing Mount Kenya
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10. The Kakum Canopy Walkway, Ghana
- Perfect for: A bird’s eye view of a tropical forest
- Country: Ghana
This is one of Ghana’s most popular and developed areas for tourism, four hour’s drive from Accra. And it’s great for families. Kakum has only been a national park since 1992, but the area is lush with tropical forest. Endangered species range from the giant bongo antelope and North African crested porcupine to the Diana monkey and African elephant, and there’s great bird watching - including an amazing nine species of hornbill to be spotted, as well as grey parrots and over 600 types of butterfly. You can explore this on one of only three canopy walkways in Africa. This one reaches 350m long and connects seven tree tops.
One very notable thing about this park is that it was created by the local people - not the State Department of Wildlife - and so it has been set up by the local community, to benefit the local community, and to preserve the amazing nature and world-beating wildlife with whom they share a home. Extend your stay by booking into a treehouse and wake early for prime bird watching.
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