7 African Wonders

by Jared
 * This article first appeared here in Southern Vines 

Africa’s proud wildlife heritage and startling natural beauty brings millions of visitors to her shores– a staggering 70 million visitors every year. As foreign travel slowly resumes, Africa is of course open to ready to welcome her own domestic visitors, so why not use the opportunity to start planning a trip to visit one of the continent’s bucket list experiences.

Gorilla trekking in Rwanda

Rarely does a guest return from meeting the legendary mountain gorillas without using the term life-changing. Dedicated conservation efforts have seen the population almost double in the past two decades, but even so, there are only an estimated 1000 individuals in the wild.

Rightfully so, the process of visiting the gorillas is carefully controlled – only six tracking permits are issued per troop per day with a strict maximum of one hour’s daily contact. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is bookable through your hotel or directly at rwandatourism.com – be sure to enquire about any post-pandemic or South African resident specials.

Luxury hotel brand One&Only have extended their footprint in Rwanda; in addition to their property in Nyungwe Forest, they have recently opened Gorilla’s Nest in the North. The property is the closest to Volcanoes National Park where the gorillas, golden monkeys, and astonishing birdlife can be enjoyed. oneandonlyresorts.com

Watch the great migration at the Serengeti

The Serengeti is one of the world’s most celebrated reserves, where every year a staggering two million animals migrate across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem; a wildlife spectacle that often tops African bucket lists. The best times for wildlife viewing are before the rains in November to April, or after the rain in May to October. In late July and August, the wildebeest make daring crossings over the Grumeti and Mara rivers – a feast for crocodiles and photographers alike.

Hospitality legends Four Seasons have been welcoming guests to this special region for almost a decade. Their Safari Lodge is a luxury home-base in-between safaris, of which the most spectacular must surely be witnessing the wildlife from a hot air balloon, following by a champagne breakfast in the bush. fourseasons.com/serengeti 

A boat trip on the Nile

Coursing through an abundance of countries and cultures, the mighty Nile is the longest river in the world. It begins its 66650-kilometer journey just South of the equator and then winds through an impressive 11 countries, before finally emptying into the Mediterranean.

Most of the cruises travel from Luxor to Aswan through Egypt’s Nile Valley, with the journey ranging from three to seven-day passages. There is no shortage of luxury boats, which essentially serve as floating five-star hotels. Many of the luxury cruises also have Egyptologists on board who are able to offer fascinating insights into the ancient country. Sanctuary Retreats is one of these, offering uber-luxury stays in their fleet of four unique boats. sanctuaryretreats.com/egypt-holidays 

Spending the night with Bedouin in Morocco

With 25% of the continent of Africa covered in desert, this list wouldn’t be complete without a night in the desert spent with one of the continent’s oldest tribes. The Bedouin are the traditional nomadic Arab Tribes who inhabit the deserts of North Africa, and most Moroccan itineraries include a night in the desert. Few experiences could compete with reclining on beautifully detailed Arabian carpets, feasting on fragrant Moroccan cuisine, with a dazzle of stars overhead.

Where you might experience poetry recitation, traditional sword dances, traditional instruments, and even classes teaching traditional tent knitting. Let’s not forget the obligatory journey on a camel. 

Victoria Falls

Standing before the majestic Victoria Falls is an experience for the body, mind, and soul. Experiencing it for the first time I was reminded of David Livingstone, who as the first European visitor, announced when seeing the falls “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.” At a bewildering 1,708m width and 108m height it’s no wonder the falls are known by the locals as “The Smoke That Thunders”. The falls can be admired from both Zimbabwe and Zambia, with the former offering a more substantial view.

Perhaps one of the most fitting stays would be to overnight on an island on the mighty Zambezi River itself. A one-hour drive upriver from the falls, Tsowa Safari Island offers guests authentic accommodation situated in the Zambezi National Park. tsowasafariisland.co.za

Okavango Delta

In this environment, one of nature’s greatest natural dramas unfolds. An ancient conversation between rainfalls thousands of kilometers away in the Angolan Mountains, and the watery wilderness of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. This previous life-giving water traverses countries until the Delta’s two fault lines coerce it into slowing down, fanning it out over the land. The result is virescent slivers of landscape, intersected by blue-veined waterways.

Along these waterways the wildlife revel in the annually welcomed water. Elephant turn into water babies, pods of hippo determinedly protect their territories, and letchwe leave magnificent sprays of water as they dart along the water edges. Xigera is Botswana’s newest and possibly most impressive safari offering. The lodge sits on the western side of the Moremi Game Reserve and in this wild setting, the lodge will sleep a maximum of 24 guests in 12 exclusive and private units – all designed to luxuriously profile the 1000th Natural Wonder of the World. xigera.com

Visiting the Indian Ocean Islands

A string of idyllic islands are scattered along the Indian Ocean on Africa’s East Coast, and the most sought after of all of them are the Seychells. The dreamy archipelago encompasses 115 islands – most of which are inhabited. For South Africans these post-card beaches are easily accessible with direct flights from Johannesburg, just under five-hours.

Mahé is the capital and largest of the islands, and on one of its most spectacular private coves you’ll find the icon Four Seasons resort. The glass-fronted units with overflow pools hug the surrounding cliff with unparalleled views. For the ultimate luxurious castaway experience allow the team to fly you to Des Roches – their own private island resort and every bit the island experience you’ve dreamed of. fourseasons.com/seychelles

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