The new Africa: 25 epic places and experiences

With bookings on the rise, Africa is one of the most aspirational destinations. No longer just a “one day” vision board dream, the continent is enjoying a surge in Australian visitors. From the jungles of Rwanda to the ancient “Louvre of the Desert”, this extraordinary continent is finally calling us home.

THE LOWDOWN

Africa is big – bigger by far than it appears on most maps. This misrepresentation is the fault of the Mercator projection, a commonly used template developed by 16th century Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, which supersizes some regions (we’re looking at you, Greenland) while shrinking the very cradle of humankind. Don’t be fooled by these “imperial” measurements: this behemoth of a continent accommodates a mind-boggling assortment of languages and ethnicities and a hefty share of topographical diversity. These ingredients are key to the travel trends identified by the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA): cultural immersion, heritage storytelling and conservation-led experiences. With bookings on the rise, according to a 2026 trends report by tour operator Collette, Africa is one of the most aspirational destinations.

“Africa has always held a sense of awe and mystery,” says Collette director Roger Clulow. “For many travellers it’s a bucket-list destination and somewhere that they were never really sure they’d ever get to visit.”

Cost has been an obstacle but rising prices elsewhere have levelled the “paying” field, according to Marco Rosa, co-founder of luxury boutique hotel specialist Plateau International. “In the past, Africa used to be much more expensive than other places, so you needed to set a higher budget. Now, it’s not because the cost of travel to Africa has gone down, it’s because all the other destinations have increased in price. So [for Australians travelling to] Africa, it’s levelling up.”

Reason enough, for those still dilly-dallying, to cast off lingering doubts and turn long-held dreams into reality.

WHAT’S HOT

Ethiopia is on the (literal) radar, with Ethiopian Airlines announcing plans to launch direct flights to Australia in 2028 pending the acquisition of suitable aircraft; two undisclosed Australian destination cities have been shortlisted and a new airport, expected to be Africa’s biggest when it opens in 2030, is also under construction 45 kilometres from the capital, Addis Ababa. Adventure travel is sizzling, and South Africa is one of the best places to hike, abseil and shipwreck-dive. Relaxation is also hot: last year nearly 1 million international visitors arrived in the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar, an idyllic post-safari bolt-hole.

WHAT’S NOT

Let’s address the elephant in the room: safety. Avoiding the red “no-go” zones splotched on Smart Traveller’s map of Africa is a no-brainer. But you can still visit Jeffreys Bay, the Eastern Cape town where surfer Mick Fanning famously survived a shark attack, although the supertubes will be lacklustre: the Corona Cero Open J-Bay has been pulled from the World Surf League’s 2026 Championship Tour due to financial constraints. Then there’s the elephant no longer in the room: Craig, one of few remaining Big Tuskers, is being taxidermied after dying of old age in Amboseli National Park in January. The Kenyan Wildlife Authority hopes his preserved body will continue to underscore the ongoing risk of habitat loss, poaching, and climate change to Africa’s keystone species.

MUST-VISIT COUNTRIES

Botswana

Nature performs a miracle each year when water surges into the desert-swaddled Okavango Delta, transforming the floodplain into a latticework of channels, perfect for mokoro (dugout canoe) safaris. The delta remains soggy after the floodwaters have retreated, and wildlife can be seen congregating around the remaining waterholes. If you’ve “done” the delta, look beyond it to Makgadikgadi Pans, home to adorable meerkats. See benchafrica.com.au

Seychelles

Flung like a handful of topaz-rimmed emeralds off East Africa’s coast and crawling with giant tortoises, this remote archipelago is reasserting its place on the map with new hotels and the launch of Aqua Expeditions’ luxury superyacht, the Aqua Lares. A cruise will take you to Astove Wall, an “underwater Grand Canyon” swaying with coral gardens and twitching with an unfathomable population of marine creatures. See aquaexpeditions.com

Algeria

When Crooked Compass founder Lisa Pagotto visited the Roman ruins of Timgad in 2023, her group of 11 “shared the entire ancient city with just a handful of other visitors. On that same day, Pompeii was announcing daily visitor caps of 22,000 as part of its sustainable tourism strategy.” The obscure site is one of seven in Algeria recognised by UNESCO. Visitors can expect “genuine cultural connection, while also allowing tourism to support a local economy that’s rebuilding [after the civil war of 1991 to 2002],” says Pagotto. See crooked-compass.com

Mozambique

You know a country’s on the move when Aman selects it as the destination for its first African safari lodge. The opening date for Aman Karingani in Karingani Game Reserve is under wraps. Meanwhile, take advantage of the new online e-visa portal and pair a safari in Gorongosa National Park with a surf break amid the white beaches and towering dunes of Bazaruto Archipelago National Park. See classicsafaricompany.com.au; evisa.gov.mz

Sierra Leone

This West African nation is poised to take a bite of the tourism pie with the launch of Intrepid’s Sierra Leone adventure and UNESCO’s announcement of the country’s first world heritage site, Gola-Tiwai Complex; it encompasses Gola Rainforest National Park and Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary, home to pygmy hippopotami and chimpanzees. The island is on Intrepid’s annual Not Hot List, which showcases lesser-known, tourism-ready destinations. See intrepidtravel.com

MUST-SEE CITIES

Cape Town, South Africa

“We want people to start exploring Cape Town from another angle,” says Jacques Smit of the Sabi Sabi Collection, which recently opened The Claremont Boutique Hotel near the mountain’s eastern slopes. “There’s more than 100 ways to hike to the top of Table Mountain National Park.” Look beyond the mountain to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Muizenberg Beach and Constantia, home to the country’s oldest vineyards. See claremontboutiquehotel.com; capetown.travel

Mombasa, Kenya

The world’s best chilli crab is served at Tamarind Mombasa, say those in the know. Dawa, Kenya’s signature cocktail, is also on the menu in this historic coastal trading city. Between feasts, wander streets shaped by African, Arab and European ancestry and skim tropical bays on a dhow while stopping over on Azamara’s 17-night Eastern & Southern Africa Cruise. See azamara.com

Accra, Ghana

New York mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani’s middle name honours Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president and the “father of African nationalism”. The statesman’s mausoleum presides over Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where artists line up to sell their works. At nearby Jamestown, fishermen moor their pirogues at dusk, youths cool off in tepid waters and women grill the day’s catch. Accra is a highlight on Intrepid’s Benin, Togo and Ghana adventure. See intrepidtravel.com

Luanda, Angola

Celebrating its 450th birthday this year, the capital is heralding a tourism renaissance with a recently opened second international airport and new hotel openings. InterContinental Luanda Miramar has established itself as Angola’s first branded five-star hotel; Hilton will make its debut over the next few years. Portuguese colonial artefacts, such as the 16th century Fortress of Sao Miguel and the 17th century Church of Our Lady of Nazareth, can be seen during shore excursions on Viking’s new World Voyage IV cruise. See vikingcruises.com.au

Cairo, Egypt

This capital will be easier to reach if Ethiopian Airlines’ new Australia route kicks off: the carrier flies direct to Cairo from Addis Ababa. Egypt is Africa’s top-earning destination and many of its attractions are contained within the metropolis: the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the new Grand Egyptian Museum. Viking’s new ship, Viking Amun, is already plying the Nile on its Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary. See vikingcruises.com.au

MUST-SEE SIGHTS

Tsodilo Hills, Botswana

One of the world’s most densely packed rock art collections is exhibited in the “Louvre of the Desert”, a UNESCO World Heritage site in north-western Botswana. Around 4500 paintings by the indigenous San people and the later Hambukushu arrivals adorn the outcrops. Guests can take an overnight side-trip on Bench Africa’s Nxamaseri Island Lodge trip. See benchafrica.com.au

Erg Chebbi dunes, Morocco

It’s like someone drove a giant dump truck onto the flinty fringe of the Sahara Desert and emptied pillows of orange sand upon it. The mounds rise from the flats in sculpted waves that deepen in colour as the sun sinks. At full moon the dunes are inscribed against the sky; on dark nights they’re crowned with starlight. Camels are the mode of transport at this stop on Inspiring Vacations’ Magical Morocco tour. See inspiringvacations.com/au

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Africa’s tallest peak, and the world’s largest free-standing mountain, is considered the easiest of the seven summits to climb. It takes between five and nine days to reach Kili’s ice-capped Uhuru Peak, depending on the route taken (pole pole in Swahili means “slowly, slowly”, a practice that helps with altitude acclimatisation). Pair the climb with a Serengeti safari on a G Adventures trip. See gadventures.com

Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe and Zambia

This blue bulge on the Zambezi River is, by volume, the world’s largest man-made reservoir. Formed during construction of Kariba Dam in the late 1950s, it brims with aquatic life – hippos, crocs, waterbirds – and the trunks of drowned trees, which cast ethereal reflections during sunset cruises. For superlative views, stay at Bumi Hills Safari Lodge, part of African Bush Camps, which turns 20 this year. See classicsafaricompany.com.au

The Danakil Desert, Ethiopia

This monumental swirl of salt-crusted pans, bubbling lava lakes and acid-bright sulphur springs sprawl across one of the earth’s lowest points 100 metres below sea level where the Afar people still mine salt. Inhospitable during summer, it’s best visited in winter (November to March) on a tailormade journey with Ethiopian travel specialist An African Canvas. See anafricancanvas.com

MUST-DO EXPERIENCES

Safari in the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa

Londolozi Game Reserve and the contiguous Kruger National Park (KNP) celebrate milestone 100th birthdays this year. Londolozi’s guests can choose between five luxury camps while on safari in this famed leopard territory. Or venture further into KNP, now back in business after floods caused some gate and camp closures, on Bunnik Tours’ Kruger to Cape Town tour. See londolozi.com; bunniktours.com.au

Glide along the Saloum Delta, Senegal

Baobabs have taken root in islands formed by discarded shells in this UNESCO World Heritage site. The hillocks have helped reclaim land and stabilise channel banks. Guests on Explore’s Senegal and The Gambia tour might see pelicans, flamingoes and funerary tumulus mounds, where gravestones mark the departed’s unusual resting place. See exploreworldwide.com.au

Track a black leopard, Laikipia, Kenya

So rare are melanistic leopards, their presence in Kenya was only confirmed in 2019 when photographer Will Burrard-Lucas snapped the first high-quality images on a camera trap. Another black leopard – named Giza (“darkness” in Swahili) – has since become the holy grail for safari-goers on Bench Africa’s Laikipia Wilderness Camp journey. See benchafrica.com

Stargaze in Kafue National Park, Zambia

Light pollution is non-existent in Zambia’s biggest national park, where visitor numbers have increased by 85 per cent since 2022, due largely to infrastructure improvement and wildlife translocations overseen by African Parks. At night, attention veers from plains and waterways to blazing skies. Telescopes are on hand for close-ups at Anantara Kafue River Tented Camp, which opens in April. See anantara.com

Track gorillas at Kwitonda, Rwanda

Singita’s Ubumwe Women’s Trail combines a gorilla trek, trail run and hike to the site of the original Karisoke Research Centre, where primatologist Dian Fossey studied gorillas for 18 years and where she’s buried. Presented in partnership with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in support of women’s empowerment in Rwanda, the journey kicks off in February 2027. See singita.com

MUST-DO JOURNEYS

Cape to Cairo

It takes time and no small measure of courage to drive the 10,000 kilometres from Cape Town to Cairo. This epic journey is condensed to its salubrious essentials – the Mother City, Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls, the Masai Mara, the Pyramids of Giza and a cruise along the Nile – on Collette’s Cape Town to Cairo: The Ultimate African Expedition. See gocollette.com/en-au

French outposts in the Indian Ocean

Geography gets muddled out in the Indian Ocean, where Mayotte, though part of the sovereign Comoros Islands chain, is an overseas department of France; Mauritius, once called the “Isle of France”, is home to a large Indian diaspora; and the people of former French colony Madagascar have Asian and African ancestry. Untangle this rich history on Regent Seven Seas’ Cape Town to Port Louis cruise. See rssc.com

Road trip through Namibia

The landscape is formidable but the road is smooth in this ideal self-driving destination. A loop takes you from Windhoek to the Kalahari Desert, the sculpted red dunes of Sossusvlei, the shipwreck graveyard that is the Skeleton Coast, and Etosha National Park, home to desert-adapted wildlife. Take the pain out of planning with Travel Africa Your Way’s Family Self-Drive Namibia tour. See travelafricayourway.com.au

Primate-trekking in Uganda

Encounters with our close relatives can be cost-prohibitive, but gorilla-trekking permits in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest are more affordable than those in neighbouring Rwanda. Senses are primed by the steamy dampness of the forest’s understory, the apes’ far-off grunts, the musky scent signalling their proximity, the locking of eyes with these solemn creatures. Chimpanzees are an additional delight on Great Lakes Safari’s Uganda Classic Safari. See greatlakessafaris.com

Ivory Coast

This emerging destination is a contradiction of modern cities and timeworn villages, palm groves and cocoa plantations, ancestral shrines and the world’s largest Christian church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, a domed edifice with capacity for 18,000 worshippers. The basilica is in Yamoussoukro, one of the stops on Explore’s Ivory Coast journey. See exploreworldwide.com.au

IN THE KNOW

AFRICA

Researchers believe Africa’s dung beetles are the first known creatures to navigate using the Milky Way as they roll their balls of dung away from the pile in a straight line, using the faint glow of the Milky Way, rather than stars, to find their way.

Timbuktu, Mali, is home to the University of Sankore, one of the world’s oldest universities, established in 982 CE. It teaches subjects such as astronomy, law, medicine, mathematics, and philosophy.

The Sahara Desert, at 9.2 million square kilometres, and covering nearly a third of the African continent and shared between 11 countries in North Africa, is larger than the contiguous United States, at 8.1 million square kilometres.

African acacias bear a striking resemblance to the Australian national floral emblem, the wattle, and while DNA shows they’re technically different, they both descend from the same Gondwanan ancestors.