13 Incredible Hikes in Africa Revealed by Travel Experts

Africa is one of the most amazing destinations for outdoor adventures, and one of the best ways to explore is to experience the magic of hikes in Africa.

Most of us must have a long bucket list of the best places to go hiking to explore and fulfill our dreams, and I am here to share amazing destinations and inspire you to choose your next epic trek adventure.

I think it is time to admit the truth, I am obsessed with hiking and exploring our breathtaking Planet as much as possible. I personally love to find out about lesser-known hiking trails, and remote places and avoid the crowds while I connect with nature. For this reason, I have asked some of the top travel experts to help to put this list with the best hikes in Africa.

If you are just like me – an outdoor adventure lover, then you understand and I am sure you are always dreaming about where your next trek is going to take you.

Make sure you also check also the series of Best Hikes Revealed by Travel Experts:

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• Best Hikes in Europe
• 150+ Incredible Trekking Quotes + Sharable Images

Before we get started on this amazing list of these amazing hikes in Africa, let’s remember to always travel safely:

1. No Cell Phone Service: Cell phones do not work in most places in the backcountry and GPS is sometimes unreliable – Consider carrying a Satellite Phone with Maps and GPS Navigation.
2. Do not hike at night: If you are camping, plan to get to your campsite before dark.
3. Language Barrier: Having a pocket translator is a great option.
4. Difficult Hiking Trails: “Difficult Hiking Trails” are characterized by steep elevations, increasingly difficult terrain, and longer distances. Only experienced hikers should attempt these trails
5. Be physically prepared:  Many of these hikes are easy and can be done by anyone. A couple of the hikes are epic and I recommend following a Plan for Hiking Fitness preparation prior to attempting any long or challenging hike.
6. Consider the high altitude: Many of the places listed here, are at a high altitude. Make sure you acclimate before you start your hiking, and pack an Altitude Sickness Relief.
7. Bring plenty of water: Remember you will be outdoors in the sun and you will need to drink a lot of water. My LifeStraw Filtered Water Bottle has been my lifesaver for all my trips. I can refill this bottle anywhere and it comes with a carabiner to connect it to my daypack.
8. Check the Weather: Check the current weather forecast and be prepared for quickly changing conditions.
9. Bring snacks: Does matter if you are planning a day hiking or a multi-day on the trail, always bring some high-energy food for hiking with you.
10. Leave no Trace: Be a responsible traveler, it is all about enjoying nature and ensuring you help to preserve the environment.

1) Drakensberg Royal Natal National – One of the most amazing hikes in Africa

• Location: South Africa
• Distance: 12 km / 4.5 miles
• Duration: 6 hours round trip

Let’s start this amazing list of the most fascinating hikes in Africa with one of the most amazing locations on the continent. Any hiking enthusiasts visiting Africa should not miss an opportunity to explore Drakensberg Royal Natal National Park. As the home of the highest mountain ranges in South Africa and the second-highest waterfall in the world, Tugela Falls, nature lovers will find plenty to explore at this UNESCO world heritage site.

The highlight of our trip was without a doubt the Tugela Falls and Amphitheatre hike. Both incredible features can be combined via the 13-kilometer Sentinel Trail. However, there are many more day hikes and multi-day treks for hikes in Africa with an extended stay in the park. The Sentinel trail starts as a dirt track and then zig-zags up the mountain slope.

Along the way, you’ll find monkeys frolicking in the grass before happening upon the chain ladders which take you to the top of Sentinel Peak. Here you’ll be able to see Tugela Falls cascading into the valley below.

Just a bit further up, is the Amphitheatre lookout. It is one of the most impressive in the park and is known for its incredible 360-degree views of the canyon below and the vast Drakensberg mountain ranges. For hikers, Drakensberg Royal Natal National Park offers some of the most memorable hiking on the continent. We recommend you don’t miss these hikes in Africa.

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2) Amatola Trail

• Location: Amathole Mountain Range, South Africa
• Distance: 100 km / 62 miles
• Duration: 6 days

Amatola Trail is probably one of the most amazing treks in the African continent, and maybe some of the best hikes in the World.

The whole area that the trek goes through looks like a fairyland. The trail goes over the beautiful Amathole Mountain range offering stunning views of the area. The indigenous forest covering a big part of the mountain range looks like the perfect decoration for a Lord of the Rings kind of movie. The massive yellow-wood, white stink-wood, and chestnut trees look impressive.

The scenery on the Amatola Trail is fantastic; rocky mountains, lush green forest, crystal-clear rivers, stunning waterfalls, massive boulders, natural pools, and breathtaking lookout points. There are many beautiful places to see along the route.

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3) Outeniqua Trail

• Location: Garden Route, South Africa
• Distance: 120 km / 75 miles
• Duration: 7 days

Outeniqua Trail is one of the lesser-known hike in Africa trails in South Africa, a real hidden gem of the Garden Route. It’s a great hike to do to get away from bustling city life.

A 7-day trek takes hikers through the indigenous Knysna forest, one of the most beautiful forests in the country. 100 years ago the forest used to be home to Knysna elephants. Unfortunately, in 2019 there was only one adult female elephant spotted in the forest. Walking for days through the fantastic Knysna Forest is an incredible experience. The vegetation here is so dense that some parts of the trail look like a tunnel.

Huge tree trunks covered in moss, long lianas hanging from tree branches, massive ferns, and rivers with big boulders, all give you a feeling of hiking through a Jurassic forest.

Outeniqua Trail is a 120km route. It starts at Beervlei Hut and finishes at Harkerville Hut. It’s possible to shorten the trek and walk only a part of it, 2 or 3 days. Some parts of the route are accessible by car. There are 8 overnight huts along the trail. The huts have good facilities and are located in the most stunning spots of the park.

There is only one shop/cafe on day 6 where hikers can get food. It’s essential to carry food supplies, a portable gas stove, pots, and cutlery.

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4) Otter Trail

• Location: South Africa
• Distance: 45 km / 28 miles
• Duration: 5 days

Considered one of the most beautiful hikes in Africa on the African Continent, Garden Route, is where you can also find the Otter Trail Hike. What makes this one of the best hikes in Africa, is the scenery on this trek. It is truly breathtaking; evergreen indigenous forest, unspoiled sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, deep canyons, and diverse wildlife. 

Out of the many multi-day treks we’ve done, the Otter Trail is definitely one of our favorites. The total distance of the trek is 45km (28 miles) and will take hikers 5 days to complete it. The route is well-marked with yellow paw prints painted on rocks and trees. For the entire 5 days, the trail follows the coast of the Indian Ocean offering stunning views of the rugged coastline.

Otter Trail is a great hike for nature lovers every day on the trail hikers can see different animals such as sea otters, monkeys, whales, dolphins, genets, crabs, birds, etc. Along the route, there are many rivers, small bays, and hidden beaches that are great for swimming and chilling in the sun.

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5) Sabyinyo Volcano

• Location: Uganda
• Distance: 13 km / 8 miles
• Duration: 7- 10 hours

One of my favorite hikes in Africa experiences in Uganda was a Mount Sabyinyo hike. Mount Sabyinyo is an extinct volcano located on the border of three countries – Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, in East Africa. What is special about it is that when you get to the top, you can stand on the borders of these three countries at the same time. The peak is only accessible to tourists from the Ugandan side.

The volcano is a part of the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is famous for its rare mountain gorillas. Many people travel to Uganda to see these apes. Hiking in the same area where they live creates a special atmosphere.

Mt. Sabyinyo has three peaks, and thanks to that it looks like a tooth. This is what its name translates to. The first peak is at 3421 meters, and the summit is at 3,669 meters. The hike is quite strenuous, and it takes around 7-10 hours for the return trip. During that time you also need to deal with altitude, which might make the trek harder.

Another challenge is the ladders that you need to climb to get to the top. Some of them are very unstable. But this adds to the fun and makes the hike very unique and special. To climb Mount Sabyinyo, you need to get a special permit, which costs $80.

After that, you join the group with the guide and an armed ranger (in case of wild animals or illegal immigrants that go through the borders) and set off for the adventure. The hike is truly spectacular. The stretching views onto the surrounding mountains and volcanoes, together with unusual plants and animals make it an experience worth trying when you are in Uganda.

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6) Cape Verde – One of Africa’s best hikes destination

• Location: Cabo Verde
• Distance: depends on the hike
• Duration: depends on the hike

Are you looking for the best hikes in Africa? Well, then, Cape Verde is a must!

While the Cape Verdean islands are often known for the large all-inclusive resorts such as in Boa Vista or Sal, the country boasts countless hiking trails that will catch your breath. No matter what your hiking level is, you’ll definitely find a trail that will suit you.

As there are 10 islands, you may wonder which island is the best for hiking. In my opinion, Santo Antao, Brava, Fogo, and to some extent Santiago island are the best places to go hiking. The most spectacular trail is without any doubt the Mount Fogo trail on Fogo island. Other gorgeous trails are hiking Cova Crater and trekking to Fontainhas village in Santo Antao.

This island, also known as the green lung of Cape Verde has so many hiking trails, that you can easily spend here 20 days…and not do them all! Thus, for your next hiking holidays, look no further and head to Cape Verde!

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7) Tsingy de Bemaraha

• Location: Madagascar
• Distance: 5.6 km / 3.5 miles
• Duration: 5 hours

In western Madagascar, you find one of the world’s most unique landscapes in Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, with 5.6km (3.5 miles) and around 5 hours to complete this hiking.

Tsingy, meaning “walking on tiptoe” in Malagasy, is a huge area of razor-sharp rock formations towering up to 100 meters. It’s hard to imagine people walking barefoot across the Tsingy in the old days. There are two parts of the park so you’ll need two days to do both the hiking routes through the Small Tsingy and the Big Tsingy.

I recommend you do the small Tsingy on the first day. You will be amazed by its beauty and uniqueness, starting with a ride in a wooden, traditional Malagasy canoe through the Manambolo River to the trailhead, this is a half-day hike.

Though the second day, getting on your harness for the Ferrata in the Big Tsingy will blow your mind! It’s such an incredible experience, walking beneath the Tsingy through tunnels in the rocks, seeing the odd lemur hanging about, climbing on the rock side to get to the far top views, and staggering across dilapidated hanging bridges.

Getting to the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park is a day’s mission on dusty roads with 4×4 from Morondava, passing the Baobab Alley. Unless you have your own vehicle, you need to get a driver, thus not many people go there.

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8) Mount Toubkal

• Location: Atlas Mountain, Morocco
• Distance: 4,167 m / 13,667 ft (altitude)
• Duration: 2 days

Located at the highest point in Morocco, is Mount Toubkal, situated in the High Atlas Mountains at an impressive altitude of 4,167 m (13,667 ft). Hiking Mount Toubkal is a pretty challenging and tough trek but it was worth it for the spectacular views.

At the beginning of this hike, you can admire the incredible views of rural Morocco. As you move up you walk along waterfalls, gentle brooks, lush green river banks, and walnut groves. The best part is meeting up with cute mules on the way. The trails become very rocky after 3,207 m (10,522 ft). There are parts with gigantic rocks you need to climb over.

If you want to conquer Mount Toubkal, you need to travel to Imlil first and stay there one day to organize your hike for the next day. Imlil is a lovely small village at the foot of Mount Toubkal. No one is allowed to go on this adventure without a guide due to a horrible homicide that happened in 2018. This unfortunate situation happened once and it doesn’t mean it can happen again.

 I’ve recently been there and I can tell you that it’s an absolutely safe place If you are a hardcore hiker, you can make it in one day from Imlil to the top and back. Most people complete the hike in 2 days and stay in the base camp at 3,207 m (10,522 ft). If you really want to take it easy and enjoy nature, you better off dedicating 3 days to the hike. My second advice would be to hire mules to carry the stuff you don’t need while hiking.

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9) Manchewe Falls

• Location: Livingstonia, Malawi
• Distance: 4 km / 2.5 miles
• Duration: 2-3 hours

You’ve probably heard about Lake Malawi, but have you heard about Manchewe Falls? This spectacular waterfall can be found high up on the Rift Valley Escarpment above the lake.

The water plunges 125 meters down the sheer escarpment, surrounded by lush greenery. That’s right, 125 meters! This makes Manchewe Falls even taller than the most famous waterfalls in the world, including Victoria Falls and Iguazu Falls.

You can reach the falls on a short day 4 km (2.5 miles) hike from Livingstonia, a small town with a couple of eco-lodges on its outskirts that make a great base for exploring the area. I definitely recommended taking a local guide with you on this hike, as the many trails are not signposted, and some of them are just dead ends. At the Mushroom Farm, one of the nearby eco-lodges, you can hire a guide for just a few dollars.

He can show you the right path to go all the way down to the bottom of the falls to see it from a different viewpoint. Along the way, he’ll also take you to some natural pools where you can swim, and to the cave hidden behind the falls, where local people are said to have hidden from slave traders. Alternatively, there’s another eco-camp called Luke that’s located just 300 meters from the falls.

I haven’t stayed at Luke so can’t comment on it, but I’ve stayed at the Mushroom Farm and can tell you that they give back to the local community in a number of ways. Their restaurant also serves some of Malawi’s best food and is all vegetarian. Ask at the lodges about other hiking possibilities in the area, such as hikes to smallholder coffee farms or to the nearby Chombe Plateau.

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10) Ngare Nadare

• Location: Ngare Ndare Forest, Kenya
• Distance: 7 km / 4.3 miles
• Duration: 3-4 hours

Ngare Ndare Forest, a few hours drive from Nairobi and an hour northeast of Nanyuki, makes for a great weekend getaway from the capital. It is a vital wildlife corridor linking Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Mount Kenya.

The park is home to 7 stunning waterfalls and the longest canopy walk in East Africa, with its 450-meter length. In the park you can do various activities, one of which is a 7 km (4.3 miles) hike through the forest, passing by 2 of the waterfalls.

After entering the park you will be assigned a ranger that will accompany you on the hike because the animals do roam free. Upon reaching the waterfalls you’ll be allowed to swim in the pools, so bring a change of clothes or swimming gear.

You can end the day with the canopy walk, giving you a birds-eye view, 10 meters from the ground. This walk you can enjoy by yourself, the ranger will just accompany you to the first platform. High up, on the wobbly walkway, you’ll have a great view over and through the trees.

All around you you will hear and see various types of loud and colorful birds. While you’re walking you pass a river and swamp below where, if you’re lucky, you can see elephants and other wild animals drinking. This trek ends on the platform on the other side where the ranger will bring you safely back to your starting point.

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11) Fish River – One of the most challenging hikes in Africa

• Location: Namibia
• Distance: 86 km / 53 miles
• Duration: 4-5 days

Famous for stunning deserts and massive dunes, Namibia is also home to the second-largest canyon in the world and number one in Africa, Fish River Canyon. With 86 km (53 miles) taking about 4-5 days to hike, this is one of the most amazing hikes in Africa, taking you along the canyon, which is the best way to discover its beauty.

The trek starts at Hobas campsite and finishes at Ai-Ais Hot Springs. The terrain is quite challenging; sand, small rocks, and boulders. Due to the extreme heat, the hike can be done only in winter between May and September.

Even in winter, it’s extremely hot in the canyon and there is no shade to hide. There are no designated campsites, hikers can camp anywhere next to the river. Most people don’t carry a tent, only a sleeping mat, and a light sleeping bag. It’s warm enough at night to sleep outside.

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12) Ngong Hills – One of the most magic hikes in Africa

• Location: Kenya
• Distance: 16.7 km / 10.4 miles
• Duration: 4-5 hours

The Ngong Hills are 25 miles out of the chaotic capital of Kenya, Nairobi. Standing atop the hills and to the north, you gaze at the impressive sight of the Nairobi skyline. Skyscrapers were in the distance and the tin rooftops of small villages spread out from its towering center.

Turn around and you are staring at wild, unencumbered Africa. East of the Ngong Hills lies the Great Rift Valley, that rent in the face of the earth that is so vast that it can be seen from space. Within the Rift are rumbling volcanoes, great lakes, volcanic geysers.

Far to the south is Maasai land, a shimmering heat haze of barren desert reaching Tanzania. And to the west the relatively civilized views over Nairobi National Park and its safari of wild animals. The whole of the Ngong Hills area is a protected reserve.

Until the 1990’s lions were frequently sighted on the hills Today leopard, hyena, buffalo, and bush pig still reside here, as well as their less fearsome fellows, Dik Dik, duiker, zebra, wild pig, and myriad monkeys.

To hike the Ngong Hills is to experience the magic of hikes in Africa. Start at Ngong town and walk the 7 unassuming hills to the Corner Baridi side. The walk from end to end takes 4-5 hours and public transport is available back to Nairobi at each end. You will need to pay a parking fee and take lots of water, snacks, and sunscreen with you.

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13) Rwenzori Mountains – Uganda

• Location: Uganda
• Distance: 120 km / 75 miles
• Duration: 6-9 days

The Rwenzori Mountains are a mountain range with several glaciers right on the equator in the middle of Africa.  Originally called The Mountains of the Moon by Ptolemy 2,500 years ago, they were once considered to be the source of the Nile.

Today, they form the Rwenzori Mountain National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Rwenzori trek is hard, but the rewards are many.  Mystical valleys shrouded in mist; groves of trees covered in hanging Spanish moss; huge trees topped with cabbage-like branches, endemic to the mountains; and glaciers on the equator (though they are disappearing more and more each year).

This is one of the truly unique places on earth. The Rwenzori Mountains are the safest visited in Uganda.  The main access town is Ibanda near Kasese.  The environment is fragile and it is mandatory to hire a guide and porters for the trek. There are a couple of different trails, the Central Circuit Route (7-9 days) and the less-visited Kilembe Route (6-9 days).  

Primitive mountain huts are spaced along the routes, and porters will not only carry your bedding but also carry and cook your food. The guide is essential, as the trail, which often goes through muddy bogs, is not always easy to find and follow. Having a guide and porters also means that locals are employed and invested in preserving this amazing environment while doing your hikes in Africa.  There are several local companies that can arrange everything for you.

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• Portable water bottle: Remember to bring and drink a lot of water and if you need to refill, a LifeStraw Filtered Water Bottle is the best option.
• First-aid kit: Always remember to pack a first-aid kit for your hikes.
• Day-Backpack: I love my day-backpack and it is very handy for any hiking.
• Headlamps:  Carry a flashlight or headlamp even on a day hike. If you have trouble on the trail, darkness may fall before you can finish your hike.
• Wear sturdy shoes for hiking: The most important thing is to protect your feet and avoid twisting your ankle and getting injured. I recommend investing in a good hiking boots brand such as Teva, Salomon, or even Keens.
• Moisture-wicking clothing: These clothes help to pull the sweat away from your body and stay cool and dry during your hiking such as light hiking pants & long sleeves shirts.
• Warm Layers: Early morning or late night can get cold so it is important to bring layers, a lightweight puffy jacket is a must!
• Packing for winter hiking: During winter make sure to have a good quality hiking jacket and pack a warm pair of pants for your hike.
• Wear a hat and sunglasses: It is always important to protect yourself against the sun. Bring a hat with a good face cover like this one and don’t forget to pack a pair of polarized sunglasses
• Bring along some food or snacks: It’s a good idea to pack trail mix or cereal bars to munch on during your hikes.
• Bring your Camera: You will see some incredible views during your hiking, so don’t forget your camera, or check out some great value options here

Africa continent is a wonderland for adventure travelers, from safaris to hikes and all in between. I hope you enjoyed this guide with some of the top Hikes in Africa, and that you have your top pick for your next adventure.

Traveling in Africa is just incredible. Here you find the most friendly people, an impressive landscape, an abundant lifestyle, and plenty of adventure to be explored.

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