AFRICA
ATTRACTIONS
Marrakesh, Morocco
Located at the foot of the Atlas mountains, the
imperial city of Marrakech is large, noisy, polluted
and smelly. But Marrakech is also enchanting, full
of history, the cultural center of Morocco and
beautiful. If you enjoy a daily assault on all your
senses then you'll have a lot of fun. When the most
popular sights include numerous references to
"tranquility" and "peace" like the Majorelle gardens
or the gardens around the Saadian Tombs you
know you're in for an interesting experience.
Nairobi National Park, Kenya
• Nairobi National Park is a national park in
Kenya. Established in 1946, the national park
was Kenya's first. It is located approximately 7
kilometres south of the centre of Nairobi,
Kenya's capital city, with an electric fence
separating the park's wildlife from the
metropolis. Nairobi's skyscrapers can be seen
from the park. The proximity of urban and
natural environments has caused conflicts
between the animals and local people and
threatens animals' migration routes.
• Still, despite its proximity to civilization and
relative small size for an African national
park, Nairobi National Park boasts a large
and varied wildlife population. Migrating
herbivores gather in the park during the
dry season, and it is one of Kenya's most
successful rhinoceros sanctuaries.
Fish River Canyon, Namibia
• The Fish River Canyon is located in the
south of Namibia. It is the second largest
canyon in the world and the largest in
Africa, as well as the second most visited
tourist attraction in Namibia. It features a
gigantic ravine, in total about 100 miles
(160 km) long, up to 27 km wide and in
places almost 550 metres deep.
• The Fish River is the longest interior river
in Namibia. It cuts deep into the plateau
which is today dry, stony and sparsely
covered with hardy drought-resistant
plants. The river flows intermittently,
usually flooding in late summer; the rest of
the year it becomes a chain of long narrow
pools. At the lower end of the Fish River
Canyon, the hot springs resort of Ai-Ais is
situated.
Wineries, South Africa
Victoria Falls, Zambia
• The Victoria Falls are one of the greatest natural
wonders of the world. The Victoria Falls lie in between
Zambia and Zimbabwe in Southern Africa. The falls are
part of two national parks, Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
in Zambia and Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe.
The Victoria Falls are just over 1 mile wide (1.7 km) and
355 feet (108 m) high. During the wet season over 500
million liters (19 million cubic feet) of water plummets
over the edge into the Zambezi River. The best time to
view the Victoria Falls is during the rainy season from
March to May.
Karnack Temples, Egypt
• The Karnak Temple Complex—comprises a vast mix of
decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings.
Building at the complex began in the reign of Sesostris I
in the Middle Kingdom and continued into the Ptolemaic
period, although most of the extant buildings date from
the New Kingdom. The area around Karnak was the
ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of
Places") and the main place of worship of the eighteenth
dynasty Theban Triad with the god Amun as its head. It
is part of the monumental city of Thebes. The Karnak
complex gives its name to the nearby, and partly
surrounded, modern village of el-Karnak, some 2.5 km
north of Luxor.
Lake Chad, Chad
• Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow,
endorheic lake in Africa, the size of which
has varied over the centuries. Lake Chad
is economically important, providing water
to more than 30 million people living in the
four countries surrounding it (Chad,
Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria) on the
edge of the Sahara Desert. It is the largest
lake in the Chad Basin.
Cape Coast Castle, Ghana
• Cape Coast Castle is one of a number of "slave
castles", fortification in Ghana built by Swedish
traders, originally for trade in timber and gold,
later used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Other
Ghanaian slave castles include the Portuguese
foundation of Elmina Castle (later Dutch) and
Fort Christiansborg. They were used to hold
slaves before they were loaded onto ships and
traded in the Americas and the Caribbean. This
“gate of no return” was the last stop before
crossing the great Atlantic Ocean.
Isalo National Park, Madagascar
Isalo National Park is a National Park in the
Ihorombe Region of Madagascar. The park is
known for its wide variety of terrain, including
sandstone formations, deep canyons, palm-lined
oases, and grassland. The closest town is
Ranohira, and the closest cities are Toliara and
Ihosy. A local guide is required for visitors entering
the park, and guides and porters can be hired in
Ranohira. Treks in the park can last from several
hours to a week or longer.
Pink Lake, Senegal
• It is so named for its pink waters, caused by
algae in the water that produce a red pigment
that uses sunlight to create more energy, turning
the waters pink. The color is particularly visible
during the dry season. The lake is also known
for its high salt content, which, like that of the
Dead Sea, allows people to float easily. The lake
also has a small salt collecting industry and is
often the finishing point of the Dakar Rally.
Pyramids and Sphinx,
Egypt
• The Pyramids and the Sphinx is one of Egypt's top
tourist attractions. The last surviving member of the
Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza.
There are in fact three main pyramids in Giza; the Great
Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops), The Pyramid of Kafhre
and the smaller Pyramid of Menkaura. Each Pyramid is a
tomb to a different King of Egypt. In front of the pyramids
lies the Sphinx, or Abu al-Hol in Arabic, "Father of
Terror". Carved out of a single block of stone, this
enormous cat-like sculpture has mesmerized millions of
visitors. Giza's three pyramids and the Sphinx were
thought to have been constructed in the fourth dynasty of
Egypt's Old Kingdom.
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya
• The Masai Mara National Reserve is Kenya's premier wildlife
park. It was established in 1961 to protect wildlife from
hunters. The Masai Mara is the reason many visitors come to
Kenya and its beauty and abundant wildlife. The Masai Mara
located in southwestern Kenya on the border of Tanzania.
The reserve is situated in the Rift Valley with Tanzania's
Serengeti Plains running along its southern end. Most of the
Masai Mara is made up of hilly grassland which is fed by
plentiful rain, especially during the wet months between
November and June. The areas bordering the Mara river are
forested and are home to over several hundred bird species.
Djenne, Mali
• Djenne, is one of sub-Saharan Africa's oldest
cities, founded in 800 AD. There are famous
mosque that made from mud and as one of the
UNESCO site, namely Djenne Mosque. Located
on an island in the Niger River delta, Djenne
was a natural hub for traders who shuttled their
goods between the Sahara desert and the
forests of Guinea. Through the years Djenne
also became a center of Islamic learning and its
market square is still dominated by the beautiful
Grand Mosque. Djenne is located a few hundred
miles downstream from Timbuktu.
Omo River Region, Ethiopia
• More than 50 unique tribes living in the Omo
River Region of Southwestern Ethiopia, it's a
enchanting tourist attraction for those interested
in African culture. The remote location, which is
barely accessible by 4 wheel-drive, has meant
that traditional customs and beliefs are very
much intact for most of these tribes. The
Kalashnikovs slung across some warriors' backs
can be a little disconcerting but the tribes are
friendly and this is often the only western
accessory you'll see them wear.
Virunga Mountains (Tracking
Gorillas), Uganda, Rwanda,
DRC
• About 450 mountain gorillas inhabit an
extinct volcanic region called the Virunga
Range along the borders of Rwanda,
Uganda and the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC) in East Africa. The other
350 or so mountain gorillas inhabit a
nearby area of Bwindi in Uganda, a thick
rainforest. Seeing gorillas in the wild is
something only a few people will ever
have the chance to experience.
Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
• Africa is known as one of the best tourist
attractions for adventure travel and what
can be more adventurous than hiking up
the world's tallest free standing mountain.
Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro in
Tanzania stands at 19,340 feet (5896m)
and will take you 6 days to conquer.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Zanzibar is one of Africa's top tourist attractions
because of its fascinating history and its incredible
beaches. Zanzibar's location in the Indian Ocean
(off the coast of Tanzania) has made it a natural
trading center throughout its history. Famous for its
spices, Zanzibar also became an important slave
trading post under its Arab rulers. Stone Town one
of the island's biggest attractions. It is a UNESCO
World Heritage site, Stone Town boasts beautiful
traditional houses, narrow alleyways, a Sultan's
palace and many mosques.