Africa

Travel to Africa – 54 countries, none of which are alike

The continent is full of contrasts – from the sand dunes of the Sahara to the savannahs, the vibrant cities, the historic cultural cities of North Africa and the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean. Africa surprises, enriches and challenges, and it offers some of the world's strongest travel experiences.

54 countries, thousands of cultures and some of the planet's most iconic landscapes. Here you'll find wild animals in their natural habitats, ancient civilizations, modern cities, white sandy beaches and nature found nowhere else on Earth. And one thing that applies everywhere: Africa is planned by season, not by calendar. Dry and rainy seasons determine what you see, and they fall differently from region to region.

Destinations in Africa

East Africa – safari, migration and Zanzibar

Kenya and Tanzania are the classic safari, and for a reason: this is where the great migration takes place. One and a half million wildebeest and a few hundred thousand zebras move in a circle between the Serengeti and the Masai Mara , and the river crossings on the Mara River – the image everyone has seen – happen from the end of July to October. No one can promise a crossing on a specific day; the animals themselves don't know. But if you travel during that period , the chance is real. After the safari, Zanzibar is an hour's flight from Arusha, and that's the combination that most Danish Africa trips are built around.

Uganda and Rwanda are the mountain gorillas. An hour with a gorilla family in Bwindi or Volcanoes National Park is the most expensive hour you can buy in Africa – the permit costs $800 in Uganda and $1.500 in Rwanda (2026) – and anyone who has done it calls it the best. Rwanda is the short, expensive, well-organized version; Uganda is cheaper, longer in the car, and has the Nile and savannah on top. Ethiopia is the Africa that is unlike any other: the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, its own calendar and its own coffee.

Southern Africa – Kruger, Okavango and the Namibian desert

South Africa is the country where you can do it all yourself: rent a car in Johannesburg, drive to Kruger and see the big five from the driver's seat, and a week later sit in Cape Town's wine country. Best June to September – it's winter, the bushes are bare, and the animals gather by the water. Botswana is the opposite philosophy: few guests, high prices, and the Okavango Delta , where you can see the elephants from a canoe. Namibia is the self-drive country : the red dunes of Sossusvlei, the salt flats of Etosha, the Skeleton Coast, and roads where you can drive for 200 kilometers without meeting a car. Zambia and Zimbabwe share Victoria Falls , and Mozambique has 2.500 kilometers of coastline that almost no one has heard of.

North Africa – Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia

Morocco is Africa, a four-hour flight from Copenhagen: the medina of Marrakech, the Atlas Mountains and Amazigh villages , the Sahara's first dunes at Merzouga, and the Atlantic coast at Essaouira. Travel March to May or September to November; in July, Marrakech is over 40 degrees. Egypt belongs geographically to Africa and in terms of travel to the Middle East, and has its own guide there. Tunisia is Mediterranean beaches , Roman ruins in Carthage and El Djem, and a price that is below Morocco's.

West Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands

Ghana and Senegal are West Africa's two easiest trips, both English and French speaking, both with coast, music and a history that is not pleasant and should not be: the slave forts at Cape Coast and on Gorée. Cape Verde is the island holiday six hours from Denmark, with dry heat year-round and prices we have calculated.

Out in the Indian Ocean lie the three islands where the safari ends. The Seychelles are the granite cliffs and beaches that are on every screen; Mauritius is the better organized one, with hotels in all classes and a Creole-Indian food culture that is a journey in itself; Madagascar is not a beach holiday, but an expedition – lemurs, baobab trees and species found only in one place on the globe.

How to travel in Africa

Three things that apply almost everywhere south of the Sahara. Malaria: most safari areas are located in malaria zones, and preventive medicine is not up for discussion – talk to your doctor or a travel clinic six weeks before departure. Yellow fever: several countries require proof of vaccination upon entry, especially if you are coming from another African country. And the rhythm: pole pole , slowly, slowly, they say in East Africa, and it is not an excuse, it is a method. The safari starts before sunrise and takes a break in the midday heat, because the animals do the same. We have calculated how much a safari costs .

Food is the continent's underrated gateway: injera in Ethiopia, tagine in Morocco, braai in South Africa, and the spices of the Swahili coast that came on the dhow boats from India and never returned home.

📄 Travel facts for the trip to Africa

  • Countries: 54 – from Morocco four hours away to South Africa eleven hours away
  • Best season: safari in East Africa June–October (migration river crossings end of July–October); Southern Africa June–September; North Africa March–May and September–November; Seychelles and Mauritius April–June and September–November
  • Time difference: Morocco is on Danish time most of the year; East Africa is two hours ahead in winter, one in summer; South Africa is the same
  • Language: English in the east and south, French in the west and north, Arabic in the north, Portuguese in Mozambique and Angola – and Swahili, which opens doors from Kenya to Mozambique
  • Currency: each country has its own; US dollars in cash are useful for safari permits and visas on arrival
  • Entry: visa on arrival or e-visa in most safari countries; Kenya requires an electronic travel authorization (eTA) before departure; South Africa and Morocco visa-free for Danish passports. Always check the applicable regulations
  • Health: malaria prevention in most safari areas; yellow fever certificate required in several countries; travel clinic six weeks before departure
  • Recommended travel time: 12–14 days for safari plus beach; 14–21 days to South Africa or Namibia with your own car
  • Price level: mid-range safari lodge 2.000–4.000 DKK per person per night including meals and transfers (2026, own calculations); beach and cultural trips significantly cheaper
  • ✈️ Depart from: Copenhagen Airport (CPH) – Morocco and Cape Verde direct; East Africa and Southern Africa with one change in Addis Ababa, Doha, Dubai or Istanbul

💡 Travel talk tips

Combine safari with beach – but in that order. Kenya or Tanzania first, Zanzibar last; South Africa first, Mauritius last. Safari is early mornings and dusty roads, and the beach is the reward. The other way around, the last week feels like work.

Insider tip: book the migration by the river, not by the month. Lodges on the Mara River in August-September are sold out a year in advance; a lodge an hour away has space, and the drive to the river in the morning is the same one the guide would have taken anyway.

🤝 Travel partner — the space is available. Here we recommend travel partners: Who can provide the trip or just accommodation/transport? Do you arrange trips to Africa? The space could be yours — write to us at hello@leisuretalk.net.

Frequently asked questions about traveling to Africa

Is Africa safe to travel to?

Safety varies from country to country. The classic safari countries, Morocco, Cape Verde and the islands in the Indian Ocean are well-established travel destinations; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel guide for the individual country is the source that counts.

When is the best time to go on safari?

Dry season: June to October in East Africa, June to September in Southern Africa. Grass is low, water is scarce, and animals are where the water is.

Should you get vaccinated?

Often, yes. Yellow fever proof is required in several countries, and malaria prevention is recommended in most safari areas. The Danish Health Authority and travel clinics have the current recommendations for each country.

Can a safari be combined with a beach holiday?

It's the most common Africa trip of all: Kenya or Tanzania with Zanzibar, South Africa with Mauritius, Uganda with the Seychelles via Nairobi.

Travel inspiration for Africa

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