Africa Travel Guides: Ancient Wonders and Wild Horizons
Sunrise over the Pyramids, elephants at a waterhole, the maze of a Marrakech medina. Africa is raw, vast, and honestly like nowhere else on earth. Pick a country below and start planning the trip that reframes everything.
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A Continent of Stirring Contrasts
Here is the thing about Africa. It is so big and so varied that lumping it into one word feels almost silly. It is 54 countries, thousands of languages, and landscapes that swing from the ancient pyramids of Egypt to the savannahs of the Serengeti to the blue-washed lanes of Chefchaouen. We have wandered its deserts, haggled in its souks, and watched more than one jaw-dropping sunset. This hub is your jumping-off point. Real routes, honest costs, and the little lessons that make a big trip run smooth.
- 3 countriesCovered on this hub
- eVisa or freeEasy entry for most
- £35 / $47 / €41North Africa daily, from
- Oct to AprCooler sightseeing months
- Sun all yearWarm whenever you go
Best Time to Visit Africa
Africa is a year-round destination, but the sweet spot really depends on whether you're chasing sun, sightseeing, or a specific desert night under the stars.
Spring
Mar to MayPrime time for North Africa. Warm days, cool evenings, and wildflowers across the Atlas Mountains. April and May are ideal for Morocco and Tunisia before the summer heat lands.
Summer
Jun to AugCoastal spots stay lovely, but inland and the Sahara get brutal, often past 40C. Great for a beach-and-medina combo in Tunisia, less so for desert trekking or long sightseeing days.
Autumn
Sep to NovOur favourite window. The heat backs off, the crowds thin, and desert nights turn crisp and clear. September through November is superb for the Sahara and for exploring Egypt.
Winter
Dec to FebMild, quiet, and cheap. The north gets a little rain and chilly nights, but medinas are peaceful and Sahara days are perfect. Christmas and New Year aside, prices drop noticeably.
What to Expect, Region by Region
Africa splits into a handful of very different worlds. We currently cover the north in depth, with more on the way.
North Africa
Where we spend most of our time. Ancient wonders, Saharan dunes, blue cities, and the best mint tea of your life. Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia anchor this whole hub.
Southern Africa
Safari country. Think Kruger, Cape Town, Victoria Falls, and the dunes of Sossusvlei. The classic Big Five region, and firmly on our list to cover next.
East Africa
The Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, and the Great Migration. Gorilla trekking, Zanzibar beaches, and some of the most jaw-dropping wildlife spectacles on the planet.
West & Central Africa
The road less travelled. Rich cultures, incredible music, and rainforests teeming with life. Less tourist infrastructure, but hugely rewarding for the adventurous.
Guides by Country
The African destinations we cover so far, all in North Africa, with more regions on the way. Each card opens that country's full hub of guides, itineraries, and budgets.
Ready to Book the Big Stuff?
Two searches sort most of any Africa trip: where you'll sleep and how you'll get there.
Find Your Stay
Riads from £30 / $40 / €35 a night, desert camps, and Red Sea resorts. Compare thousands of places across Africa in one search.
Search Hotels on Booking.comGrab a Flight Deal
Flights into Cairo, Marrakech, and Tunis from around £40 / $54 / €47 return in shoulder season. Compare routes before prices climb.
Compare Flight DealsTop 5 Things to See and Do in Africa
Famous for a reason. Here's our honest take on five experiences that live up to every bit of the hype.
Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
The last of the ancient wonders still standing, and photos genuinely don't prepare you for the scale. Get there for opening, ride out into the desert for the classic view, and don't skip the Sphinx.
Explore our Egypt guides →Marrakech Medina, Morocco
A full-on assault on the senses in the best way. Get gloriously lost in the souks, haggle for a lantern you don't need, then watch Jemaa el-Fnaa come alive after dark with food stalls and storytellers.
Explore our Morocco guides →The Sahara Desert
Sleep in a desert camp, watch the dunes turn gold at sunset, and look up at a sky absolutely crammed with stars. You can reach it from Morocco or Tunisia, and it's the kind of night you never forget.
Plan a Sahara trip →Ancient Carthage, Tunisia
Roman ruins right on the Mediterranean, plus the blue-and-white cliffside village of Sidi Bou Said next door. Tunisia is Morocco's quieter, cheaper neighbour, and honestly it's wildly underrated.
Explore our Tunisia guides →African Safari
Elephants, lions, and that heart-in-mouth moment when something huge steps out of the bush. Southern and East Africa do the classic Big Five, and it's firmly on our list to cover in depth next.
See more of Africa →Latest Africa Guides
Our newest articles, itineraries, and city guides from across the continent.
Africa Travel Resources
The booking sites and tools we actually use on our own trips. No filler, just what works.
Hostels
Dorm beds and riads across North Africa, with millions of traveller reviews.
Search Hostelworld →Hotels & Riads
Our go-to for everything from £30 / $40 / €35 guesthouses to Red Sea resorts.
Search Booking.com →Car Hire
Compare rental prices across Africa. Handy for road-tripping Morocco's Atlas Mountains.
Compare with DiscoverCars →Tours & Activities
Pyramid tours, Sahara camps, and medina walking tours in every major city.
Browse GetYourGuide →eSIM Data
Land connected. One eSIM covers Egypt, Morocco, and beyond from about £4 / $5.50 / €4.70.
Get an Airalo eSIM →Travel Insurance
Non-negotiable in Africa. Medical cover and lost-kit protection cost less than a nice dinner.
Compare with VisitorsCoverage →Flight Compensation
Delayed or cancelled flight to or from Africa? You might be owed money. Quick to check.
Check with CompensAIR →Airport Transfers
Pre-book a driver and skip the taxi haggle after a long flight into Cairo or Marrakech.
Book a Transfer →When Travel Goes Sideways
Lost passports, medina scams, cancelled flights. It happens. Here's how to handle it like a pro.
Travel Problems Hub
From missed connections to lost luggage, the fixes for travel's most common headaches.
Visit the Hub
Robbed Abroad?
The exact steps to take in the first 24 hours after a theft, from police reports to emergency cash.
Read the Guide
Health & Wellbeing
Sunstroke, dodgy tummies, and staying healthy on the road. The stuff that keeps a trip on track.
Stay WellAfrica Travel FAQs
The questions we get asked most, answered honestly.
Do I need a visa to visit Africa?
It varies by country, but the ones we cover are straightforward. Egypt needs a visa for most travellers, easily sorted online with an eVisa or on arrival. Morocco is visa-free for up to 90 days for UK, EU, US, and many other passports. Tunisia is visa-free for up to 90 days for most nationalities too. Always check your government's official advice before you fly, since rules can shift.
When is the best time to visit North Africa?
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the sweet spots. You get warm days, cooler evenings, and none of the brutal summer heat that pushes inland temperatures past 40C. Winter is mild, quiet, and cheap, and it's actually prime time for the Sahara. Summer is best saved for the coast.
How much does Africa cost per day?
North Africa is superb value. Budget travellers get by on around £35 / $47 / €41 a day, and comfortable mid-range travel runs about £70 / $94 / €82 a day with nicer riads and eating out. Tunisia tends to be a touch cheaper than Morocco. Safari trips further south are a different league, often £150 / $200 / €175 a day and up once you factor in park fees and lodges.
Is Africa safe for travellers?
The tourist areas we cover, like Cairo, Marrakech, and coastal Tunisia, are generally safe and well set up for visitors. The everyday stuff to watch is petty theft, pushy touts, and the odd medina scam. Dress modestly, agree prices upfront, and keep your wits about you. Some border regions carry travel warnings, so always check the latest official advice for your specific route.
Can I drink the tap water in Africa?
Play it safe and stick to bottled or filtered water across Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. Tap water isn't reliably safe for visitors in most spots, and it's not worth a ruined afternoon. Bring a reusable bottle with a built-in filter, avoid ice you're unsure about, and you'll be grand.
What vaccinations do I need for Africa?
It depends on exactly where you're headed, so sort this early. For North Africa, routine jabs plus Hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly recommended. Head into sub-Saharan Africa and you're into yellow fever and malaria territory, which needs proper planning. Book a travel clinic or GP appointment six to eight weeks before you go, and check the latest official health advice for your route.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Take the pressure off. Our Start Here page walks you through planning step by step, or browse every destination we cover and see what grabs you.