Trekking in Africa
Trekking is arguably how Africa’s landscapes are best experienced, on foot and up close, where the scale of the continent’s mountains, canyons and highlands finally makes sense. From the glacier-capped equatorial giants of East Africa to the jagged escarpments of the Drakensberg and the endless ridgelines of the High Atlas, the walking here is as varied as the continent itself. Many of these routes are genuine multi-day expeditions through country you simply cannot reach any other way.
What sets African trekking apart is the human and natural richness woven into every trail. You walk past Berber villages and Basotho shepherds, camp beneath giant lobelias in afro-alpine moorland, or trace a canyon rim where klipspringers and baboons watch you pass. Wildlife encounters, ancient cultures and dramatic altitude changes over a single trek give these journeys a depth that few other regions can match.
Most of the classic treks are best tackled with local guides and porters, both for safety at altitude and because it supports the mountain communities who make the routes possible. Seasons are critical - dry windows in East Africa, spring and autumn in the Atlas, and the cooler months in the south - so a little planning goes a long way. Prepared and respectful trekkers are rewarded with some of the finest long-distance walking on the planet.
Where to Trek in Africa#
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania The trek to the 5,895-metre summit of Kilimanjaro is the ultimate African walking bucket-list item, taking you through five distinct climate zones from rainforest to arctic summit in a matter of days. No technical skills are needed, but the altitude is unforgiving, so longer routes like Lemosho or the Northern Circuit dramatically improve your chances and enjoyment. Watching the sun rise over the curve of the earth from Uhuru Peak is a moment few trekkers ever forget.
Mount Kenya, Kenya Trekking Mount Kenya to the walkers’ summit of Point Lenana at 4,985 metres offers all the altitude drama of Kilimanjaro with a fraction of the crowds and arguably more beautiful scenery. The traverse routes wind through valleys of giant groundsel and shimmering tarns beneath the technical rock summits. It is a superb, quieter alternative for those who want a proper high-altitude trek.
The Rwenzori, Uganda The Mountains of the Moon straddle the Uganda-DRC border and offer one of Africa’s most challenging and surreal treks, through dripping cloud-forest, giant heather and boggy afro-alpine valleys up to glaciated peaks. The relentless mud and moisture are legendary, but so are the bizarre, primeval plants and mist-shrouded ridges. This is a wild, demanding expedition for trekkers who want something genuinely off the beaten path.
The Simien Mountains, Ethiopia The Simiens are a jaw-dropping landscape of sheer escarpments, deep gorges and grassy plateaux, often called the Grand Canyon of Africa. Multi-day treks along the rim bring near-guaranteed encounters with troops of gelada baboons and, with luck, the endemic walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf. Trekking here combines dizzying scenery with a rich Ethiopian highland culture of villages and churches.
The Bale Mountains, Ethiopia South of the Simiens, the Bale Mountains offer high, open trekking across the vast Sanetti Plateau and down into the lush Harenna Forest, with the best chance anywhere of spotting the rare Ethiopian wolf. The altitude and space give a feeling of splendid isolation rarely found on more popular routes. Horse-supported treks let you cover the huge distances between camps in relative comfort.
Toubkal and the High Atlas, Morocco The classic ascent of Jebel Toubkal is only the headline of a vast network of High Atlas trails linking Berber villages, terraced valleys and high passes. Multi-day treks staying in village gites offer an intimate, hospitable window into mountain Berber life, with mint tea and tagines waiting at the end of each day. Spring and autumn bring ideal walking conditions and wildflowers or crisp clear air.
The Drakensberg, South Africa and Lesotho The soaring basalt Drakensberg escarpment offers some of the wildest trekking in southern Africa, from day hikes to the multi-day traverses along the top of the range into the kingdom of Lesotho. Highlights include the amphitheatre of Tugela Falls and ancient San rock-art shelters tucked into the sandstone below. The weather is fickle and the terrain committing, so proper preparation is essential.
Fish River Canyon, Namibia The Fish River Canyon hike is one of Africa’s great multi-day treks, a roughly 85-kilometre route along the floor of the second-largest canyon on Earth. It is a self-sufficient, unsupported adventure through a harsh, sculpted desert landscape, permitted only in the cooler months from May to September for safety. The sense of scale and solitude between the towering canyon walls is extraordinary.
The Otter Trail, South Africa Running for five days along the wild Tsitsikamma coast, the Otter Trail is South Africa’s most iconic hiking route, threading between indigenous forest, rocky headlands and river mouths you sometimes have to swim across. Overnight huts perched above the crashing Indian Ocean make it a bucket-list coastal trek. Permits are limited and book out far in advance, so planning is essential.
Mount Mulanje, Malawi Rising abruptly from the plains of southern Malawi, the Mulanje Massif is a granite island of peaks, plateaux and waterfalls laced with trails and simple mountain huts. Treks here climb through tea estates and forest to open, misty highlands crowned by Sapitwa, the highest point in central Africa. It is a friendly, affordable and gloriously scenic multi-day option often overlooked by visitors.
The Virunga Volcanoes, Rwanda and Uganda The chain of Virunga volcanoes offers dramatic treks up steep, forested slopes, most famously combined with the unforgettable experience of tracking mountain gorillas. Summiting peaks like Bisoke, with its crater lake, or Karisimbi rewards trekkers with vast views over the Great Lakes region. The blend of muscular volcanic hiking and world-class primate encounters is unique to this corner of Africa.
Mount Meru, Tanzania Often used as an acclimatisation trek before Kilimanjaro, the 4,566-metre Mount Meru is a spectacular objective in its own right, with a knife-edge summit ridge and an unforgettable dawn view across to Kilimanjaro. Because the route passes through a wildlife area, an armed ranger accompanies trekkers past giraffe and buffalo on the lower slopes. It is quieter, cheaper and arguably more beautiful than its famous neighbour.