Adventure holidays in Africa

Spice up your safari by including some form of activity in your itinerary. No matter your age, budget or fitness, adventure takes on many forms in Africa. Not only will you have fun, it will add another dimension to your holiday. Here's an idea of what's on offer.

by Dave Rix

Adventure tourism is the riskiest form of eco-tourism, but each year its ranks of participants swell. In some situations, particularly where official controls are lacking, macho-maniac and fear-fanatic operators could subject you to unnecessary risk. Licensed, controlled and reputable organisations should therefore be used wherever possible.

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It is worth bearing in mind that whilst certain locations may be "specialist", others will cater for several activities. For example, base jumping is probably the only survivable sport found on top of the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg but at the Victoria Falls you can try bungee jumping, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, river boarding, microlighting, helicopter rides, walking safaris, fishing, abseiling, sky-diving and horse or elephant riding.

Footloose (Hiking/trekking/walking)
On the Rocks (Abseiling/rock climbing/kloofing)
On the Road (Hiking/trekking/walkin)
Up and Down the Sands
Back in the Saddle Again
Water, Water Everywhere
Riding the Waves
Hook, Line and Sinker
Come, Fly With Me
Hook, Line and Sinker
Wheel Deals
Luxury Train Journeys
Real Africa by Train

Footloose (Hiking/trekking/walking)

In West Africa hiking is possible in a number of national parks but trails are usually short and not easy to follow. However in Sierra Leone (Mt. Bitumani), Mali (Dagon Escarpment) and Nigeria (Cross River NP) major treks are feasible.

Some of the finest hiking on the continent is at Mt Elgon, which straddles the Kenya-Uganda border. The Usambera and Pare peaks in Tanzania's Mahale Mountains and Meru Crater in the Arusha NP are other worthy challenges. Three nature reserves on Rodrigues Island also provide excellent walks and trails on Reunion Island stretch up to 12 days.

It is in southern Africa, however, that trekking is best provided for. Zambia's Luangwa Valley is renowned for offering some of the finest game-viewing walks in Africa. In Zimbabwe, the Eastern Highlands are criss-crossed by trails, some of which involve rock climbing. Mana Pools NP is favoured by wildlife trekkers, as are the 4-5 day backpack game-viewing walks in Matusadona NP.

In Namibia there are three trails through the Daan Viljoen Game Park near Windhoek and unaccompanied routes through the Naukluft Mountains, on the Waterberg Plateau and along the Ugab River. The best known challenge, however, is the 4-5 day, 85km trek through the Fish River Canyon. Also strenuous are the rhino-tracking walks arranged on request at two camps in Northern Damaraland.

In South Africa there are a plethora of hiking clubs - some more social, others, such as the Trails Club and the Mountain Club, for the serious. Every province has hiking routes with good facilities. The most popular are probably those in the Cedarberg, through the Magaliesberg, in the Langeberg and around and on the awesome Cathedral Peak in the Drakensberg Mountains. A hot favourite is the five-day, 41km Otter trail in the Tsitsikamma NP but there is a long waiting list. Camp-out wilderness trails are conducted in the Kruger NP. For many hikers, though, the Augrabies Falls NP trails are paradise, whilst for others the Amatola trail in the Eastern Cape is the most spectacular, high demand-high reward experience.

For further information on travelling in Africa, visit Travel Africa Magazine.

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Adventure holidays in Africa