Africa: Itineraries

Long Weekend Because of its great distance from North America, a long weekend in Africa only makes sense if tacked onto a longer trip, or if you’re flying in from Europe. Try 3 days wandering the souks in Marrakech, a weekend exploring the pyramids at Giza outside Cairo, a few days experiencing the heady club scene in Dakar, or head for Cape Town to climb Table Mountain, visit Robben Island, and check out the beaches.

One Week A few options: Fly to Algeria for a 7-day Sahara trek; head to Kenya for a week-long safari in the Masai Mara; spend a week lazing on the beaches of the Seychelles or Mauritius; head for Uganda to view mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; explore the slave castles and beaches of Ghana’s coastline; visit the rock hewn churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia; or spend a week in Cape Town and its surrounding winelands.

Two Weeks A few options: Spend 2 weeks in South Africa and take in Cape Town, the winelands, Johannesburg, and Kruger National Park; head for Madagascar to explore its magnificent wildlife and coastline; visit Timbuktu, the Dogon country and experience the lively music scene in Mali; view Libya’s dramatic Roman ruins, Neolithic art, and vast sand seas; go beach hopping in Mozambique; or head to Tanzania and divide your time between Zanzibar, the Serengeti National Park, and Mount Kilimanjaro.