Africa is a pretty popular place to go on a safari. It’s no wonder, with all the unique animals roaming about everywhere. But, what if you aren’t into wildlife viewing or just aren’t into taking a safari? Even if looking for lions and tigers isn’t on your list of things to do, there are still a lot of enjoyable activities that you can take part in while in Africa.
Hike Mount Kilimanjaro
This large strato-volcano is the world’s highest free standing peak. It’s not an easy hike to the summit, but there it’s not very technical either. One of the interesting things about it is that the landscapes change from desert, to rainforest to moorland the higher up you go. After tackling Kilimanjaro there are quite a few other mountains to climb in Africa like Mount Kenya, the Atlas Mountains and the Simien Mountains.
Go Down A River
There are quite a few great places to do some boating in Africa. There’s all kinds of boats to choose from including luxury boats and 2-3 person watercrafts. The Zambezi and Nile Rivers offer a lot of scenery for tourists. One popular thing to do is to take a dhow boat down Lake Malawi. For those that want to sail, the Comoros Islands are a great place to go as they are difficult to access by air.
Step Back In Time
Africa is full of history. A great thing to do while in the country is to step back in time and visit some of the more historical attractions. Ardi, located in Ethiopia, contains the world’s oldest known human skeleton. The Spioenkop is full of history pertaining to Boer War. There are many historical sites in the KwaZulu Natal Region for visitors to explore.
Relax With Some Wine
Many travelers do not realize that some of the best wine in the world comes from South Africa. In particular the Cape Winelands have exquisite wine and massive vegetable gardens. There’s also the opportunity to tour vineyards and stay on a wine farm in some parts of Africa.
Take Part In Some Humanitarian
There are many things that travelers can do to volunteer in Africa and gain a sense of giving back to the community. For those that want to help children, Cape Town has quite a few programs that are geared toward providing food and clothing for little ones. For animal lovers there’s tagging dolphins in Zanzibar or volunteering at a rehabilitation center near Tzazeen.
As you can see, there are many things to do in Africa that don’t involve going on a safari. Africa is a huge continent and you will be pleased to find a whole host of activities to keep you entertained no matter where you go in this intriguing land.
