From north to south, east to west, the awe-inspiring mountains of Africa to the frothy oceans that straddle the continent, the scenic plateaus to the stunning waterfalls, the teeming coastal mangroves to the breathtaking grasslands, the swarming forests to the warm sandy deserts, Africa remains the authentic custodian of nature’s raw beauty. The continent could as well be a synonym for “art”. The unique sculptures, leatherworks, paintings, and drawings from Africa distinguish her craftsmen as the masters of the arts. Africa’s unadulterated cultural displays continue to pass from one generation to another. Visitors across the world see the wonders of Africa year round. Tourism is becoming a significant foreign currency earner in Africa, in addition to the continent’s other resources.

Principal tourist destinations in Africa include The Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt; Robin Island, where the legendary Nelson Mandela of South Africa was held captive by the apartheid regime; Serengeti wildlife refuge in Tanzania, and the national wildlife reserve in Kenya; “Door of No Return” – UNESCO designated World Heritage Monuments in Cape Coast and Elmina, Ghana; Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe; Argungu Fishing Festival in Sokoto, Nigeria; and the Sahara sand dunes in Morocco. Others include Zuma Rock in Abuja, Nigeria; Volta River dam resort in Akosombo, Ghana; the foamy beaches of Madagascar, Africa’s largest island in the Indian Ocean; the ancient Kano City walls in Nigeria; Lake Nasser in Egypt; and more.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Located along the northeastern frontiers of Tanzania, ice-capped Mountain Kilimanjaro, the highest peak on the continent, towers above the surrounding East African countryside like a giant in the sun.

Large Oceans

Two of the world’s largest bodies of water, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, caress the continent in the west and east respectively. The Mediterranean and the Red Sea bestride the north and northeastern portions of Africa correspondingly. The year round mild weather of Jos Plateau in Nigeria is an example of Africa’s spectacular tablelands that stand above the surrounding terrains. Nature displays its splendor and bravura at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, where Zambezi River forms spectacular rainbows in the sun as it descends to the earthly plates below.

The abundant aquatic life of Volta, where the river joins the Atlantic in Ghana, is impressive to see. The webbed roots of the mangrove plants provide natural protective webs for the brimming aquatic life. The savanna of East Africa is the home to some of the world’s most exotic wildlife. Lions, cheetahs, tigers, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, rhinos, gazelles, antelopes, hippopotamus, crocodiles, and other wild animals, inhabit Tanzanian and Kenyan safaris. African rain forests are more discernible near the western coastline and western fringes of the central parts of the continent, with huge tropical trees competing to grow beyond each other. The wind sculptured waves of the sand dunes of Sahara and Kalahari deserts, in the northern and southern parts of Africa in that order, are stunning at sunset.

The Pyramids

The Sphinx and the pyramids were some of the wonders of ancient times, left behind by the influential Egyptian Pharaohs.

These are massive monuments built centuries ago, but remain astonishing to the 21st Century architects and builders – some of what designated Africa as the cradle of civilization.

The Robin Island

South Africa’s Robin Island was the notorious maximum-security penitentiary for political prisoners and hardened criminals. Madiba Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela, the famous “prisoner” number 46664, and the first democratically elected president, who led South Africa between May 1994 and June 1999, spent 27 years on the notorious island. Mandela now resides in his hometown of Qunu, in Transkei province.

National Parks

Tanzanian Serengeti and Kenyan reserve are popular all over the world for their famous flora and fauna. The East African safaris remain the natural habitat for many species of the world’s carnivores and other animals on their food chain. A visit to the Kenyan wildlife refuge is also an opportunity to witness the enduring Masai culture of East Africa.

The Volcanoes National Park

“In the heart of central Africa, so high up that you shiver more than you sweat, are great, old volcanoes towering up almost 15000 feet, and nearly covered with rich, green rainforest – the Virungas”. Dr. Dian Fossey describing the intensely beautiful mountain range on which she spent the last two decades of her life studying Rwanda’s endangered mountain gorillas.

Protected within Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, the lushly forested slopes of the Virungas form an appropriately dramatic natural setting for what is arguably the most poignant and memorable wildlife experience to be had in the wilds of Africa: gorilla tracking. The exhilarating climb to the gorillas’ habitat of shady bamboo forest offers fantastic views in all directions, before trekkers are immersed in the mysterious intimacy of the rainforest, alive with the calls of colourful birds and the chattering of the rare golden monkey.

Cape Coast

Cape Coast and Elmina are popular historical centers along the coast of Ghana. They played major roles in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, when European and American slave traders shipped away millions of Africans. Africans at home, and in the Diaspora reinvent the “spirit of the dead” when they see the dungeons and the last doors through which their ancestors were taken against their will. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, designated the “Door of No Return” (as the doors are called) as World Heritage Monuments in 1972. Zambezi River drops tones of water down the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The enchanting sound of the tumbling waters and the amazing force of nature are therapeutic. Erin-Ijesha Waterfalls in Osun State, Nigeria, is a mini waterfall that one may see additionally.

Argungu Fishing Festival

Argungu Fishing Festival is a colorful event in Sokoto State, Nigeria. It is an annual fishing fiesta, enriched by the tradition of the northwestern people of Nigeria. Visitors come from all over the world to see the boat regatta and fishing expenditure.

Visiting Casablanca, some distance southwest of Rabat (the capital of Morocco), offers one the opportunity to ride a camel with the Berbers of northwestern Africa. The out of the ordinary Mediterranean weather provides the much needed change for travelers from temperate and tropical regions of the world. “Seeing is believing”, they say. A vacation at some of the exquisite African tourist destinations is miles ahead of some of the things you have heard about Africa. The Yorubas of Nigeria and the Twis of Ghana mean it when they say “E kaabo” and “A kwaba” respectively. They mean, “You are welcome!”