Headlines have underscored the pressures that can come with Africa's most famous wildlife experiences. A viral video showing safari vehicles disrupting the Great Migration in Tanzania's Serengeti prompted renewed questions about overcrowding and the wider impact of wildlife tourism.
While seeing the Big 5 or the Great Migration may still be the focus of an African vacation, travelers are increasingly looking beyond them. Go2Africa's latest State of Safari report points to a growing interest in active and immersive experiences.
"Most people think an African holiday means sitting in a vehicle looking for wildlife," says Justin Chapman, Africa safari expert at Go2Africa, in an email interview.
"The most interesting shift we're seeing isn't travelers moving away from safari," says Chapman. "It's that they're building much broader African journeys around it. Safari remains the anchor, but people are looking for more ways to experience the continent beyond the vehicle."
I interviewed several travel experts to find out how to do Africa differently.
Ethiopia has recorded more than 860 bird species; 20 of them are endemics, found nowhere else in the world.
The country's varied landscapes, from the Ethiopian Highlands to Rift Valley lakes and semi-arid savannahs, allow travelers to encounter an unusually broad range of birdlife within a relatively compact area.
"Top birding destinations include Bale Mountains National Park, Awash National Park, the Rift Valley lakes, Debre Libanos and Nech Sar National Park," says Molla Miheretu, founder of Anbessa Travel, which specializes in tailor-made trips to the Horn of Africa, in an email interview.
While birding is possible year-round, Miheretu recommends October through February as a particularly rewarding time to visit Ethiopia. During this time, dry weather coincides with the arrival of several migratory species from Europe and Asia.
Running is emerging as another way travelers can experience African landscapes beyond a traditional game drive.
At Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the Run the Wild experience takes guests on a 3-4 mile run alongside conservation rangers, while Emboo Camp in the Masai Mara has even created a dedicated Strava route for guests who want to keep training.
A more ambitious option is Botswana's Okavango to Tsodilo Ultra-Trail, which links two UNESCO World Heritage Sites over 60 miles of wilderness in a four-night-long expedition.
Rwanda's Ubumwe Women's Trail, hosted by Singita, combines trail running with gorilla trekking and a hike to Dian Fossey's original Karisoke Research Center.
Yet, some of the most memorable experiences are far removed from organized endurance events. Liesel van Zyl, head of positive impact and product development at Go2Africa, a member of the Nawiri Group, recalls one of her favorite days in Uganda, in an email interview.
"We boated across one of the crater lakes, took a boda boda up into the volcanic foothills, spent time with a local coffee farmer roasting beans over a fire and tasting coffee in a small village surrounded by plantations and banana palms. We then cycled back down the hill, stopped for a local beer and kayaked back across the lake. It wasn't extreme, but it was one of the most adventurous and memorable days I've ever had."
Kilimanjaro may be Africa's best-known trek, but Oliver Browne, founder and CEO of True Summit Adventures, says its appeal goes well beyond reaching the continent's highest point.
He describes climbing Kilimanjaro as challenging enough to feel significant while remaining accessible to a wide range of hikers. "It's unique and distinctly African. The camaraderie and atmosphere are unlike anywhere else," he says in an email interview.
For travelers looking for something wilder, Browne recommends Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains, particularly Mount Stanley. "Rwenzori is breathtakingly beautiful, otherworldly," he explains.
The range sees far fewer climbers than Kilimanjaro or Mount Kenya and can be combined with wildlife experiences in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Mount Stanley's glaciated summit requires crampons, ropes and some technical mountaineering skills. It is better suited to hikers ready to progress beyond Kilimanjaro.
Morocco's Mount Toubkal offers another option. The ascent can be completed in two to three days and works either as a short standalone adventure or as part of a wider Morocco itinerary. Browne particularly highlights the scenery of the Atlas Mountains and the region's Berber hospitality.
In Cederberg Mountains, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat offers guided, catch-and-release fly fishing on the Doring River for endemic Clanwilliam Yellowfish and the critically endangered Sawfin. These iconic fish are ambassadors for clean, healthy rivers and are highly prized by fly-fishermen for putting up a vigorous fight.
"Guided by our knowledgeable team, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for these extraordinary fish and the conservation efforts that protect them, all through a strictly catch-and-release experience." says Coenraad Boucher, general manager of Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat, a Red Carnation Hotels in an email interview.
The reserve's conservation work extends to its Sandfish Nursery Dams, which provide safe habitat for endangered Clanwilliam sandfish until they reach a size at which they can be released into the Biedouw River.
"By nurturing juvenile sandfish until they are ready for release back into the wild, we are helping to restore populations while giving guests a meaningful insight into the conservation work taking place across the reserve. It is this connection between wilderness, education and responsible stewardship that makes Bushmans Kloof such a distinctive destination for anglers and nature enthusiasts alike," says Boucher.
The Congo River offers a very different kind of African adventure. Untamed Traveling recommends a nine-day journey aboard the 28-passenger Princessa Ngalessa, traveling from Oyo to Brazzaville through swamp forests, rainforests and so-called cathedral forests, with stops in riverside communities including Moye and Mossaka.
"The Congo River shows travelers a side of Africa that very few people have seen," says Jozef Verbruggen, founder and director at Untamed Travelling.
Along the way, travelers can meet members of local communities, visit the Téké kingdom and witness the kébé-kébé initiation dance.
"We're upfront that this is one of the least visited regions in the world, and that things don't always go to plan out there," Verbruggen says. "But that unpredictability is exactly what makes it real for visitors to see a unique side of Africa."
Togo and Benin offer an immersion into Vodun, a living spiritual tradition deeply rooted in ancestry, healing, nature and community.
"Popular culture often portrays it as a form of black magic, but traveling through the countries where it originated reveals a far more nuanced reality," says Hayley Cleeter, content manager at Wild Frontiers, who traveled on the tour.
Wild Frontiers' Togo & Benin itinerary includes visits to fetish markets, meetings with Vodun priests and spiritual leaders, traditional ceremonies, mask festivals and time in Ouidah, often regarded as a spiritual center of the religion. The itinerary also includes Ganvié, the Atakora Highlands and rural communities across both countries.
"It is a chance to immerse yourself in a culture and challenge some common misconceptions along the way," Cleeter says in an email interview. "This won't be a tour for everyone. It requires curiosity, an open mind and occasionally a strong stomach. But for me, it was one of the most fascinating, eye-opening and unique travel experiences I've ever had."
Uganda may be best known to travelers for mountain gorillas, but coffee offers another way to experience the landscapes and communities surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Uganda recently overtook Ethiopia as Africa's largest coffee exporter, reported by The Nile Post. In May 2025, the country shipped a record 47,606.7 metric tons of coffee, up 43.6% year over year, generating $243.9 million that month. Robusta accounts for more than 80% of Uganda's coffee production, although its high-altitude Arabica sector is also growing.
Travelers can experience that industry firsthand at Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge where they can walk through nearby villages and plantations, meet coffee farmers, pick cherries, roast beans and take home coffee they helped produce.
"Coffee is grown across Africa, but what makes Uganda so special is the connection between the coffee, the people and the wildlife," says Lydia Eva Mpanga, founder of Nkuringo Safaris, in an email interview.
"Those farms provide sustainable livelihoods that help reduce pressure on the forest that's home to the endangered mountain gorillas," she adds.
"By supporting small-scale coffee farms here, we're not just providing a sustainable product for our guests; we're helping local families improve their livelihoods while also contributing to the conservation of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest," Mpanga explains.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com