Getting Around Africa
Africa is enormous. Cape Town to Cairo is roughly the same distance as New York to Madrid. Picking the right mix of flights, drives, trains and ride apps is the difference between a good trip and a great one.
Getting in
International gateways
Five hub airports handle most long-haul traffic into Africa. The right one depends on where in the continent you’re heading and which alliance you fly on.
Johannesburg
JNBSouth Africa
The main gateway to Southern Africa. Best connections into Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Carriers. South African Airways, Airlink, FlySafair, Emirates, Qatar, Lufthansa, BA
Nairobi
NBOKenya
East Africa hub. Direct flights to most regional capitals and onward to the Mara, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar.
Carriers. Kenya Airways, Emirates, Qatar, KLM, Turkish, Ethiopian
Addis Ababa
ADDEthiopia
Ethiopian flies to more African destinations than any other airline. A good single-airline connection across the continent.
Carriers. Ethiopian Airlines
Cairo
CAIEgypt
Gateway to Egypt and a major North African hub.
Carriers. EgyptAir, Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar, Turkish
Casablanca
CMNMorocco
Best entry to Morocco from Europe, and the gateway for onward flights to West Africa.
Carriers. Royal Air Maroc, Air France, Iberia, Ryanair, EasyJet
Cape Town
CPTSouth Africa
Avoid the JNB stop if Cape Town is your only South Africa destination. Direct from major European hubs.
Carriers. Direct from London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Doha, Dubai
Inside the country
Moving around
Different itineraries call for different modes. Most travelers use a mix — international flight, light aircraft to camp, ride app in the city, self-drive for the road trip.
Best for: Linking safari camps in remote areas
Light-aircraft transfers
Operators like Wilderness Air, Mack Air, Coastal Aviation and Safarilink fly small Cessna Caravans between bush airstrips. Routes are scheduled but flexible; expect to share with other camps’ guests.
Tip. Soft duffel bag, 15–20 kg max including hand luggage. No hard suitcases.
Best for: Namibia, South Africa, Botswana
Self-drive
These three are the classic self-drive countries. Sealed roads on main routes, well-maintained 4x4 routes inside parks. Distances are big — 6 hours between major stops is normal.
Tip. Always drive in daylight. Get a 4x4 with two spare tyres for Botswana and northern Namibia.
Best for: Cities across the continent
Ride apps
Bolt and Uber dominate South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt and Morocco. inDrive is gaining ground for negotiable fares. Use them in preference to street taxis.
Tip. Confirm the plate matches before getting in. Cash and card both accepted in most cities.
Best for: Intercity routes on a budget
Long-distance buses
Intercape (Southern Africa), Greyhound SA, Modern Coast (East Africa) and CTM (Morocco) run reliable, scheduled services with assigned seats and air-con. Booking online is straightforward.
Tip. Overnight buses save a night’s accommodation but you lose sleep. Day buses are safer and more comfortable.
Best for: Local travel where buses don’t run
Shared minibus taxis
Combi, matatu, dala-dala, sherut — every country has a name. Cheap, frequent, and a window into daily life. Pickpocketing is the main risk.
Tip. Sit behind the driver, keep your bag on your lap, and ask the conductor when to get out.
Best for: Long hops where time matters
Domestic flights
FlySafair, Airlink, Kenya Airways, Precision Air, EgyptAir and Royal Air Maroc all run reliable domestic networks. Book 4–8 weeks ahead for the best fares.
Tip. Light-aircraft and scheduled flights are different beasts — confirm which one your itinerary uses.
For the journey
Iconic train journeys
African rail is patchy as a transport network but rich as an experience. Five journeys worth planning a trip around.
Rovos Rail
Pretoria to Cape Town, Vic Falls, Dar es Salaam
2 to 14 nights
Refurbished Edwardian carriages, suite cabins with en-suite bathrooms. The world’s most luxurious scheduled train. Pretoria–Cape Town runs twice a week.
The Blue Train
Pretoria to Cape Town
27 hours
South Africa’s state-run luxury train. All-inclusive of food and drinks, butler service per carriage.
TAZARA
Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) to Kapiri Mposhi (Zambia)
About 45 hours scheduled
A proper adventure. Crosses the Selous and runs through southern Tanzania’s game country. First-class sleepers are basic but functional. Bring snacks and patience.
Egyptian sleeper train
Cairo to Luxor and Aswan
10–13 hours
Operated by Ernst (formerly Watania). Private cabins with airline-style meals. The only sleeper service running for foreign tourists in Egypt.
Marrakech to Tangier
Across Morocco
From 2h10 on Al Boraq
ONCF’s Al Boraq is Africa’s first high-speed train. Tangier to Casablanca in 2h10. Conventional services run south from Casablanca to Marrakech and onwards.
Overland
Border crossings
Overlanders crossing borders by road or shared bus encounter their own paperwork. Four habits make every crossing smoother.
Be at the border by mid-afternoon
Most posts close at 18:00 and the busy ones can take 2–3 hours to cross. Aim to clear customs by 16:00 so you arrive at your next stop in daylight.
Hand over cars, not keys
If you’re self-driving across a border, your rental agreement needs a cross-border letter. Customs officers will check your TIP (temporary import permit) — don’t lose it.
Carry yellow fever proof
Many southern African borders ask for it if you’ve travelled from a yellow fever zone. Keep the certificate with your passport.
USD in small denominations
Visa fees, road levies, carbon tax, vehicle insurance — most border charges are USD-priced. Bring 1s, 5s, 10s and 20s in clean notes.