Active Africa

Active Africa operates walking, bicycle and trekking trips throughout Africa. We specialise in offering both regular tourist attractions and unusual travel experiences in active ways. We are not adventure tour operators – we prefer to walk, bike or hike instead of drive, but we place an emphasis on good food, fine wine and cotton sheets with a high thread count. See Africa our way! Walking tours – the best option for the traveller who wants to go where the coach tours cannot. Whether you’re strolling the sidewalks of a bustling city or treading silently along an indistinct game trail, there is no doubt that the most profound experiences are enjoyed on foot. All of our escorted walking tours are accompanied by a qualified, experienced walking guide. Our itineraries offer an alternative way of seeing the usual and an opportunity to experience the unusual. Our support van carries everything we need to ensure your comfort and safety and our guides carry the little extras that make the day special. All you carry is your own backpack with items you can’t live without. We provide walking poles and day packs where required. Bicycle tours – Two wheels are better than four (or more!). The wind on your skin feels just as good whether you stay on the beaten track or take the lesser-travelled roads. Whether you’re looking for a pure cycling experience or prefer to spice it up with multi-active events, we’ll always ensure the food is superior, the views spectacular and the wine flows. Our bicycle tour leaders are all qualified guides and competent cyclists. Trips with more than 6 people will always have two bike guides, one to support on the road and one to back up in a vehicle (4 wheels are useful to have on hand). Our fleet comprises mountain bikes for the off-road tours, touring hybrids for shorter-distance trips and day tours and customised road bikes with drop or flat handlebars for longer tours. Bring your own pedals and helmets or use ours. Personal water bottles and bandanas are provided and regular van stops provide the opportunity to replenish and refuel en route. Safaris and wildlife trips – We will customise your safari using our experience of travelling and touring in Africa and we’ll accompany you to ensure the seamless execution of your itinerary and optimal cultural or wildlife encounter. We encourage you to consider walking, biking or horseback riding while you’re on safari. We will guide you towards the best experiences, but every safari is made to order. You have a role in determining everything from the location to the hotels and lodges and the day-to-day encounters. Then sit back and relax while we customise the rest to deliver an unforgettable experience. Food and wine – Let’s face it; an important part of travel is indulging in the local cuisine. Whether your interest is merely in securing reservations at good restaurants or in devouring the food and wine culture with cooking classes, chef’s tables and foodie festivals, we will assist with boundless enthusiasm. Cultural activities – A trip to Africa would be incomplete without engaging in some local cultural activities. We can certainly offer you the clichéd tourist-trap cultural experience, but we prefer to weave the experience seamlessly into the itinerary. Enhance the experience with a home-hosted meal or homestay, or participation in a local sports game where it coincides with your trip. Join us and our friends at a barbeque or where applicable, join a local community on a hunt or forage. Expeditions – Africa is favoured with hundreds of miles of exciting trekking and biking wilderness to challenge and inspire over and over again. Our expedition leaders are qualified mountain guides or experienced mountain bikers and we use knowledgeable, qualified local trekking guides in each country. All accommodations, whether formal or tented are arranged or erected ahead of your arrival and all meals are prepared fresh on site. Where available, our wilderness treks make use of porters, leaving you to concentrate your efforts on the trail. Our most popular routes involve gradient and altitude, but we also offer spectacular wilderness and coastal expeditions which require a sure-footed sense of adventure and good-humored endurance. Multi-active tours – Having the flexibility to walk, bike, paddle, fly, swim, climb, wine and dine your way around a country will always pay off with the best experiences. Whether you’re an expert or not, our multi-active tours and trips can be tailored to suit all levels and interests and are great for family holidays. We provide all the necessary hardware for any walking, running, biking and trekking and you are led by a qualified, experienced Active Africa guide. We arrange all other activities through specialist operators or guides and your Active Africa guide will accompany you wherever applicable. Of course a multi-active tour could mean an active safari or even a short walk between game drives. All these options are available in multiple dentations across Africa including: Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.