Canyon sights in Africa
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Fish River Canyon
The NWR Administers The Main Access Points To Fish River Canyon, which is entered at Hobas, near the Northern end of the park, or at Ai-Ais, near the Southern end. All accommodation must be booked in advance through the Windhoek office. Daily park permits, which cost around US$3 per person and around US$3 per vehicle, are valid for both Hobas and Ai-Ais.
Note that following the death of an ill-prepared hiker in 2001, Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) decided to prohibit day hikes into Fish River Canyon, despite the fact that over the years, thousands of people have done it without incident. During the cooler weather, however, you may be able to get special permission at…
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Tamberma Valley
It would be a crime to visit Togo and not check out this amazing valley. Its unique collection of fortified villages were founded in the 17th century by people who fled the slaving forays of the Benin's Dahomeyan kings.
The valley was isolated until recently but is now the closest thing northern Togo has to a tourist hotspot, with the attendant overzealous guides.
A typical Tamberma compound, called a tata, consists of a series of towers connected by a thick wall with a single entrance chamber, used to trap an enemy so he can be showered with arrows. The castle-like nature of these extraordinary structures helped ward off invasions by neighbouring tribes and, in the late…
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Cirque de Salazie
The Cirque de Salazie, accessed by road from St-André on the northeast coast, is busier and more varied than the Cirque de Cilaos. The vegetation is incredibly lush and waterfalls tumble down the mountains, even over the road in places - Salazie is the wettest of the three cirques and has the dubious distinction of holding several world records for rainfall.
For real thrill seekers, there's the exhilaration of canyoning, which challenges you to abseil down the steep walls of canyons using natural watercourses. The canyons along this stretch are suitable for all levels. The sport, however, is very vulnerable to the vagaries of the weather, so venues change according to…
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Mandara Mountains
Trekking in the spectacular landscapes of the Mandara Mountains west of Maroua is one of Cameroon's best and most popular attractions, especially for the more adventurous travellers. The whole region is full of traditional hillside villages of round huts, huge stone formations and wide green valleys.
There are many fascinating villages, including Rhumsiki, with its striking mountain scenery; Djingliya and Koza, set against steep terraced hillsides; Tourou, known for the calabash hats worn by local women; Maga, with its unique domed houses made entirely of clay; and Mora, which has a particularly notable weekly market. Hiking between villages is one of the best ways to…
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Cirque de Léconi
East of Franceville the savanna rises up into the Bateke Plateau, a dry, cool, flat stretch of land that extends south and east into the Congo. Léconi is a small, quiet place with a couple of bars, a hotel and a cheap case de passage. The spectacular Cirque de Léconi, a deep, circular red-rock canyon of loose sands, is only a few kilometres from town.
Infrequent bush taxis go to Léconi from Franceville, but a 4WD that's capable of handling the deep-sand road is necessary to get to the cirque. It is possible to camp overnight (if you can find equipment). Once there, you can enjoy the views right across the canyon.
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Vallée de Mai
Vallée de Mai is one of only two places in the world where you can see the weird and wonderful coco de mer palm growing in their natural state - the other is nearby Curieuse Island. This valley's Eden-like forest is World Heritage listed and the very sight of sunlight filtering through its fronds will make you go all poetic.
You'll see several varieties of screw pine and latanier plams, and, if you're very lucky, the Seychelles black parrot. If you're going to visit the park, keep to the tracks, don't take anything away and don't leave anything behind - this is an incredibly fragile forest.
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Ennedi
The Tibesti Mountains remain off-limits but Ennedi desert is just as weird and wonderful. Attractions include prehistoric cave paintings, slot canyons, desert lakes and some unbelievably bizarre rock formations. There are even ancient sea arches, now swimming in sand dunes, formed when Lake Chad stretched out here.
The area is also home to some stunning wildlife such as the Nile Crocodile and was the home of the last Saharan lion.
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Tunda-Vala Volcanic Fissure
Largely unaffected by the war, Lubango provides access to the beautiful beaches of Namibe. En route, watch for the Tunda-Vala volcanic fissure, where you can climb to 2600km (1615mi) above sea level. The view of a sheer drop to sea level is quite spectacular.
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Ngurdoto Crater
Ngurdoto Crater is surrounded by forest, while the crater floor is a swamp. West of the crater is Serengeti Ndogo (Little Serengeti), an extensive area of open grassland and the only place in the park where herds of Burchell's zebras can be found.
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Atakor
The plateau of Atakor is a Tolkein-esque land of dry earth and dark peaks, at the heart of which is Assekrem. Without your own transport, getting out to the Atakor plateau can be difficult, but it's worth making the effort to get up to Assekrem.
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Stiegler's Gorge
In the northwestern part of the reserve is Stiegler's Gorge, which averages 100m in depth, and is named after a Swiss explorer who was killed here by an elephant in 1907.
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Le Point du Jour
From this superb viewpoint there are stunning views over the peaks of Salazie, or alternatively, a view of dense cloud depending on the weather.
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