Highlights of The Great African Journey

Below are some of the major travel highlights for The Great African Journey. For more in-depth attractions of each country on this route, click on the country names below or select a route to see the highlights on this section of the journey. Click on the icons below to focus on specific types of features (click again to return to all).

In-depth highlights: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe


Natural	History	Wildlife	Trekking	Cities	Religious Monument	Boat Journey	Rail Journey	Diving	Cultural	Adrenaline	UNESCO WHS

Historical attractions of The Great African Journey

Genocide Memorials
Genocide Memorials Rwanda has made remarkable progress since the 1994 genocide but it's important for both Rwandans and visitors alike to learn about what happened and remember the victims. The Kigali Memorial Centre, developed in association with the UK-based Aegis Trust, is a museum dedicated to telling the story genocide. It is an excellent but harrowing portrayal of the horrific events and a must see on any trip to Rwanda. The site at Gisozi is also the burial place for 250,000 genocide victims with several gardens and a Wall of Names also under construction. The churches at Nyamata and Ntarama south if Kigali were the sites of horrific massacres and are today disturbing memorials which contain the remains and possessions of thousands of the victims. Murambi near Gikongoro in southern Rwanda is perhaps the most disturbing of all the memorials - the school rooms which were the site of the slaughter of tens of thousands of Rwandans now contain hundreds of preserved bodies which were exhumed from mass graves at the site. An excellent new museum display at the site tells the story of the genocide, its build-up and victims.

Genocide Memorials

Genocide Memorials

Rwanda has made remarkable progress since the 1994 genocide but it's important for both Rwandans and visitors alike to learn about what happened and remember the victims. The Kigali Memorial Centre, developed in association with the UK-based Aegis Trust, is a museum dedicated to telling the story genocide. It is an excellent but harrowing portrayal of the horrific events and a must see on any trip to Rwanda. The site at Gisozi is also the burial place for 250,000 genocide victims with several gardens and a Wall of Names also under construction. The churches at Nyamata and Ntarama south if Kigali were the sites of horrific massacres and are today disturbing memorials which contain the remains and possessions of thousands of the victims. Murambi near Gikongoro in southern Rwanda is perhaps the most disturbing of all the memorials - the school rooms which were the site of the slaughter of tens of thousands of Rwandans now contain hundreds of preserved bodies which were exhumed from mass graves at the site. An excellent new museum display at the site tells the story of the genocide, its build-up and victims.

Stone Town
Stone Town Stone Town on Zanzibar is a centuries old East African trading port. The town is a maze of narrow streets and passageways with the remains of beautiful homes built by Arab traders made rich by trading gold, ivory and slaves. Zanzibar was once the largest slave market on the east coast of Africa and the remains of the slave market can be visited, where a 19th century Anglican church now exists. Stone Town also has many quaint shops and bazaars, excellent for souvenir shopping and watching the dhow silhouettes in the sea at sunset is magical. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Stone Town of Zanzibar

Stone Town

Stone Town on Zanzibar is a centuries old East African trading port. The town is a maze of narrow streets and passageways with the remains of beautiful homes built by Arab traders made rich by trading gold, ivory and slaves. Zanzibar was once the largest slave market on the east coast of Africa and the remains of the slave market can be visited, where a 19th century Anglican church now exists. Stone Town also has many quaint shops and bazaars, excellent for souvenir shopping and watching the dhow silhouettes in the sea at sunset is magical.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Stone Town of Zanzibar

Matobo Hills
Matobo Hills Matobo Hills is characterised by huge granite boulders that have been shaped over time into all manner of bizarre shapes. These have provided shelter to people for millennia and contain very impressive collections of rock paintings. Many of these depict black and white rhinos which still live in the national park in great numbers. Expert guides can take you on walking safaris that allow you to get within metres of groups of black rhino, an exhilarating experience. The park also contains populations of leopards and cheetahs and more than 300 bird species including the black eagle, hawks and owls. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Matobo Hills

Matobo Hills

Matobo Hills

Matobo Hills is characterised by huge granite boulders that have been shaped over time into all manner of bizarre shapes. These have provided shelter to people for millennia and contain very impressive collections of rock paintings. Many of these depict black and white rhinos which still live in the national park in great numbers. Expert guides can take you on walking safaris that allow you to get within metres of groups of black rhino, an exhilarating experience. The park also contains populations of leopards and cheetahs and more than 300 bird species including the black eagle, hawks and owls.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Matobo Hills

Great Zimbabwe
Great Zimbabwe The Great Zimbabwe National Monument, located near the city of Masvingo, is the remains of the medieval city of the Shona Bantu civilisation that gave the country its name (it means "great stone houses" in Shona). The city was occupied between the 11th and 15th centuries and was once the greatest medieval city in sub-Saharan Africa, evidence of a highly skilled civilisation. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Great Zimbabwe National Monument

Great Zimbabwe

The Great Zimbabwe National Monument, located near the city of Masvingo, is the remains of the medieval city of the Shona Bantu civilisation that gave the country its name (it means "great stone houses" in Shona). The city was occupied between the 11th and 15th centuries and was once the greatest medieval city in sub-Saharan Africa, evidence of a highly skilled civilisation.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Great Zimbabwe National Monument

Robben Island
Robben Island Robben Island was used as a prison between the 17th and 20th centuries, most infamously when incarcerating Nelson Mandela and fellow anti-apartheid campaigners. These days, the island acts as a museum offering tours of the island and prison buildings. Visits guided by former prisoners offer a fascinating insight to the brutal regime. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Robben Island

Robben Island

Robben Island was used as a prison between the 17th and 20th centuries, most infamously when incarcerating Nelson Mandela and fellow anti-apartheid campaigners. These days, the island acts as a museum offering tours of the island and prison buildings. Visits guided by former prisoners offer a fascinating insight to the brutal regime.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Robben Island