As 2024 unfolds, the quest for travel inspiration beckons, and your search ends here. Delve into our compilation of African destinations gracing this year's must-visit lists. Discover whether your preferred spots have secured their coveted spots on the list!
AFAR: Where to Go in 2024
From a British city reimagining its industrial past and a laid-back Kenyan island free of cars to the best place in North America to see the total solar eclipse, AFAR's 25 picks for where to go next year have several traits in common: Each is an awe-inspiring, joy-inducing destination where human connection and creativity define the travel experience. Read full list.
Tangier, Morocco (#3)
In 1956, Tangier was reintegrated into the newly independent Moroccan state. Photo: Stephanie Foden
With a skyline that resembles a handful of dice tossed haphazardly on the cliffside, Tangier has long stood apart from other Moroccan cities. For several decades in the 20th century, it was administered by a cluster of foreign countries, including Italy and Spain. It lured writers and artists from Europe and the United States, imparting a cosmopolitan vibe that lingers today. In the past five years, though, Morocco’s northernmost city has reconnected with its national roots.
In 2018, Africa’s first high-speed train line linked Tangier with Casablanca. The journey now takes two hours. It was part of an extensive infrastructure investment to bolster the region. The arrival of new luxury hotels is a boon, including the 133-room Fairmont Tazi Palace and the boutique Villa Mabrouka, a 12-room makeover of Yves Saint Laurent’s onetime home by fashion designer Jasper Conran. Waldorf Astoria will join them, likely in early 2025.
The city’s two main squares, the Grand Socco and Petit Socco, showcase the talent of creative Moroccans. Alma Kitchen, owned by a local jeweler and her photographer husband, serves dishes such as charred eggplant and anise-and-cardamom-spiced potatoes. Idle over a coffee at Cinémathèque de Tanger on the larger square, a historic cultural venue that first opened in 1938 and was refurbished in the mid-2000s by French Moroccan artist Yto Barrada. Just outside the medina, Las Chicas focuses on Moroccan-made homewares, clothing, and organic wellness products by the women-owned Zoā Beauty; linger for a mint tea, or atay, here, too.
Stop by El Morocco Club, a piano bar and restaurant inspired by, and named after, the louche New York City nightclub that opened in the 1930s. Today the club—with its monochromatic photos and zebra-print sofas—is the perfect shorthand for old and new Tangier in one. —Mark Ellwood
Lamu, Kenya (#8)
Lamu hosts several events a year, including competitive dhow races and a yoga festival.From left: Photo: Khadija M. Farah; Eric Lafforgue
Walking the sandy, winding streets of Shela—a village on the southeastern coast of Kenya’s Lamu Island—is an exercise in trusting the process. The island is essentially free of motor vehicles, and the alleyways are only wide enough for pedestrians and donkeys. Even after visiting a dozen times, I take it as a given that I will get lost. I also trust that Shela is small enough that I will eventually stumble upon that patch of fiery fuchsia bougainvillea I had passed earlier, or that carved wooden door, or that mosque with the atonal call to prayer singer, and I will find my way once again.
For the full story from Sarika Bansal, read: On this East African Island, Getting Lost Is Half the Fun.
Architectural Digest: AD’s 24 Best Places to Travel in 2024
From the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris to the majestic Himalayan landscape in Bhutan, these are Architectural Digest's top 24 spots you must have on your radar this year. Read full list.
Rwanda (#6)
Photo: David Crookes
Safari is an experience like no other. In Rwanda, gorilla trekking offers a unique opportunity to see primates in your camp’s backyard. Choosing where to lodge is an important first step. Next year, two of the country’s luxe tented wilderness camps—Magashi and Bisate—will inaugurate ultra-elite branches, offering only four rooms each and distinctive food and services for travelers looking for an even more private adventure in nature. Set on Lake Rwanyakazinga, Wilderness Magashi Peninsula will take advantage of access to both water and savannah with private boating, 360-degree vistas, and ample opportunities to see gorillas as well as big game animals in a guests-only area of Akagera National Park. Wilderness Bisate Reserve is located at the edge of Volcanoes National Park for prime mountain gorilla treks before retiring to villas with butler service and private hot tubs. Both are dedicated to conservation, sustainable tourism, and engaging local guides.
Casablanca, Morocco (#9)
Photo: Ruslan Kalnitsky
When it comes to Morocco, Marrakech and Tangier tend to steal the spotlight, but 2024 will be the year for Casablanca to shine. The city best known for the namesake 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman will finally get a hotel that’s sure to draw the glitterati when the Royal Mansour Casablanca opens as a member of the Leading Hotels of the World in an iconic building from the 1950s. In-the-know travelers praise Casablanca as an underrated gem, where you can admire Art Deco architecture, shop for vintage furniture and Berber rugs, and sip cocktails at Rick’s Café (inspired by the film, of course). Go before it becomes overrun.
Cairo, Egypt (+18)
Photo: Courtesy of the Grand Egyptian Museum
With the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum expected to open by early 2024, Cairo is gaining another reason to book that bucket list trip to the last surviving wonder of the ancient world. Designed by Heneghan Peng Architects and holding over 100,000 artifacts, including everything from the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamen, the 484,000-square-foot museum sits on a meticulously landscaped 120-acre site between the Great Pyramid of Giza and Cairo itself. Thanks to design leaders like architectural engineer May al-Ibrashy, the latter’s UNESCO Al-Khalifa district has been undergoing extensive revitalization and preservation, and contemporary artists are embracing its man-made icons as well during the annual Art D’Egypte sculpture show on the Giza Plateau and at the Cairo Citadel. The Mandarin Oriental Shepheard, opening next year in an 1841 landmark reimagined by Parisian designer Sybille de Margerie, will be a luxurious place to lay your head after bouts of sightseeing.
Bloomberg: Where to Go in 2024
Bloomberg Pursuits sorted through all the year’s major (and minor) openings to determine the 24 most exciting places to travel in 2024. They include lush islands where you can get pampered in between epic snorkeling trips, castle-filled countrysides for intrepid roaming, and charming old-world towns with spectacular modern museums. And it’s all paired with exclusive pricing insights from Kayak to help you pick the ideal moment to pack up and go. Read full list.
Amboseli National Park, Kenya
A supertusker seen on a game drive at Angama Amboseli. Photo: CHARLOTTE ROSS STEWART
Whether it’s the dramatic views of Mount Kilimanjaro or elephants with some of the biggest tusks in Africa (100 pounds!), Amboseli National Park is full of superlatives. Yet it isn’t usually considered a top safari spot, because there hasn’t been a stellar place to stay. The nearby Maasai Mara reserve has many of the same cultural and ecological draws, and it’s packed with luxury camps.
In 2024, though, there will be no more coveted place to stay on the African continent than the intimate Angama Amboseli, a spinoff of the spectacular camp Angama Mara, which will bring guests right up close to those supertuskers and the rest of the Big Five animals. Amboseli will have only 10 tents, each tucked into the area’s lush fever trees and designed to channel the traditional rounded Masai home. It will be a base for flexible adventures—you can opt to walk or drive through the marshlands and forests that comprise Angama’s relatively crowd-free private conservancy—which is entirely owned by local families to maximize their economic benefit.
In fact Angama has gone to great lengths to incorporate its broader community, from its executive ranks down to its guest programs. The culinary program is run by Kenyan chef Sarah Saleheen, of Nairobi’s acclaimed, vegan-forward Boho Eatery, while deeply discounted rates for East African residents are aimed at ensuring accessibility.
Most lodges this remote require a semiprivate charter flight, but here guests can also drive in from Nairobi in three-and-a-half hours.
When to go: Mild temperatures are consistent year-round, and June through September is considered high season for a reason: You’ll get prime game viewing during these months. For a better-priced Plan B, October through February offers beautiful landscapes, with clearer skies revealing a snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro.When not to go: While April showers can bring excellent game-viewing opportunities, chilly and gray days make game drives far less comfortable.Whom to call: Micato Safaris
Morocco
Villa Mabrouka, a boutique property in Tangier. Photo: VILLA MABROUKA
Despite a destructive earthquake, Morocco had a record year in 2023, welcoming about 14 million travelers—1 million more than in 2019. That’s in large part thanks to tourism authorities, who’ve encouraged people to explore the country beyond Marrakech.
On Morocco’s northern tip, several stylish boutique hotels are creating a scene away from Tangier’s coastal megaresorts. Among them is Yves Saint Laurent’s former hideaway, Villa Mabrouka, now a 12-room hotel. It’s near the waterfront yet removed from its bustle, with arched doorways, tropical gardens and a vibrant emerald-color pool built into the cliffs. Also notable is Accor SA’s Fairmont Tazi Palace, perched on a 9-acre hilltop where the views stretch to the Strait of Gibraltar.
Early this year, in the capital of Rabat, an 18th century sultan’s summer palace will become a lavish Four Seasons hotel. Called Kasr Al Bahr, it has 200 opulent beachside rooms and suites built within the original fortified walls. As much as it’s a destination unto itself, guests will be rewarded by venturing into the city, which is buzzing since the 2022 debut of the striking 2,000-seat Grand Théâtre de Rabat.
Marrakech still brims with creative delights. The year-old, desert-inspired Nobu Hotel has sumptuous suites a mere 10-minute drive to the city’s main square, the Jemaa el-Fna. For those who want to stay in the heart of the medina, there’s Izza; its 14 rooms display Moroccan art, and the rooftop restaurant is helmed by a chef from the iconic El Fenn hotel.
When to go: You’ll get the most pleasant weather for exploring in the spring, from March to May. The fall, from mid-September through mid-December, is a very good runner-up.When not to go: Temperatures can swing wildly in the desert, so avoid the extreme heat from June to August. You may also want to skip the chill that blows in from mid-December through early February.Whom to call: Black Tomato
CNN: Where to go in 2024: The best places to visit
So maybe it’s time to look at places that are still largely undiscovered, or alluring in the offseason, or frequently overlooked for their larger first cities or neighbors. Maybe it’s time to head to places that are making it easier for tourists to visit and those that pay close attention to encouraging tourism that’s sustainable.
With those things in mind, CNN Travel chose 24 places to consider as you make your 2024 plans. See full list.
Angola
Cristo Rei in Lubango towers over a landscape that most tourists have yet to discover. Photo: Eric Lafforgue/Art In All Of Us/Corbis/Getty Images
This southern African nation is trying hard to make a break on the tourism scene, having recently introduced a quick-approval tourism e-visa. While major tourism infrastructure might not be up to speed yet, it’s a chance to explore a country still off the travel radar.
The capital of Luanda has a reputation as a pricey party city, but out in the wide-open spaces beyond, Angola has some jaw-droppingly spectacular scenery and cultural treats. Second city Lubango offers Portuguese colonial architecture, an impressive Rio-style Christ the King hilltop statue and access to the Tundavala Gap, a giddying plunge from cool tablelands into shimmering dusty plains.
Also worth a look: the dramatic 1,300-foot-wide (396 meters) Calendula Falls and Atlantic coastline surfing paradises such as Barra do Kwanza and Cabo Ledo. —BN
Morocco
Tétouan in northern Morocco is home to a UNESCO-listed medina. Photo: Gordon Sinclair/Alamy
A longtime travel favorite thanks to its diverse landscape and spectacular architecture, Morocco has bounced back determinedly after a devastating earthquake this past September.
While visitors tend to congregate in popular cities such as Marrakech, Rabat and Fes, the country certainly isn’t short of less crowded spots that are arguably just as alluring. Standouts include Tétouan, the city near the first Regis Hotels and Resorts Morocco property, and the historic Meknes, which is among the country’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Morocco is proving to be a world leader when it comes to sustainable tourism, with the launch of various initiatives to boost its renewable energy generation. The country is also home to a number of significant eco-friendly hotels, including the Berber-run Kasbah du Toubkal, located at the base of the spectacular High Atlas Mountains. —THG
Condé Nast Traveler: The 24 Best Places to Go in 2024
To help you find the trip worth your vacation days, Condé Nast Traveller editors from around the globe researched, debated, and vetted, from a large pool of fantastic cities, regions, and countries with new reasons to visit. The result is this: their definitive guide to the 24 best places to go in 2024. It includes extraordinary superblooms in a new national park in Chile, up-close encounters with wildlife alongside Inuit guides in Canada, and an exciting, community-led dining destination in Rwanda.
Mauritius
Go for: Indian Ocean waters, a museum, and dazzling beach villas
The recently opened House of Digital Art (HODA) brings contemporary art to a historic Port-Louis building on the Indian Ocean Island. House of Digital Art | After visiting HODA, above, head to the Intercontinental Slavery Museum, opened in 2023, which inspects the island's colonial history. House of Digital Art
Mauritius’s heyday in the ’80s conjures images of striped parasols, a tanned Stéphanie de Monaco on water skis, and all of Europe’s jet set holed up in the few – but fabulous – hotels. Fast-forward three decades and the Indian Ocean island has even more to land itself on your travel list: a dynamic cultural scene and new wave of hospitality are unfolding on its shores. In the capital of Port Louis, the years-in-the-making Intercontinental Slavery Museum, located inside a restored 1700s military hospital, opened in September 2023, marking the nation’s first monumental step in making amends for its long colonial history. Culture buffs are also gravitating to the recently opened House of Digital Art (HODA) nearby: Old meets new in this historic Port-Louis building, housing a cutting-edge array of contemporary art installations. The Indian Ocean isle has always been renowned for its dreamy seaside resorts, but encouraging visitors to venture away from the beaches is the forthcoming Socio Tribeca (late 2024) – heralding the launch of a new hotel brand from the Lux Collective – which promises to be an impressive contemporary hotel with its finger on the pulse of the island. Muse Villas, a newcomer seeking to offer an elevated resort experience, enables travellers to stay on their own private islet. Meanwhile, legendary resorts Lux Belle Mare and Paradis Beachcomber just unveiled massive restorations in October, and Hotel Riu Palace Mauritius, a kitesurfers’ paradise, will emerge from its own facelift in May 2024. But beyond the well-trodden coastline of Mauritius, this may be the year its barely known little sister, Rodrigues, a speck of an island an hour-and-a-half flight east, gets its due. It’s long been a well-kept secret among even the most in-the-know travellers, but now a clutch of reimagined properties is adding a touch of luxury gloss: The island’s two historic hotels, Play Mourouk and Cotton Bay Resort & Spa, are reopening after months of renovation and reinvention (the first as of November 1, 2023; the latter in 2024). – Anissa Macaula
Accra, Ghana
Go for: the heart of a pan-African cultural renaissance, Indigenous pop-up dinners, Afrobeats
Accra continues to draw travellers with a surge of cool new pop-up restaurants, museums, and the pilgrimage-worthy music festival, AfroFuture (previously Afrochella). Photo: Afrochella
Accra has steadily been cementing its reputation as the continent’s capital of cool, and a reimagination of pan-African heritage has ignited the city’s foodies. Leading the way is the Ghana Food Movement, a network of food change makers intent on surfacing the sexy in sustainable food. With the May 2024 opening of its Link-up Kitchen in the buzzing Osu neighbourhood, this meeting place–cum–test kitchen will house the Movement’s popular Dine and Dance series, where young chefs highlight local ingredients in multicourse dinners before getting down to beats by local DJs. The hub will also host pop-ups featuring up-and-coming chefs and Indigenous menus, such as those offered by Abena Offeh-Gyimah, whose food tours spotlight heirloom ingredients and a “reconnection to ancestral ways of eating.” This year also sees chef Selassie Atadika of Midunu resuming her Nomadic Dinners celebrating African ingredients, as well as quarterly chocolate tastings of her gorgeous bonbons inspired by flavours like beriberi chili and Cape Malay spice. After dinner, you’ll find the balmy West African capital’s electric club scene spoils you for choice. While the Grammys have just come to the party (the awards will feature a Best African Music Performance category for the first time, in 2024), locals have been lighting it up at festivals like Chale Wote Street Art Festival (August) and AfroFuture (previously Afrochella; December) for years. Should you find time to sleep, the December 2023 opening of the 145-room Hilton Accra Cantonments marks the brand’s debut in Ghana.
Looking ahead: A state-of-the-art cultural institution is coming just outside the city as well. Enriched by voices from the diaspora, an overdue zeitgeist to reclaim African narratives finds a physical home in the Pan African Heritage Museum, which has begun construction and will open in 2025 or 2026. Located on 10 lush acres in Winneba (40 miles from Accra), the space’s first offerings will include a music amphitheater, a youth innovation centre, and a food court. Like all its planned exhibits (you can digitally preview the collection), these will both showcase and connect the continent’s rich history and cultures to its contemporary global might. – Lee Middleton
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Go for: a watershed moment for exclusive camps in a unique landscape
A wave of new safari lodges – including a two-years-only temporary camp – make a visit to the Okavango Delta more desirable, and pressing, than ever. Photo: Oscar Benavides
Go. Go now. Because if you’ve always dreamed of discovering Botswana’s Okavango Delta, where seasonal floodwaters transform parched sands into a filigree of shimmering channels, right now is when you’ll be spoiled for choice. A surge in demand, coupled with a proactive approach to developing community-owned concessions, has led to a flush of new lodges across the world’s largest inland delta.
Take Sitatunga Private Island, or Natural Selection’s North Island Okavango, where just three tented suites rest on an island beneath wild ebony trees. Natural Selection will add to their portfolio in May 2024 with a new build: Tawana. Set in the wildlife-rich Moremi Game Reserve, this partnership with the chief of the local Batawana tribe will offer eight thatched suites amid the grasslands lining the perennial Gomoti River. Each stay is at least 1,000 square feet in size and comes with a private plunge pool and terrace.
Water is gold in the Delta, and this past year, African Bush Camps (ABC) opened the riverside Khwai Lediba. But our eye is really on Atzaro Okavango, slated for a March 2024 debut: It’s the third Icon camp in the Delta for ABC, with 10 lagoon-side suites promising impressive levels of Delta luxe and a strong sense of place through design (both markers of the Icon portfolio).
If you’re feeling adventurous, look east to the untapped Mababe marshlands and the brand-new Wilderness Mokete (opening mid-2024) for a fresh look at under-canvas exploration – out with plush campaign-style furnishings and in with geometric lines and contemporary decor. But be quick: Mokete will only stand for two years before being replaced by a new-build permanent camp set to open in 2026. – Richard Holmes
Madagascar
Go for: biodiversity, castaway vibes, and water sports
Miavana in Madagascar exemplifies the island's allure with water sports, adventures through baobab forests, and jaw-dropping views. Miavana by Time + Tide | In 2024, it will become easier to travel between remote destinations across Madagascar, thanks to a new flight circuit and cruise itineraries. Miavana by Time + Tide
An otherworldly land of undiscovered species and bizarre biological riches, the rugged, remote Indian Ocean isle of Madagascar has always promised to upend visitors’ senses and logistical prowess. Happily, the latter is changing as the pioneers responsible for some of the continent’s finest conservation tourism offerings are upping the ante on the world’s fourth largest island. Located inside the essentially unvisited Namoroka National Park, Namoroka Tsingy Exploration Camp’s mid-2024 opening makes seven luxury safari tents your portal to a landscape of baobabs jutting from the formations of limestone knives known as tsingy and populated by lemurs that haven’t learned to fear people.
More of a coastal explorer? Look no further than Masoala Forest Lodge, which recently launched a Blue Lagoon Expedition trip in 2022. Paddling the breathtaking rainforest- and mangrove-fringed Antongil Bay, kayakers en route to a magical island campsite will share pellucid waters with migrating humpback whales and schools of reef fish. If that’s a touch too rugged, Time + Tide’s Miavana – arguably the Platonic ideal of exclusive island luxury – is launching a kiteboarding centre and new mainland excursions (think quad biking through baobab forests), in January 2024 and March 2024 respectively, for those who enjoy a splash of adrenaline in their bliss cocktail.
Finally – and critically – 2024 sees access to the Red Island expanding. Masoala Forest Lodge and Madagascar Classic Collection are starting a new flight circuit that will link choice remote destinations, like Andasibe, Namoroka, and Masoala parks, and luxe cruise lines like Silversea, Lindblad, Swan Hellenic, and Seabourne have added the country as a port of call on new voyages. – Lee Middleton
Lonely Planet: Best in Travel 2024
Countries: Morocco
There’s nothing quite like wandering the Sahara Desert on camelback, hunting for bargains in a Marrakesh souk and exploring the enchanting blue city of Chefchaouen. This North African country made our list in 2024 thanks to the buzz from its historic performance at the World Cup, its ascension to the echelon of the world surf circuit and its revived music festival, Mawazine, to start. The earthquake may have given you pause on whether it is okay to travel there, but locals say travelers coming to Morocco is the best way to support recovery, making 2024 a good time to visit.
Countries: Benin
Benin may be dwarfed by its neighbor to the east, Nigeria, but this bijou West African country punches above its weight in its charisma, history and cultural power. Once the site of the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey, it is also the spiritual home of voodoo, a fascinating and often misunderstood religion. Beat a path to Benin's palm-fringed beaches and some of the best national parks this side of the continent.
Regions: Swahili Coast
Visitors historically arrived to Tanzania's Swahili Coast on monsoon-driven trade routes extending to Arabia, India and China. Its past and present are intertwined, moss-covered ruins are flanked by modern hotels. Fishermen in wooden ngalawa paddle in the shadow of high-speed ferries. Vendors hawk cashews by offices where mega business deals are made. The region's looking confidently toward its future under the leadership of its first female president.
Cities: Nairobi
Kenya's capital is staking its claim as a global center of culture, sizzling with unmissable travel experiences. The city is shrugging off the colonial gaze and embracing its unique rhythms, with an dynamic array of restaurants, food carts and cafes, along with a steady rotation of arts and cultural venues that all fuel a distinct Nairobi cool. Add in its namesake national park teeming with wildlife within easy reach of the city center, and you've got yourself an unforgettable trip.
Sustainable: South Africa
With Earth's biodiversity at a precarious juncture and an impressive crop of ecolodges committed to its protection, now is the time to take in South Africa's wild beauty. Spend star-studded nights glamping and if you're lucky, walk among giraffes and zebras like the humans of yore once did. This place is an ode to natural grandeur – penguins gather in droves along the coast and the fynbos shrub breathes life into the hills of the Western Cape.
Value: Egypt
With Luxor's enigmatic tombs, the timeless essence of the Nile and the mighty Pyramids of Giza, Egypt has a bounty of historical riches that don't cost a fortune to visit. Experience a priceless connection with another side of Egypt's heritage on the Sinai Trail and the Red Sea Mountain trail, two long-distance hiking routes founded by a collective of Bedouin tribes. And hopefully the long-anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum will finally open in 2024.
Value: Algeria
A three-hour flight or less from much of Europe, Algeria is one of the most exciting short-haul destinations for adventurous travelers. You'll find train journeys, well-preserved Roman sites and fine historic cities, of which the most extraordinary are the pastel-colored hilltop citadels of the M'Zab Valley. Algeria offers an affordable, crowd-free experience and some of the most spectacular sights on the African continent.
National Geographic: The Cool List 2024: the 30 most exciting destinations to visit in 2024
From Argentina to Australia and Norway to Nova Scotia, these places chosen by National Geographic Traveller (UK) will be making headlines in the year ahead.
Ahead of the new year, we’ve crossed the world to find the 30 most exciting destinations for 2024. See full list.
Akagera, Rwanda
A shining example of safari success
Marking its 90th anniversary in 2024, the 433sq-mile Akagera National Park is a patchwork of swamps, savannah and woodland that teems with wildlife. But it wasn’t always this way. One of Rwanda’s oldest national parks, it was decimated after the country’s civil war in 1994, when formerly exiled farmers returned to the area, razing the land and wiping out wildlife to make way for cattle grazing. In 2010, the Akagera Management Company was established with the vision of restoring the park to its former natural glory. Conservation successes have included the reintroduction of lions and black rhinos in 2015 and 2017, and the introduction of white rhinos in 2021. Giraffes, elephants, crocodiles, leopards and birds thrive here, too. And it’s not just the wildlife that’s benefited: 2,000 schoolchildren visit each year as part of the park’s education programme, and the increased need for guides, rangers and anti-poaching staff offers employment opportunities.
Left: Baobab trees grow in 32 African countries but are a distinctive feature of the Madagascan landscape. PHOTOGRAPH BY TUUL & BRUNO MORANDI, GETTY IMAGES Right: Sierra Leone is showcasing its natural beauty through community-led projects such as the nation’s first surfing school at Bureh Beach. PHOTOGRAPH BY TOMMY E TRENCHARD, ALAMY
Andrefana Dry Forests, Madagascar
An expanded World Heritage Site honours a unique environment
In Madagascar’s wondrous western flanks, the rocks are razor-sharp, the trees bulbous and the lemur species adapted to thrive in an otherworldly region. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve, famed for its maze of jagged limestone pinnacles and first inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1990, saw its boundaries expanded this year to include the Andrefana Dry Forests. Although these are home to fewer species overall than the rainforests of the east coast, those that are found here are more likely to be endemic. This is especially true in Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, in the country’s southwest. Its most visible attractions are its thick-trunked baobabs, but it’s also home to the critically endangered Verreaux’s sifaka, a lemur often spotted skipping and jumping along the forest floor.
Sierra Leone
An upgraded airport makes this natural beauty easier than ever to visit
Fresh shoots of tourism are finally springing up in Sierra Leone, with new infrastructure making it easier than ever to access the West African country. The international airport opened in Freetown, the capital, got a major upgrade in 2023, and many miles of roads are in the course of being revamped.
Nature is a major part of the appeal here, with wide, sandy beaches lapped by Atlantic waves and a mountainous inland plateau that’s home to the country’s national animal, the chimpanzee. Community-led projects have been key to showcasing its natural beauty, including the nation’s first surfing school, at Bureh Beach, and the Tasso Ecotourism Project, on mangrove-rich Tasso Island, which runs a rescue programme for the endangered Timneh grey parrot. Meanwhile, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bunce Island makes for a poignant visit, chiefly for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.
Travellers will soon have more accommodation options to choose from, with hotels springing up across the country. In Freetown, boutique hideaway Toma is adding more suites, while later in 2024, the country’s first Hilton will open its doors, offering a clutch of luxurious rooms. Estuary Resort, a laid-back beach retreat on the banks of an inlet, is also expanding, with new chalets and a pool.
The Points Guy: Where to go in 2024: The 16 best places to travel
From the thrill of Olympic competition in France to the otherworldly landscapes of Bolivia, the wildlife-rich Bissagos Islands of Guinea-Bissau and the exciting design developments taking place in both San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico — whatever your travel goals or preferences, The Points Guy has got an incredible roster of places just waiting to be explored next year. Get ready for a few surprises, a dash of inspiration and a healthy helping of wanderlust as we share our most exciting places to travel to in 2024. See full list.
Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau
GETTY IMAGES/THE POINTS GUY
Best for intrepid naturalists seeking an under-the-radar destination
Sandwiched between Guinea and Senegal, Guinea-Bissau is one of West Africa's lesser-visited destinations, but that's what has helped keep the 88-island Bissagos archipelago 31 miles off its coast so untouched.
This astonishingly wildlife-rich island chain — often dubbed the Galapagos of Africa — is an idyll of empty white-sand beaches, thick mangroves, teeming lagoons and dense palm and cashew forests. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, the Bijagos (as they're also known) are home to thriving populations of saltwater hippopotamuses, manatees, dolphins, green sea turtles, flamingos, rays, sharks and around 175 fish and 500-plus bird species.
And you won't be vying for sightings with other safari vehicles or Zodiac boats. These paradisiacal islets are home to just 33,000 or so residents who hew to their traditional matriarchal society, and there are no formal resorts or ecolodges.
The archipelago has also been quite difficult to reach. However, a handful of luxury and small-ship cruises have begun to call at the islands. Ponant Cruises has just opened sales for its first dedicated nine-day "Adventure in the Bissagos Islands" itinerary (April 7-15, 2025) on Le Lyrial, which starts and ends in Dakar, Senegal. During the journey, guests can expect to spy towering baobabs and flocks of migratory birds, playful vervet monkeys and vividly colored lizards, and take part in ancient ceremonies alongside the Bijago people.
On board MS Spitsbergen, Hurtigruten now offers a 14-day "West Africa Archipelago" cruise (paired with Cape Verde), which includes four days of deploying small rigid inflatable boats and sea kayaks to navigate the islands and channels for awe-inspiring wildlife sightings. The line also arranges encounters with the islanders, who have acted as custodians of this wonderfully biodiverse and pristine part of Africa, and who dedicate some 100 days per year to sacred rites and ceremonies such as fanado and difuntu.
Swan Hellenic's Ghana-to-Senegal "Crucibles of West Africa" trip, on the new 152-guest SH Vega, has two days scheduled in this off-the-grid sanctuary, where shore excursions include explorations of Orango National Park's mangrove thickets and savannah as well as trekking through traditional villages on Canhabaque.
As with many of the world's island paradises, the clock is likely ticking down on the Bissagos remaining immaculate and undeveloped, so if you hope to see them as they are, 2024 is the year to go.
TPG tip: Non-cruisers can visit the islands by first flying into the capital, Bissau, from Lisbon with TAP Air Portugal. Alternatively, Delta Air Lines has daily direct flights from New York to Dakar, from which there are daily connections on Air Senegal to Bissau. From Bissau, hire a speedboat for the hourlong journey to Bubaque, where the affordable Saldomar guesthouse and Hotel Kasa Afrikana make great home bases for daytrips to islands like Rubane, Orango and Canhabaque.
Mozambique
GETTY IMAGES/THE POINTS GUY
Best for beach and nature lovers who want to avoid crowds
Many travelers make the trek to South Africa for its spectacular wildlife and vibrant cities, but few hop across the border to Mozambique. Though the country has experienced ongoing conflicts in the far north, the central and southern parts remain relatively insulated from internal struggles.
Getting there is easier than you might think, too — Airlink offers direct flights to Vilankulos along the coast from Johannesburg, and more recently, the airline launched a nonstop flight between Cape Town and the capital, Maputo. While some travelers tend to skip the city, if you do make use of that route, consider a layover for a night or two. Maputo is a hub of activity with oceanside restaurants serving ultrafresh seafood with icy 2M beers and bakeries proffering crispy, creamy pasteis de nata, a holdover from Portuguese rule. The city's music scene is also buzzing, with bars and clubs playing everything from reggaeton to marrabenta (a hybrid of Mozambican dance with Portuguese folk music).
The main reason people come to the country is for the untouched Indian Ocean beaches along its 1,700-mile coast, which are lapped by aquamarine waters that rival the Caribbean. Over the past few years, a cluster of hotels have opened along the coast, including Kisawa, a design-focused property with 11 villas on a 740-acre sanctuary on Benguerra Island in the ecodiverse Bazaruto Archipelago.
Around two hours from Vilankulos on the mainland and set on a peninsula along a sheltered saltwater lagoon, Sussurro is an intimate pared-back lodge whose sandy-hued rooms are filled with artisan-made baskets and wooden furniture. Next year, Banyan Tree is expected to open Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira, which promises to be an uberluxury spot, on a private island north of Beira.
For safarigoers, Gorongosa, a national park that has been undergoing a two-decade-long rehabilitation, has become a beacon of regeneration and economic activity in an area where tourism was entirely decimated by civil war. This year, Muzimu Lodge, a tent camp, opened on the banks of the Mussicadzi River. Wildlife is not as abundant as in nearby Kruger National Park (though you can expect to see huge packs of wild dogs and teeming herds of antelope), but the biodiversity is some of the richest in the world, with nearly 500 species of birds. Indelible landscapes like chalky limestone gorges dotted with vegetation and inky caves, woodland savannah and giant "Jurassic Park"-like forests with sausage trees and native Borassus palms will leave you awestruck.
TPG tip: Ensure you allow ample time for your visa application. The process has moved online, which makes it infinitely swifter than previously, but the application time can still take up to a month and costs $160 or more depending on the type you apply for.
Note from TPG editors: Due to an ongoing terrorist insurgency in the far north of Mozambique, the U.S. Department of State has issued a Level 2 warning advising travelers to exercise increased caution when traveling in the Cabo Delgado province. The country also recently experienced some unrest following local elections, so be sure to investigate the current situation before booking a trip.
Cairo, Egypt
GETTY IMAGES/THE POINTS GUY
Best for ancient treasures in a modern metropolis
Few destinations offer the same look at the mysteries of the past quite like Cairo. While this desert city has long been a magnet for those intrigued by the wonders of ancient Egypt and its former rulers, new attractions and highly anticipated hotel openings will draw even more travelers to this bucket list destination in 2024.
With that in mind, Cairo's most exciting addition will be the long-awaited reopening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which, after years of delays, is on track to welcome visitors by early 2024. A colossal project that began more than 20 years ago, this massive repository — the largest archaeological museum ever built — will house over 100,000 Egyptian artifacts, including 5,000 relics found in famous pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb.
Recently discovered artifacts from the Saqqara — an expansive necropolis located within Egypt's UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient capital of Memphis — are also expected to be added to the museum's collection in due course. The treasures include multiple tombs, ancient workshops and burial shafts full of priceless antiquities, such as a mummy believed to be the most complete one ever found in Egypt.
To accommodate the influx of tourists expected in 2024, Cairo's hotel scene is rapidly expanding, too. Among the new properties currently in the pipeline are points-friendly accommodations like a Hyatt Centric, a Hilton and a Waldorf Astoria, plus the luxurious rebranding of the historic Shepheard Hotel into the Mandarin Oriental Shepheard, Cairo.
Unsurprisingly, Cairo's prime position on the Nile and proximity to other historic destinations also make it an excellent place to embark on a river cruise, especially in 2024. Several top river cruise lines offer itineraries that start or end in the city, making it possible to tack on visits to other ancient sites like Luxor and Aswan, Egypt. New standout ships to consider include Viking Aton (the fourth of six ships Viking expects to be sailing the Nile by late 2025) and AmaLilia (AmaWaterways' second ship devoted to Nile River cruises).
TPG tip: It should become easier than ever to reach this historic metropolis thanks to more nonstop routes from the U.S. to Cairo in the works. In addition to adding new nonstop flights from Newark to Cairo this past summer, Egyptair has filed a request with the Department of Transportation to launch service between Los Angeles and Cairo in the coming months. If approved, service on the Star Alliance carrier would give visitors yet another convenient way to reach the ancient city.
Note from TPG editors: We want to acknowledge that all eyes will be on the widening conflict in the region as we end 2023 and look ahead to next year. Before planning your own trip to Egypt, stay up to date on State Department advisories, current events and the unfolding situation in neighboring Israel and beyond.
Travel + Leisure: The 50 Best Places toTravel in 2024
This year, more than 20 Travel + Leisure staffers weighed in to create this hand-picked list of the places that thoughtful, curious travelers should consider in 2024.
These are the destinations that have captured imaginations, the spots where T+L editors want to spend their own time in the year ahead.
For Nature Lovers
Amboseli National Park, Kenya
PHOTO: COURTESY OF ANGAMA
This 151-square-mile expanse, close to the border with Tanzania, is famed among safari insiders for its big-time wildlife: Amboseli has a well-earned reputation for elephant spotting, with massive herds roaming the dusty plains, along with all sorts of other charismatic creatures including cheetah, giraffe, and zebra. Camps and lodges surrounding the park tend to be basic, which is one reason the fall 2023 opening of the richly appointed Angama Amboseli is so exciting. The second? The 10-suite lodge is the first spinoff of the Angama Mara, a destination hotel that's among the best safari lodges in the world, according to T+L readers. The new property, located about 45 minutes driving from Amboseli National Park, on a private wildlife conservancy, will offer game drives as well as cultural experiences organized in partnership with local communities. Another draw: Angama Amboseli will have unparalleled views of the peak of nearby Mount Kilimanjaro, including from private patios attached to every suite. — Paul Brady
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
PHOTO: SVEN MUSICA/COURTESY OF MADWALENI RIVER LODGE - BABANANGO GAME RESERVE
This out-of-the-way South African province, sometimes shortened to KZN and located on the country’s eastern coast, is moving into the spotlight. “KwaZulu-Natal has two World Heritage Sites — the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the majestic uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park — and is popular for its beaches, safari parks, green hills, and temperate weather,” said Julian Harrison, a safari expert and longtime member of T+L’s A-List. It’s also home to an ambitious rewilding project backed by the Emcakwini Community Trust, which began reintroducing once-endemic species including black rhino, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and lion in 2018; today, it’s known as Babanango Game Reserve. Harrison also points to other conservation efforts, such as those underway at andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, which is monitoring critically endangered Temminck’s ground pangolins. The newly opened Madwaleni River Lodge is the place to stay, said Raza Visram, another A-List expert. “The intimate lodge has 12 beautifully designed tents that overlook the White Umfolozi River,” he explained. There’s also Sala Beach House, an oceanfront escape on Thompson’s Bay that writer Heather Richardson detailed in T+L’s September 2023 issue. Coming soon in KZN will be The Homestead, a 12-suite eco-lodge in the province’s western Nambiti Game Reserve. — Samantha Falewée
Mababe, Botswana
PHOTO: DANA ALLEN/COURTESY OF WILDERNESS
Long considered one of Africa’s most exclusive safari destinations, Botswana has a huge array of five-star lodges, operated by the likes of African Bush Camps, andBeyond, and Great Plains Conservation. But the most compelling new place to stay isn’t one with high thread count sheets or over-the-top amenities: Mokete, a new safari lodge from Wilderness, is worth the trip because it will only exist until 2026, when the operator pulls down the tents and carries away any sign the nine-suite escape was ever there. The temporary enclave will be situated east of the famed Okavango Delta, in the heart of a 124,000-acre tract known as the Mababe Concession, which has considerable populations of lion, elephant, and buffalo, plus a huge variety of birds. Wildlife watching is the thing here, with all-day game drives and guided nature walks. Mokete is all about an elemental connection with the outdoors, down to the design of the guest quarters: each tent will have a retractable roof so guests can stargaze from bed — and hear the calls of hyenas from the surrounding bush. — Paul Brady
Virtuoso: The 24 Best Places to Travel in 2024
’Tis the season to get excited about next year’s travels. Virtuoso has been curating our annual Where Next list for months, talking to Virtuoso advisors, travel-industry friends, and our global network of contributors, gathering intel on the vacation spots poised to take the spotlight in 2024. See full list.
Cape Verde Islands
The valley of Ribeira do Paul on Santo Antao. Getty Images
A new way to cruise this African archipelago.
Scattered in the North Atlantic about 350 miles off the coast of Senegal, this lush ten-island archipelago is a hidden gem for nature lovers, who come here to hike volcanic calderas, explore quiet fishing villages, and laze on beaches that rival the Med’s. Centuries of influence from Africa, Brazil, and Portugal (the islands, with deep roots in the transatlantic slave trade, gained their independence from the latter in 1975) make for a multicultural mélange of diversions, from dancing to traditional music on São Vicente to sampling Creole-spiced seafood at a beachfront spot on Boa Vista. While tourism is a big industry here, the islands still have that laid-back, undiscovered, spotty-Wi-Fi vibe that many intrepid travelers seek.
Get There: Ponant’s newly revamped 32-passenger Le Ponant, which recently became the first yacht to join Relais & Châteaux, will explore the Cape Verde islands early next year on a seven-night round-trip-from-Mindelo voyage. Departures: Multiple dates, January 13 through December 27, 2024. – Amy Cassell
Zambia
Savannah traffic. Getty Images
Set your safari sights on this under-the-radar, wildlife-rich country.
Historically overshadowed by its more tourism-developed neighbors, Zambia’s slow and steady focus on safety and conservation has seen it emerge as a major adventure player on the continent. Whether it’s swimming beside the mighty Victoria Falls or setting out on foot to see zebras and giraffes in South Luangwa National Park – considered the birthplace of the walking safari – Zambia is all about immersion. Recent big-ticket infrastructure projects across the country encompass some $360 million in airport renovations, including a major expansion at Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. The extension triples annual passenger capacity from 2 to 6 million and provides greater global connectivity, starting with this year’s launch of the first direct flight between the capital and Cape Town. Another win: the Zambian government’s new 20-year partnership with conservation nonprofit African Parks, which aims to not only improve visitor access across Kafue National Park (via upgraded roads and communications networks), but also strengthen wildlife conservation and rescue efforts within. For travelers, that translates to more lions, elephants, and antelopes on their next visit.
Get There: A seven-day Zambia safari with Wilderness begins near the Zambezi River during three nights at the 12-suite Wilderness Toka Leya, before heading into Kafue National Park to spy wildlife and stay at the six-suite Shumba Camp in the heart of the Busanga Plains. Departures: Multiple dates, June 1 through October 31, 2024. – C.N.
Vogue: The 11 Best Places to Travel in 2024
Looking for the best places to travel in 2024? At Vogue editors consulted with industry experts, tracking hotel openings, tasking the thoughts of tastemakers, and venturing to explore various corners of the globe. See full list.
Tangiers, Morocco
Photo: Getty Images
While the rich history of Tangiers stretches all the way back to ancient times, it was during the early 20th century—when it spent a few decades as a colonial “international zone”—that it first earned a reputation as a travel hotspot for free-spirited Westerners, ranging from Tennessee Williams to the Beat poets to the Rolling Stones. That countercultural spirit remained even after the Moroccan Independence for those looking to shop in its labyrinthine souks, take in its Art Nouveau and Art Deco architectural marvels, soak up the sun at the city’s nearby beaches, and drink the night away in one of its atmospheric, speakeasy-esque
Over the past year, however, Tangiers has finally opened a pair of luxury hotels to match. First, there’s the Fairmont Tazi Palace, which opened at the end of 2022 in a sprawling Andalusian-style palace that belonged to a former advisor of the king, with an enormous spa and landscaped outdoor pools. Elsewhere, Villa Mabrouka—Jasper Conran’s second Moroccan hotel after his beloved Marrakech riad L’Hotel—opened just a few months ago: a 12-room, bohemian boutique stay in the former home of Yves Saint-Laurent with interiors by Jacques Grange, extensive gardens, and spectacular views over the strait of Gibraltar. If you’re seeking an escape for some early spring sun with a side of style and culture, right now, there’s nowhere better than the Bride of the North. (A nickname the city acquired, by the way, for the striking white houses and mosques that line its hillsides.) —L.H.
Madagascar
Fandriana Ambohitralanana in Madagascar.Photo: Getty Images
Explorers and eco-travelers: keep your eye on Madagascar, the remote Indian Ocean island with some of the richest biodiversity in the world. While the tourism industry within the country is still a developing one—and the standard travel precautions should be taken—a number of notable camps are setting up in its wilds: Namoroka Tsingy Exploration Camp will open inside Namoroka National Park in mid-2024, whereas Voaara will join private-island resort Time + Tide’s Miavana as an upscale beachside retreat. Meanwhile, luxury adventure tour operator Black Tomato developed a conservation-focused tour of exploring both its rainforests and remote archipelagos. Coastal East African neighbor Mozambique, too, is also emerging as a wild beach getaway with properties like Kisawa Sanctuary and an upcoming Banyan Tree. —E.T.
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