Seven Natural Wonders of Africa

Twenty percent of the Earth’s landmass is located on the African continent, making it the second biggest continent by area. It spans 11.7 million square miles (30.3 million sq. km). Most people picture animals when they think of Africa, even though it is home to the only original Seven Wonders of the World that is still standing.

An extensive coastline spanning 16,000 miles (26,000 km) adorns the continent. In terms of population, diversity, and density, Africa is home to more wild creatures than any other continent. There are more carnivores than any other continent, and the lion is undoubtedly the most majestic of all. The Big 7—the lion, leopard, crocodile, elephant, rhinoceros, hippocampus, and lowland gorilla—all call Africa home. A number of Africa’s natural treasures call one of the more than three thousand protected areas home.

The Seven Natural Wonders Of Africa, This is Africa

Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders

1. Nile River

The Nile River, the longest river in the world, must be mentioned in any ranking of the Seven Wonders of Africa. Northeastern Africa’s Nile River flows in a northerly direction. Eleven nations around the world share the 4,145-mile-long Nile, which serves as the main source of water for the whole population of Sudan and Egypt. Before flowing into the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt, the Nile River comes to an expansive delta’s end. The Egyptian civilization and the Sudanese kingdoms both originated from and were supported by this river. Thus, the majority of Egypt’s significant historical and cultural landmarks are located along the banks of the Nile River.

The Nile River Explained in under 3 Minutes

2. Mount Kilimanjaro

The tallest peak in Africa is Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano in Tanzania. From its base, the mountain rises roughly 16,000 feet, reaching a height of 19,341 feet above sea level. The peak serves as the focal point of the Kilimanjaro National Park and is a well-liked place for climbing. The highest volcano outside of South America is Mount Kilimanjaro. The Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira cones are three separate structures of the stratovolcano. The mountain’s peak can be reached by authorized trekking paths. The Machame is thought to be the most beautiful of these paths. Although climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is not as challenging as scaling the Himalayan or Andean summits, fatalities still occur frequently. In order to increase the likelihood of a secure ascent to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the government has established a number of rules that climbers must follow.

Things You May Not Know About Mount Kilimanjaro

3. The Sahara Desert

After the icy deserts of the Antarctic and Arctic, the Sahara Desert is the largest desert on earth. The Sahara, however, tops the list of the world’s hot deserts. The desert is about the same size as the United States (3,500,000 square miles). The majority of North Africa is covered by the Sahara Desert, with the exception of the Mediterranean Sea coast, the Nile Valley in Egypt and Sudan, and the Atlas Mountains of the Maghreb. There is some life in the dry desert. The Sahara Desert is home to several species of fox, addax, dama gazelle, Saharan cheetah, monitor lizard, sand viper, red-necked ostrich, desert crocodiles, Saharan silver ant, dromedary camels, and goats. While some communities can be located in the desert’s oases, the desert is also home to a number of nomadic tribes. In specific regions of the Sahara Desert, a variety of tourism activities, including camping, wildlife viewing, cultural tours, and camel rides, are organized with the help of knowledgeable locals.

The Sahara: Earth’s Greatest Desert

4. Serengeti Migration

African habitat known as the Serengeti stretches from south-western Kenya to northern Tanzania. The Maasai Mara is the name of the Serengeti in Kenya. The biggest migration of terrestrial mammals occurs in this habitat. The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and several other game reserves make up the ecoregion. Along with lions, this area is home to 500 different types of birds and 70 different large animal species. The Serengeti has a diverse landscape including grasslands, wooded areas, riverine forests, wetlands, and kopjes.

Each year observes the annual huge wildebeest migration in Serengeti. The migration begins in Tanzania’s southern Serengeti’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Between January and March nearly 260,000 zebras, 1.7 million wildebeest, 470,000 gazelles, and other plains game begin migrating. By about February, these animals start grazing on the short grass plains of Serengeti’s southeastern section and give birth to about 500,000 calves. The end of rains in May trigger the movement of animals northwest, and they stop in the region around the Grumeti River till late June. In late July to August, the herds come and stay in Kenya. The great migration is an eventful journey that witnesses both the birth and death of the migrants. Nearly 250,000 wildebeest perish on the voyage due to thirst

Serengeti: The Adventure

5. Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater is the principal feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a World Heritage Site and protected location west of Arusha in Tanzania. The largest intact, inactive, and unfilled volcanic caldera in the world is the Ngorongoro Crater. The crater was formed nearly 2 to 3 million years ago when a massive volcano exploded and collapsed on itself. The eastern side of the crater highlands is covered by montane forest while the western wall which receives less rainfall has a landscape characterized by grassland and scrub. The floor of the crater is open grassland, and two fever tree dominated small wooded areas. Due to its unique properties, the Ngorongoro Crater is also regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of Africa.

Ngorongoro Crater

6. Okavango Delta

The Okavango Delta is a massive stretch of swampy, inland delta that exists where the Okavango River reaches a tectonic trough. The delta is located in the central region of the Kalahari’s endorheic basin. The water of the river never reaches the ocean and evaporates during the dry season. On the eastern side of the Okavango Delta is the Moremi Game Reserve. The region has a great range of species including the African bush elephant, hippopotamus, South African cheetah, Southwest African lion, African buffalo, greater kudu, rhinoceroses, chacma baboon, and more. Due of its magnificence and vastness, the Okavango Delta has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Botswana’s Okavango Delta – Heaven on Earth

7. Red Sea Reef

The Red Sea is an entrance of seawater in the Indian Ocean that is positioned between Asia and Africa. The Gulf of Aden and the Bab el Mandeb strait connects the Red Sea to the ocean. The sea is underlain by the Red Sea Rift which has been designated as one of the Seven Wonders of Africa. The Red Sea occupies an area of 169,000 square miles and is 1,400 miles long and 221 miles broad. The Red Sea’s maximum depth is 7254 feet. The wide network of shallow shelves in the Red Sea is famous for the corals and marine life. Over 1,000 types of invertebrates and 200 hard and soft coral species dwell in the Red Sea. Around 10 percent of the more than 1,200 species of fish found in the Red Sea are unique in nature. The surrounding coral reefs of the sea are roughly 5,000 to 7,000 years old and formed mostly of porites and Acropora corals. The reef environment is related with diverse features like platforms, lagoons, cylinders, etc. Nearly 44 species of sharks visit the reefs of the Red Sea.

Incredible Life in the Red Sea Coral Reef