7 Unique Adventures To Add To Your African Safari Bucket List

Thanks to an incredibly favorable dollar exchange rate, now is the best (and most affordable) time to book that bucket-list safari you’ve been dreaming of. There are 54 different countries to explore in Africa and each offers a diverse array of experiences. To help you pinpoint exactly where to go and what to do, here are 7 inspiring ways to live out your fantasy African adventure, far exceeding Taylor Swift’s Wildest Dreams:

1. Ride on Nature's Roller Coaster

Sandwich Harbour 4x4 / Via Facebook: Sandwich

Hop in the back of a 4×4 and hold on tight to your belongings because it's one wild ride to Sandwich Harbour, Namibia. Here, dunes as tall as New York City high-rises plummet into the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, the dunes of the Namib Desert are some of the tallest in the world.

2. Trek to see an endangered species

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge / Via Facebook: Sabyinyo

Go trekking through Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda to spot endangered mountain gorilla in their natural habitat. A portion of the $750 daily gorilla trekking permit fees also goes towards the local community’s schools, clinics and other projects. Because Rwanda has seen a slight rise in mountain gorilla populations over the last 10 years, their focus on community and conservation appears to be paying off.

3. Spend a romantic night under canvas in a vintage-style safari camp

Cottar's 1920's Camp Maasai Mara / Via Facebook: cottars1920s

For the true Out of Africa feel, look no further than the safari camps located in Botswana's Okavango Delta and Kenya's Maasai Mara. Marvel at the same species Hemingway and Roosevelt travel so far to see. Even within more developed areas, like Cape Town, South Africa and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, you'll discover historic hotels that have preserved original architectural details (and charm).

4. Get even closer to wildlife (including the Big 5)

Asilia Africa / Via oliverscamp.asiliaafrica.com

Waking up at 5:00am to track wildlife from the backseat a 4×4 vehicle isn’t everyone’s idea of vacation. To connect with nature on a deeper level, ride on horseback through the dunes of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. Paddle past hippos and crocodiles as you float through Botswana’s Okavango Delta in a mokoro (dugout canoe). While keeping an eye and ear out for the Big 5, venture on a ranger-guided walking safari to learn more about the smaller mammals and plants of the bush in South Africa's Kruger National Park.

5. Soar high above Africa’s incredible landscapes

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti / Via Facebook: FourSeasonsLodgeSerengeti

Quietly drift over millions of animals during their annual Great Migration across the Serengeti on an early morning hot air balloon ride. Spot crocodiles as you wind through Zimbabwe’s Zambezi River Gorge enroute to the mist of the “Smoke that Thunders” on a microlight flight high above Victoria Falls, the widest waterfall in the world. In South Africa, soar high above the Indian Ocean and the picturesque Valley of 1000 Hills before your helicopter swoops down and lands on the plateau at the top of Inanda Mountain for a picnic.

6. Dive into a different kind of safari experience

Fregate Island / Via Facebook: fregateisland

Discover a rich variety of corals and marine wildlife (including turtles and dolphins) while scuba diving in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Madagascar. Lose all track of time while snorkeling in Lake Malawi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of hundreds of colorful, endemic fish species. On the islands of the Seychelles, the only thing standing between you and that beautiful turquoise blue water might just be one of the free-roaming Giant Aldabra Tortoises.

7. Visit origin of mankind and other ancient ruins

Marie Frei

Everyone knows about the Great Pyramid and the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, but few realize Sudan actually holds the highest number of temples and pyramids in Africa. In South Africa, visit the Cradle of Humankind, the UNESCO World Heritage Site where the fossil skeleton of Homo naledi was recently uncovered. In Namibia, plan a hike through the Fish River Canyon, a geological formation whose origin dates back at least 60 million years. Measuring some 160km long and 27km across at its widest gaps, it is the largest canyon in Africa and one of the largest canyons in the world.