The Ultimate Checklist for Visiting Every Country in Africa in 2 Years – Practical Tips & Routes

Dreaming of stepping foot on every African shore before your next birthday? You’re not alone. With more flights, better visas and a growing community of “continent‑chasers,” now is the perfect moment to turn that dream into a plan you can actually follow. Below is the checklist I used on my own two‑year sprint across Africa, packed with routes, budgeting tricks and the little things that keep the adventure alive.

Planning the Timeline

1. Set a realistic pace

Africa has 54 recognized countries. If you aim for 2 years, that works out to about one country every 13 days. That sounds fast, but remember you’ll have longer stays in larger nations (South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria) and quick hops for tiny states (Seychelles, São Tomé and Príncipe). Build in a buffer of 10‑15 % for delays, missed flights or a day spent simply watching the sunset over the Sahara.

2. Choose a start point

Most travelers begin in the north (Morocco) because flights from Europe are cheap and the visa process is straightforward. I started in Marrakech, rode a train to Algiers, then crossed into Tunisia. From there I drifted southward along the Mediterranean coast. Starting in the north lets you work your way down the continent, reducing back‑tracking.

3. Map out “clusters”

Group countries that share borders or have easy transport links. A typical cluster looks like:

West Africa – Senegal, Gambia, Guinea‑Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria
East Africa – Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique
Southern Africa – Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

Treat each cluster as a mini‑tour. That way you buy fewer tickets, keep visas in one region, and can adjust on the fly if a border closes.

Visa Logistics

4. Research visa‑on‑arrival vs e‑visa

Some countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda) offer e‑visas that you can apply for in minutes. Others (Ethiopia, Zambia) give visa‑on‑arrival for most passports. Write down the cost, processing time and required documents for each nation in a spreadsheet. I kept a printed copy in my daypack because internet isn’t always reliable in remote areas.

5. Use a “visa hub”

If you have a passport that needs a visa for many African states, consider applying at a regional hub like Nairobi or Addis Ababa. A single visit to the embassy can sometimes cover multiple neighboring countries. For example, the Kenyan embassy in Nairobi processes visas for Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda under a “East Africa” package.

6. Keep copies safe

Scan every visa page, passport stamp and receipt, then store the PDFs on a cloud drive and a USB stick. When I lost my passport for a day in Lagos, the digital copies saved me from a costly re‑issue.

Money Matters

7. Budget per region

North Africa tends to be cheaper for food but pricier for transport. West Africa offers low‑cost guesthouses but higher fuel prices. East Africa’s safaris can blow your budget if you’re not careful. I set a daily ceiling of $45 for West Africa, $55 for East Africa and $70 for Southern Africa (including occasional safari days). Adjust as you learn local costs.

8. Use multiple currencies

Carry a small amount of local cash for places that don’t accept cards (rural Ethiopia, remote DRC). At the same time, keep a reliable travel card (like Revolut or Wise) for ATM withdrawals. Avoid exchanging money at airports; the rates are terrible.

9. Emergency fund

Set aside at least $1,500 in a separate account that you can access online. I never needed it, but knowing it was there let me travel with peace of mind.

Health & Safety

10. Vaccinations checklist

The core vaccines (yellow fever, hepatitis A & B, typhoid) are required for many African entry points. Some countries (Kenya, Tanzania) demand a yellow‑fever certificate if you’re coming from a risk zone. I booked a travel clinic appointment three months before departure and kept a printed “International Certificate of Vaccination” in my wallet.

11. Malaria prophylaxis

Malaria is present in most sub‑Saharan nations. I used doxycycline for the first six months, then switched to atovaquone‑proguanil for the rest of the trip. Pack enough tablets for the whole journey; refilling in remote areas can be a nightmare.

12. Travel insurance that covers “adventure”

Look for a policy that includes medical evacuation, trip interruption and gear loss. I chose a plan that covered up to $250,000 for medical emergencies – a small price compared to the cost of an airlift from a remote village.

Packing Smart

13. Light, versatile wardrobe

A good rule: one pair of quick‑dry trousers, two shirts, a lightweight sweater, a rain jacket, and a pair of sturdy sandals. Add a pair of hiking boots for the mountains of Ethiopia and the dunes of Namibia. I packed a single scarf that doubled as a head covering, a blanket and a makeshift pillow.

14. Tech kit

Smartphone with offline maps (Maps.me)
Portable power bank (10,000 mAh)
Universal travel adapter (type C, G, and M)
Small DSLR or mirrorless for the wildlife shots
Notebook for quick sketches – I love doodling market scenes in my spare moments

15. Gear for documentation

A compact tripod for sunrise shots, a waterproof phone case for the coastal islands, and a set of zip‑lock bags to protect passports and electronics from sand and rain.

Route Blueprint

16. North to South “Coast‑to‑Coast” route

Morocco → Algeria → Tunisia → Libya (skip Libya if security concerns arise; fly to Egypt instead)
Egypt → Sudan → South Sudan (use Khartoum as a hub)
Ethiopia → Kenya → Tanzania → Mozambique (follow the Indian Ocean coastline)
Madagascar (fly from Antananarivo to Nairobi, then a short hop)
South Africa → Namibia → Botswana → Zimbabwe → Zambia → DRC (use Johannesburg as a transport hub)

17. West Africa “Loop”

Start in Senegal, swing east through Guinea‑Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, then back north through Niger and Mali. I used a mix of regional airlines (Air Senegal, Arik Air) and long‑distance buses.

18. East Africa “Great Rift” circuit

From Ethiopia, travel south through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, then east to Tanzania’s Serengeti, north to the volcanic lakes of Rwanda, and finally west to DRC’s Virunga National Park. The Great Rift Valley offers spectacular scenery and relatively good road networks.

19. Flex days

Reserve at least 10 % of your itinerary for “stay‑longer” moments. I spent an extra week in Zanzibar after falling in love with the spice farms, and those unplanned days often become the best stories.

Staying Connected

20. SIM cards and data

Buy a local SIM in each region (e.g., Maroc Telecom in Morocco, Safaricom in Kenya). For longer stays, consider a regional SIM like the “Africell” that works in several West African countries. Keep a backup e‑SIM on your phone for emergencies.

21. Offline resources

Download language packs for Google Translate, a basic phrasebook for Swahili, Arabic and French, and a PDF of “Lonely Planet Africa” for quick reference.

Final Thoughts

Traveling across Africa in two years is a marathon, not a sprint. The key is to stay organized, respect local customs, and keep a flexible mindset. When you stand on the edge of the Sahara at sunrise, or hear the call to prayer echo over a Lagos market, you’ll know every spreadsheet and visa form was worth it. Continental Quest is all about turning big dreams into doable plans, and I hope this checklist lights the path for your own African adventure.