Girls' Trip Ideas in Africa: Zanzibar, Cape Town, Accra, Diani and More
Six African destinations for your next girls' trip, from Zanzibar's beaches to Accra's December energy, with when to go and the health and paperwork basics to sort before you fly.
TL;DR: Zanzibar and Diani are for beaches and slow days, Cape Town for food, views and road trips, Accra for culture and nightlife, Marrakech for markets and riads, and Victoria Falls for one big adventure. Check the season, ask a travel clinic about malaria tablets for most of these places, and sort yellow fever certificates and visas early, because the rules depend on where you are flying from.
The group chat has agreed on a budget, someone has been named lead planner, and now comes the fun part: where are you going? If you have not got that far yet, start with our guide to planning a girls' trip without the group chat falling apart. If you have, here are six destinations that work beautifully for a group of friends.
A quick note before we start: weather patterns shift from year to year, and visa and vaccination rules change, so treat the seasons below as a guide and check official sources for your own passport and route close to booking. The health information here was checked against CDC destination pages in October 2026.
Zanzibar, Tanzania: beaches, spice and Stone Town
Zanzibar is the girls' trip classic for good reason. White sand, warm turquoise water, dhow cruises at sunset, and the winding alleys of Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for an afternoon of wandering, shopping and food. Split your stay between the beach and Stone Town to get both moods.
When to go: Zanzibar has two rainy seasons: the long rains (masika), usually around March to May, and the shorter vuli rains, which the Tanzania Meteorological Authority forecasts for October to December. The drier stretches in between are the easiest time for beach days.
Health basics: The CDC recommends malaria prevention medicine for travel to areas of Tanzania below 1,800 metres, which includes Zanzibar. Tanzania requires a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk, including longer airport transits there.
Cape Town, South Africa: food, views and a road trip
Cape Town suits a group with mixed interests. Hike or take the cable car up Table Mountain, wander the colourful streets of Bo-Kaap, spend a day in the Winelands, and drive the coast to see the penguins at Boulders Beach.
When to go: Cape Town's rain mostly falls in the cooler winter months, so the warmer summer months are the classic beach and outdoor season. They are also the busiest, so book early.
Health basics: Malaria risk in South Africa is limited to specific areas in the northeast, near the borders with Mozambique and Zimbabwe, according to the CDC, so Cape Town itself is not a malaria area. South Africa does require a yellow fever certificate from travellers arriving from a country with yellow fever risk, including longer transits through one. Nigeria and Ghana are both on that risk list, so if you are flying in from Lagos or Accra, pack your yellow card.
Accra, Ghana: culture, food and December energy
Accra is where you go for culture, fashion, food and a packed social calendar. Visit the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, shop for fabric and art, eat your body weight in kelewele and waakye, and spend an evening in Osu or Labadi. December is a popular time to visit, with a packed calendar of events, so book early if you are going then.
When to go: Southern Ghana has two rainy seasons, a major one from March to June and a minor one from September to November, according to the Ghana Meteorological Agency. The dry harmattan season, roughly December to February, brings dusty skies, so pack lip balm and moisturiser. Our harmattan skincare guide has the details.
Health basics: Ghana requires proof of yellow fever vaccination from all arriving travellers aged nine months and over, and the CDC recommends malaria prevention medicine for the whole country.
Diani, Kenya: a long, slow beach break
Diani, on Kenya's south coast below Mombasa, is a long stretch of white beach lined with palms and hotels. It is perfect for a group that mostly wants to swim, sleep, eat seafood and maybe try snorkelling or kitesurfing.
When to go: Like Zanzibar, the Kenyan coast has long rains and short rains, so check the seasonal forecast from the Kenya Meteorological Department before you book. The drier months in between are the most reliable for beach weather.
Health basics: The CDC recommends malaria prevention for all areas of Kenya below 2,500 metres, which includes the coast. Yellow fever vaccination is generally not recommended for travel limited to the coastal counties, but Kenya requires a certificate if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk.
Marrakech, Morocco: riads, souks and hammams
Marrakech is a feast for a group that loves shopping, design and a good photo. Stay in a riad in the medina, haggle in the souks, visit the Jardin Majorelle, and book a hammam afternoon together.
When to go: Marrakech summers can be very hot, so many visitors prefer spring or autumn for walking around the medina.
Health basics: The CDC does not recommend yellow fever vaccination for Morocco and lists no malaria risk there, which makes it one of the simpler trips on this list from a health point of view. Routine vaccines and food and water care still apply.
Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe: one big adventure
For the group that wants a trip with a story, Victoria Falls is hard to beat. Stay in Livingstone on the Zambian side or the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, see the falls from both sides if you can, take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi, and let the brave ones do the bungee jump or white water rafting.
When to go: According to Zambia Tourism, the falls are at their fullest around March and April. Water levels are lowest around November and December, when parts of the falls can run almost dry, though the gorge and cliffs are easier to see then.
Health basics: The CDC recommends malaria prevention medicine for travel to Zambia and Zimbabwe. Zambia requires a yellow fever certificate if you arrive from a country with yellow fever risk.
Do I need malaria tablets for a girls' trip in Africa?
For most of the destinations on this list, yes. The CDC recommends prescription malaria prevention for Zanzibar, Diani, Accra and Victoria Falls, while Cape Town and Marrakech are not malaria areas. Some tablets need to be started days before you travel and continued after you return, so see a doctor or travel clinic well before your trip. Pack insect repellent and cover up in the evenings too. If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, tell the clinic, because pregnant women are at higher risk of severe malaria and the advice on where to travel and which medicines are safe will be different.
If you get a fever during your trip or in the weeks after you return, see a doctor straight away and tell them where you travelled. Malaria can be serious and needs prompt testing.
Do I need a visa or a yellow fever certificate?
It depends on your passport and the route you take, and the rules change often. Several African countries have changed their visa systems in the last few years, moving to electronic travel authorisations or easing entry for African passport holders. Check each country's official immigration website and your airline's requirements a few months before you travel, not the week before. For yellow fever, keep your vaccination certificate with your passport, since you may be asked for it on arrival or at check-in.
A few last tips for the group
Buy travel insurance that covers medical care, keep copies of passports and certificates in a shared folder, and pack period products whether or not your period is due. Our period hygiene tips cover the essentials for days on the road. Then pick your destination, put the deposit down, and start the countdown.
Sources
- CDC Travelers' Health. Destination pages for Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Zambia and Zimbabwe. wwwnc.cdc.gov
- World Health Organization. Malaria fact sheet. who.int
- Ghana Meteorological Agency. State of the Climate in Ghana 2024. meteo.gov.gh
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Stone Town of Zanzibar. whc.unesco.org
- Tanzania Meteorological Authority. Seasonal rainfall outlooks. meteo.go.tz
- Kenya Meteorological Department. meteo.go.ke
- Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. Official website. tablemountain.net
- Jardin Majorelle. Official website. jardinmajorelle.com
- Zambia Tourism. Victoria Falls. zambiatourism.com
← Back to The Journal
