Inexpensive International Cell Phone Service -- Be prepared BEFORE you go to abroad, and have your phone ready with free unlimited incoming calls
If you're buying an international 'world phone' be sure it operates in all three bands and is 'unlocked' to allow it to work with any service provider in the world.
Did you know: Outside north America cell phone coverage and quality of service is far superior and cheaper that of either the United States or Canada?
Everywhere excluding the USA, cell phone subscribers do not pay for incoming calls and do pay low outgoing rates.
Here is how you, as a traveler outside the USA, can take advantage of these low rates that are just fractions of what it would cost to rent a cell phone or to roam with your North American provider, making having a cell phone abroad a luxury that you can afford.
Outside North America cell operators have opted to utilize the GSM standard for their cellular service. GSM offers digital service that is so crystal clear that it is difficult to discern if you are on a cellphone or using a landline.
Whether you are in Paris, the Zurich or tucked away in a luxury abode in Tuscany, you are very likely to have cell phone reception.
If you are traveling or an expat living abroad and want to use your current USA cell phone, you most likely will not be able to do so unless you have a GSM tri-band phone.
Choosing to pay less Abroad.
Most Expensive Option: Calling your North American provider
Getting set up in this manner with your current service provider will allow you to retain your US phone number and receive and make calls anywhere in the world. Usually there is a monthly fee for being able to use the service internationally plus high roaming rates (call rates) and other applicable charges such as renting the handset and having it delivered to you.
Last Minute, at the Airport or Destination
Another alternative is to rent a cell phone with service. You can rent a cell phone at any international airport or through many of the traditional channels such as the yellow pages/internet. Rates are generally $25-$50 per week for the handset rental plus charges for actually placing and receiving calls. There are usually minimum per day or per week usage rates, regardless if you use the service or not.
The Least Expensive Solution
Alternatively, and this is by far the least expensive alternative, you can use the same service that the world outside North America uses. You will be paying local rates which are inexpensive and include unlimited, free incoming calls from anywhere in the world. Calls to the US are inexpensive costing only about $0.80 per minute, but, in order to save further, you may ask people to call you back on your cellular number. That way you can literally speak on the phone for hours and not incur any charge. While the person calling you will be paying for an international call, rates to Europe are very reasonable � especially if the person calling you chooses the right provider.
In order to take advantage of paying local cellular rates you must obtain a GSM cell phone and also SIM card for one of the cellular providers in that country.
Most countries, use the 900/1800 GSM frequency, so, you will need to obtain this type of GSM phone, and, you must make sure that it is unlocked.
Check here if you have a US based GSM phone and want to unlock it online:
GSM phones come from the manufacturer unlocked - it is the carrier that locks them. You can obtain both the SIM card and the phone from Cellularabroad.com.
A prepaid SIM card allows you to slip the card into your GSM phone, and, since it is prepaid, you will not have any restricting contracts or minimal use requirements. With cellular service this great, it looks like the French have just one more thing to boast about.
Cellular Abroad is offering a $10 discount to all vacationtechnician.com visitors. Be sure to mention vacationtechnician.com or, if ordering online, enter promo code 'vt10'. Enter the code at www.cellularabroad.com or call 1-800-287-3020 and tell them vacationtechnician sent you to get 10USD off your service.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
26 October 2004
Mkambati People finally own their Land!
Under the restitution of land process in the post-1994 South Africa, the Mkambati community has been awarded their land and the ownership of the Mkambati Nature Reserve.
In 1919, the Mkambati people of South Africa�s Wild Coast were dispossessed of the land they lived on, stretching from the rolling hills of Pondoland to the Indian Ocean. After 1994, South Africa�s groundbreaking Land Restitution Act allowed them to begin the process of reclaiming their land. On October 17th, 2004, the process came to a successful conclusion with the signing ceremony, returning the land to its original owners. Since vacationtechnician.com partner Wilderness Safaris is a major partner of the Mkambati Land Trust, which represents the 40 000 people living on the boundary of the Mkambati Nature Reserve, Wilderness concession managers Charles and Linda van Rensburg were amongst those who came to take part in this historic moment.
The official signing ceremony took place at Mkambati Nature Reserve on Sunday the 17 October 2004. What a truly amazing day!
Despite the wind and rain, most of the people were kept nice and dry in the massive marquee styled tent provided by the Department of Land Affairs. It seated around 1500 people with hundreds and hundreds more standing outside trying to get a glimpse of the proceedings and the dignatories, most of whom were in traditional dress.
The Senior Delegates were as follows:
National Minister of Department of Agriculture and Land affairs, Ms T.Didiza Premier for the Eastern Cape, Ms N Balindlela Executive mayor - O.R Tambo District Municipality, Ms Z Capha MEC for Economic affairs and Tourism, Mr A De Wet MEC for Agriculture and Land Affairs, Mr M Mamase
Most of the ceremony was in Xhosa but we felt like we could understand every word from the excitement and electricity happening in the crowds. A few of the dignitaries even sang traditional Pondo songs that have existed for hundreds of years and the crowds responded in song, nearly lifting the roof, just proving that the Pondo culture is alive an kicking in the Mkambati community! Traditional Pondo and Xhosa dancers entertained the crowds as their drum rhythm set the tone for the masses to cheer them on.
One of the Mkambati Land Trust members, Mr Kuzwayo, gave a speech on the history of the Mkambati claim, telling the story of how the amaPondo tribe in Mkambati - 326 households - were forcefully removed from their 17 400-hectare land in 1920 after the area was zoned for the establishment of a leper institution. When the Transkei became one of apartheid South Africa�s �independent homelands� in 1976, a second forced removal took place as part of what was termed �betterment planning� and the leprosy institution was closed. Half of the land was allocated to Transkei Agricultural Corporation (TRACOR) to grow sugar cane and the other half was declared the Mkambati Game Reserve. In 2002, The Mkambati Land Trust was formed to represent 40 000 people living in the seven surrounding village wards inland from Mkambati. The Mkambati Land Trust now owns the land for and behalf of these inhabitants.
Part of the land claim covers a provincial protected conservation area that is presently used as a nature reserve. The claimants have made an undertaking to maintain it as a protected conservation area (and have even promised to double the size of the reserve in future.)
Finally the moment we were all waiting for arrived, as the three representatives stepped up to the podium to sign the document that would change the future of their community forever. To record the moment, Colin Bell leopard-crawled up to the signing table and zoomed in on the certificate that was handed to the chairman of the Mkambati Land Trust, Mr Vimba.
To show their gratitude to the Minister of the Department of Agriculture and Land affairs, Ms Toko Didiza, the Mkambati Land Trust presented her with a traditional Pondo garment as well as a cow, as a gift commemorating the special day. They rounded a up a herd of bulls that almost entered the tent, led her outside and presented her with the largest one. She was so taken back, that tears started rolling down her face.
There was an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment that came over the crowd; it almost became silent for minute or two. Then they all cheered and the celebrations began! There was enough food and tywala(traditional beer) to cater for 6000 people, so there was nothing stopping this party from happening!
Finally, after many months of hard work, we can look forward to the Mkambati Project getting off the ground. This project is a result of a unique partnership between the Mkambati Land Trust, Wilderness Safaris, the Eastern Cape Parks Board and local businessmen and aims to restore the Nature Reserve to its full potential and ensure that it is protected for posterity. This project will provide upliftment and positive change the lives of 40 000 of the poorest people in South Africa.
See you all at the new Mkambati!
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
Safari Field Reports
About The VacationTechnician Company
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Peter and Martine Williams did everything right on the eve of their departure to Thailand. They bought travelers checks and cancellation insurance, made hotel reservations for every night of the stay, and collected dozens of tips�on restaurants and shops�from well-traveled friends. Yet their trip was a heavy disappointment, a time of confusion and incomprehension.
Why? Because they hadn�t engaged in the single most important preparation for any journey. They had failed to steep themselves, in advance of departure, in the history and culture of the land they were about to visit.
Result: They arrived as untutored ignoramuses, almost wholly unable to understand the rituals that surrounded them, puzzled by strange customs, vacant and dazed.
We Americans think nothing of flinging ourselves to some remote, exotic location without spending so much as a single evening in a library, studying the characteristics of the country ahead. If we do read anything in advance, it is a practical guidebook of hotel tips and temperature charts, all quite trivial. The important information�the cultural background�is rarely pursued.
The last thing in our thoughts, on the eve of a trip, is a visit to the library. But no other act can better improve the quality of your trip.
We omit the cultural groundwork because of our assumption that someone at the destination will soon be telling us what it is that we are looking at.
But by then it�s too late. Without a context, without a framework, for understanding, all the lectured commentaries and guides simply add to the confusion. And thereby we fail to experience 90% of the enjoyment and intellectual growth that could have been ours if we had come better equipped.
Imagine a trip to Thailand, a largely Buddhist nation. In it you will soon be surrounded by Buddhist shrines, accosted by Buddhist monks with their begging bowls, witness to odd and puzzling ceremonies. Is it not the height of folly to embark on such an experience without first reading for an hour or so about the religion called Buddhism?
Let me cite a Western example. On a trip to the capitals of Europe, sightseeing is heavily centered around the Gothic cathedral. Seemingly on every daily tour, people are taken to see at least one such edifice per city: Notre Dame in Paris, the Duomo in Milan, St. Stephen�s in Vienna. Yet the average tourist, lacking any clue to medieval architecture, regards the Gothic cathedral as the single most excruciating bore ever created to afflict his or her existence.
If, instead of traveling unprepared, those tourists had simply made a half-hour visit to the children�s section of any major bookstore, their reactions would have been dramatically reversed. For there they would have found a picture book called �Cathedral,� by David Macauley, which seeks to provide 11-year-olds with answers to questions about these church structures. Why were the walls built so deliberately thin as to be unable to bear the weight of the roof above, thus requiring buttresses for support? Why were the windows made so expansive? What functions did various areas of the cathedral serve? Why is the artwork inside so often composed of multiple panels hinged together, called triptychs if they are three in number, polyptychs if they are four or more in number? Who are those figures always found in the side panel, kneeling and surrounded by children, and always gazing at a biblical scene in the central panel?
A half-hour spent with as simple a book as Macauley�s will, I submit, utterly transform a traveler�s reaction to this key element of European sightseeing. Suddenly the tourist will become, in this fashion, a minor connoisseur of the Gothic cathedral, able to discern the modifications that later generations brought to church design, able to understand and enjoy. Usually, one will then look forward to these daily stops at a famous cathedral, will rush from one to another with eagerness. And what would have been dull and obligatory, suddenly becomes a vibrant experience of immense pleasure.
Suddenly the tourist will become a minor connoisseur of the Gothic cathedral, able to discern the modifications that later generations brought to church design, able to understand and enjoy.
The same with works of art. During much of your trip to Europe, you will be visiting great museums of art: the National Gallery in London, the Louvre in Paris, the Uffizzi in Florence, the Kunsthistorisches in Vienna. Is it not absurd to embark on such an inescapable round without some advance study of the various schools of Western European art, their evolution through history? Unless you do, in my experience, your enjoyment will be limited to the modern works in those museums. But the vast bulk of their collections�especially the medieval portion and before�will prove strange and uninviting to the tourist unaware of, say, the techniques of the �Flemish primitives,� the themes of the Baroque, the Christian symbolism in so many paintings. For gaining such an appreciation, Jensen�s �History of Western European Art� �a required text in so many college courses-is invaluable.
Unless you are willing to peruse such a work in advance of your trip, why are you going to Europe? Why are you planning to spend so much time in a cultural area for which you are unprepared?
So which will it be? Cultural/historical preparation for travel, or the guidebooks? I earn a large part of my living as the author of practical guidebooks to various locations, and yet they are all as dross when compared with the works that deal with the essence of the travel experience. And I continue to be dismayed by the sight of people embarking for a trip with reservations, vouchers, policies of insurance, rail tickets, advance theatre seats, converters and adapters�but without a notion as to the political outlook, culture, history or theology of the people they are about to visit.
Let�s all of us admit it: that usually, the last thing in our thoughts, on the eve of a trip, is a visit to the library. But no other act can better improve the quality of your trip.
*`�*-.,_,.-*`�*-.,_,.-*�
Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
Safari Field Reports
About The VacationTechnician Company
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Mvuu Camp/Lodge MalawiMalawi Safari Report - June 2004
Plan a Malawi Safari with vacationtechnician.com
More on Malawi: Reading & Pictures!
Clear blue skies, chilly mornings and all the time drying out���. By the end of June there is very little palatable grass left in Liwonde National Park. The open areas east of the Lodge have taken on the dry barren desert appearance usually only seen in the last weeks of the dry season. There is not a blade of grass left in the area, piles of elephant dung are scattered every few meters across the sandy exposed earth and the Acacia tortilis have been heavily shredded, with broken branches and strips of bark dangling from their trunks. On the night of the 12th the elephants returned to finish off a job started last November. They ate away at the scarred trunk of the Baobab in the middle of the open area, eventually toppling the massive tree bringing to an end, in a single night, what has been a feature of the landscape for hundreds of years. The hippo have given up their nightly migrations into the interior of the park and instead spend their nights grazing on the last remaining areas of grass along the edge of the marshes. The entire elephant population has moved to the river, with numerous small herds scattered from Chinguni in the south to Mvera in the north. By the end of the month most boat trips during the heat of the day were recording well over a hundred elephant in a two to three hour period. The nightly nocturnal visits to the lodge by breeding herds to feed in the lush riverine vegetation along the edge of the lagoon have once again become the norm. The Mopane leaves have started turning to a golden brown colour, carpeting the woodland floors with rich rusty colours in the late afternoon light. The water holes scattered inland have mostly died out with only a handful still supporting small muddy puddles at their centre. Towers of billowing smoke that mark the perennial bush fires that rush through the tall dry thatching grass in the east of the park have become a feature on the distant eastern horizon. Only the nightly chill in the air and crisp clear skies in the morning give any indication that the height of the dry season is still to come.
As the month progressed so the level of crocodile activity in the lagoon increased as the crocs moved into their breeding season. The large territorial male has recommenced frequent high profile patrols around the lagoon in a routine that takes him from the shallows at the eastern end of the lagoon, past the tents, below the dining area and along the edge of the walkway out to the mouth of the lagoon before looping back around close to the far bank before returning. Every few meters it surfaces, exhaling with a loud hissing noise to make sure any potential challengers are fully aware that they enter the lagoon at their peril. When not on patrol it positions itself high on the sand bank opposite tent 3 in a very impressive display of bulk and armoury, showing off assets that make it one of the most efficient predators on the planet.
The Boehm's bee eaters have started nesting and are seen in numbers perching low in the branches along the lodge pathways, before swooping on an unsuspecting insect flying past. A sharp snapping noise as the bird grabs the insect and returns to the perch to batter its victim on the branch before swallowing it whole. The persistent watcher is soon rewarded as the birds frequently return to their nests and give away the small hole in the ground with a few scratch marks around the edge of it, the only sign of activity going on below. Out along the edge of the water the usual residents ensure that any-one spending a quiet half hour in the hammocks on the tent balconies is entertained with an insight into the bustling goings on of life in the lagoon. The large open billed stork is a constant fixture, perched on one of the dead Acacia's over the water, watching life go by. The pair of fish eagles sit high in the fever trees, recording the passing of time with their echoing call that for many visitors is the signature tune of Africa. Down on the water lilies and grasses of the floating island at the lagoon edge, Black crake, Squacco and Green backed heron, Little bittern, Cattle egrets, African jacana's and numerous Weavers, Warblers and Prinia's all strive to make a living in a busy world. A rustling in the leaves under the thickets, reveals the slow methodical movements of a large monitor lizard, creeping toward the water while all the time the background melody as the robins and palm thrushes strive to out perform each other.
By the second week of the month elephant herds had arrived is such numbers along the river that it became impossible to even begin to explain to guests that two months ago we had to search far and wide to get even a glimpse of an elephant. Breeding herds appear out of the mopane woodland in the early hours of the morning, heading west to the marshes and river. They follow the tree lines along the long dry sandy river beds of the Ntangaye, Nangondo, Namandanje and Mwalasi rivers before plunging into the still waters of the lagoons at the mouths of the rivers flooded back inland from the Shire River. They spend the day light hours submerged up to their midriffs feeding in the tall reeds and marshes. The flood plain south of the Ntangaye River has become a fascinating hot spot of late afternoon activity. To the south lies large stretches of uninterrupted marsh, that comes to an abrupt halt as the tall riverine thickets along of Ntagaye River protrude right to the edge of the Shire. To the north the marshes give away to the high river banks in the area of Mvuu. Numerous herds of elephant spend the day slowly moving north through the marshes before arriving at the open flood plains of the southern Ntangaye by late afternoon. From here they rush across the open areas into the thickets to the north. Several herds often appearing at once out of the reeds, followed by the ever present wondering bulls. Huge social gatherings have been occurring at the edge of the thickets as the breeding herds meet and offer their greetings. Calves and young bulls are noisily disciplined as they get carried away in the excitement of meeting distant relatives, while the large solitary bulls use the opportunity to prove their dominance to the young bulls still attached to the breeding herds. On the evening of the 21st we parked the vehicle alongside the fever tree grove on the edge of the southern Ntangaye flood plain. In the golden light of the late afternoon we watched as five breeding herds of between 10 - 20 in each emerged out of the tall reeds in the south, hurried in close formation across the open flood plain and stop at the edge of the tree line. Three large bulls waited at the edge of the reeds to greet each herd before rushing with them across the grass plain only to return within a few minutes to disappear into the reeds of the marsh and then reappear with the next herd. Each time the young bulls of the herd were singled out for special attention. The much larger bulls place their tusks and trunk on the smaller bull's forehead letting out a screech before driving the young bull backward for ten meters or so before it broke and ran for cover in the thickets.
The buffalo herds are still out in the far north eastern sector of the park, spoor can frequently been seen in the block between the northern sanctuary fence line, East road and the Old Niafulu Hills road. There are a number of water holes in this section all of which appear to be within a few weeks of completely drying out. In the last week of the month a couple of large bush fires spread in from the eastern park boundary and burnt much of the remaining grazing in the area so I suspect the herds will be forced to move in the next few weeks. If their movement patterns from last year are repeated they should move south into the grasslands immediately to the north of the Niafulu hills where a large water hole still has some water reserves. As this too dries out they then moved further south to the Mwalasi area. Both of these areas are within striking range of our game drives so we will hopefully record an increase in sightings in the coming months.
We have opened a new game drive road, aptly named Sable road, that cuts west from east road though the cathedral Mopane woodlands to eventually emerge at Mvera drive and the Shire. Late afternoon drives along this road have provided us with some fantastic sable viewing. Several breeding herds, numbering between 50 - 80 animals, have been recorded on each drive along a grassland spur that runs along a shallow drainage line. This road has added a fantastic new dimension to the game drives by cutting right through the heartland of the sables favourite habitat and providing the sort of sable viewing previously only a feature in the last few weeks of the dry season as the sable emerge from the woodland areas to drink at the Shire.
The Kudu bulls are still in close attendance to the small breeding herds frequently seen in the thicket areas. The highlight of the month was on the 28th when the Ntagaye herd appeared out of the thickets and strode out onto the open flood plain of the southern Ntangaye. The herd is made up of three mature females, three calves from last season, a young bull of 2-3 years and closely followed by a very large bull with spiral horns that must be close to two meters towering above him. One of the females appeared to be in season and was being followed very closely by the young bull. The dominant bull looked on without showing any undue concern. We then watched for more than half an hour as the young bull repeatedly mounted the female, without even as much as a glance of protest from the large bull in attendance. Obviously it hasn't read the books about the large dominant bulls chasing the young bulls from the herd and thus preventing interbreeding.
Drives in the breeding sanctuary have remained fairly quiet with sightings of sable, Liechtenstein's hartebeest and zebra. On the 14th the scouts on an anti poaching patrol reported coming across a leopard in the vicinity of the Mwalasi river mouth. On seeing them it apparently climbed down from the tree where it was resting and disappeared into the thickets.
Night drives in the second half of the month were a bit quiet with the combination of full moon and relatively cold temperatures keeping activity to a minimum. However we got very excited on the night of the 22nd when the spotlight beam revealed the small scurrying shape of a striped polecat in the vicinity of Staff and Flycatcher road junction. The second record in two months and only one of a handful of sightings in the ten years of the lodge's existence. A pangolin was also reported in the same area from one of the drives from the camp, again a once or twice a year occurrence. Civet and porcupine have continued to show up at regular intervals and sightings of genet, thick tailed and lesser bush baby, white-tailed and marsh mongooses are frequently recorded. The jackals have moved north into the area between crocodile sandbank and Old cormorant colony and are only seen occasionally at the moment. We have been treated to some excellent owl sightings with Pel's, white-faced, barred, wood, scops, giant eagle and spotted eagle owls all been record during the month.
The activity in the breeding colony of White breasted cormorants has reached fever pitch as the huge number of chicks scream for attention from the adults returning from their fishing sorties to the north. The commotion can be heard for more than a kilometre along the river. On the afternoon of the 6th I was sitting in the vehicle on the northern banks of the lagoon watching the hive of activity in the white coated Borassus palms across the water. I noticed that one of the palms right in the middle of the colony looked strangely out of place. Its leaves were the pale green colour of the palms further down stream away from the colony. The cormorants without exception were avoiding this tree. Closer inspection revealed a much larger nest tucked in above the clumps of Borassus fruit with the unmistakable shaped head of an adult fish eagle protruded from the top of the nest. A second bird called from the dead Lead wood to the north of the lagoon and its mate in the nest responded. Completely intrigued by the bird's choice of nesting sight I settled down to watch. Sure enough within half an hour the male Fish-eagle swooped off its perch and darted into the mass confusion of Cormorants in the colony. It made two or three unsuccessful attempts to catch a fleeing cormorant in flight before settling just above its nest. On three occasions since during the month we have watched as this scene was repeated and have twice found the fish eagles feeding on cormorants. While fish eagles in general have been quite often recorded to be catching and feeding on other birds, the deliberate sighting of a nest in amongst such an abundant food source as provided in the cormorant colony is something fascinating.
We recorded a very creditable 203 species of birds during the month, with three additions to our year to date records: African Black Sunbird, Southern Banded Snake eagle and a Southern Pochard. Of the Liwonde specials Lillian's Love Birds are prolific at the moment attracted in large flocks to feed on the small orange yellow fruit clustered on the top of the Euphorbias (ingens). We have recorded Brown breasted Barbets on three occasions and were once again treated to the sight of two Pel's fishing owls roosting high in an acacia albida during an early morning walk in the southern Ntangai thickets. The group of resident Spur-wing plovers has appeared to have expanded their range with a number of sightings of a second group of up to four birds in the vicinity of Borassus palm in the north to complement the frequent sightings in the vicinity of the Ntangaye mouth to the south. We have also had some very nice late afternoon sightings of a pair of White-backed night herons in the lagoon at the cormorant colony.
Mvuu Camp is situated just south of Mvuu Lodge on the banks of the Shire River in Malawi's Liwonde National Park.
It offers a wide range of options including camping, self catering and full board rates with activities. The activities on offer are the same as Mvuu Wilderness Lodge, but the camp is better suited either to families or those on a budget as rates are very reasonable.
A particularly rewarding way of arriving at Mvuu Camp is via the boat trip from Liwonde Town. This river trip takes you 30 kilometres along the Shire offering an excellent chance to see game and birds en route and also the ever changing scenery and vegetation along the banks.
There are nine comfortable walk in tents with shared facilities and five en suite brick chalets. A large wood and thatch dining and lounge area is situated nearby and offers a magnificent view upstream to the north. There is also a specially constructed boma for dinners under the stars.
among the "specials".
Elephant and Sable Antelope occur in large numbers, as do Hippo, Crocodile, Impala and Waterbuck. Leopard, Serval and the rare Oribi may occasionally be seen. Black Rhino have been reintroduced from South Africa's Kruger National Park, as have Zebra, Lichtenstein's Hartebeest, and Buffalo from elsewhere within Malawi.
Birds are prolific, especially along the Shire River where African Fish Eagle, Palmnut Vulture, African Skimmer and Pel's Fishing Owl are fairly common. Bohm's Beeeater, Lilian's Lovebird, Bat Hawk, Livingstone's Flycatcher, Whitebacked Night Heron and Brownbreasted Barbet are among the "specials."
LOCATION
� Situated to the south of Lake Malawi in the Liwonde National Park, the camp is built overlooking the Shire River, the main drainage river from Lake Malawi.
PRICING / CHILD POLICY
High Season: July to October, Easter and Christmas
Low Season: Rest of the year
Children over the age of 8 are welcome.
ACCOMMODATION
Number of tents:
5 Tents in total consisting of:
� 4 twin bedded tents
� 1 honeymoon tent with bath
� Guides/tour leaders accommodated in guest accommodation if available otherwise in staff quarters
This camp can accommodate ten guests; larger groups can also be accommodated in the nearby Mvuu Camp which sleeps up to 36 guests.
Tent details:
� Private veranda overlooking secluded lagoon
� En-suite facilities with a shower
� Tents are mosquito proofed
� Soaps, shampoos and insect repellents are supplied in each room
CAMP DESCRIPTION
Communal Area:
� Dining room and pub under thatch
� Swimming pool
GAME VIEWING
Superb area for Elephant, Hippo and Crocodile during the drier months in the middle of the year. Kudu, Sable, Impala, Waterbuck and Warthog are seen as well as Serval, Civet, Mongoose and Genets on night drives. Baboon, Vervet Monkeys, Bushbuck, Oribi, Leopard, Lion and Bush pig are also found and the birdlife is spectacular all year - Boems Bee-eater.
ACTIVITIES
� Game drives in 1 x 10 seater vehicle
� Night drives
� Boating in 1 x 10 seater safari boat
� Walks with experienced guides
� River Safaris
� The highlight here is superb river cruises where guests may get close to Hippos, Crocodile and wonderful birdlife. There is a Black Rhino re-introduction program and it is possible (with special permission) to visit the Rhino sanctuary in the park, which also contains Liechtenstein's Hartebeest and Buffalo.
SUGGESTED DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
Below is only a suggestion as to what may happen in camp - as daily wildlife sightings tend to throw the schedule right out of schedule.
06h00 Game Walk
07h00 Breakfast
08h00 Boat safari
12h00 Lunch
16h00 Game Drive
19h00 Dinner, table d' h�te or occasionally curry buffet or braai (barbecue)
ELECTRICITY & WATER
� 220v generator
� 12v solar for lights in the tents
� No plugs in the tents but can use plugs at reception if necessary
DRINKS POLICY
Drinks are not included in the nightly tariff and are charged to the guests account.
LAUNDRY POLICY
Daily service, included in the nightly tariff
EXTRAS PAYMENT
Payment can be affected by cash or the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
FLYING TIMES
To/from Lilongwe 55 minutes
To/from Blantyre 40 minutes
To/from Club Makalolo 20 minutes
AIRSTRIP DETAILS
Mvuu (Makanga)
Airstrip co-ordinates:
S 14.15, E35.18
1000m long
GRATUITY SCHEDULE
The following is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards:
Guides - US$5.00 per person per day
General Camp Staff - US$3.00 per person per day
Specialist Guides (if applicable) - US$10.00 per person per day
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Little Kulala Safari Report - June 2004
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The weather in June has been one which is definitely introducing the winter temperature especially in the late evening and early morning with our coldest night being 3 degrees!! The morning temperature in general was a bit kinder to us with a usual 10 degrees, but don't feel discouraged there are plenty of our guests still sleeping on our star beds looking at the stars. The temperature during the day is wonderful and comfortable ranging between 25 and 29 degrees.
Everybody is enjoying the closed vehicles on the morning to drive to Sossusvlei and the hike to Deadvlei and to conquer Big Daddy. Even with the nature drives one needs to remember to take some warm clothes along. Very exciting at the beginning of June we had the transit of Venus across the Sun and for a couple of hours in the morning everyone's noses were facing skywards looking at the sun with protective eclipse glasses, we are definitely ready for the next one.
Orion and the beautiful Saturn are not visible anymore but in the morning Venus is back in action as the morning star. Exciting constellations visible this month are Scorpio, Southern Cross and in the north we are able to see part of Orsa Major or better known as the Big Dipper.
Our little water hole has become increasingly popular with most, including daily visits from six resident ostrich; our big group of Oryx lead by an albino are coming to the water hole quite frequently and of course our faithful groups of springbok. More often in the evenings lately, we have been lucky with predator sightings including the Spotted Eagle owl, Jackals, however, our Spotted Hyaena are shy at the waterhole, we hear them most nights during their howling concerts. An unusual sighting this month was a Blacksmith Plover which found a home at our waterhole for two days.
Little Kulala is situated on a large private reserve, bordering the Namib Naukluft Park, in the heart of the Namib. The camp offers magnificent views of the famous red dunes of Sossusvlei, mountainous scenery and vast open plains.
Little Kulala has eight thatched and canvas chalets of Kulalas, each built on a wooden platform to provide maximum airflow. A popular option with outdoor enthusiasts is to sleep under the stars - mattresses are placed on private stargazing platform on top of each room.
The main lodge has a lounge, bar, dining area and plunge pool, with a view of the dunes. The verandah overlooks a waterhole. Early morning guided game drives to the spectacular dunes are through a private gate on the Tsauchab River.
Game drives and walks are also offered on the private reserve. Here, guests can enjoy incredible views, desert game and smaller desert fauna and flora. Another option, at an extra cost, is early morning ballooning, beginning at first light.
The 60-minute balloon safari offers a truly unique experience to soar silently above the magnificent sand dunes and desert - with a champagne breakfast served at your landing site.
On the edge of the oldest desert in the world, this is not a game rich area, however, whatever game we see is interesting and dramatised by the contrast between the desert and animals like Springbok, Gemsbok (Oryx) and Ostrich who manage to survive in these harsh conditions.
Night drives using spotlights often encounter small mammals such as Aardwolf, Bat Eared Fox, Hares and sometimes Spotted Hyenas
LOCATION� Kulala is 350 km south of Windhoek and can easily be reached by sedan car.
� The entrance is situated 17 km south of Sesriem on the road 826 (follow the signpost with arrows on the C36).
PRICING / CHILD POLICY
High Season: July to October
Shoulder Season: January to June & November to December
☼ Children over the age of 8 years are welcome
ACCOMMODATION
Number of units:
Eight chalets in total comprising:
� 7 x "kulalas" each with twin beds (there are 4 extra beds available for children/triples)
� 1 x family room which sleeps 5
� 4 x tour leader/guides can be accommodated in rondavels
19 guests in total can be accommodated plus tour leaders
Chalet details:� Each "kulala" is especially adapted to the unique desert conditions, built on a platform to ensure maximum airflow, thatch roof provide a cool respite from the sun
� Ceiling fans ensure a breeze at all times.
� All rooms are en-suite with shower, flush toilet and hand basin.
� Each room has a private veranda with view of the majestic dunes without seeing the neighbours.
� A private rooftop area on top of the bathroom gives guests the opportunity of spending a night under the magnificent night sky for which bedrolls are available.
CAMP DESCRIPTION� The main lodge comprises of the reception, lounge, bar, dining room and veranda.
� Thatch roofed
� There is a swimming pool with shaded area if guests want to relax
GAME VIEWING
A water hole in front of the main building gives the opportunity to see Oryx, Springbok, Bat Eared Fox, Aardwolf, Ostrich and Jackals. Some Spotted Hyenas can be heard at night.
ACTIVITIES� Nature drives into the desert in 3 x 10 seater and 1 x 6 seater 4 x 4 vehicles
� Walking Trails
� Visits to Bushman painting sites
� Visit to Sossusvlei and Sesriem
� Balloon safaris (additional cost, even if guests are on Fully Inclusive rate. Closed 15 January to 15 February)
� Horse riding safari (on request and at an additional cost)
� The Scenic sundowner tour is one of the best scenic safaris in the Namib. This exclusive tour is ended with a Champagne sundowner.
� Private vehicles can be booked at an additional cost, subject to availability.
SUGGESTED DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
Below is only a suggestion as to what may happen in camp - as daily wildlife sightings tend to throw the schedule right out of schedule.
05h00 - Wake Up
05h30 - Light breakfast is served
05h55 - Depart on Sossusvlei excursion
Full buffet brunch is served on the dunes
Return to Lodge
15h45 - Depart on afternoon activity
19h00 - Dinner at the Lodge
ELECTRICITY & WATER� Solar heating for hot water
� 220v power is available in each kulala camp 24 hours a day
� Video battery recharging facilities are available; please bring spare battery and adaptors.
DRINKS POLICY
Drinks on game drives and house-wine at dinner are included in the Fully Inclusive rate. All other drinks are excluded unless pre-arranged (for an extra cost all drinks can be included).
LAUNDRY POLICY
A daily laundry service is included in the nightly tariff.
EXTRAS PAYMENT
Payment can be affected by: Travellers' cheques, cash or Visa/MasterCard
FLYING / DRIVING TIMES
To/from Windhoek 1 hour 15 mins
To/from Swakopmund 1 hour
Self drive � 5 hours from/to Windhoek (350 Km)
Self drive � 6 hours from/to Swakopmund (380 Km)
AIRSTRIP DETAILS
Geluk Airstrip co-ordinates
S 24.40.6, E 015.48.1
Gravel surface
15 minutes from camp
GRATUITY SCHEDULE
The following is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards:
R 100 per guest per day. This will be divided up amongst the camp staff.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
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Serra Cafema Namibia Safari Report - June 04
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June has been a great month for Serra Cafema. We were very busy with the peak season starting. Our guests came from all over the world, from as far as New Zealand and as close as South Africa. Serra Cafema is a knock out for our guests, some saying they now no longer have to go to the moon, Serra Cafema is better.
The Himba tribe continues to amaze people. Even though not many of them have remained at the village, they still give the guests a good impression on how they live in this barren area. They really have such a rich culture, there is so much to learn from them.
We still have not had any rain, however, some of the animals are returning to the area. Temperatures have dropped somewhat in the mornings and evenings, however, the fireplace in the main area is very cozy and the best spot to warm up and relax after a long day out on the quad bikes. We are also getting more and more foggy mornings in camp, it sure makes getting out of bed very difficult.
The water level of the Kunene is going down quite rapidly, making the boat trips shorter and the crocodile viewing better with a 3 meter croc daily waiting at the rapids close to camp. The bird life is great. Night life has been booming with regular sightings of Black-backed Jackal and Brown Hyaena around camp.
Serra Cafema remains the best place to end your safari in Namibia, or even Botswana. After a hectic safari of getting up early in the mornings and being kept busy throughout the day, Serra Cafema is the spot to come and relax at. Our activities will also keep you busy, but the water in the late afternoons and evenings will sooth your soul back to normality.
Come see for yourselves how beautiful our dunes and mountains are, this is a little peace of heaven on earth.
Serra Cafema Camp is one of the most remote camps in all of Southern Africa and offers one of the most memorable experiences in Namibia. The small 16 bedded camp, whose only access is by aircraft, is located in the extreme north-west of Namibia and is further away from Namibia's capital city, Windhoek, than from Botswana's Okavango Delta.
Serra Cafema shares this region with the wonderful and colourful Himba people who are some of the last true nomadic people of Africa. The Kunene River is the only permanent source of water and creates an oasis along its banks surrounded by rugged mountains and sand dunes.
The camp is situated under big shady Albida trees overlooking the Kunene River and comprises 8 canvas and thatched chalets that are raised off the ground, each with its own en-suite bathroom. Other facilities include a small swimming pool, dining room and bar. One goes to sleep at night to the gurgling water sounds from the rapid just downstream from camp.
In stark contrast, during the day, guests spend their time exploring one of the planet's driest deserts. Activities include enjoying the breath-taking landscape scenes with Springbok, Ostrich and Oryx dotted here and there, traversing the sand dunes in 4x4 Landrovers and boating on the Kunene River where we can watch for the Kunene crocodiles.
Walking in the remote mountain and river valleys are also a highlight. Serra Cafema is often visited by the native Ovahimba families who live in the nearby vicinity, which gives guests the opportunity to learn about their lifestyle and traditions.
Guests can get into some of the massive sand dunes to the west of the camp.
Game viewing in this area is limited to large herds of Oryx and springbok in the Hartman's valley. The Kunene River has a large population of Nile Crocodiles. Cinderella Waxbills, Rufous Bellied Palmtrush and Grey Kestrels are three species of bird not seen anywhere else in southern Africa, Palm nut vultures are seen occasionally as well as a number of the Namibian endemics. There are also a number of endemic reptiles.
LOCATION- Situated on the southern bank of the Kunene River
- At the foot of the Hartman's valley.
PRICING / CHILD POLICY
High Season: July to October
Shoulder Season: January to June & November to December
Children over the age of 8 years are welcome
ACCOMMODATION
Number of tents:
7 tents comprising of:
- 1 double tent with king size bed
- 4 twin tents
- 1 family tent
- 2 en-suite guide / pilot rooms.
This camp can accommodate 15 guests (if including a family) plus tour leaders.
Tent details- En-suite bathrooms with indoor and outside shower.
- Private viewing decks overlooking the Kunene river valley and the Serra Cafema hills.
- Overhead fan
- Large mosquito nets
- Large luxuriously appointed Meru tents which are raised off the ground
CAMP DESCRIPTION- Situated under big, shady Albia trees with uninterrupted views of the Kunene river valley.
- The camp is elevated on wooden decks with walkways to each tent.
- Small pool
- Dining area and bar
GAME VIEWING
Game viewing in this area is limited to large herds of Oryx and springbok in the Hartman's valley. The Kunene River has a large population of Nile Crocodiles. Cinderella Waxbills, Rufous Bellied Palmtrush and Grey Kestrels are three species of bird not seen anywhere else in southern Africa, Palm nut vultures are seen occasionally as well as a number of the Namibian endemics. There are also a number of endemic reptiles.
ACTIVITIES- Nature drives in Hatman's valley in open land rovers.
- Traversing the sand dunes on quad bikes
- Boating on the Kunene River
- Walks in the valleys and at the waterfalls
- Visit to a working Himba village
- Full day outings with picnic lunch
SUGGESTED DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
Below is only a suggestion as to what may happen in camp - as daily wildlife sightings tend to throw the schedule right out of schedule.
06h00 - Wake up
07h00 - Full breakfast
07h30 - Depart on full day outing which can include walking, visiting a nearby village, quad biking or boating on the Kunene River. A picnic lunch is included
19h00 - A three course dinner is served in camp
Stargazing
ELECTRICITY AND WATER- 12v Power with facility to charge video battery
- Water is solar heated
- 12v power for lighting and fans in the tents
DRINKS POLICY
Drinks on game drives and house-wine at dinner are included. All other drinks are excluded unless pre-arranged (for an extra cost all drinks can be included).
LAUNDRY POLICY
Daily service is included in the nightly tariff
EXTRAS PAYMENT
Payment can be affected by cash, travellers' cheques or Visa/MasterCard
FLYING TIME
Windhoek 3hrs 20 mins
Swakopmund 2hrs 30 mins
AIRSTRIP DETAILS
Hartmann Valley and following are the airstrip details:
Latitude: S17 22 37.0
Longitude: E012 15 22.0
Altitude: 1900ft
Length: 850m
Heading: 02/20
GRATUITY SCHEDULE
The following is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards:
R100 per guest per day. This will be divided up amongst the camp staff.
SUGGESTED LUGGAGE LIST
1. Good quality sunglasses - preferably polarized. Tinted fashion glasses are not good in strong light
2. Sun hat
3. Golf-shirts, T-shirts and long-sleeved cotton shirts
4. Shorts/skirts
5. Long trousers/slacks
6. Track suit
7. More formal attire for your stay at prestigious city hotels or on one of the luxury trains.
8. Underwear (sports bra recommended on game drives as the roads can be bumpy and uneven) and socks
9. Good walking shoes (running/tennis shoes are fine)
10. Sandals
11. Swimming costume
12. Warm winter jersey
13. Warm Anorak or Parka and scarf / gloves for the cold winter months (May to September)
14. Light rain gear for summer months (late November to April)
15. Camera equipment and plenty of film
16. If you wear contact lenses, we recommend that you bring along a pair of glasses in case you get irritation from the dust
17. BINOCULARS - ESSENTIAL (Night vision binoculars are not essential but highly recommended if your safari includes night activities)
18. Newman's bird book if you are a keen birder
19. Personal toiletries (basic amenities supplied by most establishments)
20. Malaria tablets (if applicable)
21. Moisturizing cream & suntan lotion
22. Insect repellent e.g. Tabard, Rid, Jungle Juice, etc
23. Basic medical kit (aspirins, plasters, Immodium, antiseptic cream and Anti-histamine cream etc)
24. Tissues/"Wet Ones"
25. Visas, tickets, passports, money etc
26. Waterproof/dustproof bags/cover for your cameras.
Please note that bright colours and white are NOT advised whilst on safari. Please remember that there may be a restriction on luggage limits on your safari - please ensure that you have the details from your agent according to your itinerary and ask your agent ahead of time if you would like details on the feasibility and costs of taking excess luggage with you on any of these restricted luggage safaris.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
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Makalolo Camp Zimbabwe Safari Report - June 2004
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Either we've all acclimatised to the Hwange weather or Mother Nature is saving a cold surprise for later! The winter weather has been quite bearable with minimum temperatures ranging between 3 and 12 degrees Celsius. Overall, these sunny days have boasted a comfortable average of 27 degrees Celsius and the pleasant temperatures can be attributed to the cloud cover that has been keeping the warmth in. However, after sunset, the temperatures drop quite rapidly and it is necessary to wrap up! Some guests have donned their bath robes on the morning and evening drives and have started a new fashion trend at Makalolo!
On 8 June we witnessed the transition of Venus with the sun - looking through welding helmet glass; Venus was seen as a small dot on the lower right hand side of the sun's circumference. Considering the last one was seen 1000 years ago, it was quite a highlight for our young generation!
False Mopane and Zambezi Teak appear to be the only trees resilient enough to withstand the colder temperatures and proudly display their green foliage amongst the surrounding tones of brown, tan, khaki and yellow. The abundance of dry grass carpeting the plains could be a potential fire hazard this season, which our pans seem well prepared for! The bush is brittle and thinning out gradually as awesome herds of buffalo and elephants plough and mow through the desiccated maze of moisture less vegetation. Seas of skeletal dried wild hibiscus will hopefully be eradicated in the process, as they are making the landscape look rather unkempt.
Some of our guests had the privilege of experiencing the big six all in one day, plus wild dogs and honey badgers thrown in for good measure! Our most memorable sighting of the month was that of a very relaxed rhino cow and calf captured at Little Mbiza amongst the tall golden grass in the soft light just before sunset. Foster and his guests did an approach on a male rhino whilst on a walk at Mbiza and everyone found that rather exhilarating! Leopard sightings are improving drastically and most of them have been close encounters! Most sightings have been on the way back into camp from evening game drives and have been on the road which junctions the road to our compound - obviously, this is a young male clambering around familiar territory which is being seen on a regular basis!
Wild dogs have once again hit the headlines as our resident pack of 5 has been sighted hunting and killing both impala and kudu at Ngweshla. One misty morning, we heard the cry of a young animal in front of tent 9, and upon investigation, discovered the dogs devouring the body a young kudu cow. After eating their full, they sunned themselves at the pan in front of camp for a few hours.
During an evening of dinner table conversation, our guides debated the size of honey badgers! It was very ironic that on the following morning's transfer to the airstrip, a honey badger was nearly flattened when it ran onto the road in front of the vehicle! That same evening, a pair of honey badgers was seen at Somavundla and apparently this had been the best honey badger sighting for Doug Kew. After having not seen honey badgers in our concession for some time, as well as the guides contesting whose size was more accurate, it made for fantastic first hand experience for our guests!
Lion sightings have been poor, due to the fact that our former resident pride now belongs to Linkwasha! Apparently the new male in or concession (aka Vuka) has been lingering around Little Mak. Though his spoor has been seen on the road on several occasions, he himself has been extremely elusive but Lion Research has confirmed that he is definitely in the Little Mak area. On an evening drive to Mbiza, game drive guests and guides discovered the fresh carcass of a young collared lioness. The remains were brought back to camp for research purposes and it is believed that the 18 month old lioness was killed by the eight young male cubs that are part of the pride prowling around Linkwasha, intending on forming their own coalition/s. Foster recovered the skull from this young lioness and has put it on display in our living area!
Elephant and buffalo activity have been outstanding! Elephants are congregating in large herds around various mineral licks and water holes and are still amazing our guests with their frequent visits to the swimming pool for a quick drink. Valentine awed guests on an afternoon drive with the sighting of a baby buffalo that had been born just minutes before! They witnessed the mother buffalo eating the after birth!
Some good probability sightings for the month have been as follows: 100% for elephant, giraffe, impala, black-backed jackal, springhare, wildebeest and zebra. Aardwolf 3%, bat-eared fox 13%, lesser bush baby 3%, bush buck 3%, buffalo 87%, caracal 3%, cheetah 7%, eland 27%, genet 7%, honey badger 7%, hyaena 7%, hunting dog 10%, side-striped jackal 43%, kudu 53%, leopard 20%, lion 17%, rhino 13%, roan 13% and wildcat 3%.
Red-billed francolins have topped the charts this month with their breeding behaviour! We are seeing new little clutches of chicks running around camp almost on a weekly basis! Twice during the month, the guinea fowls in front of camp have had close encounters with a Martial Eagle! One morning the guinea fowls went into a raucous flutter as a Martial swooped down onto the flustered flock and connected with a guinea fowl in mid-flight! Fortunately for the guinea fowl it was a near miss and it escaped unscathed, bar a few feathers which we retrieved for display purposes! The second time it happened, the guinea fowls had wisened up to the Martial's tactics and made for the trees! A little banded goshawk was seen drinking in the bird bath outside the dining area on a very cold winter's morning. We spotted a juvenile crowned crane waking across the plains at Ngweshla with both parents. We were rather excited with this finding because it proved that our familiar friends' nest had withstood the abundance of water during the rainy season and they had a young one to prove it!
Makalolo Plains is situated in a remote area within the vast Hwange National Park and is one of the few camps built within the Park. Hwange is legendary for its wonderful array of wildlife and massive herds of Elephant and Buffalo - especially in the dryer winter months.
There are excellent opportunities to view game from open 4x4 vehicles during the early morning and late afternoon, when game is most active. Foot safaris are also offered, and are accompanied by an armed professional guide. The camp is set in a unique location, overlooking the Samavundhla Pan - which attracts game in good concentrations.
The entire camp is raised on wooden boardwalks and platforms, giving guests excellent views over the waterhole and floodplain in front of the camp. Accommodation consists of nine large, comfortable tented rooms with en-suite shower, toilet and basin - all with hot and cold running water.
There is an outdoor shower for those who enjoy showering under the stars. The lighting in the rooms is battery powered - ensuring peace and quiet in camp. Meals are enjoyed in the separate raised dining area.
There is also a lounge, pub and plunge pool. The camp has hides overlooking the waterhole, which allow guests to enjoy close up game viewing.
Summer sees the large antelope herds migrate onto the plains, closely followed by their predators. Elephants, Buffalo, Sable, Roan, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Impala and sometimes even Gemsbok can be seen here. The area is one of the best for predators - Lion, Leopard, Wild Dog and Cheetah are regularly sighted, along with the smaller African Wild Cat, Serval, Honey Badger, Civet and Hyena. The area has a number of waterholes which attract game in large concentrations, especially during the winter months. Guests can sit at a waterhole and watch the passing parade of animals as they come to quench their thirst. For the bird watcher, Makalolo offers a wonderful range of birding, from Miombo species right through to the Kalahari species.
LOCATION
o Situated in the South Eastern section of Hwange National Park on a private concession.
PRICING
High Season: 1 July - 31 October
Low Season: 1 January - 30 June and November/December
ACCOMMODATION
There are nine tents consisting of:
Seven twin bedded tents (can be set up as double beds if required)
One honeymoon tent, and one tour leader or guest tent.
This camp can accommodate 16 guests and one tour leader or 18 guests, if all in one group, with tour leader in basic staff accommodation.
Sold to a maximum of 16 guests on a FIT basis
Tent details:
o Luxury tents raised off the ground on teak decking
o En-suite bathrooms within tents with showers
o Fans
o Tents have outside showers
o Honeymoon tent has an outside bath
o Wooden doors, and no zips
o Mosquito proof
o Gas radiator heaters in winter months
o Soaps, shampoos and insect repellents are supplied in each room
CAMP DESCRIPTION
The camp is built on a raised teak platform under thatch overlooking the Somavundhla plain, and set in a stand of teak trees.
o Telescope for on-deck viewing
o Plunge pool on raised deck
o Curio shop
o Conference facilities available on request, if group books out whole camp o Dining room, lounge and pub are thatched
o Library
o Game viewing platform
o Bunker hide in pan in front of camp
GAME VIEWING
There are Lion, large herds of Elephant, Buffalo, Hyena, Giraffe, Sable, Wildebeest, Impala, Waterbuck and Reed Buck.
The highlight here is the large open plains, where one can see large quantities of animals. Summer game viewing is excellent with Wildebeest, Zebra and Eland found in abundance on the plains. In winter the water holes are magnets for Elephant and on some days each water hole can get up to 1000 Elephants coming down to drink.
ACTIVITIES
o Game drives in 2x7-seater and 2x9-seater vehicles (wind-resistant ponchos are provided during winter months)
o Walking safaris with armed professional guide
o Bunker hide underground in front of camp next to waterholes
o Hides in the trees overlooking waterhole
SUGGESTED DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
Below is only a suggestion as to what may happen in camp - as daily wildlife sightings tend to throw the schedule right out of schedule.
summer/winter
05h00/06h00 - Wake Up
05h30/06h30 - Light breakfast
06h00/07h00 - Game drive, canoeing, boating, walk with drinks and snacks
10h30/11h00 - Brunch/lunch
- Option to rest or sit at hides
15h30/15h30 - Afternoon tea
16h00/16h00 - Game drive / walk with drinks and snacks
20h00/20h00 - Dinner under the stars or under thatch
ELECTRICITY & WATER
o Camp has 220v generator-powered electricity, power is stored in 12v batteries which power the lights and fans in the rooms
o Video camera batteries can be charged while out on a game drive
o Water for showers etc is heated by solar power
DRINKS POLICY
All drinks are included in the nightly tariff, except for imported champagne and hard to obtain drinks such as Bourbon.
LAUNDRY POLICY
Daily service, weather permitting, included in the nightly tariff.
EXTRAS PAYMENT
Curios and/or tips/gratuities will be billed to the tent number and settled on check-out. Payment can be made in cash (US$), travellers' cheques and Visa or MasterCard credit cards.
If guests wish to tip, our recommended tipping schedule is as follows:
Guides - US$5.00 per person per day
General camp staff - US$3.00 per person per day
Specialist guides (if applicable) - US$10.00 per person per day. This is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards.
FLYING TIMES
to/from Hwange Airport - 20 minutes
Victoria Falls to the camp's strip - 55 minutes
Makalolo to Giraffe Springs - 30 minutes
AIR STRIP DETAILS
Linkwasha airstrip is located 30 minutes' drive from camp.
Air strip co-ordinates: S19.07.93, E27.12.79
1000m long, grass strip, can take King Airs 90's, provided that they have high flotation landing gear.
HEALTH
There are a few basic health matters that require care and attention. We are obviously not medical practitioners and the following points are recommended guidelines only. Please consult your doctor and also check with your health department prior to departure for any changes in health regulations.
a) Malaria
Malaria within South Africa's borders is only prevalent in a few areas. It is encountered mainly in northern and eastern Mpumalanga, northern Kwa-Zulu Natal, and the border areas of the Northern and North West Provinces. Malaria is also common in the lower lying areas of Swaziland. It can also be found throughout Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and much of Botswana. Northern Namibia is also a malaria area. Should you be visiting these areas malaria precautions are advised.
Malaria transmission is at its highest during the warmer and wetter months of November through to April. From May through to October the risks of acquiring malaria are reduced.
The malaria parasite requires a human host in order to complete its life cycle. In most cases, our camps are situated in remote, unpopulated areas, so the chances of contracting malaria are very slim. Nonetheless, it is worth taking preventative measures.
Both chloroquine-resistant and normal strains of malaria are prevalent in Africa. Malaria is transmitted by a very small percentage of female Anopheles mosquitoes. They are only active in the early evening and throughout the night, at the times when one is usually sleeping or sitting around the campfire.
MALARIA prophylactic recommendations for southern African travellers:
Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to malaria prophylaxis. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be contracted despite chemoprophylaxis, especially in areas where chloroquine resistance has been reported. Please remember that the best insurance is the preventative kind: avoid being bitten by using mosquito repellents liberally. Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks in the evenings. If staying in a bungalow or tent, spray with an insecticide like DOOM to kill any mosquitoes that may have flown into your room. Mosquito coils are effective.
If you become ill on your return, while still on prophylaxis or even once you have stopped taking them, ensure that your doctor does everything to establish that your illness is not malaria.
Malaria is not a serious problem if you are sensible and take basic precautions. There have been very few cases of our guests contracting malaria during our 19 years to date, of operation.
b) Water
It is very important that you drink plenty of water especially during the warmer months. It is generally recommended that guests drink at least 2 to 3 litres (4 to 6 pints) of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration. This excludes tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages, which act as diuretics and can actually contribute to dehydration.
Generally, water throughout Southern Africa is safe to drink directly from the tap. However, bottled water is readily available, so please do not allow yourself to become dehydrated.
c) Other Health Issues
There are no other health issues that one needs to be overly concerned with.
GUESTS COMMENTS
"Thank you for making our 40th anniversary celebration so very memorable! We had the most incredible guide spottings - just unbelievable! We definitely will spread the word about how wonderful game and staff are!" BARB & JIM GIFFORD, WISCONSIN, USA
"Thank you Foster, Tendai and Shelley for a wonderful time here at Makalolo. We loved all the personal attention and friendly atmosphere here. Yay for the walking safari - right up to that big white rhino! I'm sure some of our best photographs and best memories will be from you guys here!" THE HEARD FAMILY, WASHINGTON DC, USA
"Thanks so much to all for a wonderful and heart warming experience here! It's a magical place full of very special moments. Can't think of a place I'd rather be". DENISE LANDAU, COLORADO, USA
Hakuna Mutata from all at Makalolo!
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Plan a Linkwasha Safari with vacationtechnician.com
Linkwasha Safari Report - June 2004
June has brought us a bit of everything as far as weather is concerned. The beginning of the month was freezing, our lowest temp being 2 deg C at 7 o'clock in the morning!!! Towards the middle of the month some cloud blew in from the south. This certainly warmed things up for us at night and early in the morning. The last half of the month the days generally started off with a cold breeze coming in from the south east and cloudy to begin with. Most clouds would have dissipated by midday. Our highest temp for the month was 27 deg C.
The Linkwasha concession looks in fine shape. The bush is full of colour now with the various trees leaves starting to turn, especially the bright yellow of the Ordeals behind camp. The grass on the plains in front of camp still fairly long and although mostly golden brown there are still a few patches of green grass. The plains at Ngamo have been well grazed by all the Wildebeest and Zebra but a good amount of grass still remains. Waterholes are all looking good and the unpumped natural holes still have good amounts of water.
Despite the constant change in the weather here this month, especially with the cold wind, our species total for this month stood at an impressive 38! Our daily average was 19,5 species and on our best day 23 species were seen.
The Bat Eared Foxes are all coming out just after midday now to escape the cold nights and mornings, and we regularly have a group of 6 feeding on the plains in front of camp.
Aardwolf have been seen on 3 occasions this month, twice near camp and the other from Back Pans. It seems the one near camp is becoming very relaxed with the vehicles now enabling guests to get a good view of this rare nocturnal mammal. Huge herds of Buffalo are now starting to reappear at the waterholes and are all in great condition. Most herds have a good number of young in them.
The big Eland herds have moved off the plains now and remaining are a few small herds of bulls. Elephants made a huge come back at the beginning of the month and we were starting to have them drink out of the swimming pool regularly at night. As soon as the cloudy weather blew in the bigger herds moved off.
Most of the Elephant sightings have been of small breeding herds or bulls. We darted and removed a snare from a 3 year old calf at Ostrich Pan on the 27th. All went well and the calf was seen again in the herd and doing well on the 30th near Back Pans.
Ngamo has been amazing this month for Giraffe where we have sighted some herds in excess of 20 animals. Hyaenas have been very vocal at night around camp and on one evening we were disturbed at the fire by some chasing Wildebeest right through the camp.
The young male Leopard is still patrolling the boardwalks in camp and one often picks up his sandy tracks on the concrete of the main building. One night guests driving back to tent # 9 & 10 spent about 15 minutes with him as he climbed into a Leadwood on the lookout for Spinghare. Lion sightings this month have been very good. We have been spending good time with the pride of 10 and also with the huge Black Maned chap who comes through to check that all's in order with his ladies. We spent a whole morning with the pride at Back Pans as they chased and harassed a troop of baboons for about 30 minutes before tuning their focus on a small herd of Buffalo coming down to drink. We positioned the vehicles on some raised ground and then patiently sat and watched as they stalked the grazing Buffalo. They approached the Buffalo from three different directions and after 45 minutes one young male started the charge. The Buffalo scattered in all directions and after 5 minutes of what seemed like total chaos 3 young males and a young lioness separated a cow from the herd. They jumped onto its back trying to bite the spine and only once the forth lion jumped on its back did it actually go to ground. As they are inexperienced hunters at this stage they were not able to kill the Buffalo and all the bellowing attracted the attention of the now gathered herd. They rushed back, charging, and chased the lions off the shocked cow. She was up in a second and staggered back, amazed at the change of events, into the safety of the herd. While all this was happening one of the adult lionesses killed a small calf that had also been separated. In a short space of time she too was driven off the carcass and the Buffalo would not let he lions feed for over an hour as they guarded the dead calf. All this happened within 30 yards of the vehicle and completely out in the open, a truly awesome experience!
Sightings of the Rhino have been great. He seems to do circuits of the concession and his favorite hang outs are in front of camp, Scotts Pan, Back Pans and Ngamo. We have had no further sightings of the cow with her calf.
Our sighting percentages for this month are : Aardwolf 13%, Bat Eared Fox 87% , Buffalo 83% , Eland 43% ,Elephants 100% , Giraffe 100% , Spotted Hyaena 43% , Leopard 13% , Lion 40% , White Rhino 33% and Sable 73%.
Birding Linkwasha
This months total was 137 species. The pair of Wattled Cranes which arrived late last month are still at Ngamo and with all the water still there are plenty of water birds hanging around on the fringes of the pans. Other interesting sightings were 8 Painted Snipe feeding together at the main pan, the pair of White-backed Ducks in the Hippo pool with ducklings, a White-headed Vulture on a nest near Scotts Pan, Arnot's Chats in the False Mopane Forrest at Ostrich Pan, A Southern Boubou at Ngamo in the Acacia Woodland and a female Cape Shovellor at Ngamo Pan.
Linkwasha Camp is divided into two luxury tented camps - one with seven tents, and the other with three. Linkwasha is situated in a private concession area within Hwange National Park. The area includes many diverse habitats, including Kalahari savannah, acacia woodlands, as well as palm islands and teak forests.
This habitat diversity attracts many different animal populations and over 400 species of birds. The area is known for its big game, particularly the predators, as well as large herds of Elephants and Buffalo during the winter months. Summer months offer a complete contrast, as many of the plains-game (and their predators) migrate to this section of the park to enjoy the lush grazing on the open savannah. Game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, hides and guided walks form part of the Linkwasha experience.
The tented rooms, built under thatch, are large and comfortable. Each room has en-suite facilities including a shower, basin, and flush toilet - and an outdoor shower. A raised walkway links the rooms, the lounge and dining room. Each room overlooks an expansive plain in front of camp - so different species of game can be sighted on the savannah.
NOTED GAME VIEWING
The area is known during our winter months for its big game, in particular large concentrations of Elephant and Buffalo. Lion, Leopard, Cheetah and Hyena are regulars, and their prey includes all the plains game. Roan and Sable are seen in the woodlands. Birdlife is abundant and diverse. During the summer, after the first rains, we see a large influx of the plains game - Eland, Zebra, Giraffe and Wildebeest arrive in large concentrations to feed off the new grasses and shrubs on the plains, closely followed by their predators.
LOCATION
o The camps are situated within the South Eastern section of Hwange National Park on a private concession bordering onto Makalolo Plain's concession in Zimbabwe.
PRICING
High Season: 1 July - 31 October
Low Season: 1 January - 30 June and November/December
Camp Descriptions
There are two camps next to each other. A three-roomed camp and a seven-roomed camp, which means we can accommodate 6,14 or 20 guests.
Linkwasha Camp Main:
There are seven tents in total consisting of:
six twin bedded tents
One honeymoon tent with outside bath
This camp can accommodate 14 guests.
Little Linkwasha Camp:
Three tents in total consisting of:
Two twin bedded tents
One honeymoon tent with outside bath
This camp can accommodate six guests.
Tour leader accommodation is in staff area, with shared bathroom
Tent details:
o En-suite bathrooms in tent
o Outdoor showers
o Fans
o Mosquito proof
o Wooden doors
o Luxury tents under thatch
o Gas radiator heaters in the winter months
o Soaps, shampoos and insect repellents are supplied in each room
CAMP DESCRIPTION
o Slightly raised decks under thatch
o Plunge pool in each camp
o Fantastic views across the floodplains and waterhole
o Curio shop
o Library
o Outdoor boma for dinner under the stars as well as regular dining room under thatch
GAME VIEWING
Lion, large herds of Elephant, Buffalo, Hyena, Giraffe, Sable, Wildebeest, Impala, Waterbuck, Reed Buck.
The large open plains allow one to see large quantities of animals. Summer game viewing is excellent with Wildebeest, Zebra and Eland found in abundance on the plains. In winter the water holes are magnets for Elephant and on some days each water hole can get up to 1000 Elephants coming down to drink.
ACTIVITIES
o Game drives in 3x7 and 1x9-seater 4x4 landrovers
o Walking safaris with an armed professional guide
o Hides
o Wind and water resistant ponchos are provided for game drives
SUGGESTED DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
Below is only a suggestion as to what may happen in camp - as daily wildlife sightings tend to throw the schedule right out of schedule.
summer/winter
05h00/06h00 - Wake Up
05h30/06h30 - Light breakfast
06h00/07h00 - Game drive, canoeing, boating, walk with drinks & snacks
10h30/11h00 - Brunch/lunch
- Option to rest or sit at hides
15h30/15h30 - Afternoon tea
16h00/16h00 - Game drive / walk with drinks and snacks
20h00/20h00 - Dinner under the stars or under thatch
ELECTRICITY & WATER
o Camp has 220v generator-powered electricity, power is stored in 12v batteries which power the lights and fans in the rooms
o Video camera batteries can be charged while on a game drive
o Water for showers etc is heated by solar power
DRINKS POLICY
All drinks are included in the nightly tariff, except for imported champagne and hard to obtain drinks such as Bourbon.
LAUNDRY POLICY
Daily service, weather permitting, included in the nightly tariff.
EXTRAS PAYMENT
Curios and/or tips/gratuities will be billed to the tent number and settled on check-out. Payment can be made by cash (US$), travellers' cheques, and Visa or MasterCard credit cards.
If guests wish to tip, our recommended tipping schedule is as follows:
Guides - US$5.00 per person per day
General camp staff - US$3.00 per person per day
Specialist guides (if applicable) - US$10.00 per person per day. This is the suggested gratuity schedule only and is subject to service standards.
FLYING TIMES
to/from Victoria Falls - 50-60 minutes
to/from Hwange airport - 20 minutes
Makalolo to Giraffe Springs - 30 minutes
AIR STRIP DETAILS
Linkwasha airstrip is located 45 minutes' drive from camp.
Linkwasha airstrip co-ordinates: S 19.07.93, E 027.11.79
1000m long, grass strip, can take King Airs 90's, provided that they have high flotation landing gear.
GUEST COMMENTS
P.S & S.S - CT - USA - "Thank you for the Rhino and the Lions. We were charmed by the peaceful surroundings and the troubles of the world seemed to vanish! Wish all people were able to experience this "wild" life!"
A.B - CA - USA - "What a wonderful time and super guides. Best sunset pictures ever!"
K.D & D.D - WA - USA - "FANTASTIC! INCREDIBLE! A piece of heaven!! Great rooms, incredible food and warm and hospitable hosts. We could not have wished for more. It has met our expectations in every way!"
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
International private sector partnership attempts to tackle �Kyoto Protocol Exempt Global Airline Industry�s Pollution,� -one traveler at a time.
Greenwood Lake, New York (PRWEB) Jun 29, 2004 � The Global Airline Industry is sharply reducing the positive environmental benefits of the Kyoto Protocol.
The largest negative impact of air travel is the jet greenhouse gas emissions. The UK-USA private sector partnership between Climatecare.org and vacationtechnician.com presents an elegant solution to offset one of the largest unchecked catalysts driving global climate change, widely known as Global Warming.
Despite the global airline industry's heavy environmental toll, guidelines on international aircraft emissions were excluded from the Kyoto protocol on climate change and aviation fuel is tax-exempt. High altitude airline exhaust is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gases. The exponential growth of low cost air carriers worldwide is only serving to compound the problem.
�At the Third Session of the Conference of the Parties in Kyoto, international aviation emissions were not included in the agreed targets, because of the difficulties that had arisen over the methodologies for allocating these emissions.�
Example: during a typical flight from Europe and the USA to Africa: from London to Johannesburg each passenger is responsible for 2.5 tons of CO2 while if flying from New York, this rises to 3.5 tons!
The Vacation Technician Company offers a convenient way of both calculating these emissions and �repairing� their negative impact on Earth's atmosphere. Each vacationtechnician.com client is consulted regarding the carbon created by their flight. Clients are then asked to make a distance calculated "offset" or financial contribution which funds a CO2 reduction project in a financially less fortunate country, professionally managed by Climatecare.org
"Beneath the glamorous high-flying image of aviation is a grossly polluting industry," said Paul de Zylva, head of Friends of the Earth in London.
�Amid years of scientific warnings on Climate Change and Global Warming, real conservation options have been non existent for environmentally sensitive air travelers,� says David Chamberlain, director of vacationtechnician.com. �We are excited to enable our clients an option to "offset" the excessive greenhouse gas and carbon emissions generated as they fly to the most enchanting wilderness retreats in the world.�
Climate Care was formed in 1998 as a limited company, to help individuals and organizations reduce their own impact on global warming. Then, as now, we were in no doubt of the enormity of the challenge, but we reasoned: "One World. One Climate. Two Choices." The first choice is to ignore the problem and hope it will go away by itself. The second choice is to acknowledge the problem and then take sensible, sure steps to resolving it.
The VacationTechnician Company is committed to providing discerning international traveler�s routes of discovery to both explore & protect the most remote & pristine wildlife areas left on our planet. Enlightening and exhilarating adventure tourism can bring hope to less developed economies and those less fortunate while at the same time sustaining and protecting our rapidly diminishing natural areas worldwide. Luxury adventure never made so much sense.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
David Chamberlain
The VacationTechnician Company
155 Blueberry Hill
Greenwood Lake, NY 10925
1-866-589-8792 USA
001-866-589-8792 International
http://www.vacationtechnician.com/x/climatecare.htm
Tom Morton
ClimateCare
58 Church Way
Oxford
OX4 4EF
United Kingdom
http://www.climatecare.org
Tel: +44 (0)1865 777 770
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
Global Airline Industry reducing Positive Environmental Benefits of Kyoto Protocol
"At the Third Session of the Conference of the Parties in Kyoto, international aviation emissions were not included in the agreed targets, because of the difficulties that had arisen over the methodologies for allocating these emissions". Reference
The largest negative impact of your holiday travel is the greenhouse gas emissions from your air travel. The Vacation Technician Company and Climatecare offer a convenient way of both calculating these emissions and �repairing� their impact on the climate -thereby making an equivalent emissions reduction or "offset."
FYI:
Reuters CNN May 24, 2004 - In Sydney Airport's crowded international terminal, passengers make last-minute passport checks or fret over toddlers in pushchairs as they wait in the snaking queue to check in for the 23-hour flight to London.
But few of the 400 passengers crammed on to each jumbo jet taking off over Botany Bay ever consider the environmental impact of their 17,000km intercontinental trip.
Passengers will consume at least 1600 meals in plastic containers, but each plane travelling to London will guzzle more than 200 tonnes of jet fuel and pump out more than 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide, as well as other greenhouse gases.
"Beneath the glamorous high-flying image of aviation is a grossly polluting industry," said said Paul de Zylva, head of Friends of the Earth in London.
Scientists say airlines rate as one of the most polluting forms of transport, with 16,000 commercial jets producing more than 600 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
Climate change, caused by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, is deemed by many experts to be the biggest long-term threat to mankind.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates aviation causes 3.5 per cent of man-made global warming and that figure could rise to 15 per cent by 2050.
Nasa scientists say condensation trails from jet exhausts create cirrus clouds that may trap heat rising from the earth's surface.
This could account for nearly all the warming over the United States between 1975 and 1994.
Earth's Climate & You...Click for Facts
The International Air Transport Association, the body which represents the world's airlines, accepts that aircraft cause environmental damage.
"Every minute we can save in flight times has a positive impact on the environment and on our costs," said Iata spokesman Anthony Concil.
Despite the industry's heavy environmental toll, guidelines on international aircraft emissions were excluded from the Kyoto protocol on climate change and aviation fuel is tax-exempt.
Aerospace firms have made huge leaps forward, with commercial jets 70 per cent more fuel-efficient per passenger kilometre than they were 40 years ago, thanks to better engines, lighter materials and aerodynamic designs.
And cost-obsessed carriers are continuously searching for ways to use capacity better, find more direct flight paths and cut congestion in order to trim the hefty fuel bills which make up 25 per cent of airline operating costs.
Dirt cheap airfares, thanks to the runaway success of low-cost carriers, mean thousands more people are now taking to the skies.
"It's a catch-22 situation. Many developing countries want to promote tourism as a revenue source and a lot of no-frills airlines are appearing in Malaysia and other parts of Asia," said Gurmit Singh, of Malaysia's Centre of Environment Technology and Development.
The sheer growth of passenger volumes is likely to negate the benefits of future improvements, say environmentalists.
Simon Thomas, chairman of London-based environmental consultancy Trucost, estimates that technological improvements help trim emissions by around 1 per cent a year, a drop in the ocean when the aviation industry is forecasting 5 per cent annual traffic growth for the next two decades.
The aviation industry opposes any new green taxes, saying many airlines are still in recovery mode after the September 11 attacks.
Instead of curbing damaging emissions, new levies would only bump up fares and damage low-cost carriers in particular, say aviation groups.
But green initiatives such as global emissions trading schemes for airlines are gaining favour.
British Airways already takes part in emissions trading and budget airline EasyJet said it would support any Government moves towards an aviation emissions trading scheme.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
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22 June 2004
BOTSWANA PRESIDENT PERSONALLY GIVES BLANKETS TO
BUSHMEN AND TELLS THEM NOT TO GO HOME
Plan a Bushman Safari with vacationtechnician.com
In a surprising move, last week the president of
Botswana personally visited New Xade, one of the
government sites where the 'Bushmen' were taken
after being expelled from their ancestral land.
Although it was only 3 weeks before the Bushmen
take his government to court for the right to
return to their land, President Festus Mogae was
accompanied by Sidney Pilane, the lawyer acting
for the government in the case.
Pre-judging the court's ruling, the president
told the San Bushmen that they should not try to
return to their land and also distributed
handouts of food, clothing and blankets.
He told the Bushmen: 'I am your father and I have come to
check up on my children.'
Stephen Corry, director of Survival, which is
very well-known in Botswana for its support of
the Bushmen, said today, 'To pretend that this
visit is not a blatant attempt to influence the
court case, and the British MPs' trip,* is just
na�ve.
In other countries, a visit from the head
of state - and defendant - so close to the court
hearing would not be allowed.
The irony is that the president's handouts actually reinforce the
state of dependency the Bushmen have been reduced
to. These hunter-gatherers are no longer allowed
to hunt and have been turned by the government
into beggars and prostitutes.
So the president's actions are in fact entirely in keeping with his
prevailing attitude, that the Bushmen are to be
stripped of their ability to lead lives outside
of government control. To call this 'development'
is just a mockery. It's an appalling 21st century
echo of how indigenous peoples in North America
were once robbed of their lands in exchange for a
few blankets.'
A Bushman who must remain anonymous said of the visit, 'This is just bribery.'
* A group of British MPs is due to visit New Xade
at the end of June 2004. They are: Nigel Jones, Dianne
Abbott, Tony Banks, Ashok Kumar, Alan Meale,
Roger Godsiff, Jane Griffiths, Andrew Hunter,
John Horam, Paul Keetch.
UK: New motion in Parliament on Bushmen
A second Early Day Motion has been tabled in the UK�s House of Commons supporting the Bushmen�s right to return to their homeland. 24 MPs have already signed; if you live in the UK, please urge your MP to sign too. The motion (EDM no. 1168) can be read at http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=1168. To locate your MP you can use the following website: http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/
BOTSWANA: Bushman hunters arrested
Three Bushmen from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana have been arrested and charged with �unlawful hunting�. The three were hunting near the resettlement centre of New Xade, where they have been forced to live since the government evicted them from their reserve in 2002. The arrests are the latest in a rising tide of persecution of Gana and Gwi Bushman hunters. The Bushmen were banned from hunting and gathering in the reserve after the evictions, and since then those hunting around the resettlement centres have faced harassment, arrest and heavy fines or imprisonment. �I feel angry because I am a hunter and I�m not allowed to hunt. I have children but I don�t know how to feed them,� says one man. In the resettlement centres, the Bushmen are dependent on government rations.
For more information contact Miriam Ross on (+44)
(0)20 7687 8734 or email
[email protected]
Survival International is a worldwide organisation supporting tribal
peoples. It stands for their right to decide their own future and
helps them protect their lives, lands and human rights.
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0)20 7687 8701
General enquiries: [email protected]
http://www.survival-international.org
*`�*-.,_,.-*`�*-.,_,.-*�
Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
June 22, 2004
DeBeers Diamonds: Last Straw for Botswana Bushman?
The court case that could decide the future of the Gana and Gwi
Bushmen will be held in July this year. Two hundred and forty-eight
Bushmen and Bakgalagadi are taking Botswana to court over the
government's forced eviction of them and their families from their
ancestral land, in what could be a test case for Bushman rights
across southern Africa.
Sign the Petition to support the Bushmen.
The case will begin on 4 July with an 'inspection in loco' of the
resettlement centres, and of the Bushman communities in the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve to which nearly 200 Bushmen have returned
despite government opposition. Fearing that their voices will not be
heard, as has been the case in previous government-led tours, the
Bushmen are calling for observers from the local and international
media to observe the 'inspection'.
The Bushmen want the government to recognise their rights to return
to their land and live there without fear of further eviction, and to
hunt and gather freely. The original case was dismissed on a
technicality in April 2002. The Bushmen appealed, and won the right
to have the case re-heard on its merits.
Note: Wildlife department permits are required to enter the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve. Entry to the resettlement centres outside the
reserve is unrestricted.
Permits are also required for filming. In the past, film makers have
sometimes been prevented from filming by the police, even when they
had the required permit.
For further information, please contact Kali Mercier at +44 20 7687
8731 or email [email protected]
--
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0) 20 7687 8701
General enquiries: [email protected]
http://www.survival-international.org
.::.
Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
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Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe - With a name like that, one would think this town would have no trouble attracting tourists. After all, Victoria Falls, the town, is cheek-by-jowl with Victoria Falls, the waterfall - a jaw-dropping, heart-stopping torrent one mile wide and 300 feet high, its constant roar audible for a mile or more, its towering cloud of spray visible from the farthest horizon. Mere words do not do justice to Victoria Falls. One must see it to appreciate it.
Makalolo Safari Report June 2004
Linkwasha Safari Report June 2004
Plan a Zimbabwe Safari with vacationtechnician.com
Where better to start to see the waterfall than Victoria Falls, the town? Until lately, the answer was "nowhere."
In the contest for falls-hungry tourists, Victoria Falls towered over its only rival, Livingstone, just across the broad Zambezi River in Zambia. Lively Vic Falls embraced everyone from backpackers to jet-setters; bungee-jumpers to golfers. Livingstone, disheveled and sedentary, had some historic cachet: it is named after the explorer David Livingstone, the first European to see the falls. But for tourists, it was an afterthought. Then Zimbabwe imploded. And the tables turned.
Suddenly, prosaic Livingstone is hot, jamming visitors into new four-star hotels and river's-edge lodges, bursting with upscale craft and souvenir shops, clubs and casinos. Victoria Falls is not. "There's just no one coming here," a disconsolate businessman said, a conclusion borne out by even a brief stroll in the deserted shopping district. Since early 2000, when squatters began occupying that nation's white-owned farms in what would become a wholesale seizure of commercial farmland, tourism in Zimbabwe has hit the skids. Things grew worse in 2002, after President Robert G. Mugabe was re-elected in balloting marred by widespread violence. It deepened further last year, as inflation roared past 600 percent and fuel shortages became pervasive.
In truth, Zimbabwe's violence and repression have largely passed by Victoria Falls. The region is so solidly in the camp of Mr. Mugabe's political opponents - and such an important source of scarce hard currency - that the government has avoided measures seen in other opposition centers, like the invasions of pro-government youth militia, which might scare tourists away.
But Zimbabwe's reputation has grown increasingly ugly, especially among tourists from members of the Commonwealth nations, mostly former British possessions. Mr. Mugabe quit the Commonwealth in December after it refused to lift its suspension of Zimbabwe in protest of the nation's human rights policies.
One hotelier in Victoria Falls, who refused to be identified for fear of retaliation, said tourist traffic from Europe and the United States has been little affected by Zimbabwe's turmoil, but that visits from commonwealth nations have all but dried up. Some tour agencies in some Commonwealth nations have removed Zimbabwe from their lists, one South African agent said, and replaced it with package trips to Zambia.
During a recent visit to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, Mike Carter, a New Zealand appraiser on vacation with his family, emerged raincoat-clad from the falls' drenching mist and said, "We never considered coming to Victoria Falls," the town. "We wouldn't bother going 'til they sort things out." Zimbabwe's loss has been Zambia's gain. Livingstone's hotel occupancy has jumped since 2000, to 50 percent from an average of 36 percent, despite a brace of new hotels.
The contrast with Victoria Falls could hardly be more stark. Zimbabwe businessmen say average hotel occupancy runs between 20 and 30 percent, and some of the bigger four-and five-star resorts have severely pared their staff to keep from closing. The world-famous grand dame of local hostelries, the Victoria Falls Hotel, marked its centennial in June with hallways of empty rooms despite an effort to lure celebrants with a 100th-birthday package. The plight of merchants is, if anything, bleaker. Souvenir shops on the main street to Victoria Falls sometimes pass the entire day without ringing up a single sale, one vendor said. Some wholesalers and street vendors have given up and moved their operations to Zambia, prompting a government minister to denounce them as unpatriotic in a recent meeting with the town's beleaguered businessmen.
Things could change, of course: longtime residents remember that Vic Falls prospered most in the 1970's, when Zambia's economic policies drove that nation and its Livingstone tourism business close to ruin. In the meantime, merchants and hotel operators might take a tip from a tourism Web site and try to turn their bitter plight into tourism lemonade. Zimbabwe's national parks "are completely safe to visit, as they are far from the cities where the instability exists," the site says. "Game lodges are desperate for occupants, so prices are extremely competitive. And low lodge occupancy means you'll have thousands of hectares of pristine game country virtually all to yourself."
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Kwara camp
* Good viewing two days ago of a pride of 3 males, 2 females and 3 cubs\
* Evening viewing of a female leopard hunting impala near Tsum Tsum � she was unsuccessful.
* Numerous groups of bachelor herds of elephants
* Large groups of Zebras and Wildebeest.
* Nigh-time viewing of Aardwolf as well as African Wild Cat, Civet and Serval
* Cheetah viewing for a couple of days � adult female with 2 cubs
* Nomadic hyena sighted frequently, but no active dens yet.
* Sighting of a python late last week.
* Excellent water birds in front of the camp and in the marshes including Saddle-billed storks, Wattled Cranes, Egrets, as well as Spur-wing and Egyptian Geese.
* The water is right in front of the camp.
Lagoon camp
* A male leopard was followed at night � it stalked and killed a springhare.
* Lagoon pride (3 females and 4 cubs) seem feeding on an impala that they had filched from Wild dogs.
* A young male cheetah was spotted by on of the Lagoon staff as it was walking past the lounge on the guest pathway.
* Large numbers of both buffalo (one herd exceeding 1000) and elephant sighted on drive as winter game-viewing gets into full swing.
* The lagoon pride 3 lionesses and 4 cubs were watched feeding on a giraffe.
* 3 roan antelope
* African wild cat, caracal, a group of 6 bat-eared foxes foraging as well as an Aardwolf basking in the sun
* General game sightings have been excellent � zebra, wildebeest, impala and giraffe
Lebala camp
* Large numbers of elephant in herds ranging from 50 � 100 strong are coming down to the river adjacent to camp daily.
* 3 herds of buffalo up to 400 strong are being seen regularly on drive
* Regular sightings of a pride of 7 lions with cubs � they killed a giraffe between Lebala and Lagoon Camps.
* 2 sightings of cheetah including a Male chasing and killing a scrub hare.
* Male leopard seen regularly around camp as well as a fem stalking but missing an Aardvark
* 4 python sightings in 2 days as well as sightings of a cobra and a puffadder � getting in a last feed before winter.
* Wild dogs � the Selinda pack of 14 spending some time in the southern traversing as well as regular sightings of the Lebala pack of 5 with the pregnant Alpha Female.
* 2 active hyena dens, 4 adults with 9 cubs and 12 adults with 2 cubs seem nightly.
* good sightings of zebra, wildebeest and giraffe with night-time sightings of honeybadger, Serval hunting, Civet, African Wild Cat and Bushbaby.
* Ground hornbills having been seen flying over the camp several times and have been heard most mornings.
To learn more about Botswana safaris with vacationtechnician.com click these links:
Botswana Safari Reports
Botswana Safari Guides
Kwando
Okavango Delta
Luxury Okavango Delta Safari Camps
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Last night we had a fantastic sighting at the Ongava Tented Camp in the Etosha National Park, Namibia watering hole, it happened right in front of the lapa.
Straight after dinner at about 21h00, ten lions surrounded the water hole, very thirsty indeed. After they quenched their thirst, two of the lions walked in between the tents, the rest made their bed next to the water hole besides the trees. The guests sat and watched them for about an hour. Hein then escorted all the guests to their tents.
We heard the roaring of these beautiful creatures the entire night.
The next morning at 5 'o clock the entire camp got a wake-up call. The waitress, Magda put on the lights at the lapa when a lion lying in front of the lapa charged her, luckily Jan the scullery guy, was standing behind her and pulled off a bare-banger.
Needless to say the whole camp woke up instantly. NJ, the guide, and Hein charged down to the lapa immediately to investigate. The lions casually left the camp area allowing the guests to be put at ease before being escorted to the lapa. What an extremely exciting 12 hours!
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
TOP TEN SAFARI RECOMMENDATIONS
#1: Best all-round safari: Jacana Safari, Botswana. Excellent choice for first safari, also ideal for single travelers as there is no single supplement if you are �willing to share�. The group of no more than 8 has 100% exclusivity in all camps.
# 2: Best �Ultimate Safari� experience: Best of Southern Africa flying safari. Traveling by private dedicated aircraft between premier camps in best areas of 4 countries (Namibia, Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe). Excellent review by Travel Editor of New York Times who took this trip in May 2003.
#3: Best value for money: Zimbabwe fly-in safari. The Wilderness Safaris camps in Zimbabwe are being filled by savvy Africa travelers who know that it is during these times that one enjoys the finest wildlife encounters, at attractive prices.
# 4: Best �active� safari: Rhino Safari, Zimbabwe: game drives, foot safaris with best-qualified guides in Africa (Zimbabwe full pro guides); tracking rhino on foot, boating on Lake Kariba, canoeing on Lower Zambezi River, and more.
# 5: Best �new� trip for 2004: Gorilla treks in Rwanda are back!
#6: Best combination of two countries: Botswana and Namibia. Botswana has lots of opportunities for game-viewing, the incomparable Okavango Delta and it combines perfectly with Namibia�s desert and dune experience.
#7: Most unusual destination: Madagascar. Adorable lemurs, amazing people, strange spiny forests, always the unexpected. Just don�t expect everything to work 100%�
#8: Trip most likely to be a �life-changing� event: Mana Canoe Trail, Zimbabwe.
#9: Best honeymoon destination: North Island, Seychelles. No question.
#10: �Best kept secret� safari area: Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Block. Too many of our clients return from Mashatu with multiple leopard sightings or other fabulous game-viewing experiences for this area to remain �undiscovered� for long.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Hello Friends,
ZIMBABWE - WORTH A SECOND LOOK?
If you are at all interested in Zimbabwe, this is one Southern African country where the prices have not increased lately, so please give us a call for a quotation. We can put together a very attractive safari including Makalolo Plains (Hwange Game Reserve) and Matusadona Water Camp (on Lake Kariba), together with Victoria Falls.
On longer itineraries, the Mana Pools area can also be included - and adventurous types may wish to do the Mana Canoe Trail between Ruckomechi and Chikwenya. I have had more than one client tell me that this safari was a life-changing event.
While Zimbabwe has lately been a controversial destination due to the political situation there, the safaris are operated in very remote and very safe areas, completely isolated from any populated towns or cities. Zimbabwe has had excellent rains so far this season, which is good news for the game later on in the year. The wildlife sightings have been absolutely awesome! On a recent safari vacationtechnician clients spotted over 20 different mammal species in one game drive in Hwange National Park � including Wild Dog, Lion, and the very rare Red Hartebeest.
NEW ZAMBIA PACKAGES
Zambia's magnificent national parks are relatively unknown, but our associates Star of Africa has unveiled a series of stunning safari destinations in four of Zambia's most game-rich areas. The lodges offer a diverse choice of environments, and represent a very exciting upmarket wildlife circuit. When managing director Dave Bennett was here in Europe recently, he told me that the game-viewing at some of the camps have been extraordinarily good, with some clients experiencing as many as 5 different leopard sightings on one game drive. Dave tells me that game-viewing in the Lower Zambezi area is very similar to that of the near legendary Mana Pools area of Zimbabwe.
Two of our clients with St. Louis Zoo Travel recently traveled to the South Luangwa region of Zambia on an inspection trip, where they spent several days with Star of Africa, whom they described as 'a real winner in Zambia'. Our clients were complimentary about the level of guiding, the accommodations and the wildlife.
Here is what they had to say about Puku Ridge: "The accommodations are superb. Each unit is huge, with a sitting area, a deck overlooking the plain, sunken tub, etc. Quite reminiscent of Jao Camp in Botswana. The dining area is nicely laid out, overlooking a pool built into the side of the hill. Wildlife is all over the place." They were equally impressed with the other camps and experienced some excellent game-viewing such as observing a pack of 22 wild dogs, large herds of Black Lechwe, good views of the endemic Thornicrofts Giraffe and much else besides, including a great number and variety of birds.
Star of Africa has now introduced several package deals which include all or some of their lodges, at attractive rates. For example the 9-day 'Zambian Spice Trail' safari includes 2 nights at each of Star of Africa's luxury lodges in the Victoria Falls area (Sussi & Chuma); Lochinvar National Park (Lechwe Plains Tented Camp); Lower Zambezi National Park (Kulefu Tented Camp) and South Luangwa National Park (Chichele Lodge or Puku Ridge). Please call or e-mail for detailed itineraries and prices which start at around $3,000.00 p.p. sharing for an 8-day 'Classic Zambezi' safari which includes 3 nights in the Lower Zambezi area.
MADAGASCAR MAKING A COMEBACK
The good news from Madagascar is that it is safe to travel to the country again. A new broom sweeps clean in the form of new President Marc Ravolamanana who is reputed to be a man of great vision.
Madagascar isn't for everybody, and at times it can be a difficult place to travel due to poor roads and other minor inconveniences. However, if you can handle the fact that not everything may happen exactly as per the timing on the printed itinerary, it may just be the place for you. Just the other day I saw comedian John Cleese in a television interview situation where the reporter wanted him to be 'funny'. All Cleese wanted to do was talk about the lemurs he had seen on a recent trip to Madagascar, where he did some charitable work. Like so many before him, John Cleese was clearly totally enchanted by these amazing creatures. He went on and on about how beautiful and entertaining they were, how many different kinds there are, and how endangered many of them were due to habitat loss. One could sense that Clease would much rather be in a forest in Perinet than the television studio he found himself in...
Anybody that's been to Madagascar can relate. I am not a great 'monkey' fan, and I generally consider the few African monkey species which I have seen, especially the cheeky Vervet monkeys, to be a bit obnoxious. By contrast, Madagascar�s lemurs are stunning. It took me all of 15 seconds to fall in love with the first species of lemur I had a good look at, namely the Ringtailed Lemur, at Berenty. Following a family group of Ringtails around on a foraging expedition at Berenty, was one of my best nature experiences ever. The mothers were casting me a wary eye, and the little ones almost seemed to be 'daring' one another to get close to me, and then dart away. I was so close that I could see the particular type of flowers that they were picking, ever so daintily but very effectively, steadily moving from one shrub to another.
So take off the watch, brush up on a few words of French, and book a trip to Madagascar. You will love the lemurs! And possibly a lot of other things too - the people, the birds, the reptiles, the spiny forest, and simply being in a country that is just so 'different' in almost every way one can imagine.
NEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
When is the best time of the year to visit South Africa? Definitely during the South African Spring (Fall in the northern hemisphere). South Africa is a year-round destination but the far north-eastern part of the country - where the major game reserves are located - is prone to hot, humid and often rainy conditions in the summer months from December through about March.
So if you are planning a trip to South Africa, and have some flexibility with your dates, September and October are probably the two best months. The winter months of June, July & August are good too, just a bit cold and with a significant chance of rain in the Cape.
From the outset of the year, many South African venues and suppliers have either held or lowered their rates for 2004 and 2005. There are quite a few good special offers goings, the best of which is: From May through the end of September, stay for 2 nights at either Jock Safari Lodge (inside Kruger Park), Sanbona (south-western Cape) or Shamwari (Eastern Cape) and stay for 3 nights free (Room Only basis) at either Lake Pleasant in Knysna or Steenberg Hotel in Cape Town. Sanbona Game Lodge has over 7 different Rock art sites for guests to enjoy. It is also home to cheetah as well as the 'big five' mammals. There are over 165 bird species including Black and Fish Eagle. Hot air ballooning is available as an optional extra.
The Cape Grace is offering a 4 night stay for the price of 3 nights until 19 December 2004. This is an effective 25% reduction on a 4 night stay.
Great news is that Chapman's Peak on the Cape Peninsula has reopened and the views are absolutely amazing. Even better is that Wilderness Safaris are not charging an additional fee for either their Private or Scheduled Tours utilizing the improved toll road.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Seychelles - The Indian Ocean could lose most of its coral islands in the next 50 years if sea temperatures continue to rise and reefs badly damaged by global warming do not recover.
Global warming triggered the death of between 50 and 98 percent of coral reefs in a region stretching from northern Mozambique to Eritrea to Indonesia in 1998 and although there has been some recovery, scientists remain concerned. "We have reason to believe that if climate changes continue due to the carbon dioxide that is being pumped into the atmosphere, the temperatures at ground level and in the oceans will go up," Dr. Carl Lundin, head of the marine program of the Swiss-based World Conservation Union (IUCN), said.
"So virtually all the coralline islands have a decent chance of disappearing in 50 years," Lundin stated in Victoria, the capital of the Seychelles.
Coral reefs are among the most diverse and productive communities on earth. Found in warm, clear, shallow waters of tropical oceans worldwide, reefs have functions ranging from providing food and shelter to fish and invertebrates to protecting the shore from erosion.
Many coral reef organisms can only tolerate a narrow range of environmental conditions and are very sensitive to damage from environmental changes such as rising temperatures which can cause bleaching and eventual death.
Lundin said sustained warming up of ocean currents which followed the El Nino effect in 1998 resulted in bleaching and widespread damage to corals in the Indian Ocean.
"So a very large region has been affected and an awful lot of damage has been caused by the temperature increases which varied from one to two to generally up to five degrees Celsius."
The Seychelles' coralline islands of Amirantes, Aldabra, Bird island and Denis island which support unique ecosystems are seriously threatened.
"These islands are made of fossil reefs that have been raised out of the water but as erosion continues, they are likely to be gnawed away," said Lundin.
Lundin said there was some coral recovery with islands which lost up to 100 percent of their coral cover in 1998 having regained between two and 20 percent of their cover.
He attributed the gradual recovery of corals in Seychelles to time and the lack of negative development.
Take a virtual tour of the Seychelles newest luxury Eco Destination: North Island
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
SWAKOPMUND, Namibia -- Out in the rolling red dunes stretching for hundreds of miles from this palm-lined resort lie the remains of some wrecked C-119 cargo planes.
They're the latest evidence of Hollywood's growing infatuation with the Namibian desert -- sets for "Flight of the Phoenix," a 20th Century Fox remake of the 1965 adventure set in Mongolia's Gobi Desert.
Namibia may not be an obvious stand-in, but it beat out other locations scouted in China, Chile, South Africa and the United States.
"Not only does Namibia have the tallest dunes, but it also has the perfect climate, because it is close to the ocean," said production designer Patrick Lumb. "It is ideal, because it looks isolated and inaccessible, when in actual fact we're 10 minutes away from Swakopmund."
Peaceful Remote Luxury
Swakopmund, home to about 30,000 people, is a popular resort on the Atlantic coast with numerous restaurants and outdoor cafes. Those were packed with cast and crew from the United States, Britain, South Africa and 15 other countries during the four-month film shoot.
"I tell my wife I'm roughing it, but I'm not," said Wyck Godfrey, an executive producer from Los Angeles. "It's like a tourist town."
"Flight of the Phoenix" was the latest in a series of big-budget Hollywood movies shot here in recent years, including "The Cell" (2000), "Beyond Borders" (2003) and "The Young Black Stallion" (2003). There have also been film productions from India, Italy, Poland and Britain, and documentaries, commercials and music videos are regularly shot here.
Still, this southern African country remains relatively undiscovered as a film location, said Guy Nockles, the movie's Namibian unit production manager. "It is new, has variety and is a great location," he said.
Namibia has decent infrastructure and a government eager to help international film productions get what they need.
The movie work is a boost for an economy in which more than a third of the population lives on less than $1 a day.
Business was booming in Swakopmund during filming of "Flight of the Phoenix" -- particularly at the popular fish restaurant The Tug, which was frequented by director John Moore and lead actor Dennis Quaid.
Add up the money spent on accommodation, restaurants and other personal expenses, and the movie put $35.3 million into the local economy, Nockles said.
It also created much-needed jobs in an area with about 40 percent unemployment, said Freddy Kaukungua, spokesman for Swakopmund's municipal government.
"They are part-time, but if more and more movies come, we can create a whole new sector," he said.
"Flight of the Phoenix" used up to 280 crew members a day, including around 130 Namibians. Their wages were not high by Hollywood standards, but the $14.50 daily minimum was double the local rate for unskilled workers.
The recent volatility of the South African rand, to which the Namibian dollar is pegged, is a problem for international productions.
"Mad Max Fury Road," also a 20th Century Fox production, canceled plans to film here last fall when the U.S. dollar fell sharply against the rand. The producers of "Flight of the Phoenix" had hedged against foreign exchange volatility by buying all the rands they needed early.
There were a few problems during the shoot, filmmakers said, citing a break-in at a crew member's home and insufficient policing in the town.
And Swakopmund is also incapable of supporting more than one feature film at a time.
"Accommodation would be the biggest problem. There are no more houses available for rent," said Nockles, who co-owns a production company, Namib Films. "You walk around restaurants, and you can't get in. You look in, and it's mostly film crew."
Nockles is convinced Hollywood will be back.
"Americans after every war make a stack of movies," he said. "They just had a war in the desert. Where else would they come?"
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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NBC arrived at the beginning of the month and took over Mombo Camp Okavango Delta Botswana , turning Mombo into something resembling the NASA control centre. The generators ran 24 hours a day; wires and cables were laid all over the camp, and telephone linkups were established via satellite.
It was an eerie sensation hearing the ringing of telephones. A bonus, however, was been allowed to call family and friends from the camp. The whole aim of the nine day preparation was a 3 hour live broadcast to the USA as part of NBC's "Where in the World is Matt Lauer" morning show. The rain kept away for the full nine days of the preparation, but as Mombo, or Murphy, would have it the heavens opened during the live broadcast. This did not cause any major problems however and the show went off smoothly.
Numerous guests were present, including Mr. Louis Nchingo of Debswana and an entourage of policeman who were there to make sure the almost US$1million worth of diamonds were safe. The show ended at 5pm where upon the crew had to pack everything up in time for the arrival of the first guests at 12pm the following day.
We were all amazed at the speed at which the packing happened. The new guests would not have known anything had taken place was it not for the fact that they were informed that Matt Lauer had been and gone. It was very obvious from most USA visitors' reactions that the NBC morning show is huge in America.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Botswana's Best Birding with Ken Newman
" best guides = best safaris ~ a bad guide in the best camp will ruin your safari."
This 5-night safari to the Okavango Delta Botswanaat a time of the year when all the intra-African and European migrants are in residence and breeding is at its peak. We travel with Ken Newman, one of the region's foremost bird painters and authors. We travel to two Okavango camps offering contrasting habitats and birding experiences within the Okavango Delta.
Most of the region's rarities and endemics should be seen - from Pel's Fishing Owl to the diminutive Brown Firefinch. Within the waterways, savannahs and lagoons, countless herons, ducks, jacanas, eagles, vultures, ibis, storks, plovers and all the 'LBJ's should be found. Some of the rare species include Slaty Egrets, Wattled Cranes, Coppery-tailed Coucals, Black Coucals, Thick-Billed Cuckoo, Chirping Cisticola and Lesser Jacana.
Recommended time of year to travel - early to mid November.
About Ken Newman
Ken was born in England at an early age and stayed there for another 24 years. He scraped through school mainly through good marks for his early artwork and writing abilities, his main interests outside of school being: birds eggs, butterflies and similar creepy crawlies. Adolf Hitler interrupted his wildlife studies so Ken contributed to the dictator's downfall by teaching aeroplane recognition to carefree aircraft gunners, at the time not appreciating the value of this fully-paid-for bird identification training.
Post war Britain saw Ken in the art department of a London advertising agency that he enjoyed for four years, but eventually began to feel the need for more space and opportunity.
He arrived in South Africa in 1948 with a pioneering spirit and soon had one foot on the ladder to progress drawing soap bubbles for Lever Brothers in Durban. That bubble soon burst with the monotony of the situation and Ken moved to Johannesburg in 1950 where his graphic art career continued in between breakaway safaris until 1968 when birds took over his life.
Ken's introduction to bush life was an early trip to the Kruger National Park where he discovered that no one had much interest in, or knowledge of South Africa's birds. He was to learn that Ground Hornbills were Turkey Buzzards, Lilac-breasted Rollers were Blue Jays and that Grey Herons were Blue Cranes.
In 1955, having married his late wife Elisabeth (also an artist), they set off on a seven month round Africa safari, just camping and seeking wildlife. Two years later they did it again, this time taking pictures, especially of birds, for photojournalism.
Ken decided there was a real need for a beginner's guide to the birds of South Africa, and so he started on Garden Birds of South Africa. Faced with the problem of illustrations he decided to try painting. His first picture, a portrait of a Bateleur, was shown with pride to Elisabeth with the question "Do you think I could paint birds?" Her answer, short and to the point, was "No! Not a damn!" So he started.
GARDEN BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA was launched in 1967 and stayed on the bookshop shelves for another 30 years. Others followed in quick succession. Ken's paintings and books sell both locally and overseas, and he is much involved in matters ornithological.
Ken has been with Wilderness Safaris/vacationtechnician as a specialist guide, on a casual basis, since the company's early days. His prime interest is in the birds of southern Africa, an interest shared by his wife Ursula and their three children.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Ngala South Africa
On the animal front, the head high grass has been making game viewing a little trying at times. It has also made things a little harder for the usually highly efficient wild dogs. The 18 strong pack has been missing terrified impala fairly regularly as most of the time they cannot see what they are chasing. In some areas they have resorted to trotting along as if on pogo sticks, their heads peeping up out of the grass periodically as they scan the surrounds for potential quarry. No doubt the impala are most grateful for the thick sward.
There seem to be a plethora of male leopards around at the moment. Two testosterone charged males were seen the other day in quite close proximity with scratches and other assorted wounds baring testimony to a territorial battle. These young males are trying to assert themselves as they attain adulthood.
Other highlights of the week have included, three 300-strong herds of buffalo doing their best to control the grass explosion in the south of the reserve; wave upon wave of red billed queleas surging across the skies; a juvenile great spotted cuckoo being fed by a flock of Burchell's starlings(the young cuckoo was already bigger than his hosts).
Spectator?
A recent morning drive had not been as successful as a guide would like to offer to one�s guests. Pleasant enough sightings of zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and impala had ensured that the early start had not been a complete waste of time.
En route home, we stopped to watch a mature male giraffe browsing on an Acacia nigrescens some 7-odd metres off the road. Assuming he would turn his not-altogether-unattractive rear end on us & go lumbering off through the thicket, we were surprised when he turned instead to face us, his gentle eyes looking from one member of the vehicle to the next. More surprisingly, he took first one step & then two & then proceeded until he was within a metre & a half from the Land Rover of amazed onlookers.
The only sound was the swishing of his fly-swatter tail as each guest, ranger & tracker absorbed the tranquillity of the moment � locked in his gentle stare. The awed silence persisted as he slowly ambled past us to the road & made a graceful exit from the centre stage.
I have often wondered whether it is in fact more truthful to assume that the animals are viewing us rather than us viewing them ... Now we know.
Nosy Neighbour
I�m ashamed to admit that my new neighbour has become aware of my insatiable desire to monitor her every move. I rush home every morning to watch her scuttling to and fro. An intensely house-proud single mother, I see her leave, only to watch her return, delighted with the quarry she has procured.
�She� is a species of Thread-Waisted Wasp and her home is a small hole at the bottom of my front step. I am alerted to her arrival by her incessant humming as she goes about her chores � flying off determinedly, only to return a short while later bearing a fat green caterpillar carried in her fore-legs. The caterpillar, now paralysed, is laid to one side whilst she busies herself, digging through the surface sand until she locates the well-concealed entrance holed-up by a small stone, which she easily removes. A quick visit to the �kids�, she nips inside before conducting yet another spring-clean and, finally, enters the hole backwards, dragging the debilitated caterpillar with her.
When the �kids� hatch from the eggs she has neatly laid inside the tunnel, they will spend the first few days of their short lives feeding on this caterpillar and perhaps a few others before digging their way to the surface and assuming their own allotted place in the greater scheme of things.
As she carefully replaces the stone, checking it obsessively before covering it with a thin layer of sand, I can�t help but marvel at the whole process. Not so marvel-ous if you�re a caterpillar though ...
Quelea mayhem
The noise is completely deafening. It is most impressive in the early morning as the birds wake and continue the business of building their nests in preparation for breeding. Tens of thousands of red billed queleas rouse and start chirruping at each other from the knobthorn thicket the colony has chosen to produce the next generation. The little birds have chosen this spot for the safety of the trees and also the six foot sward of thickly seeded grass that has sprung up on the gabbro derived soils. Clouds of birds swish with incredible collective synchrony as though they have rehearsed every move a hundred times. From inflorescence to heavy seed filled inflorescence they swoosh. Culms bend and sway under the weight of the little birds as they pluck protein the rich seeds, nattering excitedly to each other.
The colony has attracted the inevitable bevy of raptors. Tawny eagles seem to be the most abundant predator. They sit not really knowing where to start as great squadrons of queleas shoot by. Whalberg�s eagles look equally as gleeful and confused. A rarely seen lanner falcon, far more used to grabbing fast moving prey, has also been spotted swooping in and plucking the odd straggler from the melee. A now fat resident gabar goshawk has also made the most of the good times. We continue to watch with interest.
The coming of life
The long awaited rains have come in surplus at Ngala and have transformed it into a lush green paradise with running rivers and streams, marshy vleis and scattered pans.
As well as the vegetation growth and insect explosion the frog and toad populations have boomed in this amphibian paradise turning the nights into an orchestral masterpiece. The terrapins and tortoises are out of aestivation and are as common on roadsides as pedestrians on a London side walk. Met with mixed reactions, there have been some impressive snakes seen including two huge Egyptian cobras, big black mambas, an almost resident African rock python at Clara dam, boomslangs and more. Above all the increased birdlife has been the most interesting and surprising with sightings of birds seldom or never seen here including many black storks, African jacanas, little grebes, African spoonbills, a malachite kingfisher, painted snipes, African and Corn crakes, dozens of white winged widows and hundreds of harlequin quails.
Ngala Trackers and Rangers
Great sightings despite (or because of?) rain
The rain, mist and sleet have not been entirely unproductive. The wild dogs have been sighted daily for the last week and a half such that guests no longer believe us when we tell them how lucky they are to see these extremely endangered hounds.
A cheetah was watched in awe, tearing after a terrified impala. Unfortunately the speedy cat narrowly missed probably because impala ducked into a fog patch. The rain has caused an explosion of grass growth. This, combined with the damp conditions, has brought a number of seldom seen birds. White winged widows (one record prior to this year), harlequin quails, fan-tailed cisticolas and kurrichane buttonquails have abounded in the long wet grasslands. Two sightings of painted snipe have also delighted birding guests peering out from under their ponchos. We have even had our first record of a corn crake!
Until next time we will be trying not to drown as the Timbavati moves into day 21 of uninterrupted flow.
Canine Chaos
We rounded the corner 100 metres from camp to find their patchy tan-white-and-black forms lightly trotting away from us. �Wild Dogs!� The eyes of the guests, who knew about the second-most endangered carnivore in Africa, lit up.
We followed them at their easy gait, watched them enter the Mopane woodland, and then circled around ahead to wait for them to emerge onto a large clearing. Our hearts stopped as we saw a large herd of impalas on the clearings feeding alongside a troop of baboons. All eyes were fixed on the edge of the thick Mopane woodland. The treeline exploded as the 15 Wild Dogs raced into the clearings. Impalas snorted and kicked their heels as they zig-zagged away from the danger; baboons barked and hurtled in a beeline for the safety of the Mopane trees. Unusually, the pack of hunters seemed overwhelmed and tried to chase all in sight - their lack of focus proved to be their downfall, as they regrouped in the clearing empty-handed. Slowly, we started breathing again...
Timbavati Flood
The Timbavati River is dry for most of the year. It is a wide river stretching over 60m in some areas. The recent deluge in the lowveld has transformed the Timbavati and its tributaries. The river came down in flood two weeks ago. It flowed 1.5 metres deep bank to bank making it utterly unfordable. Its smaller tributaries also broke their banks in some areas and filled the waterholes to over flowing. And so from a landscape of dust and desolation, devoid of grazing and water, Ngala has turned into a lush green swathe dotted with pans and wallows. The grass is almost too tall to look over. It has sent up inflorescences on long culms to pick up and send pollen off on the wind. Unusual birds for Ngala have been spotted (white winged windows and harlequin quails) and the herds of buffalo have dispersed to smaller groups to take full advantage of the abundant grazing and water. We eagerly await more as the clouds build.
Battle of the Wahlberg's
Heading home after game drive at night can be a fairly quiet affair. Not so on this particular evening! The spotlight caught the flurry of movement as a large shape launched itself from the branches of a Combretum in the East & landed in a heap on the other side of the road.
The shape was in fact two Wahlbergs� Eagles locked in battle � their talons clenched, tumbling around the ground: biting, scratching - neither of them prepared to capitulate. The sounds of their shrieking cut through the night air & gave the effect of a wild, angry banshee. Coupled with their thrashing about in the underbrush, the eerie sounds were their only give-away as we sat speechless in the dark and cold night air.
The next morning, the only evidence of the great battle was the tell-tale scuff-marks in the sand, littered by an occasional feather ...
Ngala's Gold Medal Winner
Just a few minutes into our morning safari a female cheetah was spotted just ahead of us. We hadn�t even seen her yet when we noticed a heard of impala feeding very close by. Seconds later, we saw her. She was trotting straight at the impala, her face blank and her eyes bright in total concentration just like an olympic sprinter poised in the starting blocks.
At that moment, I felt like the sprinter. With everybody hushed and holding my breath all I could here was the blood pumping through my eardrums as my heart rate shot through the roof. The start gun in this case was the ear piercing blast of an impala alarm call. I still close my eyes and see the rest in slow motion. The impala took off in every direction, one straight towards us followed by the sprinting predator now turned Ducati superbike leaning over like Valantino Rossi in the last tight bend towards the finishing line. The finishing line in this case was right behind us and she got the gold medal: a young female impala!
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
"When my mother took me to Botswana and Zimbabwe in 2001, I fully expected it to be the "trip of a lifetime," never imagining that I would become so passionate about Africa, needing to return every year. So, yes, Africa is the best vacation place I've ever been. Why?
First and foremost -seeing the wild animals in their natural habitat. I have had a lifelong love for animals and have refused to set foot in zoos for over 30 years.
I can't begin to describe the thrill when first seeing a herd of elephants on the shore of the Gache Gache River in Zimbabwe. Or, getting within five feet of the mountain gorillas in Uganda. For me, NOTHING can compare to those experiences.
I think, for me, Africa provides an experience that is so profoundly different from my day-to-day existence. I live in San Francisco and have lived here, in the heart of the city, for my entire adult life. While I've visited Paris, London, Rome, Florence, Venice, Brussels, New York, which all have their individual charm and beauty and excitement, they are, for me, just variations of all major cities.
It was not until I visited Africa that I realized that I am no longer intrigued or even interested in spending my vacations that way--running around a city, going to museums, hanging out in cafes, finding restaurants, shopping, etc. etc. I can do all that home.
Africa allows me to just be....I am forced to relax and just look and listen and smell...No other place on earth provides that type of serenity".
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"The answer to the question for me is absolutely, completely, whole-heartedly, YES.
I have been completely around the world over a period of 2 years, years ago.
Went from east to west (starting in the states and then Hawaii, Japan etc.). Other times I have visited and lived in several countries.
Out of all of these, Africa is my favorite. Africa is special.
Outside of Africa, the country that makes the deepest impression is India, however I will never consider it a holiday - it is an experience. Some favorite cities - Kyoto, London. Crete was a wonderful holiday location.
But for me, an animal lover, everything pales compared to Africa.
-Waking up in the bush and wondering what wonderful animals I'll see today...?
-Heading out to a new camp and wondering what interesting people I'll meet.
Typically when we travel in other places we don't meet a lot of new people, at least not long enough to have a two-hour dinner conversation.
Wonderful, adventurous people that are also traveling and kind gentle people who live in Africa. I just feel that traveling in Africa was like nothing else I had done before and yes, it meant so much to me that I wish everyone I know could experience it.
I never felt so alive as I did there".
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
V A G A B O N D I N G >: Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Excellent description of finding the Mountain Gorillas in the Bwindi National Park, Uganda. Additional information on gorilla tracking or trekking can be reviewed here:
Uganda
Bwindi Inpenetrable Forest
Gorilla Trekking Photo Primer -the lighting is very difficult under the dense forest canopy!
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Kwando Wildlife Report 14-19 April 2004
Kwara
* One nice sighting of a male Leopard.
* A group of 3 Cheetah (female plus 2 youngsters) were followed hunting but were unsuccessful.
* The resident male Lions were followed but did not get up to much.
* Nocturnal sightings include Porcupine, Serval and Genet.
* Good general game with Elephant bulls in and around camp, Zebra, Tsessebe, Red Lechwe, Giraffe, Impala, Baboons and Warthog.
* A Little Bittern was seen from the boat plus plenty other birds and Hippo.
Lebala
* Elephant numbers are picking up and are being seen in sizeable herds.
* Lions have been seen on and off and have disappeared into the Mopane woodlands for the last 3 days.
* Spectacular Cheetah kill on Impala was witnessed from start to finish near camp.
* Nocturnal sightings include a good diversity of Owl species, Serval, Springhares and Genets.
* Good general game with Giraffe, Zebra, a surprising herd of 10 Eland, Impala, Kudu and a small group of Buffalo.
Lagoon
* There has been one sighting of the pack of Wild Dogs hunting but no kills were seen or found.
* Excellent sighting of the 2 Leopard cubs again who were found resting.
* Good activity at the Hyena den and it seems like 2 females are sharing the same burrow with 2 youngsters each.
* Nocturnal sightings include Porcupine, Serval and African Wild Cats.
* General game includes large numbers of Elephants, large numbers of Giraffe, Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Impala, Red Lechwe, Warthogs and Steenbuck.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Part One of this article found here.
" I�ll just go and grab your pilot, I think he�s having a fag.�
So spoke my down-to-earth air charter representative upon welcoming me back to Maun while transferring me to my next aerial roller coaster ride � yet another tiny Cessna � which would wing me northwards to Kwando Kwara Camp in a private concession north of the Moremi Game Reserve, bang smack in the middle of the Okavango Delta�s seasonal flood plains.
Indeed, my pilot � Steve, a Kiwi like 30% of all charter pilots in Maun � was having a smoke while watching the dying seconds of the Rugby World Cup Final.
He greeted me some minutes later informing me with a sly grin that Australia had just been deprived of victory via the boot of England�s Johnny Wilkinson. I moaned, in true South African fashion, that the poms would be even more insufferable than usual, completely ignoring my birth and upbringing in Cambridge.
In truth, the Rugby World Cup seemed a million miles away, as did every other intrusive accoutrement of the modern era, such as cell phones, faxes, e-mails and motorcars. Where I was headed, they meant nothing.
Forty minutes later I was being driven in an open Toyota Hilux through the dense bush by Charles and his chirpy tracker Muluki towards Kwara Camp.
Kwara is one of four camps which make up the Kwando Circuit. The circuit includes Lagoon Camp and Lebala Camp in the Kwando private game reserve further north on the edge of the Linyanti swamps and close to the Caprivi Strip, Kwara Camp in the Delta itself and Songwe Village just outside Livingstone in neighbouring Zambia. Kwara is situated north of and adjacent to the Moremi Game Reserve. It�s in the centre of the 175,000-hectare Kwara concession which fronts the permanent water of the 1,6-million hectare delta and is backed by bush and open seasonal flood plains.
The camp consists of 8 tents sleeping 16 guests and is run by the affable Peter Gordon and his bubbly wife Anita Els, both of whom do an excellent job as enthusiastic hosts at the camp.
Arrival at the camp offers some much needed respite from the sun, with the overhanging trees providing excellent shade. Welcomes are made in the lounge area, with its comfortable couches and chairs overlooking the seasonal flood plains in front of the camp. To one side is a bar where guests are invited to help themselves if no one is around to look after their needs.
Indeed, this is an attitude prevalent in all of the camps � basically make yourself at home and help yourself! It makes for a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere with no one expecting silver service waitors to fuss over their every desire. In any event, if there�s something you want that you can�t find yourself, there�s always one of the helpful camp staffers to help out.
Alongside the lounge and bar area is a roomy dining room which overlooks a small plunge pool. The pool enjoys the shelter of the shade trees as well with the result that the water is always wonderfully cool and visited regularly by the paradise flycatchers which nest overhead.
The tents are set amongst the trees to the other side of the lounge area and consist of two comfortable single beds, side tables and drawers and a small wardrobe. There is a flushing toilet and twin basins in a separate bathroom to the rear of the tent and an outside shower. A small stoep with deck chairs and tables makes the perfect place to sit, binoculars in hand, while surveying the countryside beyond the trees for animal activity.
The real activity takes place out on the early morning and late afternoon game drives and Charles and Muluki were expert at finding it. Or rather racing to it.
Our forays into the bush netted some excellent sightings, including an over-ambitious night adder trying to eat an over-inflated bullfrog, wild dog, lions bringing down a female giraffe and a young male leopard who thought he�d take on first a water monitor which was bigger than he was, and second a herd of tsessebe who looked at him as if he was taking the proverbial urine.
The lion kill was a double-edged sword. A pride of lionesses had made the kill with two small cubs at heel. When we first sighted them they were feasting happily being watched from afar by two curious, and hungry males who were not part of the pride. Later that afternoon the males attacked the pride and killed the cubs, stealing the kill for themselves. We found the cubs� pitiful little bodies that evening. I couldn�t bring myself to take pictures.
Dinners were spent discussing the days� sightings while contending with sumptuous home-cooked meals and some excellent wine.
Alternatives to the game drives are just as exciting for those who love the bush. I tried out a bush walk with Charles and we ended up tracking some lions. Little did we know that they were a mere 40 metres away in the long grass watching us with as much interest as we had in their tracks.
The bush walk brought us to the mokoro station, deep in the bush on one of the myriad small channels which eventually join the Godikwe lagoon system. A mokoro ride is an absolute must for anyone visiting the Okavango. Poled gently through the small, reed-lined channels, a mokoro gives visitors a hippo-eyed view of the swamps and is perhaps the most tranquil and relaxing way to experience the Delta.
At Kwara there is also the option of a river safari on a sort of double-decker boat with an upstairs viewing platform affording endless views of the waterways and surrounding bush. The river ride takes in several islands where marabou and yellow-billed storks nest, and where at sunset, over a few bloody marys, you can marvel as birds from every corner of the Delta come home to roost for the night.
It�s a hard life; this safari business and days melt seamlessly into one another. For the first time in a long time I felt the thrill of true relaxation and actually forgot what day it was, far from the madding crowd and intrusive cell phone.
Communication in the bush is done by radio, and certain camps have bush mail � a kind of e-mail done over radio waves, but apart from that isolation rules. For some it may be a worry, but in reality it only takes an hour for a plane to be dispatched in an emergency, and the camps all have emergency medical evacuation cover for guests in the event of something untoward happening.
After two leisurely nights at Kwara, I bade farewell to my hosts and once more enjoyed the pleasures of low flying at midday on a full tummy (brunch inevitably coincided with close encounters of a Cessna kind) for the 25-minute transfer north from Kwara to Lebala Camp, virtually on the Namibian border at the Caprivi Strip. Kwando Lebala and its sister camp, Kwando Lagoon, are situated inside the original 232,000-hectare Kwando concession.
Kwando is the brainchild of near-legendary Botswanan John Mynhardt and is run by MD and president Kevin Leo-Smith. Leo-Smith was one of founders of Phinda Resource Reserve which grew into Conservation Corporation Africa. He is very much a hands-on leader and lives in Maun with his wife, former tennis star Greer Stevens.
The terrain around Lebala is completely different to Kwara, providing an awesome contrast to the latter. Dry dusty plains give way to lush vegetation and sweeping lagoons and river systems on the edge of the Linyanti swamps which lead down towards what was the Selinda spillway. The spillway is dry, for now at least, but a season or two of good rains would more than likely change that.
Lebala Camp is a 25-minute drive from the airstrip and in the heat and dust of noon it was a trip which left me determined not to wear shorts again on open vehicles as I could feel my knees frying in the harsh glare.
Guide Spencer and tracker Silver didn�t seem to notice the heat as I tried to protect my exposed flesh with my hands but pointed out to me that anything with half a brain game-wise would be under cover of whatever shade they could find. I agreed and wondered about mad dogs and Englishmen as the temperature soared past the 40 mark.
The drive was thankfully over quick enough and soon we were enjoying cooling beers in Lebala�s shady open-air bar, trying to rehydrate desiccated flesh while enjoying the company of Lebala Camp manager Gareth Flemix.
There are eight tents at Lebala. Actually, calling them tents is a bit of an understatement. Sure, they look like tents from the outside � all khaki and blending in with the surroundings. But inside they are absolutely huge with an enormous double bedroom-cum-sitting room with two larger than average divans, a large raised deck complete with chairs and tables overlooking the dusty plain, a separate dressing area which doubles as a study, with drawers, shelves and a small wardrobe, and an equally gigantic bathroom with twin basins, the usual flushing loo and a full-size pedestal bath complemented by an outside shower.
Bigger than the average hotel suite, Lebala gets full marks for accommodation and shows just what you can achieve under canvas in the middle of nowhere.
And it is remote. But stunning nonetheless.
Within half an hour of my settling in by the plunge pool I was treated to the sight of a large breeding herd of elephants filing past not 100 metres away. Indeed, some of the experiences at Lebala will go down as legends in my personal records. For example, on my first afternoon a huge dust storm built up on the plains outside my tent. I watched from my deck as twisters pulled the dust up into the atmosphere, silently building into a huge pall which an ever-strengthening blast of hot, dry air began to drive towards the camp.
As it approached I heard wild trumpeting and Gareth�s excited yells to the rear of my tent. I went to the door and was greeted by the sight of a rampaging and obviously very upset young bull elephant charging past within a couple of metres of me, blasting on his horn for all he was worth, closely followed by Gareth madly clapping his hands and making almost as much noise.
The afternoon drive that day was amazing, with us witnessing the first, faltering steps of a newborn wildebeest and having sundowners within a couple of metres of some very garrulous hippos, who treated us to a water ballet par excellence. Darkness brought with it what seemed to be Africa�s entire population of spring hares and my first wild African rock python, which Spencer put at just short of the four-metre long mark. Our return to the camp was accompanied by the local hyena clan, who promptly chased an African wild cat through the bar as we were downing a few pre-dinner drinks.
Dawn the following day brought with it a pack of wild dogs who were also chased through camp by the hyenas. They ran over to the airstrip where they quickly caught and ate on the spot five young impala.
The dogs of Lebala are becoming legends in their own lunchtimes and have become a passion for Gareth and his head guide Steve, who have been recording their activities in minute detail for the past few years.
In spite of its remote position, Lebala is for me a large slice of paradise and one which I intend returning to regularly. It�s a marvelous place to unwind and reflect on life�s real meaning.
But sadly, all good things must end, and this portion of my Five Rivers Safari had, all too quickly, or so it seemed. A 50-minute flight in the ubiquitous Cessna back to Maun put me back on Air Botswana for the flight back to Johannesburg via Gaborone. But, in the words of the Terminator, I�ll be back. And finish what I�ve started.
When I left the first instalment of the Five Rivers Safari it was at the end of November on the hot, dusty plains of Kwando Lebala in the far north of Botswana. My return, to pick up my tour of the nine camps participating in the safari, put me in the familiar surroundings of Livingstone in Zambia but with a huge difference � rain, and lots of it had transformed this often oppressively hot and dry region into a lush and verdant wonderland.
Welcome to the green season, and the long awaited, life-bringing deluges this far-flung part of the world had needed for so long.
Songwe Village was to be my first port of call on this second half of my Five Rivers Safari, which I resumed with Nationwide Flight CE 202 from Johannesburg International to Livingstone.
I must say, Nationwide is developing into a fine airline and one South Africans can be truly proud of. I am impressed most of all with their levels of service and friendliness which put the often sour faces of their major competitors to shame. At the end of the day a trip by plane, whether short haul or international, should be a pleasurable experience, not something to endure. Nationwide seem to realise this and make the 90-odd minutes to Livingstone pass with pleasant ease.
It was sunny when I landed in Livingstone and a week or so of rains earlier in January meant that the nearby Victoria Falls were almost at peak flow, filling the air with their thrilling mist which gives them their local name � Mosi o Tunya � the smoke that thunders.
I was met by Songwe manager Dorothy Shinga and guide-cum-driver Munkombwe and began the journey to Songwe Point, which is approximately 14km out of town. However, it�s a long haul at 45-minutes due to the rough, and I do mean rough, road. Once off the main tar road it�s a spot of major bundu bashing over rock and through mud to get to the village. But it�s more than worth the trek.
As we pulled into Songwe the sun was steadily being overtaken by steely grey clouds, with the huge thunderheads forming on the horizon a sign of things to come.
Like Lebala, Kwara and Lagoon camps, Songwe is part of the Kwando family.
But it�s very different to its stable-mates.
Songwe offers participants in the Five Rivers safari a chance to get down and cultural. It�s akin to getting up close and personal with rural Africa.
Accommodation in the village is in traditional huts, simply but comfortably furnished and with the added luxury of en-suite toilets and showers. The bathrooms have no windows but low walls at the sink and shower afford the aforementioned stunning views of the gorge and the stretch of the Zambezi between rapids 10 and 13, well-known to white-water rafters.
It could so easily have been kitsch, but Songwe is anything but. In typical Kwando style the marriage of tradition, comfort and convenience is seamless and works perfectly. Sinks in the bathroom are large enamel bowls with a single, cold tap. In the early morning a large iron kettle is placed outside the door of the hut for freshening up purposes. The showers are basic but have hot and cold water and all the intricacies are there, but in a low-key, traditional way. The mirror is framed in recycled fanta cans, the enamel wear is everywhere, from the mugs for your toothbrush to the rubbish bin.
The beds are made from rustic poles and the linen is a mix of pure colonial cotton sheets and locally woven textile throws with the compulsory mosquito net � an absolute must in this malaria-ridden region.
The huts are arranged in a traditional village formation around a central area where chickens and goats roam freely. On each side are two additional huts which house double showers and huge luxurious Victorian-style baths. One set of these bathroom facilities faces sunrise over the gorge, and the other � you guessed it � sunset. The baths are positioned slightly raised to afford marvelous views as you relax and soak with a glass of something everso slightly refined from the makeshift bar in the central living area.
This is housed in its own, open hut to one side of the kitchen hut at the end of the village, close to the edge of the gorge. Here you relax on plump cushions on a built-in bench around the perimeter of the hut, which has a small fire pit at its centre. Meals are taken here, eaten off your lap or, on occasion, at a makeshift but perfectly functional table.
The idea, and it works marvelously, is to get you to relax and experience what it�s like to be part of a proper, working village.
During a stay at Songwe guests get the chance to experience a proper, traditional village dinner, eaten seated on a cushion on the floor using your fingers as cutlery. Dorothy, who runs Songwe with her husband Emanuel, explained that some guests are squeamish when it comes to eating in such an al fresco manner and that forks and knives are optional. Not for me. I dived in with both hands making short shift of the delicious shuma (pap), beef and chicken stews and assorted veggies such as spinage and pumpkin.
It�s a great experience and a refreshing change to table d�hote and a jacket and tie affair.
After dinner entertainment comes in the form of some impromptu drumming and marimba playing, singing and dancing. Guests are invited to join in with their own favourite songs, but somehow my rendition of Hotel California seemed out of place in this devine and oh-so relaxed setting.
Activities at Songwe are equally relaxed, with guests learning about the cultural heritage of the local Mukuni tribe, which has lived in this area since the 13th century, having migrated from northern Cameroon.
The village of Songwe itself is part of the greater Mukuni village and is home to about 1500 people. Guests can visit the village where there are several curio stalls offering a range of arts and crafts made by the local villagers.
You are also taken across to Mukuni itself, by ox-wagon when the weather permits, but in this sticky season the road is much more suited to the village Landrovers. Mukuni is home to a further 7000 people, all overseen by senior chief or Munokalya Patrick Siloka Mukuni. Chief Siloka has been the main man since 1985 and rules over his people with a Bedyango or Chieftainess who is equal to him in stature but from a different lineage.
During my visit to Mukuni I was taken to Lumpasa palace to meet the incumbent Bedyango, Anne Siloka, who although she shares his name is actually not related to the Chief. Chief Siloka�s lineage goes back generations. His ancestors met David Livingstone under a huge acacia tree outside Lumpasa palace.
Songwe Village is heavily involved in community development with the villagers, using tourism to inject much-needed resources into the communities via the Mukuni Environmental, Cultural and Economic Development Trust with the assistance of guests who participate in cultural activities and tours and buy curios from the stalls.
After the tour of Mukuni it was off to the Livingstone Museum to learn more about the area. Livingstone is very proud of its namesake, the inimitable Dr David, and he naturally features heavily in the exhibits, with his hat, coat, gun, box of medical instruments and medical qualifications all displayed lovingly along with in depth information about his life and contribution to the community around the falls.
Also on display are exhibits illustrating the geographical, geological, anthropological and biological histories of the region and the recent political history of Zambia. It�s a small museum, and desperately in need of funding, but it�s a start and an indication of the pride the local community has in its roots.
Then it was off on a sundowner cruise on the river with Safari par Excellence, which, at $60 per person is not bad value for money, including as it does tasty snacks and all drinks during the three-hour cruise.
The morning of my departure from Songwe was when the weather decided to mess with my itinerary, preventing my transfer by air charter. Early morning thunderstorms had given birth to flash floods, one of which emerged from the solid rock wall of the cliff-face opposite my hut with a roar of earthquake proportions heralding its approach.
The inclement weather played havoc across the region causing airports to close and flights to be cancelled and is a good illustration of how traveling in this part of the world is never cast in stone. Flexibility is an absolute must. As is patience. But in a smooth and impressively professional manner alternative arrangements were made for a road transfer to Kasane, some 70km away, where I would pick up my flight to Lianshulu Lodge in the East Caprivi area of Namibia.
It�s a strange part of the world, where international borders abound. One minute you�re in Zambia, a short boat trip across the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi rivers and you�re in Botswana, and before you can say Jack Robinson it�s Namibia. And there, on the horizon is Angola. And in the other direction is Zimbabwe. So began a curious series of immigration posts and 20-minute transits which have made my passport rather full and interesting. Four countries in one day is not unusual here.
The flight from Kasane to Lianshulu with was smooth and thankfully interesting enough to make the 50-minute journey pass quickly. Pilot Gerd Niehaus pointed out the Chobe and Zambezi flood plains and the temporary fields and grazing which in a few short weeks time would be under water.
Lianshulu Lodge is located in the Eastern Caprivi on the Namibian side of the Kwando River. It�s situated in a small, 800-hectare private concession in the Mudumu National Park, which covers around 800 square kms. Due to the general inaccessibility of the river, Lianshulu has exclusive use of the meandering waterways and lagoons, whilst other vehicles are rarely encountered on nature drives in the park, conveying a powerful sense of remoteness.
Indeed, the only other camp in the park, Bush Lodge, is part of Lianshulu.
The lodges are owner-run by Ralph Meyer-Rust and his partner, Sharon Theron. Ralph co-owns the lodge with partners Jonathan Gibson, and Peter Koep, of legendary status in the Namibian legal profession. Bush Lodge Managers, Beverley and Flavien Daguise, also lend a hand, making sure that guests� needs are well catered for.
Lianshulu is a Lozi name meaning �the place of spring hares�.
The lodge consists of 11 very private and intimate rooms nestled on the edge of a lagoon which is part of the Kwando river system. All have views of the water and the ubiquitous hippo population which provides all-day entertainment accompanied by a cacophony of grunts.
The rooms are luxuriously appointed and are in the process of being transformed into veritable palaces with lots of cool tiles, enormous bathrooms and living space for Africa.
Sumptuous meals are taken in the main complex with its huge deck overlooking the Lianshulu lagoon and, yes, more of those marvelous hippos. In the dry season elephant compete for the water, giving game buffs some exhilarating encounters with the wild. There�s also a marvelously shady pool area which was a major drawcard for me in the often humid conditions.
Activities include the nature walks, river safaris and game drives which make up an integral part of each day, and are interspersed with marvelously impromptu bush brunches served al fresco on islands in the river. Daily itineraries are tailor-made to suit guests with Ralph at pains to make the point that life at Lianshulu is geared towards slowing down and absorbing the natural beauty of the area.
At this time of year, with everything so wet and water not in short supply, the game is more dispersed but the hues and colours of green Africa more than make up for the lack of action. And the birding is out of this world. I was quickly adding new ticks to my check-list with lesser jacana, lesser moorhen and African finfoot among the endemic species I spotted.
In addition to hosting and entertaining guests with some riveting fireside stories, Ralph is also something of an expert on the area, having worked in it as a guide and expedition leader for more than 20 years. He�s a fount of knowledge on the area�s biodiversity, political history and geographical composition. My guide, Peter Damson, a Zimbabwean from Kariba, was also extremely well-informed and knowledgeable.
So what about that history aspect? Most of us know the Caprivi as the place �ons manne� went to fight the Swapo gevaar. But the Caprivi is so much more than the 14-day war. It�s origins are long and complicated. Originally conceived by Germany in the late 1800s it was used as a political football between Britain and Germany. Control over it was gained through intense political bartering which also affected the history of neighbouring areas such as Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and Northern Rhodesia which is now Zambia. It occupies a strategic but very isolated position juxtaposed between Angola in the north, Zambia to the north-east and east, Botswana in the south and Zimbabwe in the south-east.
Lianshulu is heavily involved in community development in the area, most notably with the original creation of the Kwando thatching industry and the initial inception of Lizauli village where for a small fee of R25 guests can experience the culture and traditions of the local tribespeople, including a consultation with a dancing medicine man.
The area around Lianshulu is rich in natural history as well. The Mudumu is home to a broad range of species, from the Big Four (there are, sadly, no rhino in this part of the world) in season to impressive herds of impala and zebra.
I took the option of a nature walk with Peter, checking out the smaller and sometimes infinitely more interesting details of fauna and flora that only walking brings you into contact with.
I also had the opportunity to experience the intricacies of a cross-border transfer along the river, with guests coming in from Kwando Lagoon camp�s airstrip, an hour by boat upriver, going through the formalities of leaving Botswana and entering Namibia under a makeshift riverside immigration post run by the Botswana Defence Force. It all runs smoothly, in spite of being hundreds of kilometres away from the intricacies of �civilization� and goes a long way to making the Five Rivers Safari one of the best ways to visit several different countries on one trip.
On my second afternoon at Lianshulu I was beginning to get the feeling that the weather was following me. The heavens literally opened just as I was about to depart on a sunset river safari and put paid to any birdwatching ideas I may have had. It gave me the opportunity to spend more time in the excellent company of Ralph and Sharon and was a great illustration of how well Lianshulu copes with keeping guests happy when the weather says �izzit?�.
From Lianshulu it was a quick road trip down the trans-Caprivi highway and back into the dense bush to Susuwe Island Lodge.
Along with Impalila Island Lodge � my final destination on this marathon journey � Susuwe is part of Islands.
Located on Birre Island on a peaceful stretch of the Kwando known as Carmine corner, the lodge is surrounded by the Bwabwata National Park. It�s pristine wilderness which some may remember as the base of SADF activites in the Caprivi at Fort �Doppies�. Indeed, the remains of the camp can still be seen as you leave the park.
The contrast between its neighbours is stark. Encompassing vast flood plains and Kalahari woodlands, gone is the thick loam of Lianshulu, replaced by the distinctive white sand of the Kalahari basin whose dunes form the base for some of the elevated lookout points which made the area so important for the military.
Running the show at Susuwe is Bruce Lawson. Bruce is literally a legend of the Southern African bush, having walked from the Cape to Cairo and led overland birding safaris for many years. Birds are his speciality, which is no surprise when you learn that his dad is the Lawson of Lawson�s Birding Safaris. Time spent with Bruce on the activities at Susuwe is invaluable as you tap into his incredible wealth of knowledge and experience. During my stay I spotted the rare Arnot�s chat and some beautifully colourful violet-eared waxbills. Indeed, this is the area for rare avians, with pygmy geese also putting in several appearances.
Together with head guide-in-waiting Sean Braine, a Namibian whose home is Etosha, Bruce makes sure that a stay at Susuwe is an education in all that makes the place special.
It�s a small lodge, with six beautiful suites positioned to enjoy views over the Kwando to the flood plains. Built in a blend of wood, thatch and reed, each suite is spacious offering some of the best of life�s little luxuries such as hairdryers and private plunge pools overlooking the river. There�s something special about relaxing in a plunge pool, bloody mary in hand, and gazing into the wilds of Africa. Especially when blue waxbills and brown firefinches are pecking at a feeder full of millet not a metre away from you and swamp boubous are catching dragonflies in front of your very nose!
Meals are eaten communally at the main complex with its beautiful open lounge areas leading onto the riverine forest and river beyond. Elevated viewing platforms offer a chance to get up into the canopy of overhanging trees and afford some lovely views of the river and woodland beyond.
Speaking of meals, be warned � none of the camps on the Five Rivers Safari are geared towards those watching their weight! All of the food is outstanding with some fabulous dishes being washed down with no small amount of fine wine. If anything, there�s just too much of it. But there�s always time for siesta, if you can drag yourself away from the bush.
Elephants are no strangers to the area as Susuwe annually witnesses huge migrations of breeding herds, with often as many as 1000 animals observed at Horseshoe, an oxbow on the river a short drive from the lodge.
Susuwe is involved with the local Mayuni conservancy group in a joint venture partnership. This progressive approach to interaction between lodge guests and local tribal trusts has been of huge benefit to the community and to sustaining conservation in the area.
And so to the last outpost on this marathon trip � Impalila Island Lodge.
Another 50-minute flight took me almost back to Kasane, landing at Impalila�s airstrip from where transfer is made via a short drive and longer, and very impressive boat trip through the Kasai Channel which links the Chobe and Zambezi rivers.
Impalila Island Lodge is located in an unusual position on the borders of four neighbouring countries. At the very tip of the eastern Caprivi it is situated on Namibian soil, but across the Zambezi is Zambia, and next to it Zimbabwe and Botswana which borders the Chobe.
Built on the tip of Impalila island at a place called Kamavozu � the place of baobabs � the lodge overlooks a section of the Zambezi known as the Mambova Rapids.
Fitingly, a huge baobab dominates the entrance to the lodge. It�s one of three in the area, with the other at the rear of the main complex and a massive, 2000-year-old specimen a short nature walk away.
Owner manager Simon Parker runs Impalila with the help of his partner, Renee (accent over first e please) te Roller. Simon has been at Impalila since its inception, 9 years ago. He�s something of an expert on the area and has become a local hero to the island tribespeople, often helping them in times of need. As he points out, no lodge of this kind can function without the cooperation of the local residents and there is a huge responsibility attached to a venture of this kind. He regularly ferries the island police officers, who, curiously, do not have their own boat, and has on more than one occasion used his boats as ambulances for seriously injured local villagers, some the victims of crocodile attacks.
It�s a beautiful place and quite unique in its position so close to so many major international boundaries. And it�s very private, with the nearest major human structure Island in Africa�s new venture, Ntwala Island Lodge, still to be completed on a neighbouring island.
Eight en-suite chalets are positioned along the rapids, enveloped in dense rainforest with private decks positioned to best enjoy the swirling waters which pass almost beneath them. The sound of rushing water is everywhere and lulls you to sleep each night under the safety of your mosquito net in huge, king-sized beds.
The suites are cozy and comfortable, built in wood, thatch and reed with plump wingback chairs and ottomans the perfect place to sit and listen to the river and the sounds of this water-bound wonderland.
The majority of activities at Impalila revolve around water. Game viewing is done by boat back through the Kasai Channel to the Chobe National Park. It�s a wonderful journey into Africa and offers some great views of Chobe�s famed elephants and even big cats who target the wide river banks and the antelope they attract.
Guide Albert Muyoba has very sharp eyes and spotted some excellent things for me to photograph, including two of the biggest water monitors I have ever seen and a young bull elephant enjoying the best bath ever.
Then there�s fishing, and guide Haydn Willens who is ever-willing to share his passion for the piscine. A fly-fishing enthusiast, Durban-born Haydn, who is also a top competitive bream fisherman, taught this particular blonde the ins and outs of landing tiger fish � which the Zambezi is famed for.
He must be a good teacher because I soon posed for pics with my very first tiger, a mere tiddler at 1,5 kgs but nonetheless a fighter which took no small amount of wrestling to reel in. All fish are caught and released again, so there was no remorse at my newfound skill.
Like all of its colleagues on the Five Rivers Safari, Impalila is tip top when it comes to service. Especially when it comes to matters culinary with student chef Charl Kleu, who hails from Centurion near Pretoria, literally cooking up a storm. I wanted to bring him home with me but he wouldn�t fit in my bag. Sad, but then its an incentive to go back and visit Impalila again!
My journey home from Impalila was again indicative of the curious position of the island. By boat to the other side of the island where Namibia has a small border post. Checking out of Namibia it�s off by boat to Kasane and a riverside immigration office where you check in to Botswana. From there it�s a 20-minute journey by road to Kazungula where you check out of Botswana, nip across the river by boat or ferry and check into Zambia for the 40-minute road trip to Livingstone airport, where you finally check out of Zambia and onto the Nationwide flight home. Phew! It�s an interesting, if not exhausting series of ins and outs. Blink and you�ll miss an entire country.
My overall impression on finally coming to the end of my journey is that I have found some of the most wonderful places in Africa, and all of them literally on my doorstep. Our immediate neighbours are not so far away and more than worthy of a visit. Everyone I encountered on the way was friendly, and passionately patriotic. And they all want to see more of us. The Five Rivers Safari will certainly see to that.
Part One of this article found here.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Part 2 of this article found here
I�ve often wondered how Grace Kelly and Ava Gardner managed to beat their way through the African bush in the old Hollywood classic �Mogambo� without ever breaking out into a sweat. And (in Ava�s case, at least) in high heeled mules to boot!
I�ve just been on safari and I �perspired� considerably, but then I left the old stilettos at home (tottering can be tiresome).
Safari. It�s a wonderful word, evoking images of colonial sorts striding out into the wilds of Africa in very inappropriate clothing, sleeping in scorpion-infested tents and drinking copious amounts of gin and tonic to fend off malaria, old chap.
A lot has changed, thankfully, but the modern equivalent still offers a chance to get up close and personal with the spirit of mother Africa.
Under the cloak of the �Five Rivers Safari� you can choose between areas as diverse as the Okavango Delta, Central Kalahari, Caprivi Strip and the Upper Zambezi basin.
Safaris these days require you to pack light (sorry, Ava) with a maximum of 12kgs in a soft bag and the usual hand baggage. This is because transfers between camps are in small five or six-seater Cessnas, so bags have to be squished into tight spaces, as do passengers. Basically, if you�re not a contortionist when you leave, you sure as hell are when you return!
In my case the squishing began in Maun with vacationtechnician Air, one of several charter companies working out of the northern Botswana town. A 25-minute flight north in the blistering heat of midday with the charming Faris at the controls brought us to the first port of call - Xakanaxa Camp.
The name requires some bushman-like clicking to produce it properly, but most non-clickers like me pronounce it Kaka-naka. Run by Bob and Flo Flaxman, the camp is located on the Khwai River in an area of seasonal swamp in the Moremi Game Reserve. It�s undeniably one of the prettiest spots around, shaded by jackalberries, morulas and knob-thorns and overlooking vast expanses of reeds, which are occupied by a veritable cornucopia of birdlife.
Xakanaxa has its own resident crocodile; a small family of bushbuck and a hippo nicknamed Pavarotti which is prone to midnight strolls around camp.
The camp consists of a large reception area and small curio shop, 12 twin-bedded tents, with a communal lounge area, dining room and boma-style fireplace where guests gather after dinner to exchange stories of the day�s adventures. There is also a plunge pool set in a small pool deck with a separate lapa-cum-sala providing much-needed shade in the heat of the day.
A short walk from the main camp is Pandani�s, a satellite camp of four tents with their own lounge and dining area and separate plunge pool overlooking a small lagoon on the Khwai.
Pandani�s can be booked out in its entirety by small groups of up to eight people through vacationtechnician.com.
The tents themselves are a marvelous illustration of how camping need not mean roughing it. High twin beds swathed in percale cotton linen with log-hewn furniture offering space to unpack clothes and store essentials. Rugs on the floor lead footfalls to the en-suite bathroom. Surrounded by wooden fencing to fend off prying eyes both human and animal, the toilet, basin and shower offer the chance for guests to commune with nature.
Hot and cold running water and an inexhaustible supply of Doom, Tabard and Peaceful Sleep mean that you stay clean while bugs (and there are plenty of them) are for the most part kept at bay.
At this juncture it is probably best that I mention something which may seem obvious. Bush camps are not for those who scream at every little creepy crawly or worry about wild Africa coming too close for comfort. After dark you do not wander around � you are escorted to and from your humble abode to and from the dining room and lounge areas. There are no fences to keep small hairy things and larger, furry things out. There is only your tent canvas or lodge wall to keep you in.
Animals and goggas wander in, and out of camp with impunity. And by animals I mean everything from water monitors, snakes, monkeys and hippos to hyenas, lions, leopards and elephants.
After dark there is generally no power, meaning that light is provided by storm lamps, oil lanterns and candles. Mosquito coils keep the little biters away and the only way to keep a good flow of air through your abode is to keep flaps down or windows open. Malaria is a very real and ever-present problem and anti-malarial measures are a must, whether it be medication or spraying thoroughly each night.
Indeed, a healthy respect for and interest in bugs is probably an advantage while on safari. In the rainy season especially the lights around the dinner table at night can attract a huge range of bugs, from cicadas (press them gently and they buzz obligingly) and grasshoppers to long-horned beetles and several kinds of mantis.
At Xakanaxa the Flaxmans do everything they can to make your stay the most enjoyable it can be, and you soon settle into a nice routine. Early-morning wake-ups begin each day, with coffee, tea and biscuits and cereals at the lounge before heading off with your guide on a three-hour game drive.
The guides are all very experienced and knowledgeable about the area and its diversities. Some, like Metsi, named after the water, have had some very close encounters with the Moremi�s four-legged inhabitants.
Back at Xakanaxa generally by 10 o clock, Flo and Bob greet you and escort you to the dining room for a lavish and exceedingly filling brunch, after which the rest of the morning and early afternoon are yours to relax, catch up on some snoozing and cool off in the plunge pool. Then it�s tea-time with cakes and snacks and off on a late afternoon drive, stopping for sundowners at a suitable spot en route before returning to camp for dinner and drinks around the fire.
The meals are wonderful, with home-cooked fare lovingly prepared and presented. The wine flows and after-dinner Amarulas are the perfect way to wind down for bedtime in Utopia.
Guests have the option of taking game drives in the Moremi or boat trips into the swamps, with short forays into the reed-lined channels on the traditional mokoros. These days the mokoros are fibre-glass as opposed to hollowed out trees in an effort to protect the woodlands around the swamps.
The Moremi Game Reserve has everything but rhino. Consistent poaching has all but decimated Botswana�s rhino population and attempt to reintroduce both black and white rhino have been largely unsuccessful, except for in small pockets in the Chiefs Island area of the Mombo concession within the Moremi.
It means you don�t get to see the Big Five, but certainly the remaining four are available in abundance. In addition, sightings like red lechwe, the rare sitatunga and tsessebe more than make up for the absence of rhino.
And the birdlife is out of this world, with carmine bee-eaters, pied kingfishers, rufus-bellied herons and African fish eagles as common as mossies.
After the lush wetlands of the Delta, the 55-minute transfer from Xakanaxa via vacationtechnician air to Deception Valley Lodge in the central Kalahari area brought with it a huge contrast.
Where there had been river channels and swamp there was now an unending wilderness of parched land with its own, peculiar brand of stark beauty. Where there had been a hot, but moist climate there was now the blistering heat of an almost desert environment. The thermometer hit 42 degrees C as we landed at the Deception Valley airstrip.
Deception Valley Lodge is located on a 15,000-hectare private farm adjacent to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in central Botswana. It�s a 20-minute flight from Maun.
The lodge is owned and run by Braam and Susanne Badenhorst and is managed by Bruce and Arenell Robinson with the help of Johnny and Jackie Minaar.
This is San country and members of the local bushman tribe, the Basarawa work at Deception Valley Lodge as trackers and bush educationists, taking guests on walks into the bush and giving them a glimpse of the San way of life, using Bruce and Johnny, who act as guides, as intermediaries.
The lodge consists of five twin chalets with comfortable sitting rooms with cozy couch, coffee table and mini-bar and spacious bedrooms cooled by ceiling fans. The bathrooms have large Victorian-style baths and outdoor showers.
Connected to the main lodge building by a series of wooden walkways, the facilities are all open to the bush, again with nothing to keep the wilds of the Kalahari at bay.
At the main lodge is an open-plan dining area with a huge, sleeper wood table. Here a range of marvelous, home-cooked meals are served by Arenell and Jackie which are guaranteed to satisfy even the most grumbly tummy. There�s a cosy bar and comfortable lounge area with a selection of reference books available for guest use and outside is a braai area and fireplace where guests congregate for drinks. Upstairs is a small curio shop selling bushman artifacts and items of interest. There is also a nice pool deck with a decent-sized plunge pool, loungers and umbrellas to fend off the scorching sun.
A family of porcupines is in residence at the main lodge. Spike, Lucy and their daughter Cheeky put in nightly appearances for the guests� and guides benefit alike and the chance to get close to these strange but fascinating creatures is a highlight. But without a shadow of doubt the chance to trek into the bush with the San Bushmen is the main draw card at Deception Valley Lodge.
Two tribesmen, Xhasi and Sthibo, worked with Bruce to educate me in the ways of the Basarawa, digging up bi � a huge juicy tuber � and showing me how they scrape and gouge it, and finally crush the scrapings to drink the precious liquid it unlocks. It�s bitter to the taste but certainly life sustaining in such a harsh environment.
They also showed me the kan-nie-dood bush from which they harvest their fire sticks. These they rub together to make campfires.
The kan-nie-dood also offers up a curious poisonous grub which lives in its root system. This grub, when squashed and squeezed over arrow tips, becomes a deadly poison, helping the Bushmen to bring down steenbok and kudu.
I was also shown the San hardware shop, which comes in the form of the brandy bush. The wood of this bush becomes pliable when heated in fire and is harvested to make throwing sticks, bows, spears, digging sticks and walking sticks. Kudu sinews are used to make bowstrings. All of the above are packed into a soft skin bag and provide the San with everything they need to survive in the Kalahari.
A bit of target practice with a bushman bow soon elevated me to the ranks of honorary San as I discovered a natural ability as an archer. The few short hours spent in the bush with these incredible people was an experience I�ll never forget, and one which has shown me just how resilient the human spirit is.
Life at Deception Valley Lodge runs on the same timeframe as Xakanaxa, with early wake-up calls, morning game drives or bush walks, brunch, siesta or swim, afternoon snacks, afternoon-evening game drive and sundowners and a hearty dinner and drinks. The difference is the environment and the type of game in the area.
Aardvark, pangolin, springhares, brown hyena and huge Kalahari lions make the place truly special, as do the sightings of leopard and honey badger. Then there�s the smaller, more unusual inhabitants such as the lethal black hairy thick-tailed scorpion, huge baboon spiders and a variety of snakes and lizards.
During my stay there was a huge rainstorm, which afforded me the chance to see long-dormant bullfrogs digging their way out of hibernation and frolicking in fleeting desert puddles.
Deception Valley Lodge�s brand of home-from-home hospitality and the down-to-earth approach to life in the bush is a breath of fresh air compared to the stresses and strains of urban living, and is the perfect partner to Xakanaxa and the Okavango Delta. It�s a definite not-to-be-missed experience.
ENDNOTE:
Next article experiences lion infanticide at Kwando Kwara Camp in the northern Okavango Delta and the magic of wild dogs at Kwando Lebala Camp in the Linyanti area close to the Caprivi Strip.
About the areas:
Botswana is roughly the size of France or Texas but with population of only 1,7-million. More than 40% of the land is reserved for conservation and wilderness.
The topography of the Okavango was formed through process of erosion and deposition. Two things influence the topography � first is the flatness of the area which makes termite mounds the highest landforms. The land slopes very gradually � 1km for every 4km - to the southeast. Secondly there are very few rocks or stones.
The Okavango Delta lies within the Kalahari basin � a depression of wind-blown sands which extends from the northeastern corner of South Africa to just south of the equator in the DRC.
The underlying bedrock is volcanic sedimentary rock and the entire area is seismically active and prone to quakes.
Historically, it is thought the Okavango river extended to the sea but there are different schools of thought as to which sea it flowed into � some believed it joined the Limpopo and flowed into the Indian Ocean, others that it met the Orange River.
Flow movement was arrested due to tectonic movement which caused a series of parallel faults and a section of the earth�s crust to collapse, leading to the formation of the inland delta, as we now know it. Geographically it is known as an alluvial fan.
The Okavango River enters Botswana at Mohembo after traveling 1000km from its source. It�s channeled through what is known as the panhandle � a 15km wide swathe between two of the geological faults. There is a 6000 sq km area of permanent swamp, beyond which is a 12000 sq km area of seasonal swamp, fed by an infinite number of small channels. This becomes open grassland when floodwaters recede in the dry season.
Four rivers influence Botswana today � the Upper Zambezi, Kwando, Okavango and Limpopo.
The Central Kalahari, as its name suggests, is located roughly in the middle of the Kalahari basin. Water is scarce here, a fact learnt through hard experience by the Dorsland Trekkers in the late 1800s.
The trek party of roughly 300 boere families and their agricultural retinue reached the area hoping to find water. A mirage fooled them into thinking they had found the precious fluid and the deceit gave Deception Valley its name. Approximately half of the families perished. The descendants of the survivors still farm around the Ghanzi area.
The local inhabitants of this stretch of the Kalahari are San Bushmen of the Basarawa tribe.
Part 2 of this article found here
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
vacationtechnician.com Botswana Safari Guide Profiles: Richard Randall
Richard who speaks English and French, is a vacationtechnician professional guide with more than 30 years of bush experience in Southern Africa. He is a citizen of Botswana and lives in Maun. Richard is one of the best ornithologists and birdwatchers in Southern Africa, and is considered one of the top safari guides.
No wonder he was given the responsibility to share his knowledge and the beauty of the bush with thousands of people from around the world, among them Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton former President of the United States.
Richard always tries to show the bush as an amazing ecological complex of organisms, small and big, all of which he considers equaly important and fascinating. The wildlife of Africa is much bigger than the spectacular mammals that we all love and want to photograph, and in the process we miss the whole immense drama of life.
"the best guides = the best safaris~ a bad guide in the best camp will ruin your safari."
Je suis arriv� en Afrique australe en 1957 a l�age de cinq ans avec mes parents qui avaient �migr� l� de l'Europe. Tr�s t�t j'ai d�velopp� un int�r�t vif en ce qui concerne, en effet une passion pour, la faune qui abondait dans beaucoup de parcs dans notre nouveau pays la Rhod�sie, maintenant le Zimbabwe. La plupart des mes vacances ont �t� pass�es dans la nature o� je pouvais �tudier la flore et faune locale. Plus tard, pendant que j��tait '� l'�cole secondaire et ensuite � l'universit�, j'augmentais mon horizon de naturaliste pour inclure des visites aux parcs et r�serves au Kenya, au Mozambique, en Afrique du Sud et au Malawi. J'ai travaill� pendant quelques ann�es en tant qu'administrateur de gouvernement dans des endroits �loign�s et sauvages du Zimbabwe.
J'ai visit� la premi�re fois le delta de l�Okavango en 1977 et j�etais tellement impression� que j'ai d�cid� plus tard de me d�placer l�, prenant le poste de Directeur des Op�rations et Naturaliste pour une compagnie de safari bas�e au coeur du delta. Pendant mon temps dans le Delta j'ai accompagn� beaucoup de groupes et d�individus en promenades 4x4, � pied et en de bateau, et j�ai form� les guides professionnels locaux. Certains de ces groupes �taient associ�s avec des mus�es ou les �tablissements universitaires (par exemple l�universit� de Harvard, le mus�e Smithsonian et la California Academy of Science). J'ai �galement men� des groupes de langue fran�aise, ayant appris le fran�ais � partir de ma m�re qui �tait parisienne. En 1992 j'ai obtenue le poste de Directeur G�n�ral et Naturaliste dans un nouveau et grand loge de safari � Kasane, dans le nord lointain du Botswana. J'�tait responsable de 12 guides professionnels et j�ai personnellement pris en charge le guidage sp�cialis�.
Pendant mon temps l�-bas, j'ai guid� sur demande, des groupes, des familles et des personalit�s internationaux. Parmi le dernier �taient le Pr�sident du Botswana, le Pr�sident Rawlings du Ghana, le Premier Ministre de la Malaisie, Princesse Alexandra du Royaume Uni et, en 1998, j�ai �t� s�lectionn� p�r la Miason Blanche des Etas Unis pour conduire un Safari sp�cialement pour le Pr�sident Clinton des et son �pouse Hilary. Depuis juillet 2002 j'ai r�sid� dans la ville de Maun, et j�ai tenu le poste de G�rant d�une compagnie de safari, ou je travaille aussi comme guide professionnel pour des exp�ditions dans le delta de l�Okavango, les parcs de Mor�mi et de Chob�. Mes int�r�ts entournent les mammif�res, les oiseaux (je suis membre du Comit� de BirdLife Botswana), les reptiles, les amphibies, la flore et l'astronomie. Je suis un citoyen du Botswana.
Apart l�anglais et le fran�ais, je parle aussi le Setswana (du Botswana) et le Shona.(du Zimbabwe).
KWANDO SAFARIS G�RE 4 CAMPS, INTIMES, PRIV�S ET PERSONNELS.
� Kwara Camp situ� au sein des 175. 000 hectares de la concession de Kwara, dans le delta de l�Okavango
� Lebala Camp situ� dans la partie sud des 232.000 hectares de la concession de Kwando
� Lagoon Camp situ� dans la partie nord des 232.000 hectares de la concession de Kwando
� Songwe Village situ� pr�s des chutes du lac Victoria Zambia sur 125 hectares de terrain priv�.
POUR QUOI KWANDO SAFARIS & vacationtechnician.com?
Kwando Safaris a �t� fond� afin d�offrir aux amateurs l�exp�rience unique d�un vrai safari africain � Tout ce que vous attendiez.
� Kwando Safaris n�organise ses safaris que dans des zones enti�rement priv�es.
� Nos camps sont ouverts toute l�ann�e.
� Pas plus de 6 h�tes par v�hicule.
� Nous organisons des randonn�es d�observation des animaux sauvages en dehors des pistes.
� Nous organisons des randonn�es nocturnes d�observation des animaux sauvages (30% des animaux les plus fascinants sont essentiellement nocturnes).
� Nous utilisons des bateaux � deux ponts d�observation afin de garantir une visibilit� panoramique maximale.
� Nous avons recours � des guides et traqueurs afin de maximaliser les possibilit�s d�observation de toutes les esp�ces.
� Nous proposons un tarif tout compris. � Pas plus de 8 tentes (16 lits) dans chaque camp.
� 3 repas sains et nutritifs chaque jour.
� Nos tarifs comprennent toutes les boissons alcoolis�es y compris les grandes marques, les vins, les autres boissons et les boissons fra�ches.
� Nos camps du Botswana, avec Songwe Village constituent un ensemble de 5 grandes destinations de safari.
� Service de r�ception et de reconduite � l�a�roport de Maun.
� Des camps intimes dans des emplacements priv�s avec un service personnel de style africain.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
A Rhino in Botswana's Okavango Delta sizes up vacationtechnician wildlife-watchers. "Safaris might be the key to winning the conservation battle in Africa," says Colin Bell, whose company won the World Legacy Award in the Nature Travel category.
On June 8, 2004, at National Geographic's Washington, D.C., headquarters, Queen Noor of Jordan is scheduled to again present the World Legacy Awards (WLA) for sustainable tourism�a joint program of National Geographic Traveler magazine and Conservation International (www.wlaward.org).
Queen Noor presided over the first WLA ceremony last year, announcing winners in three categories: Nature Travel, Heritage Tourism, and Destination Stewardship. Each winner works to protect the natural and cultural quality of the places we visit, supports local communities, and gives us lasting travel memories.
This week, in anticipation of the 2004 ceremony, we present the winners of 2003 as described in Traveler (September 2003), starting with the Nature
Wilderness Safaris, Southern Africa
"To me, there is no more uplifting, inspirational, or educational form of travel than a safari," Colin Bell, founder of Wilderness Safaris, tells me. So I'm learning in northern Namibia at the company's Skeleton Coast Camp, a 600,000-acre (240,000-hectare) reserve, one of 44 eco-friendly Wilderness Safari camps in seven African countries. The experience is more than just touring Earth's oldest desert (55 million years) with sand dunes that vibrate and hum under the chilly Atlantic winds. It's more than tracking springbok and desert elephant; more than combing beaches flecked with garnet, agate, and diamond; more even than visiting the nomadic Himba to witness their centuries-old way of life. It's complete immersion in the large, fantastic world of the desert.
When I ask if any industrial use threatens this land, our amiable guide, Douw Steyn, says, "Yes. It's widely used in the tourist trade." He shows us a gravel plain lacerated by the truck tires of joyriding tourists, saying the tracks will take a century or more to disappear. Southern Africa-based Wilderness Safaris, by contrast, has built its reputation on minimizing tourism damage and maximizing its benefits to both people and nature.
At the Mombo Camp in Botswana's Okavango Delta, for instance, my gin and tonic came with a slide show on the Wilderness Safaris backed rhino reintroduction program here. Poachers eradicated rhinos here in the early 1980s, but now 21 white rhinos nibble about. On a walking safari at Jao Camp, also in the Okavango, local guide Frank Mashebe thrilled guests by unlocking the secrets of�of all things�termite mounds. (They have an air-conditioning system, for instance).
Wilderness Safaris won its award partly because it hires, trains, and promotes talented locals like Mashebe. At Botswana's Savuti Camp, another skilled guide, Benson Siyawareva, tracked down the rare African wild dog, or "painted wolf." Only 5,000 or so still roam, but he finds a pack of 16�the gift of conservation.
"Our conservation ethic and community-based tourism model have resulted in threatened land becoming protected," Bell tells me. "And our Children in the Wilderness project, which has given week-long safaris to a thousand underprivileged African children, should help create the next generation of African conservationists."
For more information book via safari specialists such as New York-based vacationtechnician.com.
Watch for the Heritage Tourism winner in two weeks, and the announcement of the 2004 World Legacy winners on June 8.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
It's the beginning of a new era for private jet travel. Within the next two years, the luxury air industry will welcome a new category of entry-level, ultra-light, business jets. These planes will be constructed of light weight materials and have advanced designs, lighter engines and sophisticated avionic systems.
This is important news for you, as a vacationtechnician.com customer. Ultimately, it will mean lower costs for your point-to-point travel. As some of these aircraft qualify to become part of vacationtechnician's network, their lighter weight will require less fuel for each leg of a one way trip, therefore lowering your cost.
Currently, there are seven contenders in the super-light business jet category. They include: Adam Aircraft Industries (A500 & A700), Avocet Aircraft LLC/ Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. (ProJet), Diamond Aircraft (Diamond Star DA-40 180), Eclipse Aviation Corp. (Eclipse 500) Japanese car maker Honda Motors in a joint manufacturing arrangement with General Electrics' Transportation Division (HF-118 engine and the HondaJet), Safire Aircraft (Safire Jet) and Textron Inc.'s Cessna (CitationMustang).
Most all of these planes will be ready for flight between the end of 2004 and 2009. They will cost between $1 million to $2.5 million. So, keep an eye out for opportunities to fly on these new birds. They'll offer lower costs per trip when chartering them!
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
World Watch Advisory
vacationtechnician.com
04/12/04 22:45 GMT
Heavy flooding leaves at least 10 dead in Nairobi and in other Kenya provinces. Additional rains expected. Defer travel to affected areas if possible.
A week of heavy rains in Kenya's Nairobi, Nyanza, Central Rift Valley and Western Provinces has left at least 10 people dead as of April 12 and caused significant flooding rendering many rural roads impassable. Kenyan authorities advised Kenyans nationwide April 12 to expect heavier than usual rainfall during this year's rainy season (April-May). Flash floods in the town of Narok on April 10 cut off sections of Narok/Mai Mahiu road leading to the Masaai Mara Game Reserve leaving motorists stranded for several hours.
Areas that are susceptible to heavy rains, flooding and landslides include:
Central Province: The town of Murang'a could experience landslides.
Nairobi: Flooding is heaviest in areas with poor drainage systems, primarily in Nairobi's shantytowns.
Nyanza: The capital city of Kisumu, Kano plains, and in the districts of Homa Bay, Nyando are all experiencing heavy rains and flooding.
Rift Valley: Nandi district is experiencing heavy rains and flooding.
Western: Heavy rains in Mt. Elgon and in Cherangani hills will likely cause additional flooding in the towns of Budalangi, and Busia.
Postpone travel to rural areas if possible. If travel is unavoidable, carry plenty of bottled food and water, and a radio with spare batteries. A GPS is also recommended.
Expect road closures and detours; allow additional time to reach destinations. Avoid driving through water on roadways, as it could cause the vehicle's engine to stall. Do not attempt to move a stalled vehicle; abandon it and immediately move to higher ground. Do not try to cross where water is over the road; the road could be washed away. As little as 30 cm (12 inches) of running water can wash away most vehicles.
If in the area, monitor media reports for local impact and follow the guidance of local authorities. Flooding may cause unreliable telecommunications, electrical power and transportation disruptions.
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South Africa is increasingly popular as a wedding destination, and when one considers the country�s scenic appeal, romance, and value-for-money status, it�s really not surprising.
According to vacationtechnician, a luxury adventure specialist, couples can afford a five-star wedding with all the frills for less than what they�d pay in the United Kingdom, Europe or the USA. The average cost of a wedding in Britain is around �15 000 or �20 000, but the same function would cost only R80 000 in South Africa or 12,474.1 US Dollars, despite the recent strengthening of the rand. Consequently, they say, the savings are enormous.
A draw for weddings in Southern Africa is the excellent weather. The "wedding season" in Southern Africa extends from September to the end of April, and even into May, with 39 weekends of good weather available. In contrast, only around 13 weekends in the UK offer good weather. Although of course, if you�re bringing your guests out from foreign climes, you can get married any day of the week.
So what are some of the most popular options for getting hitched in South Africa?
Winelands Wedding
The fairytale wedding you�ve always wanted can come to life in the Cape Winelands. Romance is in the very air here, among the historic oaks, rolling hills and beautiful old buildings, needing only a horse-drawn carriage (which of course can be arranged) to complete the picture. Perfect for incurable romantics and anyone who wants a �classic� wedding.
Many wine farms have award-winning restaurants, so excellent food and service is par for the course, and one less thing that needs to be organised. It�s also the perfect place for a honeymoon, with luxury accommodation often available at the estate.
Popular venues just a short drive from Cape Town include Buitenverwachting, Steenberg, Zevenwacht, Spier, the Lanzerac Manor and the Grand Roche Hotel in Paarl, but the list is endless.
Beach Wedding
South Africa has some of the world�s most beautiful beaches with long, idyllic stretches of white sand, dramatic scenery and crashing waves. Who wouldn�t want to get married here? If you get married between July and October, you might even have a Southern Right whale or two dropping in on the festivities.
Favourite locations close to Cape Town include Boulders Beach, with penguins in attendance, outside Simonstown, Camps Bay and world-famous Clifton beach. Another option would be some of the beautiful beaches on the Garden Route, the Eastern Cape or along the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
Beach weddings can be made easier with the help of conveniently-located restaurants. The Boulders Beach Lodge offers a function room, restaurant and pampering wellness centre, while the Strandloper Restaurant on the West Coast has become known for their excellent food and relaxed functions in their rustic outdoor restaurant.
Safari Wedding
Weddings in game parks combine breathtaking beauty and exotic experiences with a real "Out of Africa" feel. Don�t think you�ll be roughing it either � private game lodges combine wilderness and luxury in the most addictive of ways. If you ever wanted to be treated like royalty, this is your chance!
Lodges such as Shamwari in the Eastern Cape, Sabi Sabi, Phinda and Londolozi are very popular for weddings and honeymoons, with superb accommodation and cuisine. Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal are especially renowned for their safari lodges.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
PHOTOGRAPHY
The choice of the correct camera equipment and film will determine the quality of your photographs on the trip. For good photography of birds and animals, a good SLR camera and telephoto lens is necessary. A zoom lens can be extremely useful on safari and the minimum recommended size is 200mm.
Consideration should be given before travelling with any lens bigger than 400 mm as most interesting shots are taken using hand held equipment. The new high-resolution digital cameras are outstanding and give great quality images, especially if you are using a digital camera body which takes normal camera lenses. Camera bodies like the Canon D60 and 1D are superb. The advantage of digital photography is that one can get instant feedback and adjustments can be made in the field to your techniques to ensure that your photographs are the quality that you would like. Color reversal film (slides) will give far better quality than prints.
Our guides have found that they are getting the best results using Fuji film. Fuji has brought out a good high-speed film that gives good color with very little grain (less so than any of their competitors). This is especially useful when using a big lens in low light situations. The guides' personal preference is the slower film (either 50 or 100 ASA) as this gives almost perfect quality for normal light. However, you may consider going to 200 ASA for a larger lens in low lighting conditions. The new Fuji 400, we believe is giving great results too.
The only disadvantage with the low ASA film is that you need a tripod for the early morning and evening shots.
IMPORTANT: BRING SPARE FILM (ALTHOUGH IT IS AVAILABLE IN MOST CAMPS/LODGES) AND A SPARE CAMERA BATTERY.
PASSPORTS & VISAS
International visitors require a valid passport together with onward travel documents. All passport holders should verify with vacationtechnician or relevant consulate concerning visa entry requirements. If you are extending your journey to other countries, please establish entry requirements for those countries as well. Please ensure that you have all the necessary visas prior to departure (unless available on entry).
VIDEO
Charging facilities for video cameras are very limited on the safari, so please bring enough batteries to last you at least 3 days of video filming. If you have a 12V charging pack which can be connected to the vehicle via the cigarette lighter, you may be able to charge your battery when it is travelling on the longer drives. Please bring your own attachment to connect your charger or video to the cigarette lighter.
WALKING
Walking is not allowed in the Chobe National Park nor the Moremi Game Reserve. It is allowed outside these reserves including much of the Okavango Delta. Walking can, however, lead to encounters with potentially dangerous WILD ANIMALS. Walking is, therefore, at your own risk. Never walk around unescorted.
DRIVING CONDITIONS
If visiting remote areas or national parks and reserves, the roads could be rough and bumpy and occasionally we will travel "off road", where it is possible that injuries may occur - if for example a hidden pothole is struck. Neither the vacationtechnician nor our staff members, associates nor agents can be held liable for any accidents or any damages!
RESPECTING WILDLIFE & SAFETY WHEN STAYING AT SAFARI CAMPS/LODGES
The wild animals are not like those found in theme parks They are not tame.
Most of the safari camps are unfenced and dangerous animals can (and do!) wander through the camps. Many of the animals and reptiles you will see are potentially dangerous. Attacks by wild animals are rare. However, there are no guarantees that such incidents will not occur. vacationtechnician, our staff members, associates, agents, or their suppliers can be held liable for any injuries caused during an incident involving the behaviour of wild animals.
Please listen to the camp staff and guides. The safety precautions need to be taken seriously, and strictly adhered to.
Do not go wandering off on your own without a guide -even to your tent.
After retiring to your tent at night, don't leave the tent!
Observe animals silently and with a minimum of disturbance to their natural activities. Loud talking on game drives can frighten the animals away.
Never attempt to attract an animal's attention. Don't imitate animal sounds, clap your hands, pound the vehicle or throw objects.
Please respect your driver-guide's judgment about proximity to lions, cheetahs and leopards. Don't insist that he take the vehicle closer so you can get a better photograph. A vehicle driven too close can hinder a hunt or cause animals to abandon a hard-earned meal.
Litter tossed on the ground can choke or poison animals and birds and is unsightly.
Never attempt to feed or approach any wild animal on foot. This is especially important near lodges or in campsites where animals may have become accustomed to human visitors.
Refrain from smoking on game drives. The dry African bush ignites very easily, and a flash fire can kill animals.
SATELLITE & IRIDIUM TELEPHONES
Telecommunications in the urban areas are easily accessible but please note that the campsites you may be visiting could be located in very remote parts of Southern Africa and do not have telephones.
An increasing number of guests have been bringing satellite phones along with them on safari. As most people come on safari to get away from it all, we feel that we must set some limitations on the use of these phones when on safari. We suggest the following guidelines on the use of satellite phones:
1. Please ensure the ring tone is kept at a low volume to avoid disturbing other guests.
2. Please use your phone in the privacy of your tent and not any of the common areas: dining area, bar/lounge area, or on any of the vehicles or on game drives.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
This month has been one of quite incredible transformation. 2004 could just
enter the record books as one of the most remarkable years in the Okavango
Delta in living memory... after two years of below-average floods we are
finally seeing the full power and beauty of the Delta, in a way not
witnessed for 20 years... this year's flood is going to be awesome!
Water which fell months ago as rain in the highlands of Angola has slowly
been making its way towards Mombo, across Namibia's Caprivi Strip and down
the Okavango Panhandle, filtered by great stands of papyrus and sand banks,
until it began arriving in the Mombo area at the very beginning of the month
- a good two months early.
Combined with this we have had much of our year's rainfall arriving late in
the rainy season, with the result that huge amounts of water have caused
some radical changes in our area in the last few weeks... It is hard to
believe that an area as flawless and beautiful as Mombo could be improved
upon, but the arrival of the floodwaters have lifted the area to a new
level...
Those of us who have had the privilege of calling Mombo home for some time
are particularly taken aback by the earliness and intensity of the water
flows into the Mombo area. Comparing this year's flood with last year's,
there is already much more water here than there was at the height of last
year's much less impressive inundation.
You can see the water pushing in day by day as it creeps nearer and nearer
to the steps of Mombo. The view across the floodplains from the main area is
simply breathtaking - infinite expanses of green grass and reeds, and
occasional stretches of open water which reflect the glittering sun. The
floodplain is dotted with the black, half-submerged shapes of buffaloes,
each with a brilliant white cattle egret perched on its back.
The arrival of the floodwater at Mombo has brought many animals and birds in
closer to Mombo - we have seen slaty egrets and pygmy geese searching
flooded grassy areas for food, and we have had some remarkable moonlit
sightings of groups of hippos grazing. The buffaloes and red lechwes
especially have been enjoying the lush vegetation in the newly flooded
plains.
The late rains have added to this spectacular transformation - we have had
another good month for rainfall, with most of the rain occurring during
afternoon thunder storms, carefully timed so as not to interfere with game
drives!
As we head into winter, temperatures have been a little cooler - the sun has
lost a little of its intense summer heat and daytime temperatures are very
pleasant.
In March we have had a total of 121.5mm of rain, giving us a total of 400mm
since November. This however is only just above the average likely to be
experienced in this area around Maun during the summer season. While
temperatures have been generally getting cooler, with some cloudy and windy
days being experienced, the sun has been particularly intense following
rainstorms. This is probably due to there being less dust in the atmosphere
after each rain shower. Minimum recorded temperatures have ranged from 18�C to 23�C, with an average daily minimum of 20.16�C. Maximum temperatures have ranged from 21�C to 30�C, with an average daily maximum of 28.00�C.
This "sunshine and showers" weather has meant that we have regularly enjoyed
seeing rainbows arch over the Mombo floodplains... anyone looking for the
pot of gold at the end of the rainbow need go no further than Mombo!
As well as a month of water, March has been a month of leopards. After an
absence of almost a year, the Maun Road female leopard made a welcome
re-appearance in some of her old haunts, now accompanied by a ten month old
cub. This means that we currently have three female leopards in the area
with cubs born at various times during the last year. We believe that there
are about 30 leopards in total in and around the Mombo game drive area.
The huge Burned Ebony male leopard used the cover of some of the new plant
growth to kill an impala, and then concealed his kill close enough for us to
have some very personal encounters with this incredible but elusive
predator, the ultimate in deadly stealth.
March has also been a month of frogs - the nightly chorus fills the Mombo
opera house to the rafters, with hippos, hyaenas, and lions, all performing
too to create a perfect nocturnal African symphony - sounds that we know
none of our guests will ever forget...
As we reach the end of March, the moon is waxing again towards its monthly
zenith, casting a silvery light over the buffaloes and hippos as they graze,
and casting shadows over the water as the giant eagle owls drift silently
among the raintrees.
In the Camp itself, we are continuing to refine the many little details that
make a stay at Mombo or Little Mombo so special... couples on honeymoon are
enjoying intimate and romantic private dinners and our chefs have been busy
making special cakes for birthdays and wedding anniversaries. Freshly boiled
water delivered to each tent with the morning wake-up call gives our guests
the chance to have an "emergency" cup of coffee at first light - although of
course they soon realise that the bush experience delivers a far greater
boost to the body and soul than caffeine ever could!!
As this area undergoes its annual change into a much more watery kingdom, we
are taking advantage of living in a huge natural classroom to extend our
meet and greet talks to explain to guests some of the wonder of the flood
and the rivers that turn their backs on the sea. Many guests have commented
that this additional information has really helped them get even more out of
their Mombo experience as it has further opened their eyes to the wonder
that is the Okavango Delta...
While some of our roads have flooded and are now impassable, this has not
compromised the quality of the game viewing experience at Mombo in any way.
Rather, game viewing is in many ways more intense as with the floodplains
now inundated, many animals have been pushed into smaller areas in the
centre of islands. The beauty of Mombo, and the reason that it boasts such
exceptional numbers and variety of game, is that it encompasses a variety of
different and contrasting habitats, thus providing the perfect habitat for a
great many species of animal and bird all year round.
Recent unusual sightings include a caracal (a large lynx-like cat) and a
large grey mongoose, the largest southern African mongoose but a very
secretive animal and hard to spot despite its size. Also a male leopard
mating with two females at the same time, and somehow dividing his time (and
energy!) between the two of them. Also some rare daytime sightings of honey
badgers and porcupines.
Perhaps the most spectacular sighting was one which set a new Mombo record:
seven of the reintroduced white rhinos grazing together on a large open area
known as Suzi's Duckpond. One quarter of all Botswana's wild rhinos together
in one place at the same moment. It was late afternoon, and the sky was
brilliantly lit up by the setting sun, bathing the whole scene in that
special soft light so beloved of photographers... and what a scene to
photograph! In the background were hundreds of zebra, and a quick glance
around the area would also reveal giraffe, warthog, wildebeest, jackal and
tsessebe... Meanwhile the abrupt alarm calls of impala hung on the still air
as they spotted the female leopard we had watched playing with her cub only
a few minutes earlier... and that was not so very long after we had seen one
of the four black rhinos near the airstrip... the kind of hour that only
ever seems to happen at Mombo - a place so magical that it can have
twenty-four hours like that in just one day!
And of course we have still to see this year's flood reach its peak, so no
doubt many more spectacular moments and special sightings await us... 2004
is simply flying by, proof (if any were needed) of how much fun we are
having...
So the Okavango flood continues to push into the Mombo area, carrying us
forward to who knows what new adventures... We can only be certain of one
thing, that 2004 is going to be a memorable year for Mombo in a great many
ways... so you are all invited to help make these memories even more
special!
As ever, we will leave the final word on Mombo to some vacationtechnician guests who stayed with us in this special place in March:
� Everything was fantastic - a true five star plus experience - thanks
for everything
� Everything was simply perfect
� Francis (our guide) was top rate in all areas. A very dignified
gentleman and a prize for your Camp
� Thank you for the most wonderful three days
� The Little Mombo staff truly contributed to making this visit to
paradise a once in a lifetime (hopefully not!) experience
� It could not have been more enjoyable. We had the best time and will
come again
� Roger & Ella's hospitality made my group feel welcome & at home...
thanks for a wonderful visit.
� This trip was our first and we felt very spoiled and fully intend to
return. Thank you for making our African experience so great and unique
� We do not want to leave Little Mombo! Leigh & Sharon are the best
host and hostess...
� Mombo is a very special place! We now appreciate Africa even more!
Looking forward to our return!
� Everything exceeded our expectations - we can't wait to share it
with our friends
� Nothing was too much trouble for the staff - they were wonderful
� My stay at Mombo has been the highlight of ALL my trips - Mombo is a
MUST!
Mombo Camp is situated on Mombo Island, adjoining the northern tip of Chief's Island, and is within the Moremi Game Reserve in the Okavango Delta in northern Botswana. The camp offers abundant big game viewing, arguably the best in Botswana.
The highlight here are the concentrations of plains game and all the predators - including the big cats! Lion sightings are particularly good. Mombo is built on an island that is surrounded by open floodplains. The camp is largely built in and around the shade of some large mangosteen, ebony and fig trees and overlooks a wonderful floodplain that teems with game.
The camp has 9 comfortably furnished, luxurious tents, raised off the ground. The guest's rooms and the walkways that connect the rooms to the living area are up to 2m off the ground, allowing game to wander freely through the camp - but at the same time allowing for guest safety. One often finds that animals take refuge under the rooms. The canvas rooms are spacious and well appointed and have en-suite facilities under canvas and an additional outdoor shower for those who enjoy a shower under the stars.
The dining room, pub and living area overlook the open plain in front of the camp and there is a plunge pool for relaxing in the heat of the day. Activities at Mombo include morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4 Land Rovers.
The game viewing in the area is excellent and guests could see lion, leopard, large herds of buffalo, cheetah, wild dog, elephant, white and black rhino, hyena, giraffe, wildebeest and zebra. Access into this area is only by aircraft.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
Michael Wines
New York Times
Friday, April 2, 2004
Excerpt:
Full Article Here
The British are coming to South Africa: 463,000 of them last year, up 45 percent in the last five years. So are the Germans: an increase of more than 50 percent since 1998. The Chinese may be the fastest-growing segment of all: More than 33,000 visited in 2003, an increase of almost 30 percent in a year.
And Americans? They have not come - not in the numbers dreamed of by South African hoteliers, restaurateurs and safari operators, who have now set about to change that.
South Africa is pursuing the American tourist - the last big game, so to speak, to elude this nation's increasingly savvy tourism industry. Last month, the government tourism office opened a Web site, www.southafrica.net/heritage, aimed at black and white Americans intrigued by the country's lush culture and uplifting recent history, and commercials extolling its charms are playing on U.S. television.
The idea, says Prudence Solomon Inzerillo, president of South African Tourism: U.S.A., is to broaden the nation's appeal beyond its base of aging baby boomers to a new, pick-up-and-go class of younger American urbanites who want a new thrill.
"They've heard of South Africa, but they're not quite sure what it holds," she said in a telephone interview from her Manhattan office. "Most Americans have a hard time with Africa. If something negative happens, they think it is happening all over the continent." The challenge, she said, is to separate South Africa's generally upbeat story from some of southern Africa's more problematic ones.
On the face of it, South Africa does not seem such a hard sell to Americans. This is Africa's first-world outpost - an effusively friendly English-speaking land with a rich mix of European and African culture, heart-stopping scenery and sophisticated food.
But, as for many tourist-hungry nations, Americans are a difficult sell these days. The threat of terrorism has affected travel by Americans far more than those from other countries; the U.S. economy also has been a factor...
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