Are you thinking of visting Africa for your honeymoon or with your family this summer? Now is the time to start planning! We are seeing a major increase in bookings during the summer months, especially in Kenya and Tanzania. Availability is going quickly! For the widest array of lodging choices, contact us now to help plan your safari.
A few specials on offer include a free flight from Wilson Airport when you stay four nights at Kichwa Tembo or three nights at Bateleur Camp. Both are located in the Masai Mara. These camps are typically at their finest in the late summer and early fall, when the Great Migration is typically expected to cross into Kenya.
We also have a special offer of 10% off senior and disabled travel on a set departure trip in August that visits the gorgeous Okavango Delta in Botswana, or a September departure to the remote dunes and parks of mysterious Namibia.
Call us so we can customize a trip for you and make your safari dreams come true!
We had a fantastic event here in Denver last weekend; a 'Beers & Safaris' night to socalize, snack and also to get a sneak preview of a new National Geographic program about Gorongosa National Park. The film is called 'Africa's Lost Eden', and debuts on National Geographic Wild on April 12th, and will be available for sale on April 13th. Despite unusually rainy weather in Denver, we had a great turnout for what was a fun and informative evening with a mix of AAC alumni travelers and those preparing for their first African adventure!
Rob and Jos Janisch joined us from Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique to talk about the park and camp they manage - Explore Gorongosa. They introduced the film and answered questions about it after the preview as well as answering questions about the park and Mozambique. It's a terrific destination that is truly off the beaten path.
We have several Mozambique itineraries, from our 15-day Adventurer's Mozambique Safari, which visits Gorongosa, as well as the beautiful coastline of Mozambique and the remote shores of Lake Niassa. We also have have our brand new Mozambique Eco-Adventure, an 11 day socially conscious, eco-friendly trip that visits Explore Gorongosa before heading for two different beach resorts that allow for very unique cultural interactions and a visit to a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mozambique is also a great place for a beach stay after a safari in Southern Africa. Our Mozambique Beach Holiday is the perfect add on to a Botswana, South Africa or Zambia safari, to allow for some R&R before returning to the rigors of daily life.
We still have space on our Zambia with the Experts Safari, a fantastic opportunity to explore Zambia's top parks with two of the best wildlife photographers in the business: Jonathan Scott, presenter of the award-winning BBC show Big Cat Live, and legendary Zambian naturalist and BBC guide Phil Berry. This once-in-a-lifetime trip takes a very small group of photographers and safari-goers into the wilds of the South Luangwa National Park for some of the best game viewing in Southern Africa.
Throughout the safari accommodations are quite luxurious - including the (recently refurbished as of May 2010) Mfuwe Lodge, home to the famous annual elephant "lobby" migration, the private and intimate Chongwe River House and the classic African estate of Shiwa N’gandu . The group will spend mornings and evenings on game drives - taking advantage of the best lighting conditions and most active wildlife. Afternoons are at leisure with time for a siesta, catching up in your travel journal or even enjoying a spa treatment in the Bush Spa. Each day Jonathan and Phil (and other local experts) will provide insight into photography and wildlife issues in the South Luangwa, as well as one-on-one time with guests who desire additional photographic instruction.
There are also two great optional extensions: you can take a pre-trip extension to explore the Lower Zambezi with Jonathan, and/or take a post-trip journey to Kasanka with Phil to see the fruit bat migration. Check out the video below for a glimpse into this amazing annual event:
For complete details on the daily itinerary and extensions and more information on Jonathan and Phil click here. Or contact us at 1-866-778-1089 to confirm your spot on this trip. There are only two spaces left (and possibly two additional spaces dependent on confirmations), so act now to reserve your spot! The pre and post trips both have four remaining spaces.
Cornmeal (mealiepap) is the staple dish of Africa. It comes with lots of different names (mealiepap (South Africa), ugali (Tanzania and Keyna), nshima (Zambia), sadza (Shona - Zimbabwe), isitshwala (Ndebele - Zimbabwe), sima (Malawi)) and several different consistencies, but the ingredients rarely vary, and you will recognize it when you see it! Like most African meals, it is eaten by hand. First, you dip your hands in water, then grab a bit of the 'pap'. A small ball of the mixture is dipped in a sauce or stew to be eaten. My last meal with this wonderful dish was ugali and expertly barbecued goat. Absolutely delectable!
Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp rosemary or thyme (optional) 1-2 tsp salt 2 c coarse mealie or corn meal
Method Bring 4 c water to a boil in a heavy pot. Add the olive oil and the herbs to the boiling water. Add all the mealie at once, stirring constantly until the meal and water are thoroughly combined. Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 c cold water to the mixture and continue simmering for a further 30 minutes before serving. Serve with a hearty meat stew, or with a warm tomato and onion sauce.
Africa Adventure Consultants has a long-standing commitment to protecting the environment. For years we have offset 50% of the carbon emissions for all of our safaris, while encouraging our clients to offset the other 50%. In 2010 we decided to go all the way: Now all of our safaris are 100% carbon neutral. Our US-based office is also 100% carbon neutral, and we strive to work with partners in Africa who share our passion for best practices and preserving critical habitats.
For 2010 we are also adding special Green Itineraries, such as our Tanzania Green Safari and the Mozambique Green Safari, which debuts this April. These trips utilize lodges and camps that stand out as having the most sustainable environmental practices in Africa. These include recycling, composting, using alternative energy sources (solar and wind power), water conservation, organic farming, giving back to the local community, and protecting wildlife habitat.
This Saturday, March 27th, we urge you to join us in observing Earth Hour. This is a worldwide call for action on climate change by doing something simple: turning off your lights for an hour from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. So far 26 US States and 115 countries have signed on to observe Earth Hour to show their solidarity for climate reform. Celebrities such as Edward Norton, Gisele Bundchen, and Tom Brady are on board, and we hope you will be too!
Mozambique is a country that few people talk about when considering a trip to Africa. For sheer numbers of large animals it is overshadowed by its neighbors, Tanzania, South Africa, and Zambia. Yet it does have Gorongosa National Park, which offers unique walking and fly-in safari opportunities and a chance to see the rare Gorongosa lion. If you are in the Denver area, check out our Beers and Safaris Event on March 26 to see a sneak-preview of an upcoming National Geographic special on Gorongosa.
What Mozambique also has is unspoiled, brilliant white-sand beaches. The Bazaruto Archipelago lacks the crowds of more popular beach destinations, and is largely undeveloped. Here you can walk on the beach for miles without disturbance, while the warm, clear blue waters offering excellent snorkeling and diving opportunities.
It is easy to add a Mozambique Beach Holiday to most of our trips in southern Africa. Our five-day beach holiday begins and ends out of Johannesburg, and you have your choice of two levels of accommodations: the deluxe Indigo Bay Resort on Bazaruto Island, or the luxury Benguerra Lodge on Benguerra Island. Both feature a full range of activities, or you can simply relax on the beach and enjoy wonderfully prepared meals featuring local seafood such as prawns, crab, and crayfish.
March and April are the rainy season in Kenya, and this year the Samburu region has been particularly hard-hit. On March 4th the Ewaso Inyiro River burst its banks sending a huge flood-wave of water downstream. Six tourist lodges were destroyed along with several research camps, including the Save the Elephants research camp. People had to take to the roofs, and many young animals were swept away by the currents. Fortunately the elephant population was largely unaffected, and there has been little loss of human life.
Since then the flood waters have receded, but there is still more rain expected. Rebuilding has begun at several lodges, with the hopes of having everything up and running again in several months. We at AAC are keeping our ears to the ground. Getting tourists back to the area will greatly help in the recovery. Samburu remains a top game viewing region, and there are several camps and lodges in the area which have suffered minimal or no flood damage.
Currently it costs $75.00 to renew an adult passport, but under the proposed hikes the rate would go up to $110.00, a 47% increase.
Fees for a first-time adult passport are slated to rise from $100.00 to $135.00.
Want to add more visa pages to your passport? Currently this service is free, but under the proposed new schedule it would cost $82.00.
If these fee hikes do pass, expect a rush as people try to beat the deadline, which could result in longer processing times.
Our advice is to check your passport's expiration date now. Depending on how much time is remaining, you may want to renew now as opposed to later.
Also note that many countries in Africa require that your passport have at least six months of validity from the date you enter the country.You definitely do not want to get turned away at the gate for having a passport which is about to expire!
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong is in South Africa preparing for his next race. The Cape Argus is the world's largest individually timed race and features a one-day, 65 mile course around South Africa's Cape Peninsula, finishing in Cape Town at the World Cup soccer stadium.
Armstrong has already done several practice rides, and has raved about the stunning scenery. Famous for its harbor, Table Mountain, and nearby Cape Point, Cape Town is rightly known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Fortunately Cape Town is easy to add to any of our South Africa itineraries, and is featured in our Cape Town Highlights Tour, as well as in our Sabi Sand and Cape Town luxury safari.
For the golfer, check out our South Africa Golf and Game which combines an Eastern Cape wildlife safari with tours of Cape Town, the winelands, and golf at several fantastic courses including the Jack Nicklaus designed course at Pearl Valley.
Do you like Africa? Do you like beer? Do you like National Geographic Channel nature shows? Do you like NCAA basketball? How about delicious snacks? If you said yes to any of these questions, please join us for a fun-filled happy hour celebration at our next Beers & Safaris event sponsored by Africa Adventure Consultants and Flying Dog Ales.
At this event we will have special guests, Rob and Jos Janisch, from Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique! They will be showing a short sneak preview of an upcoming National Geographic Channel special on Gorongosa National Park.
Gorongosa is a true conservation success story. In 1994 Gorongosa's large-animal population had been left decimated by years of civil war. Yet through the concerted efforts of American philanthropist Greg Carr, herds of buffalo, wildebeest, and other large mammals have been reintroduced to the park, which is steadily being restored to its former glory. (This unique destination is included in our 15-day Adventurer's Mozambique Safari which also takes you to some of Mozambique's pristine beaches.)
Of course, we do know that this is also NCAA Basketball time. The games will be showing on multiple screens at Blake St. Tavern for those of you afflicted with March Madness!
Location: Blake Street Tavern 2401 Blake St. Denver, CO 80205 US
When: Friday, March 26, 6:00PM to 8:00PM
Please RSVP by March 22 to 303-778-1089 and let us know how many guests will be coming. This is an adult-oriented event but kids are welcome.
Hungry for Africa, but you haven't planned your trip yet? Call us and we can get started on a custom itinerary for you! In the meantime, whip up a batch of these sundowner snacks, and you can dream of watching the sun set over the Serengeti, or the sun quickly dropping through the reeds in the Okavango Delta. Maybe you're dreaming of the sunset over the Indian Ocean from the beaches on Zanzibar? Wherever your dream sunset may be, here's the perfect snack to go along with it!
Carmelized Nuts for Bush Sundowners
1 c almonds or cashews 2 tbsp butter 1/2c soft brown sugar Sea salt Cayenne pepper 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
In a large frying pan, melt 30 ml (2 tbsp) butter. Toss in 125 ml (1/2c) soft brown sugar, a gerenrous pinch of sea salt, a dash of cayenne and some finely chopped fresh rosemary. Toss well over heat and add a heaping cup of raw almonds or cashews. Fry until nuts are coated in a salty-sugary glaze.
Delicious with martinis!
*recipe courtesy 'A Kitchen Safari'/Ngala Private Game Reserve*
For a different kind of adventure, consider Ethiopia. This unique destination offers friendly people and tons of culture and history. Here you can visit remote island monasteries at Lake Tana, explore medieval castles in Gondar, and see huge monolithic pillars called stelae in Axum (the Ark of the Covenant is also reputed to be stored here). Topping things off, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are truly amazing—these massive structures were carved directly out of the bedrock by hand, some more than 800 years ago. Legend has it that angels helped carve some of the churches—a visit to this UNESCO World Heritage site may leave you awestruck as well! Our eight-day Historical Ethiopia Tour takes you to all of these highlights.
Another reason to visit Ethiopia is the food. If you have not tried Ethiopian food you are in for a real treat. Most meals are served on flat, pancake-like bread called injera, made from the highly nutritious local grain, teff. Injera serves as both plate and edible serving utensil for a number of spicy sauces known as wat. Many wats are vegetarian, but some contain meat—doro wat, made with chicken, is especially delicious.
Even if you have tried Ethiopian food in your home country, nothing compares to the real thing. One of my favorite dishes is known as shiro wat, a spicy vegetarian sauce made from ground chickpeas. This dish is quite labor intensive—it is hard to find people willing or able to prepare shiro outside of Ethiopia, but it is readily available within the country.
A final treat worth mentioning are the wonderful fresh-made juices. Pineapple, mango, orange and guava are usually on the menu, along with more interesting choices such as avocado—my favorite!
If you are interested in experiencing Ethiopian food, but your travel tastes lean more toward nature, then you might enjoy our thirteen-day Trekking Ethiopia tour. This trip combines visits to Gondar and Lalibela with a full week of trekking in the spectacular Simien Mountains. The Simien scenery is nothing short of epic, and you will have the chance to see rare species such as Geleda baboons, Walia Ibex, and the rare Ethiopian Wolf (Simien Fox).
If traditional cultures and visiting remote tribal peoples whets your appetite , then a third option is our twelve-day Ethiopian Epic tour, which takes you to Lake Tana, Gondar, and Lalibela in the north, and then south to the famed Omo Valley where you will visit Hamer, Karo, and Dassanech peoples, amongst others.
