Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2016 i Travel Africa

Daily catch The largest artisanal fishing village on the Gambian coast, Tanji abuts a wide sandy beach that explodes into life upon the arrival of the daily catch. Dozens of brightly painted wooden pirogues set anchor in the shallow waves and start unloading the freshly netted fish into plastic buckets that are carried to shore on the heads of local tradeswomen. Many of the fish are taken to the beachside market and sold on to local families or to traders from nearby coastal communities. Others are sundried, or find their way to the smoking huts that line the beach, or are stored in a recently constructed ice plant. It’s all rather chaotic, and the beach quickly becomes strewn with discarded marine life, such as small fish, crabs and severed heads…

1 Malee Oot Ethiopia, page 122 “On my first night in the Simiens I felt an intestinal pang that will be familiar to many travellers, and spent the night with my head in a plastic bag. By morning I was so sick that I had to rent a mule to ride for the day, which cost £8. My steed’s name was Samun and we all became so attached to her that we kept her for the entire trek.” Malee Oot is a freelance writer living near Washington dc: She has contributed to Adventure Travel, Go Nomad and The Washington Post. 2 Mike Dexter Zambia, page 82 “Oil drums and driftwood were the primary components of the pontoon upon which we were thoroughly stuck, grounded in the centre of the crocodile-rich…

My wife Jane and I made our first visit to Africa last year, visiting several places in Zambia. We started with a relaxing few days at Waterberry Zambezi Lodge near Livingstone to ease ourselves into it, before continuing to Flatdogs and Lion camps in South Luangwa National Park. Here we were extraordinarily lucky and saw giraffe, elephants, hippos, lions and more. On one occasion, a leopard sauntered directly towards us and passed by within an arm’s length of the vehicle. The first night under canvas with elephants and hippos munching outside was also… nerve-wracking! No doubt this is all very ‘normal’ for a safari but the main reason for writing this is to share with you one particularly exciting tale from our final destination: Chongwe River Camp. Supposedly, this superb…

There’s no better place to start than in the atmospheric Medina. Lose yourself in the old town’s maze of ancient alleyways, where vendors gather to sell their wares. Meeting the locals is all part of the experience, so take your time while you talk and taste. Instead of going out to a swish restaurant or staying in the hotel for dinner, make a beeline for Djemaa el-Fna, where crowds gather to enjoy authentic dishes. Feasting in the square after dark is an overwhelming sensory experience: there’s a cacophony of sounds — from traders to snake charmers — and aromas of meat sizzling on the grill fill the air, as you devour spicy Moroccan delights. BEST BITES ■ MEDJOUL DATES Grab a handful of the world’s best. These are as fresh…

Gemsbok, Sossusvlei, Namibia Flying low over the sand dunes of the Namib Desert was unforgettable. In the endless sea of orange, we spotted just the occasional antelope. I remember a strong wind was blowing that day, and for a brief moment this gemsbok paused on the crest of a dune. I fired off two quick shots and then he was gone. Many aerial images look tranquil, but working from a plane or helicopter is fast and furious. It’s the most difficult type of photography I do. Canon EOS-1v / 300mm / Fujichrome Velvia 50 ISO / f/2.8 Salt marsh, Langebaan Lagoon, South Africa I had hired a small plane and headed up the west coast, north of Cape Town. The beautiful Langebaan Lagoon offers many photographic opportunities, including ships, industry,…

Scan this page with the ‘Layar’ app for more content One haven is Onkoshi, a set of timber and tent structures on the edge of the great pan, overlooking the endless plains. Whether the ground is dry or waves are washing under the chalets the vistas are extraordinary Whether you’re looking for big game or big skies, travelling by 4WD through Namibia and Botswana is the easiest way to discover both. The following two-week route will allow you to enjoy a taste of real adventure as well as some pampering, combining remote campsites with more comfortable places to stay. When you’re caked in dust and ready for a rest after several days on the road, a lodge is just what you need, yet when you feel the timetables are beginning…

Ancient animal paths carved into the earth by the feet and hooves of countless generations of elephants, hippos and buff alo crisscross the landscape. The rough pads of lions and leopards fall silently on trails, allowing them to patrol their territories and stalk their prey undetected. It is along these paths that we are traversing this untamed wilderness. Our party of five comes to an abrupt halt. I look around warily, unsure of the reason but certain that the stop is justified. Alex Phiri, our guide, is intrinsically in tune with the environment. He crouches down to examine the path while we hold our breath. He beckons us forward and we gather around. The track is clear; there is no mistaking it. A lioness was here just moments ago. “She…

What should you look for when planning a month-long cycling holiday in Africa? I would say: beautiful and varied landscapes, no traffic, a safe environment and an abundance of wildlife (without the risk of being chased by lions!). So where should you go? After some research the answer became clear to me: Malawi, a relatively compact country filled with savannahs, jungles, mountains, long plains and one of the most picturesque and inviting swimming lakes in Africa. As soon as I began my journey, my pre-existing impressions were confirmed. I began pedalling along the M9, the road that connects Lilongwe, the Malawian capital, with the north. To my surprise, the roads were uncongested — with the exception of a few minibuses. The gravelled surface was relatively smooth, and everyone smiled at…

“PORINI RHINO CAMP IS A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF HOW SMALL-SCALE tourism works right at the heart of the conservation effort,” says Mohanjeet Brar of Porini Camps. The camp’s seven guest tents sit in a secluded valley on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya’s Laikipia district. At 90,000 acres, Ol Pejeta is one of many working cattle farms that have embraced conservation at the heart of their operations, establishing Laikipia as one of Kenya’s key wildlife destinations – and a significant source of employment. Today, Ol Pejeta is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa, home to three of the world’s last remaining northern white rhino and the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees. Here, wildlife lovers can see ‘the big five’ (including some of the highest predator densities…

With few distractions to interrupt your stay at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, you can completely lose yourself in dazzling natural beauty, peaceful island life and unforgettable experiences. Relish a host of luxury comforts in our boutique collection of 44 beach, sea view and pool villas, which have been designed in natural harmony with the unspoiled island surrounds. Spend lazy days at a quiet beachfront pool that is reserved exclusively for adults, or take your little ones to play in the dedicated family pool. Feel revitalised at our pampering spa with an extensive range of treatments and specialist hydro facilities. Discover some of the world’s best scuba diving as you go in search of dugongs, turtles and whales. Experience an angler’s dream with amazing deep sea fishing. Master water skiing and…

There’s progress in the battle to end ivory trafficking in Asia. In July 2015, for example, U.S. and Chinese Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping committed to halting the domestic commercial trade of ivory in their countries. China followed this with an announcement in October that it will ban, for one year, the import of African ivory hunting trophies. When it comes to the illicit trade in rhino horn, however, the news isn’t nearly so positive. As this issue went to print, South Africa—which holds the majority of Africa’s rhinos—was on track to lose more than 1,100 rhinos in 2015, about the same rate as in 2014. Meanwhile in Vietnam, the largest consuming country of rhino horn, there is minimal public awareness about rhino horn and the impacts of demand…

WHY VISIT? A no-brainer, this. A wealth of ruins spanning three millennia of Pharaonic rule has made the Egyptian Nile the world’s oldest tourist destination. Since ancient Greek and Roman times, sightseers have crossed the Mediterranean to feast their eyes on the likes of the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. More than four hundred years before the birth of Christ, the historian Herodotus wrote: “Nowhere else are there so many marvellous things, nor...are there to be seen so many things of unspeakable greatness.” If ancient history is your thing, that holds no less true today. UNIQUE APPEAL? The peerless archaeological treasures of the Nile Valley span a period bookended by the establishment of the first Pharaonic Dynasty around 5000 years ago and the suicide of Cleopatra VII in Alexandria…

AWF Chief Executive Patrick Bergin first journeyed to Africa as a fresh-faced, bespectacled Peace Corps volunteer in 1988. In 1990, the then-head of AWF approached the director of the Peace Corps in Tanzania, seeking somebody with experience working with communities and fluent in Swahili. The Peace Corps director later mentioned the meeting to Bergin, advising him to seriously consider the opportunity. “That night, I did not sleep a wink, because I knew— I just felt in my bones—that I had just had a head-on collision with my destiny,” says Bergin. Bergin just wrapped up his 25th anniversary with AWF in 2015. “Twenty-five years is a long time,” the AWF CEO admits. “You might think I would become bored or stale after 25 years. But there’s so much opportunity and so…

A CO-OWNER’S STORY Our main reason for investing in this reserve was the freedom and flexibilit y it offered, together with the opportunity to be involved in a conservation project in Africa. Safaris have become very expensive and most of them too luxurious. They tend to follow the same regimented format and those that are less so are usually more remote and difficult to get to. This reserve is comfortable and flexible in its accommodation, catering and game viewing facilities. The rangers are terrific but the option to drive oneself is very special – you can be a game ranger too! The ability to bring family and friends and to self-cater, if one wants to, is also ver y appealing. Above all, it was exciting to think that we could…

Majestically reaching over 360 000 sq kilometres from the world-renowned Kalahari Desert to the arid plains of the Karoo, the Northern Cape, South Africa, offers visitors unique adventure experiences. With its open spaces, friendly people, rich history and unique cultural diversity, this land of the extreme promises an extraordinary holiday adventure experience. Here are five must-do reasons to choose the Northern Cape as your southern African adventure destination: CULTURAL ADVENTURES The distinct cultural groups that make up the Northern Cape are as rich as the country’s history. Unlock the secrets of the African bush in the company of the oldest human inhabitants of the region, the ‡Khomani San, near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Swim in the hot pools of Riemvasmaak, discover the ancient wisdom of the Nama of the Richtersveld,…

It was dawn on the Elephant Coast. A thin sliver of amber sun crept out of the Indian Ocean on the horizon, illuminating the clouds and casting an ethereal light over everything. I was alone on the private stretch of golden sand at Thonga Beach Lodge, near Mabibi, soaking in the scene and mentally preparing myself for my first South African scuba diving adventure. There was no sound at all except the crashing waves: frothing and slightly menacing. Soon the voice of my dive instructor Lee-Ann interrupted my reverie and it was time to pull on our wetsuits and life jackets and assemble our kit. Lee-Ann briefed me on the hair-raising surf launch that we were about to attempt and then it was time to go. Perched precariously on the…

Scan this page with the ‘Layar’ app for more content In time, Mozambique could be the bright star of Africa. Gorongosa is already a star. It’s a magnificent and truly wild destination, and a superb place for a dash of adventure “I’m a big believer in the spirituality of nature,” American philanthropist Greg Carr confided to me when we met at Gorongosa National Park, a place that is his passion. “I mean when the deepest part of you connects to a love of nature and the great outdoors.” It’s impossible not to feel that connection in Gorongosa. I first fell under the spell of this remote wilderness five years ago. The vast floodplains of Lake Urema mesmerised me, as did the famed fever tree forests glowing gold at sunset and…

I did a lot of remote trips when I lived here, but the Simiens were impossible to reach back then,” says Andy Haines, my friend and travel companion. The road is lined with vibrant market stalls, and donkey-drawn carts wobble past precariously. We’re sitting outside the Simien Mountains National Park headquarters in Debark, waiting for our guide Dejen and our government-mandated, guncarrying scout, a grandfather-like fellow named Tafere. The pair will accompany us on a three-night, forty-kilometre hike in northern Ethiopia’s 412sq-km Simien Mountains National Park. For Andy, our journey is something of an anniversary: having lived in Addis Ababa in the early 1990s, while serving on the board of the Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society, he is returning for the first time in two decades. The Simiens once…

Raid the archive! The pack If you’re enjoying this magazine, discover so much more of Africa by exploring our back issues. To see available issues, visit www.travelafricamag.com and follow the links. Note that not all back issues are available and stocks may be limited. Carry Travel Africa around with you If you aren’t familiar with Zinio.com, you need to check it out. This is the world’s largest digital magazine store, enabling you to read Travel Africa on your PC, Mac and mobile devices. Single copies or subscriptions are available, so now you can carry your whole archive with you wherever you go! Search Zinio.com for ‘Travel Africa’ Give a GiftPack Give the giftof Africa with an impressive 13 great African magazines! (For just over £2 a copy!) The pack includes:…

WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE SAFARI DESTINATION OF THE MOMENT? South Africa. A weak rand and malaria-free game parks make it great value and very popular, with plenty of attractions: safari, beach, history, wine, food, flowers, desert… I could go on. WHICH COUNTRIES ARE ONES TO WATCH THIS YEAR, AND WHY? Kenya has consistently good game viewing, some of the friendliest people on the continent and is inexpensive at the moment. Rwanda is a relatively unknown gem with breathtaking scenery and gorillas. Ethiopia is very up and coming: infrastructure is improving and more and more travellers are discovering its beauty, culture and history. IN YOUR OPINION, WHERE IS THE BEST BEACH BREAK? Zanzibar, without a doubt. With its stunningly beautiful beaches, spice plantations, incredibly friendly people, wonderfully warm sea (essential,…

When leftto its own devices, nature does a remarkable job of taking care of itself. Consider Chernobyl, the Russian city that was permanently evacuated when a nuclear power plant exploded in 1986. According to a study in the October 2015 issue of the journal, “Current Biology,” wildlife numbers in Chernobyl now appear to be higher than before the nuclear disaster, largely because of the lack of human presence. “This doesn’t mean radiation is good for wildlife,” says study coauthor Jim Smith, “just that the effects of human habitation, including hunting, farming and forestry, are a lot worse.” Unfortunately in Africa, the effects of human habitation on wildlife are inevitable, as wildlife and humans increasingly come into contact with one another. Following are just some of the “everyday” conservation challenges AWF…

To help, visit awf.org/donate DESPITE BEING HOME TO ONE OF THE largest elephant populations in Africa, the Lower Zambezi ecosystem had not been experiencing significant elephant poaching. Poaching to supply the illicit ivory trade had largely been concentrated in Central and East Africa rather than this landscape, which spans Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Now, however, “that wave of poaching seems to be migrating south,” says Ian Stevenson. As CEO of Conservation Lower Zambezi, a conservation group that operates in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park and the surrounding game management areas, Stevenson has witnessed firsthand how elephant poaching has changed in the past few years. “2013 was our lowest elephant poaching year in our recorded history. 2015, on the other hand, has seen a marked increased with elephant poaching higher than…

There’s progress in the battle to end ivory trafficking in Asia. In July 2015, for example, U.S. and Chinese Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping committed to halting the domestic commercial trade of ivory in their countries. China followed this with an announcement in October that it will ban, for one year, the import of African ivory hunting trophies. When it comes to the illicit trade in rhino horn, however, the news isn’t nearly so positive. As this issue went to print, South Africa—which holds the majority of Africa’s rhinos—was on track to lose more than 1,100 rhinos in 2015, about the same rate as in 2014. Meanwhile in Vietnam, the largest consuming country of rhino horn, there is minimal public awareness about rhino horn and the impacts of demand…

WEB AWF IN CHINA If you’ve been keeping up with our ‘Say No’ public awareness campaign, you know we’ve been working to bring broader education about the horrors of wildlife trafficking to Chinese citizens. To take our efforts to the next level, AWF has launched a digital presence in China, including a presence on China’s top social platforms—WeChat, Weibo and Youku—and a Chinese website. Check out our new website: awfchina.cn SOCIAL MEDIA Steller stories AWF recently launched on our presence on the photo-storytelling platform, Steller. We invite you to join us on this, our 10th social media platform, as we tell some of Africa’s most important stories, including visually stunning updates on our sniffer dogs, lion conservation efforts and mountain gorilla work. See the stories: awf.org/steller WEB AWF in South…

Ideas bank There is a whole host of things to consider before you explore ‘the world’s most exciting continent’. So we sought the opinion of some of our friends in the trade who know African travel best. Their suggestions include what to pack, hidden gems to look out for and how to make the most of your time. From the team Travel Africa’s Financial Controller Amanda Gaydon recently returned from a family holiday in Marrakech, Essaouira and the Atlas Mountains. Full of tales of donkey riding, souks and child-friendly riads, she tells us why Morocco is such a fabulous place to take your kids. Extra layers We’re always striving to give you as much value as possible, so we are embracing new technology. Whenever you see the logo below, it…

MY BUCKET LIST Horse riding in Namibia Alice Gully “Seeing Africa on horseback is one of the most thrilling experiences on Earth. You become part of the ecosystem, you react to your horse’s reactions, and watching wildlife becomes increasingly exciting as you read each situation. I worked on a riding safari eighteen years ago and I have ridden in Africa every year since. Nothing beats it, and galloping along with the wildebeest migration will remain very firmly a huge tick on my bucket list. The only ride that has escaped me thus far is a horseback adventure in Namibia. Namibia Horse Safari Company’s trips are challenging and you sleep out in the open — but this would make it all the more rewarding.” ALICE GULLY IS ONE OF THE OWNERS…

Dear Reader, The plan to explore Eritrea soon became bogged down in government control-freakery. Leaving Asmara involved a tortuous process of applying for travel permits and even then there were only two or three other places you were allowed to go. My wings were firmly clipped, so I got to know the city well. In the end a throwaway comment from a colleague gave my time there a real purpose. He had mentioned that his grandmother was buried there but that he’d never visited her grave. It seemed sad that someone could moulder, mud-caked, in foreign soil for decades and never be visited. And so it was that a vague resolution hardened into a determination that would lead me to play detective and find her final resting place for him.…

Are you the kind of traveller who wants to get away into nature. Live life. Explore. Have fun. Immerse yourself? On a self-drive camping or lodge holiday, southern Africa is easy, safe, accessible and unpressured. We’ll provide the vehicle, the kit, the directions and we’ll sort your overnight stays. You just bring the free spirit! The beauty of self-drive is that you can experience things for yourself, in your own time, focusing on what you want. At Drive Botswana, we pride ourselves on our itineraries, and have prepared more than 300 individual tailormade trips around southern Africa. You tell us what you want to see, where you want to go, and for how long, and we will put together a personal itinerary for you, depending on your level of experience…

Knowing that hippos kill more people in Africa than any other wild animal, it’s frankly terrifying when one rears out of the water and charges towards you with its mouth agape. Dodging hippos becomes quite an art on any canoe journey along the Zambezi, and my first encounter had me wondering if I would survive the five-day paddle from Mana Pools in northern Zimbabwe to the Mozambique border at Kanyemba. It stands to reason that both occupants of the two-man canoes should work towards the same goal: to paddle away from said hippo. But we were each doing our own thing — me paddling forwards and my companion trying to reverse. We zigzagged awkwardly on the spot, going nowhere. “Oh no, we’re going to die,” I whimpered. Fortunately, we then…

AT 5895 METRES (or 19,341ft) high, Kilimanjaro — or kilima-njaro (meaning ‘mountain’ of ‘whiteness’) — is famously the highest peak in Africa and the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. As a result, it is also one of the most climbed, and you can expect to see troops of other trekkers just about every day of the year. Given the human pressure on the delicate montane ecosystem, it is as important to be gentle on your surroundings as it is to look after yourself. Climbing to the summit is no mean feat: it’s a challenging hike and a great (if not the greatest) African adventure. ROUTES AND SCENERY The most popular paths up to the crater rim are the Marangu (or Coca-Cola) and the Machame (or Champagne) routes. The former has huts…

Dry earth crunched under foot. The ankle-high grass glistened yellow as first light stretched out across the hill. The sky shimmered in anticipation of the heat to come. For now, however, a cold, breathless tension hung in the air. We pulled our hoodies over our ears and strode silently on, in single file behind our lead scout. He paused. We paused. We scanned the forest in the dip to our right, peering hopefully through binoculars. A few mutterings in kiSwahili (our guides were men of few words), then Scout Number 1 set off cautiously into the thicket below while Number 2 led us onwards around the crest. Along the way we barely noticed two hyenas sleeping in the morning sun. They each focused one eye on us before flopping back…

The dry Seyal woodland was thickening and visibility was becoming impaired. Suddenly our Land Cruiser — once owned by Sudanese poachers and reclaimed and donated by the Chadian government — came to a halt. We were deep in the wilderness of Zakouma National Park, in the Salamat region of southeastern Chad, and one of our private guides had spotted a fresh leopard track. As we waited, a rare Patas monkey hurried across the path, followed by a pair of hooting Abyssinian ground hornbills. Distracted, we watched these primeval creatures in silent awe, before continuing eastward towards the nomadic market we were seeking to locate. The park has been hidden away due to years of war and unrest, but is finally opening up to the outside world as one of the…

“HISTORICALLY, WILDLIFE CRIMES HAVE been treated like petty crimes, similar to being drunk and disorderly,” says Didi Wamukoya. “In Kenya, for example, until the Wildlife Act was passed in 2013, penalties for wildlife crime were typically non-custodial in nature and not very severe. A person convicted of a wildlife crime may have been ordered to do community service for a day.” Wamukoya knows of what she speaks, having cut her teeth prosecuting wildlife crimes for Kenya Wildlife Service. Now, as AWF’s law enforcement manager, the attorney is working across the African continent to address this lenient outlook on wildlife crime. According to Wamukoya, a number of factors hamper wildlife law enforcement in Africa. To start, there appears to be a general lack of awareness about the socioeconomic impacts of wildlife…

TIPS TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR NEXT SAFARI We continue our series of insiders’ advice from our friends in the trade SERVICE Share as much information about yourselves as possible to the lodges. The more the staff know about your safari aspirations, the more they will be able to deliver them. Tell them what you like to drink and any food preferences you may have, which animals you would love to see, along with any specific activities you would like to experience, such as sailing above Africa’s plains in a hot-air balloon (below), meeting an Elder from a local tribe or having a romantic picnic. When you arrive at the lodge, ask the question: “What do guests love doing most when they’re here?” KATE FITZGERALD, ANGAMA MARA FAMILY TRAVEL One…

WHAT’S IN A NAME? RWANDA’S ANNUAL KWITA IZINA mountain gorilla naming ceremony celebrates mountain gorilla conservation and acts as a significant tourism draw on its own. The ceremony takes a page from Rwandan naming traditions by naming every mountain gorilla infant that had been born in the previous year. In September, AWF Vice President Daudi Sumba participated in the 2015 Kwita Izina, where he named one of the mountain gorilla infants. The name he chose? Umugwanweza, kinyarwanda for “nice”— in tribute to the nice people and hospitality of Rwanda. AWF has a long history of mountain gorilla conservation, including establishing Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge in Uganda and Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge in Rwanda, supporting gorilla censuses and more. Training soldiers to be rangers DESPITE HAVING SEEN conflict for more than two…

“It is too late to save Cecil, but the world still has time to save his brethren.” —Philip Muruthi, AWF vice president for species protection Every once in a while, an individual catapults into public consciousness and becomes an icon for a movement. That’s what happened to Cecil last July. Cecil was a 13-year-old male lion that resided largely in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. A favorite of safari guides, Cecil was a tourist attraction in his own right at Hwange. He was also part of a long-term study being conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford. In early July 2015, Cecil was reportedly lured out of Hwange with bait, then shot with a crossbow by an American hunter named Walter Palmer. The lion survived another 40 hours, until…

“HISTORICALLY, WILDLIFE CRIMES HAVE been treated like petty crimes, similar to being drunk and disorderly,” says Didi Wamukoya. “In Kenya, for example, until the Wildlife Act was passed in 2013, penalties for wildlife crime were typically non-custodial in nature and not very severe. A person convicted of a wildlife crime may have been ordered to do community service for a day.” Wamukoya knows of what she speaks, having cut her teeth prosecuting wildlife crimes for Kenya Wildlife Service. Now, as AWF’s law enforcement manager, the attorney is working across the African continent to address this lenient outlook on wildlife crime. According to Wamukoya, a number of factors hamper wildlife law enforcement in Africa. To start, there appears to be a general lack of awareness about the socioeconomic impacts of wildlife…