Innholdsfortegnelse for April-June 2016 i Travel Africa

This is a fascinating and remote landscape in north-west Namibia, where the desert elephant roam. Here you’ll find dunes of golden sand that the wind has carried from the sea and laid on the slopes. There are vast areas of scree and gullies formed by gushing streams that swell in the rainy season and are forever changing their course. The main rivers are nearly always dry, filled with sediment that ranges from grey to brown. Iron deposits in the rocky banks have turned them rust-coloured and shadows emphasise the cracks and crevices. The sparse vegetation is mostly found along the riverbeds, where it has more chance of surviving the long periods without rain. The desert elephant has adapted to its environment. Compared to others, it has longer legs and wider…

We believe that when you Pack for a Purpose, the trip you take goes farther than the miles you travel. Our mission is to positively impact communities around the world by assisting travellers who want to take meaningful contributions. We do this by providing accurate and current information on our website, so that travellers can easily find out which items are needed for specific projects that they would like to assist. All of our parents taught us to take a thank you gift to express our appreciation of others’ hospitality. Pack for a Purpose is a practical expression of this lesson. The community benefits and the traveller is enriched by the experience. A stethoscope weighs less than a kilo, but it can touch 10,000 hearts. YOUR CHECKLIST Carry with you…

A purple mood “Four wildebeest amble across the skyline in the full flush of the false dawn. Any camp or lodge that states ‘arise at dawn’ should be avoided at all costs as the Mara’s treasure trove is accessed long before sunrise. We found these ruminants just on the edge of the Reserve-Olare Conservancy border and lay on the ground to get some sky beneath their bellies and some dew-clad cotton soil beneath ours. No early or indeed late colours are ever the same in the Mara and always worth getting an alarm call for.” Canon 1DX, 70-200mm, ISO 200, f7.1 1/400s, E -1 Hunting academy “A cheetah mother with three-year-old sub-adults watches while they toy with an impala fawn. The killing bite is generally the last discipline learnt, so…

This is an expedition! You won’t be following roads; you’ll be making them. And don’t expect to see many people; there aren’t many where you’re going,” Mark Sprong, owner of Land & Lake Safaris, tells us with a grin. Our team comprises Henry, our driver and expert guide; Peter, bush cook extraordinaire; Ulrich, a German banker who spends his holidays stalking big cats with a telephoto lens; Julia, a free-spirited explorer; and me, an enthusiastic glamper. Our plan is to spend the next two weeks discovering some of Zambia’s more far-flung corners, most of which are usually accessed by light aircraft. We, however, have opted for an eight-seater Nissan 4WD. To reach these remote lands from our starting point, Lilongwe, we break our journey at Thornicroft Tented Camp on the…

When Jonathan and Bronwyn Earl first flew up from South Africa to Pemba for a holiday in 2008, they thought it would be a one-off visit. But so taken were they with the island that they have been coming back not just every year but twice a year. Jonathan proposed on Pemba, they got married on Pemba and they celebrate their anniversary every year on Pemba. For the two of them, like many others, its magnetic allure makes it one of the most special places in Africa. Zanzibar, or Unguja as the locals know it, and Pemba are the two principal islands of the 50 or so that make up the Zanzibar Archipelago, some 25-50km off Tanzania. Zanzibar is the biggest, with Pemba about two-thirds of the size, but each…

ACCOMMODATION Experience island indulgence in harmony with breathtaking nature; hide away in the perfect balance of understated luxury and rustic charm, complete with an exotic garden or beach outlook. Constructed from indigenous materials such as reed, soft fringed thatch and wood, our villas feature elegant natural design that beautifully complements the unspoiled tropical surrounds. Sleep in a sumptuous four poster bed with white mosquito drapes billowing in the breeze. DINING While you relax a world away from the hustle and bustle of civilisation, we will bring a world of flavours to your table. Chill out on sunbeds with an exotic fruity beverage, before slipping back into the pool. Sip sundowner cocktails in beachfront bliss before tucking into flame-grilled seafood plucked fresh from the Indian Ocean. Or cherish a truly magical…

Though they live next to Tanzania’s largest national park, residents in the villages surrounding Ruaha National Park see no benefits from the presence of wildlife, particularly carnivores. And there are plenty of carnivores here: The area supports a tenth of the world’s remaining lions, one of East Africa’s four large cheetah populations and one of only six remaining viable populations of the African wild dog. With people living in such close proximity to wildlife, livestock depredation is a regular phenomenon. So are retaliatory killings of carnivores, particularly lions. In 2011 – 2012, the rate of lion killing in this area was the highest in all of East Africa. One village reportedly killed 39 lions in 18 months. The situation was dire for carnivores and humans alike. “We needed to create…

Though they live next to Tanzania’s largest national park, residents in the villages surrounding Ruaha National Park see no benefits from the presence of wildlife, particularly carnivores. And there are plenty of carnivores here: The area supports a tenth of the world’s remaining lions, one of East Africa’s four large cheetah populations and one of only six remaining viable populations of the African wild dog. With people living in such close proximity to wildlife, livestock depredation is a regular phenomenon. So are retaliatory killings of carnivores, particularly lions. In 2011 – 2012, the rate of lion killing in this area was the highest in all of East Africa. One village reportedly killed 39 lions in 18 months. The situation was dire for carnivores and humans alike. “We needed to create…

Jennifer Ritman has always had a special affinity for animals—and they, for her. When she was a child, a pair of stray dogs made their way onto the family’s property one day. One of them, a Shepherd mix, bonded with Jennifer immediately. After the rightful owner reclaimed the dog, Jennifer was so miserable that she tried to run away from home. The pup apparently felt the same way; the owner brought her back and allowed Jennifer to keep her. The dog became her link with sanity through a difficult childhood. Given this history, it’s no surprise that, despite her busy career, Jennifer now makes time to volunteer with humane societies and rescue organizations. (Her own dogs, Mr. B and Hank, are rescues.) But Jennifer’s love of animals isn’t limited to…

Majestically reaching over 360 000 sq kilometres from the world-renowned Kalahari Desert to the arid plains of the Karoo, along with its lifeblood, the 2000km-long Orange River, 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. The Northern Cape is a land of many diverse cultures, frontier history and brave missionaries. It also has countless challenges for the adrenalin junkies, hikers, and 4WD adventurers. It has impressive national parks, with endless game and some of the most unique flora in the world. Much of life and adventure in the Northern Cape is dependent on the sweeping tide of the Orange River, a 2000km stretch of natural…

Friends of Kenya have been shocked by the recent poisoning of eight lions from the Marsh Pride, prompting us to redouble our efforts to support the extraordinary Masai Mara. Without tourism to help pay for sanctuaries such as this, they will always be vulnerable. Tourism is a mainstay of Kenya’s economy, earning millions of dollars each year for the country and providing employment for thousands. Equally we must not allow this to cloud our vision as to the major issues that the killing of Bibi, Sienna and Alan highlights. We have received amazing support from friends who have been enthralled by the lives of the charismatic stars of the hugely popular TV series Big Cat Diary that ran from 1996 to 2008. They, like us, found themselves caught up in…

BEST WAY TO ARRIVE The Blue Train Surely the most glamorous way to arrive in Cape Town is by sea on board a luxury liner? In a couple of years, this may well be the case. From December 2017, a shiny new cruise ship terminal at the V&A Waterfront will transform the experience. But for now, it’s far more exciting to arrive by land, taking the Blue Train (above) from Pretoria, a journey which recreates the true elegance of 20th-century luxury travel. Over the 994-mile, 27-hour trip, you’ll be treated like a guest of honour by the butlers, stewards and cooks, many of whom have been on the staff all their working lives. Every meal is served in a dining car with white table linen and ever-changing views. Your cabin,…

1 Laze by the Lake of Stars Part of Mozambique’s border with Malawi is the beautiful Lake Niassa (also Lake Malawi), an undiscovered jewel with lovely beaches and turquoise waters. Stay at Nkwichi Lodge and spend your days snorkelling (pictured here). 2 Walk in the Chimanimani Mountains The lowland forest, miombo woodland and afro-alpine grasslands provide a scenic landscape for walking. You may spot some of the many birds that reside here, or perhaps a bushbuck or sable. Rock art, dated at 2000-10,000 years old, can be seen too. 3 Scuba dive in the Bazaruto Archipelago The archipelago comprises five main islands: Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Santa Carolina and Bangué. The area is protected, so expect to see unspoilt coral gardens, whale sharks, mantas, dolphins, turtles, as well as 2000 species…

I never did find out the names of my hosts for breakfast that morning. There were half a dozen of them, all solidly built, with weathered features that spoke of a lifetime of sun and wind exposure. All were wearing imamas (or ‘turbans’) and jalabiyas (‘robes’) that must once have been gleaming white, but that were now stained the colour of sand and camel. One of the men handed me a small glass of tea (with more sugar than water in it) and a bowl of what appeared to be porridge mixed with cement. We crouched in the sand to eat, while a hundred camels gurgled and grumbled around us. We were on a flat, sandy wasteland outside the small town of Ad-Dabbah. Just visible a few kilometres to the…

Some 18 months ago more than three tonnes of pangolin scales were found in two shipping containers that had arrived in Hong Kong from Africa, via Malaysia. In a report in the South China Morning Post, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department said that, at the time, it was the biggest haul in the past five years. I knew that pangolins were being hammered by illegal trade, but the enormity of the situation really struck home as I continued to read further that this consignment of contraband pangolin scales was estimated to have come from as many as 8000 animals and would have fetched some US$2.2 million on the black market in mainland China. Just like that, 8000 living, inoffensive creatures had been illegally removed from the wild for…

PARMALAI SAIYALEL, AKA KEVIN Where: Mara Plains Camp, Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Kenya Time guiding: 12 years What’s the best thing about where you work? Olare Motorogi is Maasai-owned land, which means that the landowners actively participate in protecting the wildlife, while also benefitting from tourism. What is the most amazing wildlife encounter you have had? On a morning game drive we were watching a herd of zebra crossing a river when a crocodile attacked a sub-adult, but the zebra, after struggling with the croc for a few minutes, managed to escape. However, its back legs were badly hurt and it collapsed on the riverbank. Ten minutes later a male leopard appeared and pounced on the injured creature. But before he killed it, the crocodile came out of the water and…

It’s about time we heard some positive news about lions. With Africa’s lion population expected to drop by half over the next couple of decades, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in December made the move to list two lion subspecies under the Endangered Species Act. Panthera leo leo, the subspecies found in West and Central Africa and India, was listed as endangered. This will largely prohibit hunters from importing this subspecies into the United States as a trophy. Panthera leo melanochaita, the East and Southern African subspecies, was categorized as threatened, with the USFWS working to establish a permitting system that would strictly regulate the import of lion trophies into the United States and ensure that all imports come from lion range states with good wildlife management programs.…

They say good things come in threes. But for AWF’s Conservation Canine Programme, the magic number turned out to be four. That’s the number of times AWF-trained detection dogs uncovered ivory hidden in luggage at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in early January—in a single week. “Four ivory busts in one week is ridiculous,” says Dr. Philip Muruthi, vice president of species protection for AWF. It’s great news for AWF’s nascent detection dog program, which launched only last year. Eight dogs and 13 handlers graduated from AWF training in July 2015, with four dogand-handler teams subsequently dispatched to Mombasa, Kenya. The remaining four teams were deployed to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Since then, Will Powell, director of AWF’s Conservation Canine Programme, and his staff have been working closely with Kenya…

OUR LATEST STORIES, GALLERIES, IDEAS, BLOGS AND INTERVIEWS ONLINE NOW London to Lagos Travelling from the UK capital to the heart of West Africa is certainly not something to be attempted by the faint-hearted. But a team of adventurous travellers from Vodoun Creations — a platform for cycling, Africa, politics and culture — are currently en route to Lagos by bicycle, passing through Spain, Portugal, Morocco, the Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin to get there. They’ll be blogging, filming and photographing en route, and you can read excerpts and view pictures and video clips of their journey at travelafricamag.com. Meet Map Ives This Botswana-born-and-bred conservation legend is the National Rhino Coordinator for the government and Environmental Director for Wilderness Safaris.…

A CO-OWNER’S STORY Botswana is still one of the wildest places in the world: an icon for any nature lover that still has all species of animals and many of the jewels in danger of extinction. The Tuli Block is an area of future development: important plans to develop are already approved, such as the transfrontier park bet ween South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. This, together with initiatives such as our private game reserve, will recover a huge pristine area that can become one of the most interesting places in this world from its potential of wildlife, in a sustainable way, and it will also benefit the local communities. The way I see the investment in this reserve is not as an investment as such. I see it as a…

The Kenyan capital is full of character: crammed buses and modern skyscrapers alongside roadside fruit-sellers and plenty of good grub. Yet its food scene, bursting with history, flavour and a contemporary verve, is often overlooked. Traditional food such as nyama choma and ugali can be found in grill stations and vibanda (or ‘food shacks’). Growing chains such as Artcaffé and Java House cater to an increasing Western appetite. The most-famous of all of Nairobi’s dining experiences is The Carnivore, famed for its exotic meats: pork ribs, crocodile, ostrich, rabbit and bull’s balls all feature on the menu, accompanied by an array of exotic sauces and salads. There are many low-key restaurants, too, serving everything from sugarcane juice to chapati and the Kikuyu delicacy, githeri. Kenya’s food reflects where it has…

Scan this page with the ‘Layar’ app for more content A gigantic slurping awakens me from my contemplation — not so dissimilar to the noise of a plughole greedily sucking dirty dishwater into oblivion — and I glance around sharply. An elephant is standing a couple of hundred yards away, glugging the contents of my plunge pool. Once finished, she slowly and silently plods to the next room along to empty theirs. “This happens all the time”, laughs Cathy Rann, Ngoma Safari Lodge’s relief manager, more amused than vexed. “There’s nothing you can do other than wait for them to move on and deal with the destruction then.” As if on cue, the great pachyderm snaps off a few branches unapologetically, chews them distastefully and spits them out, before lumbering…

Hiking. Being at one with nature. Getting a rollicking good workout, while taking in lungfuls of crisp, unpolluted air. Freeing oneself, however temporarily, from the trappings of consumerism. It’s easy to see the allure. Yet despite this, I’ve always had a natural aversion to all things uphill. The unflattering crinkly material, fusty sleeping bags, compasses I can barely read and fires I can hardly start. Besides, why bother when we can live vicariously through alpha males such as Bear Grylls or Ray Mears? Far easier on the legs, too. I am, however, an excellent armchair hiker. So when I received a filming assignment for a Malawian tour operator and found a mountain on the itinerary, I was somewhat perturbed. A period of Googling ensued. This ‘Mulanje’ appeared a somewhat formidable…

I’m pretty sure that Lake Mutanda, when viewed from the right vantage point on a clear day, is the most stunning landscape I’ve ever seen. The majestic Virunga mountains in the distance are reflected in the deep-blue waters of the lake, and little lush green islands pepper the aquatic expanse. This heaven on earth looks almost completely untouched by human hand. When I first visited the lake, I thought it would be a wonderful region to explore by bike. Cycling brings you right up close to the action — to the community, to the landscapes. You experience so much more than when merely gliding past in a bus. Fortunately, Matoke Tours, one of Uganda’s most established tour companies, has recently launched a 15-day bicycling tour encompassing south-west Uganda’s lakes, and…

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO SET OFF AROUND THE WORLD? It was our dream since we were children. We both read, and were inspired by, countless travel books about various continents. YOU’VE BEEN ON THE MOVE FOR 15 YEARS NOW. WHERE HAS YOUR JOURNEY TAKEN YOU? We started in our native Argentina, before travelling through the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, India and Africa. Each of our four children was born in a diff erent place: Pampa in the US, Tehue in Argentina, Paloma in Canada and Wallaby in Australia. WHAT HAVE YOU LEFT BEHIND? A life without living and possessions that were giving us nothing and stealing our freedom. We’ve also left behind families and friends, although we rarely saw them. We see our relatives every three years, and…

A son of teachers, Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya was introduced to international affairs and global issues early in life—an introduction that initially started him on a career focused on rural development and humanitarian relief. While studying in France, however, the Ugandan native became more attuned to issues around the environment. He eventually earned a masters of science in sustainable resource management and policy—one of only two African students in a class of 17—from the Imperial College of London. (Sebunya also holds a Master of Arts in Law, Policy and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.) He went on to work for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (or IUCN) and Conservation International, among other organizations. Most recently, he led the U.S. Agency for International Development/Uganda Biodiversity Program for…

Thanda Island, Indian Ocean This month Swedish couple Christin and Dan Olofsson open the doors to their private island home in the Indian Ocean. The environmentally sensitive property has a fully staffed villa sleeping 10 adults (with additional children sharing) and costs around US$10,000 a night. Guests can sail, do water sports or swim with whale sharks and turtles, as they explore the coral reef of the surrounding marine reserve. The Highlands, Ngorongoro Crater Asilia’s newly opened camp takes the Ngorongoro experience to another level, with its remote position on the slopes of the extinct Olmoti volcano. Offering stunning views across to the Serengeti, there are eight tents made of canvas and glass, inspired by traditional bomas. Explore the crater, go on a game drive or visit a Maasai village…

WHY VISIT? Namibia is a true one-off. It is named after the world’s oldest desert, which extends for 80,000sq km across a coastal belt moulded by 50 million years of arid conditions. The Namib abounds with unusual dry-country life forms: the bizarre gymnospermous welwitschia, the Peringuey’s adder, the rapier-horned oryx and Africa’s last desert-adapted rhinos and elephants. The majestic scenery reaches its apex at Sossusvlei, where the world’s tallest dunes tower like rippled apricot mountains above cracked pans. The dry climate has helped preserve some of Africa’s finest ancient rock art, while the dramatic Atlantic coastline is renowned for its concentrations of seals and marine birds. More conventionally African, there’s Etosha National Park, one of the continent’s top destinations for wildlife viewing and photography. UNIQUE APPEAL? The sense of space.…

A son of teachers, Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya was introduced to international affairs and global issues early in life—an introduction that initially started him on a career focused on rural development and humanitarian relief. While studying in France, however, the Ugandan native became more attuned to issues around the environment. He eventually earned a masters of science in sustainable resource management and policy—one of only two African students in a class of 17—from the Imperial College of London. (Sebunya also holds a Master of Arts in Law, Policy and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.) He went on to work for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (or IUCN) and Conservation International, among other organizations. Most recently, he led the U.S. Agency for International Development/Uganda Biodiversity Program for…

YOUTUBE WHY IS RICHARD BRANSON BITING HIS FINGERNAILS? In his latest public service announcement (PSA) for AWF and partner WildAid, Sir Richard Branson is shown biting his nails. And it’s not just the Virgin Group founder. A host of celebrities, including Vietnamese–American actress Maggie Q and Chinese actress Li Bingbing and, have also taken to chewing on their nails. What gives? These celebs are part of our new “Nail Biter” campaign, which aims to dispel the myth that rhino horn has any medicinal benefits. Though rhino horn is often touted as a cure-all that works as an aphrodisiac, a cancer cure, even a recreational drug, it is actually made primarily of keratin, a protein also found in human nails and hair. The Mandarinand English-language ads are bluntly showing Chinese audiences…