Innholdsfortegnelse for October-December 2016 i Travel Africa

There’s nothing ordinary about placing seven Airstream trailers onto the roof of an urban hotel and turning them into themed rooms. But then again, there’s nothing ordinary about The Grand Daddy. At the heart of downtown Cape Town, The Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel doesn’t just ooze charm: in-your-face character bellows out of every cushion, every wall and every menu; from the vintage lift that takes you to the Skybar and Pink Flamingo Rooft op Cinema. It is bold, not brash; considered, not chaotic; tasteful, not tacky. But most of all, it is just downright fun. In many ways, it reflects Cape Town itself: vibrant, energetic, extraordinary, memorable. You can see why the team at African Secrets, led by tourism personalities Jan and Jaci van Heteren, invested so much of themselves…

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1 BEST PLACE TO SPLURGE BOTSWANA As a whole, this southern African country offers the continent’s most exclusive safari experience, albeit at a price. Outstanding lodges on huge private concessions give you the chance to explore the numerous attractions, away from the crowds. TA TIP A visit to the Okavango Delta’s islands and waterways is a must, but make sure you also spend a few nights at a concession such as Wilderness Safaris’ Chitabe Camp or Great Plains’ Selinda Camp. It never ceases to amaze me that there’s “always something new out of Africa”. I can vividly remember the first time I tracked rhino on foot in South Africa’s private Timbavati Game Reserve, walked among a herd of buffalo in Botswana’s Okavango Delta or saw the wildebeest migration in Kenya’s…

As the world’s most multicultural city, London is a fertile breeding ground for a vibrant and varied culinary scene. Although in previous years food from Africa hasn’t been as richly represented as other parts of the world, this is quickly changing — and there is now a superb selection for those seeking out feasts from the continent. Whether you’re unearthing a hidden gem or returning to an established favourite, you can be sure to find delicious food, a buzzing atmosphere and that inimitable African spirit. 4 top tables MOMO Right at the heart of the city, this sophisticated Moroccan cafe and restaurant (above) produces food as opulently rich as the Aladdin’s-cave decor. It also has a terrace to enjoy Moroccan-style afternoon tea as well as a basement bar. 25 Heddon…

To combine amazing travel with witnessing the work of some inspirational people was a powerful combination The Umoja Journey through Africa is tag-lined ‘Adventure with Purpose’ for a good reason. The ‘Purpose’ element saw us call on 11 International Needs (IN) projects; the ‘Adventure’ part led us to enjoy an amazing journey across Africa. I was attracted to the notion that we would be given the opportunity to make a difference while embracing the spectacular scenery, cultures and wildlife of Africa. Our trip began with a visit to the Lighthouse Ministries, a rehabilitation programme in Limuru, Kenya, where they train youth and children workers to recognise those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction and reintegrate them into the community. From there, we travelled up to Gilgil in Nakuru County to…

Kolmanskop (previously called Kolmanskuppe) resembled a wealthy German town in its heyday but was abandoned in 1956 when diamond prices crashed. The sands of time have blown through the decaying settlement, which is now a popular tourist attraction. Founded in 1908 when a rail worker in the area discovered a diamond there, the town enjoyed nearly 50 years of history. Diamond wealth assured a comfortable lifestyle. Just imagine: German-style houses rising out of the desert, along with a school, a hospital, a casino, a gymnasium, a power station, a ballroom, a pool, a bowling alley and the first X-ray station in the southern hemisphere. It was also home to the first tram in Africa, and a small railway linked it to the neighbouring coastal town of Lüderitz. At its peak,…

Have you ever felt you needed to get away, to go somewhere that feels untarnished by human hand and where the natural world stretches as far as the eye can see, leaving you feeling you could be the only person in all of that space, a voyeur amid wildlife roaming free as it might have done for thousands of years? There can be few places that answer that call as boldly as Ruaha. Of all the great wilderness places of Africa, Ruaha is arguably one of the most primordial. It’s the sort of national park where you would still feel fulfilled if you didn’t see any ‘big game’, for it is the overwhelming sense of space and calm that fills the soul. The reality is that you will see a…

Russik welcomed me in his own inimitable style as I arrived at Bangweulu. With long spindly legs, a big belly and bright-yellow eyes, he seemed to be grinning mischievously as he waddled towards me. We eyed each other with mutual curiosity — and for my part, surprise. I hadn’t expected to be greeted by a shoebill. Standing upright, this prehistoric-looking bird reached my waist. Just 18 months old and losing his fluffy juvenile feathers, he was so endearingly scruffy I wanted to stroke him. His enormous razor-sharp bill made me think again. Russik is no ordinary shoebill. Captured illegally then confiscated by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, he was brought from a zoo in Lusaka to Bangweulu to be released. “Unfortunately, we realised he was totally imprinted,” Carl…

Viewers of BBC2’s This Wild Life will have seen the work undertaken by Saba Douglas-Hamilton and her team at Elephant Watch Camp to protect the wildlife on their concession near the Samburu National Reserve. The daughter of renowned elephant researcher Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Saba leads one of Africa’s foremost elephant conservation programmes, offering guests an intimate insight to these remarkable, but threatened animals. In Laikipia, pioneering rhino conservation programmes have been initiated at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, making it undoubtably the most successful rhino sanctuary in the world. Lewa is home also to the largest concentration of the rare Grevy’s zebra. Also in Laikipia, experts are working to protect a growing wild dog population, while in the Masai Mara the Mara-Meru Cheetah project and the Light for Life lion preservation project are…

TANZANIA Chuini Zanzibar Beach Lodge Newmark Hotels has added another African property to its portfolio. This haven occupies 1.5 hectares of the west coast of Zanzibar. It consists of 13 bungalows and one villa, a restaurant, a bar, three outdoor pools, a day spa, a games room, an open-air cinema and a private beach 150m away. Hotel Verde, Zanzibar Tanzania-based Bakhresa Group has appointed Verde Hotels from South Africa to develop and manage the total overhaul and upgrading of the old Mtoni Marine Hotel in Zanzibar. The aim is to be the island’s greenest property. Xanadu Villas & Retreat, Zanzibar Opened in June, this property’s six villas stretch along a pristine beach, 50 minutes from Stone Town. Guests can enjoy great food prepared by the resident chef, handpicked wines from…

MOROCCO EXPLORE THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS THIS RANGE CAN BE TREKKED IN SUMMER OR WINTER FOR TWO VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, USUALLY CULMINATING IN AN ASCENT OF JEBEL TOUBKAL. ETHIOPIA LOSE YOURSELF IN THE SIMIEN MOUNTAINS TREK THROUGH THE EPIC PINNACLES OF THESE ANCIENT PEAKS IN SEARCH OF THE RARE WALIA IBEX AND GELADAS. TURN TO PAGE 136 FOR MORE. REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON CONQUER MOUNT CAMEROON SUMMITING THE MOUNTAIN OF THUNDER, WEST AFRICA’S HIGHEST PEAK, IS POSSIBLY THE MOST THRILLING THING TO DO IN THIS WEST AFRICAN COUNTRY. TANZANIA CLIMB KILIMANJARO THE MOST POPULAR TREK IN AFRICA, KILI IS ALSO ONE OF THE HARDEST BECAUSE OF THE STEEP GRADIENTS, ALTITUDE AND EXTREME COLD. NAMIBIA WALK THE FISH RIVER CANYON THIS STUNNING ROUTE RUNS ALONG THE BOTTOM OF ONE OF THE DEEPEST GORGES…

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 between 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 way…

At 1.2 million sq km, South Africa is so vast that there’s no doubt that you will be able to find exactly what you’re looking for. Whether that’s white-sand beaches with excellent diving or a trek through a forested wolf sanctuary, this country has it all. What’s more, it promises great value for money. The current strength of the British pound or US dollar against the South African rand makes travel economical. At the time of writing, the exchange rate was around 17 rand to the pound, but earlier this year it went as high as 23, although the impact of Brexit could affect this in the coming months and years. Once you have paid for your flight, this equates to massive savings for international tourists who can use cheap…

Like any sea, this lake has its moods. And its blues. And its blues and moods stay with you forever. Say “Kariba blue” to anyone who’s ever spent a day on this magnificent water-body and you will probably get a wistful smile and a nostalgic glint in the eye as they conjure up images associated with their own brand of Kariba blue, born of many a happy houseboating trip. Are they thinking of plain old sky blue? That pure and pretty hue, when the sky is vast and cloudless, the breeze light and refreshing as you stretch out on your top-deck sunbed. Or is it deep azure — synonymous with late winter and a high, unforgiving sun that bakes the terracotta earth, and sees you constantly seeking respite in the…

It was 5.30am as we slid along slimy mud tracks in a 4WD, deep in western Uganda’s impenetrable forests. The darkness was intense and the mist hovered forebodingly. “Is it going to rain?” I asked. “It is a rainforest!” laughed Bosco, our Journeys Discovering Africa driver. True. On arrival, we were introduced to our guide Rhona Assy, and soon we were following her on foot, trudging through the sodden jungle as the dawn broke and the fog began to lift , revealing mauve clouds filling an angry sky. Shards of gold shone between the branches, bedecking the forest floor in dappled light. There in the midst of Kibale Forest National Park, bordering the Rwenzori Mountains, our ears resonated with the sound of birdsong — a chamber orchestra of melodies, whistles…

Dark clouds hang in the air and the rain threatens to drench us on this hot, humid Saturday morning in Mauritius. I’m feeling apprehensive as we approach the Central Market in the bustling capital city, Port Louis. Although this is an ideal way to get a taste of local life, I walk cautiously into the meat section. And there, at the entrance, is justification of my fears: the skinless head of a cow, blood dripping onto the dirty floor like a scene from Game of Thrones. Still, I’m compelled to carry on ‘for journalism’s sake’. I watch a butcher hack through more fresh cuts, vertebrae rocketing to the floor. “I’m a tourist! I’m a tourist!” I declare, in my broken French, whenever he and the others try to sell me…

“It’s a ‘you-scratch-my-back, I’ll-scratch-yours’ situation,” says wildlife guide Dani Fikru. We’re watching a huddle of geladas caringly checking through each other’s fur. “They spend 30 to 40 per cent of their day grooming. They’re picking out parasites, but it also has social value: it’s a way to show friendship.” These monkeys are ‘friendly’ to humans too, or, at least, many of them are habituated enough that, with no sudden moves or loud noises, I can sit among them as they go about their daily grazing and grooming. Geladas are one of Ethiopia’s endemic species, along with the Ethiopian wolf and the walia ibex. I’m here to discover more about the wildlife of the Highlands. I’d flown up from the capital, Addis Ababa, to Gondar, and driven north with my guide…

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…

Uganda is a country both marked by natural beauty and still scarred by civil war. One needn’t travel far to see evidence of both, particularly in the northern stretches of the country. Palm trees dot stretches of wideopen grassland, while people who decades ago fled the terror of the Lord’s Resistance Army now battle to keep elephants off their farmland. It is in this context that AWF has been implementing the US Agency for International Development (USAID)/Uganda Biodiversity Programme for the past four years. The programme works to achieve sustainable biodiversity conservation around five protected areas – three national parks and two forest reserves – while also promoting local economic growth in one of the poorest countries in the world. The projects range from building wildlife authority capacity in ecological…

WHY VISIT? The Gambia is the closest thing in sub-Saharan Africa to a short-haul destination out of Europe. Indeed, boasting a sunny dry season that neatly coincides with the northern winter, this small and friendly Anglophone country is ideal for sun-starved Brits seeking a quick Vitamin D fix or first taste of African hospitality. The tropical coastline offers a great choice of facilities, from swanky resorts and quirky midrange eco-lodges to no-nonsense package hotels and budget-friendly camps. And while beach holidays predominate, the country is also renowned for providing a superb introduction to West Africa’s rich birdlife, with almost 600 species recorded in an area half the size of Wales, ranging from dazzling parrots and turacos to decorous crowned cranes and a wide variety of raptors and waterbirds. WHERE TO…

1 Justin Fox St Helena Island, page 146 “On our return voyage from St Helena, we experienced a proper gale off the Cape of Storms. Enormous rollers tossed the old ship about like a cork. Passengers seated in chairs travelled up and down the deck as though playing oceanic dodgems. One old duck clutched a pillar in one hand and a G&T in another with stoical British spirit.” Based in Cape Town, Justin is the author of more than a dozen books. 2 Eugene Yiga Mauritius, page 116 “There’s no such thing as a perfect holiday. The zip on your bag will break. (Twice.) You’ll cut your finger when you’re running late and you’ll come close to forgetting your passport in the hotel safe. Thank goodness for the garland of…

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN AFRICA? There is an edge to growing up here. You get a sense that you are on the edge, very close to the heartbeat of this continent where we were all born. I was always aware of that as a kid. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A FILMMAKER AND WRITER? I wanted to understand the spirit of the place of my birth, and I had watched my brother enjoy adventures and I'd read about great explorers so I wanted to understand that allure. Once I started this journey, I wanted to use my creativity to speak to other people in the world about these discoveries and, more importantly, how to protect it all. WHY DID YOU SET UP WILDLIFE FILMS AND BECOME INVOLVED…

Dear Reader, You know you’re in Plateau State because of the changes in the window shopping as you drive north-east from Abuja. In Plateau’s neighbouring Kaduna State, you see groundnuts, green oranges and bananas. If you stop the car not too many miles later, but a lot higher, in Plateau, it’s huge bunches of carrots, wet green cabbages and takeaway cartons of strawberries. This is one reason many foreigners like me used to come to Jos, capital of the state, home of cool weather and unlikely fruits in mostly roasting Nigeria. I say ‘used to’ intentionally. Between violence that’s flared sporadically between Christians and Muslims of different ethnicities and the terror brought by Boko Haram, Jos has been forsaken. Before, it was, as its state number plate says, the home…

The pride was in no hurry as its eight members padded along the dirt track near the Great Ruaha River one late aft ernoon in March. The lush grass, several metres high aft er the rainy season, was glistening from a shower, which was why the two lionesses, five cubs and one male were taking the road. Hunting was not immediately on their agenda. They were relaxed, ambling slowly along, while the cubs — five to six months old — sauntered playfully, stopping occasionally to drink from puddles. We continued to follow them, until about 2km (and 45 minutes) later they finally branched off the path and headed into the bush. Observing them on the move for so long had been very special, all the more so because it had…

Matthews Matewere has been guiding in Liwonde for 18 years and you’d think he’d have seen it all by now. But even he was mesmerised as our boat bobbed silently in the water right alongside a dozen elephants. For half an hour we stayed there, watching in hushed excitement as they drank from the riverbank just a metre or two away. The baby elephant played with cattle egrets, sweeping at them with a trunk he could barely control: we were so close I could almost count his long and luscious eyelashes. I noticed clumps of dirt encrusted on the older elephants’ tusks, the tears and holes in their ears, the wrinkles on the matriarch’s face, her wisdom etched within them. The only sounds disturbing the silence were their contented rumblings,…

We bump our way through Nairobi National Park as the sun sinks behind the acacias, painting a golden wash over the distinctive greens and ochres of the African bush. It’s my last day of a week-long trip to Kenya, during which four of the country’s fantastic five have stood up to be counted: elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard (yes, I’m including the fleeting view of a tail as it vanished into the night: I definitely saw spots…). I’ve been lucky, and as I head back to camp for my last sundowner, I’m happily resigned to leave the last biggie — the elusive rhino — for next time. But Africa is a land of surprises. From the corner of my eye I catch some movement and turn to see a tonne…

Far across the open plains, a dust devil whisks dry leaves, sticks and sand into a silent spiral, higher and higher, transporting them across the desolate landscape. Seeds from the knee-high grass that blankets the earth in the wet season are swept into the air and deposited in what will hopefully be fertile soil elsewhere in the reserve. In so doing, the dust devil fulfils its role within this delicate ecosystem, where all inhabitants, living or not, have a part to play. Near the edge of the plain marches a family of elephants. At this time of year, they have to travel great distances to satisfy their immense thirst and hunger. It can be difficult for calves to keep up with the merciless pace and it’s not unusual to witness…

WALIA IBEX Males weigh more than 125kg and have the largest horns of any ibex — over 1m long. The 500 or so animals are restricted to the Simiens. ENDEMIC? YES GIANT MOLE-RAT Feeding on plant roots below ground, this fascinating creature lives in Bale Mountains National Park, at 3000m and above. Hunted by the Ethiopian wolf, it digs a new burrow entrance every day. ENDEMIC? YES ANUBIS (OR OLIVE) BABOON The largest baboon in Ethiopia can be a nuisance when they snatch food from the tables of restaurants. Common in woodlands and forests. ENDEMIC? NO GELADA Also called the ‘bleeding heart baboon’, it is the only surviving member of a genus of monkeys that graze. About 250,000 live in the mountains north of the Rift Valley above 1500m above…

We don’t do tickles to fine leg!” came a shout from the stern. The passengers were not doing well. Five wickets down and a paltry 23 runs to show for it. Besides, overzealous batters had already landed two balls in the drink: no runs and out. The sun deck aboard the RMS St Helena had become a village green and the cricket match between passengers and officers was hotting up. Support from non-playing passengers and cheesy pop music over the speakers belied a tense encounter for the ‘South Atlantic Ashes’. Most of the passengers were Saints returning to their home — St Helena, one of the world’s remotest isles, lying 1950km off Angola and 2900km off Brazil. The islanders on board had played many a game of deck cricket in…

In 1963 a police patrol along the shores of Maputaland, or the Elephant Coast, just south of the Mozambique border, found remains of a turtle slaughter. Even the most ardent of fishermen at that time had no idea that turtles occurred, let alone nested, there. Among the team dispatched to investigate was a junior ranger named George Hughes. For the next 48 years he continued counting them, in the process becoming one of the world’s leading turtle conservationists as well as CEO of the Natal Parks Board (now Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife). In his book Between the Tides, Hughes discusses the highs and lows of championing these severely endangered creatures. Once, for example, in 1970, he was invited to attend the Lord Mayor of London’s annual banquet. When he discovered cream…

ADVENTURE Q I really want to go to Zimbabwe but I am concerned about safety. Do you have any advice? GWEN WAWN, SAFARIS 4 AFRICA Zimbabweans are very welcoming and I can honestly say that it is safe to travel in this country. I would recommend that travellers fly in and out of Victoria Falls and then use the shared charter options to visit other areas. These are available daily and ensure safe, fast transfers to and from safari destinations. It is not advisable to walk through cities or towns in the dark and we don’t recommend driving at night. Also, do not carry large sums of money, passports or expensive equipment around the major cities and towns, as that attracts attention. They are best left in the safety deposit…