Innholdsfortegnelse for Edition 103, February-April 2024 i Travel Africa

FIND A FESTIVAL Music runs through the soul of Africa, rooted deeply in its myriad cultures. Wherever you travel, you cannot help but experience the infectious rhythms that abound. Attending a festival will allow you to immerse yourself deeper in the local music scene or, if you are new to African music, serve as the perfect introduction. With all that accompanies such events, they always provide an opportunity for a wider cultural appreciation. There are many smaller festivals in countries like South Africa and Kenya, but here's a selection of the bigger occasions worth planning a trip around: International Nomads Festival M'Hamid el Ghizlane, Morocco (14-16 March) Vic Falls Carnival Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (April) Azgo Festival Maputo, Mozambique (May) Saint Louis Jazz Festival Senegal (May) Lake of Stars Malawi (tbc)…

Morocco “W hat could possibly go wrong?” says Den as he pulls our 1-litre hire car into the traffic. “Remember, in this country, they drive on the wrong side of the road,” I remind him. “Don't worry, I was born to do this.” We're on a road trip in Morocco, starting in the door to the desert: Ouarzazate. The plan is to venture into the Sahara via a trip down memory lane in Todra Gorge. I first met Den 30 years ago on an overland truck trip from the UK to Zimbabwe, and we both still have vivid memories of the gorge, talking often of returning. But first, we have an appointment with the hairpin bends of Les Gorges du Dadès. We pass through rock-strewn terrain, interspersed with green patches…

Zambia Mfuwe is my hometown, and is where I developed my passion for conservation and photography. While in secondary school, I visited Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust, which furthered my love for nature. Julie and Adam Bates — professional photographers from the UK — ran workshops there, and they mentored me and, together with Edward Selfe, helped me to start my photography business in 2019. The town is in the chiefdom of Kakumbi, and is the main centre for seven chiefdoms, so it is a town for many people, from tribes across Zambia. It has one main road, running from Mfuwe Airport through some local settlements to South Luangwa National Park, which is separated from the town and villages by the Luangwa River. Along the road you will see simple houses,…

It's my third night in Botswana, and comfort of my plush safari lodge for a mattress and a bedroll laid out on the ground. No walls or a roof for protection from the elements, just and the Kalahari night sky for a ceiling: a pitch-black canvas that's supposed to be flecked with stars. But this is the final sleepout on Botswana's Makgadikgadi Pans before the November rains arrive, and a curtain of cloud has been drawn across the sky ahead of schedule. Constellations are obscured and the sparkle of starlight dialled down to zero — the celestial has been brought to an early close for the season. The faintest trace of the Milky Way streams overhead, a cosmic smudge in an otherwise featureless sky suggestive of the splendour that might…

BECOME A PANGOLIN GUARDIAN With the world's most-trafficked mammal in real danger of becoming extinct, and fuelled by a survey of some 500 guides and trackers, the conservation organisation Pangolin. Africa has published pangolinviewing protocols aimed at educating guides, local communities and tourists about the species and what you should (and shouldn't) do if you are lucky enough to encounter one in the wild. Ker & Downey Botswana has become the first southern African safari operator to adopt the guidelines and, as well as signing up all its staff to the programme, it encourages guests to take the course too. “What became clear from the survey was most people didn't know a pangolin that is curled up or lying on the ground is under huge stress,” said Toby Jermyn of…

BORANA LODGE By staying at Borana (Kenya) last year, guests helped to: • Conserve 92,000 acres of landscape that is home to over 250 rhino, close to 50 lions, 14 per cent of Kenya's Grevy's zebra and more. • Run an education programme that employs 12 teachers, funds 55 bursaries and supports the development of 10 schools. • Support a livestock-to-market programme that encourages good rangeland management and livestock husbandry practices, benefitting more than 4,000 people. • Invest US$531,000 into the core operational costs of the Conservancy SAHARA CONSERVATION Sahara Conservation is making encouraging progress in preserving some of the world's most threatened and unique species and ecosystems in one of the most challenging environments on Earth. Highlights include: • The scimitar-horned oryx is no longer extinct in the wild.…

• The door to Wilderness Rwanda's four-villa Bisate Reserve will open in September. Set on the rim of a weathered volcano, the new lodge will overlook six volcanoes and promises to “redefine luxury, conservation and exclusivity”. • Grab your lifejacket and be among the first to conquer the white waters of Rwanda. Kingfisher Journeys is pioneering rafting and kayaking adventures on many of the country's waterways, with each trip venturing down uncharted routes. • The 11-room Savute Safari Lodge, part of the Desert & Delta Safaris’ portfolio, will reopen on 1 June following a rebuild. One of the highlights will be a reimagined communal area, to prioritise views over one of the “most dramatic” waterholes in Botswana. There'll also be a new sunken hide. • The purposely stripped-back Karangoma tented…

“Life is dependent on death,” says wildlife photographer David Lloyd. “Many people don't like to see the pain and death of a kill on a safari, especially the associated gore that goes with it. However, at the same time, we all hope to see a kill. This morbid fascination intrigues me. “I've seen people cheering for the crocodile as it snatches the wildebeest, only for their allegiances to change when it looks like the wildebeest might escape. I think it's an appreciative life lesson kind of thing, an honour to witness for some. Frequent comments I hear go along the lines of: ‘That was not nice but I'm glad I was able to see it’. “I believe that animals that die violently do not experience the level of trauma and suffering…

Aspiration After countless safaris, I never grow tired of the sights and sounds of the African wilderness and her majestic wildlife. I rarely miss a morning or evening game drive and am always thrilled when a planned three-hour safari turns into five hours or more as our guide follows a pack on the hunt or tracks an elusive, but alluring species. To alleviate the impact of this sedentary activity, along with the inevitable temptations of the lodge's culinary delights, I always pack my running shoes and have enjoyed numerous memorable bush runs and hikes, including running with Maasai in the Mara and Tarangire; and across the rocky desertscape of Damaraland, Namibia. To avoid running away from predators I have also enjoyed post-safari workouts in gyms with amazing views, including of…

TEE TIME After a morning game drive, take your driver out at the golf club. There are plenty of opportunities to play 18 holes in Africa — the continent is home to more than 800 courses — and several lodges sit near the fairways as well as game reserves; you may even see some wildlife in your pursuit of a birdie. Make your golfing buddies green with envy as you tee off at the likes of Vipingo Ridge, Kenya; The Makokola Retreat, Malawi, or Elephant Hills Resort, Victoria Falls. You're spoiled for choice in South Africa, with courses in most tourist areas. For example, the Garden Route offers renowned courses such as Fancourt, Pezula, Pinnacle Point and Oubaai, while on the fringes of Kruger National Park you can fit in…

Kenya. There are elephants, and then there are Elephants. I discover this as I sit by a waterhole in Tsavo's Mbulia Conservancy, watching a group of eleven bulls taking a mud bath. One lounges in the ooze like a dumpling in gravy, occasionally spraying himself with trunkfuls of sludge. Two more stand nearby, throwing clouds of cayenne-coloured dust over their backs, while a fourth takes an invigorating scratch against a tree stump. But these are no ordinary elephants: taller, leaner and more powerful than any I've seen before in Uganda or Tanzania, with tusks over a metre long, ears the size of tractor wheels, and tiny sunken eyes that almost disappear into their leathery faces. And, rather than iron grey, their furrowed skin is rusty as if they've been left…

Madagascar Eight kilometres off the north-west coast of mainland Madagascar, a sprinkling of volcanic islands pepper the Mozambique Channel. The archipelago takes its name from the ‘Big Island’ of Nosy Be. Although the largest and most populated island in the enclave — with 100,000 inhabitants in the 2018 census — in comparison with Mauritius (2,040sq km), Nosy Be is one-seventh it's size. But there is more to this postcard paradise than first meets the eye. Beyond the beach, the dugouts and the dhows, you'll find rainforest and rice paddies, crater lakes and sacred crocodiles, prehistoric palms and pygmy chameleons, mangroves and mango trees, orchards of ylang-ylang and vanilla, extinct volcanoes, lizards and lemurs, and, very possibly, frogs in your bathroom basin. The people are equally memorable. Let's have an explore……

They call it onion-skin weathering,” says Blessing. “First one layer comes off, then the next one. It's just like peeling an onion.” He taps his boot on the lichen-encrusted surface, which clangs like a loose drain cover. I see what he means: already this thin granite crust is coming away, undermined by elemental forces. At some point it will peel off completely, like a flake of exfoliated skin. I'm standing on the sloping flank of an immense domed rock, one of the countless dwalas, or whalebacks, that make up the Matobo Hills of southwestern Zimbabwe — known to locals as simply ‘the Matopos’. It's October, the start of the summer rainy season, and the sun is setting on another blistering day. My private guide, Blessing Masenga of Bushmen Travel, is…

At grassroots level across Africa, women are uniquely positioned to witness the pervasive environmental and conservation pressures caused by climate change, poaching and human encroachment. It is estimated that women constitute 70 per cent of Africa's agricultural workforce and cultivate 90 per cent of its food; they are usually the water carriers, seed sowers, land tillers and crop growers, encountering wildlife daily. Yet their voices are seldom heard. With the exception of a handful of well-known pioneers, including Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey and Wangari Maathai, conservation has hitherto been almost exclusively a male domain. That is slowly changing. More women are finally making their mark in the spheres of policy-making and management, in community leadership and conservation projects, blazing a trail for others to follow. Here's a selection of our…

ZERO IMPACT, BIG IMPACT If only all schools were this beautiful. At the World Architecture Festival in Singapore late last year, the Lapalala Wilderness School was awarded joint second place in the Schools category — a tribute to Johannesburg architects Local Studio's success in creating a true off-grid ecobuild with Net Zero Carbon status which blends seamlessly into its surroundings. Situated in the Waterberg, a UNESCO biosphere reserve in South Africa's Limpopo Province, the environmental education centre aims to spark an interest in the natural world among children and young adults. Providing numerous, spacious learning zones, the design includes an integrated solar power system, rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment systems, and rammed-earth wall construction. En plein air. The school is designed to encourage outdoor learning, with an open amphitheatre serving…

In terms of a safari lodge or camp, Fair Trade means showing a commitment to the people and conservation in the place it is located. As Lisa Scriven, general manager of the not-forprofit company Fair Trade Tourism (FTT), says: “[Lodges] like Flatdogs understand that the complexity of doing business in remote areas puts them in a unique position to find solutions that make sense not only for their business but for the long-term benefit of the people living alongside them. These aren't always the easiest options, nor are they the quickest to implement, but they are always the ones with the greatest chance of sustained success.” Jess Salmon, director of Flatdogs Camp, explains why achieving Fair Trade accreditation was important to them: “People need to be able to choose a…

Wanting to stimulate a discussion about colour and the role it plays in our shared human experience, The Pantone Color Institute launched their first Pantone Color of the Year in 1999. For 2024 they have selected ‘13-1023 Peach Fuzz’, a gentle tone they say “captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others” and “whose allembracing spirit enriches mind, body and soul” in the spirit of sharing kindness. This got us thinking about how colour informs and enriches our safari experiences, from the earthy tones of nature to the bold highlights of cultural expression and the sweeping hues of the vast African skies. So, we thought we'd come up with our own Travel Africa Colour of the Year, adapting Pantone's rationale to highlight those moments which forge our emotional connection to…

The Guide's Guide to Guide's Exams You might think the Botswana government had better ways to spend taxpayers’ money than checking on the precise measurements of remote airfields. As a matter of fact, they did not. We frequently had officials from various state departments drifting into camp asking for relevant documentation. It was a good way to access the bar and chat up the staff for a start. It could be tricky though if you happened to lack a crucial piece of official paperwork — like a guide's licence, for example. In the step up from construction crew to camp guide, I hadn't had the opportunity to sit the national guides exam. One of my friends had already been busted in the Moremi Game Reserve whilst driving a Land Rover…

There's something extra special about a bespoke safari itinerary, combining destinations that suit you down to the ground. But why stop there? Why not build your next adventure around a specific activity or theme — something you love, or is new to you? Focusing on your physical and mental wellbeing, your personal development or your special interests could really enrich your experience. Here are a few ideas to spark your curiosity and creativity. We challenge you to give them a go!…

Slowing down and exploring Africa on foot means you'll experience the continent in so much more detail, while benefitting both your physical and spiritual health. When it comes to multiday walking holidays, Africa is tops. Popular bucket-list hikes include Namibia's Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world; walking safaris in places like the Luangwa Valley in Zambia, Tsavo National Park in Kenya or Botswana's Okavango Delta; the exotic villages and scenic ranges of Morocco's Atlas Mountains, and numerous long distance walks in South Africa, where areas like the Drakensberg Mountains and the Cape offer spectacular scenery. Guided nature trails and cultural walks showcase the diversity of the continent while historical, floral, birding and tasting experiences add stimulation along the way. To narrow your research, identifying what you…

Q Would you trust your operator to set up a trip without revealing where you were going? “A Journey Without Maps will take you far beyond the familiar to encounter Africa at its most raw and authentic, immersing you in places and experiences unlike any other,” says Grown-up Travel's Andy Higgs, who came up with the concept to recreate the thrill of pre-Internet exploration. “Your journey starts with a lengthy assessment. If we both agree that you are ready, I will plan the perfect adventure just for you. Apart from your departure date and a few essential details, you will have no idea what to expect. You may face challenges and unexpected situations and need to think on your feet at times, going with the flow. In our modern world,…

ISLAND CALM As the seagull flies, the needle end of the Ras Luale spit is barely 2.5km from mainland Tanzania, off the coast of Mbegani. Few people are able to point it out on a map, until you mention that this 9kmlong island reserve juts out into the Indian Ocean between Bagamoyo and Zanzibar. Arriving by boat hints at what is to follow: sun-drenched days, salty lips, the breeze whipping hair into my face. At high tide, the spit transforms into three islands with crescent-shaped, virgin beaches. Other than a handful of fellow guests, there is no one else here. The double-storey, A-frame bandas of Lazy Lagoon Lodge disappear into the luscious mahogany and mangrove vegetation that is home to bushbabies, genets, vervet monkeys and hermit crabs. A day-long excursion…

Vilankulo is an easy town to settle into. Situated on the south coast of Mozambique some 700km north of the capital Maputo, it combines a fabulous location on a classic palm-lined Indian Ocean beach with a varied choice of accommodation, restaurants and activities catering to most tastes and budgets. And while Vilankulo was granted city status in 2021 and is serviced by a modern international airport with regular connections to Maputo and Johannesburg, the neat town centre and beachfront promenade remain compact enough to get around easily on foot. Its agreeable urban atmosphere is of course secondary to Vilankulo's wonderful seaside setting. Indeed, many visitors are perfectly content just to hang out on the beach and enjoy the inviting warm water, sensuous sea breeze and tropical sunshine. But this is…

Bulawayo: Most city hotels are favoured by business travellers, with leisure tourists preferring to stay in one of the owner-run guest houses set in lush suburban gardens, which offer altogether more relaxed and homey lodgings. Mike Unwin stayed at Travellers’ Guesthouse, near Hillside Dams Conservancy. The Matobo Hills: The National Park is just a half-hour drive from Bulawayo, which makes it very doable as a day-trip from the city. To get the full experience, however, it is worth spending a few nights in the hills — it is well-suited for self-drive travellers (who can easily get supplies in Bulawayo) or all-inclusive stays. Self-catering: ZimParks operates a range of cottages and lodges at Maleme Dam and other locations, and campsite facilities are available at a couple of private operations. Mike Unwin…

South Africa Just how do aardvarks do it? For ten minutes I've been hacking away at the sun-baked ground with minimal effect, yet just to my left I can see a gaping hole dug by this champion excavator that's large enough to swallow a wheelie-bin. And all the elusive mammal has for tools are its claws. The spade in my hands is an embarrassment. “Hold on,” says my guide Christiaan Swanepoel. He walks over from his own digging and, with several lusty blows from a crowbar, smashes a starter hole into the surface. “There. That should help.” My embarrassment only deepens. It's a crisp, sunny winter afternoon in South Africa's eastern Karoo. Behind us, a loose posse of giraffes is working the treeline, their pale ears catching the low light.…

Destination guide A flash of white stripes on a hulking brown body. Spiralling horns twisted above a deer-like face. The giant eland crashed through the tall grass, and I raised my camera just as the world's largest antelope turned for a moment amongst the drooping leaves of a baobab tree. Weighing up to 1200kg, the giant eland once roamed across much of the West African savannah, but hunting and habitat loss pushed the species to the verge of extinction. In Senegal, though, a decades-long conservation plan has helped the population rebound. Now, with its Atlantic coast lined with resorts and an increasing number of charter flights arriving from Europe, Senegal is balancing conservation and tourism as it positions itself as an appealing winter sun destination. And with budget prices tempting…