Friends of Zimbabwe – Travel

People travel to Bhutan for many reasons. For some it is the lure of an ancient culture steeped in spiritual history; for others it is the challenge of entering the interior of a country which is still much of a mystery to the outside world; and for those with adventure in their hearts, it is an opportunity to trek through the spectacular mountains and valleys of Bhutan. Tours to this country can be as diverse as the travellers themselves, but the one common thread running through all the reasons which draw people to Bhutan, is the people.

Known as an extremely spiritual race, the Bhutanese place happiness above all else. Bhutan’s leaders head the only government in the world which makes its policy decisions based on their impact on GNH – Gross National Happiness. This policy means that Bhutan’s decisions are often at extreme odds to other countries which base their decisions and actions on monetary and power-seeking opportunities. Bhutan tours will take you into the heart of a country where time and technology have not yet sullied the minds of its people, and where television was not even introduced until 1999. Even now it is not wholeheartedly embraced and many TV programmes, which are not deemed to contribute to the happiness of the people, are banned.

Many throughout the world expound that the Bhutanese have found the ‘formula for happiness’, but it appears that, in fact, it is a quality so spiritually entrenched that it needs no teaching. While the government nurtures Bhutan’s spiritual development by placing it above the importance of material gain, anyone who has spent time in Bhutan will vouch for its people’s natural warmth and spirituality.

Canadian-American actor and Parkinson’s disease sufferer Michael J Fox, undertook several of his own Bhutan tours whilst producing his documentary, “Adventures of an Incurable Optimist”. Returning several times to Bhutan in his search for the reasons that make people happy, Fox expressed his fascination with the country’s commitment to the happiness and spiritual well-being of its people.

The GNH is based on the Buddhist premise of taking ‘the middle path’. Instead of striving, as most western societies do, towards the cultivation of economic and social progression as their ultimate goals, Bhutan believes that true enlightenment and happiness arises when “spiritual and material development occur side-by-side to complement and reinforce each other”. Michael J Fox said that, although not a Buddhist himself, his Bhutan tours had strengthened his own personal philosophies on staying positive and being optimistic regarding the future.

With its reputation as a destination for healing and happiness, it seems that word may be spreading to the rest of the world about the wisdom of the policies of Bhutan. Tours to the country have become more popular over the past few years and, of course, its location in the foothills of the majestic Himalaya only enhances its attraction. Although tourism is regulated to limit damage to the environment, Bhutan welcomes foreigners. The people live out their principles of kindness, compassion and respect for all living things and you will be embraced into a culture of real and sincere happiness. Perhaps you will take a little of the formula away with you…

By: Jude Limburn Turner

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With ‘modern life’ continually encroaching upon nature, it’s only natural (pun intended) to want to reconnect with the wilder side of the planet. What better way is there to do that than with a safari? Large expanses of wilderness teaming with wildlife lie barely a few kilometres outside of Cape Town, South Africa. These reserves put safari tourists within viewing distance of buffalo, rhino, giraffes, leopards, and karakul (also known as the lynx).

One interesting safari tour begins a short distance away from Cape Town, taking visitors across the Hex River Valley to the Aquila reserve. Aquila verreauxii (a rare Black Eagle) are found in abundance in the southern Karoo highlands. You can catch a glimpse of rhinos, lions, and giraffes on these game drives or spot herds of zebras, black wildebeest, klipspringers, duikers, greybucks and ostriches. Keep a close eye out for the resident troops of baboons as well. As part of the game drives, visitors are shown a number of bushman rock art sites that are thousands of years old. Game drives are offered by the Aquila Private Game Reserve for morning, sunset, or night time in an open Land Rover. For the truly adventurous, two hour long horse safaris for groups of up to nine people are also available in the evening and early morning. These have a minimum age requirement of nine years. Those aged 16 and above can opt for a quad bike safari in a group of up to 10 people.

Accommodation is available in the form of cottages that feature en-suite bathrooms, outdoor showers, ceiling fans, fireplaces and mini bars. The Aquila Private Game Reserve offers a luxury honeymoon suite (equipped with a private Jacuzzi), a Conference Centre that can support 40 to 80 delegates, a Cigar Bar, and the popular Boma Restaurant, which offers indigenous cuisine. Luxury chalets are also available. These are equipped with all the amenities of the cottages as well as tea and coffee facilities and high quality linens.

One or two day wildlife safari tours are also offered at the Inverdoorn Game Reserve. Luxurious en-suite chalets and guesthouses are offered, inclusive of full breakfasts, buffet lunches and five course dinners. Their tour packages include one or two two-hour game drives in an open four wheel drive vehicle as well as a trip through the wine regions and fruit regions near Cape Town. In addition to the game drives, guided nature walks can also be requested.

The Kagga Kamma private game reserve near Ceres is located about 40 minutes (by air) from Cape Town. The region is rich in culture and history as evidenced by the numerous Bushman/San rock paintings found here, some of which are as much as 6,000 years old. Experienced field rangers guide safari tourists, explaining the significance of these icons of South Africa’s cultural heritage.

By: Orson Johnson

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Many European people go to Africa to enjoy all there is to see. There are five star resorts and great entertainment and most hotels have access to some of the best safari companies in Africa. In America, people are beginning to catch on to the idea of visiting Africa. A lot of the people that would like to go on a safari want to save money because the cost for Americans is substantially higher than for Europeans because of the cost of flight. Cheap African safari tours can be found however with a little searching and good decision making.

One way to look for different safari tours is by talking with a tour guide company. They are usually aware of any deals that are available. Sometimes people might cancel and a company tries to get new customers at the last minute. This saves the company money and it allows for cheap African safari tours for people who may be ready to book a trip at the last minute. The limitations of booking a cheap African safari tour will already be determined by the people who booked the trip originally. This is a great way to go on safari.

Options For Cheap African Safari Tours

For those people who will be booking a cheap African safari tour, consider all of the ways to cut costs that will allow for a great safari at a lower price. The easiest way to have a cheap African safari tour is to limit the length of the safari. Most safaris will last from as short of one day and can go as long as twelve days. The opportunity to see most of the wildlife is greater with a longer trip but booking a shorter trip doesn’t mean that people will see fewer animals, and the money saved on the cheap African safari tours means that there is more spending money available for other options while in Africa.

Another way to defray costs is to book safaris that will specialize in looking for only certain animals. An example would be the safari company who along with full safaris also has safaris to see valley animals. They may offer a safari that concentrates on the big cats of Africa. This is a great way to see a lot in a shorter period of time making the vacation for cheap African safari tours a lifetime experience.

When people decide to go to Africa and see the wonders that are there to see, the costs of the safari shouldn’t always be in the back of ones mind. Enjoy the beauty of the continent and save money and memories. Take a little piece of Africa home for the rest of ones life.

By: Low Jeremy

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Kenya budget tours are prepared by experienced operators who understand the need for every visitor to get the best holiday experience ever. This does not, however, prevent you from making your own tour budget. The uniqueness and beauty provided to Kenya by nature also includes the Kenya cultural and Obama Ko’gelo village tour. All the adventure safari packages are specifically designed in a way you will find them fantastic and with an everlasting experience.

Once you budget your tour in Kenya, you are guaranteed to have an excellent adventure, including any other extra optional activity anywhere around the county. The safari packages of East Africa include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. Budget tour in Kenya also include luxury tented safaris, budget camping safari, semi tented safaris and lodge safaris. Upon your arrival at the airport, you are picked by the agency representative and transferred to your hotel depending on your booking. There are various hotels available, ranging from luxury, standard and budget in Nairobi which are normally categorized in secure areas.

The transportation of clients from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Wilson Airport is well organized by the airport representative who then transfers the visitors to their final destination. They also use shuttle transfers from Nairobi to Arusha and Moshi in Tanzania. You can also use the Nairobi-Mombasa train for your tour which is well maintained with safe sleeping compartments, three course dinner and English breakfast. It’s also the best tourist train in Africa. On this train, you will have a nice sleep along the journey which is easy, more comfortable with the cheapest fares in East Africa Rail Travel. You can easily get car hire and rental information online and have the best offer with a wide range of vehicle for hire to choose from. The car pick up locations are at Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

If you are more interested in watching wildlife, you can include a tour to the Masai Mara in your budget, where there is a high wildlife population. Here, you will have a chance to meet and buy gorgeous ornaments, necklaces, earrings, belts and outfits from the Masai community, who are the local people in the area. These can be taken home and in turn help promote African culture. As you travel to the Masai Mara through the Great Rift Valley, you will encounter abundant wildlife including the 5 big wild mammals and have a fantastic view of millions of flamingos at Lake Nakuru. Kenya budget tours also offers an excellent game drive, hiking, mountain climbing, bird watching, camping and cultural activities for groups of four or more.

By: Jackline Mwathe

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Las Vegas has been one of the main tourist destinations of the world, as it is known as the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” This city is popular for its casinos and nightclubs along with some major tourist attractions such as the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Las Vegas is said to have a very dry climate, as it is situated in the middle of a large desert. There are various tours in this city that are organized for tourists in order to show them the main highlights of Las Vegas. Amongst these tours, there are certain sightseeing safari tours called the Las Vegas desert tours that take the tourists to the most fascinating geographic locations such as the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Colorado River Rafting, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Area 51, Gold Mines, and Ghost Towns in the Mojave Desert. These desert tours are generally half day or full day packages and offer free pick up and drop to tourists from their hotels.

Las Vegas desert tours offer tourists the chance to see the American Southwest in its most beautiful and primitive state by capturing the incredible sandstone formations, wild horses, Big Horn Sheep, Rabbits, Eagles, Hawks and a spectacular variety of wild-flowers and cacti on the camera. Each desert tour takes a number of stops at unique spots so that the tourists can take the best photographs of the west. The transport provided by these tours is mostly a seven passenger luxurious four-wheel drive vehicles and a luxurious motor coach for the Grand Canyon South Rim tours. These tours also provide professional guides who are trained in archaeology, geology, and anthropology. These guides help the tourists to experience the ultimate desert wilderness by exploring the desert in the best possible way.

Las Vegas desert tours are perfect for photo enthusiasts, camera clubs, travel publications, and travel writers, as they take their clients to the best geographic explorations.

By: Steve Valentino

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The draw to this wonderful park is the diversity of flora and fauna and the remote almost inaccessible forests. There are no roads in the park, you have to be prepared to do lots of hard hiking, and indeed this is a hiker’s paradise.

It is remarkable that these forests have remained untouched before they received National Park status. This is due largely to traditional taboos and beliefs that kept the local people from destroying and clearing these forests. There are important natural caves in the park – which are of a significant cultural importance. There are many plant species found nowhere else in the world including over 160 medical plant varieties.

The Udzungwa hosts animals that are found in most Tanzanian parks including elephants, buffaloes, lion and leopard; also including the African wild dog, which is only found in Southern Tanzania. However, most of these are not present in large numbers and visitors will have a hard time spotting these game animals in this Park. A park ranger and/or guide must accompany all hikers.

There are ten species of primates found only in this park, these include the sanje mangabey, the red colobus monkeys and the nocturnal Matundu Galago, discovered in 1996.

Udzungwa has the richest forest bird habitat in all of Tanzania. Several species peculiar to this park have recently been discovered – including a new species of francolin and the Rufus-winged sun bird. Many regard the Udzungwa forests to be among highest-ranking destinations for bird watching in Africa.

The Park was created primarily for the plant life and the rainforests are a big attraction in this park. The park has stunning scenery especially in the rainforest and wooded grassland that include many rivers and waterfalls. The Sanje waterfalls has three tiers to its spectacular drop starting at a height of 200m, to 160m and then to 130m before finally crashing down to the bottom.

The lowland rainforest are 250 meters above sea level and reach up to moist cloud forest at around 2000 meters above sea level. With Mount Mwaniahana rising to 2700 meters above the forests. This mature [Parinari Excelsa] rainforest is well the adventure of getting there. The hiking in the park is quite hard and a low pace is recommended.

The Lumemo Trail is sugested for hiking in this park and a description can be found in my article The Lumemo Trail: A Tanzanian Wilderness Experience for the Practiced Hiker.

By: Ian Williamson

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Only real wine connoisseurs would know that the South Africa wine route is a real dandy. While the valleys and rolling hills of Cape Town’s inner cities provide the ultimate terroir for grape growing and have produced some of the best wines in the world, there are newer wineries and vineyards that are being grown in areas never thought possible. These are the coastal areas of South Africa. With sometimes gale force winds and mild temperatures, it was once thought that these areas were not suitable for growing perfect grapes for making top quality wines.

The hard working South African vintners have proved everyone wrong as the wines emerging from Cape Point (Two Oceans), Elim Valley in Cape Agulhas, and Walker Bay have been winning all kinds of awards both local and international and are taking the viticulture world by storm. These grapes are grown in very harsh conditions and in seemingly unfertile sea sand like soil. However, the white wines that have been produced are of exceptional quality. They have been described as being light and fruity with good texture and a unique flavor that lasts.

The coastal regions start from Elim Valley at Cape Agulhas which is the tip of Africa. Here the vines are fairly old despite only having entered the market recently. Vineyards were originally grown to supply the missionaries here with wines for religious blessing and so forth. It was determined that these could in fact produce distributable wines and soon bottling and labeling began.

Moving further west you will reach the Hemel en Aarde Valley (Heaven and Earth Valley) where the majority of the Walker Bay vineyards are located. Many of these wines are crisp and flavorful with unique textures. There are very few fruity flavors, with stronger spicy, vanilla and earthy tones to them. This area is not only producing great white wines, but also has a good selection of red wines which are interesting and mild. The vineyards are fairly well protected in the valley and receive mild weather with the cold Atlantic Ocean breezes.

Moving westwards again you will come to the False Bay area where the waters are warmer and the beaches full of holidaymakers. The Two Oceans wines come from this area near to Cape Point and are affected by both the Atlantic Ocean breezes as well as the Indian Ocean breezes making for a uniquely flavored wine which is excellent with most meals. They are light and have a great flavor. The Cape Point Vintners are also starting to produce a red wine and have recently seen the first harvest of red grapes which they say looks to be very promising.

When you visit the coastal region of South Africa, be sure to not miss out on these wine routes. You can also include the area of Constantia which produces award winning wines from their 5 estates. The oldest wine farm in South Africa is located here called Groot Constantia and you can enjoy exquisite accommodation, meals and fun wine tasting. Some may not consider this a coastal wine area, but it is in fact located just over the mountain from Noordhoek being 15-20 minutes from the Eastern side and only 10-15 minutes from the western side at Muizenberg.

You should also not miss out on the other wine routes while you are in Cape Town, South Africa, especially Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl making up the Winelands, Robertson, Tulbagh, Swartland, Wellington, Worcester and Breede River Valley, making up the Boland and more interior regions. There are also wine farms and lovely vineyards on the banks of the Orange River in Mpumalanga Province, in the Karoo where the semi arid conditions produce awesome Muscadels and recently in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.

The coastal wine regions should most definitely be included in your tours and will offer you a totally unique outlook and experience of wines and the wine industry. With the subtle flavors and cooler climate you are bound to enjoy these wines with any meal you have. The beauty of the area is also one of the reasons to not miss out on these regions, because you can get so much more out of your tour and take part in so many other activities like hiking, cycling, paint balling, surfing, boating, shark diving, whale watching, swimming, abseiling, mountain biking and climbing, paragliding, hang gliding, scuba diving, snorkeling, and visiting the hundred of attractions along the South African coast. Some of these include the penguins at Boulders Beach, Cape Point and all its glorious features, the town of Hermanus, Cape Agulhas lighthouse and its museums, the beauty of Clarens Drive, and Hangklip.

Whatever areas you decide to visit on your wine tour of South Africa, you will find a large diversity in the wines that you taste, so if you can, get to all of the regions and experience all the varietals.

By: Jim Hunter

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Ecuador offers a number of tour programs for tourists. Tourist promotions and information are handled by the ministry of tourism. A valid passport is required by everyone who wants to visit Ecuador. There are a variety of tours to Ecuador. The country offers scuba diving, whale watching, climbing, trekking, rafting, kayaking, and mountain biking. Tours are also offered to the Galapagos Islands. Other Ecuador tours include bird watching, water skiing, horse riding, fishing tours, jungle tours, and self adventure tours.

Ecuador offers a number of attractions to the tourists. Ecuador’s tour options include visits to hot springs, national parks, museums, volcanoes, churches and beaches. Normally, 60-day or 90-day visa passes are issued to foreign nationals who intent to visit Ecuador. Though Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in South America, it is the most diverse. From Amazon rainforest to snow capped volcanoes, and tropical beaches to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador has a lot to offer.

The Galapagos Islands are a magnificent group of islands off the coast of Ecuador. The Islands are underwater volcanic formations. These islands are a paradise of unique flora and fauna. These beautiful islands are home to penguins, sea lions, iguanas and hundreds of other exotic species. The Amazon jungle-rainforest contains more than 20 percent of earth’s vascular plant species. One can learn about different cultures and lifestyles, and see how the local people use the rainforest’s medicinal plants. One can also explore the varied wildlife, from the smallest of monkeys to the world’s largest snake, the anaconda. The best of Ecuador’s tours include bird watching, and the country has 15 percent of all known bird species. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is a cultural center and a World Heritage Site. The largest seaport is Guayaqu