http://www.RealAdventures.com/vacations/184887_articles-africa.htm Check out some of the recently updated travel & vacation listings on RealAdventures. Be inspired, go explore! en-us Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:54:04 GMT Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:54:04 GMT http://www.RealAdventures.com http://www.RealAdventures.com/vacations/184887_articles-africa.htm 100 100 http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1184250_Whale-watching-the-easy-way http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1184250_Whale-watching-the-easy-way Articles South Africa Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:09:32 Labeled by whale experts as being "the best land based whale watching spot in the world", the town of Hermanus in South Africa is host to Southern Right Whales each year from July to November. -
Labeled by whale experts as being "the best land based whale watching spot in the world", the town of Hermanus in South Africa is host to Southern Right Whales each year from July to November.


Hermanus, a small town in the Western Cape, South Africa, each year draws thousands to its shores to watch Southern Right whales in the bay. They come not just because of the number of whales to be seen more than 100 in peak season but for the ease with which one can watch them.

Dubbed by experts as "the best land based whale watching spot in the world", Hermanus lies on the shores of a sheltered bay where southern rights come to calve, mate and frolic. They come as close as 5 metres from the rocks. One can watch whales while strolling along the 12 kilometre long cliff path which runs from one side of the town to the other, or while sipping coffee or enjoying a meal at one of the many restaurants. On windstill nights the whales can be heard blowing out in the bay. Hermanus even has the worlds only Whale Crier who alerts all to the presence of whales by blowing on his kelp horn, and there's an annual Whale Festival.

The whales start arriving from July onwards, but peak season is from August to end October. Thats when the shores overlooking the bay are lined with watchers hoping to witness the breathtaking spectacle of a breach, though most seem more than happy just to see a mother and calf drift lazily past, or a large head popping up from the sea for a bit of spyhopping, or a tail sticking up to go sailing. Popular with local and foreign tourists alike, the annual visit by these whales provides a significant boost to the tourism on which the towns economy is largely based. Its a huge bonus for a holiday resort already known as The Riviera of the south.

The Southern Rights have callosities on their heads, basically white warts or rough skin patches on which little creatures, called whale lice, are attached. These markings enable whale experts to individually identify the whales, and its been well established that many of them are regular visitors to the bay. While an area like De Hoop Nature Reserve further south has a greater instance of cows giving birth, Hermanus is also called the nursery school of the Southern Rights, for it is here that the cows come to educate their young. One often witnesses a youngster emulating its mothers every move.

From November on the whales begin leaving the bay for the long journey back to their Antarctic feeding grounds, though there are often stragglers, cows who wait till their calves are strong enough to cope. It is not uncommon to find whales in the bay during December and even in January.

As if being blessed by the presence of whales is not enough, Hermanus is an exceptionally beautiful town with a Blue Flag beach and a great many activities for nature lovers and eco tourists, ranging from kayaking, shark cage diving, paragliding and scuba diving, to hiking and bird watching.
Details & Reservations: Whale watching the easy way
RealAdventures | South Africa Articles

]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023958_The-Caprivi-Strip http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023958_The-Caprivi-Strip Articles Namibia Mon, 19 Jul 2004 00:07:00 the northeastern panhandle between Botswana, Angola and Zambia. -
the northeastern panhandle between Botswana, Angola and Zambia.


The Caprivi Strip is a long panhandle enclosed by permanent water and stretching eastwards from the Kavango River to and along the Zambezi ending at the border junction of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
This lush savannah area is bounded by the Kwando, Linyanti and Chobe River system on the southern border with Botswana and with the Zambezi River forming part of its northern boundary with Zambia.

Wildlife in the Caprivi has not yet recovered from years of poaching and the destructive bushwar of the 70's and 80's but its superb conservation areas may in the future rival Etosha. Almost 70% of the bird species found in Namibia have been recorded in the Caprivi.

As the best of the Caprivi habitat is captured in the area shared with Botswana, it's usually more productive to look at the Selinda Reserve as a safari option.

bMahango Game Reserve/b
Enriched by the Kavango River, this is a small reserve with an ecologically diverse combination of grassland, woodland, floodplain, riverine forests and reed beds supporting over 60 mammal and nearly 350 bird species. This is an excellent reserve for elephants during the dry season. This is the only Namibian Park in which visitors are allowed to walk unaccompanied by a guide or scout.

bWest Caprivi Game Park/b
Similar in habitats to Mahango, this reserve covers most of the "strip" from the Kavango to Kwando Rivers and is transversed by the infamous "Golden Highway" (a gravel and sand road responsible for many bogged down vehicles during the rainy season). Heavily poached out in the past, this area shows signs of recovery.

bMudumu National Park/b
Flanking the Kwando River and benefiting much by the wetlands of the KwandoMashiLinyantiChobe river system Mudumu is an excellent birding area and is also well known for its fishing. Waterloving mammals including the Cape clawless otter are abundant.

bMamili National Park/b
Proclaimed in 1989, this almost inaccessible wetland is particularly well known for its birdlife. Mamili is only suitable for the hardiest guests and should only be tackled between September and April in 4x4 convoy fashion. This is a good area for lechwe, sitatunga, puku and spottednecked otters. Probably the best way to experience this habitat is on the Botswana side in the Selinda Reserve.

font face="arial" size="1" color="336699"Provided By a href="showlink.htm?1020138+0001"The Zambezi Safari And Travel Co. Ltd./a
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Details & Reservations: The Caprivi Strip
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]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024424_Around-Kilimanjaro http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024424_Around-Kilimanjaro Articles Tanzania Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:01:00 A sixday account of teaching guides how to ride, enjoying Tanzanian culture and avoiding trouble while blazing new bike paths around Mt. Kilimanjaro. -
A sixday account of teaching guides how to ride, enjoying Tanzanian culture and avoiding trouble while blazing new bike paths around Mt. Kilimanjaro.


by Mark Cosslett

When I first met Peter, he could run faster than ride. In fact, Peter could run faster than most in our group could ride. He was a member of the Maasai tribe, whose members were described as "fierce warriors" during the colonial days. "Consummate athletes" seemed more appropriate now, as I watched Peter leap and bound across the African landscape with as much grace as the wildlife found there. Peter said he was 22 years old, but didnt know when his birthday was. Fran, his employer, said he had been 22 for several years and figured 25 or 26 was closer to the mark.

Six of us had traveled nearly halfway around the globe to mountain bike across Peters homeland in Northern Tanzania. Our tour took us from Mount Meru to the Serengeti Plains over the course of ten days. Peter was one of the five support crew members riding in two Land Rovers. Of course, his name wasnt really Peter. He just went by that because his Maasai name was difficult for us to get our mouths around. And, of course, Peter didnt ride in a Land Rover if given half a chance to jump out and run alongside the bikes. At the end of our tour, I decided it was high time he learned to ride.

A Crash Course in Mountain Biking

Our tour company needed a local guide, and a Kilimanjaro circuit seemed the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone train Peter and explore a new area. He eagerly agreed to a baptism by fire 250 miles around Mount Kilimanjaro. What I didnt know at the time was that Peter had never ridden a bike. The toe clips were the first thing to go &8211 way too complicated and risky. Then, there were the gears to contend with. A fundamental knowledge of their operation was essential.

The bikes were one of the latest editions from Iron Horse. Grip shifts made our lesson in gears easier and front shocks probably prevented a few falls. We only had one set of panniers between us, so I carried most of the load (requisite tent, stove, cook set, food, etc.). This gave Peter a chance to learn bike handling skills without another 30 to 40 pounds of dead weight to contend with, though he still carried his own sleeping bag and extra clothing.

Our original plan was to ride around Mount Kilimanjaro on dirt roads and singletracks over the course of four days. From day one, I could see Peter wouldnt be able to keep the pace. On day two, he confessed it was his first time riding a bike. I was faced with a critical decision Send him back while he was still just a day from home and go on alone, or extend the trip to six days and work on his bike skills. I chose the latter and radioed back to our lodge on Mount Meru, informing them not to expect us for another five days.

I slackened the pace to ride alongside Peter and coach him a bit. The problem was immediately apparent His butt never left the seat. Peter's strength and stamina were fine, it was his technique that needed work. I tried to demonstrate how to stand on the pedals in order to gain power up the hills and control (hence, speed) on the descents. Despite my efforts, his butt remained firmly planted.

In a moment of frustration, I took his seat away. It was a crude teaching technique that he didn't appreciate much, but it worked. Peter was soon powering up the hills and using his legs like shock absorbers on the way down. He was a bit quiet after I gave him his seat back, but the more he used his new skills the more he seemed to forgive me. We were soon friends again. "Now we're in business," I thought to myself. And we were.

A Stranger in Strange Lands

"Mzungu! Mzungu!" It was a cry I was to hear endless permutations of during the next five days. Peter was teaching me some KiSwahili in return for his mountain bike lessons, but the meaning of this word was selfevident "White man." Adults seemed to use it as a form of greeting. Small children used it like a chant as they ran alongside me in a joyous frenzy. Even bewildered toddlers would utter it in observation before darting back into the fields to hide behind the maize.

When biking in thirdworld countries, well off the beaten tourist track, one becomes a bit of a spectacle. A flat tire usually draws a crowd of twenty to thirty. When I stopped to buy fruit and vegetables, I counted over fifty children in a sea of curiosity pressed tightly against me. Aiming the camera at their smiling faces always sent them scattering like so many leaves in a gust of wind. I never discovered why they were so camera shy perhaps the younger ones had never even seen a camera. In any event, my strange picturemaking device often proved more effective for comic relief and crowd control than for photographs.

We also encountered a few less savory sorts. Approaching the Kenyan border, we stumbled into two shady characters illegally changing money at a shack beside the dirt road. They betrayed their ill intent by asking all the wrong questions "How much are those bikes worth?" and "Where do you plan to spend the night?"

That evening we camped deep in the forest and carried our bikes off the road so as not to leave any telltale tire tracks in the soft dirt. Even then, we were discovered by a small group of astonished Maasai women who were gathering firewood. Im sure they spoke of the Mzungu sleeping in the woods when they returned to the village, but no one came back to investigate.

We were warned of bandits near the Kenyan border, so we wasted no time wrapping around the mountain to gain its eastern slopes. The scenery was in a constant state of flux, but navigation was simple. We just kept Kilimanjaro over our right shoulder and continued riding.

In Search of the Perfect Campsite

At an elevation of 7,000 to 10,000 feet, the foothills of Kilimanjaro provide some of the most fertile land in Tanzania. Our path became more and more crowded with small farms. Eventually, no open spaces remained for our tent. We finally spotted a small, flat, uncultivated patch of grassland stretched out above the Kenyan plains like a lush, green carpet. Mawenzi Peak towered above a small, rocky outcrop on the shoulder of Kilimanjaro. I immediately slammed on the brakes and asked Peter to inquire about camping on this prime piece of African real estate.

Peter soon returned with Felix, a bantam African man in his late thirties. He had few teeth remaining, but possessed a wide, infectious smile just the same. We shook hands firmly and he graciously offered to have us camp on his land. He left us alone to set up camp, but soon returned with a large bucket of water and transistor radio.

Felix had sired nine children, but only six remained alive (the infant mortality rate is high in Africa). Those six soon surrounded our camp, spying on us pensively through the thin foliage. When I returned their wideeyed stares with a wink or a smile, they would always giggle and run away, caught in their game.

Peter was less accustomed to being gawked at. "Haven't you ever seen a Mzungu before?!" he scolded them. They shook their little heads innocently and he said, "We'll bring plenty more for you to look at soon. Leave us now to cook dinner in peace!"

Cooking was my job, while Peter was in charge of bike maintenance. He lubed chains and gears with some motor oil we had picked up from a farmer, while I stirred up a strange brew of fresh vegetables and noodles over our small camp stove. We weren't exactly taking advantage of each other's strong points, but bike maintenance was part of Peter's training. As for my cooking, well, we survived.

Felix returned and gazed inquisitively at my avocado stew, so I offered him some. At first he declined, but at my insistence he finally filled a small cup. He politely swallowed a spoonful, forced a smile, then fed the rest to the dog when he thought I wasn't looking (the dog had the same reaction).

East Africans are quintessential carnivores and Tanzanians are no exception. Meat for breakfast, meat for lunch, beef jerky to snack on through the day, and then more meat for dinner. Of course, a little milk, bread, and maize are thrown in to round things out. Peter and I soon formed an unspoken agreement He didn't complain too much about being a vegetarian for a week, and I kept my mouth shut when the gears skipped.

A small crowd gathered when we broke camp in the morning. The local village chief had his nose out of joint since no one informed him of our presence. Felix shook his head incredulously as our sleeping bags, pads, tent, and stove all magically transformed into small packages which fit inside our bike packs.

An Unexpected Sanctuary

The deep river valleys on Kilimanjaro's southern slopes gently nudged us off her contours, like the tangled roots of a forbidden forest protecting secret treasures. Every trail led down to "Moshi Town," a backwater metropolis with all the charm of a Nile Crocodile. The dirt path we had followed for the last four days slowly, inexorably lost its jagged edge as it veered towards Moshi. Pavement and power lines finally encroached unwelcome reminders that progress prevailed. At the sight of it, we took the first detour heading back up the mountain and into the verdant forest.

Our destination for the day became a seminary in the small mountain village of Muau We heard rumors that it was a safe haven for aberrant travelers. Peering in through the huge metal gates, it seemed like a deserted slice of paradise. Ivy and bushes discreetly camouflaged the barbed wire and broken bits of glass placed on the high walls to protect this refuge. The grounds were meticulously groomed, like a Japanese garden, but no one guarded the unlocked gate.

Wandering inside, we felt like trespassers until we finally spotted one of the priests. He was an elderly man with a long white beard. He wore a brown alb gathered around his narrow waist with a heavy rope cincture. He took no notice of us until we made our clumsy introductions. Without the slightest interrogation, he began showing us around, as if he had been expecting our visit for some time. He pointed out the variety of fruits and vegetables growing in nurtured gardens and explained the history of the place.

I wanted to ask about spending the night, but his manner left little room for interruptions. Silence seemed a better tactic anyway, so Peter and I relaxed and enjoyed the tour. It was soon clear that Father Latislouse, a Swiss man, had long since presumed we were overnight visitors. He pointed out a nice grassy area for us to pitch our tent, led us to a cool, capacious pool and invited us to shower and swim in the late afternoon sunshine.

The sun set on Kilimanjaro and her glaciers blushed in ethereal pink hues. Seeing all sides and moods of Kilimanjaro as we had naked as the day she was born in the morning, bold and stalwart during the midday heat, bashfully gathering clouds around her as evening approached it was easy to become obsessed with this famous icon of Africa. Peter and I both agreed her finest countenance fell upon Muau Seminary.

Sublime Singletracks in High Places

The next day ushered in the best riding of our Kilimanjaro circuit, even some of the best found anywhere in the world. A paved road connecting Moshi with Arusha would have been the quickest way home, but we tried to avoid pavement whenever possible That was the realm where thirdworld "road warriors" presided with their monstrous trucks and buses. Our objective was to stay high on Kilimanjaro and remain protected by her wilderness. We used the network of singletracks between small villages to work our way around the southern side of the mountain.

It was easy to get lost, but we were rewarded with fast descents and fun climbs on smooth dirt trails that zigzagged surreptitiously through the hidden forests. Just when we thought the riding couldn't get any better, we'd pop out of the trees and be greeted by the vigilant eyes of Kilimanjaro.

We spent most of the day finding our way to "Old Moshi," a quaint mountain village that is the antithesis of "Moshi Town." A deep river valley blocked all westward trails, like an aquatic guardian over verboten lands. The directions given for Machame, the next village on our way home, were always the same "You must go down to Moshi, along the paved road towards Arusha, then back up to Machame." This involved losing and regaining over 4,000 precious vertical feet, and riding more than 25 extra miles, not to mention mucking around in Moshi (an unpleasant proposition).

I assumed the directions given for Machame, only a few miles away as the crow flies, were yet another instance of the locals underestimating the capabilities of our bikes.

I said to Peter, "Tell them we plan to walk to Machame. Ask them where the walking track is."

"Heavy rains wash away footbridge," was their laconic response. "Unless bikes have wings, you go Moshi."

It was nearly dark by the time we arrived in Machame (yes, via ugh!!! Moshi). Camping is a bit more complicated in Africa, and usually involves finding an "Askari" (guard) for the evening. I always assumed tourists were the only ones who needed to be careful, that crime was directed at the white man with all his material possessions. Here, high up on the mountain and well away from tourism, I saw how wrong I was. Bars covered the windows of small houses, and doors were doublelocked. The juxtaposition of green foliage and cold, hard steel was like seeing a piece of Harlem in a tropical rain forest. I suddenly realized how much crime had interwoven itself into the fabric of the culture.

Kilimanjaro winked at me mischievously as twilight played on her glaciers once again. Unable to resist, I strode out to the middle of the village square, set up the tripod, and snatched a few frames.

Peter's thoughts were written all over his disgruntled face when I returned "Great, as if the bikes werent enough. Now everyone knows we have expensive camera gear too!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I replied to his unspoken reprimand. "I know we damn sure better find a safe place tonight."

There were no hotels or designated campsites, so we asked permission to pitch our tent on the grounds of a wellguarded private school for girls. They declined, but the school accountant took pity on us and offered accommodations with her and her family.

Sleeping in their house was a big change from the familiar nylon of our tent. The livestock were kept in the basement and the toilet was a hole in the ground outside. There was no power (hence, no light), which made nighttime trips to the dark hole in the ground an even more sordid affair.

Their youngest daughter was rushed off to hospital in the middle of the night yet another bout with malaria. Amazingly, this was a high standard of living in Tanzania. They seemed happy, but I was still grateful to be but a visitor to their lifestyle.

We started early the next morning for Sonya Ju, the next small village to the west. Peter asked directions and got a familiar response "You go down to the road, head west towards Arusha, then go back up to Sonya Ju." Again, we asked about walking tracks. Again, there were none. We asked everywhere in our frustration, but all we heard was, "You go down to the road."

The game was up. This was our last day, and we had no time for further detours. Reluctantly, we did what we were told We rode down to the road, headed west (forgetting all about climbing back up to Sonya Ju), and hammered out the fifty miles to Arusha.

Pounding Pavement

Biking along busy roads in thirdworld countries is about as much fun as riding in the Sierra Nevada during hunting season. Hoping to put an early end to the misery, I pounded hard on the pedals. Heat radiated from the asphalt in waves that melted our vision of the African landscape. I thought of writing a book and calling it "MMBA" (Miles and Miles of Bloody Africa). I didnt see Peter again until I was 30 minutes into my lunch break in the welcome shade of an acacia tree. I knew he need only ask which way the Mzungu on the bike went in order to find me, which he did on several occasions.

I taught Peter how to draft to keep him close, and demonstrated when the locals rushed past on their singlespeed clunkers. I guess they just couldnt resist racing against our modern bikes. We let them pass, then glued ourselves to their rear wheel and rode the draft until they exhausted themselves. After shifting into high gear and standing on the pedals, we shot past them with a burst of speed and shouted, "Asante sana!" (Thank you very much!) We didn't make many friends that way, but we got to Arusha much faster.

Back at the Adventure Center in Arusha (home base for our mountain bike safaris), we cooked the last of our food in the store room on our camp stove. I asked Fran (Peter's boss) where I could find a mirror. I hadn't seen my reflection for six days. She chuckled and said, "You might want to find a shower first." Judging from the bemused stares beset upon us throughout Arusha, she was probably right.
Details & Reservations: Around Kilimanjaro
RealAdventures | Tanzania Articles

]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024425_Practicalities-Biking-in-Tanzania http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1024425_Practicalities-Biking-in-Tanzania Articles Tanzania Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:01:00 Tips from seasoned Africa traveler Mark Cosslett on mountain biking in Tanzania. -
Tips from seasoned Africa traveler Mark Cosslett on mountain biking in Tanzania.


by Mark Cosslett

Getting There

The best way into and out of Tanzania is via Kilimanjaro International Airport. Nairobi is also close by, but the shuttle to Arusha inevitably eats up the better part of a day and crossing the border from Kenya can be a hassle.

Air France and KLM both have weekly flights in and out of Kilimanjaro International Airport (from Paris and Amsterdam, respectively). Bikes must be boxed and are allowed as one of two pieces of checked luggage at no extra charge. Check with your travel agent to make sure there is no 20 kilogram total weight restriction on your ticket.

Bike Rentals, Repairs, and Spares

There are plenty of bikes in Tanzania, but they are mostly singlespeed clunkers. You wont find any mountain bike rentals, and the closest place to find spare parts is Nairobi (Cycleland, Phone 0112542223955, Fax 0112542212778 or Kenya Cycle Mart, Phone 0112542223 417). Thorns can be a problem, and the local tubes use a different type of valve. Equip your bike with tire liners and bring a pump along. Plenty of spare tubes and a couple of patch kits are also a necessity. For security reasons, it is best to travel in large groups (especially if camping in the bush without a guard), preferably with vehicle support. Venturing off the beaten track alone, armed or not, is definitely asking for trouble.

The Lay of the Land

All the national parks and game reserves are closed to bike and foot traffic due to dangerous animals. The only exception is Arusha National Park, where walking safaris are permitted with an armed guide.

Of all the big game found outside the parks and reserves, Cape buffalo are probably the most dangerous to mountain bikers. They are highly unpredictable, especially rogue bulls and females protecting calves. Lion, leopard, and elephant are but a few additions to the list.

All snakes encountered should be considered highly poisonous (they probably are). We crossed paths with a Black Mamba, a relative of the cobra. They are typically arboreal and are the largest poisonous snake in Africa, reaching lengths of 14 feet. With a maximum velocity of eight miles per hour, it is one of the fastest snakes in the world. Because of its speed, aggressive nature, and deadly venom (its victims nearly always die within three hours of being bitten) the Black Mamba is the most feared snake in Africa. Before venturing into the bush, visit &8220The Snake Park&8221 in Arusha. They have a full collection of Tanzanian serpents in captivity, including a Black Mamba. The Snake Park is also a great place to make new friends over a glass or two of the local ale.

Other Things to Do

Arusha is the center for traditional safaris (i.e., in vehicles). The Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire National Park are all international draw cards and thousands climb Mount Kilimanjaro every year.

Zanzibar, a vestige of the slave trade, provides a page from the past and a taste of life on the East African Coast. Flights to this small island are available from Arusha. Those with more time to spare can see more of the countryside by taking the train from Moshi to Dar es Salaam and the ferry across to Zanzibar.

Details & Reservations: Practicalities Biking in Tanzania
RealAdventures | Tanzania Articles

]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023937_Botswana-s-Safari-Spots http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023937_Botswana-s-Safari-Spots Articles Botswana Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:11:00 Arguably southern Africa's most popular safari destination a hugely unpopulated territory that enjoys political and economic stability and is blessed with impressive wildlife and wilderness areas. -
Arguably southern Africa's most popular safari destination a hugely unpopulated territory that enjoys political and economic stability and is blessed with impressive wildlife and wilderness areas.


Popular Safari Destinations
Safari Seasons
Getting Around

Overview
Arguably southern Africa's most popular safari destination a hugely unpopulated territory that enjoys political and economic stability and is blessed with impressive wildlife and wilderness areas.

Botswana is well suited for both first time African visitors and safari specialists seeking remote and secluded safari getaways. Botswana's prized safari destinations include the Okavango Delta and Moremi Chobe National Park and Savuti the remote Linyanti/Chobe river system the Kalahari and Makgadikgadi Pans.


Popular Safari Destinations

The Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta is unquestionably Africa's finest wetland and is one of the great natural wonders of the world. Although the Delta's wildlife diversity and concentrations are modest by comparison with some other safari destinations in the region the Okavango offers a truly rejuvenating experience.

Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi, located in the north eastern Delta including Chief's Island and the private concessions on its fringe is a prime attraction its game, birdlife and scenery is spectacular. The area contains some of Botswana's finest small and seasonal safari lodges and is favoured by us on our safaris. Moremi is subject to significant seasonal variation and this needs to be considered quite carefully when planning a safari.

Chobe National Park
Chobe is arguably Botswana's finest destination for game viewing particularly on the Chobe riverfront and in the Savuti area. Unfortunately it tends to be a bit crowded and the solution is often sought in some of the remoter and more exclusive concessions to the west. Chobe is a prime destination for first time visitors to Africa and provides some excellent opportunities for specialists.

The Kalahari
The Kalahari, broadly encompassing the Makgadikgadi and Nxai pans is not a conventional safari destination. It is however an absolutely fascinating ecological habitat heavily influenced by larger geological factors and seasonal water. A safari in the Kalahari is a truly rewarding experience.
Details & Reservations: Botswana's Safari Spots
RealAdventures | Botswana Articles

]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023949_The-Okavango-Delta http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023949_The-Okavango-Delta Articles Botswana Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:11:00 Described as "the jewel" of the Kalahari, the Okavango Delta is a tranquil and isolated oasis set in Botswana's harsh and arid desert. -
Described as "the jewel" of the Kalahari, the Okavango Delta is a tranquil and isolated oasis set in Botswana's harsh and arid desert.


Described as "the jewel" of the Kalahari, the Okavango Delta is a tranquil and isolated oasis set in Botswana's harsh and arid desert widely considered as being one of Africa's best safari destinations with its special diversity of fauna and flora.

The Source Of The Okavango Delta
Spurred by huge subtropical storms, the Cubango River rises in central Angola, flows through Namibia as the Kuvango River and finally enters Botswana as the Okavango River at Mohembo in the north. With it comes some 11 billion cubic metres of water each year which drains away through a maze of lagoons, channels and islands before disappearing into the Kalahari wastes of the south.

This is the Okavango Delta, some 15000 square kilometres of wetland with a special diversity of fauna and flora.

The Okavango River is funnelled through parallel faults of the Panhandle as a deep and fastflowing river before being confronted by another perpendicular fault with a sudden increase in gradient. This slows the flow of water considerably as it spreads into relatively shallow sediment with a fall of only 62 metres over approximately 250 kilometres.

The Okavango's Seasonal Floods
An important feature of the Okavango is the seasonal flooding which commences in midsummer in the north and ends about six months later in the south. This results in a cyclical motion of water rising in the north as it recedes in the south during summer, and a rising in the south as it drops in the north during winter. The nature of the annual floods is gentle with floodplains and islands disappearing under water and then reappearing in an everchanging landscape at the end of each season this is particularly pronounced in the central Okavango.

The Flood Zones
The Delta can be reasonably well divided between a permanently flooded zone in the north and a seasonally flooded zone in the south.

The northern zone includes the panhandle with its riverine forest fringes immediately adjacent to arid Kalahari woodlands and depending upon the inflow from Angola a vast wetland of up to 12000 square kilometres of islands, reed beds, channels, forest banks and permanent water ways.
The seasonally flooded zone has large Kalahari sandveld islands with dry and deciduous woodlands fringed by wide grassy floodplains that are heavily influenced by the seasonal floods.

Moremi
The Moremi Game Reserve and its surrounds is the focal point for safaris in the Okavango and includes habitats from both the permanently and seasonally flooded zones. With the exception of the eastern "tongue" of Moremi, access into the Okavango Delta is by aircraft.

Provided By The Zambezi Safari And Travel Co. Ltd.



Details & Reservations: The Okavango Delta
RealAdventures | Botswana Articles

]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023952_The-Moremi-Game-Reserve http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023952_The-Moremi-Game-Reserve Articles Botswana Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:11:00 The Moremi Game Reserve and its surrounds is the focal point for safaris in the Okavango and includes habitats from both the permanently and seasonally flooded zones. -
The Moremi Game Reserve and its surrounds is the focal point for safaris in the Okavango and includes habitats from both the permanently and seasonally flooded zones.


The Moremi Game Reserve and its surrounds is the focal point for safaris in the Okavango and includes habitats from both the permanently and seasonally flooded zones. With the exception of the eastern "tongue" of Moremi, access into the Okavango Delta is by aircraft.

Moremi has in the past suffered the ravages of a rinderpest epidemic in the last century, overgrazing by indigenous pastoral farmers up until the 1940's and saw uncontrolled hunting until the early 1960's.
Two and a half decades after proclamation as a reserve by Chief Moremi's family, the reserve is now one of the most scenic and varied game parks in Africa with prolific populations of wildlife and birds.

Today, Moremi covers almost a third of the entire Okavango Delta a diverse habitat where the desert and delta meet, comprising forests, lagoons, floodplains, pans and woodlands.

Moremi contains the full spectrum of game and birdlife found in the Okavango and is the premier safari attraction in the Delta. The Delta is renowned for its mokoro trails.

Provided By The Zambezi Safari And Travel Co. Ltd.


Details & Reservations: The Moremi Game Reserve
RealAdventures | Botswana Articles

]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023953_Chobe-National-Park http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023953_Chobe-National-Park Articles Botswana Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:11:00 Chobe National Park, named after the Chobe River on its northern boundary is home to an exciting variety of large mammals and over 450 bird species. -
Chobe National Park, named after the Chobe River on its northern boundary is home to an exciting variety of large mammals and over 450 bird species.


Chobe National Park, named after the Chobe River on its northern boundary is home to an exciting variety of large mammals and over 450 bird species. Chobe is renowned for having the highest concentration of elephants in Africa with truly impressive herds gathering during both the wet and dry season. The Savuti area with its particularly strong populations of predators and annual zebra migration has set the scene for many wellknown documentaries and is a prime safari destination in southern Africa.

Chobe comprises four main areas the Chobe river frontage, the central pans around Nogatsaa, the Linyanti wetlands and the famous Savuti region that includes the Mababe Depression.

The Chobe River Front
The stretch of river from Ngoma in the west, including Serondela and extending towards Kasane is a rich riverine forest with a marginal floodplain. This northern section is considered to be one of southern Africa's finest short game viewing drives an area renowned for its elephant and buffalo during the dry season and a birder's paradise year round. The Kasane/Chobe area is unfortunately prone to overcrowding during regional school holidays.

Nogatsaa and Tchinga
The pan speckled grass woodland approximately 3 hours drive south of Serondela is a hardly known area that holds water well into the dry season and attracts a profusion of game between August and October. This area is particularly good for viewing eland.

The Linyanti
The northwestern corner of Chobe meets the Linyanti River affording a very short stretch of river frontage. This is a fragment of almost 900 square kilometres of the secluded Linyanti Swamp an area that is further expanded by the Selinda Reserve in the west and Namibia's remote Mamili National Park on the northern bank of the Kwando River. The area's relative inaccessibility and remoteness makes it one of our favoured safari destinations.

Savuti
This famous western corner of Chobe is one of Botswana's bestknown wildlife areas. Savuti covers almost 5000 square kilometres and includes the socalled Savuti Marsh and Channel, the Mababe Depression and Magwikhwe Sand Ridge each feature fashioned by the tectonic instability of the region. The lions and hyeanas and zebra migrations are synonymous with Savuti but the area also hosts an excellent diversity of other predators and plains game species. Its pans and waterholes in the dry season sustain a large population of bull elephants.

Provided By The Zambezi Safari And Travel Co. Ltd.


Details & Reservations: Chobe National Park
RealAdventures | Botswana Articles

]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023954_The-Kalahari http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023954_The-Kalahari Articles Botswana Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:11:00 Derived from the Tswana word "Kgalagadi", Meaning "the great thirst", the Kalahari is one of the world's most extensive mantles of sand that extends south into South Africa, west into Namibia and north into Angola and Zambia. -
Derived from the Tswana word "Kgalagadi", Meaning "the great thirst", the Kalahari is one of the world's most extensive mantles of sand that extends south into South Africa, west into Namibia and north into Angola and Zambia.


Derived from the Tswana word "Kgalagadi", meaning "the great thirst", the Kalahari is one of the world's most extensive mantles of sand that extends south into South Africa, west into Namibia and north into Angola and Zambia. This Kalahari sand covers the hollow basin of Botswana and forms a flat plain that covers nearly 70% of the country.

The Kalahari Desert is not a true desert in the sense that it is well vegetated and receives copious but very unpredictable rainfall. It does however hold no permanent surface water and has resulted in a fascinating ecological challenge for flora, fauna and the San Bushmen who have inhabited the area for thousands of years.

The Kalahari has three of Africa's most remote game reserves including the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), Khutse Game Reserve and Gemsbok National Park.

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve was brought to the world's attention through Mark and Delia Owens' book "Cry of the Kalahari" during their research on brown hyeana between 1974 and 1981. It's the world's second largest protected area encompassing a harsh and unforgiving environment that holds a fascinating history of geological change.

Khutse Game Reserve is a small reserve abutting the CKGR's southern boundary. It consists mostly of some 60 calcrete pans within undulating savannah.

Gemsbok National Park, situated in the dry south of Botswana provides excellent habitats for raptors with nearly 50 having been listed the oryx or gemsbok after which it is named are best seen between March and May.

Provided By The Zambezi Safari And Travel Co. Ltd.


Details & Reservations: The Kalahari
RealAdventures | Botswana Articles

]]> http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023946_Namibia-s-Safari-Spots http://www.RealAdventures.com/listings/1023946_Namibia-s-Safari-Spots Articles Namibia Wed, 05 Nov 2003 00:11:00 Namibia boasts 20 National Parks and protected areas, with a population under 2 million. -
Namibia boasts 20 National Parks and protected areas, with a population under 2 million.


Popular Safari Destinations
Safari Seasons
Getting Around

Overview
Named after the oldest desert in the world that extends almost the entire length of its South Atlantic coastline, Namibia boasts 20 National Parks and protected areas, with a small population (under 2 million). The country has dramatic and sparsely inhabited wilderness areas with truly spectacular mountain and desert landscapes. The stark emptiness and desolation of the Namibian expanses are captivating.

The country is well endowed with wildlife, but doesn't compete with its regional neighbors in terms of game concentrations and variety (Namibia has the world's highest concentration of wild cheetah). The adaptation to its arid and harsh habitats by animal and plant species is fascinating. Namibia's birdlife is renowned with nearly 70% of southern Africa's 887 bird species having been recorded.

The regions of prime "safariinterest" include the Etosha National Park, NamibNaukluft Park, the Skeleton Coast, Kaokoveld (described as "Africa's last great wilderness") and the Caprivi Strip.
Namibia has an infant tourism industry and is best tackled on a mobile safari basis. Namibia has a first class road network which facilitates excellent selfdrive safari prospects for the more intrepid. Namibia holds a unique set of rewards for adventurous spirits.


Popular Safari Destinations

Etosha National Park
Namibia's premier wildlife reserve, the size of Switzerland, a semiarid savannah grassland and thorn scrub expanse surrounding a calcrete pan. This is Etosha Pan, "the place of dry water" that is transformed for a brief period each rainy season only to turn into a sea of mirages during its notoriously dry winter months.

The Namib Desert
Dwarfed by comparison with Africa's giant Sahara, the Namib is believed to be the world's oldest arid region and belongs to the few percent of the earth's land surface that is classified as "hyperarid". This fascinating region includes the Skeleton Coast and Kaokoveld in the north, rock and gravel plains of the central Namib and the mighty sand dune seas of the south.

The NamibNaukluft Park
Located in the central Namib, it is one of the world's largest national parks and encompasses 4 main conservation areas including the diverse habitats of the gravel plains of the Namib Desert Park, the massive dunefields of Sossusvlei, the secluded wetland of Sandwich Harbour and the higher plateau of the Naukluft Park.

The Skeleton Coast
Has appropriately acquired its sinister reputation as a graveyard for unwary mariners over the centuries. This remote and ecologically sensitive wilderness in the north is still largely offlimits today.

The Kaokoveld
One of Namibia's least accessible regions holds some of Africa's most famous examples of rock art in the granitic landmarks of Damaraland. The northern wilderness area is a harsh mountainous desert supporting the endangered Kaokoveld elephants amongst other uniquely adapted species.

The Caprivi Strip
The northeastern panhandle between Botswana, Angola and Zambia. One of the more eccentric legacies of 19th Century colonial accords now a small conservation area struggling to recover from the ravages of poachers and the Namibian bush war of the 70's and 80's.


Safari Seasons
Namibia's seasons can be broken into three main periods
1. A cool dry season from May to October when days are cool, clear and sunny and night time temperatures often drop down to near freezing. The end of the dry season warms up dramatically and can become very uncomfortable in the Kaokoveld and Etosha. The Caprivi area is affected by floodwaters from the north between May and August as they flow into the larger Okavango water system.

2. The "little rains" from October to December are characterised by a period of high temperatures and sporadic rains.

3. January to April is the main rainy season, midsummer can be extremely hot and violent thunderstorms accompanied by flash floods particularly in the north are not unusual (take particular heed of local warnings about weather conditions in remote areas).

The best game viewing is generally between May and October with the birdwatching season being best from November to March throughout Namibia.


Getting Around
By Air
Windhoek International Airport is Namibia's primary international hub with regular and reliable links between Johannesburg and Cape Town, weekly schedules connect Frankfurt and London. Secondary air links connect Harare, Lusaka, Maun and Gabarone.

Eros Airport just south of Windhoek is the main hub for all domestic and charter connections. Namibia has reasonably well serviced air strips throughout the country.

By road
The roads within Namibia are first class by African standards with nearly 4500km of good tarred roads and an extensive network of gravel roads. Namibia is second only to South Africa in terms of its road connectivity in the sub region and is therefore ideally suited for selfdrive and mobile safaris.

Sedans can cope with the roads connecting all of the major centers but there are certain areas that demand 4x4 vehicles and even then only in convoy. Local advice must be sought for certain wet season excursions in the Kaokoveld (January to April), portions of the Caprivi are impassable when the river systems are flooding from April to August.

Provided By The Zambezi Safari And Travel Co. Ltd.


Details & Reservations: Namibia's Safari Spots
RealAdventures | Namibia Articles

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