So when the might of the British Empire descended on this remote kingdom in 1868 it was the dawn of a new era.

The famed General Sir Robert Napier was chosen for his ruthless tendencies, and typically Victorian determination to glorify Britain by invading Ethiopia after the native Emperor Tewdros II dared to defy Queen Victoria by kidnapping her envoys in the Abyssinian capital.

Napier marched over 35,000 soldiers and camp followers almost 400 miles through lion-infested bush, jungle and mountain from the coast of what is now Eritrea to the mountain fortress of Magdala, where he defeated the Ethiopians in a brilliant stroke of near-perfect military tactics, rescued the hostages, then promptly turned around and marched back!

This was campaign warfare in its purest form and marked the start of British supremacy on the ‘dark continent’.

The modern day expedition will follow the final 140 miles of the route. Starting at Lake Hashengie, a protected eco reserve, the journey will take a ten-man team through deep mountain gorges, across open plains and meeting remote indigenous communities that have seen very few westerners, before finally reaching the mountain fortress of Magdala.

It promises to be a tough but incredible experience for anyone interested in exploration, history or simply a taste of true wilderness in the heart of Africa.

EDITORS NOTES. Secret Compass are currently looking for adventurous people to join the expedition team. Secret Compass is a pioneering expeditionary company. Set up by ex-Parachute Regiment officers, it conducts exploratory expeditions to remote regions following in the footsteps of the original explorers of the nineteenth century.

WHY: From ring-tailed lemurs to baobab trees, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot: over 80% of its plant and animal species are found nowhere else on Earth!

BOOK IT: Unique Madagascar with World Expeditions (10 days) has six departures from May-October 2012, from £1,250 per person.

2. IF YOU LIKED JORDAN…TRY IRAN

WHY: It may not have iconic landmarks such as Petra but Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 4,000BC!

BOOK IT: Best of Iran with World Expeditions (11 days) departs on 24 October and 7 November with further departures in 2012, from £1,590 per person.

3. IF YOU LIKED MOROCCO…TRY OMAN

WHY: Traditional souks, Bedouin settlements, rugged mountains, desert dunes and a rich history of wealth and power in a country which as recently as 30 years ago was closed to foreigners.
BOOK IT: Oman Adventure with World Expeditions (9 days) has seven departures until the end of the year, from £1,490 per person.

4. IF YOU LIKED: CAMBODIA…TRY: MYANMAR

WHY: They may not be as famous but the Temples of Bagan in Myanmar are just as iconic as the spectacular Angkor Wat complex.
BOOK IT: Highlights of Myanmar with World Expeditions (12 days) has departures every month, from £1,290 per person.

5. IF YOU LIKED NAMIBIA…TRY ETHIOPIA

WHY: More than a land of natural contrasts (from some of Africa’s highest mountains to some of the world’s lowest points below sea level!) Ethiopia is a mosaic of cultures: one of the first Christian countries yet with evident influences from Islam and tribal African cultures.
BOOK IT: Ethiopia Explorer with World Expeditions (16 days) departs on 18 November and 16 December with further departures scheduled for 2012 to coincide with the Timket Festival, from £2,190 per person.

6. IF YOU LIKED NORWAY…TRY THE NORTHERN RUSSIAN ARCTIC

WHY: Rugged and off the beaten track, the Russian Arctic and Far East is a region that was until recently ‘off limits’ to western visitors.

BOOK IT: Across the top of the world – Northern Russian Arctic with World Expeditions (15 days) departs on 25 July and 8 August 2012, from $7,150 (£4,606) per person.

7. IF YOU LIKED THE AMAZON…TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA

WHY: Just as Amazon is one of the planet’s enigmas, Papua New Guinea remains one of the world’s least explored countries, both culturally and geographically. With over 850 indigenous languages, it is the world’s most diverse nation linguistically!

BOOK IT: Cruise Papua New Guinea with World Expeditions (13 days) departs on 2 April 2012, from £3,790 per person for a quadruple cabin.

8. IF YOU LIKED ALASKA…TRY PATAGONIA

WHY: A mix of glacial lakes, towering granite peaks, impressive glaciers, secluded lakes, beech forests and rolling grasslands, Patagonia is one of the most dramatic regions of the world.

BOOK IT: Patagonia Parks and Wildlife with World Expeditions (18 days) departs on 19 November and 16 December with further departures scheduled for 2012, from £2,990 per person.

9. IF YOU LIKED CUBA…TRY VENEZUELA

WHY: Buying and selling cars is the latest development in the rapidly changing Cuba; head to Venezuela instead for a better feel of ‘socialist revolution’.

BOOK IT: Venezuela – The Lost World and Angel Falls with World Expeditions (15 days), departs on 16 December with further departures scheduled for 2012, from £1,990 per person.

10. IF YOU LIKED CHINA…TRY TAIWAN

WHY: With frozen relations between the two countries until recently and lack of direct flights for nearly 60 years, Taiwan has maintained a more authentic experience compared to mainland China.

BOOK IT: Hike and bike Taiwan with World Expeditions (10 days) departs on 16 November with further departures scheduled for 2012, from £1,790 per person.

For more information and bookings please visit www.worldexpeditions.co.uk or call 0800 0744 135. World Expeditions’ all-inclusive policy ensures there are no local payments. Prices do not include international flights, however these can be arranged on request.

The safari starts in the remote region of the Omo River Delta, an area where many tribal people lead traditional semi-nomadic lives. Ethiopia’s holiest city, Lalibela, built in the 12th century, attracts pilgrims from Ethiopia and beyond to worship in the “rock churches,” carved from solid rock more than eight centuries ago. The safari then moves on to the Simien Mountains’ jagged peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices, home to the Walia Ibex and Bleeding Heart Baboon, and later, further extremes are experienced in the Danakil Depression, one of the hottest places on earth and home to acid volcanoes, saline lakes and a bizarre landscape unlike anything on the planet.

Bousfield will lead guests on this heli-safari. He both co-produced and presented a 16-part series for Discovery Channel. Filmed in Botswana, Namibia, Kenya and Tanzania, it was titled “Uncharted Africa.”

For more information, email reservations@unchartedafrica.com  or visit www.unchartedafrica.com

Key ports of call include Banjul, Gambia; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Cape Town, South Africa, for two nights; Port Louis, Mauritius; Dubai for an overnight; Abu Dhabi; Muscat, Oman; Alexandria, Egypt; Piraeus, for Athens, Greece; and Valletta, Malta.

“On the itinerary planning front, cruises featuring ports of call across North Africa and the Middle East have come under scrutiny,” said Nigel Lingard, Fred Olsen’s marketing director. “Despite these constraints, we continue to expand our horizons, offering new destinations wherever possible.”

Prices start at $12,043 per person, based on two adults sharing an inside, twin-bed cabin. Up to $600 onboard spending per person is available, depending on cabin grade. Those who book before May 31 receive early booking savings. For more information, call 800-843-0602, email info@bortonoverseas.com  or visit www.bortonoverseas.com

Nothing gets the adrenaline pumping like the anticipation of the unknown and the thrillof the wild; until excitement turns to anxiety, when the idea of taking on nature in its rawest form on an African Safari conjures up thoughts of facing dangerous animals, braving mosquitoes, and forgoing the basic comforts of home.

Many would-be adventurers settle for a day trip to the zoo and a traditional vacation to a resort. But an African safari doesn’t have to mean sacrifice.

Born Free Safaris & Tours has transformed the meaning of an African safari, offering fabulous accommodations, great food, friendly people, safety, and personalized attention from professionals with over 34 years of experience in Africa.

Born Free Safaris & Tours is not simply a booking agent, but rather a hands-on tour operator that takes the fear out of journeying through Africa.

Tour guides are members of the Association of Professional Safari Guides and are trained in first aid, vehicle maintenance, culture, wildlife, foreign languages and conservation, just to name a few.

Guides are carefully matched with tours based on special interests, areas of specific knowledge, and personality and function as game trackers, problem solvers and personal drivers. Born Free Safaris & Tours has been named a top African tour company by the world’s most prestigious travel publications.

Whether it’s a traditional African style safari, or a high comfort soft adventure, Born Free Safaris & Tours has a program to fit every taste and budget with a range of themes unmatched by any other African tour operator including: tours in over 30 African countries; budget trips or luxurious excursions; wildlife, walking, and air safaris; cultural, historic, and religious tours; diverse accommodations such as such as campsites, lodges, bed and breakfasts, private homes, and ranches; and activities from hot air ballooning, whitewater rafting, canoeing, golfing, hiking, horse-camel-elephant safaris, weddings, honeymoons, and more.

Born Free Safaris and Tours service the young and old, able-bodied and disabled, the wild and the tame by working together to create the ultimate African safari experience.

Born Free Safaris & Tours are pleased to accommodate travelers of all ages and abilities, is an eco-friendly company, and are committed to conservation.

For more information about rates and trip options, contact Born Free Safari’s & Tours at (800) 4-SAFARI, or visit www.bornfreesafaris.com

The AIA Gala will offer a glimpse into ancient cultures and civilizations from all over the world. The AIA Gala will take place at Manhattan’s Capitale building with over 450 guests expected to attend.

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys, along with the Tanzania Tourist Board, will be providing a once-in-a-lifetime trip to East Africa that will be auctioned off live during the gala.

The Ethiopian package will feature stops in Axum, the reputed resting place of the “Ark of the Covenant,” along with Lalibela, where travelers marvel at the 12 rock-hewn churches, carved from solid red volcanic rock in the 12th century by King Lalibela.

In Tanzania, travelers will be able to visit the Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind” and Laetoli Footprints, where the Leakeys discovered the first humanoid skull 50 years ago.
The package will not only be auctioned off at the gala, but will be added to the packages that Ethiopian Airlines Journeys offers.

For more information, visit www.seeyouinethiopia.com/archaeology

The Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) is North America’s oldest and largest organization devoted to archaeology. The Institute is a nonprofit group founded in 1879 and chartered by the United States Congress in 1906.

For more information, visit www.archaeology.org

Ethiopian Airlines is one of the largest airlines in Africa serving 53 destinations around the globe. As the winner of the 2007 African Business of the Year and Best African Airline Award for 2006, its service and quality are unparalleled among African airlines.

Featuring five flights weekly from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport, the airline offers both morning and evening departures, with the morning departure allowing seamless connections to 32 African destinations.

The airline’s website provides excellent information on additional flights, services and special web fares. For more information about Ethiopian Airlines, visit www.ethiopianairlines.com

Ethiopian Airlines Journeys is a single-source solution to plan and realize a truly authentic vacation in Ethiopia.

For more destination information, call 866-599-3797 or visit www.seeyouinethiopia.com

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has launched a brand new service, Personal Hotelier, across the Crowne Plaza estate throughout Middle East and Africa. Guests staying in Club rooms or on the Crowne Club floor can now enjoy the undivided attention of a hotelier dedicated to catering to their every need.

Crowne Plaza Personal Hotelier is an initiative that provides guests one point of contact, one face, one name and one telephone number to call prior to and during their stay at the hotel. This exclusive service is designed to alleviate the stress of corporate travel, allowing the guest more time and space to think, resulting in making their business trips more efficient and effective.

Commenting on the launch, Haitham Mattar, Director of Marketing Middle East and Africa, said, “Most of our guests are frequent business travellers. While they tend to enjoy travel, it can be exhausting and hectic so we decided to introduce a service to help them get the most of their time with us. “

From the moment a booking for a Club room is made, a member of the Personal Hotelier team will be assigned to the guest, contact them to introduce themselves and then offer them any assistance if required.

A personal hotelier can help guests with everything for business needs, such as updating a presentation, printing documents, making reservations at a restaurant or spa and even personal shopping.

The pilot program, conducted at Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, received an overwhelmingly good response.

Results from a survey* conducted amongst guests who participated in the program demonstrated that 95 per cent rated the service excellent with regards to its efficiency and usefulness.

The Personal Hotelier service is available to guest who book Club rooms or on the Crowne Club Floor at all Crowne Plaza properties across Middle East and Africa.

The Buska Lodge is set to meet the increased demand for a more comfortable level of accommodation in this increasingly-visited remote region of Ethiopia. “There was a very clear need for a new accommodation option for travelers to the South Omo Valley,” says Mulugeta Mersha, President of Dinknesh Ethiopia Tours. “With a significant percentage or our clientele coming from North America, we clearly understand the desires of these travelers and the existing campsites and very basic guest houses in the South Omo River Valley simply were not meeting this demand.

“We are excited to invest in this spectacular region of our country and provide a new opportunity for the local communities there to benefit from the tourism industry.” Buska Lodge, named after Buska Mountain where the lodge is located, rests just outside the town of Turmi and sits on the banks of the Keske river.

The lodge offers twenty en suite rooms, including eleven twins and nine single units, as well as two restaurants and a bar area.

There is also a separate camping area near the lodge. The lodge is providing permanent employment for twenty members of the local community, including lodge management, a shop keeper, gardener and other staff. Dinknesh will also provide formal tourism training to four local students who will then return after training to work in the lodge.

Preliminary lodge photos are available here:

www.hamerlodge.com

This region is home to the Hammer, Karo, Dassenetch and Bume cultures, and is attracting travelers in increasing numbers as an opportunity to learn about African anthropology as well as to journey to one of the last remaining “off the grid” global destinations.

As the cultural tourism experience continues to develop in this region, investment in accommodation and training for the local communities will help ensure a fascinating travel experience for intrepid travelers from across the globe.

Dinknesh Ethiopia Tour is Ethiopia’s premier tour operator.

The word “Dinknesh” is the Amharic name for “Lucy” (directly translated to “you are special”), or scientifically called Australopithecus Afarensis, the first known hominine.

Ethiopia boasts anthropological history, stunning landscapes, unique cultures and historical sights including ancient monasteries and the famed rock hewn churches of Lalibela which have been intriguing travelers for hundreds of years. Dinknesh Ethiopia Tour offers authentic cultural and historical travel experiences with outstanding service.

 To learn more about Dinknesh Ethiopia Tour please visit www.DinkneshEthiopiaTour.com

ACE Study Tours Launches ACE Cultural Cruises – Luxury Cultural Cruises Travel In Style And Be Cultured

ACE Study Tours is launching ACE Cultural Cruises – exclusive cultural cruises abroad luxury, boutique style small ships for up to 40 passengers

Whether it’s navigating the Nile in a traditional two-masted sailing yacht, taking tips from head chef Thierry as he prepares feasts using fresh local Provencal ingredients, or diving from the yacht’s stern directly into the Aegean sea, ACE Cultural Cruises is offering a totally different cruise experience.

Catering for between 16 and 40 guests with a passenger to crew ratio often as small as two to one, ACE will be setting sail aboard luxury, small ship cruises. Drawing on 50 years of expertise, ACE Cultural Cruises is being launched by leading accompanied tour operator ACE Study Tours.

Using sail cruises or large yachts, these more intimate boats provide all the joys of cruising whilst making the holiday a much more personal experience. The modest size of the boats allows them to navigate shallow waters and tie up at private moorings inaccessible to typical cruise ships.

Led by experts, each cruise unravels a region’s history, art, architecture, archaeology, wildlife and even its music. The cruises are led by specialists in the field, such as Emmy award winning Humphrey Burton, one of Britain’s most distinguished television directors and music commentators.

Using small ships, guests can choose from:

• Ancient Egypt and The Nile
• Classical North Africa
• The Aegean
• Cyclades
• Scottish Highlands & Islands
• Provence & The Camargue

For reservations please call 01223 835055 or visit www.aceculturalcruises.co.uk

When people think of Africa, they think of the big five safari sightings (lion, leopard, elephant, water buffalo, and rhino) or the big five tragedies of the continent (war, genocide, famine, political corruption, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic). But Africa encompasses much more than wildlife and warfare.

Africa is huge. It’s four times the size of the United States. It’s roughly 5,000 miles long and 4,600 miles wide. Africa makes up 20% of the earth’s landmass.

“There’s a whole continent beyond the cliché that appeals to luxury travelers and intrepid adventurers alike,” says Andy Alpine, co-founder of Specialty Travel Index (SpecialtyTravel.com). “The photo safari is still a big draw, of course–where else in the world can you experience the sight of a lion stalking its prey or the magnificent wildebeest migration across Serengeti’s endless plains? You could track wildlife in every country in Africa and still not get tired of it. But there is a rich cache of African experiences that many people don’t discover until their second trip to Africa–and some may overlook it altogether.”

Specialty Travel Index puts hundreds of African vacations from some of Africa’s best outfitters in one easy to navigate web site. Travel agents and travelers can narrow down their choices by country and by type of trip with a couple clicks.

Here’s a look at just a few of the dream-of-a-lifetime African travel experiences from different outfitters that can be found at www.specialtytravel.com and the magazine/directory Specialty Travel Index:

Ghana arts & Culture

Ghana is a kaleidoscope of arts. Palace Travel’s seven day art and culture tour of Ghana gives collectors and culture buffs a unique and up-close cultural experience. Travelers visit a local casket making shop to see a collection of caskets carved in the shapes of various objects depicting traditional beliefs in life after death (the “Fantasy Coffins” of Teshie Nungua have been featured in National Geographic and galleries worldwide).

They take drumming and dancing lessons on Kokrobrite Beach and learn to make fufu, ground nut soup, red red, and palava sauce in a Ghanian cooking workshop. Then its’ on to the Ashanti craft villages–Pankrono, where potters create colorful hand-built vessels; Ahwiaa, known for royal stools, walking sticks and fertility dolls; Ntonso where artisans hand-stamp patterns on cotton cloth to make adinkra textiles worn for funerals and other solemn occasions; and Bonwire where the famous Kente cloth is handmade on looms, in a time-honored tradition passed down through generations. If your suitcase isn’t stuffed with art by then, it will be after the Kumasi Central Market (also known as Kejetia Market), the largest open-air market in West Africa, where more than 10,000 vendors sell just about everything you could need or want – food, fabric, clothing, furniture, beauty products, and handmade crafts.

PALACE TRAVEL

Diving the Red Sea

The Red Sea, where the desert meets the ocean, is one of the planet’s most fascinating natural sea environments. There are about 200 of coral types and over a thousand species of fish, more species than anybody of water its size. Many divers consider the Red Sea is the best diving in the world world. Lotus International’s Deep Down in the Red Sea diving tour starts in Cairo and gives divers the chance to explore the Abou Dabab Reefs, Elephinstone Reef, Dolphin Reefs (3 dives with the dolphins), St. Johns, Marsa Alam, and West Abu Dabab. LOTUS INTERNATIONAL TOURS

Photographer’s Safaris

There can’t be an amateur or professional photographer alive that hasn’t fantasized about the capturing a shot of lions cubs playing in the grass, a leopard in a tree, or a line of elephants. A professional photographer leads small (10 or fewer) photo-hungry groups on daily game hunts–at a photographers pace–in open vehicles and bushwalks through private game reserves and Kruger National Park. Photographers will spot game from above on an ultra light flight and take a boat through the world’s third largest canyon for hippo and croc shots. In the evening, guests compare shots in the tree house style lodge. AFRICA WILD SAFARIS

Explore the Kalahari

Few parts of Africa can match the mystique of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. Its unique and striking environment, and its vastness and isolation, leaves a lasting impression on all visitors. In addition to exploring its fragile ecosystem, Travelers with Mountain Travel Sobek’s Kalahari Desert private adventure can experience the cultural richness of the indigenous San (Bushman) people, who live in complete harmony with their environment. From Jack’s Camp, an elegant, traditional East African–style camp (the best in the Kalahari!), you’ll explore the saltpans on quad bikes, search for the elusive brown hyena, and take a walk with a Bushman and learn how the San people have survived for centuries in this harshly beautiful environment.

MOUNTAIN TRAVEL SOBEK

Tracking Large Game on Foot in Big Five Territory

An environmentally-friendly tented camp in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, Bateleur Eco Safaris is in the heart of Big 5 territory. Forming a part of the Greater Kruger National Park, all artificial barriers between the reserves have been removed, allowing the wildlife to roam free. Sightings of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino, cheetah, antelope, and 350 bird species are common. Guides conduct daily bush walks, which teach guests to track large game on foot and provide a fascinating insight into animal behavior. To ensure an authentic wildlife experience, Bateleur Eco Safaris exposes guests to a variety of activities such as bushcraft and survival skills, bringing them closer to nature than ever before.

BATELEUR ECO SAFARIS

Cradle of Voodoo

The Adventure Center offers a journey of extremes through some of Africa’s less-visited countries: Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso. Traveling through three very different nations, travelers experience diverse cultures and traditional religions, amazing natural attractions, unique architectural styles, friendly people and vibrant local music. From the Gulf of Guinea to the remote nomadic lands in the north of Burkina Faso, travelers visit fetish markets and python temples, spend a night in a traditional stilt village, witness fire-dancing and mask ceremonies and explore the vast expanse of the Burkinabe Sahel. Sometimes, they are even granted an audience with King Maiga Belko at Arabinda. Adventure Center

Maasailand Safari

One of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 Tours of a Lifetime”, this is the chance to explore the African savanna on foot with Maasai warriors, share stories with elders, discuss world issues of common concern, learn about wildlife conservation and animal husbandry, women’s issues, rites of passage, and discover the fine arts of beading, traditional healing, music and dance, all from a base of specially built guest bungalows in the Maasai village of Merrushi. WILDLAND ADVENTURES

Birding in Egypt

Egypt is a bridge between continents offering migratory species the perfect route for their annual flights from Europe and Asia. A wide variety of Egyptian habitats ranging from high rugged mountains to desert and tropical style jungle along the Nile basin, give it a unique character plus the diversity needed to attract an extremely wide range of bird life– over 430 species of birds are found in Egypt. Travel Egypt, in addition to Nile cruises classic Nile Valley tours, operates a tour during the anticipated peak of migrations to afford birders a vacation with the maximum chance to view and photograph the widest variety possible. Birders visit to important antiquity sites and oasis in both upper and lower Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula with its beautiful beaches, incredible undersea life, and bountiful collection of bird life. TRAVEL EGYPT

Spotting Gorilla and Chimps in Uganda

Uganda’s longest operating Safari provider (operating since 1959), Kimbla-Mantana African Safaris, combines luxury tent camps with real beds, comfortable furniture, thick rugs, and fully stocked dining and bar tents (this isn’t roughing it), with game viewing tin a private fleet of 4×4 Land cruisers. Lake Mburo Camp is set in a beautiful game park that has a wide range of Africa’s wildlife; Bwindi Forest Camp is the base for mountain gorilla treks; and Kibale Forest Camp is the forested base for chimpanzee spotting. Kimbla-Mantana African Safaris

These, and many other African experiences (as well as a myriad of special interest and adventure travel adventures), can be found in Specialty Travel Index and on www.SpecialtyTravel.com

STI is easy to use, on the web site with the “Find Your Adventure” search mechanism indexing tours by both interest/activity (Yacht Charter, Wine Tours,) and destination (Costa Rica, France) and in the magazine using similar choices. Subscriptions to the magazine cost $10 per year (Canada $15; other foreign $25) for two issues: July (Fall/Winter) and January (Spring/Summer). Send orders to: info@specialtytravel.com or order online at www.specialtytravel.com