Jetsettersblog

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announces the opening of Fairmont Zanzibar, located off the coast of Tanzania, in the Indian Ocean. Fringed by uninterrupted miles of powder-white sandy beaches, the resort’s 109 rooms and suites are sprinkled throughout the property’s vast and lush tropical gardens.

Zanzibar’s unspoilt beauty and rich offerings ensure travelers enjoy a unique and enriching experience. One of Fairmont Zanzibar’s main attractions is its unsurpassed water sports facilities, providing windsurfing, boating, fishing charters, as well as a fully equipped dive center with a decompression chamber, one of only three in Africa.

Other amenities include two swimming pools, fitness and spa facilities and several restaurants and bars overlooking the Indian Ocean. Guests can also enjoy additional activities such as volleyball, mini golf, table tennis, darts and pool. In addition to leisure offerings, Fairmont Zanzibar offers a full range of business amenities including wireless Internet, business center, and meeting and banquet facilities.

Visitors wishing to experience the Island’s rich and colorful history can explore Stone Town, the cultural heart of Zanzibar and a UNESCO World Heritage site or tour a one of the many spice plantations or the Maruhubi Palace ruins.

Fairmont Zanzibar joins three Kenyan properties which were recently added to Fairmont’s East Africa collection: Fairmont Mara Safari Club, Fairmont The Norfolk and Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, complimenting the company’s African Safari offerings with a beach experience.

Project partners include IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) and Kingdom Hotel Investments (KHI). IFA HR is in the forefront of companies engaged in the development of tourism projects, hotels and resorts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and is currently partnering with Fairmont on a number of properties including several on the iconic Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai; Fairmont Zimbali on the north coast of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa; and the three hotels in Kenya recently added to the Fairmont collection.

For a remarkable African overland, look no further - Dragoman Overland still have availability on November departures from Cape Town to Vic Falls or Addis Ababa to Khartoum. Trek in Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains, overland into the immense 1km deep Blue Nile Gorge and visit the spectacle of the Whirling Dervishes, unique to Sudan, or boat safari through Botswana’s Chobe NP, meet Cheetahs at Otjitongwe in Namibia and quad bike through the dunes of the Namib Desert before soaking up the atmosphere in Cape Town – life-changing journeys await!

Deserts, Delta & Dugouts – 21-nights, departing Cape Town 23rd November 2008. (Trip code DDD148).

This action packed itinerary promises a comprehensive insight beyond just the highlights of South Africa. Explore Cape Town and its surroundings, the Cape of Good Hope and iconic Table Mountain. Journey through the Cape Province then cross the Namib Desert, home to extraordinary wildlife, including herds of Elephant, Zebra, Oryx.

 Visit a breeding ground for Cape Fur Seals at Cape Cross, then head off to one of the most stunning areas of Namibia, the wildlands around Spitzkoppe Mountain (1,987m). Continue north to the lush ecosystem of the Okavango Delta before jeep safaris in Chobe NP, famed for its huge Elephant population. Finally, explore the falls and gorges of the Zambezi River, canoe the Upper Zambezi or take a flight to see Victoria Falls in all its glory.

The overland costs £595 p/p plus kitty of US$550 (~£296) including transport aboard Dragoman Overland’s customised Mercedes-Benz truck and canoes, camping and hotel accommodation (80%/20%), all camp meals plus the expertise of Dragoman’s two person crew and local camp master.

Ethiopian Highlands & Sudan - 25-night, departs Addis Ababa 19th November 2008. (Trip code EHS48)

Overland journey following the Nile from Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa to Khartoum in Sudan. Expect few western amenities and likely deviations to the planned itinerary, all of which reflect the ‘otherness’ of this region of Africa. Step into a world of ancient Christian and Muslim traditions against a backdrop of memorable sights and sounds – the confluence of the Niles, Blue Nile Falls and Gorge, Gondar, the Grave Dancing of the Whirling Dervishes, Lalibela Churches, Bahir Dar, Axum, Lake Tana and the Monasteries and the stunning Simien Mountains National Park.

The tour costs £925 p/p plus kitty $320 (~£172) including travel aboard Dragoman’s customised Mercedes-Benz vehicle, hotel and camp accommodation (65% / 35%) all camp meals and the expertise of Dragoman’s two person crew and local guides.

International flights are not included but are available through Dragoman.

Dragoman Overland
01728 861 133
info@dragoman.co.uk
www.dragoman.com

Get to meet the locals with Gecko’s Adventures

African overland trips were pioneered by ‘entrepreneurs’ who threw 20 or 30 backpackers in the back of a Bedford truck and battled bad roads and border police for the length of the continent.

The ‘punters’ naturally did the provisioning, the washing up and all the other camp chores. Gecko’s has up-dated the overland epic, catering to the more discerning tastes of a new generation – while retaining the grass roots, budget-minded appeal of the old days.

The Gecko’s style of overland – showcased in the new 2008-2010 brochure – features custom-built vehicles taking a maximum of 24 passengers; a professional driver and cook plus a local leader who provides an insider’s insight into the journey. Better yet, the passengers don’t have to suffer cleaning or cooking duties.

Best of all, Gecko’s goes to many of the key game parks – such as Ngorongoro, the Serengeti, South Luangwa and the Okavango Delta - that other operators miss or charge extra for. Rather than having passengers carrying large amounts of cash to cover game park costs, the company includes these entry fees in the tour cost – yet their tour costs remain some of the sharpest in the market.

Geckos is the only overland company to purchase a complement of gorilla permits – which are limited in number - at the beginning of each season, giving travellers the best chance of seeing the mountain gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda.

The new Gecko’s African overland safaris start with the 25-day African Wanderer which travels between Livingstone (Victoria Falls) in Zambia and Nairobi, Kenya, via the lake and mountains of Malawi; and takes in the laid-back lifestyle of Zanzibar and some of the best game parks in Africa: South Luangwa, Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti.

This trip runs in both north and southbound directions.

The African Wanderer has departures year-round and costs $2695 plus a local payment of US$700, including transport (a combination of custom-built safari vehicle, ferry and 4×4 Land Cruisers); park entry fees, guides and most meals on safari.

At the top end is the epic 60-day Africa Encompassed, which begins in Cape Town and travels north-west through South Africa to the deserts and canyons of Namibia, to the salt pans and Okavango Delta of Botswana. From Livingstone (on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls), the trip continues through Zambia to Malawi and on to Tanzania and Kenya, taking in some of Africa’s best wildlife experiences along the way. The climax of the trip is the gorilla trek, where travellers have the opportunity of spending an hour with our closest relatives in the mountain forests of Rwanda.

The Africa Encompassed safari departs roughly monthly, year-round and costs $5585 including gorilla trekking permit, plus a local payment of US$1750, payable on arrival. This includes transport, park entry fees, specialist wildlife guides in addition to the cook, driver and local leader, camping equipment and mokoros (canoes) in Okavango.

The Gecko’s Africa range also includes overland trips and shorter safaris that can be linked together, as well as time out in Zanzibar and a Mt Kilimanjaro trek. For further information contact Gecko’s Adventures on 1300 854 500 or visit www.geckosadventures.com to download a pdf file of the new brochure.

Explore Egypt with a tourist guide

Hailed as “the travel service innovation of 2008″ by the Irish Times

OurExplorer facilitates with ease the on-line booking of professional tourist guides from all over the world. Save time and money while you explore your next destination with the wisdom and guidance of a local.

Have you ever thought whilst visiting a new destination, “I wonder where the locals eat, drink, fish, ski, shop or party?” OurExplorer suggests its time for us all to stop simply sight-seeing but rather start exploring with the local wisdom and knowledge of a professional tourist guide.

OurExplorer has launched a new travel concept in BETA, a user-rated tourist guide booking tool created exclusively for your personal travel needs.

As the global financial crisis still looms, OurExplorer can save travellers hassle and money by getting the maximum out of their overseas adventure with a private tourist guide.

Enjoy the insight of the best shopping and value for money dining experiences in a city, directly from a native. Some tourist guides are currently offering special discounted rates and free tour hours on OurExplorer.

OurExplorer promote professional tourist guides only. Pre booking, the traveller can view their experience, license, past client testimonials or even chat with the tourist guide.

OurExplorer launched in July 2008 with now over 400 private tourist guides covering more than 80 countries worldwide — making it the biggest professional tourist guide directory in the world and growing all the time!

Make your trip overseas unique and full of adventure.
You book your flight and accommodation on-line, why not your tourist guide?
Get a tourist guide for land (city guide, mountain guide) or sea (diving guide).

Purpose of OurExplorer:

1. To help tourist guides increase their income thereby benefiting the local community - especially those in poor countries e.g. Kenya, Mexico and Cambodia.

2. Increase cross cultural awareness and acceptance via direct connection with locals e.g. people in USA get the chance to understand those in Pakistan and Israel

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry but it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

“Less than 9.7% of overseas travelers interact in meaningful discussion with a local,” according to the Tourism 2020 Vision reported by WTO.

The IMF concluded in March 2007 that “direct support of independent local businesses when you travel has the most positive results on local economy”.

“Rather than just donating money, OurExplorer is a sustainable long term solution to help low income families globally,” said David Cunningham (Chief Exploring Officer).

In a long awaited move has Precision Air, Tanzania’s premier private airline, now added a second flight from Dar es Salaam to Arusha. The airline also announced extra flights to Zanzibar from Kilimanjaro International Airport and Dar es Salaam as well as more weekend flights to Nairobi. As Precision is preparing for the delivery of a second B737-300 they are now positioning themselves to aggressively compete in the market ahead of the expected market entry of new players and amid the ongoing revival of Air Tanzania.

The sudden departure of the Kenyan Finance Minister Amos Kimunya also led to the prompt abandonment of his proposals made during the annual budget presentation of adding Value Added Tax on tourism products like safaris.

The Kenyan tourism industry had taken exception to the tax plans, not only as the country is still under recovery from the post election violence, but also to keep the country competitive in its pricing for overseas tourists. With a global recession looming, this may affect the holiday pattern as disposable incomes shrink while the expense for fuel, heating and food has rocketed in past months and any price increase may keep tourists away or divert them to more affordable destinations. Hence, the tourism sector in Kenya had a good case for the scrapping of the tax proposals, which are expected to be formalized in parliament soon.

VoyageTrek Travel
Cliff Hawk
(206) 695-2915
cliffh@voyagetrek.com
www.voyagetrek.com

SEATTLE—VoyageTrek Travel, the free online travel directory that provides destination match-making services for travelers, announced that it is expanding its program to African safaris and Galapagos Islands adventure cruising. This unique company premiered the AdventureMatch matching service in March 2008. The program has been enthusiastically received by the travel industry.

Current match-making categories include tours to Alaska, select fly fishing lodges, and dude ranches throughout the Western United States. VoyageTrek Founder Cliff Hawk says tour operators are responding well to the new program and the company has had an easy time recruiting top new tour operators. Answering to its initial success and ongoing demand, VoyageTrek continues to expand its travel segments and commitment to helping people find their ideal vacation.

“By adding Africa and Ecuador as travel segments, we provide exceptional value to travelers interested in these areas,” says Hawk. “No one wants to pick the wrong tour operator, and on the other end, the tour operators who are providing the best tours in the business often don’t have a marketing budget or are only known by word-of-mouth so they need an easier way to find leisure travel customers suited to their services.”

As the leading customer referral and match-making program in the adventure tourism industry, VoyageTrek provides multi-category, customized match-making between high-end travelers and suppliers. For adventurers wanting to find their ideal Alaska tour, fly fishing, or rafting destination, as well as a dude ranch, safari or Galapagos cruise, they can do a search at www.voyagetrek.com and click on the “Get Matched Now!” button and program link.

For tour operators interested in the adventure match program, log on to www.voyagetrek.com/operator  or call Hawk at (206) 695-2915.

Baobab’s Nature Expeditions provide adventurous travelers with a passport to the planet’s most spectacular natural wonders.

On these trips, visitors will have enriching and illuminating encounters with nature, allowing them to experience the world from a whole new perspective. Baobab’s team of expert guides will take participants off the beaten path in to wild and wondrous places that are as inspiring as they are educational. With Baobab, people can discover the heart and soul of each destination firsthand.

Whether they dream of seeing the grizzlies in Glacier National Park, crave the experience of a close encounter with a giant polar bear, or desire to reach out and touch a grey whale, Baobab will show travelers the way to a new brand of experiential travel.

Baobab provides access to some of the most knowledgeable guides in the industry, and these Nature Expeditions are led by naturalists who are experts in their field.

Their passion for uncovering and interpreting the mysteries of nature is second to none. Baobab offers trips for those that want to experience the wonders of some of the last truly wild places on earth in areas like Antarctica, Asia, Galapagos, Latin America, and the rugged and remote parts of the northern hemisphere.

www.baobabexpeditions.com

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

The latest episode of BBC2’s Tribal Wives featured a 33 year-old teacher and life coach who lives at home with her mum, hasn’t had any luck with relationships and feels stuck in a rut. After living for a month with Africa’s most famous tribes, the Maasai, and learning from their lives, she makes radical life changes…

Get off life’s beaten track and change your own future with Dragoman Overland’s 5-week, life-enhancing Africa East & South journey, experiencing spectacular landscapes, visiting Africa’s best wildlife areas and meeting Tanzania’s Maasai (head shaving and facial scarification are optional), departing Livingstone 22nd September 2008. (Trip code AES38).

The journey kicks off with the stunning sight of Victoria Falls followed by an optional exploration of the Kafue and Zambezi Rivers by canoe, taking in views of broad floodplains and rugged escarpments. Rural Zambia is the Africa of storybooks and the drive through semi-forested mountains, small villages and across cattle ranching country allows for great opportunities to experience its diverse beauty.

South Luangwa NP is perhaps the best place to observe vast numbers of Hippo, Crocodile, Elephant and the only place to see Thorncroft Giraffe, as well as endemic Red Lechwe. During time in the park, visit Kawaza Village Community Project for lunch and traditional dancing. On arrival in Malawi many activities are available, ranging from relaxing on the sandy shores of Lake Malawi to high altitude diving, horse riding to birdwatching walks in search of magnificent Fish Eagles. Next, is the historically infamous tropical Spice Island of Zanzibar, which far from slavery and ivory trades, now offers a warm African welcome amongst its stunning palm-fringed beaches and bustling markets.