We are thrilled to announce that Sacha Craig will be representing Saruni, the collection of lodges & camps in Kenya, alongside Lewa Wilderness from July 2018. This is an exciting collaboration which we hope will build a stronger relationship between Saruni and Lewa Wilderness, both proud, family-run safari operations. Saruni was created in 2003 and today owns and runs four properties throughout Kenya:…
Hideaways’ lodge Elephant’s Eye, Hwange is located on a borderless concession adjoining Hwange National Park and although guests are able to enjoy game drives on the concession and in the park, when guests enter Hwange National Park they currently need to momentarily leave the concession and spend a portion of their journey to the park…
Jenman African Safaris has a new tour that is part of their exclusive new product range, Jenman Select. The Best of Hwange Safari is the perfect opportunity to discover the richness of Hwange National Park, one of Africa’s best-kept secrets. The park is home to one of the highest concentrations of game in the world and is particularly…
For the past 12 months, African Bush Camps has added a new word to our vocabulary, Iktsuarpok (n): When visitors are due to arrive, a fidgety feeling sprouts up. We might keep glancing out of the window, or pause mid-sentence, thinking we’ve heard the sound of a car. It’s been a year of Iktsuapok for us, and finally, we…
Ethiopian Airlines, the Largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, is proud to announce that it has taken delivery of the largest B737 MAX fleet in the Continent on July 2, 2018. The B737 MAX 8 features the new Boeing sky interior, highlighted by modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals,…
Tristar Air, a new passenger airline, has joined a growing number of budget airlines taking to the Kenyan skies. Donald Kigali Band, Head of Sales and Marketing at Tristar Air, told Tourism Update that the new airline is a product of a joint venture between three other airlines in Kenya, namely BushAir, Rudufu and BuffAir. Each airline…
Renowned primatologist and anthropologist, Dr Jane Goodall, believes that chimpanzees provide Uganda the opportunity to unlock tourism fortunes in a way not imagined before, adding that chimpanzee tourism could earn the country as much in tourism revenue as gorilla trekking. The last study done in Uganda (2002) revealed that there were 5 000 chimpanzees in the country,…
Elewana Sand River, Masai Mara, ideally located on the banks of the beautiful Sand River in a remote corner of the Reserve, is being refurbished in order to enrich the high standard of comfort that guests experience at one of the Masai Mara’s premier camps. The main area of Elewana Sand River Masai Mara will…
The 6th of June 2018 marked a very special date in Sera, Northern Kenya as the Sera Conservancy Community welcomed the return of the much-loved rhino calf, ‘Loijupu’. Loijupu was found by Sera Rangers 16 months ago in the 54,000 hectares-large, community-owned rhino sanctuary, having been abandoned by his mother ‘Nairenyu’ on account of her…
U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce Gilbert Kaplan led a large delegation of U.S. businesses and officials from across the U.S. government on a visit to Ethiopian Airlines. Under Secretary Kaplan met with Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam, to discuss potential ways for U.S. companies to partner with Ethiopian Airlines to achieve even greater growth, including…
The Jenman African Safaris 2019 brochure has been released earlier than ever before to give clients ample time to prepare for the 2019 travel and sales season. In 2019, Jenman African Safaris will celebrate turning 21 and find that as good a reason as any to update their look with a refreshing, new, sophisticated style.…
11 June 2018 – Belmond unveils its new-look Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge in the Chobe National Park, following a full redesign. Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge, one of Belmond’s three safari experiences in the heart of Botswana, reopens this June as a Timeless Explorers Lodge, connecting its guests to nature. Surrounded by abundant flora and fauna,…
CornerSun Destination Marketing is once again recruiting buyers for Zimbabwe’s annual Sanganai Tourism Expo to take place in Zimbabwe 6-8 September. In addition to the annual tourism expo, hosted buyers will participate in a small group FAM for North American buyers which will provide an overview of the entire country including Harare, the medieval city…
Seychelles has been complemented by the region for its standard of ferry services being offered between its main islands. The one hour run between Mahe and Praslin islands, as well as the fifteen minutes service between Praslin and La Digue, are seen as a model in standard and service. Both Inter Island Boats and the…
21 June 2018 marks #WorldGiraffeDay, making it the perfect time to share the latest Reticulated Giraffe Conservation program update with you. Over the past 20 years, we’ve seen a 70% decline in the reticulated giraffe population, with only 9000 now left worldwide. To help address this, our partners began a collaborative giraffe conservation initiative in May…
On the 1st of July 2018, Lanzerac Hotel & Spa will reopen after a year-long regeneration journey that has seen the Hotel being restored to its former grandeur following a devastating fire in 2017. Like the fynbos endemic to the Cape, which rejuvenates by fire every few years, this iconic landmark is now blooming with enhanced…
Tsavo National Park in Kenya is set to develop a new tourist attraction: the park will package its World War One battlefield as a cultural heritage sight for tourists. The package will include a visit to Mwashoti Hill, the location of a British fort and cemeteries for both British and German soldiers. Other sites will…
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, has finalized preparations to launch new flight services (4x per week) to Barcelona, Spain as of July 1, 2018, deploying the ultra-modern B787–800 Dreamliner. Barcelona, the capital and largest city of Catalonia and the second most populous municipality of Spain,…
It was our honour and a privilege to host Virginia McKenna recently at Elewana Elsa’s Kopje Meru. On our final evening we had the opportunity to sit with her, as the candles flickered in the lounge, we listened to her tales of Meru, filming Born Free and her life’s work with The Born Free Foundation.…
Former US president Barack Obama is set to visit Kenya next month. According to the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Obama Foundation, the former president will be in the country on July 16 before he heads to South Africa where he will deliver the 16th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in Johannesburg. He is expected to…
In a poll titled “Travel World Cup”, which was posted by British newspaper The Telegraph, comparing World Cup groups as travel destinations, Egypt came as the voters’ most popular travel destination within group A, surprisingly taking over Russia and Uruguay and less surprisingly taking over Saudi Arabia. Telegraph Travel posted a tweet on 14 June…
Last month, a team of biologists, logistical crew, researchers and plant experts were led on their first expedition to Mount Lico in Mozambique by Dr Julian Bayliss, from Oxford Brookes University in the UK, where an undisturbed tropical rainforest was discovered in the heart of a volcano. Bayliss was looking at satellite imagery from Google Earth…
The Uganda government has earmarked a staggering Shs 32bn for the tourism sector which is expected to attract at least 4 million tourists per year by the year 2020. Finance Minister Matia Kasaija said the tourism sector today earns USD 1.4 billion compared to USD 498.3 Million in 2008. “By 2020, tourism is targeted to…
A surprise announcement by Ethiopia’s prime minister to mend relations with neighbouring Eritrea is highlighting the rapid pace of his government’s agenda just eleven weeks since he was sworn in. Abiy Ahmed of the ruling EPRDF coalition is offering to cede control of the northern border town of Badme and other disputed regions to Eritrea and abide fully…
Various countries have updated their travel advisories for Mozambique, advising travellers to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling in Cabo Delgado Province, or ideally, avoid all travel in the area. The US Embassy issued a security alert for the district headquarters of Palma, situated in Cabo Delgado Province, advising American citizens to consider…
RwandAir, has been granted a licence to start direct flight services to the United States (New York) and China (Guangzhou). While details are still being finalised, the arrival airport in New York will be either JFK or Newark, and the flights are likely to start towards the end of the year. Thembela Dladla, Country Manager…
Newly designed Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge has launched! Timeless Explorers Lodge in the heart of wild Africa 11 June 2018 -This summer, Belmond unveils its new-look Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge in the Chobe National Park, following a full redesign. Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge, one of Belmond’s three safari experiences in the heart of Botswana, reopens…
It is critical to work with communities that are sharing land and resources with the wildlife that we want to protect. To better understand the ways that people are interacting with and perceiving leopards, in June 2017 a collaborative partnership between San Diego Zoo Global and Loisaba Conservancy was set up to conduct social and…
28 African penguin chicks have been rescued following recent stormy weather that caused flooding of some of the nests on Dyer Island, a 20-hectare nature reserve situated 8.5km from Kleinbaai harbour in Gansbaai, Western Cape. The chicks, which are not yet waterproof and would therefore die from exposure if not rescued, were admitted to the…
Ethiopian Airlines Group, the largest Aviation Holding Company in Africa, is pleased to announce it will link Chicago and Africa for the first time today with its inaugural flight from O’Hare International Airport to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital. The flight will be operated together with Star Alliance partner United Airlines and is scheduled to expediently connect flyers from…
Day 1 Arrive Kigali and Travel to Ruhengeri You will be met by Golden Rwanda Safaris Ltd driver guide at the Kigali International airport and stop for lunch then after drive to Musanze if time allows you you will visit two twin Lakes Burera and Ruhondo. Their deep blue waters ringed by steep hills and…
A recent survey documented 604 mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), the largest number of mountain gorillas ever recorded in the transboundary Virunga Massif, one the two remaining areas where this critically endangered great ape is still found. When combined with the published figure of 400 mountain gorillas from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, as of…
A new museum is set to open in Uganda, showcasing the country’s volatile history, in a bid to attract more tourists to the East African nation. The museum will display Uganda’s history, including its pre-colonial and colonial past. Furthermore, it will exhibit the violent reign of Idi Amin, former President of Uganda, reports BBC. Stephen Asiimwe, CEO…
Volcanoes Safaris is thrilled to announce the launch of a permanent village for one of the oldest surviving indigenous people in the Central African Forest, the Mount Gahinga Batwa Community. The building of the village broke ground in Fall 2017. With their own village, the Batwa Community of Mount Gahinga will no longer have to…
When it comes to an Indian Ocean escape, it’s time to look beyond traditional stalwarts The Seychelles, Mauritius and the Maldives and consider rising star Mozambique. Here’s why now is the time to visit… The marine life is second-to-none Mozambique boasts some of the finest marine life in the Indian Ocean. Its coral…
For every year, Sainte Marie Island which located in the East of Madagascar has become the home of the Whale Festival. Considered as the beautiful world sanctuary of the humpback whale, it is at the heart of a high potential economic zone composed of Vanilla Islands (Comoros-Mauritius-Réunion-Seychelles-Mayotte-Maldives-Madagascar). The festival is an initiative of the CETAMADA…
The Ethiopian Immigration and Nationality Affairs Main Department in collaboration with Ethiopian Airlines has launched an e-visa service for all international visitors to Ethiopia effective June 01, 2018. Though the e-visa service initially launched in June, 2017 was available for a limited number of countries, under the new initiative all international visitors will be able…
Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, is pleased to announce that it has won the 2017 Airline Reliability Performance Award, for the 7th year in a row, from Bombardier Aerospace. Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam, GCEO of Ethiopian Airlines said, “We are pleased to receive the award for…
In Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, Hwange Bush Camp is a rustic camp that provides the comforts of home. With running water but no internet, the camp offers a down-to-earth safari experience that’s comfortable without the excessive “glam” of other glamping experiences. At this exclusive hotel you won’t just be surrounded by the nature and wildlife of the…
Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi are in Africa right now. They visited Kenya and stayed at the famous Giraffe Manor in Nairobi. Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi are now in Rwanda and visited the Genocide Museum on Tuesday following an in-office meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame before heading to Volcanoes…
Zuri Zanzibar has confirmed its opening date of July 2, following a series of delays. Marketing and PR manager, Michaela Karabcova, says that the delays were caused by unusually heavy rains. At this stage, the main beach bar, wellness area and spice house will not be completed by the beginning of July deadline, but rather by…
The phrase ‘In Harmony with Africa’ is at the core of who we are; from the modern urban populations from where we recruit our dedicated staff members, to the local communities amongst whom our properties operate, from the mega fauna scientific studies ans conservation projects of the savannahs and plains to the protection of tiny…
The APTA Executive Board is pleased to welcome our newest member, Jessie Bligh of Emerging Destinations. Jessie recently won a national election to become the newest board member of APTA. We look forward to working with her for years to come. Jessie joined the Emerging Destinations team in 2014, Jessie is a Georgia native who…
The Uganda government plans to buy six passenger aircraft for Uganda Airlines, which is scheduled to resume flying in late November after ceasing operations in May 2001. Minister of Works and Transport, Monica Azuba-Ntege, said the government had made an initial cash deposit of US$1.2 million (UGX4,43bn) for the purchase of the aircraft for Uganda Airlines,…
Beginning in January, guests on board will now enjoy two night’s accommodation as opposed to one night on board the most lavish train on the planet as they travel between Pretoria & Cape Town (or reverse). Here are the benefits in an easy to digest recap: Both guests travelling from Pretoria or Cape Town will now experience a uniform, guaranteed 2…
Located on the west coast of Madagascar, Morondava and its surroundings, one of the famous destinations of international and even local people, Bemaraha National Park is now open to all nature lovers and hikers. In addition to the beautiful beaches of Morondava, this is the ideal time to visit the Tsingy of Bemaraha and discover…
Saruni, the Kenyan portfolio of lodges in Samburu and the Masai Mara, is launching new exciting activities from its Northern Kenya properties: panoramic air excursions and transfers with an aircraft based at Kalama airstrip, starting from 1st July until the end of September 2018. The plane – a 6-seater Cessna 206 – will provide quicker, easier…
Jenman African Safaris are thrilled to announce the impending arrival of Jenman’s most exclusive product range yet – JENMAN SELECT. Designed to provide personalised itineraries with exceptional service and exclusive overnight experiences, this new tailor-made product category will offer privately guided custom tours in exclusive and remote areas of Africa. Travel ideas include itineraries of up to…
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Air Seychelles is adding a Tuesday flight to Johannesburg from July 3, taking the frequency to six flights a week following the addition of a Wednesday flight in March. Remco Althuis, CEO of Air Seychelles, said: “The new service, which will be operated by an Airbus A320, will provide an additional 252 seats per week.” Althuis also…