Category

Africa

18 Jan

Gondar, Ethiopia – Once a city of emperors and princesses

One of northern Ethiopia’s highlights is Gondar, a historical town home to some significant and truly unique sights. Depending on the time of year when visiting, you may see many Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrims near Timkat at what is known as the Ethiopian Epiphany (see our post on Timkat here).  Some of the highlights from Gondar […]

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21 Oct

Gorilla tracking, Volcano National Park, Rwanda

Along with my small group of 8, I crossed the border into Rwanda from Uganda with the typical level of bureaucracy expected in a developing African nation. After an hour or so and several processes which didn’t make a lot of sense, we were on our way.    We head to Mountain Gorilla View Lodge in northern Rwanda, not all […]

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23 Sep

The incredible people of the Mursi Tribe

You probably know them by sight if not by name – the Mursi are one of the most fascinating tribes in Africa, widely recognised for the clay plates the women insert into their lower lips and sometimes their ear lobes. The tribe lives in the Omo Valley, one of the most isolated regions of southern […]

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16 Sep

Etosha National Park, Namibia

Many people who have travelled to Namibia’s Etosha National Park rate it as the best wildlife-spotting destination in Southern Africa. Having taken a trip to Namibia on one of our small group tours to Africa, I have to agree.   Etosha is an enormous National Park – about 22,000 square kilometres, or about 1/3 the size […]

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2 Sep

Namibia is a jewel of a country – Part 2

Damaraland is a huge, untamed and ruggedly beautiful region in Namibia. We stayed at the Mowani Mountain Camp, hidden among some of the region’s massive red granite boulders. The scene was set for us by the enthusiastic welcome we received at the gate, a joyous atmosphere which continued throughout our stay. Nothing was too much […]

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26 Aug

Namibia is a jewel of a country – Part 1

Sometimes described as Africa for beginners, Namibia unexpectedly assembles in one place many iconic experiences: the highest sand dunes in the world; the deepest canyon in Africa; one of Africa’s richest historic art sites; the world’s oldest, driest desert; abundant wildlife. Our trip to Namibia did not disappoint. The people are friendly with lots of laughter. […]

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10 Dec

Timkat Festival Ethiopia continues…

Day 2 of the Timkat Festival,  we reach the special ground where the waters are blessed for the Baptism rites. The whole area was crowded, and locals waved lighted tapers as the priests began arriving in all their glory. Deacons in their white robes with red borders, and priests wearing black cloaks over their white robes, formed a perimeter around […]

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19 Nov

A Hamar boy becomes a man – Omo Valley Ethiopia

Young men from many cultures must endure rituals to enter manhood. The young Hamar men of southern Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, prove their manhood by eventually succeeding at ‘cattle-jumping,’ a challenge that requires them to walk across the backs of livestock. It carries great weight in the Omotic tradition as it is the only way an […]

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8 Oct

Victoria Falls – The Smoke that Thunders

Mosi-oa-Tunya translates to The Smoke that Thunders. It describes the world’s greatest sheet of falling water aptly, where over 500 million litres of water each minute pours over the 1.5km wide gorge. At an average of about 90 metres high, the UNESCO-listed falls are not the highest in the world by any stretch, but they […]

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1 Oct

The Okavango Delta, Botswana – one of Africa’s most incredible places

Even in the dry season, the Okavango Delta in Botswana’s north west, is an amazing sight. It’s the world’s largest inland delta, which, depending on the season, sprawls across some 15,000-22,000 square kilometres.  For travellers, the delta starts and ends at Maun (pronounced “Mown”), a town of a few thousand people and many accommodation options, from camping to […]

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17 Sep

Cape Town – Africa’s Most Beautiful City

It’s hard to argue about the beauty of this city, at the very bottom of the African continent. Cape Town points of interest including Table Mountain as a backdrop to the harbour, it’s difficult to take a bad photo. Not only does it have natural beauty, it’s packed with things to see and do for all […]

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6 Aug

Ile Sainte-Marie or Nosy Borah, Madagascar

Off the north east coast of Madagascar lies the tropical island of Ile Sainte-Marie, a place where bragging rights are assured because you can almost certainly be sure nobody you know will have heard of let alone this majestic island.  The word paradise simply doesn’t do it justice! This best way to reach this small island – barely 50km from top to bottom […]

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18 Jun

The Tribes of the Omo Valley – Ethiopia

The Omo Valley, in the remote south-west of Ethiopia, is a vast river basin fringed in the far distance by mountains. Life here has largely stood still.  No Ethiopia trip is complete without visiting the Omo Valley. There are a number of tribes in the region living a subsistence life with their cattle, goats and some […]

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11 Jun

Botswana – It’s as good as it sounds

Just saying this country makes you feel like you are on an exotic safari! Recently I camped in Botswana with my teenage daughter. It was a never-to-be-repeated daddy/daughter experience. There were about 10 of us in the group including another family from Sweden and others from France and Germany. We all stayed in two safari […]

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28 May

Trekking with the Gorillas in Uganda

There are just 880 mountain gorillas left in the wild. They exist in three countries; The Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, has over 400 living in the mountains, almost half the entire population.  We arrived into our accommodation around 4.30pm.  We were wowed at first site. The rooms at Engagi Lodge are basic but nice. The staff are lovely and obliging. However, the main […]

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9 Apr

The Festival of Timkat in Ethiopia

The Timkat Festival is a highlight of any visit to Ethiopia. Celebrating the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, it is one of the most important religious events in the Ethiopian Orthodox calendar. It is celebrated throughout Ethiopia but the most special place to experience Timkat is in Lalibela with its ten 13th century rock carved churches. Each of […]

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8 Apr

The Big Tsingy – Madagascar

The highlight for many of us on our Madagascar trip has been the trip to the Big Tsingy. Just getting there is an adventure! After passing through ancient baobab forests we finally reached the Tsiribihina River where we loaded our 4WD vehicles onto the flimsy rafts that we shared with the local Malagasy. We were on our […]

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