Monday, July 22, 2013

EXPLORE KENYA’S KIPSING LUGGA BY QUAD BIKE

Kenya (07/2013) - Henry Morton Stanley, David Livingstone, Vasco da Gama, and now you. Join the ranks of these legendary African explorers by taking advantage of Cheli & Peacock’s Quad Bike Adventures. Imagine the wind whipping through your hair as you race across the Andanguru Plain or Kipsing Lugga, and drive along the Seaku and Ewaso Rivers in Kenya’s remote Northern Frontier District. Choose your own adventure on these quad bikes and camp out under the stars or simply take a day trip and return back to your camp at night.

For those who truly want to channel their inner explorer, Cheli & Peacock will organize one or two night trips to the Kipsing Lugga. Spend the morning traversing the area, stopping only to savor a delicious picnic lunch. The afternoon’s activities are entirely up to you, so you can do more driving or hiking if you’d prefer to explore the terrain on foot. If you’re interested in meeting the locals, Cheli & Peacock can arrange a visit and dance performance by a local Samburu tribe. Fly tents provide comfortably rustic lodging for the night, while allowing you to soak up the African night sky’s splendor. In the morning, prepare to be roused by a Yellow-Necked Spurfowl, and be rewarded with a hearty breakfast.

You don’t have to spend the night under the stars to channel your inner explorer- Cheli & Peacock also offers day trips to the Kipsing Riverbed through the stunning Mpuskutuk Conservancy, home to many of Kenya’s endemic dry land species like the Gerenuk, Somali Ostrich and the Lesser Kudu. Spend the morning exploring, and drive back to camp, or take a helicopter- as any modern adventurer would. 
Kipsing is stunning, but if you’re in the mood for a more verdant landscape, the Ngare Ndare forest is the place for you. Begin your journey in this forest at the base of Mount Kenya that serves as the channel between the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Mount Kenya, which elephants traverse during their migration. Here, towering, centuries old trees are surrounded by clear streams that turn into bubbling falls and end sapphire pools. Enjoy a panoramic view of this forest from the longest canopy walk in East Africa, which offers phenomenal birding.

Go ahead, book one of these trips- Livingstone would’ve wanted you to.

All trips are led by experienced guides. There is a minimum of four people for the Kipsing trips and a maximum of four people for the Ngare Ndare trips. No one under the age of 16 can drive a bike, but children under 16 are welcome, provided that they have a guardian to drive for them. Helmets, goggles, and first aid kits are provided. Rates for the overnight trip start at $830 per person per night, and day trips start at $215 per person. N.B. Meals are included in this price. Itineraries are valid through December 15, 2013.

Clients have the option to be transferred by road from one of the nearby lodges (Lewa / Borana). They alternatively can arrive from any location in Kenya by fixed wing to the Kipsing airstrip or be dropped by helicopter at a rendezvous point.


For more information, visit www.chelipeacock.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

ENROLL YOUR CHILD IN MAASAI WARRIOR SCHOOL

KENYA (07/2013) – Jump! Throw! Dance! Learn the ways of a warrior with the African bush as your classroom… Beginning August 1, children visiting Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp in the Maasai Mara are invited to join in a Maasai Warrior session. Under the tutelage of Kinyaika, one of the oldest trackers in the business, and the Maasai team, learn skills Maasai Warriors have mastered.

These skills, depending on age and ability, include fire making; spear throwing; bow and arrow practice; Maasai jumping, dancing and singing and stone throwing. Look forward to taking part in the traditions passed down for generations: participate in a blessing ceremony (involves Maasai clothing, Maasai jewelry and possibly henna). A certificate is given at the end of the experience; and, for those skilled enough to hit the targets, a wooden bow and (nonlethal) arrow is provided as a prize.

Proud parents can cheer from the sidelines, join in on the fun or leave the traditions to student and teacher and go on safari during this time. Sessions last between two and three hours.

“As a multi-generational family safari business, Cottar’s Safari Service, has always put emphasis on the family experience. The Maasai Warrior School particularly is something our younger guests will never forget,” explains Doug Nagi, Guest Experience Manager and Gold Guide at Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp.

The white canvas tented property emits the original safari tradition thanks to its roots with Charles Cottar, an American from Iowa who came to Kenya in the 1900s with his entire family. Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is located on an untouched exclusive concession bordering the Serengeti, Maasai Mara and Loliondo reserves, guaranteeing privacy and an abundance of wildlife. Families can choose from four family tented suites, which each consist of two ensuite bedrooms with a shared sitting/dining room, and a private house, which can accommodate up to 10 guests in five large ensuite bedrooms.

The Maasai Warrior School is a complementary activity included within full board accommodation. Full board accommodation rates start at $530 per person sharing. Also included are: bush meals and sundowners; bush walks; day and night game drives; transfers to cultural visits; transfers to Cottars Airstrip and limited laundry.

For more information, visit www.cottars.com or email info@cottarsafaris.com.


Thursday, July 11, 2013

PATAGONIA IN A NUTSHELL: INTIMATE ENCOUNTER WITH 7-NIGHT ITINERARY

SANTIAGO, Chile (07/2013) – For the first time ever, Cruceros Australis offers a 7-night itinerary through pristine Patagonia. Noted as the only cruise specialist to take passengers on land at Cape Horn – along with many other high-adrenaline excursions – Cruceros Australis provides an intimate encounter with this region. Bonus: with this itinerary, passengers have a choice of activities to further explore Punta Arenas Chile or the most important city in Tierra del Fuego – Ushuaia, Argentina.

With Zodiac boat excursions one to two times a day and complementing lectures from expedition leaders, passengers receive the full impact of the region. (Keep cameras at the ready to capture the photogenic Magellanic penguin along the way and perhaps the unpredictable elephant seals in Ainsworth Bay.)

Should the halfway point be Ushuaia, Argentina – the southernmost city in the world – passengers choose between a four-hour Tierra del Fuego National Park visit and a two-hour Prison/Yamana Museum visit (explore, explore, explore). If the halfway point is Punta Arenas, Chile, passengers can visit two museums and/or the public cemetery, which tells the story of the city in silence. Of course, the pinnacle of the trip is sailing to Cape Horn National Park, 
known as the “End of the Earth” and the last territory before arriving in Antarctica.

A sample itinerary can look like this:

Day 1: Departure from Punta Arenas, Chile
Day 2: Disembarkation at Aguila Glacier and Condor GlacierDay 3: Disembarkation at Garibaldi Fjord and Pia Glacier, then sail through Glacier Alley
Day 4: Disembarkation at Ushuaia
Day 5: Disembarkation at Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay
Day 6: Disembarkation in Chico Sound
Day 7: Disembarkation at Brookes Glacier and Ainsworth Bay
Day 8: Disembarkation at Magdalena Island and arrive at Punta Arenas

A cruise with Cruceros Australis is an all-inclusive experience. Rates start at $2,765 and include airport transfers, sea transportation, shore excursions, onboard entertainment, all meals and an open bar. Passengers will also enjoy local Chilean and Argentinean wines. The menu combines international cuisine and local recipes to highlight the delicious and varied regional fare.

For more information, visit www.australis.com.