Zanzibar Island Travel | Beach Holiday and Much More

Zanzibar, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean made up mainly of Unguja and Pemba Islands, and several Islets, is characterized by beautiful beaches and fringing coral reefs. Unguja, as the main island of Zanzibar is locally known, is located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the coast of mainland Tanzania. The island stretches 60 miles long, 20 miles wide and occupies an area of approximately 650 square miles.

As if God meant it to be the ultimate holiday destination, the weather is filled with summer heat of 25-28 degrees centigrade for most of the year often cooled by the pleasant pangs of the sea breeze. April and May are exceptions with bringing with them the long rains and November bringing the short showers.

Though you can get to Zanzibar both by air and water, taking a flight is the most convenient way, as it is fast and comfortable. There is a daily flight from Nairobi to Zanzibar operated by the Kenya airways. You are more likely to have great and breathtaking views if seated on the left side seat thus I highly recommend this. Once in the island, you should go for tours to stone Town, spice farms, and a number of beautiful unspoilt beaches like Jambiani.

Zanzibar is a great destination with different unique attractions like the Omani palaces and towers, nice aromas of the spices of old , and graceful dhows ” the classic Arabic sailboats that have been plying the harbor for centuries. Zanzibar music, cuisine and architecture are the true reflections of the influence of multiple cultures mostly Arabic, African, and Indian culture and lifestyles. Some classic examples of the unique Zanzibar architecture are the brass-studded and wooden door carvings.

The capital, Stone Town is quite charming, thanks to its maze of narrow-winding streets, bustling markets and friendly inhabitants. Most prominent in the town is the historical depth visible buildings such as the house of wonders, the palace museum, Dr Livingstones house and the Arab Fort amongst others. It is said to have been the only functioning town in East Africa centuries ago.

Zanzibar Island offers a wide variety to suit different tastes and choices of its visitors. The Northern and Eastern shores offers dazzling resorts and lively club scenes owned mostly by European investors while the southeast side boasts of the Jambiani beach which is not fully developed. There are a few locally owned businesses on this southeast side.

With its classy hotels and lodges, Zanzibar is for sure a small paradise for tourists seeking an exhilarating holiday experience. One such hotel in Zanzibar is the Ocean Paradise Resort Zanzibar. The resort is situated on Zanzibars picturesque North East coast, overlooking the turquoise Indian Ocean. As its name suggests, it is a little piece of paradise. Mature coconut palms swinging in the breeze, white sandy beach, beautiful landscaped gardens, traditional style round chalets with pitched makuti roof, a stunning waterfall feature and the largest swimming pool in Zanzibar are just some of the sights that await you at the resort. A big smile and the greeting of “Jambo” will be the first words you hear, as you begin to feel the warmth that the people of Zanzibar are famed for.

Breezes beach is an award-winning resort located on a seemingly endless white sandy beach which provides total relaxation in spectacular surroundings. perfect for after a hot and dusty safari, for a honeymoon, or just to enjoy with the family. Each of the rooms is decorated in shades of ivory and stone and all have traditional wood carvings and hand crafted furniture. The restaurants make full use of delicious fresh seafood flavored with the medley of local spices.

Shopping is a must in Zanzibar where you will get variety to choose from to fit in your cultural taste. The bustling busy markets at stone town offers a range of local crafts and artifacts at very friendly prices. Music and cuisine is also readily available at restaurants along Livingstones Forodhani street famed for beautiful gardens. These restaurants are traditionally decorated and play soothing taarab music on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Finally, while in Stone Town, check out the late Queen lead singer Freddie Mercurys childhood home on Kenyatta Street. The home is today called the Gallery Zanzibar. It stocks everything from beaded boxes and local paintings, to carvings, exquisite brass-trimmed Zanzibar chests and other antiques.

Egypt Tours and Travel: Luxury Cruises in the Nile River

From the ancient days of the Egyptian pharaohs, river Nile has been a top destination in Egypt travel. Luxury cruises in the Nile are today among the most enjoyable activities while on holiday in Egypt. The cruise affords you the chance to see most of the historical sites of ancient Egypt along the banks of the Nile, while enjoying your Egypt vacation in a relaxed manner. Fully equipped with restaurants, discotheques, lounge bars, shops and swimming pools, the Nile cruise ships are in actual sense floating hotels.

Typically, most Nile Egypt cruisers have smaller rooms than those found in hotels on land. The rooms are air-conditioned and are spacious enough to accommodate a twin bed, nightstand, dresser, a private shower, and a TV set. The cruisers are star graded just like ordinary hotels, based on the quality of service. The top (5-star) rated Nile cruisers rival luxury ocean cruise ships in amenities and facilities. According to many people who travel to Egypt, the Nile cruisers have a romantic setup that is unrivaled by riverboats in other parts of the world.

Nile cruises normally take three, four or seven nights. During the cruise visitors see the most important and interesting monuments of ancient Egypt on the shorter and more popular cruises that ply between Luxor and Aswan. The more adventurous travelers or those on a tight budget avoid the luxury cruisers in favour of fellucas- the traditional Nile sailboats. The amenities on fellucas are very basic but are still a good option for budget visitors.

Aswan is arguably the best place to start your Nile cruise. At Aswan, the calm and deep Nile river is at its most glorious. For long, Aswan was Egypt’s main gateway to other parts of Africa. The Nile region from Aswan and areas upstream of the Nile is often called upper Egypt. From Aswan and further downstream, there are several rapids and cataracts as the river passes through hard rock surfaces.

One of the historical attractions in Aswan is the Nubian museum, which highlights Nubian culture from way back in time. Nubians are the dark-skinned residents of Aswan who are closely related to the northern Sudan people. You can see several Nubian villages at Elephantine island in the Nile.

Kom Ombo is another historical site along the Nile, situated about 48km north of Aswan. Its main attraction is the Greco-Roman temple, whose construction was started in the second century BC by Ptolemy VII. A number of successive Roman emperors contributed to completing its construction, including emperor Augustus around 30BC.

The Temple of Kom Ombo actually consists of two separate temples, each with its own entrance, colonnades, hypostyle hall and sanctuary. The southern temple is dedicated to Sobek -the crocodile god, while the northern one honours Horus – the falcon god. If you have not seen mummies before, be sure to see the mummified crocodiles in the Sobek part of the temple.

Your next stop and highlight of the Nile cruise is Luxor. The range, magnificence and diversity of the monuments in the Luxor area is unsurpassed in all of Egypt. Known to the Greeks as Thebes, Luxor became the capital of Egypt at around 2040 BC. The city survived the sacking by the Assyrians in the 7th century BC, but steadily declined, and was finally destroyed by the Romans in the first century BC.

Among the celebrated monuments dating from Luxors heydays are the necropolis complexes at the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and Tombs of the Nobles. You will also come across some outstanding temples scattered in the region. The Egyptians buried their dead in the direction of the setting sun and the west bank at Luxor was the final resting place of royalty and high officials.

The period from November to March is the best season for traveling to take a Nile cruise, owing to cooler temperatures. This being the peak tourism season in Egypt, you should start your tours early in the day to avoid crowds. It is also advisable to hire a local guide when visiting the monuments, though normally the guide will be provided if you buy a Nile Cruise package from a good travel agent.

Kruger National Park: The Finest Wildlife Safari in South Africa

Kruger National Park, the oldest and most popular game park in South Africa, is undoubtedly the best place to observe African wildlife. Every year, about one million travelers visit this wildlife sanctuary, attesting to Kruger’s claim to the top spot. Kruger’s history dates back to 1898 when the Sabi Game Reserve was established to stem the destruction of the wildlife by hunters. Paul Kruger was at that time the President of the Transvaal Republic, which later became part of the Union of South Africa. The park was later named after him.

The Kruger ecosystem is widely varied, with six rivers spawning the 16 vegetation zones in the park. With an average altitude of 269 meters above sea level, the park is mostly flat. Kruger occupies a vast stretch of land from the Crocodile river in the south, running 350km along the South Africa-Mozambique border, to the Limpopo River in the north.

The lush and wooded Mpumalanga region in the south of of this 20,000 sq km reserve is the most popular with visitors. Five gates give you access to this area: Crocodile Bridge, Phabeni, Paul Kruger, Numbi, and Malelane. For the more adventurous travelers, the arid northern and central sections in the Limpopo region are ideal destinations. An air of mystery is associated with this region, and as a result has fewer visitors. The Orpen and Phalaborwa gates are its main access points.

The great wildlife diversity is what makes Kruger the most celebrated national park in South Africa. The hundreds of species found here include 114 reptiles, 147 mammals, 49 fish, 507 birds, and 336 tree species. Kruger is without doubt the best place to view the African big five ” Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant, and Buffalo.

In addition to the big five, the other abundant animals include hippos, giraffes, baboons, impala, warthogs, and zebra. Together with the plant life, these animals form complete food chains, attracting many researchers conducting scientific studies of animal behavior.

The nine gates that give you access to Kruger National park are well connected by a good road network. The distance from Malelane gate in the North and Pafuri gate in the south is 414 km. While within the park, a game drive is a definite must-do activity, whether with the escort of a ranger guide, or a self-navigated drive. Night game drives in Kruger are allowed, giving you a chance to observe the nocturnal animals like leopards, hyenas, owls, bushbabies and nightjars.

Most visitors take game drives aboard a vehicle on regular trails. But ranger guided walking safaris are available to more adventurous spirits. On any of the seven guided wilderness trails for walkers, you take in nature’s aromas as you view game up close. The trails include three nights stay in a wilderness camp. This option is quite popular and early booking is advised.

There are daily flights from Johannesburg to Phalaborwa Airport, Hoedspruit Airport and the Kruger/Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) as well as daily flights to KMIA from Durban and Cape Town. Charter planes and rental cars are available from Kruger Mpumalanga Airport, Kruger Park Gateway airport, East Gate Airport. Accommodation is also available within the park to suit the tastes and pockets of most- ranging from camping and self-catering to luxury lodges.

Kruger National Park: Enjoy the Best South Africa Wildlife Safari

There is no better place to view African wildlife than Kruger National Park, South Africa’s oldest and most popular national park. This fact is attested to by the one million or so visitors who tour the national park annually. Kruger National Park has its origin in the Sabi Reserve, which was set up in 1898 to stem the effects of over-hunting, and is named after Paul Kruger- once president of the Transvaal Republic that later became part of the Union of South Africa.

Kruger stretches from the Crocodile River in the south, to the Limpopo River in the north and runs for 350 km along the Mozambique-South Africa border. The park is fed by six rivers and has a wide variety of ecosystems; it carries 16 vegetation zones. Kruger is generally flat with an average height of 269 metres above sea level.

The southern part of the 20,000 sq kilometer park, which is located in the Mpumalanga region, is more lush and wooded. This area is very popular with visitors and is accessed though the five gates at Malelane, Crocodile Bridge, Numbi, Phabeni and Paul Kruger. On the other hand, the northern and central sections are more arid and fall in the Limpopo region. Fewer visitors come here; giving rise to an air of mystery that beckons the adventurous. You get there via the Orpen and Phalaborwa gates.

Kruger is the most celebrated national park in South Africa due to its wide variety of game and bird life. Hundreds of different species can be found here: 507 birds, 336 trees, 147 mammals, 114 reptiles, 49 fish and 34 amphibians. It offers an unforgettable wildlife experience that can rival the best in Africa. In South Africa, this is the best place to see the fabled big five- lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino.

Other animals to see include cheetah, zebra, giraffe, baboon, hippo, impala, and warthog. The prolific mix of animals, including the presence of complete food chains, attracts scientists researching animal interaction.

The nine gates that give you access to Kruger National park are well connected by a good road network. The distance from Malelane gate in the North and Pafuri gate in the south is 414 km. While within the park, a game drive is a definite must-do activity, whether with the escort of a ranger guide, or a self-navigated drive. Night game drives in Kruger are allowed, giving you a chance to observe the nocturnal animals like leopards, hyenas, owls, bushbabies and nightjars.

There are a number of regular trails that visitors on a self-navigated game drive can follow. But if you are the more adventurous type, you should take a ranger to guide you on a walking safari. Seven wilderness trails are available for guided walking safaris, providing you the chance to view wildlife up close, while enjoying the aromas of nature. Accommodation is available in a wilderness camp, but it is advisable you book in advance.

There are daily flights from Johannesburg to Phalaborwa Airport, Hoedspruit Airport and the Kruger/Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) as well as daily flights to KMIA from Durban and Cape Town. Charter planes and rental cars are available from Kruger Mpumalanga Airport, Kruger Park Gateway airport, East Gate Airport. Accommodation is also available within the park to suit the tastes and pockets of most- ranging from camping and self-catering to luxury lodges.

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