South Africa’s Singita Game Reserves has taken top honors in this year’s Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2011 readers’ survey, scooping both 1st and 2nd places among the World’s Top 100 Hotels, as well as securing the winning slot for Best Hotel Spa in Africa and the Middle East. Read the rest of this entry »
Singita Takes Top Honors in Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2011
July 7th, 2011Africa Adventure Company Introduces Three New East Africa Trips
July 1st, 2011
In honor of its year-long 25th anniversary celebration, Africa Adventure Company is introducing three new trips highlighting unique safaris in East Africa. The new itineraries offer guests the opportunity to go trekking with chimps and gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda, view the famous Great Migration in the Serengeti or climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Read the rest of this entry »
Africa Adventure Company Announces its Top 10 Small and Intimate Romantic Lodges and Camps
June 21st, 2011
Africa Adventure Company has released its list of ten top romantic camps and lodges throughout Africa, including a number of amorous activities tailored for two. The award-winning travel outfitter and leading Africa specialist has been offering romantic safari experiences for couples for 25 years as a part of their extensive portfolio of safari trips. Read the rest of this entry »
Giraffe Manor Celebrates Relocation of Endangered Giraffe
June 16th, 2011
Giraffe Manor, Nairobi’s most iconic hotel, recently celebrated the relocation of Patrick, one of its endangered Rothschild giraffes, into Kenya’s Mwea National Reserve. Patrick’s relocation helps the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW) continue to fulfill its mission of increasing the population of Rothschild giraffes through breeding and release. Read the rest of this entry »
Leleshwa Camp Appoints Imagine Communications
June 15th, 2011
Imagine Communications is happy to announce that Leleshwa Camp has appointed the company as its public relations agency of record in the United States. The property is a member of The Safari Collection, a portfolio of exceptional properties and safari experiences in Kenya.
The camp is intimate and comfortable, is located on the Siana Conservancy just outside Kenya’s Masai Mara National Park. This charming camp offers breathtaking views of the Loita hills and rolling plains. Guests at the camp are hosted by the owners who work to create an authentic and completely personalized African Safari experience.
Leleshwa Camp is all about discovery and exploration; no two days are ever the same with a seemingly endless array of activities. Enjoy early morning game drives in the Masai Mara Game Reserve and have lunch under a shaded tree on the banks of the Mara River. Explore the Siana Conservancy, known for its diverse game and bird species, including three lion prides, numerous leopards and cheetah, and large herds of plains game. Hike into the Loita hills and interact with the local Masai Purko clan, who can guide you through the Sacred Forest, rich in cedar, strangler fig trees, waterfalls, and spectacular birdlife. Take a hot air balloon ride across the Reserve’s untamed landscape and see the land and its wildlife in a whole different way. Once your adventurous day is over, relax with sundowners in the bush while enjoying a spectacular African sunset. Leleshwa Camp is also home to a one-of-a-kind photographic center, the only one in the Mara. Complete with Mac computers and editing software, it also hosts one to five day photographic safari workshops.
The Safari Collection is a group of outstanding destinations and safari lodges in Kenya, one of East Africa’s fastest growing destinations. In addition to impeccable customer service, luxurious comfort and an unmatched safari experience, The Safari Collection is deeply committed to sustainability and responsible tourism. The Collection also sets out to ensure that the surrounding community shares in the benefits and revenues tourism brings to East Africa, with the advent of school programs, women’s empowerment initiatives and health care provisions.
More information about Leleshwa Camp and The Safari Collection is available online at www.thesafaricollection.com.
Singita Pamusha (Zimbabwe) Wins Major International Conservation Award
June 14th, 2011
Singita Pamushana in Zimbabwe’s Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve has been named Global Winner in the conservation category of the 6th annual World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, announced on May 17th in Las Vegas during the WTTC’s annual Global Travel & Tourism Summit.
Located in Zimbabwe in south-eastern Africa, Singita Pamushana lodge is often referred to as “one of Southern Africa’s best kept secrets.” It was selected as winner in this prestigious global competition amongst two other outstanding finalists in the Conservation category: Frégate Island Private in the Seychelles; and The Jane Goodall Institute/Budongo Ecotourism Development Project in Uganda.
Singita Pamushana was established with the core purpose of making a meaningful contribution to the national goal of rehabilitating the wildlife and tourism industries and to help conserve the extraordinary 130,000 acre Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in Zimbabwe. The Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve is owned by the Malilangwe Trust, and relies on donor funding, as well as the proceeds of tourism, to accomplish its goals in conservation and community outreach programs. This confident venture into a world-class tourism product for Zimbabwe impressed the panel of international judges as a model for private tourism practice that uniquely subsists solely to generate income via high value tourism.
Luke Bailes, CEO of Singita Game Reserves says: “It is a great honor to be recognized by an organization such as the World Travel & Tourism Council for our approach to conservation, and for the conservation-related programs that are in place at Singita Pamushana. These create the context within which our guests can experience African wildlife at its very best. Singita Pamushana exemplifies our approach to sustainable tourism and is a paradigm of how we can contribute meaningfully to conserving vast ecological zones, in so doing preserving these areas and their wildlife for future generations.”
The natural habitat in the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve has now been rehabilitated to its original state, and today Singita Pamushana has the finest quality wildlife in Zimbabwe. It also boasts some of the greatest varieties of mammal and bird species on the African continent, due to the 38 different habitat and ecological zones found on the property. Seventeen previous residential wildlife species have been reintroduced successfully, totaling more than 3,000 animals. These range from endangered Black Rhino to Roan Antelope and Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest. Under Singita Pamushana’s sensitive management, the wildlife populations have shown exhilarating growth after the carefully managed reintroduction.
The diverse wildlife at Singita Pamushana includes both the “Big Five” (Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Elephant and Buffalo), and the “Little-6″ antelope (Klipspringer, Oribi, Grey Duiker, Steenbok, Grysbok and Suni), as well as other endangered species such as the “Painted Hunting dogs.” Over 400 bird species can be found on the property, representing 4% of all the species of birds in the world, including 14 types of eagle and nine different owl species. Singita Pamushana is also known for its dramatic sandstone outcrops, Mopane Forests and majestic baobab trees.
Taking conservation beyond nature and towards the preservation of local culture, Singita Pamushana is custodian of over 80 well-preserved, 2,000-year old rock art sites – a priceless heritage found on site in the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve.
Major community projects here include Singita Pamushana’s critical feeding scheme for some 22,000 pre-school children living within the vicinity of the reserve; the employment of 250 mostly local Zimbabweans; and the provision of drinkable, clean borehole water to approximately 10,000 people in the area.
Singita Launches True Mobile Tented Safari Experience
June 13th, 2011
Singita Game Reserves has launched Singita Explore, a transformational new travel concept that will take guests on a private mobile safari to some of Africa’s most remote and romantic wilderness sites. The new product has been custom-designed to meet global trends and the demand from discerning travelers for privacy, exclusivity and closeness to nature. Singita Explore was released in East Africa June 1, 2011 within the 340,000 acre (142,000ha) Singita Grumeti Reserves, situated along the Western corridor of Tanzania’s legendary Serengeti.
A completely exclusive, true mobile camp, Singita Explore is a unique, modern safari experience unlike any other. Singita Explore puts the adventure back into going on safari, offering a journey of exploration on an exclusive-use basis for between 2 and 12 guests only. It is an ideal component of an East African safari itinerary within the Singita Grumeti Reserves, including stays at its three different lodges: Singita Faru Faru, Singita Sabora Tented Camp and flagship Singita Sasakwa, the only Relais & Châteaux property in East Africa.
Touching the earth lightly, everything about the mobile camp is designed for minimal energy consumption with little environmental impact. Guests will return from game drives to en-suite hideaways where canvas walls frame contemporary details infused with the durable textures of Africa. Designed by Cécile & Boyd’s around a theme that is modern, robust and stylish, with wholesome furnishings that are real, utilitarian and comfortable. With a combination of steel, leather, timber, rubber and natural fabrics, Singita Explore removes the clutter of everyday life with a safari that is both luxurious and uncomplicated.
Singita’s innovative signature style and dedication to conservation embodies the design and purpose of Singita Explore. Luke Bailes, CEO of Singita Game Reserves, says privacy and exclusivity too are key signatures of the Singita Explore concept. “With Singita Explore we see the return of raw authenticity to days spent in the bush, and nights under canvas in the wilderness. Luxury is still there, but we’re doing it differently – comfortable and detailed, with the excess taken out, and yet, retaining the element of luxury to offer a very beautiful safari adventure experience. Singita Explore is back to basics, pure distilled Africa without modern-day distractions to guarantee closeness to wildlife and untouched landscapes.”
Unlike other camps, which are seasonal and semi-permanent, Singita Explore will be disassembled on demand, and moved to different locations in accordance to nature, its rainfall patterns, vegetation, and game movements that include the annual wildebeest migration – one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth. The mobile safari camp will be fully staffed with a private guide and game viewing vehicle, chef and a camp host, with each itinerary individually tailored according to guests’ personal interests, and preferred safari activities.
Within Singita Grumeti Reserves, Singita Explore will also offer equestrian mobile tented safaris, providing an opportunity for horse lovers to spend their days riding on the open plains of the Serengeti, and the evenings gathered around the campfire, sharing stories and experiences. Equestrian group departures have been set for August, September and October 2011, to accommodate up to eight riders from different parts of the world, brought together by their love for riding and nature.
Elsewhere, the new Singita Explore brand may in future extend into some of the other pristine wilderness reserves where Singita holds exclusive concessions.
ABOUT SINGITA GAME RESERVES
Recognized internationally as providing ‘the best safari experience in Africa’, the Singita product offering includes nine iconic, low-impact, high-end lodges in four destinations: Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Multi-award winner of virtually every hotel and travel award both locally and globally, the focus of Singita is not only game viewing, cuisine, wine, high design and luxury, but also an uncompromising dedication to conservation and sustainability, which includes several significant community projects.
Inquiries and reservations can be made through the address below:
Singita Game Reserves, Tel: +27 21 683 3424,
Email: Reservations@singita.co.za, www.singita.com
Rain in May
June 10th, 2011
The weather is usually quite predictable in Central Africa where the Sun International Falls Resort is located. There is a rainy season which lasts from November to March and the rest of the year is dry. The rains can be good or bad and this year, around the resort, they were not very good. The Zambezi River was full but it was all the water coming down from the north, especially Angola which had seen exceptionally good rains. Read the rest of this entry »
Uncharted Africa Safari co. to Launch Equestrian Journeys in the Kalahari Desert
May 23rd, 2011
Uncharted Africa Safari co. will be the first operator to offer mobile, five-night Equestrian Journeys in Botswana’s unique Kalahari and Makgadikgadi ecosystems starting this May. These one-of-a-kind safaris will allow guests to spend their days journeying out into the Salt Pans and acacia woodlands on horseback.
Uncharted Africa Safari co. has put together two five-night itineraries, one for the dry season and one for the wet. Although vastly different, both incorporate three nights in the refreshingly simple yet cozy and traditional Camp Kalahari and two nights out in the bush fly camping. In the dry season, the ground is firm and ideal for fast riding, while the wet season softens the land and brings the grasses high creating a entirely different experience.
Led by celebrated equestrian safari guide, David Foot, these trips will allow guests to experience some of Botswana’s most remarkable environments in a whole new way, and from an entirely different perspective than a traditional game drive. David has unmatched experience in leading horseback safaris with nearly twenty years in the industry and extensive knowledge of the environment’s natural history, mammals, plants, and birds, not to mention a contagious energy and enthusiasm. Groups of between four and eight are matched with outstandingly bred horses for the ride of a lifetime through the land of a thousand islands, acacia woodlands, short grasslands, and finally out into the middle of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, where all that can be seen for miles around is the curve of the earth.
The Horseback Safaris will begin from Camp Kalahari, a fun and adventurous, yet comfortable and stylish oasis nestled amongst the acacias and palms on the edge of the ancient salt pans, before setting out on the fly camping expedition. Camp Kalahari is luxurious, yet simple and unfettered with ten spacious meru tents. Each guest tent comes complete with en-suite outdoor bathrooms, incorporating flushing toilets and hot and cold running water. The traditionally built thatch roofed communal library, living and dining area provides the perfect place to relax after safari, while the inviting swimming pool is the ideal spot for an afternoon escape.
Zambia International Travel Expo
May 9th, 2011
Last week, a team from the Falls Resort traveled to Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, to exhibit at the Zambia International Travel Expo. The Expo has been running for four years now and is a chance for all the tour operators in Zambia to meet each other and to display their products to travel agents from this part of the world. Read the rest of this entry »
