A&K does the unimaginable

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent is getting ready to surprise you. On February 19, 2009, it will celebrate its newly redesigned website with an unusual discount program. Starting at 9 AM (CST), a savings of 5 percent will be offered on each of five itineraries. Every half hour, another 5 percent will be cut from the price. By 3 PM, the discount will reach its final level of 60 percent off. Of course, departures are limited and on a first-come, first served basis.

So, this is your chance to spend for an A&K experience what conventional travel would normally cost.

For example, the “Once in a Lifetime Egypt” trip could sell for as little as $3,328 (a savings of close to $5,000). You’ll get 10 days that include the Four Seasons Cairo, not to mention a Nile cruise on Sun Boat IV. “Once in a Lifetime Kenya” consists of eight days for possibly as little as $2,118 (with a stay at the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel, among others), and the experience in Spain could cost $6,000 less than usual. The other destinations are Botswana and Zambia and a voyage to Melanesia aboard “Clipper Odyssey.”

Remember: the sale begins at 9 AM (CST) on February 19. Put a reminder in your calendar and be ready to click fast!

Tour d’Afrique Off and Running!

by Kraig Becker on

The 2009 edition of the Tour d’Afrique got underway last Sunday, with cyclists setting out from Cairo, Egypt on a 7317 mile long race to Cape Town, South Africa. In between they’ll pass through the Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, and Namibia, fostering international goodwill along the way, while raising funds for environmental protection and promoting cycling in Africa.

The race is broken down into 96 stages of various lengths, with a typical day getting underway at 7:30 AM, when the top riders start out on the course. They are soon followed by another group who may not be contending for the top spot, but still want to complete every mile, while the “Back Pack” is made up of a group of riders who just want to enjoy the adventure and soak up some of the culture of the countries they are passing through.

This is the seventh year that the race has been run, and the web coverage seems to be the best ever. For instance, there are photos from each stage, videos from the various countries and introductions for some of the riders, and a daily blog with results and news from the course.

With six stages done, the riders have more than three months of riding ahead of them through a variety of climates and terrains before reaching their final destination on May 9th. They’ll struggle through the Sahara Desert, roll across the Equator, and race across an endless savannah, and they each payed more than $10,000 for the privledge. Seems like it’s an adventure worth every penny.

Photo of the Day (1.10.09)

by Brenda Yun on


First, this from natavillage.org:

On March 4, 2006, Nata made history by becoming the first village in Botswana with a website. natavillage.org is a unique opportunity for the reader to witness the battle to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in an African village. Botswana has the second highest HIV infection rate in the world (37% for ages 15-49). The co-founders, a Canadian traveler, a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, and a local businessman were all frustrated that millions of dollars pour into Botswana due to the AIDS pandemic yet little money reaches remote villages like Nata.

The site offers the visitor 3 videoblogs, a 10 minute documentary, over 350 flickr photos and a blog that gives the reader an intimate look into the lives of the villagers. The reader is given the opportunity to donate directly to the village and the funds are managed transparently by a local 6 member board of trustees with very little overhead cost. The donor can see the results of their generosity through regular photos of what is purchased.

People living with AIDS in Nata must travel 60 miles to reach the ARV (anti-retroviral ) clinic. Many can’t afford the $4.00 bus fare. The trust provides transportation money for all members to reach their life saving ARV’s. The trust also purchased a sound system and generator for an out of school youth group that provides vital HIV/AIDS educational activities to Nata and the surrounding villages. We hope to serve as a model for other villages and change the way aid is distributed in the developing world.

There’s not a lot more to say about this photo from jonrawlinson other than that it’s a perfect shot taken in Botswana of a Masarwa man. The creation of natavillage.org is certainly an inspiring story and a cause worth contributing to in this new year.

If you have some great travel shots you’d like to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day!

Getting The Most Out of Your African Safari

by Kraig Becker on

Mark Nolting, of the African Adventure Company, has put together a nice little article for USA Today with some good tips for anyone planning an African safari in the near future. He discusses some of the best places to go, what you should expect to pay, the best times to go, and much more.

Nolting notes that many African countries offer safari options, and each of them are a bit different from one another, but he recommends Botswana and Tanzania for the classic safari experience. Both countries offer impressive wildlife encounters, which are the hallmark of a safari, but they also have vastly different opportunities as well. For example, in Botswana, it’s possible to visit large wildlife preserves that limit the number of visitors, keeping the crowds low and limiting the impact on the environment. In contrast, Tanzania tends to have larger crowds but makes up for it with amazing scenery highlighted with the Ngorongoro Crater, Mt. Kilimanjaro and the endless expanse of the Serengeti,
Ecotourism and volunteer travel seem to be the trends for 2009 Nolting says, with travelers booking their stays in eco-lodges all over Africa, and donating some of their time to local projects or schools while they are there. Safari operators have picked up on thie ecotourism trend as well, and are now focusing on having a smaller impact on the environment, while still delivering the entire safari experience that travelers have come to expect when visiting the African bush.

Having visited Tanzania in 2007, I can personally attest to how amazing it can be. The amount of wildlife is unprecidented, and it was everything that I could have hoped for, and more. That said however, I went in April, which is traditionally the low-season, and it was still very crowded at times, especially in the Ngorongoro Crater. I can’t imagine what it would be like during the high-season. If you’re looking for more solitude on your travels, you may want to look elsewhere for your own safari. On the other hand, the Serengeti and Kilimanajaro are certainly worth the trip to Tanzania, and will provide you with many memories to last a lifetime.

Without Baggage: A traveler’s online magazine with brains and heart

by Jamie Rhein on

Sarah, a Gadling reader, recommended to us another traveler’s online publication she recently discovered. I headed to Without Baggage to see what was there. Hank Leukart’s Without Baggage is an online magazine that delves into the world’s interesting places with a sense of purpose. The essays posted every so often evoke emotions and intellectual pursuits that aim to explore the depth and meaning of travel experiences whether one heads to Laos or Alaska.

Leukart’s latest essay, “stalking the solitary leopard” is the last installation of his three part series chronicling his trip through Botswana and South Africa. The series has the flavor of part travelogue and part critique of human existence. Hank’s writes thematically. There is a deeper meaning within the the mix of writing and lush photographs. Woven together are the specifics of place and his impressions of it. South Africa is not only a place to go, but a place to study the effects of years of apartheid. Enjoying an animal safari has to do with the willingness to be open to any experience, no matter if your original purpose is met or not.

One of my favorite essays, “i’m never leaving thailand. ever” starts:

“UM PHANG, Thailand — I’m never leaving Thailand. Ever.

Just testing. I wanted to see what how I would feel if I decided never to leave. I just finished reading Spiritland by Nava Renek, a novel about a young backpacker and her rollercoaster vacation in Thailand. . .”

Leukart continues with a discussion of Renek’s book and his own desires, plus other people’s fantasies of living in Thailand for the rest of their lives. I have had my own. My daughter would also move to Thailand tomorrow if there was a way and she could take her high school buddies with her.

Leukart has been around the world travel writing for some time now with an enviable list of print magazine and newspaper credits that attest to his passion. Like Sarah said, Without Baggage is a place to return to in case Leukart has more of the world he wants to share. In the meantime, there are plenty of essays for a leisurely approach.