Archeological adventures in East Africa

by Kraig Becker on

Ethiopian Airlines has teamed up with the Tanzanian Tourist Board to offer a unique travel experience to East Africa, in which travelers will go on an archeological adventure that will send them in search of the Lost Ark and to the depths of the Olduvai Gorge, believed to be the “Cradle of Mankind”.

The eleven-day journey begins in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, and quickly moves to the ancient city of Axum, rumored to be the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant. Legend has it that the holy relic was brought there by the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon thousands of years ago, and that it remains in an isolated chapel to this day. While in Ethiopia, travelers will also visit Lalibela, the site of 12 churches craved out of the very rock itself.

After exploring the mysteries of Ethiopia, the adventure will continue in Tanzania, with a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater and the Olduvai Gorge, home to the first humans and the very spot where the first humanoid skull was found 50 years ago. The journey will finish up with a Serengeti safari before travelers return home.

To find out more about this amazing trip, visit www.seeyouinethiopia.com/archeology. This special tour, which includes all transporation and accomodations, is offered for a limited time only.

Ten Great Unknown Treks

by Kraig Becker on

Every adventure traveler knows about the Inca Trail or the Annapurna Circuit. They’re amongst the best known hikes in the world, and the amount of traffic on those trails reflects that. While they both offer amazing scenery and a great travel experience, that experience can be tempered by the crowds.

Thankfully, Backpacker is here to offer us ten great unknown treks, a list of outstanding long distance hikes that are, for now, relatively unknown and off the radar for most travelers. Backpacker thinks they’re all destined to eventually become classics in their own right, and I would argue that some of them already are, so they recommend that we get there before everyone else does.

The treks stretch from Europe to New Zealand, with a number of stops in between. They also range from a few days in length to several weeks, with accommodations running the gamut from backpacking tents to comfortable inns. For instance, they Pyrenees Traverse in France is 500 miles in length, with the trail winding through quaint mountain villages. At night, hikers stay in rustic huts that offer great food and ample access to local wines.
Looking for something a bit more adventurous? Then check out the Simien Mountains in Ethiopia. This eight day trek covers roughly 83 miles and is an interesting mix of culture, wildlife, and scenery. The trail crosses through gorges and rock canyons, and up 14,000 foot peaks, with active volcano vents dotting the landscape. Along the way you’ll pass through remote Ethiopian villages, while wild baboons wander the surrounding countryside and unique birds soar over head.

Each of the treks on the list is accompanied with great information for planning your own hike, including suggestions for a guidebook and map. You’ll also find other tips such as the best time of the year to visit and what essential gear you should take with you. Backpacker even goes so far as to recommend a top guide service to hire for each of the treks as well.

So, if you’ve already hiked most of the great trails of the world, or you’re simply looking for a trek that offers up a unique experience while still providing plenty of solitude, then this is the list for you. You’ll find outdoor adventures from around the globe, and some great ideas for your next trek that you may not have thought of before. Just make sure you get there before everyone else does.

Ethiopian Airlines Offering Free Tickets to Africa

by Kraig Becker on

Traditionally speaking, flights to Africa can be amongst the most expensive you’ll find, and there are seldom deals to be found when flying there. But right now, Ethiopian Airlines is running a “buy 1, get 1 free” promotion that makes it more affordable than ever to make the trip.

The promotion is good from February 1st through March 31st of this year, with flights to 32 cities available. Simply book a ticket before the 30th of March, and you receive one companion fare for free. The only restriction, other than the dates of the promotion, is that your stay can not be longer than 21 days, and you must travel by the end of March.

The airline offers service to most of the major airports in Africa, including flights to Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Combining this promotion with some of the other travel deals that are currently available could make for a low cost safari or other vacation to any number of amazing places. Grab your tickets while you can!

[via Intelligent Travel Blog]

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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.

Bollywood Reaches the Ends of the Earth

by Josh Lew on

Is Indian musical cinema challenging Hollywood’s world-wide pop culture dominance? Perhaps not in most places, but the 4-hour, song-and-dance-filled melodramas have fans in some pretty unexpected parts of the world.

Shashank Bengali, the East Africa correspondent for McClatchy, has come across a growing number of young Ethiopians who have embraced Bollywood films and musical numbers even though they are also exposed to a barrage of American hip hop music and action films.

There has always been a small market in Africa for Bollywood movies. Indian immigrants in South Africa and Kenya are a ready audience for these cinematic imports. However, a recent trend shows that the movies have been embraced by non-Indian audiences throughout the continent. Bollywood had a large following in Somalia until its films were outlawed by the militant Islamic leadership.

While the popularity of Indian cinema in Africa might not be a signal of the end of Hollywood, it does show that there are other cultural forces out there besides the ones created by Spielberg and Bruckheimer. It is also welcome news for closet Bollywood fans in the US, who can now travel to Africa without having to hide their secret vice.