 
'Tis the Holiday Season issue of Drumbeats, designed to bring the rhythm of Africa into the middle of your busy lifestyle. As always, we share with you our deep, first-hand knowledge of Africa! Take advantage of the offer on the back in conjunction with our new private Exclusively Yours, AFRICA! Safari Collection - Anne
Bellamy, President
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A safari to Africa is a life-long dream come true. African Travel,
Inc. is dedicated to assisting our customers create, plan and experience the best possible safari adventure. By sharing our knowledge, experience and expertise, our simple mission is to breath life into fantasies and help our clients truly live the dream.
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Where? South Africa, Zambia, or Kenya through the eyes of grandparents, grown children and grandkids... What? A safe and fun family journey...
Picture family-friendly accommodations with nannies and activities for explorers of all ages. Imagine witnessing the most awe-inspiring cascade of falling water on earth at Victoria Falls or a visit to 'Pride Rock'! There are endless wonders from rescued cheetahs and warm water penguins to an elephant orphanage and a stop at a local school. Adults get a well-deserved break with a night of babysitting and while on safari - as rangers take kids under their wing to track wildlife and observe crocodile and hippo from an underwater platform. Everyone will look back in years to come at the memories and discoveries they made during their privately tailored family safari!
Where? South Africa, Kenya & Seychelles for those marking an anniversary, honeymoon or special milestone celebration... What? Endless savannahs combined with the 'bush decadence' of intimate, lavish safari lodges...
Opt for Kenya's Masai Mara, arriving at your deliciously opulent 1920s safari camp where white tents are furnished with four-poster beds, ostrich feather filled quilts and antiques. Guests are served with silver and crystal next to a crackling campfire. Or climb aboard Rovos Rail - a steam journey appealing to seekers of romance! Enjoy a culinary and wine safari, a veritable feast for the eyes and palate, staying at an exquisite wine chateaux and concluding at Royal Malewane with a cooking demonstration. At 'the world's best hotel', Singita, couples can cuddle with a hot drink in the crisp pre-dawn breezes, greet zebras backlit by the rising sun, and still make it back for a massage on their private deck. Add to it: a 5,000 square foot beach villa on exclusive North Island in the Seychelles living like Robinson Crusoe but with luxury. Should you have the butler bring lunch...or take a dip in the blue, blue ocean and sip champagne on the beach? Ah, decisions...
Where? Namibia, Kenya, Zambia, South Africa, Uganda & Rwanda... What? Tee off among zebras or experience the thrill of a close-up encounter with an endangered species...
Africa has lions and leopards - but that is just the beginning. South Africa is a mecca for golf enthusiasts, following in the footsteps of Gary Player, with courses as highly regarded as the links courses in Scotland. For more heart pumping thrills, enjoy rappelling down Cape Town's famed Table Mountain or shark diving off the dazzling Cape Coast. At Victoria Falls, try a nostalgic elephant back safari or an exhilarating whitewater rafting adventure. For the extra brave: micro light over the Zambezi or...bungee jump off Victoria Falls bridge! In Kenya days are filled with camel trekking, horseback safaris or hot air ballooning. In Namibia, create a trail of sand quad-biking on the dunes and rhino tracking in the desert. Or try sea kayaking at Walvis Bay Lagoon, amongst the pink flamingoes and add an interaction with the Himba - true nomadic people who exemplify indigenous Africa rarely seen. In Rwanda and Uganda, a handful of lucky journeyers live their ultimate dream: tracking the elusive mountain gorilla!
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What's Connie Ebright's secret to success in selling African safaris? She teams up with Susannah Zani at African Travel (ext. 111), one of our Senior Safari Consultants, who goes the extra mile for Connie. Running her business from home, Connie is one of African Travel's Top Ten clients! Her success was spurred by her incredible talent writing journals about her safaris. She was then featured on a Web site called Travants.com. as an Africa specialist and interviewed by CNN.com. This lead to her being featured in dozens of Sunday travel sections and the phone calls and referrals haven't stopped. She has traveled throughout Egypt, East & Southern Africa and generously shares tips on "the continent I love". She can be reached at 800-853-4380 (Ebrighttravel.com). We salute Connie as our Travel Agent Extra-ROAR-dinaire!
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African Travel's been busy creating Exclusively Yours, AFRICA! our elegant collection of twenty-three privately operated safaris. All with extensive wildlife experiences; personally-selected intimate boutique camps & hotels; and a common thread of activities that runs throughout the itinerary within the framework of special interests or life stage. We address the activities of a golf enthusiast, a wine and food connoisseur or those planning a milestone anniversary or honeymoon. Perhaps a spa and wellness program would be rejuvenating. Maybe even a cultural immersion for expressing one's inner anthropologist? Chase the adrenalin rush with an action and adventure journey. Make it a family affair so they can be exposed to diversity, both natural and cultural.
A Drumbeats Reader Exclusive in conjunction with Exclusively Yours, AFRICA! Mention the publication to receive the added benefit of a Travelsmith Outfitters Gift Coupon toward a Pair of Complimentary Safari Vests or other travel apparel in conjunction with booking any Exclusively Yours, AFRICA! safari in 2006. |
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WINTER 2006
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DIANE BELL
Safari Consultant, ext. 119
Diane has been with African Travel for 18 years! Most recently she returned from Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. Her first trip ever to Africa was to Botswana back in 1980. A few years ago, Diane fulfilled a life-long dream to see the pyramids in Egypt and she now enjoys helping clients design unique itineraries that combine the antiquities of the Pharaohs with the wildlife of East Africa. With her many years of consulting experience, Diane is a great resource for planning FIT and group travel.
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TOP 10 ACTIVITIES TO ADD TO A BIG 5 WILDLIFE SAFARI:
1. Food Lovers: Cooking class at a 5-star game lodge
2. Families: Visit 'Pride Rock' & an elephant orphanage
3. Action Lovers: Raft the Zambezi & quad bike Namibia's dunes
4. Golfers: Tee off at Fancourt (2003 President's Cup)
5. Honeymooners: Romantic dinner on your private deck
6. Art Lovers: Largest showing of Rock Art in the world
7. Spa Enthusiasts: African spice & plant spa treatment
8. Wine Connoisseurs: Visit historic Cape Town wineries
9. Action Lovers: Mountain bike Mt. Kenya
10. Families: Take part in teaching a lesson at an African school
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Masai children
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Dave Herbert,
Director, CTC
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Manners: Since agreeing with others is a sign of respect, try to avoid asking yes or no questions, since locals may say, "yes" to requests even if they can't fulfill them.
Clothing: Early mornings and evenings can be cold on safari, so include a sweater or jacket among your clothes. Dress in layers and peel them off, as the day gets warmer.
Language: "How much is this?" is a good phrase to know in Africa - Try English first - then in Swahili (Kenya & Tanzania) hee-ee be-ee ganee; Tswana (Botswana) goa loa moa kee boa-ka-ee; Xhosa & Zulu (parts of Southern Africa) yee-mah-lee-nee lehn-taw |
Coral Reef off of South Africa
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African Travel arranged a 3-way
conference call with my husband and I together with our travel agent and planned a safari of our dreams. What a 50th Anniversary! - Sue & Mick Adobad, New York City, NY
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Did you know that although looking rather slow-motioned, the Giraffe can actually reach speeds of between 30-40mph?
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Animal viewing with Masai
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