BAHAMAS: American Airlines Non-stop Flights Commencing June 3rd From North Carolina To George Town, Exuma.

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism is pleased to announce American Airlines new non-stop flight service from Charlotte, North Carolina to George Town, Exuma.

American will offer the service starting June 3rd with flight times of approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes. The new route, which will be a weekly flight, will expose The Bahamas to new visitors allowing for greater market penetration.

"The Ministry of Tourism welcomes this new flight by AA to George Town, Exuma from its Charlotte hub. This opens up market access to Exuma by attracting customers from markets like Pittsburgh and Buffalo which have great connections on AA to Exuma via Charlotte," stated Tyrone Sawyer, senior director of Airlift Development in the Ministry of Tourism.

Visitors will have much to do on Exuma. The island, made up small cays, has some of the most gorgeous turquoise waters in the Caribbean and is home to the world-famous swimming pigs.

"We are thrilled to launch our new flight between Charlotte and George Town this coming June, further expanding our already extensive presence in The Bahamas," said Caroline Hollingsworth, American's general manager for The Bahamas. "We currently offer up to 25 daily flights to six destinations in The Bahamas, and this new route will enable us to offer even more options to our local customers and tourists alike."

The Bahamas continues to attract new airlines and nonstop flights from carriers across the globe. In 2016, Southwest Airlines, Silver Airways, Delta, Air Caraibes, among others, added new airlift to the country.

The Islands Of The Bahamas have a place in the sun for everyone. Each island has its own personality and attractions for a variety of vacation styles with some of the world's best golfing, scuba diving, fishing, sailing, boating, as well as, shopping and dining. The destination offers an easily accessible tropical getaway and provides convenience for travelers with preclearance through U.S. customs and immigration, and the Bahamian dollar is on par with the U.S. dollar. Do everything or do nothing, just remember It's Better in The Bahamas.

TANZANIA: Saanane Island National Park Tourist Numbers Grow

Saanane Island National Park has recorded remarkable achievement by going above its targeted number of tourists for two years in a row as domestic tourism flourishes.

Saanane Chief Park Warden, Mr Donatus Bayona said here that the smallest park in the country has attracted more tourists from East African countries than those from abroad.

Mr Bayona said that about 90 per cent of tourists who visited the islet were locals, giving an example of 2015/16 that saw 11,000 local tourists call to the island.

Apart from game viewing through walking safaris, tourists can enjoy boat excursion in Lake Victoria, rock hiking, picnicking, walking along designated trails, canoeing with dhows along the lake. "Saanane was declared to be a national park in July 2013, before that it was a zoo and later a game reserve.

The number of tourists has been going up year after year, signalling that we are on the right track and domestic tourists form the biggest percentage," said the chief. Mr Bayona unveiled that in 2013/14 the park has attracted 89 foreigners, 52 expatriates and 2,306 tourists from East Africa.

The trend improved in the following year as the islet had 132 foreigners, 32 expatriates and 5,947 East Africans.

The Chief Park Warden disclosed that in 2015/16 the park located two kilometres southwest of Mwanza City had 453 foreign tourists, 243 expatriates and 11,685 from East Africa.

Mr Bayona said that on the financial year 2014/15, Saanane Island National Park collected 129m/- while the target was to earn 85m/-. In 2015/16 they surpassed the target of 124m/- revenue by collecting 162m/-.

The only park that is located in a city targets promotion of interest and conservation education in wildlife and promote recreation to people as different species of animals have been ferried to the island between 1964 and 1966.

Those included buffalo, bushbuck, dik dik, elephant, eland, impala, black rhino, topi, warthog, wildbeast, zebra, giraffe, porcupine, crocodiles and monkeys like patas and velvet.

Dangerous animals were caged but are no longer in the cages now. However, Tourism Warden at the park, Mr Ikwabe Koroso said plans are underway to rebuild some cages so as to take such animals.

That is in different outlook, to provide sanctuary to the sick or injured ones and once fit would be returned where they were taken from.

Mr Bayona said the islet that forms spectacular scenery over Mwanza south and Lake Victoria currently has species such as impala, crocodiles, clawless otters, rock hyrax, tortoise and agama lizards famously referred to as agama mwanzae. Others are snakes, particularly pythons, lions, spotted hyenas, vervet monkeys and shy De Brazza's monkeys.

There are more than 70 types of resident and migratory birds. The park, however, faces several challenges including environmental degradation around the park, human encroachment as well as poaching.

ZAMBIA: New Luxury Camp to be Built in Liuwa Plain

African Parks, a conservation non-profit, and Norman Carr Safaris are proud to announce details of the investment in, and construction of, a luxury camp in Liuwa Plain National Park, Zambia. Mambeti is being funded by Africans Parks donors with the design and construction being implemented by the award-winning Norman Carr Safaris group which will also manage and market the new offering. Construction on Mambeti will start in February 2016 and the camp is expected to open in early 2017.

The name of the camp pays homage to two remarkable residents of the park – Mambeti and Lady Liuwa. Mambeti who lived, died, and is buried in Liuwa was a member of the Lozi tribe and a highly-revered grandmother to several existing park staff. Lady Liuwa is the world-famous matriarch around whom the park’s lion pride has evolved. According to local folklore Mambeti, the grandmother, was reincarnated into Lady Liuwa, the lioness, and is the reason why the lioness spends so much time in the same woodlands area frequented by Mambeti in her twilight years and near to where she was buried.

Liuwa Plain is situated on the upper Zambezi flood plains of western Zambia and is bounded by the Luambimba and Luanginga Rivers. Vast, remote and untamed, Liuwa is 365,000 hectares in size and characterised by seasonally-flooded grassy plains dotted with woodland islands. It has one of the oldest conservation histories in Africa having originally being proclaimed a protected area by the King of the Lozis in the early 1880s. The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) is the monarchy of the Lozi people who live in and around the park and is the official administrative entity of the region. Since 2003, the park has been managed by African Parks through a public-private partnership with the Zambian Government and the Barotse Royal Establishment.

In addition to its famed lions, Liuwa is home to the second biggest wildebeest migration in Africa, a recovering cheetah population, a burgeoning hyena population, wild dogs, abundant zebra, buffalo, red lechwe and tessebe herds and more than 300 bird species. It is not uncommon to see tens of thousands of pratincoles and spectacular kaleidoscopes of crowned cranes and endangered wattled cranes which start flocking at the onset of the rains.

Located on the upper Munde stream, a site chosen for its sweeping vistas and complete wildlife immersion, Mambeti Camp will comprise six luxury villas including a two bedroomed family villa, with the capacity to accommodate a total of 15 guests.

It has been designed by acclaimed lodge architects, Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, who are also responsible for the design of Norman Carr Safaris’ flagship camp, Chinzombo, in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park, and sister property, Miavana, a new development in progress in Madagascar under the marketing umbrella of Time + Tide.

“We feel it is an honour to the people of Liuwa that a lodge of this status will help immortalise not only a resident of Liuwa but also a highly-respected member of the community who lived and was buried in this area. I am proud to be part of this process of development that will unlock tourism potential and economic growth in the area,” said Induna Mundandwe, Area Chief of Mukola.

“We are proud to be driving a venture of this calibre in one of the most beautiful wilderness areas on the continent, said Peter Fearnhead, African Parks CEO. “ The construction and operation of Mambeti will benefit communities living in and around Liuwa and the conservation of its fauna and flora, both features that form the cornerstone of the African Parks model.

We are also delighted to be teaming up with Norman Carr Safaris in this venture. Their experience and proven success in operating and marketing high-end camps and lodges is pivotal to the success of what is destined to be the jewel in the Liuwa Plain crown.”

“We are honoured to have been selected by African Parks to build and run this new safari camp, said Thierry Dalais, Chairman, Norman Carr Safaris. “Over the years African Parks has shown true dedication and commitment to the development of Liuwa Plain National Park and we aim to match their passion for the area and deliver an outstanding safari experience.

The wildlife viewing in this part of Africa is quite extraordinary; it’s a completely stunning landscape and exceeds expectations of the most hardened safari goer. Mambeti is a name filled with meaning and spirit and a wonderful tribute to two icons of the park. What more can I say – you need to go there!”

ZIMBABWE: $30,000 Raised to Fight Poaching In Victoria Falls

THE war on poaching has been given a record $30,000 boost by a fundraising golf tournament, coordinated and sponsored by Africa Albida Tourism, which is more than double the amount raised at last year’s event.

A total of 132 players, making up 33 teams, teed off for charity at the 15th annual fundraising Golf Day for the Victoria Falls Anti Poaching Unit (VFAPU) at Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club, before a prize-giving function and auction.

The fundraising tournament, which took place on October 2, was won by Blair Taberer and Munya Mudyanadzo, with teams including the Zimbabwe Special Olympics golfers sponsored by Delta Airlines, and ‘The Cats’, who took the best dressed team prize in matching fluorescent-coloured cat masks and ties.

A silver cuff by renowned Zimbabwean jeweller Patrick Mavros, specially designed for the event went for $1,100 at the auction. In addition five cricket souvenirs signed by top international players, donated by SAVE: African Rhino Foundation, each fetched between $2,000 and $3,250 under the hammer.

Africa Albida Tourism (AAT) group chairman Dave Glynn said: “The Zimbabwean community never ceases to amaze me. The generosity and the level of support was outstanding on the day.

VFAPU has arrested nearly 700 hardened poachers since it was established in 1999 by Mr Brightman, a local safari operator and conservationist, and Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, AAT’s flagship property.

The unit, which works closely with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, has also removed more than 22 000 wire snares from its operational area.

In addition, 179 mammals, including buffalo, kudu, eland and impala, injured by snares have been treated and released back into the wild.

The unit is also supported by other tourism operators and members of the Victoria Falls community.

VFAPU, which was established in an effort to fight the alarming levels of poaching, operates in a 50kmsq area around Victoria Falls, and has 17 scouts patrolling seven days/nights a week. The unit tackles all forms of poaching, including wood, bush meat and ivory.

TANZANIA: Mount Kilimanjaro National Park

Kilimanjaro. The name itself is a mystery wreathed in clouds. It might mean Mountain of Light, Mountain of Greatness or Mountain of Caravans. Or it might not. The local people, the Wachagga, don't even have a name for the whole massif, only Kipoo (now known as Kibo) for the familiar snowy peak that stands imperious, overseer of the continent, the summit of Africa.

Kilimanjaro, by any name, is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa. When you see it, you understand why. Not only is this the highest peak on the African continent; it is also the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, rising in breathtaking isolation from the surrounding coastal scrubland – elevation around 900 metres – to an imperious 5,895 metres (19,336 feet).

Kilimanjaro is one of the world's most accessible high summits, a beacon for visitors from around the world. Most climbers reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing and determination. And those who reach Uhuru Point, the actual summit, or Gillman's Point on the lip of the crater, will have earned their climbing certificates.
And their memories.

But there is so much more to Kili than her summit. The ascent of the slopes is a virtual climatic world tour, from the tropics to the Arctic.
Even before you cross the national park boundary (at the 2,700m contour), the cultivated footslopes give way to lush montane forest, inhabited by elusive elephant, leopard, buffalo, the endangered Abbot’s duiker, and other small antelope and primates. Higher still lies the moorland zone, where a cover of giant heather is studded with otherworldly giant lobelias.

Above 4,000m, a surreal alpine desert supports little life other than a few hardy mosses and lichen. Then, finally, the last vestigial vegetation gives way to a winter wonderland of ice and snow – and the magnificent beauty of the roof of the continent.

About Kilimanjaro National Park
Size: 1668 sq km 641 sq miles).
Location: Northern Tanzania, near the town of Moshi.

Getting there
128 km (80 miles) from Arusha.
About one hour’s drive from Kilimanjaro airport.

What to do
Six usual trekking routes to the summit and other more-demanding mountaineering routes.
Day or overnight hikes on the Shira plateau. Nature trails on the lower reaches.
Trout fishing.
Visit the beautiful Chala crater lake on the mountain’s southeastern slopes.

When to go
Clearest and warmest conditions from December to February, but also dry (and colder) from July-September.

Accommodation
Huts and campsites on the mountain.
Several hotels and campsites outside the park in the village of Marangu and town of Moshi.

More info on accomodation

NOTE:
Climb slowly to increase your acclimatisation time and maximise your chances of reaching the summit.
To avoid altitude sickness, allow a minimum of five nights, preferably even more for the climb. Take your time and enjoy the beauty of the mountain.

NOTE 2:
NEW RATES FOR PORTERS AND GUIDES
(JUNE '08)

Porters
USD 10 per day
Cooks
USD 15 per day
Guides
USD 20 per day