GO TWO BY TWO TO KENYA AND HONEYMOON ON THE HIGH PLAINS

NAIROBI, Kenya (09/2013) Once the wedding is over, the adventures never have to stop: newlyweds can enjoy romance, adventure, and luxury through Marasa’s honeymoon package at the Aberdare Country Club (ACC) and The Ark. Enjoy four nights at the ACC, followed by one at the Ark.

Set on a stunning 1,300 acre wildlife preserve outside of Nairobi, the Aberdare Country Club (booking automatically enrolls one in the club) is located in the Aberdare Highlands, part of the Great Rift Valley. It has retained the charm of a private home with the simple comforts of a country inn as highlighted in Monty Brown's book, Haven Under the Hill: "Today, despite the fast-changing tempo of the outside world, the old home still retains that comfortable, solid feeling based on traditions from a time when life proceeded at a far more leisurely and gentle pace."

Newlyweds can indulge in that gentle pace during a day that is luxurious and relaxing from start to finish; beginning with a champagne breakfast in bed, followed by an afternoon at the spa with a steam and a couples massage. Then, lovebirds can soak in their beautiful surroundings with a sundowner on the Kamatongu hill, capped off with a private dinner for two either on their balcony overlooking the preserve, or in the bushveld.

Days at the ACC can be filled with a variety of activities like horseback riding, nature walks in the sanctuary that culminate in picnic lunches at the top of the hill, or trips to the Solio Ranch to view the white rhino in its natural habitat. Honeymooners share the club’s well-appointed amenities, such as a 9-hole golf course, tennis courts, and a pool, with the animal kingdom. 

Imagine tee-ing off as a pack of wild dogs chase an impala across the course!

After four sybaritic nights at the ACC, newlyweds will be taken on a game drive en route to The Ark. The Ark is situated in the Aberdare National Park, near Mt. Kenya, which is the highest in the eponymous nation. The lodge is whimsically modeled after Noah’s Ark, and its multitude of windows and four levels of decks allow for unparalleled views of the elephants, rhinos, buffalos, impalas, leopards, giraffes, and other animals that flock to the nearby watering hole and salt lick. Couples can also enjoy game drives through the park, guided walks, and hikes to the stunning Gura Falls waterfalls.

Rates start at and include full use of the Club’s facilities, one champagne breakfast, one sundowner, one private dinner, one couples massage, and a welcome drink.

 For more information or reservations, contact Corne Schalkwyk: corne@marasa.net or visit Aberdare Country Club or The Ark

CRUISE THE NILE IN STYLE; ZING THROUGH THE KAZINGA MARASA LAUNCHES NEW LUXURY BOATS

KAMPALA, Uganda (08/2013) Sure the Nile River looks pretty great from land, but why not cruise it in style with a 2- hour water safari on a luxurious boat from Mweya Safari Lodge through Uganda’s Kazinga Channel. The 22-mile channel links saltwater Lake Edward to fresh water Lake George – two rift valley lakes with royal lineage; they were named after Queen Victoria’s son Edward VII and her grandson George V.  

Mweya offers a couple of ways to experience the channel, with seasoned guides and a full crew. The Sunbird comfortably seats ten people, but for those seeking a truly special experience, the Kingfisher is perfect for a dozen people to ride in style and enjoy drinks and canapés while soaking in the beautiful surroundings and rich wildlife.

Nestled on a peninsula deep in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and surrounded by the fabled Rwenzori Mountains, (the ‘Mountains of the Moon’), Mweya is off the proverbial ‘beaten path.’ The Kazinga Channel serves as the border between the range and the Great Rift Valley Hills, and is a wildlife haven; hordes of hippos flock to the channel, and share this aquatic paradise with Nile crocodiles, while buffaloes and elephants drink at its edge. Additionally, the birding along Kazinga is truly unparalleled; there are over a hundred species of water birds, from the African Fish Eagle to the threatened, otherworldly Shoebill to the Lesser and Greater Flamingo. Mweya also boasts luxurious accommodations, a health club, and a host of activities.

A new luxury excursion boat, The Paraa Voyager, has also been launched at Paraa Safari Lodge to take guests and non-guests on a 2-1/2 hour Nile River cruise to Murchison Falls. Located in Murchison Falls National Park, Paraa overlooks the Nile as it flows from Lake Victoria to Lake Albert, where the Earth’s longest river squeezes through its narrowest point and cascades into a frothing pool below.  

Each excursion costs $36 per person and includes canapés and one soft drink/hard drink/beer/small bottle of red or white wine.

Both Paraa and Mweya are owned by Marasa Africa, which generously supported World Lion Day this year and continues to support lion conservation. Marasa has also donated two full board nights at Paraa to the Hope North event, benefiting Ugandan orphans, to be held in New York City September 18^th.

For more information or reservations, contact Corne Schalkwyk: corne@marasa.net or visit Mweya Safari Lodge or Paraa Safari Lodge

MARASA PROPERTIES ROAR INTO ACTION FOR WORLD LION DAY – AUGUST 10, 2013

KAMPALA, Uganda (05/2013) Marasa, a member of the Madhvani Group of Companies, one of the largest private-sector groups in East Africa, announces its participation in World Lion Day, August 10, 2013, a day that will be marked around the world to call attention to the endangerment of the King of Beasts.  On that date, Marasa properties in Uganda – Chobe Safari Lodge; Paraa Safari Lodge and Mweya Safari Lodge, will donate $1.00 for each room night at these lodges to the non-profit Uganda Conservation Foundation which helps free lions from snares.

World Lion Day is the first global campaign to celebrate the importance of the lion worldwide and to call attention to the need for conservation efforts in the lions’ behalf.  Organizers say, “Since the dawn of man, the lion has played an integral role in our lives:  symbolically, religiously, culturally, economically and biologically.  To lose the lion from our world would be to lose part of our global heritage.”

Guests can see the splendid lion in his natural habitat by going on game drives at Chobe Safari Lodge and Paraa Safari Lodge, both in Murchison Falls National Park, and both scenically situated on the River Nile.  And they can view a particular wonderment – tree-climbing lions – while on safari at Mweya Safari Lodge. Mweya is located in Queen Elizabeth National Park on the amazing natural channel, Kazinga, running between salt water Lake Edward and fresh water Lake George. The channel attracts a varied range of animals and birds, with one of the world’s largest concentrations of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles.

Arrangements to see the Ugandan lions can be made through Premier Safaris. 

For more information on World Lion Day, visit: www.worldlionday.com

GORILLAS UP; PRICES DOWN: TIME TO GO TO BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST/UGANDA

According to the just-released 2011 Census by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the critically-endangered mountain gorilla population in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is confirmed at 400. The prior census in 2006 put the number at 302.  Part of the increase is due to improved census methods and conservation through daily ranger monitoring, but it is also due to actual population growth.  Aiding in the rising numbers is veterinary care provided by Gorilla Doctors. Their Uganda field team, led by Dr. Fred Nizeyimana, regularly monitors all of the habituated gorillas in the Park for health problems and performs medical interventions when it is determined that an individual has a life-threatening disease or illness.

Those travelers who have placed on their bucket list seeing the mountain gorillas should plan a trip to Uganda now.  The Uganda Wildlife Authority, in celebration of the country’s 50^th anniversary of independence next year, is cutting gorilla fees in April and May 2013 by $150, thus putting gorilla fees in Uganda during those two months at $350.  Beyond that, Ugandan gorilla fees, usually $500, are substantially below those of Rwanda and the Republic of the Congo – now at $750.

There are other reasons to go, too.  Marasa Africa, one of the largest diversified private-sector investors in Uganda, is offering a special fly-in three-day package to track the gorillas in the Park at $2,156 per person sharing.  The rain-forest is spectacular with a heavily vegetated and dense landscape and spending time with the shy and peaceful gorillas is an unforgettable experience.

Marasa’s fly-in four-day package at $2,693 per person sharing includes everything on the three-day package and an additional day on an escorted trek with the Batwa, the pygmies who live just outside the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.  The Batwa guides will discuss how they hunt and the medicinal plants they use.  They will also share a traditional meal and relate ancient legends and traditional songs.   It is a cultural experience like no other.

Accommodations for both packages are in the recently purchased and refurbished Silverback Lodge, part of the Marasa portfolio of quality tourism products in East Africa.  Silverback is situated in the Buhoma section of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO site home to almost half of the world’s mountain gorilla population.  In Bwindi that includes 36 family groups and 16 lone males. Ten family groups totaling 168 gorillas are habituated to human presence for tourism. The 124-square-mile Bwindi is also inhabited by non-habituated chimpanzees, more than 100 other species of mammals, 346 species of birds, and 163 species of trees.

The rates includes accommodation with meals while on safari, domestic scheduled flights and ground transfers in custom built safari vehicles with English speaking guides, gorilla permits, all park fees, and government taxes.

There are many other reasons to go to Uganda, including a safari on the Nile River.  More internal flights are being offered there than ever before.  Premier Safaris is ready to assist.  Please contact:  operations@premiersafaris.com for itinerary suggestions and quote.

FIRST WALKING SAFARIS IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Developed by Chobe Safari Lodge/Uganda in Tandem with Uganda Wildlife Authority

Chobe Safari Lodge/Uganda, a Marasa* Africa luxury property, announces the first Walking Safaris in Murchison Falls National Park. The Walking Safaris were developed in tandem with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), which will provide an armed UWA Ranger to accompany the safaris. “We worked with the UWA to build a watering hole and natural salt lick around which the Nature Walks could take place,” said Roni Madhvani, Managing Director.

Being around trees and grassy areas lowers brain stress levels and is good for mental health, according to findings just released by Glasgow University from a Scottish Health Survey. The Survey concluded that walking (or jogging) in a forest has a 50% higher health benefit than working out in a gym. So, the Chobe Walking Safari is not only exciting and pleasurable, but is bound to have a calming effect on the brain.

The Walking Safari costs $20, but may be incorporated (without charge) as part of a new Nile, Nature Walk and Novelty Safari offered by Premier Safaris (for rates and itinerary, see below).

At 1480 square miles, Murchison Falls National Park in northwestern Uganda is the country’s largest national park and the location of famous Murchison Falls, where the River Nile is forced through a narrow gorge to plunge 140 feet to a frothing pool below. The Park is home to four of the Big Five – buffalo, elephant, lion and leopard (the fifth, the rhino, can now be seen at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, just 40 miles to the south). It is home, too, to the Rothschild giraffe, tallest animal on earth, whose distinguishing feature is its white “socks” – no patterning from the knees down.  There is also an amazing array of birds, some 300 different species, many with spectacular plumage, implausibly-wide wingspans, or so architecturally skilled, they build elaborate “condo” nests in the acacia trees.

Experiencing a Walking Safari is entirely different than viewing the bush or plains from a four-wheel-drive vehicle.  Safari-goers can sense the pulse of Africa, listen to its silence and its sounds, and feel the thrill of being a heartbeat away from danger. The Chobe Safari Lodge/Uganda Nature Walk takes about an hour and a half. Likely sightings include elephants, giraffes, buffalos, herds of kob (Uganda’s national animal), wart hogs and such birds as Martial Eagle, Woodland Kingfisher, African Marsh Harrier, Lizard Buzzard, African Harrier Hawk, Yellow Mantled Widow bird, African Paradise Flycatcher, the rare Fox Kestrel and many more. Also to be seen are crocodiles and hippo in the River Nile that forms part of the Walking Safari.

NILE, NATURE WALK AND NOVELTY, A PREMIER SAFARIS ADVENTURE

Day 1: Kampala – Jinja

In the morning after breakfast, our safari guide will pick you up from your place of stay, and drive you to the source of the White Nile – Jinja. Jinja is situated directly at Lake Victoria, where the Nile finds its origin. En route, we will make a stop at Mabira Forest for a forest walk with the possibility of seeing different types of primates, birds and colorful butterflies. After Mabira Forest, you will proceed to Owen Falls, and see the source of the Nile. Dinner and overnight accommodations are provided at Wild Waters Lodge.

Day 2: Jinja

Ready for a full day of adventure? Then start rafting at the source of the Nile. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and thundering rapids of the White Nile. Don’t forget to watch the incredible birdlife, as you drift quietly between the rapids of the river. Dinner and overnight accommodations are provided at Wild Waters Lodge.

Day 3: Jinja - Murchison Falls National ParkBeginning with a scenic drive northwest, we will stop and visit the ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY, to track rhino on foot (ZIWA was created to re-introduce Rhino to Uganda after their extinction in 1982). After lunch, we proceed to Murchison Falls National Park for an afternoon game drive around Chobe Safari Lodge area. Later, you will check in to the lodge, marveling at the panoramic views of the Nile, and enjoy your first evening in the African bush.

Day 4: Game Viewing Safari - Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, we embark on a morning walking safari to a nearby watering hole.  This is a fantastic experience as you can truly feel the pulse of the African bush away from the protective cocoon of your vehicle. Transfer from Chobe Safari Lodge to Paraa Safari Lodge in the heart of the Murchison Falls National Park, where your guide will help you spot the plethora of wildlife found in the Park. After lunch, you will safari upstream by boat to the calm Victoria Nile and the base of Murchison Falls, just tens of meters from the "Devil's Cauldron." Return in the evening for dinner and overnight accommodations at Paraa Safari Lodge. 

Day 5: Game Viewing Safari - Murchison Falls National ParkAfter breakfast, visit the top of the Murchison Falls. From this vantage point you will have an opportunity to see the Nile’s savage beauty, as you watch the Nile forced through a seven meter cleft in the rocks to plunge 45 meters below, forming a spectacular rainbow. Return to the lodge for lunch and, after an afternoon siesta; venture on a game drive through the Borassus Palms plains, a visual feast. Retire for dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge.

Day 6: Murchison Falls National Park – KampalaDepart from Murchison Falls, for your return to Kampala.

Rates start at $3550 per person sharing

Single room supplement $450

Included:

All accommodation (full-board basis)

All activities as per the itinerary

All in-country transport

Park entry fees

Contact:  operations@premiersafaris.com

Website: www.premiersafaris.com

Chobe Safari Lodge/Uganda

The new and luxurious five-star Chobe Safari Lodge, located in a little-known section of Murchison Falls National Park, is becoming one of Uganda’s key tourist destinations for adventurers, anglers, and aficionados of river-scapes.  It comprises 36 elegant guest rooms, 21 luxury tents, four suites and a Presidential Cottage. A state-of-the-art Conference block can host up to 100 guests and is fully equipped for business meetings.

The lodge enjoys breathtaking panoramic views of the River Nile, coupled with the sounds of its frothing rapids.  Room rates start at $275 a night for a double ($325 for full board); Tent rates start at $195 a night ($220) for full board.  All rates are inclusive of 5% service charge, all applicable government taxes and $5 per person UWA royalty fees.

www.chobelodgeuganda.com; www.premiersafaris.com

*Marasa is a member of the Madhvani Group of Companies, one of the largest private-sector groups in East Africa, employing more than 10,000 people. Starting in Uganda in 1914, the Group has developed into a widely diversified conglomerate with a geographical spread into various African countries, the Middle East and India. As the largest private sector investor in industry in Uganda, the Group has an outstanding track record in turning-around dormant companies, and has achieved a market leadership position in most of the sectors in which it operates, including tourism, sugar, agriculture, floriculture, insurance, construction, and more.  With a long-established presence and core values of integrity and long-term commitment, the Madhvani Group has a vision of continuing growth in this region.

MARASA AFRICA ACQUIRES SILVERBACK LODGE TO OFFER TOP-VALUE, ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME GORILLA EXPERIENCE

KAMPALA, Uganda (05/2012) The Madhvani Group, one of the largest diversified private-sector investors in Uganda, has recently acquired (April 1, 2012) through Marasa Africa, its tourism subsidiary, Silverback Lodge in Buhoma, Western Uganda, proximate to the rare, beloved and endangered Mountain Gorillas. Through its acquisition of Silverback and its existing portfolio of Mweya Safari Lodge (Queen Elizabeth National Park), Paraa and Chobe Safari Lodges (Murchison Falls National Park), Marasa Africa is able to offer travelers the definitive Uganda experience.

Silverback Lodge, the largest property in Buhoma, comprises 12 self-contained rooms overlooking nearby Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to Mountain Gorillas, other primates, including chimpanzees, 346 species of birds and 163 species of trees. The Lodge is excellently located, just a short walk to the forest park headquarters, and affords the best, most sweeping views of the valley. In time to welcome guests this season, Silverback will immediately undergo basic upgrading (new bedding, china, glassware, etc.). Thereafter, it will undergo soft refurbishment in keeping with its rustic, traditional style and homey feel. In addition, new kitchens will be introduced, some new furniture added, and infrastructure, including water supply and pressure, will be improved. Rates start at an exceptionally reasonable $380 full board for a double twin room. Because of its size, the lodge can accommodate larger groups.

To observe the gorillas, visitors need a seasoned guide and a permit secured well in advance, usually by the tour operator. While rates for gorilla trekking permits have recently increased by half in Rwanda to $750 per person, rates have remained at $500 in Uganda. Those who have experienced seeing the gorillas in their natural habitat invariably say, “It’s the thrill of a lifetime.”

Before farmers cleared the slopes for cultivation some 900 years ago, Bwindi was part of a larger forest that extended along the Rift Valley escarpment south to the Virunga volcanoes. In 1961, Bwindi became a Game Reserve as well as a Forest Reserve with its size increasing to 127 square miles. Then, thirty years later, as its attraction for gorilla tourism was recognized, Bwindi was elevated to a National Park. That same year habituation of two gorilla families began, and two years later the “Mubare” group was made available to tourists. Another family was habituated the following year. More groups have since been habituated, and some were even split into two to increase the number of families. Today, some three hundred plus Mountain Gorillas – half the world’s population of this highly-endangered species – live here.

Because of its outstanding beauty and scientific value as one of the densest rainforests on the planet, in 1994, the entirety of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site. At the time it was said that Bwindi’s eco-system “defines the very essence of the continent.”

In addition to gorilla trekking, visitors can hike in the park, meet the diminutive-sized indigenous peoples (once called Pygmies) through the Batwa Trail, tour the local Bwindi Community Hospital, and stroll through the community gardens.

Silverback Lodge is an hour’s flight from Entebbe or a three-hour drive from Mweya Safari Lodge, an ideal stop-over. It can also be reached directly from Kampala by road (takes an entire day) or from Kigali (a six-hour drive).

Reservations may be made through the Marasa Africa Reservations Office:

Marasa Central Reservations
Plot 96-98, 5th Street, Industrial Area
P O Box 22827, Kampala, Uganda
Ph: +256 (0) 41 4255992
Ph: +256 (0) 31 2260260/1
Fax: +256 (0) 31 2260262
Email: mweyaparaa@africaonline.co.ug
Website: www.silverbacklodge.com