KENYA’S THE ARK KICKS OFF WEBCAM: TWO BY TWO OR FIVE BY FIVE, CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL ARE STREAMED LIVE

For lovers of all creatures great and small, Kenya’s The Ark, set in the game-rich Aberdare National Park, has launched a webcam that streams live video 24/7 of wild animals coming to its floodlit watering hole and salt lick.  Guest wannabes, Ark-o-philes or the just plain curious can virtually observe elephants, buffalo, impala and other game quench their thirsts, soak up nutrients, vie for position or try to get “teen-agers” to obey. Simply double click http: http://www.thearkkenya.com/live-webcam-feed.

 Of course, nothing beats the real thing.  Visitors to the quirky venue, modeled after Noah’s Ark, have the advantage of not only watching the phenomenon first-hand from one of the boat-shaped lodge’s four “decks” -- they can take unforgettable photographs and videos.

Those who want to stay at The Ark will not have to suffer 40 days and 40 nights of rain – instead they will be treated to a cool climate and gorgeous scenery including nearby Mt. Kenya, highest mountain in this East African nation and a World Heritage Site.  The Ark is an historic and “must-see” Kenyan property whose uniqueness comes from a reversal of the game drive – animals come to the people instead of the other way around. Die-hards can make use at night of a buzzer system that alerts guests to sightings at the watering hole: one buzz for elephant, two for rhino, three for leopard, and four for something even more dramatic (use your imagination).

Come to The Ark two by two:  Rates start at: US$255 for a double room, and include full board, taxes and service charge. Rates for a single start at US$150 with same inclusions.

For more information, contact:  www.marasa.net; www.premiersafaris.com

FAMILY HOLIDAYS AT THE STEENBERG IN SOUTH AFRICA

Situated on the Cape’s oldest farm, only 20 minutes from the center of Cape Town, the five-star Steenberg offers an activity-packed package for the whole family. The hotel has conjured plenty of fun things to do at the hotel and nearby to keep everyone busy while enjoying the Constantia area, one of the most beautiful on the Western Cape. Accommodation for a family is in the two-bedroom Khoi Khoi Suite duplex at R14,850 (approximately $1,750) per night per family.

Upon arrival, each child under the age of two will find a soft toy in their room and children over two receive a treat-filled gift packet. Kids enjoy meals from the kiddie menus and are free to play with the pool items and games at the pool.  DVDs for children are available and there are croquet and boules on the lawns. Two mountain bikes for adults and one for a child are available for complimentary use. A trunk of toys and craft items that guests may use is also available and nannies are on call 24 hours so parents may have a little down time too.

Near the Steenberg is Planet Kids, a large indoor/outdoor activity center catering to all children. The Porter Estate Market held every Saturday is family friendly and offers kids activities. Boulder’s Beach at Simon’s Town is a great place to swim with the penguins. There are also sandboarding lessons in Fish Hoek and Atlantic Rail train rides from Cape Town to Kalk Bay to Simon’s Town daily. Kite watching is great on Muizenberg Beach where an annual Kite Festival is held every October. Excursions to Cape Peninsula National Park take guests to Cape Point where they can view bocks, baboons, ostriches and a wide range of bird life. Whale watching season is between August and December and can be experienced from the shore. Dolphins can be viewed all year round.

Adults have their activities at the Steenberg, too. Wine tastings are held every day in the new winery tasting room either inside or on the outside with reflecting pools overlooking the gardens.  Dining is either in BistroSixteen82 in the winery or in the more formal Catharina’s.  A championship 18-hole golf course, spa, walking trails and nearby shopping keep parents busy and happy.

Accommodations at the Steenberg are luxurious but very comfortable for families with children. The Khoi Khoi Suite is lavished with amenities. It covers 1,753 sq. ft. and contains artifacts and original illustrations depicting the Khoi-Khoi tribe’s marvelous animal paintings found on rocks and cave walls throughout South Africa. Like all three Heritage Suites, the Khoi Khoi Suite offers butler service, in-room complimentary refreshment bar, complimentary laundry service, complimentary wi-fi and internet service, and an audio entertainment system.  There is a working fireplace for nippy Cape nights, big thirsty bathrobes, indulgent sleeping on Egyptian cotton sheets and a soft duvet, flat screen TV in bedroom, I-pod station, large work desk, extra-length King-Size beds, professional hair-dryer, original art work, separate bedroom, living room and dining room.  The bathrooms hold a walk-in shower, large separate tub, mini TV and mist-free mirrors. 

The family package includes breakfast, complimentary use of the mini-bar, butler service and babysitting. A family is considered a maximum of two adults and three children.

For further information or reservations at the Steenberg Hotel and its spa, please visit the web site at www.steenberghotel.com.

FANCOURT AND STEENBERG LAUNCH SIX-NIGHT “GOLF TOTAL” PACKAGE WITH ROUNDS ON GARY PLAYER- AND PETER MATKOVICH-DESIGNED COURSES

Steenberg, the award-winning hotel and winery that offers the ultimate Cape Experience, and Fancourt, member of the Leading Hotels of the World, have joined forces to offer golfers a six-night package that includes rounds of golf on world-class designer courses as well as a variety of perks.  Rates for a six-night package per person sharing range from US$1491.53* to US$1567.57*, depending on the season.  There is a supplement for singles. The package is valid for all of 2013.

FANCOURT INCLUSIONS	STEENBERG INCLUSIONS
3 nights’ accommodations in a Fancourt Luxury Room including daily breakfast	3 nights’ accommodation in a Standard Luxury Room including daily breakfast
Complimentary use of the driving range	Welcome cocktail on arrival
A round of golf per person, per night stay on either the Montagu or the Outeniqua course	1 three-course dinner Set Menu per person in Catharina’s Restaurant or tapas in BistroSixteen82 during guest’s stay
Non-golfers are entitle to 3 US$52.43* Spa vouchers per person	2 complimentary rounds of golf per person during stay at Steenberg Complimentary shuttle to the Victoria & Albert Waterfront in Cape Town twice daily
Welcome gift in room on arrival	Wine tasting and Cellar Tour at Steenberg Winery
Complimentary access to the Hot Spa area and the Fancourt Gym in the Leisure Centre	Transfers within a 3-mile radius of the hotel

*Based on exchange rates of 01/09/2013 and subject to change

Championship Steenberg Golf Club, a Par 72, was chosen in 2012 by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler (CNT) as the Top Foreign Golf Resort. The course was designed by world-renowned course architect Peter Matkovich.  Steenberg Hotel, “minutes from Cape Town, miles from the world,” was chosen in 2011 by the readers of CNT as the number one hotel in Africa.  It is the oldest wine farm on the Western Cape, features charming Cape Dutch architecture, modern luxuries, gourmet cuisine and world-class wines.

Fancourt boasts no fewer than three original Gary Player-designed courses, which Golf Digest ranked #1, #7 and #18 in South Africa for 2011.  The Fancourt Hotel, a fine blend of modern luxury and classic elegance, is located along South Africa’s storied Garden Route, a verdant trail that meanders along the coast’s numerous lagoons and lakes.

Fancourt:

Tel:  +27 44 804 0100

reservations@fancourt.co.za

Steenberg

Tel: +27 21 713 2222

reservations@steenberghotel.com

PATAGONIA IN A NUTSHELL: INTIMATE ENCOUNTER WITH 7-NIGHT ITINERARY

 SANTIAGO, Chile – For the first time ever, Cruceros Australis will offer a 7-night itinerary through pristine Patagonia. Noted as the only cruise specialist to take passengers on land at Cape Horn – along with many other high-adrenaline excursions – Cruceros Australis provides an intimate encounter with this region. Bonus: with this itinerary, passengers have a choice of activities to further explore the most important city in Tierra del Fuego – Ushuaia, Argentina.

The five set departures on board the Via Australis begin November 7, 2013 from Punta Arenas. With Zodiac boat excursions one to two times a day and complementing lectures from expedition leaders, passengers receive the full impact of the region. (Keep cameras at the ready to capture the photogenic Magellanic penguin along the way and perhaps the unpredictable elephant seals in Ainsworth Bay.)

The in-depth cruise continues to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, where passengers choose between a four-hour Tierra del Fuego National Park visit and a two-hour Prison/Yamana Museum visit (explore, explore, explore). The pinnacle of the trip is sailing to Cape Horn National Park, known as the “End of the Earth” and the last territory before arriving in Antarctica.

Day 1: Departure from Punta Arenas, Chile

Day 2: Disembarkation at Aguila Glacier and Condor Glacier

Day 3: Disembarkation at Garibaldi Fjord and Pia Glacier, then sail through Glacier Alley

Day 4: Disembarkation at Ushuaia

Day 5: Disembarkation at Cape Horn and Wulaia Bay

Day 6: Disembarkation in Chico Sound

Day 7: Disembarkation at Brookes Glacier and Ainsworth Bay

Day 8: Disembarkation at Magdalena Island and arrive at Punta Arenas

A cruise with Cruceros Australis is an all-inclusive experience. Rates start at $3,847 and include airport transfers, sea transportation, shore excursions, onboard entertainment, all meals and an open bar. Passengers will also enjoy local Chilean and Argentinean wines. The menu combines international cuisine and local recipes to highlight the delicious and varied regional fare.

                                                                                                                                                                              For more information, visit www.australis.com.

THE WILDER SHORES OF LOVE: EXPEDITION TO RE-TRACE DISCOVERY OF LAKE ALBERT & MURCHISON FALLS, UGANDA

A four-night expedition to re-trace and document the African explorations of Sir Samuel Baker, one of the more courageous and colorful 19^th century European adventurers, and his second wife, Florence, a Hungarian beauty who was a former slave, is being led by Julian Fisher and accompanied on the Uganda leg by Baker’s great-great-grandson, David Baker.

A widower and committed abolitionist, Baker attended a white slave auction in Bulgaria and rescued a beautiful blonde girl twenty years his junior, who was about to be sold into a Turkish harem. In 1864, Baker and Florence, after withstanding hunger, disease, and myriad deprivations and threats, arrived at the shores of a lake in what is now Uganda, and identified the place where the White Nile enters the lake. Baker christened the lake “Albert,” after England’s late Prince Regent. Then, upstream the couple discovered the mighty Murchison Falls, where the Nile flows through a 23-foot-wide cleft in the rocks to plunge 148 feet below, forming a spectacular rainbow. Baker named the falls in honor of the then president of the Royal Geographic Society, Sir Roderick Murchison.

Those enchanted by the romance and derring-do of Africa’s great explorers can follow in the footsteps of Samuel and Florence, who became notorious in Victorian England because they traveled as an unwed couple.  After their incredible adventures, notoriety turned into fame:  he for his discoveries, she for her resourcefulness (among other gifts, she was an expert seamstress, who made all their clothes) and together for their unconventional romance (they later married).

Premier Safaris, a specialist in adventure/luxury safaris in East Africa, is packaging a trip for those who want to follow Samuel’s and Florence’s journey to Lake Albert. It includes a boating safari on the Nile to Murchison Falls, game drives, and stays in Murchison Falls National Park at two luxury lodges:  Chobe Safari Lodge and Paraa Safari Lodge.  Located in a little-known section of the Park, Chobe boasts breathtaking, panoramic views of the River Nile, coupled with the sounds of its frothing rapids.  Paraa, known as the “jewel of the Nile,” also offers delightful views of the river and its resident population of hippos and crocodiles.

Rates for the four-night safari are $1,975 per person sharing; single room supplement is $118. Rates are valid from 1 January 2013 – 31 December 2013. There is a minimum of two guests per departure. 
Included in the rates are two nights at Chobe Safari Lodge and two nights at Paraa Safari Lodge, Murchinson Falls National Park, most meals, ground transportation in custom built safari vehicles with English speaking guides, all park fees (as specified in the program) and government taxes.

For reservations, email: GM@premiersafaris.com or visit:  www.premiersafaris.com

LIVE ALOFT IN TONGABEZI’S NEWLY REBUILT ECO-LUXE TREE HOUSE

LIVINGSTONE, Zambia- Tongabezi Lodge, a romantic, five-star eco-friendly lodge on the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls, has rebuilt its renowned Tree House. Constructed around the branches of a riverine Ebony tree, the elevated Tree House spreads out over a sustainable pine deck offering spectacular views of the Zambezi River, the river after which Zambia is named. Part of the house is suspended over the water, giving the sensation of floating.

“We think this is the perfect hideaway for honeymooners or privacy-seekers,” says managing director Ben Parker. The secluded sanctuary, set against a basalt rock bed, lies at the end of a hidden path that winds along the cliff face. A whimsical sign “Maybe Later” serves as the door and advises visitors the Tree House is closed, come back later.

The king-sized bed with an air conditioned canopy is swathed in filmy mosquito netting. A perfectly–positioned, claw-footed bath affords views of the river while bathing, and beauty not viewed directly, can easily be imagined – the Anatolian carpets, Asian chests and West African artwork all evoke dreams of the exotic. The extensive space can be used for private dining and lounging.

A whole host of activities are included in the rates: canoeing on the Zambezi, an Island lunch, a candlelit dinner on a floating Sampan, a visit to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park; sunrise and sunset boating; visiting Victoria Falls, guided bush walks, tour of the Livingstone Museum; fishing, game drives and shopping at the local market to buy wonderful bracelets, fabrics or artifacts. (Please note: park and museum entrance fees are extra.)

Fully-inclusive rates from $620 (depending on exchange rate) per person per night. For more information contact: www.tongabezi.com

VAMIZI ISLAND ANNOUNCES DIVING PACKAGE AT ONE OF WORLD’S BEST DIVE DESTINATIONS

Vamizi Island, an eco-active African island in the Indian Ocean waters of Mozambique, with 15 extraordinary dive sites, announces a vacation for divers that offers beginners, intermediate and advanced divers eight fully-guided dives with a seven-night stay throughout 2013.  Rates start at $4190 per person and go up to $5870 per person depending on the time of year.

The package includes seven nights’ accommodations in an ocean-facing villa; all meals; soft drinks, local beer, wine, basic spirits, bottled water, daily laundry serve and guided activities including shore-based snorkeling, sea kayaking, birding, walking trails, beach picnics, dhow sailing and Hobie Cat sailing.

Opened in 2005 and located in Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago, the Lodge is already known for its diversified dives, especially Neptune’s Arm, voted one of the world’s top ten dive sites.  Many diving experts have deemed it the best dive they have ever experienced.  A short boat ride from the Lodge, this underwater island envelops spectacular scenery with a canyon plunging more than 200m deep with steep cliffs and filled with colorful marine life.

While there are now 15 dive sites, more are being discovered all the time, including sites for all diving abilities.  The island boasts a pristine coral reef, deemed one of the healthiest coral reef eco-systems in the world, abounding with what ecologists call “indicator species” – species so sensitive to changes in the marine climate that they serve as the proverbial “canary in the coal mine.” The reefs – a seascape of mountains, valleys, plateaus and cliffs – teem- with an array of whales, dolphins, turtles and reef sharks to Gregorian corals and giant clams. A survey carried out on the waters of Vamizi identified 46 genera of coral species and more than 400 species of fish. This kaleidescope of colorful sea creatures is a must for any serious diver. But the sheer beauty of Vamizi and its surrounding crystal-clear waters appeals to anyone who loves island living.

Vamizi is located in Mozambique’s Quirimbas Archipelago and is only seven and a half miles long by about a mile wide.  Vamizi Island Resort is the only resort on the island, a conservation project in partnership with WWF and funded through carefully considered low impact, high-end tourism.  Each of the 13 one and two bedroom villas was constructed of local building materials and by the local community to blend into the landscape.  The island has one of the longest turtle conservation operations in East Africa and fishing is sustainable.  The integration of local knowledge and traditions with world-class scientific understanding benefits everyone:  the community, wildlife, and visitors.

For complete itinerary, rates for specific dates and transfers to the island, call +44 1285 762218 or visit:  www.vamizi.com

For reservations:  reservations@vamizi.com