RE-VAMPED HEALTH CLUB & SPA AT ABERDARE COUNTRY CLUB OFFERS RE-VITALIZING TREATMENTS FROM THREE CONTINENTS

NAIROBI, Kenya (08/2013) Aberdare Country Club (ACC), a luxury lodge and chalets set in a 1300-acre wildlife sanctuary 2 1/2 hours northeast of Nairobi, unveiled a new menu for its Health Club & Spa that includes treatments from three continents – Europe, Asia and Africa – at very affordable prices.

From Europe comes the long-time favorite Swedish Massage ($30, sixty minutes), the basis for all Western forms of massage treatment. The massage alleviates stiffness and fatigue, improves circulation and uses oils that soften the skin.

From Africa comes the Aromatherapy Massage ($35, sixty minutes). Aromatherapy can be traced back to ancient Egypt, when incense and aromatic oils and plants were used to cure a variety of ailments and were enlisted in sacred rituals to evoke separate states of consciousness. For the Aromatherapy Massage essential oils are customized to the individual. Two distinct but overlapping aspects of this treatment are employed to maximize the soothing effects on the body.

From India comes the Indian Head, Back & Shoulder Massage ($25, forty minutes), a treatment that delivers therapeutic benefits while turning the customer’s relaxation dial down to zero.  The Hindi word for head massage is “Champi,” an age-old tradition in Indian households: Mothers would stroke their daughter’s hair to promote its growth and health.  Aspects of this technique have been adapted to help calm the nervous system and relieve joint and muscle stiffness. While the nervous system is soothed, the lymphatic and circulatory systems are stimulated through varying strokes and pressure. Added benefit:  the massage diminishes tension headaches and reduces eye strain. 

ACC’s Health Club & Spa boasts a fully-equipped gym with the latest cardiovascular machines, free weights and a matted section for Pilates and/or aerobics. The facility includes rooms for massage, body therapy treatments and beauty care. Hours are 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, weekdays, week-ends and public holidays.

Contact:   kenyasales@marasa.net or Visit: www.aberdarecountryclub.com

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

CALLING ALL ECLIPSE CHASERS: TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE SAFARI OFFERED IN UGANDA

KAMPALA, Uganda (08/2013) Premier Safaris , a specialist in adventure/luxury safaris in East Africa, announces a four-day Solar Eclipse Safari to experience a rare total eclipse of the sun in Pakwach, Northern Uganda, on November 3, 2013. The town is the country’s railhead on the White Nile, not far north of the outlet from Lake Albert. The eclipse will pass over Gabon in Western Africa, and be visible in Equatorial Uganda, Kenya and finally Ethiopia.  Rates for the package start at $2,000 per person sharing, but drop to $1861 per person for those joining the group departure from Kampala on November 1, 2013.  Mountain gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is an optional add-on.

For the experienced eclipse chaser, such a narrow and abrupt eclipse will come with a prominent presentation of the colorful innermost atmospheric layer of the Sun – the chromosphere – and a spectacular view along the axis of the Moon’s shadow.  Premier’s director Corne Schalkwyk says, “Though the total phase of a solar eclipse is very brief, it is considered to be one of the most awe-inspiring spectacles in all of nature. The sky takes on an eerie twilight as the Sun’s bright face is replaced by the black disk of the Moon. Surrounding the Moon is a beautiful gossamer halo. This is the Sun’s spectacular solar corona, a super-heated plasma two million degrees in temperature.”

The Solar Eclipse Safari encompasses three nights at Paraa Safari Lodge, meals, game drives, a water Safari on the River Nile to see the thrilling Murchison Falls, and transport to Owiny Primary School in Pakwach, the ideal spot to await the moon’s occult of the sun.  

For detailed itinerary or bookings contact operations@premiersafaris.com

A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE WITH EVERY COURSE: An Epicurean Adventure with Ruinart at the Saxon Hotel’s five hundred

JOHANNESBURG (08/13) – David Higgs, celebrated executive chef at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, brings a new twist to his six-course tasting menu at the hotel’s chic five hundred restaurant.  Intensifying the taste buds of almost any palate, a glass of Ruinart Champagne comes with each course, a panoply of the wholesome goodness from the chef’s organic gardens and earthy flavors of South Africa.   Each heady course presents the perfect time to raise a toast.  Now, how much fun is that!

This is the first time in Africa that a restaurant has joined with a champagne house to create an innovative menu.  While chefs seldom pair an entire meal with champagne, Niel Hendriksz, the Moet Hennessy Portfolio* Ambassador for Africa, says:  “Champagne as a food-pairing wine is always refreshing; it cleanses the palate and never overshadows the taste of the food. Bringing together the bold flavors of David Higgs with the freshness and elegance of Ruinart Champagne will leave you with a sense of veneration for what is presented before you.”

Each dinner is reserved 72 hours in advance and the chef tailor-makes each menu with what’s available that day to ensure the finest, freshest ingredients as well as accommodate specific needs and dietary requirements.  The best beluga caviar, foie gras and crayfish is sourced internationally while David’s organic garden supplies seasonal produce for most of the year.   The champagne served ranges from light and delicate to bold and robust.  They include R de Ruinart; Ruinart Blanc du Blanc; Ruinart Rosè; and the company’s creme de la crème, Dom Ruinart 1998.

David says “I believe in constantly experimenting with new cooking techniques and bold flavors, bringing in a few unexpected twists and turns as an element of surprise.  I draw my inspiration from contemporary world cuisine and classical combinations as well as modern African influences, at all times using only the freshest, handpicked seasonal ingredients and carefully selected artisanal produce.”  Full of ideas, David is at the top of noted South African chefs.

The intimate atmosphere of the Chef’s Table in the heart of five hundred offers the Ruinart Experience at Saxon five hundred the ultimate private dining experience for up to eight guests.  To enter the Experience, guests are escorted down a sleek black hallway lined with fine crystal stemware, past the open kitchen through a discreet door into the restaurant’s Chef’s Table.  The roomy space with its stunning contemporary art and elegant Ruinart accessories, offers a unique blend of privacy and glamour.  The central focal point is the open plan Chef’s kitchen and the impressive glass wine cellar.  Guests watch the chefs at work as they present the impressive six course menu – sort of like of food and champagne with a taste for luxury and quality of life,” adds David.

Managing Director George Cohen said: “We have created this experience in celebration of the close collaboration between the highly regarded House of Ruinart, the world’s oldest, most prestigious champagne, and the Saxon, voted the World’s Leading Boutique Hotel since 2001.”

The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday, evenings only from 6 pm.  The exclusive six-course Ruinart Experience menu is $500 (R4900) per person for a minimum of four people and a maximum of eight people. Guests from within the hotel and outside of the hotel are welcome.

For further information or reservations contact The Saxon Boutique Hotel at +27 11 292 6000 or visit: www.saxon.co.za

EXPLORE KENYA’S KIPSING LUGGA BY QUAD BIKE

Kenya (07/2013) - Henry Morton Stanley, David Livingstone, Vasco da Gama, and now you. Join the ranks of these legendary African explorers by taking advantage of Cheli & Peacock’s Quad Bike Adventures. Imagine the wind whipping through your hair as you race across the Andanguru Plain or Kipsing Lugga, and drive along the Seaku and Ewaso Rivers in Kenya’s remote Northern Frontier District. Choose your own adventure on these quad bikes and camp out under the stars or simply take a day trip and return back to your camp at night.

For those who truly want to channel their inner explorer, Cheli & Peacock will organize one or two night trips to the Kipsing Lugga. Spend the morning traversing the area, stopping only to savor a delicious picnic lunch. The afternoon’s activities are entirely up to you, so you can do more driving or hiking if you’d prefer to explore the terrain on foot. If you’re interested in meeting the locals, Cheli & Peacock can arrange a visit and dance performance by a local Samburu tribe. Fly tents provide comfortably rustic lodging for the night, while allowing you to soak up the African night sky’s splendor. In the morning, prepare to be roused by a Yellow-Necked Spurfowl, and be rewarded with a hearty breakfast.

You don’t have to spend the night under the stars to channel your inner explorer- Cheli & Peacock also offers day trips to the Kipsing Riverbed through the stunning Mpuskutuk Conservancy, home to many of Kenya’s endemic dry land species like the Gerenuk, Somali Ostrich and the Lesser Kudu. Spend the morning exploring, and drive back to camp, or take a helicopter- as any modern adventurer would. 

Kipsing is stunning, but if you’re in the mood for a more verdant landscape, the Ngare Ndare forest is the place for you. Begin your journey in this forest at the base of Mount Kenya that serves as the channel between the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Mount Kenya, which elephants traverse during their migration. Here, towering, centuries old trees are surrounded by clear streams that turn into bubbling falls and end sapphire pools. Enjoy a panoramic view of this forest from the longest canopy walk in East Africa, which offers phenomenal birding.

Go ahead, book one of these trips- Livingstone would’ve wanted you to.

All trips are led by experienced guides. There is a minimum of four people for the Kipsing trips and a maximum of four people for the Ngare Ndare trips. No one under the age of 16 can drive a bike, but children under 16 are welcome, provided that they have a guardian to drive for them. Helmets, goggles, and first aid kits are provided. Rates for the overnight trip start at $830 per person per night, and day trips start at $215 per person. N.B. Meals are included in this price. Itineraries are valid through December 15, 2013.

Clients have the option to be transferred by road from one of the nearby lodges (Lewa / Borana). They alternatively can arrive from any location in Kenya by fixed wing to the Kipsing airstrip or be dropped by helicopter at a rendezvous point.

For more information, visit www.chelipeacock.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

ENROLL YOUR CHILD IN MAASAI WARRIOR SCHOOL

KENYA (07/2013) – Jump! Throw! Dance! Learn the ways of a warrior with the African bush as your classroom… Beginning August 1, children visiting Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp in the Maasai Mara are invited to join in a Maasai Warrior session. Under the tutelage of Kinyaika, one of the oldest trackers in the business, and the Maasai team, learn skills Maasai Warriors have mastered.

These skills, depending on age and ability, include fire making; spear throwing; bow and arrow practice; Maasai jumping, dancing and singing and stone throwing. Look forward to taking part in the traditions passed down for generations: participate in a blessing ceremony (involves Maasai clothing, Maasai jewelry and possibly henna). A certificate is given at the end of the experience; and, for those skilled enough to hit the targets, a wooden bow and (nonlethal) arrow is provided as a prize.

Proud parents can cheer from the sidelines, join in on the fun or leave the traditions to student and teacher and go on safari during this time. Sessions last between two and three hours.

“As a multi-generational family safari business, Cottar’s Safari Service, has always put emphasis on the family experience. The Maasai Warrior School particularly is something our younger guests will never forget,” explains Doug Nagi, Guest Experience Manager and Gold Guide at Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp.

The white canvas tented property emits the original safari tradition thanks to its roots with Charles Cottar, an American from Iowa who came to Kenya in the 1900s with his entire family. Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is located on an untouched exclusive concession bordering the Serengeti, Maasai Mara and Loliondo reserves, guaranteeing privacy and an abundance of wildlife. Families can choose from four family tented suites, which each consist of two ensuite bedrooms with a shared sitting/dining room, and a private house, which can accommodate up to 10 guests in five large ensuite bedrooms.

The Maasai Warrior School is a complementary activity included within full board accommodation. Full board accommodation rates start at $530 per person sharing. Also included are: bush meals and sundowners; bush walks; day and night game drives; transfers to cultural visits; transfers to Cottars Airstrip and limited laundry.

For more information, visit www.cottars.com or email info@cottarsafaris.com.

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

SANTIAGO, Chile (07/2013) – For the first time ever, Cruceros Australis offers 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 Punta Arenas Chile or the most important city in Tierra del Fuego – Ushuaia, Argentina.

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.)

Should the halfway point be Ushuaia, Argentina – the southernmost city in the world – passengers choose between a four-hour Tierra del Fuego National Park visit and a two-hour Prison/Yamana Museum visit (explore, explore, explore). If the halfway point is Punta Arenas, Chile, passengers can visit two museums and/or the public cemetery, which tells the story of the city in silence. Of course, 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.

A sample itinerary can look like this:

Day 1: Departure from Punta Arenas, Chile
Day 2: Disembarkation at Aguila Glacier and Condor GlacierDay 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 $2,765 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.