Recommend July 2013 - (Page 66)

africa seeing african wonders through a viewfinder For clients seeking to get in touch with their inner Peter Beard—the noted environmentalist and brilliant nature photographer—few places shine like the enormous and vivid palette that is Africa. sergio ortiz Adventure travelers and photographic enthusiasts will ﬁnd that visiting the continent is like walking into a real-time documentary of exotic delights where the choices of accommodations and actionﬁlled adventures are as vast as the African savannah. Perhaps the most eminent destination in the whole continent is southern Africa, with its long and fabled history of attracting visitors seeking a ramble into the wild side. It does not disappoint. Very few photographic experiences rival the thrill of capturing wild game in its natural surroundings. Nature photography requires much patience, luck and long hours waiting for that moment when light and composition merge into what Henri Cartier-Bresson, the master photographer, so precisely called “the decisive moment.” The wind rustles the leaves of acacia trees in the African veldt, the sun blazes in all its glory, nothing moves and then—silently and majestically—a creature emerges. Perhaps a lion, maybe a rhino, or with luck a leopard that eyes you suspiciously only to disappear into the bush after being startled by the click of a camera shutter. african travel, inc. For those wild experiences that venture far from the ordinary, African Travel, Inc. lists choices—part of its Distinctive Safari Collection—designed for those who want to capture the unforgettable moments of an African excursion with the sensor of a digital camera. Some of its tours are, pardon the pun, “picture-perfect.” African Travel, Inc.’s experience in adventure travel reaches back for almost a century and this family-owned company is one of the most respected tour operators focusing exclusively on Africa, although it also offers some appealing excursions to Jordan. 66 july 2013 66-67 AF Safaris.indd 66 Next spring, African Travel, Inc. president Jim Holden, a thirdgeneration Zambian, will personally lead an expedition to Zambia (11 days from $12,395 pp dbl) that tentatively will trace the “steps of Dr. Livingstone,” the 19th century Scottish explorer credited with “opening” Africa to the outside world. The adventure is a nature and wildlife photographer’s dream come true. “The safari,” says Holden, “will take you behind the scenes, introduce you to people and show you places you wouldn’t normally experience.” The trip unwinds along rivers and rainforests where nature reigns. It also includes excursions to Victoria Falls, trips to Zambian villages, treks to view wildlife along the banks of the Zambezi River and even night drives led by veteran game trackers to catch glimpses of elusive leopards and the rare nocturnal civets of the region—subjects not normally seen through a viewﬁnder. African Travel requires a $3,000 deposit pp within seven days of booking, with the remaining sum due by February 2014. Another African Travel, Inc. expedition that will send the shutters of Nikons and Canons into overdrive is its Best of Kenya and Tanzania-Serengeti tour. This is a 12-day trip (from $8,995 pp dbl, land-only) that features wildlife viewing-photography in Kenya and Tanzania. The trip takes guests into the Serengeti plains stretching between the two countries, skirts the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, stops at Ngorongoro Crater (one of the wonders of the natural world) in Tanzania and offers close-up encounters with the majestic wildlife that thrives in the world’s largest volcanic caldera. Accommodations are in some of the best and most luxurious properties in that part of Africa such as the Elephant Bedroom Camp in the Samburu National Reserve, the Exploreans Ngorongoro Lodge and the Dunia Camp in the middle of Serengeti National Park. A highlight includes a visit to Lake Manyara, home to one of the largest colonies of pink ﬂamingos, the very rare tree-climbing Manyara lions and even the blue monkeys, images that will enhance any photo gallery. recommend.com 6/20/13 12:23 PM http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend July 2013

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Eleven Experience
Tour Talk: DuVine Cycling + Adventure
Expedition Cruising: Explore the Unexplored
Eleven Experience's Chalet Pelerin
Brazil Travel Planner
Grand Solmar Land's End Resort & Spa
Guatemala Travel Planner
Latin America Specialist Courses
The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs
5 Ways to Adventure in North America
Swain Tours Shines in the Land Down Under
Seeing African Wonders Through a Viewfinder
Trinidad & Tobago
Soaring to New Heights in Saint Lucia

Recommend July 2013