Africa Highlights!

Nadia is just back from a great trip in Southern Africa and wanted to share a few of her highlights - stay tuned for more details and photos in the upcoming Holiday newsletter due out next week!

In photo left, Nadia enjoys a mokoro ride in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, complete with make-shift sun hat! Below, Nadia caught a lioness and young cubs in a rare moment of activity out in the open bush. What a sighting indeed!

Trip highlights from Zimbabwe and Botswana:

#1 - Visiting Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe for the first time - what a hidden gem!
#2 - Spotting wild dog at Duma Tau in Botswana - amazing to watch these animals in the wild!
#3 - Excellent leopard and lion sightings at King's Pool Camp in the Linyanti Reserve, Botswana.
#4 - Seeing Children of the Wilderness at Jacana Camp. What a pleasure to see children experiencing the bush!
#5 - Sundowners at Jao Camp - the quintessential African safari experience!

Further details on these experiences, and more, coming soon in the December Africa Easy newsletter!

Photos by Nadia Eckhardt

The Best of Botswana with Africa Easy

Join Africa Easy on an epic tour in Botswana. Our Best of Botswana Safari is a 17-day journey through the highlights of this wilderness wonderland. The tour begins with a few days in South Africa's Mother City (and Nadia's home town), Cape Town, before heading deep into Botswana's Okavango Delta in the Moremi, Savute  and other excellent game viewing areas before ending at Victoria Falls.

This signature safari features both a 4- and 5-star option. In Cape Town, enjoy a stay at the quintessential Cape Grace. In the Delta a few of our select accommodations include Khwai River Lodge and Chobe Chilwero (among others). At Victoria Falls in Livingstone, Zambia, we call the regal Royal Livingstone home while we explore the Falls and surrounding area.

Excellent guiding and game-rich reserves and parks make this trip a top game-viewing adventure - lion, leopard, zebra, elephant, antelope and more are likely to be spotted on this safari. December is sunny and warm in Cape Town and also High Season. In Botswana and Zambia, December is known as the 'Green Season' - there will be some rainfall while on Safari in Botswana and at Victoria Falls, it may also be humid and hot. It is a good time for game viewing with Botswana being green and lush making for healthy animals many of them with their young. There is also the possibility to see part of the Wildebeest and Zebra migration through the Savute Marsh region.

For more information on the Best of Botswana Safari, contact Africa Easy or visit our website.

Good News out of Africa - 2010 SEED Awards

At Africa Easy, we are excited to see sustainable business and development succeeding in Africa. Below is a link to a great story on the 2010 SEED Award recipients - from a bamboo bike and recycled stationary to hand-held laundry devices and solar lanterns!

As Nadia travels through Southern Africa, she often sees the many ways that sustainable development helps to conserve wilderness land and wildlife in Africa, as well as maintaining cultures. Read on and add some inspiration  to your day!

http://www.africagoodnews.com/business/innovation/2347-bamboo-bikes-and-biomass-briquettes-receive-sustainable-development-award.html

Africa Easy designs custom safaris and offers group trips to South Africa and East Africa. If you'd like to visit a local community project or village on your safari, just let us know in advance and we can make the plans!

Africa Easy's South Africa Favorites

At Africa Easy we try to visit all of the properties we work with as often as we can. While the options are truly endless, we do have a shortlist of our favorite spots based on exceptional game viewing, unique accommodations and attentive service. 

The following are great accommodation locations to explore the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park area and the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal.

ELEPHANT LAKE HOTEL, ST LUCIA - a mid range Hotel
www.elephantlakehotel.co.za

HLUHLUWE RIVER LODGE - a high end Lodge
www.hluhluwe.co.za

PHINDA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE - a high end Lodge
www.andbeyond.com

Within the Greater Sabi Sand/Kruger National Park Area, home to arguably the world's most dense game viewing and prime leopard viewing, a few of our favorites include: 

LION SANDS RIVER LODGE & PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, SABI SAND (Luxury Lodge)
www.lionsands.co.za

LONDOLOZI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, SABI SAND (Luxury Lodge)
http://www.londolozi.com

SINGITA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, SABI SAND (Luxury Lodge)
http://www.singita.com

SABI SABI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, SABI SAND (Luxury Lodge, Tented Camp)
http://www.sabisabi.com

MALA MALA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, SABI SAND (Luxury Lodge)
http://www.malamala.com

INYATI GAME RESERVE,SABI SAND
www.inyati.co.za

The Timbavati is a great game reserve to pair with Sabi Sand. The cat viewings are not as high in this area, but other game is rich and the landscape and topography vary from Sabi Sand. 

MOTSWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE (High End)
http://www.motswari.co.za

TANDA TULA SAFARI CAMP (High End)
Http://www.tandatula.co.za

AKERU LODGE (Mid Range)
www.akeru.co.za

UMLANI BUSH CAMP (Mid Range)
www.umlani.co.za

The malaria-free area of Madikwe is great for families or for travelers looking for something unique. Madikwe has recently become well-known for their excellent wild dog sightings!

IMPODIMO LODGE
www.impodimo.co.za

JACI'S SAFARI LODGE & TREE LODGE (High End)
www.madikwe.co.za

MADIKWE RIVER LODGE
http://www.places.co.za/html/3193.html

Images courtesy of Hluhluwe River Lodge, Lion Sands Game Reserve and Jaci's Safari Lodge.

The Safari Guru Behind Africa Easy!

Nadia Eckhardt is the owner, operator and safari guru behind Africa Easy. Nadia was born in South Africa and resides in Seattle today, but still calls Cape Town “home.” She spent much of her youth enjoying the outdoors with her family: hiking, swimming, diving, exploring the southern tip of Africa and traveling the islands of the Indian Ocean and beyond.

After finishing her schooling in the beautiful city of Cape Town, she earned a business diploma and worked in advertising before boarding her first cruise ship, in the Indian Ocean. Since then she has worked on land and at sea, as cruise director on large liners and small expedition vessels and has traveled extensively throughout the world.

She completed a travel course at Sacramento State University in 1989, and in 2002 earned her National Powerboat Certificate. She is well versed in many adventure destinations such as Antarctica, the North Pole, the Amazon, Asia and the South Pacific and is a veteran African tour specialist and safari leader.

Nadia has always had a genuine passion for her native land, and has thoroughly enjoyed, for decades now, leading unique and specialized tours and safaris around this beautiful unspoiled part of the world. You can see and feel her love for Africa when you travel with her, and many now understand why it is that she returns at least twice a year. As she often says, “Join me and feel and experience the pulse of my beloved South Africa!” Travelers have a chance to join Nadia on an in-depth exploration of her home country of South Africa on Africa Easy's Best of South Africa tour. Nadia will lead the August 2011 departure and offer her uniquely South African insights and experiences.

She knows she will always be drawn back to Africa, and says it is not only the wildlife and diverse cultures that drive her to return time and time again, but it is the magical experiences—the sights, sounds, smells and challenges—of this unique land. Her love, extensive knowledge and firsthand experience show in her attention to detail when tour planning and when leading adventures around Southern Africa for like-minded travelers.

On Safari (and more!) in South Africa

Join us on safari in South Africa - this diverse country offers some of the best game viewing in Africa, as well as rich cultural experiences, fine dining, wine tasting and unique historical and nature-based excursions. South Africa is an ideal destination for a first-time visitor to Africa or a safari veteran! Learn more about our Best of South Africa tour and our South Africa and Swaziland tour. 




Cape Town 
South Africa is often referred to as one of the world's most desirable destinations and Cape Town certainly ranks as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, recommended for its natural beauty, culture and history. The rocky peninsula is home to unspoiled beaches, spectacular mountains, unforgettable scenery and a unique pageant of flora. A tour of the peninsula provides dramatic views of the coastline and includes some awesome stops along the way.


Some of the "MUST DO's" in Cape Town:

• A trip up Table Mountain
• Explore the Cape Point Nature Reserve and Chapman's Peak scenic drive
• Photograph the African Penguins on Boulders Beach
• Take a catamaran ride to historic Robben Island
• Stroll through the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
• The V&A Waterfront Complex
• Visit the District 6 Museum

The Western Cape
Traveling inland, visitors can experience the grandeur of the Cape Winelands. Winetasting of award-winning fine wines and cellar tours are available at some of the most beautiful Cape Dutch estates. 


The stretch of coastline just north of Cape Town is known as the Whale Route. Between the months of June and November, the whales migrate up from the Antarctic and take shelter around the Cape coastline to mate and calve.


The spectacular Garden Route stretches from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Storms River in the Eastern Cape and includes the quaint towns of Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Oudtshoorn and George. The Garden Route is renowned for its beautiful pristine beaches, indigenous forests and nature reserves, lakes, mountain ranges, adventure opportunities and great hiking trails.


The Eastern Cape
Stretching from the KwaZulu-Natal border in the north to the Storms River’s mouth on the Garden Route in the south, and extending inland to incorporate the desolate Great Karoo, the Eastern Cape includes the regions of the Sunshine Coast, Frontier Country, the Great Fish River and the Wild Coast. The Eastern Cape is the second largest of South Africa's nine provinces and the birthplace of Nelson Mandela.


KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal has a rich array of peoples, cultures and wildlife reserves, all set in a subtropical climate. The province's natural beauty is capped by the magnificent Drakensberg Mountains, which are a hiker's dream.


Rich in symbolism and tradition, Zululand is the region where the ruler of the Zulus, Shaka, forged his kingdom. There are several exciting traditional Zulu villages (kraals) open to the public, Shakaland and Dumazulu amongst them.


KwaZulu-Natal is dotted with historic battlefields, a reminder of the Anglo-Zulu war fought between the British and the Zulus in 1879. See these battlefields, explore the museums and historic towns and witness the many graves that pay tribute to this bloody war.


A Few of the National Parks in South Africa:


Hluhluwe-Umfolozi National Park is one of the oldest and most prestigious of the South African game parks. Located 280km north of Durban, this 960km² wilderness has a warm and moist climate. Credited with bringing the white rhino from the brink of extinction to flourishing numbers, it is also home to the Big Five.


The Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park Area is a World Heritage Site and the largest estuarine system in Africa. The area embraces five ecosystems: Marine, Eastern Shores, St. Lucia Lake, Mkuze Swamps and Western Shores. This diversity offers the nature lover a rich variety of outdoor and wildlife experiences.

Greater Kruger National Park - Mpumalanga is the flagship of South Africa's national parks, the Kruger National Park is a two-million-hectare reserve offering an unrivaled wildlife experience. Accommodations in the Greater Kruger area are varied and include rest camps, bungalows, bushveld camps and bush lodges. The South Kruger area and the private Sabi Sand Game Reserve offer numerous exclusive lodges and tailor-made safari activities.


The South Kruger region of the Kruger National Park is more popular, with more access points and various lodges to choose from. Undoubtedly the most prestigious game park in South Africa, the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, located on the southwest corner of the park, is known for having the best Big Five game spotting in the country. There are no restricting fences, so the animals roam freely, just as nature intended.

On Safari in East Africa!

East Africa offers an extraordinary opportunity to view wildlife in natural habitats, and the region’s reputation as the quintessential safari destination is well deserved - expansive, open savannahs, acacia trees and impressive herds of wildlife. East Africa is also home to the Great Migration where over a million herbivores (wildebeest and zebra) make their way through the Serengeti eco-system following the green grasses. East Africa also offers amazing trekking opportunities, beautiful beaches and rich, traditional tribal cultures.


Our Tanzania and Zanzibar Safari highlights the best of this region. Africa Easy hand-crafts custom safaris to Kenya on request, just contact us for more information.

Tanzania is arguably one of Africa's best-kept secrets! 

• Tanzania's national parks and conservation areas cover an area in excess of 200,000 square kilometers (76,200 miles). 
• Gaze in awe as millions of herbivores cross the Serengeti, especially during their annual migration.
• Marvel at the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest unbroken caldera.
• Explore the remote Selous Game Reserve and the world-famous Serengeti National Park.

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK - 
The Serengeti National Park, established in 1951, spans 14,800 square kilometers (5,714 square miles), reaching up to the Kenyan border in the north, and is acclaimed as one of the finest parks in Africa, with its vast open grasslands allowing for excellent wildlife sightings. The Serengeti is perhaps most well known for the annual migration that takes place across the great savannah plains. This is a phenomenal sight: thousands and thousands of animals, particularly wildebeest, as far as the eye can see.

NGORONGORO CRATER was established in 1959, is the largest intact caldera in the world, and some scientists maintain that before it erupted, it would have been higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point in Africa. The crater is situated in a conservation area, where wildlife is protected and the Masaai herdsmen graze their cattle side by side with predators and prey. In 1978 it was declared a World Heritage Site in recognition of its beauty and importance.

SELOUS GAME RESERVE - 
An excellent safari destination, the Selous Game Reserve consists of the Kilombero Game-Controlled Area in the west and the Mikumi National Park in the north. The Selous is of great historical interest, from the rise of prehistoric man through the passage of caravans transporting slaves and ivory and the campaigns of WWI.

LAKE MANYARA - Lake Manyara National Park is one of the most diverse of Tanzania's national parks, a tiny (325 square kilometres/125 square miles) combination of Rift Valley soda lake, dense woodlands and steep mountainside. The park was established specifically to protect the elephant herds that have made the area world-renowned.


Kenya Highlights

• Kenya abounds in diverse landscapes and large concentrations of game
• Renowned for its warm and hospitable people
• Kenya is rich in spectacular national parks: the Masai Mara, Meru Meru and the smaller, but no less remarkable Samburu

MASAAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE - Without a doubt Kenya's premier area for wildlife, the famous Masai Mara National Reserve covers an area of 1,510 square kilometres/575 square miles and forms the northern extension of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. It is famous for its annual great migration of more than two million wildebeest, gazelle and zebra. Almost every species of animal you can think of in relation to East Africa lives on the well-watered plains in this remote part of the country. The Masaai Mara is not a national park but a game reserve, the difference being that people, the Masaai, have the right to graze their herds on the land.

AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK -
Situated due south of Nairobi, Amboseli National Park is a mere 392 square kilometres/151 square miles in size and centers on Ol Tukai, an area containing several swamps that are magnets for wildlife. No visit to Amboseli is complete without a trip to Observation Hill for the best view of Mount Kilimanjaro

TSAVO NATIONAL PARK -
The main road from Nairobi to Mombasa splits Tsavo National Park into Tsavo East and Tsavo West. The eastern section, which consists of large regions of flat, dry thorn bush, is dominated by the Yatta Plateau. In contrast, the western section is much more scenic with a vista of volcanic mountains, hills and outcrops with magnificent views.

On Safari in Namibia

Namibia is a sun-baked land of geographical extremes wedged between the Kalahari and the chilly South Atlantic. Namibia is rich in resources and spectacular natural beauty with a solid modern infrastructure and a diversity of cultures. At Africa Easy, we love the extreme diversity of this unique destination. While Namibia doesn't boast the large numbers of wildlife like Botswana, it does offer a highly diverse natural experience. 


Africa Easy is offering a very special safari in Namibia in June/July of 2011. Join Africa Easy president, Nadia Eckhardt as she leads our Namibia Fly-in Safari. 


Namibia has a harsh climate but still boasts some of the world's grandest national parks. They are the world-famous wildlife-oriented Etosha National Park, the huge Namib-Naukluft Park, as well as the Caprivi region, the Fish River Canyon and the Skeleton Coast parks.


The forests and waterways of the northeast gradually change to acacia shrubs and trees as one moves towards the center of the country. The northwestern area of Kaokaveld and Damaraland is a semi-desert region, extremely rugged with high mountains dropping down into deep valleys.


The west coast consists of the Namib Desert and the notorious "Skeleton Coast". This is also the area in which one finds what is reputably referred to as the world's highest sand dunes. The Namib Desert on the west coast, at 80 million years old, is the oldest and most picturesque desert on earth. As well as boasting the highest sand dunes in the world, over 1,250 feet high, the Namib is spectacularly diverse with scenery from the mountains of Damaraland in the north through the Skeleton Coast in the west, to the giant red dunes of Sossusvlei in the south.


As one moves south through the interior of the country it becomes more arid and flat. The country has only a few perennial rivers. To the north and east are the Zambezi, Kwando, Okavango and Kunene Rivers and in the south the Orange River. These rivers act as natural boundaries to the neighboring countries.




ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK - See the incredible variety of African animals at one of the world's greatest wildlife-viewing venues. Depending on the season, visitors may observe elephant, Burchell's zebra, giraffe, red hartebeest, springbok, blue wildebeest, gemsbok (oryx), eland, kudu, roan, ostrich, jackal, hyena, lion and even possibly cheetah and leopard.


NAMIB DESERT - The Namib Desert on the west coast is, at 80 million years old, the oldest and most picturesque desert on Earth. Sporting some of the highest sand dunes in the world, the Namib is amazingly diverse, with scenery ranging from the Skeleton Coast in the west, the mountains of Damaraland in the north and the giant red dunes of Sossusvlei in the south.


DAMARALAND - Visit the 1728m Spitzkoppe, a remarkable landmark, the rock engravings at Twyfelfontein as well as the Brandberg, Namibia's highest massif. In addition to its sense of freedom the region is rich in both natural and cultural attractions.


SKELETON COAST - A desolate and lonely coastline once littered with shipwrecks, the Skeleton Coast properly refers to the stretch between the mouths of the Swakop and Kunene Rivers.

On Safari in Zambia

Zambia is still quite undiscovered and under-traveled. Birthplace of the walking safari and home to some of Africa's top naturalist guides, Zambia is the ideal destination for a veteran Africa traveler looking to get off the beaten path and experience game drives, walking safaris, canoe trips and more all in a variety of wilderness areas. Africa Easy loves exploring the wild bush of Zambia's South Luangwa and the waterways of the Lower Zambezi National Parks!

Our Zambia Explorer commences from Johannesburg. Travel on scheduled air to Livingstone to explore the mighty Victoria Falls and surrounding area. Continue on scheduled chartered aircraft to Chiawa Camp, Lower Zambezi National Park. From camp you are treated to excellent game viewing and birding in vehicles and small, motorized boats on the river. A wonderful highlight is the Canoe Trip from the Royal Zambezi Lodge to Mwambashi River Lodge 27 km down river. Accompanied by professional, experienced guides, and surrounded by supreme tranquility you will experience unrivalled game viewing. Fly chartered air along the Zambian Rift Valley to Mfuwe and transfer to Bush Camps near the Luangwa River. Explore the Luangwa either on foot or in open 4x4 vehicles. Charter and scheduled air back to Johannesburg.

LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK is Zambia's newest national park, set along the northwestern bank of the Zambezi River opposite the Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe. Chiawa Camp is a luxurious lodge inside the park at the junction of the Chiawa and Zambezi Rivers, a real highlight!

SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK - The camps and lodges here run excellent day and night wildlife drives and walking safaris between June and November. The Luangwa River flows all year but gets shallow in the dry season, which exposes vast sandbanks covered by groups of hippopotamus and crocodiles.

VICTORIA FALLS - On the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia, 350 feet high and a mile wide, is the largest sheet of falling water on Earth, and the most spectacular of all waterfalls. Over 130 million gallons of water from the mighty Zambezi River plunge down this crevice every minute, shaking the ground and creating a plume of mist that can be seen from 14 miles away.

On Safari in Botswana

For many travelers, Africa is about safari, an adventure to experience firsthand, the intense and exciting drama of life and death on the African plains. Southern Africa is still a best-kept secret and has not yet been invaded by huge numbers of tourists. Exclusive lodges and safari camps offer a unique and private experience and a truly authentic African experience. Southern Africa is one of Africa Easy's top wilderness experiences - traditional 4x4 game drives, walking safaris, and mokoro and canoe trips fill travelers' days!

Botswana has been carefully developed and much of the country's wilderness areas are private game reserves where a very limited number of travelers are allowed on a daily basis - this is the one of the most intimate safari experiences in Africa! Our Best of Botswana Tour  offers excellent game viewing and covers all of the region's major highlights: starting with 4 days in Cape Town, 10 nights on Safari in the Chobe National Park and Savute, Moremi Game Reserve the Okavango Delta and ending with 2 nights at Victoria Falls in Zambia. 


A comprehensive safari to Botswana (10-14 days) should include the following highlights - all amazing and unique in their own right. 

THE OKAVANGO DELTA: The Delta covers nearly 6,000 square miles and is the largest inland delta in the world and Botswana's premier attraction. Even more amazing, it exists in the middle of the Kalahari Desert as a giant oasis teeming with wildlife; no part of Africa has a higher concentration of game than this "Jewel of the Kalahari.” The Okavango Delta is usually subdivided into four areas: Eastern Delta, Inner Delta, Moremi and the Okavango Panhandle. The most popular destinations lie within Moremi Game Reserve, the only protected area in the delta.

CHOBE NATIONAL PARK: This huge reserve, which is rich in wildlife, with its magnificent riverfront, inland marsh and savanna zones is truly something to behold. The riverfront strip along the northern tier, with its perennial water supply, supports the greatest wildlife concentrations. However, the Savuti Marshes in the western part of Chobe, when they contain water, also provide prime wildlife habitat, as does the 900-sq km Linyanti Marshes.


MAKGADIKGADI PANS: The Makgadikgadi Pans in northern Botswana are the world's most expansive saltpans. Covering 14,500 square miles, they can be seen from space. During the dry season these pans are an enormous and powerful expanse of emptiness; after the first rains they are transformed into one of Africa's most important breeding grounds for flamingos, and attract the continent's second biggest animal migration.

Welcome to Africa Easy - Join us on Safari!

Africa Easy is a specialized tour company that prides itself on planning tailor-made, small-group tours and safaris to Southern and East Africa.

Nadia Eckhardt, a native of South Africa, and founder of Africa Easy finally filled a long-held dream. Over the past twenty years, Nadia has planned and led tours on all seven continents for some of the world’s top expedition companies including Zegrahm Expeditions. No matter how far and wide she has traveled, however, she has always kept a deep and abiding love for her home continent. She has always wanted to have her very own tour company to share her passion for Southern Africa with curious travelers. Nadia’s years of experience and depth of knowledge ensure a memorable experience, whether she is introducing the wonders of the continent to first-time visitors or delving deeper into its mysteries with those returning to Africa.

Those who have traveled with Nadia over the years can attest to her enthusiasm and professionalism and her rush of energy every time she steps on the continent. You, too, will be enthralled and thoroughly entertained by her endless stories and wealth of experience while you explore the vibrant cities and the African bush. Lasting memories and experiences are what many of us thrive on, and Africa Easy makes that happen for each traveler who chooses to explore Southern Africa with us. Contact us today to plan your safari in Africa!