Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[A Writer Returns To Uganda Without Ever Leaving]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/16/a-writer-returns-to-uganda-without-ever-leaving/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/16/a-writer-returns-to-uganda-without-ever-leaving/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/16/a-writer-returns-to-uganda-without-ever-leaving/#commentsFiled under: ,



I'd been looking for an excuse to leave Kampala for a several weeks. After our guard stole my roommate's bankroll and the security company asked us to decide whether he should be fired or pistol-whipped -- we settled on the latter after both protesting and soliciting his input -- I'd been tasked with a story about health care that required me to loiter in a hospital where amputees dragged themselves down the halls from ward to ward. I was young and these slight horrors planted the seeds of anxiety: I was convinced that the waiters at the expatronized Ethiopian restaurant, who al-Shabab would murder a few years later, had become rude and that the screeners at the gates of parliament had taken an unhealthy interest in my press pass.

When my less-than-encouraging editor offered me the Murchison Falls story, I took it immediately. I'd never said no to him and it was finally convenient to say yes. I didn't want to be at home anymore. My half-built compound had been all but taken over by a group of construction workers, men who wore their muscles like wet suits and sweated accordingly.

Murchison Falls National Park had once been renowned enough for its plentiful wildlife to attract the Queen and the Prince of Wales, but the last few decades had been hard on the area around Masindi and Lake Edward. A series of rebel armies -- anti-Milton Obote, anti-Idi Amin, anti-Yoweri Museveni -- took up residency in the hills near the Blue Nile. After a Lord's Resistant Army soldier gunned down a British tourist on safari in the park in 2005, the State Department issued a warning and the slow trickle of adventurous Europeans stopped altogether. Most of Joseph Kony's boys fled the scene of the crime and the few elephants, crocodiles and hippos that hadn't been eaten or used for target practice were finally left in peace.

Gallery: Murchison Falls National Park

The FallsThe RiverElephantsHipposWildlife

Continue reading A Writer Returns To Uganda Without Ever Leaving

A Writer Returns To Uganda Without Ever Leaving originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelAfrica TravelAfricaTravelgalleryJoseph KonyJosephKonyMurchison FallsMurchisonFallsNorthern UgandaNorthernUgandaSafariUgandaUganda TravelUgandaTravelMon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Build your own adventure with the Africa Safari Planner]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/13/build-your-own-adventure-with-the-africa-safari-planner/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/13/build-your-own-adventure-with-the-africa-safari-planner/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/13/build-your-own-adventure-with-the-africa-safari-planner/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Africa Safari Planner is a new tool for travelersThe Africa Safari Planner, a newly launched website from adventure travel company Natural Habit Adventures, gives travelers the ability to create their own custom trips to the African bush. The site, which launched earlier this week, provides options to visit nine different countries, and stay in over 300 unique camps, while encountering some of the most spectacular wildlife on the planet.

The process begins by selecting which months you would prefer to travel in, and indicating the number of people in your group. From there, you'll be presented with options for travel in both Eastern and Southern Africa, in such countries as Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and Namibia. After selecting a starting destination, travelers are then given the choice of several single and multi-country routes for their African adventure, which then prompts the site to suggest possible camps to stay in for each day of the journey. Those camps are broken down into categories based on price, giving the customer the ability to budget accordingly.

That said, there isn't much that is "budget" about these tours. They definitely fall into the upscale category, and travelers on these custom safaris aren't exactly roughing it. No matter which camps they choose to visit, they'll have their own comfortable rooms, complete with large beds and private showers. They'll also enjoy gourmet meals in spacious dining rooms and access to a host of other amenities while at the lodge. Of course, you don't go to Africa to hang out at the lodge, and each of the camps offers unique options for viewing the wildlife as well.

If you're looking for a truly once-in-a-lifetime journey, and don't mind paying for it, then this is an excellent tool for creating your own custom safari itinerary. There are less expensive alternatives for booking a trip to Africa, but few offer this kind of flexibility and options for travelers.

Build your own adventure with the Africa Safari Planner originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelafrica safari plannerafrican safariAfricanSafariAfricaSafariPlannersafaritravel plannertravel planningTravelPlannerTravelPlanningwebsitewebsitesFri, 13 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New travel philanthropy partnership helps children in Uganada, Africa, through their "$1 for the Future" campaign]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/22/new-travel-philanthropy-partnership-helps-children-in-uganada-a/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/22/new-travel-philanthropy-partnership-helps-children-in-uganada-a/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/22/new-travel-philanthropy-partnership-helps-children-in-uganada-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

uganada africa charity programBeginning this month, Marasa's Mweya Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, Africa, launched their "$1 For the Future" campaign in conjunction with USAID's Sustainable Tourism in the Albertine Rift Program (USAID-STAR) and the Uganda Community Tourism Association's Pearls of Uganda Program.

Guests who stay at the Mweya Safari Lodge are invited to donate $1 per day of their stay to help rebuild and construct schools for children. This also includes building murals that reflect the theme of conservation and children being taught the values or protecting wildlife.

Not only does this campaign aim to help children, but also to protect the land in East Africa through conservation and education. The "$1 For the Future" program is an example that highlights the ways that tourism can support sustainable tourism.

New travel philanthropy partnership helps children in Uganada, Africa, through their "$1 for the Future" campaign originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>africabudget travelBudgetTravelcharitychildrenecotourismhelp africaHelpAfricasustainable tourismSustainableTourismugandavolunteer abroadVolunteerAbroadwilflifeSat, 22 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[African governments doing more to stop poaching of endangered species]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/30/african-governments-doing-more-to-stop-poaching-of-endangered-sp/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/30/african-governments-doing-more-to-stop-poaching-of-endangered-sp/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/30/african-governments-doing-more-to-stop-poaching-of-endangered-sp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

poaching, rhinoThis year in Africa, the fight between law enforcement and poachers of endangered species has flared into a war.

In the first two months of 2011, nine poachers were shot dead in South Africa. Despite this, poaching is up. In that nation alone, 333 rhinos were killed in 2010, and there have been 309 rhinos poached so far this year. It looks like the illegal hunters are set to break a grisly record.

Now South Africa is holding talks with Vietnam to reduce the demand for rhino horn, which some Asians use as an aphrodisiac and as a cure for cancer. Sometimes the horns are kept whole as curios or for religious rituals, as this 1930s photo of a Tibetan monk from the Bundesarchiv shows. The two governments are working on a plan to fight organized syndicates that trade in animal parts.

South Africa isn't the only country seeing trouble, and isn't the only country fighting back. In Zimbabwe, poachers have been poisoning water holes so they can kill animals silently and avoid detection by park guards. At least nine elephants, five lions, two buffaloes, and several vultures are known to have died.

Meanwhile, Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo are going to sign a treaty to cooperate across their borders to stop poaching of mountain gorillas and other species. The treaty also sets up joint research and education about the region's diverse flora and fauna.

African governments doing more to stop poaching of endangered species originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Africaconservationelephantelephantsentertainmenthunterhuntersillegal poachingIllegalPoachingmountain gorillamountain gorillasMountainGorillaMountainGorillaspoacherpoacherspoachingrhinorhino hornrhino poachersrhino poachingRhinoHornRhinoPoachersRhinoPoachingrhinoswildlifewildlife preservewildlife reservesWildlifePreserveWildlifeReservesFri, 30 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Top ten most crowded islands in the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/top-ten-most-crowded-islands-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/top-ten-most-crowded-islands-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/top-ten-most-crowded-islands-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

most crowded islands

From an island microslum in Colombia to a haute enclave in central Paris, the ten most crowded islands in the world bear scant similarities in class or culture. In fact, every entry in the top ten comes from a different country. But being islands, each shares the common thread of scarcity - whether it be land, resources, or housing. In general, these islands are prophetical microcosms for an overcrowded earth - finite spaces where self sufficiency governs and demand pierces supply.

With the world's population racing higher and higher, and the "megacities club" accepting new members yearly, some day the earth could bear the traits of one of these densely packed islands.

Gallery: Most crowded islands on earth

Vasilyevsky Island in RussiaLilla Essingen in SwedenÎle Saint-Louis in FranceÎle Saint-Louis in FranceManhattan in the Unites States

Continue reading Top ten most crowded islands in the world

Top ten most crowded islands in the world originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colombiafranceHong KongHongKongIle Saint-LouisIleSaint-louisIndiaislandsKenyamaldivesmalemanhattanmarshall islandsMarshallIslandsmigingomost crowded islandsmost populatdMostCrowdedIslandsMostPopulatdMumbainew yorkNewYorkrussiarussian federationRussianFederationSt. PetersburgSt.PetersburgStockholmswedenUgandaunited-statesThu, 07 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Black Tomato launches Epic Tomato, an ambitious new adventure offshoot]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/26/black-tomato-launches-epic-tomato-an-ambitious-new-adventure-of/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/26/black-tomato-launches-epic-tomato-an-ambitious-new-adventure-of/http://www.gadling.com/2011/02/26/black-tomato-launches-epic-tomato-an-ambitious-new-adventure-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


For years Black Tomato has delighted old travel hands with its inventive, bespoke itineraries to various corners of the globe. The company is especially good at showcasing beautiful destinations not yet well-known to most travelers beyond the surrounding region. Among others, Belgrade, the Carpathian foothills, the Kuronian Spit, and Bhutan have all been embraced by the company.

This morning, Black Tomato launched Epic Tomato, which showcases a selection of hardcore adventure experiences to very hard-to-reach places. These adventures are scheduled for lengths of between four to 21 days, and are grouped into five categories: Polar, Desert, Jungle, Mountain, and River. They are all led by serious expert guides, some with SAS (British special service) military backgrounds.

Bolivia's Apolobamba mountain range, Mali's Dogon region, the Star Mountains of Papua New Guinea (see above), the Mosquito Coast of Honduras, and East Greenland are just a few of the destinations reached by Epic Tomato tours.

Epic Tomato's frankly epic experiences don't come cheap. At the bottom end of the scale, three adventures come in at £5995 ($9660): 14 days in Papua New Guinea's East New Britain and Duke of York Islands; a 21-day trek in Tibet and Nepal; and eight days in Chilean Patagonia. At the very high end: 12 days on Canada's Ellesmere Island for £67,495 ($108,720).

Black Tomato launches Epic Tomato, an ambitious new adventure offshoot originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antarcticablack tomatoBlackTomatocanadaChilechilean patagoniaChileanPatagoniaellesmere islandEllesmereIslandepic tomatoEpicTomatolondonNepalpapua new guineaPapuaNewGuineatibetSat, 26 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mountain gorillas making a comeback]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/09/mountain-gorillas-making-a-comeback/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/09/mountain-gorillas-making-a-comeback/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/09/mountain-gorillas-making-a-comeback/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

gorilla, gorillas, mountain gorilla, mountain gorillas
In the latest in a spate of good news about wildlife conservation in Africa, BBC Earth reports that mountain gorillas have increased their numbers on Virunga Massif, their core habitat stretching across Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From a population of only 250 thirty years ago, their population has almost doubled to 480 today. Another 302 live in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park .

The rise is attributed to increased cooperation between the three countries to protect the gorillas and stop poachers.

Safaris to see mountain gorillas have become increasingly popular with adventure travelers. Uganda has expanded its gorilla safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Rwanda is also offering safaris to see the gentle giants.

African nations are getting better at preserving their wildlife. Namibia and Zimbabwe are clamping down on poaching and last year we reported how Niger has pulled a unique subspecies of giraffe from extinction.


[Photo courtesy user KMRA via Wikimedia Commons]

Mountain gorillas making a comeback originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure activitiesadventure traveladventure vacationadventure-outdoorsadventure-travelAdventureActivitiesadventuresAdventureTravelAdventureVacationadventurousBwindi Impenetrable National ParkBwindiImpenetrableNationalParkconservationendangeredendangered animalsendangered speciesendangered-speciesEndangeredAnimalsEndangeredSpeciesgorillagorillasmountain gorillamountain gorillasMountainGorillaMountainGorillasnational parknational parksNationalParkNationalParkspoacherPoacherspoachingsafarisafarisVirunga MassifVirungaMassifWildlifewildlife conservationwildlife refugewildlife researchwildlife reservesWildlifeConservationWildlifePreserveWildlifeRefugeWildlifeResearchWildlifeReservesThu, 09 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ethiopia tops list of African nations improving quality of life]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/04/ethiopia-tops-list-of-african-nations-improving-quality-of-life/http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/04/ethiopia-tops-list-of-african-nations-improving-quality-of-life/http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/04/ethiopia-tops-list-of-african-nations-improving-quality-of-life/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ethiopia suffers from a bad image thanks to the war and famine of the 1980s. As my series on travel in Ethiopia showed, however, this is a land of friendly people, beautiful nature, and fascinating historic sites. Infrastructure is slowly improving and the Ethiopians are making serious efforts to boost education, access to clean drinking water, and other improvements to the quality of life.

These efforts have been recognized in the UN's 2010 Human Development Report. It ranked Ethiopia as number 11 in the world for improving human development since 1970, the highest ranking in Africa. The report was prepared by the United Nations Development Programme and measures progress in health, education, income, gender equality, and other areas. Researchers then formulate a "human development index" (HDI) for 135 countries.

Other high-ranking African nations include Botswana (14th), Benin (18th) and Burkina Faso (21st). All of these countries and some others have done especially well in the past ten years. Only looking at the past decade, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Uganda all come out in the global top ten.

One of the biggest areas of improvement was in education. Literacy has almost tripled in Sub-Saharan Africa in the past 40 years to 65 percent. Also, life expectancy is up and infant mortality is down.

Sadly, not all the news is good. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe were the only three countries in the world where quality of life actually went down.

Good news for Ethiopia is good news to travelers too. While the country is still an adventure travel destination, it's not as rugged as many people think. I spent two months there and my wife spent three weeks, and in all that time we never got sick. Chalk one up for good sanitation and clean water! Also, Ethiopia scores well of gender equality, which meant that, unlike some countries we've been to, my wife didn't get harassed by obnoxious guys. Good education meant we met lots of people who spoke English and wanted to improve it by chatting with us. Improved infrastructure meant there were more paved roads along our route than there were ten years ago.

When it comes to improvements in a country's Human Development Index everybody benefits, even people who don't live there!

Gallery: Roadtrip: Ethiopia

The church of Debre LibanosWorshipping in front of traditional church paintingsThe women's side of the churchEthiopian stained glass at Debre LibanosThe tomb of the saint

Ethiopia tops list of African nations improving quality of life originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure travelAdventureTravelBurkina FasoBurkinaFasodeveloping worldDevelopingWorlddevelopmentHuman Development IndexHumanDevelopmentIndexliteracyliteracy ratesliteracy-programsLiteracyRatesquality of lifeQualityOfLifeSub Sahara Africasub Saharan AfricaSubSaharaAfricaSubSaharanAfricaUNunited nationsUnitedNationsThu, 04 Nov 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Uganda hotels to charge less for locals]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/09/uganda-hotels-to-charge-less-for-locals/http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/09/uganda-hotels-to-charge-less-for-locals/http://www.gadling.com/2010/10/09/uganda-hotels-to-charge-less-for-locals/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Uganda's hotels are facing tough times. Despite their country having top attractions such as Nile rafting trips, the Great Rift Valley, and safaris in the many national parks filled with wildlife, the average hotel is running at only 50 percent capacity. Adding to this problem is that wealthy Ugandans don't go for internal tourism, preferring to jet off to more exotic destinations like Europe. Well, exotic to the Ugandans anyway.

Hoteliers in Uganda have decided to change that by offering a 40 percent discount to Ugandan citizens at certain times of the year. So if you decide to head on over to East Africa to see Lake Victoria, elephants, mountain gorillas, and all the other sights Uganda has to offer, you'll have a chance to meet more locals than ever. Travelers to Africa tell me the capital Kampala is a lush town full of energy and interest, and it even made it into the list of 15 green cities. Uganda has a lot to offer, and they deserve a healthy tourism industry after they thumbed their collective noses at the terrorists.


[Photo courtesy K. Stefanova via Wikimedia Commons]

Uganda hotels to charge less for locals originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budget hotelbudget hotelsBudgetHotelBudgetHotelsdiscountEast AfricaEastAfricaelephantelephantsgame reservegame reservesGameReserveGameReservesgorillagorrillasgreenGreenCitiesKampalaNileraftingsafarisafariswildlifewildlife refugewildlife reserveswildlife reugeWildlifeRefugeWildlifeReservesWildlifeReugeSat, 09 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Uganda defies terrorists and remains open for business]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/07/20/uganda-defies-terrorists-and-remains-open-for-business/http://www.gadling.com/2010/07/20/uganda-defies-terrorists-and-remains-open-for-business/http://www.gadling.com/2010/07/20/uganda-defies-terrorists-and-remains-open-for-business/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Way to go, Uganda.

A week after a bomb ripped through a crowd watching the World Cup, Uganda has thumbed its nose at the terrorists and declared it is open for business.

The country's tourism minister says they've beefed up security at public gatherings and are checking public places such as bars and restaurants to improve day-to-day security. Serapio Rukundo, the tourism and wildlife minister, said in a recent statement that the terrorist attacks in the capital Kampala were "meant to scare and discourage visitors."

Al-Shabaab, a Somali Islamist group, has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Uganda is one of several nations in the region supporting the Transitional Federal Government in Mogadishu, which is fighting Al-Shabaab.

This weekend Uganda hosts the African Union summit, so security will be a key issue. It's a key issue at any time, because Uganda has a thriving tourist industry based on its teeming wildlife and beautiful landscape. One Ugandan newspaper recently reported there has been no reduction in reservations for safaris, an indication that tourists are thumbing their noses at the terrorists too.

Another tourism official, Edwin Muzahura, said, "These scares happen anywhere and tourists cannot stop to come because two bombs are detonated in some parts of Kampala. . .People out there understand that there are security concerns in America, Europe, Asia and everywhere."

While the death toll from terrorism keeps rising, its impact may actually be on the wane. As Mr. Muzahura points out, terrorism can now happen anywhere. Nowhere is totally safe, therefore there is no compelling reason to avoid certain areas. I even had a safe and enjoyable trip to Somaliland, the northern breakaway region of Somalia, where I found the Somali people to be warm and welcoming, certainly not the image Al-Shabaab wants to project. The terrorists may be losing some of their ability to assert terror.

I wish I had the money to go to Uganda right now.


Image courtesy user dog blue via Gadling's flickr stream. Check out dog blue's excellent Uganda series for more reasons to visit this beautiful African county.

Uganda defies terrorists and remains open for business originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Uganda has started work on habituating another mountain gorilla group to humans in order to expand safaris in its famous Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Habituation involves gradually exposing gorillas to humans in order for the highly territorial groups to get accustomed to human presence. Once the gorilla groups become used to humans being around, they are much less likely to get frightened or aggressive when safari tours show up.

Safaris are big business in Uganda and those that track gorillas constitute about half of the country's tourism revenue.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, located in southwest Uganda, is made up of 331 square kilometers of thick jungle. Visitors have to travel through it on foot. It's a tough journey but allows adventure travelers the chance to see one of the richest varieties of wildlife of any East African park. About 340 endangered mountain gorillas live in the park; sadly that constitutes half of the total population in the world. Because of its importance in protecting the gorillas and other plant and animal life, Bwindi is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Uganda expands gorilla safaris originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 31 Jan 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While every city council and national tourist board seems to know the equation gay + traveler = big bucks, the central African nation of Uganda wants none of it. A controversial bill may soon pass that would not only outlaw homosexuality, but would also impose the death penalty against certain "offenders" and make it criminal to not report known homosexuals.

Whence in Africa, most gay travelers know to keep it on the down low, however the new legislation would be sure to sniff them out by criminalizing anyone who "aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage in acts of homosexuality". If convicted, people who know gay people would face seven years in prison. That includes hotel owners and landlords who rent rooms to homosexuals.

So forget Utah, the gay witch hunt of the century will occur in lovely Uganda, land of gun-toting child missionaries and toxic breasts.

Uganda: the latest not so gay-friendly destination originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Africabreastscontroversydiscriminationgaygay-friendlyhomosexualLRApink dollarPinkDollarprisonrightstravelerugandaMon, 21 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thomas Tomczyk is serious about motorcycles. He's done three motorcycle trips across India, from the steamy southern tip all the way up to the frozen highlands of Ladakh. Now he's starting his childhood dream--an epic trip 12,500 miles (20,000 km) across Africa.

His zigzag tour will take in 22 African nations including South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, the Saharawi Republic, and Morocco. . .

. . .before he ends up skinny, exhausted, and happy at my house in Spain, where my wife will fatten him up with her excellent paella.

Full disclosure: Thomas is a friend of mine. We covered the massive Hindu pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela together in 2001 and barely managed not to get trampled to death by hordes of naked holy men. But even if I didn't know him, this trip is so thoroughly cool I would have reported on it anyway.

Thomas isn't just going on vacation; he'll be visiting innovative grassroots projects that are making life better for the average African. Through his website Africa Heart Beat he'll be telling us about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, such as creating a job center for landmine victims in Mozambique, an AIDS theater group in Botswana, and a Muslim-Christian vocational center in Mali that's bringing the two communities together.

"The idea of crossing Africa came to me when I was 10," Thomas says.

Continue reading The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle

The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelblogbloggersbloggingblogscharitiescharitydevelopmentmotorcyclemotorcyclesngosroad triproadtripsustainable developmentSustainableDevelopmentWed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Catch-22 of Adventure Travel and the Environment]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/the-catch-22-of-adventure-travel-and-the-environment/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/the-catch-22-of-adventure-travel-and-the-environment/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/15/the-catch-22-of-adventure-travel-and-the-environment/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

When it comes to adventure travel, the terms "sustainability" and "eco-friendly" get tossed around a lot these days. In some cases, these are just buzz words in a travel brochure designed to help travelers feel good about themselves before they head off to exotic locations. But for the best travel companies, these are the building blocks of a philosophy that they have followed for years. In some cases, even before eco-tourism was even an accepted term.

If there is one type of travel that has a responsibility to go easy on the environment and take care of our natural resources, it is adventure travel. Many of these types of trips take place in remote locations, far from civilization, often in pristine settings that are seldom visited. But those locations also happen to be the most fragile and easily damaged by eager visitors. That is one of the contradictions of this type of journey. You get to visit some of the most amazing places on the planet, but in doing so, you may be causing more harm than good.

There are a number of high profile examples of this Catch-22 situation. One of the most famous is on Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Environmentalists tell us that the famed Snows of Kilimanjaro are receding at a rapid rate, and that they may be gone completely by 2015. I've even seen articles suggesting that we should "go before they're gone", urging us to make the famous trek to Kili's summit before the glaciers have completely melted away. This has led to increased traffic on the mountain, which has definitely had an impact on the environment there, with more trash and human refuse on the slopes. In our rush to see the effects of climate change on Kili, are we having an even more direct and profound impact on that environment there?

Continue reading The Catch-22 of Adventure Travel and the Environment

The Catch-22 of Adventure Travel and the Environment originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTraveleverestkilimanjaromt everestmt. everestmt. kilimanjaroMt.EverestMt.KilimanjaroMtEverestThu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[12 great safaris from Nat. Geo.]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/04/12-great-safaris-from-nat-geo/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/04/12-great-safaris-from-nat-geo/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/04/12-great-safaris-from-nat-geo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Thinking of heading to Africa on your next big trip abroad? Planning on going on safari while you're there? Then you're in luck, because National Geographic Adventure has a list of the 12 best safaris on the continent, with some amazing suggestions on where to watch wildlife in East and Southern Africa.

Most of us already know what Kenya and Tanzania have to offer. Both countries are home to the classic safari experience on the Serengeti. That trip still gets a tip of the hat from Nat. Geo., but there are plenty of other great places to encounter Africa's diverse wildlife. For example, traveling to Uganda gives you the chance to visit Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home of the mountain gorillas. That safari is unique and life-changing, and every visitor contributes directly to the preservation of those noble primates.

For a completely different experience, the article recommends you head to the iconic Kruger National Park in South Africa, and go on a self-guided safari. Visitors to Kruger can rent their own vehicle, sleep at designated camp sites, and even get out of the car and trek through the wilds. Those treks do require that you go with an armed ranger however, as there are still plenty of wild animals that would gladly have you for lunch.

If you're considering a safari in your near future, then this article is definitely for you. There are plenty of great tips on where to go and what to see, and even who to travel with.

12 great safaris from Nat. Geo. originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelnational geographicNationalGeographicsafaritrekkingwildlifeSun, 04 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sustainble Farming Program in Uganda Offers Hope and Help ]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/sustainble-farming-program-in-uganda-offers-hope-and-help/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/sustainble-farming-program-in-uganda-offers-hope-and-help/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/18/sustainble-farming-program-in-uganda-offers-hope-and-help/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in Uganda is well-known throughout the world as the home for nearly half of the world's population of critically endangered mountain gorillas. However, gorillas are no longer the only entity on Uganda's endangered list. Bwindi's local people have also felt the brunt of years of illegal logging and other activities which have slowly degraded the area.

Fortunately, the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was established as a national park in 1991, and was initially designed to protect both its treasured gorillas along with its precious and deteriorating forestland, and as of today, the program has been a great success. Yet, while the park itself has benefited from a surge in tourism (thousands of visitors pass through the park every year on pricey gorilla treks), Bwindi locals have not been able to reap much financial benefit from the increased tourism, which in turn, has caused considerable conflict amongst the community.

Much of this socioeconomic dichotomy has been contributed to revenue loss due to the procurement of food products designed for local lodges and restaurants coming from outside the area (as far as a ten hour drive away). Considering the most common livelihood for locals is subsistence farming, and that the area's soil is extremely fertile, developing a farmer's association where locals could gain cash income by supplying fruits, vegetables and other products to a growing tourism industry seemed a natural solution.

Thus, the Bwindi Advanced Market Grower's Association (AMAGARA, which means 'life", in the local language Rukiga) was born, and it has been evolving ever since.

Continue reading Sustainble Farming Program in Uganda Offers Hope and Help

Sustainble Farming Program in Uganda Offers Hope and Help originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>africacooking classesCookingClassesfarmingfoodgorillagreengreentravelmonthhikingsustainableugandaTue, 18 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Headed to Africa? Emailing home just got easier]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/07/23/headed-to-africa-emailing-home-just-got-easier/http://www.gadling.com/2009/07/23/headed-to-africa-emailing-home-just-got-easier/http://www.gadling.com/2009/07/23/headed-to-africa-emailing-home-just-got-easier/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Cyberjunkies face a serious problem when going to Africa--most countries have slow and unreliable Internet service. I've been encountering this problem myself as I try to set up my upcoming trip to The Gambia. Luckily for some countries, a new high-speed fiber optic cable will provide quick access to the rest of the world.

The BBC reports that the first undersea cable serving East Africa has just come online. Now South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Mozambique have a dedicated connection to Europe and Asia. Email can then be routed through one of the nodes there to continue on to places like North America. The cable is owned by African company Seacom and was supposed to go online in June but was delayed because of pirates off the Somali coast.

The faster connection is good news not only for homesick tourists, but also African businesspeople and students, like the Tanzanian schoolkids pictured here, and will help lower the "information debt" of several developing countries.

Anyone willing to fund a certain Gadling blogger to check out the connections for himself? I'll be happy to report back on my findings.

Headed to Africa? Emailing home just got easier originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fiber opticfiber opticsFiberOpticFiberOpticsinternet cafesInternetCafesThu, 23 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Saving Endangered Species Through Tourism]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/03/saving-endangered-species-through-tourism/http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/03/saving-endangered-species-through-tourism/http://www.gadling.com/2009/05/03/saving-endangered-species-through-tourism/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

One of the real successes in ecotourism over the past decade or so has been the use of tourist dollars to aid in wildlife conservation. Many countries have discovered that travelers are willing to pay a good deal of money for the opportunity to observe wildlife in its natural habitat, and those funds can go a long way to not only protecting that wildlife, but building an economy as well.

With that in mind, the Times Online has put together a list of ten top wildlife conservation holidays. Each of the trips on this list will not only give us amazing, once in a lifetime, wildlife encounters, but also piece of mind that we are having a positive impact on the animals as well.

On the high end of the scale, travelers can go to Noah's Ark on the North Island in the Seychelles. For a mere £1200 per night (roughly $1800), you'll be pampered with your own private villa, complete with plunge pool and butler, a spa, and pristine beaches. And while you lounge in luxury, the resort is using all that money to return the island to its original state, which includes removing invasive species such as rats, brought there by the coconut plantations. Their efforts have already yielded results, with the Seychelles white-eye, an indigenous bird, seeing its population increase by 36% in the last two years.

Continue reading Saving Endangered Species Through Tourism

Saving Endangered Species Through Tourism originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 03 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelconservationecotourismwildlifewildlifeconservationsocietySun, 03 May 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Read: 'First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria']]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/14/malaria-book/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/14/malaria-book/http://www.gadling.com/2009/04/14/malaria-book/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

First Comes Love, Then Comes MalariaFirst Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria is a new book (available starting today) by Eve Brown-Waite, an East Coast girl who did what many of us said we would and never did: she joined the Peace Corps after college -- just the beginning of an extraordinary and adventurous life.

If you want to know what you're getting into with this book, the subtitle, "How a Peace Corps Poster Boy Won My Heart and a Third World Adventure Changed My Life" is a good clue. Though Brown-Waite's experiences of travels, service, and shenanigans in Ecuador and Uganda have a universal appeal, the memoir reads a bit like chick lit.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The book is immensely fast-paced, and the hijinx Brown-Waite gets into are both entertaining and fascinating. I only comment on the tone because you're going to have to page through a lot of schlock about how much she loves her husband -- but it's worth it. The book grows along with the progress of the author, and really takes off around the time she finds her first calling in Ecuador -- returning lost boys from a local orphanage to their homes in other towns, a seemingly simple task that no one had thought to do or had the organizational support to do. The book is delightful, funny, and very touching at times.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria follows Brown-Waite, alternating narrative with actual letters she sent back to the States, through marriage and a bumpy pregnancy in Uganda, intestinal parasites, termites, a hostage situation, bombings, and, as you might guess, malaria -- always with an upbeat grin and a wink.

This is the perfect read for any young woman you know who is on the Peace Corps track or is considering any kind of 3rd world work. And for those of us who are really more on the manicures-and-cocktails-in-New-York track? Well, I found it pretty darn entertaining.

Available in Hardcover and for Kindle on Amazon.com.

Travel Read: 'First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria' originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>book reviewBookRevieweve brown-waitefirst comes love then comes malariaFirstComesLoveThenComesMalariaTue, 14 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chasing Gorillas in Rwanda]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/26/chasing-gorillas-in-rwanda/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/26/chasing-gorillas-in-rwanda/http://www.gadling.com/2009/03/26/chasing-gorillas-in-rwanda/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There are many great destinations around the globe in which travelers can get up close and personal with animals in their natural habitat. You can travel to the Serengeti and take in the Great Migration or head to Northern Canada for an encounter with a polar bear. Make the journey to the Galapagos, and you'll get to see any number of unique creatures found no where else on Earth.

Although there are amazing wildlife encounters on every continent, few can compare with gorilla trekking in Uganda, where each day a very select group of travelers gets the opportunity to hike deep into the jungle and observe the giant primates as they interact with one another. That's exactly what journalist Jeremy Thompson, and his wife Lynn did, resulting in this really great article on their journey for the Daily Mail.

Jeremy surprised Lynn with the trip to Africa for her 50th birthday, and that trip included a visit to Rwanda, where they joined six other travelers who hiked above 8000 feet for the chance to spend some time with the legendary Rwandan mountain gorillas. The shy and elusive creatures are quite rare. Just 700 of them remain in the wild, and because of that, only about 50 people are allowed to enter their realm on any given day, and even then the encounter lasts just one hour. Luckily for this couple, they booked a second gorilla trek just so they could spend a little more time with the apes.

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Continue reading Chasing Gorillas in Rwanda

Chasing Gorillas in Rwanda originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelafricagenocidegorillagorillasmountain gorillamountain gorillasMountainGorillaMountainGorillassafaritrekkingugandaThu, 26 Mar 2009 08:01:00 EST