Category: Africa

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

9 Things to Know About the Maasai

on June 24, 2016

Mysterious and exotic, the Maasai people have been the center of Kenya’s rural culture for generations. When you visit Masai Mara National Park and other game reserves here, you are on their sacred land. These fascinating facts may help you put their traditions into context:

  • Traditionally, Maasai warriors were fierce nomads who fought with spears, shields and orinka, or clubs that they could accurately throw from 70 paces. They arrived in Kenya from the north in the 15th century, stealing cattle from villages as they passed.
  • Ancestral tribes of the Maasai called this land “Mara,” which means “spotted” in their Maa language. The word was used to describe the dark clusters of trees, scrub and cloud shadows that dot the savannah.
  • A large part of Masai Mara National Park is run by the Mara Conservancy, a nonprofit formed by local Maasai tribes. Some tribe members patrol the park as rangers.
  • In Maasai tradition, cattle is currency. Many villagers keep their cows and bulls inside a fence crafted from thorned acacia branches to protect their wealth from lions and other predators.
  • The typical Maasai hut, or enkaj, is a circular structure handmade from a mixture of mud, cow manure, grass and sticks, all tightly packed on a frame of timber.
  • It is common to meet Maasai women who have stretched their ear lobes, upon which they hang strings of ornamental beads as earrings.
  • The “jumping dance,” or adumu, is part of a coming of age ceremony for young, would-be warriors. The competition is performed in a circle as one or two step into the center to jump on their toes.
  • Maasai culture remains strongly patriarchal. Typically, the elder men of the tribe decide on all matters that affect their group.
  • Today, local organizations work with Maasai tribal leaders so they can preserve their traditions in today’s world, while acknowledging the importance of a modern education for all children.

Uncover more secrets of the Maasai during our Kenya Safari Exploration.

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

Helping Protect Kenya’s Elephants and Giraffes

on June 14, 2016

The unspoiled savannahs of Kenya are renowned as an untamed wilderness. Left unchecked, nature would take its course and species would thrive and falter as they may. But many animals are vulnerable to human interference such as poaching, loss of habitat due to human encroachment, deforestation and drought. These all threaten populations—and nature’s balance—leaving newborns as orphans and herds at risk. That’s where two remarkable organizations come in to play, and you’ll visit them in a small group during our Kenya Safari Exploration.

Nurturing Orphans Back into the Wild

It is not uncommon for the passionate and caring staff of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) to encounter baby elephants alone in the bush. In many cases, they have wandered from their families, victims of poaching; the little calves have been spared because they have not yet developed ivory tusks. The story is told time and again, which is why the DSWT developed the Orphans’ Project, the most successful orphan-elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world.

The adorable little elephants are brought to the Trust’s farm-like clinic, fed a steady diet, and taught skills by the staff that they will never learn from their mothers and aunts, all while being eased out of the trauma of loss. It is a remarkable thing to witness as these miniature beasts bond with staff, following them wherever they go.

Since its founding, DSWT has successfully reared some 150 elephants and reintegrated them into the wild. In fact, many wild-born calves are reared in the wild by elephants that were nurtured back to health at the clinic, a hopeful note that the work they do has fostered entire generations.

Elephants are not the only focus of DSWT. Black Rhinos, also prized for their tusks, are also raised at the clinic. The Trust’s efforts also include anti-poaching initiatives, protecting the natural environment, raising community awareness, animal welfare and veterinary services to wild animals. Founded in 1977, it is one of the pioneering wildlife conservation organizations in East Africa.

Saving a Threatened Giraffe

Nearby, the Giraffe Center, part of the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, has similar goals to support the preservation of the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe. It is thought that just several hundred of these majestic creatures remain in the wild, and you just might spot some during your game drives at Lake Nakuru National Park, distinguishable by their creamier-colored coat and the “white stockings” above their hooves. Curiously, the Rothschild’s is also the only species to have five ossicones on its head, the stubby antler-like horns. (Most other species only have two.)

Founded in 1979 as a breeding center, the Giraffe Center today is also an educational center for Kenyan youth. Their vision is to create a harmonious relationship between man and nature by raising awareness among the next generation. This is no small task considering the vast natural resources and wildlife that Kenya hosts. But all of the center’s programs are offered to schoolchildren free of charge, so we can hope that this brings greater access, and with it much success.

The focal point of the center is the giraffe feeding platform, a raised structure that lets you meet these gentle giants at their level. Inside, an auditorium offers talks to guests. And it is all charmingly decorated with artwork created by local schoolchildren – inspired by the giraffes, of course!

The small group size of our Kenya Safari Exploration lets us experience these remarkable places at their fullest. We hope you’ll visit them with us.

AfricaMediterraneanUncategorized

Rabat, Morocco: A City of Contrasts

on May 20, 2016

Nestled right between the Atlantic & the Mediterranean, Morocco is truly a crossroads of world cultures. The small kingdom of 30 million people sits at the western tip of Africa, just 7 miles from the coast of Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar. Morocco’s vibrant culture reflects centuries of European, West African, Arab, and indigenous influences.

rabat red.jpg

A Gate 1 traveler took this colorful photo last week on our 13 Day Kaleidoscope of Morocco tour. The group visited Rabat, Morocco’s coastal capital, where the traveler took advantage of the refreshing Atlantic breezes by the beach. “This city is overwhelmingly beautiful,” she notes.

From Rabat, our tour continues to Fez to visit its famous tanneries and wander its ancient medina, and dine with a local family. We’ll spend nights in the cedar woods of the Atlas Mountains, the vast Sahara Desert, and the towering canyons of Ouarzazate before arriving in Marrakesh, site of the lively Jema al Fna square. After a whirlwind of tastes, geographies, sounds and cities, you’ll fall in love with Morocco’s mosaic of cultures.

AfricaTravel Tips

On Safari

on April 20, 2016

While on safari, it is very important that you follow all directions provided by your guide in order to ensure the safety of the group. Prior to the first safari, your driver/guide will review “safari etiquette” addressing, amongst other issues, off-road driving and hazards, and interaction with animals. Wildlife listed in the itinerary are based upon optimal conditions and therefore subject to change. While on tour you will be reminded by your guide of local safety and ecologic procedures to ensure your safety and the protection of the wildlife. Normal precautions include remaining in close proximity to your driver/guide and vehicle, avoiding tall grass and keeping noise to a minimum to not attract extra attention. Your driver/guide will advise you not to turn over rocks or dead wood and to stay clear of ground holes and caves, where scorpions, snakes and other potentially dangerous animal life may be hidden. Refrain from littering, feeding any animals or leaving food waste behind in the parks as this can upset their natural diets and lead to a dependence upon people. In addition, please do not purchase, collect, or remove any animal products, rocks, seeds, plants, or nests from the wild.

Roadways to the game viewing sites are for the most part unpaved and will therefore be rough and dusty. Gate 1 safari vehicles are fitted with large roof hatches or open sides to allow for easy viewing of wildlife from all angles. Safari vehicles cannot be air-conditioned and you will be provided bottled water while traveling. Vehicles are equipped with seatbelts which should be worn on public roads. While safari vehicles typically move slowly, drivers warn passengers of bumps or potholes and many passengers may choose not to wear a seatbelt, it is still recommended to do so. However, it remains at each individual passenger’s discretion to wear their seatbelt or not. Inside the National Parks and reserves there are designated picnic sites. Due to frequent use wildlife tends to avoid these areas with the exception of primates, reptiles, birds and small mammals. However, since picnic sites are open it is possible that a larger animal, such as an elephant, may wander through. Outside of the parks, it may be necessary to make more frequent shopping stops as these stores provide the only acceptable facilities while touring due to the lack of public rest stops.
AfricaGate 1 Connections

In the Company of Magnificent Wildlife, In the Footsteps of Beloved Writers

on April 19, 2016

“In Africa, you can see a sunset and believe you have witnessed the Hand of God. You watch the slope lope of a lioness and forget to breathe. You marvel at the tripod of a giraffe bent to water. In Africa, there are iridescent blues on the wings of birds that you do not see anywhere else in nature,” writes best-selling American novelist Jodi Picoult. “When you are in Africa, you feel primordial, rocked in the cradle of the world.”

That’s a pretty apt description. Picoult is just one of the many writers who have tried to sum up the magic of Africa in a few words. But the only way to truly understand is to experience it firsthand, from wildlife truly unparalleled on earth to cultures whose roots run millennia deep. Every day here creates a kaleidoscope of colorful memories you’ll carry for the rest of your life.

On the Prowl in Kenya’s Parks

After 18 years living in Kenya, Karen Blixen, aka Isak Dinesen and author of Out of Africa wrote, “If there were one more thing I could do, it would be to go on safari once again.” Anyone who has explored Masai Mara National Reserve, which served as a backdrop in the film of the same novel, will know exactly what she meant.

Masai Mara falls in the Great Rift Valley, a 3,500-mile fault line where wildlife by the hundreds of thousands roam free. This is “Big Cat Central,” known for its lions, leopards, and cheetahs. And during the annual Great Migration, it’s a teeming sea of wildebeest on the move by the millions. The landscape varies dramatically: sweeping savannahs where fleet-of-foot impala and gazelle try to outleap predators…lush hills which hide elusive black rhino…and sloping river banks where thirsty zebra cool off.

Comparatively, Soysambu Conservancy is intimate in scope at 48,000 acres (roughly 75 square miles). But oh, the spectacle it puts on! With 15,000 wild animals (the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe among them) and more than 450 bird species, its natural diversity outpaces its size. What makes it so singular is that, amid all the wildlife, there still remains a family farm at its heart, as was true in 1908 when Winston Churchill picnicked here and in the 1930’s when Evelyn Waugh came in search of the fabled views.

Explore South Africa’s Diverse Reserves

It’s not only Kenya that lures those seeking big game and bigger memories. More than 4,000 miles away, South Africa offers up its own rich rewards for nature lovers, and

Kruger National Park might just be the most epic of them all. Sprawling across more than 7,000 square miles, the park alone is larger than the entire state of Connecticut, and—quite unlike the New England state—this landscape is chock full of wildlife: 147 mammal species, more than 500 bird species, and a combined 150 varieties of amphibians and reptiles. And that’s just the fauna. The flora is stunning as well, with 336 different types of trees. Whether you’re spying leopards in the bushveld or sipping sundowners by a water hole as night falls, finding the next scene of wonder is as simple as keeping your eyes open.

Less famous but no less memorable is the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve. The oldest nature reserve in Africa, it is home to the world’s largest population of white rhino, thanks to years of efforts by conservationists. Hluhluwe-Imfolozi boasts the complete “Big Five”: elephant, Cape buffalo, lion, leopard, and rhino. The same can be said of the private Mabula Game Reserve, where the Big Five are joined in the rolling hills and plains by red hartebeests and elegant blesbok.

A completely different sort of wildlife experience awaits at St. Lucia Estuary. With Lake Lucia to the west and the Indian Ocean to the east, the estuary is home to hippopotamus, sea turtles, Nile crocodiles, and even sharks. In 1999, its precious marine environment earned it a designation as UNESCO’s first South African World Heritage Site, part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. No matter where you’re exploring, from big-name game parks to small less-known reserves, you’ll be quick to agree with Rudyard Kipling’s assertion that “One cannot resist the lure of Africa.”

In & Around Cape Town: Incredible History, Culture and Beauty

Natural splendor and human culture are inextricably linked in Cape Town. When Sir Francis Drake first saw land here, he described it as, “the most stately thing and the fairest cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth.” Cape Town is a city where gleaming high-rises still feel small in the shadow of Table Mountain, and where a single afternoon might easily encompass verdant botanical gardens, a chilly penguin colony, and a stroll among chic boutiques.

From this diverse city, one can see Robben Island, the prison home of Nelson Mandela. South Africa’s national hero changed the course of his nation as he transformed from prisoner to democratically elected statesman and insisted on cultural reconciliation. Once released, one of Mandela’s favorite things was spending time in the Winelands, a mountainous region encompassing 300 vineyards. In fact, at his Nobel Peace Prize dinner, he had the guests served a red wine from Stellenbosch, hoping to spread his love of country beyond its borders.

Of course, there’s more to this lush region of South Africa than its sloping vineyards. The Garden Route – a breathtaking coastal drive that skirts green mountains, tranquil lagoons, sandy beaches and all manner of flora (including the vibrant, low-lying fynbos, native to the Western Cape) – is a nature lover’s dream. The pretty town of Knysna along the route is home to a marine reserve, which protects the habitats of magical seahorses, 200 species of fish and frolicking dolphins. Nearby, the area’s forests harbor their own menagerie of magnificent creatures such as the only forest elephant in South Africa, the elusive Knysna Loerie with its stunning green and blue plumage, and countless other birds.

Enhance Your Experience with More Destinations, or Explore in a Small Group!

Mandela’s homeland is perfectly positioned for those who wish to discover more of Africa in one visit. That’s why we’ve added options for experiencing its neighbors. In the

Kingdom of Swaziland, ancient customs still shine brightly, from traditional song and dance to handicrafts like glass making and stone carving. Centuries-old rituals, including elaborate celebrations honoring the King and the Queen mother, are still kept alive today.

The torrential power of nature is the focus in Zimbabwe, site of the mile-wide Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This UNESCO World Heritage site dazzles visitors today as surely as it did David Livingston, who wrote of the tumult as being “the most wonderful sight I had witnessed in Africa.”

Heading west, Botswana stakes its own claim as one of the best safari locations on the continent. The country’s spectacular Okavango Delta takes center stage in this area’s safari circuit. The inland delta floods each year to three times its size as waters from the Okavango River swell, attracting one of the continent’s largest gatherings of wildlife. A bit farther north, Chobe National Park boasts the largest population of elephants in Africa, their herds ambling about on land and bathing in the Chobe River. They are a fantastic sight to behold.

Perhaps the most singular of lands in southern Africa, Namibia encompasses rocky mountain peaks, vividly colored desert dunes and a shoreline so foreboding that sailors called it the Skeleton Coast. Namibia is a fascinating blend of rich German-influenced cities and staggering beauty. In Etosha National Park, big game thrives amidst massive plains of salt. This is the third largest game reserve in the world, a semi-arid savannah grassland that supports some 144 mammal species and more than 300 bird species. A magnificent dry salt lakebed dominates the landscape, stretching 75 miles and luring unique wildlife that’s adapted to its hyper-saline conditions. When it rains, thousands of flamingoes descend on its waters. Perhaps Namibia’s most spellbinding region is Sossusvlei, a vast stretch of undulating red-hued dunes shaped over millennia by ocean winds. Remarkably, some dunes soar to 1,000 feet, the highest in the world. Their fiery deep-orange colors are explained by their age. In this 55-million-year-old ecosystem, iron in the sand has oxidized, much like rusted metal. The brightest colors in this magnificent topography signify the oldest dunes.

For those who long for a more up-close and intimate experience, Gate 1’s sister company Discovery Tours offers its own selection of Africa journeys that encompass Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Namibia. These thrilling small group itineraries allow for the most access and insight into the Africa you’ve always dreamed of.

Feel the Inspiration of Africa with Gate 1 Travel

Experience Africa with Gate 1 Travel, and you’ll not only experience one of the most soul-stirring adventures on Earth; you’ll revel in quality accommodations, expert Tour Managers, and personal attention worth writing home about. And no matter which journey you choose, you’re sure to discover as Pliny the Elder did nearly 2,000 years ago, “There is always something new out of Africa…”

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

Extreme Wilds of Namibia

on February 25, 2016

The oldest desert in the world. The tallest sand dunes on Earth. Some of the roughest seas and most extreme environments, all harboring an astonishing variety of wildlife. Namibia holds endless fascinations and intense natural beauty the likes of which you won’t see anywhere else. And in a Discovery Tours small group, we’ll reveal it all to you at an easy pace that lets you drink it in with pleasure.

Namib-Naukluft National Park

Wind-sculpted sand below. Sea of stars above.

Asossusvleibout the size of New Hampshire and Vermont combined, the Namib-Naukluft National Park along the Atlantic Coast is the largest game park in Africa. All in all, it is comprised of a huge swathe of the Namib Desert—considered the world’s oldest—and the Naukluft mountain range. For such a harsh environment, this unspoiled corner of the continent is home to many creatures great and small, including hyenas, jackals, gemsboks, snakes, geckos and countless insects.

The park’s most spellbinding region is Sossusvlei, a vast stretch of undulating red-hued dunes shaped over millennia by ocean winds. Remarkably, some dunes soar to 1,000 feet, the highest in the world. Their fiery deep-orange colors are explained by their age. In this 55-million-year-old ecosystem, iron in the sand has oxidized, much like rusted metal. The brightest colors in this magnificent topography signify the oldest dunes. One mountain of sand, in particular, gets much attention for its rich and sloping beauty: Dune 45. Named for its location on the road to Sossusvlei (at the 45th kilometer mark), it has been formed through the ages by sands from the Kalahari Desert that were carried down the Orange River and blown here from evaporated beds.

These landscapes are at their most mesmerizing at sunset, which you will witness during an adventurous drive by 4×4 vehicle. Yet, thanks to a unique phenomenon not fully understood, the dunes can also be downright hypnotizing: Throughout your visit, keep your ears trained for the region’s famous singing dunes. Silica content, grain diameter and humidity merge to create the ideal environment in which sand will sing, emitting a roaring, booming or squeaking sound caused by wind shear, by a sand-slide, or merely by the disruption of footprints.

Over millennia, the towering dunes, of course, have had a dramatic effect on surrounding environments, particularly in the expanse known today as Deadvlei. In the shadow of the dune known as Big Daddy, a water-rich marsh formed here after heavy rainfall, sprouting a small forest of camel thorn trees, a species similar to acacia. As the climate shifted, the desert’s merciless drought took hold, sand dunes encircled the marsh, and the land became parched. The trees still stand, believed to have died six or seven centuries ago. Black and scorched from the scalding sun, they are a haunting reminder of the marsh’s former abundance.

Nearby, the Sesriem Canyon is a stark counterpoint to the sands of Sossusvlei. Rather than soft and sensual slopes, the canyon is made of rough-cut sedimentary rock walls carved by the Tsauchab River. But it is no less beautiful than the dunes, a striated canvas of oranges, reds and violets stretching a half mile long and yawning to 100 feet deep. The canyon’s name translates into “six belts,” coined by passing settlers who, in order to reach the water that once flowed through, tied six belts together so their bucket would reach the bottom of the ravine.

Walvis Bay

Calm Ocean Haven for Marine Life

walvisbayNamibia’s Skeleton Coast gets its name from the treacherous waters that have sunken vessels off the coast and littered the beaches with the hulls of ships and the carcasses of whales. Portuguese explorers called these shores “The Gates of Hell” and even the San Bushmen believed they were “The Land God Make in Anger.” The rough seas are partly to blame. But a cold ocean current heading up the coast from South Africa is also a culprit as it creates dense ocean fog much of the year. It’s been said that sailors can certainly land on shore here, but they’ll never get back out to sea over the violent surf.

So Namibians are lucky to have Walvis Bay. Called Ezonrongondo by the indigenous Herero people of Namibia, Walvis Bay is one of Africa’s few large natural harbors. Sheltered from the rough waters of the Atlantic, it is not only a calm place from which to launch a ship. It is also a prime habitat for magnificent wildlife. Heaviside’s dolphins frolic in these waters. Leatherback turtles drift with the current. Cape fur seals lounge on beaches and swim out to greet visitors. Humpback whales breach the water’s surface. The coastal lagoon, too, is a menagerie of feathered creatures, including pink flamingoes and great white pelicans.

Damaraland

Immense Beauty and Ancient Art

damaralandIn Namibia’s northwestern corner, the Kunene region—once known as Damaraland under German rule—covers a vast terrain of mountains, dramatic rock formations rising from plains, and low scrubland. This is a rugged place, and hospitable only to those who have adapted to its landscapes and climate over centuries. Yet its beauty is unrivalled. Monolithic walls of rock stand like colossal sentinels and dry valleys host unique succulent flora that’s fed by the mists floating in from the Atlantic.

The centerpiece of Damaraland, however, is a man-made spectacle created 2,000 to 2,500 years ago—the Twyfelfontein petroglyphs. This UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts more than 5,000 individual rock carvings and other depictions of animals and humans etched into sandstone slabs, one of the largest concentrations of its kind in Africa.

Etosha National Park

Big Game Amidst Plains Made of Salt

etosha-natl-parkThe nation’s largest concentration of wildlife thrives in Etosha National Park, the third largest game reserve in the world. Throughout this massive semi-arid savannah grassland, waterholes allow this predominantly desert environment to support a remarkably diverse array of wildlife, including some 144 mammal species and more than 300 bird species. Elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, leopards, cheetahs, and more make this fertile grassland their home.

The center of Etosha is the vast, glittering Etosha Pan, from which the place gets it name (“Great White Place”). The dry salt lakebed stretches 75 miles and supports only the most unique wildlife adaptable to hyper-saline conditions. But when it rains, thousands of flamingoes descend on its waters.

Join us to witness some of the most captivating natural beauty in Africa for yourself!

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

The AfriCat Foundation – Saving One Large Carnivore at a Time

on February 24, 2016

Historically, the relationship between humans and Africa’s large carnivores has been strained. Livestock farmers often lose their valuable cattle to lions and leopards. Village life is disrupted by cats and other creatures on the prowl. And land developers clear grassland, one of the cat’s hunting grounds, leaving them to hunt elsewhere. Indeed, there are many issues to address in communities throughout Namibia in improving the relationship between humans and large carnivores.

The AfriCat Foundation was founded in 1991 to address some of these issues.

The organization’s story started on Okonjima Farm when it was raising cattle of its own. Early in the farm’s existence, around 1970, the Hanssen family felt helpless as they lost 20-30 newly born calves each year to leopards. Even as the Hanssens hunted and killed the cats, their losses continued. Clearly, they needed another strategy and so they created birthing pens and calf pens centered around waterholes. Their strategy worked: they decreased their losses to just 3 or 4 per year.

Soon, other farmers turned to the Hanssens for guidance. How, they wanted to know, can they set up their own pens to protect their livestock? And then there was the unexpected quandary of how to get rid of the large cats that they had caught in traps and were holding captive on their farms.

With this second question, it became clear to the Hanssens that if livestock could be protected, then locals would have no need to hunt and kill cats that, like them, were just trying to survive in a harsh environment. With that realization, the Hanssens took in the captive cats and nursed them back to health. As word spread, more locals brought cats for treatment. In some cases, orphaned cubs were delivered to the Hanssens’s door, creating new challenges of teaching them to fend for themselves before re-releasing them on their own.

By 1991, the Hanssens formalized their mission to conserve and protect large carnivores and created the AfriCat Foundation, a dynamic organization on the border of Etosha National Park. Today, the AfriCat Foundation helps resolve human-wildlife conflict by teaching local livestock management and protection, supports environmental education among local youth, reclaims lost grasslands wherever possible, and provides support to communities, including helping villagers build a kraal (a pen for cattle). You will learn about the Hanssens’ efforts firsthand during a visit to their worthwhile organization.

See the AfriCat Foundation at work during our Namibia, Naturally itinerary.

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

Namibia – A Brief and Fascinating History of a Magnificent Country

on February 23, 2016

Namibia is one of Africa’s most celebrated nations for its political, economic and social stability. And thanks to the arid Namib Desert stretching along its Atlantic coast, it is also one of the least densely populated countries in the world. What this means for Discovery Tours travelers is clear: In your small group, you’ll experience diverse and vibrant cultures that embrace their past and look eagerly toward the future, and you’ll witness some of the most dramatic and serene desert landscapes on earth. Yet Namibia’s peace, tranquility and prosperity did not come easily.

Ancient Tribes Speak a Curious Tongue

The story of how Namibia evolved into one of the continent’s most captivating nations begins millennia ago. San Bushmen and the Damara and Namaqua people were the region’s original inhabitants. Anthropologists and linguists are enthralled by many tribes in southern Africa, but these are particularly fascinating as they all speak some variation of the Khoekhoe language. The curious clicking sounds typical of their language comprise what is believed to be the oldest language in human history. And even though all three tribes spoke a similar language, they seem to have come from different lineages. Descendents of all three tribes remain today, many of them eking out a living in the same way their ancestors did.

Strangers Arrive by Land and by Sea

In the 14th century, the Bantu arrived as part of the historic Bantu expansion into southern Africa. The following century, other strangers arrived not by land, but by sea, when in the 1480s Portuguese navigators arrived along what today is known as the Skeleton Coast, named for the many ships and sailors who met their demise in these thrashing seas. Even for those explorers who did make landfall, the coastal desert was far from inviting, so they only used Namibia as a pit stop during their long search for a trade route to India.

When the Orlam tribes moved in during the late 18th century, tensions rose between them and the Herero people of Windhoek. By 1880, they were fighting the Nama-Herero War, a conflict that was only quelled when an opportunistic Imperial Germany stepped in and normalized tribal relations. Later, more German colonists and traders who had settled in South Africa (historically known as the Boers) passed through Namibia on their way to Angola, seeking to escape British rule and put down roots. Many stayed and, wittingly or not, set the stage for German rule.

The Roots of Apartheid

Chancellor Otto von Bismarck of Germany kept his eyes on the British and, in a successful effort to thwart expansion of the Crown into his growing colony, moved troops into Namibia and created his own German South-West Africa. Only 20 years passed until the Herero and Namaqua people rose up against the ruling foreigners, but the results of their attempted overthrow were horrific. In fact, some scholars believe that the ensuing systematic genocide—in which 80% of the Herero and half the Namaqua were murdered—served as a model for Nazi Germany’s Holocaust yet to come. We can’t know for sure, but history does tell us with certainty that the segregation and forced labor of the Herero and Namaqua survivors laid the foundations for the policy of apartheid that would soon grip the region.

With the end of World War I in 1915, South Africa occupied Namibia and ruled it from its own court made up entirely of a white minority. Throughout the 1950s, the Herero’s Chief Council petitioned the United Nations for independence. And as European countries in the 1960s began pulling out of colonized Africa, pressure mounted on South Africa to give sovereignty to Namibia. Still, even after an International Court called South Africa’s presence “illegal,” it would not budge.

Revolution and Independence

The white South African farmers who settled in the region came to represent just 0.2% of the population, yet 74% of the arable land was theirs. Brutality and repression of Namibians were daily occurrences. Pushed to the brink, the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia took up arms in 1966. An ensuing guerilla war lasted 22 years.

It wasn’t until 1990 that Namibia was free, after much local and international pressure on South Africa. Today, the peaceful nation is a multi-party democracy and promotes human rights protections, compensation for loss of private property, an independent justice system, and national reconciliation around the events of its turbulent past.

AfricaSmall Group Discoveries

Glimpse the Timeless Culture of the Himba

on February 22, 2016

At its best, travel broadens our minds and invites us to see the world and its people through a new lens. Visiting Africa, in particular, challenges our preconceptions of culture and of how to be in the world. In Namibia, our small group drops by a modest Himba village to meet tribespeople who uphold traditions that stretch back untold centuries.

It is an incredible privilege for Discovery Tours travelers to meet the Himba, the last semi-nomadic people of Namibia. About 50,000 people comprise the total population, which straddles northern Namibia and southern Angola. Because their culture has evolved in seclusion amidst a harsh desert climate, they have maintained their unique tribal traditions without outside influence from the modern world.

A Typical Himba Village

An extended family lives in a homestead called an onganda, a circular village of huts and other shelters surrounding a sacred ancestral fire (an okuruwo) and a sacred livestock pen (a kraal). The fire and livestock are more than a source of warmth, cooking, and food. The Himba people revere their dead and believe the fire embodies ancestral protection. The fire is kept burning by the fire-keeper of the tribe, who has the additional responsibility of standing before the flames every week or so to communicate directly with their god, Mukuru. The Himba believe that their livestock, as well, connects them to those who have passed before.

Currency and Food

Himba wealth is not measured in money. Instead, their most valuable asset is their cattle. This is not to say that they don’t use money as a means of exchange; it’s common for the Himba to mingle in marketplaces and enjoy the conveniences of 21st century consumerism. But all in all, cash makes up a tiny portion of a tribe’s typical livelihood.

Rather, theirs is a self-sustaining economy. For generations, they have bred chickens for eggs, sheep and goats for milk and meat, and bees for honey. The men look after the cattle, sometimes herding them away from their villages for many days in order to follow the best grazing land. Killing animals for food and construction of dwellings also fall to the men. Meanwhile, the women keep the home fires burning, often quite literally. In addition to keeping the firewood stocked, women and girls fetch water, plaster homes with a mud-manure mix, cook, and make handicrafts for tribal wear and for selling. Maize, millet and cornmeal make up most of their diet, and it’s typical for them to stop by a favorite berry bush or tree for a snack on the run.

Clothing and Cosmetics

Meeting the Himba for the first time, it is easy to marvel at their clothing and hairstyles. Their traditional dress is heavily influenced by the desert environment in which they live. Sandals, a calfskin skirt and many beads and other jewelry are common among both women and men. But what sets them apart is the otjize paste with which many women and some men cover their skin and hair. This cosmetic mix of butterfat and ochre pigment, sometimes scented with the resin of a local fragrant shrub, cleanses the skin and acts as a sunscreen and mosquito repellent. The resulting red-orange tinge of the skin is considered the height of beauty, representing life-giving blood and the rich, red earth.

Your small group is invited into a Himba village during our Namibia, Naturally itinerary.

morocco-camels
AfricaGate 1 ConnectionsMediterraneanRegions

The Road to Morocco: North Africa with a Dash of Europe

on August 7, 2015

Morocco is one of the world’s most entrancing destinations. Here, in one of Africa’s most developed and modern countries, the past lives on in vast and vibrant souks and medinas that harken back to the days of ancient desert trade routes. Donkeys are led through city streets carrying their burden of goods. Camels, kasbahs and inviting oasis towns dot an arid landscape. And mighty Sahara sands stretch eastward, beginning their long, undulating reach all the way to Egypt.

An authentic and deeply historic place, Morocco is a heady blend of African roots and European sensibility, a fascinating bridge between two worlds. What’s more, it harbors incredible natural beauty and diversity, from vast desert to soaring snow-capped peaks, from deep-cut gorges to beautiful Atlantic coasts. Gate 1 Travel can’t wait to share it all with you. Our expert Tour Managers know and love their country, and they are eager to open doors that will let you peer deeply into the rich and alluring culture they call home.

Three Imperial Cities

Of Morocco’s four historic capitals, Gate 1 Travel visits three: Fez, Marrakesh and Rabat.

Fez was founded around the turn of the 9th century and served as the country’s capital several times over its long history. The city has many highlights, the University of Al Karaouine, the oldest university in the world; the splendid Royal Palace; and a richly traditional Jewish Quarter among them. But for many, the highlight of this remarkable city is the Fes el Bali medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This sprawling marketplace brims with brass and leather goods, lush carpets, and handmade slippers, and is thought to be one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, making it a delight to stroll and explore. For its sophistication and amazing history, Fez has been called the Athens of Africa.
The carnival-like Jamaa El Fna Square of Marrakesh is synonymous with all things Moroccan. As evening sets in, it becomes an intoxicating blend of snake charmers, fire eaters, kebab stalls and much more. Many people come to Morocco just to experience this feast for the senses. However, there’s lots more to see here, from the glittering Bahia Palace and Gardens – the greatest palace of its day in the 19th century – to the slender Koutoubia Minaret that punctuates the elegant mosque of the same name.

Today’s capital, Rabat, has often been cited as one of the most invigorating travel destinations in the world. A stroll through the Oudaya Kasbah reveals exactly why. This walled UNESCO World Heritage Site was built by the Almohad reign in the 12th and 13th centuries and houses a palace and mosque and cobbled lanes wending their way through a maze of colorful houses. Nearby, the unfinished mosque of an Almohad caliph has as its centerpiece the Hassan Tower. The mosque and its tower were intended to be the largest of their kind in the world when they were begun in 1195. The impressive ruins of the Chellah necropolis stretch even further back in time, to the days of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and even Romans.

Desert Outposts Amidst Legendary Beauty

The Sahara Desert most often comes to the mind of travelers dreaming of Morocco. Of course, Gate 1 introduces you to this spellbinding region where the Atlas Mountains unfold their flowing sand dunes. Visiting this starkly beautiful place – and even exploring on camelback, if you’d like – is a travel experience unlike any other. But there is more magnificent and diverse beauty away from these legendary desert sands, where modest villages and their natural surroundings seamlessly blend together.

The road from Fez to Erfoud slices through some of Morocco’s most dramatic scenery. Montane cedar woods lead into the Middle Atlas Mountains and the lush Ziz Valley, passing the ski resort of Ifrane (at 5,460 feet) and the Berber handicraft town of Azrou along the way. Rissani has long straddled mountains and desert. It was a busy caravan town during the days of long desert treks. The souk here still bustles with the calls of vendors and a rich array of local goods. The former Berber city of Sijilmasa, however, lost its luster as a trading town of the past. Stretching for five miles along the River Ziz, it fell to nomadic tribes in 1818 and has stood dormant since, providing a remarkable glimpse into a former desert trading post.

Some of the world’s most dramatic canyons slice through these Middle Atlas Mountains. TheTodgha Gorge towers to 800 feet. It once guided a raging river through its rocky passage but has since dried up. The Dades Gorges, too, add unspeakable, lunar-like beauty to this spectacular corner of Morocco.

The medieval desert village of Ouarzazate is so well preserved that it has been used to film many movies set in ancient times. Also a former trading town, it is home to a 12th-century Taourirt village that is still inhabited today. Nearby, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou comprises six kasbahs and fifty ksars. It is heralded as one of the world’s finest examples of earthen clay architecture, and has also seen its share of film crews scouring its streets for the perfect shot.

Morocco’s Coastal Gems

Speaking of films, Casablanca is one of Morocco’s most visited cities because of its setting for the classic movie. The country’s main port, it enjoys a stunning locale on the Atlantic, with a beautiful, palm-lined corniche. The city’s cathedral is a splendid example of Moorish Revival architecture, but no building compares to the scope and breadth of the Hassan II Mosque, the world’s third largest. Located on a promontory jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, it can accommodate 25,000 worshippers inside and 80,000 in its vast courtyard. Its minaret is the world’s tallest at 689 feet.

Essaouira is perhaps Morocco’s most scenic coastal city. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a perfect example of a typical North African fortified town, with its cannons pointing out to sea, preserved ramparts and brightly hued fishing boats. The Skala de la Ville once defended the city from sea attacks. The town has attracted artists and craftspeople from all over the world who have created a thriving community all their own. Thanks to their unbridled creativity, the souks within the medina seem the perfect marriage of traditional and modern trades, offering everything from sea-inspired jewelry to original paintings.

Experience Morocco, Gate 1 Style!

Quality and value go hand in hand in Gate 1 Travel’s Morocco. Our travel planners have reserved some of the country’s finest hotels. And you’ll enjoy restaurants that introduce you to a newly refined take on Moroccan cuisine, and savor the generous bounty of home-made meals and mint tea prepared by hosts. What’s more, our Tour Managers are among the most experienced and insightful around, with a boundless national pride that you’ll find contagious. Simply put, there is no other way to experience Morocco to its fullest than with Gate 1 Travel!

To reserve your Morocco trip today, just follow this link!

1 … 4 5 6