Camp Updates
News from the Bush
June 4, 2010 (last updated)
Travel news, new places, activities, refurbishments, awards, events....
ACCOLADES
Selous Project (Lukula Selous) was named one of the World’s Top New Hotels by Condé Nast Traveler in their May issue. Lukula Selous Camp is located within a private photographic sanctuary of over 300,000 acres of the southern Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania which is one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries anywhere in the world.
Condé Nast Traveler's 2010 Hot List of new properties include The Homestead in the Phinda Private Game Reserve, and One&Only Cape Town.
The January issue of Condé Nast Traveler includes the 16th annual Gold List, which is considered to be “the ultimate annotated guide to the world's finest properties.” A good number of Duffle & Compass preferred properties rated high rankings.
Jao Camp, Mombo and Little Mombo in Botswana, and Singita Sabi Sand in South Africa featured in the category “Best by Location for Africa.” Mombo and Little Mombo were proclaimed as “Africa at its finest,” with a perfect-scoring location “so exquisite, a movie set couldn't replicate it.” Jao is “…one of those special places that stay in your mind forever; a perfect-scoring location on an island with lagoons, grasslands, and floodplains; a mixture of fantasy and functionality; with canvas-and-thatch tents that fit the environment.”
The “Best by Design in Africa” category selection was the Grande Roche Hotel in South Africa, the Safari Lodges at Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, and Vumbura Plains in Botswana.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Kenya's New Passport Requirements
Kenya is now strictly enforcing a similar "blank pages, condition of entry" as does South Africa. Visitors are now advised to have at least two, blank-facing visa pages available in their passport on arrival in Kenya. Remember, you will need additional blank pages for other countries on your itinerary!
TSA's Secure Flight Program
The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has begun implementing a new program called "Secured Flight." This is to streamline the terrorist watch list matching process and insure the protection of the air traveling public. You must now provide additional information -- name as it appears on your passport, gender, date of birth and redress number if applicable -- when booking an airline ticket.
South African Airways
SAA now flies from New York’s JFK Airport to Johannesburg, South Africa. This morning departure arrives in Johannesburg the following morning, allowing you to connect with flights to other Southern Africa destinations without an overnight stay.
Delta Airlines
Delta now offers non-stop service from Atlanta to Johannesburg and Atlanta to Nairobi. Currently, Delta offers service between the United States and six African destinations with flights between New York's JFK Airport and Accra, Ghana; Dakar, Senegal; Cairo, Egypt; and Cape Town in South Africa (via Dakar). And Delta flies from Atlanta to Lagos, Nigeria; and Johannesburg, South Africa (via Dakar).
SOUTH AFRICA
Foodie Alert
Cape Town and the Cape Winelands area are well known as a destination for the world’s foodies. The S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants 2009 awards named Le Quartier Francais the “Best Restaurant in Africa and the Middle East” and ranked it 37th in the world. La Colombe in the Constantia Valley ranked 38th on the list.
BOTSWANA
Selinda Reserve
All game drive vehicles are being converted to run on BioFuel which has allowed the camp to drastically reduce their dependence on diesel and reduce their carbon footprint.
Selinda Canoe Trail 
The Selinda Canoe Trail is a new safari offering in the Selinda Reserve. This four-day safari is perfect for travelers of all ages who want an active safari in the “old style” with bush camping along the banks each evening. Departures are offered from May to October.
New Camp 
Camp Kalahari sits nestled in the breathtaking Kalahari, adjacent to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Tucked away on Brown Hyena Island, guests can take in the stark beauty of the Kalahari region from the comfort of one of the six Meru-style tents. Each features an en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet. Mouth-watering Pan African menus are served in the beautiful dining room and there is a well-stocked library and sitting areas. Daily adventures can range from guided walks with Bushmen trackers and scenic nature drives to excursions to Green’s Baobab (one of the famous historical baobabs in the region) and the opportunity to interact with friendly meerkats.
RWANDA
Gorilla Permits
There are a limited number of permits available each day to track the endangered mountain gorillas. The permit fee is now $500 in Rwanda and Uganda. It’s always wise to plan at least a year in advance for gorilla trekking.
UGANDA
As of June, 2010 there are two new gorilla families in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest that can now be visited by tourists. The Orugonzo family (known as the O group) is accessible from Bwindi Lodge. The Kahungye family is located in the eastern part of the forest and is accessible from Mgahinga Lodge and lodges in southern Bwindi. There are 72 permits available daily to visit one of the nine gorilla groups in Uganda.
NAMIBIA
Twyfelfontein becomes a World Heritage Site
Twyfelfontein, is the first site in Namibia to be added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. Archaeological experts found some of the largest concentrations of rock art in Africa at this location. The site forms a coherent, extensive and high quality record of ritual practices relating to hunter-gatherer communities in this part of Southern Africa dating more than 2,000 years old.
