Ultimate Vacation Spots

Travel to the south African country of Namibia and save up to 2/3s off the cost of a similar holiday to Botswana.

Namibia has plenty to offer, and sits right next-door to Botswana and shares part of the Okavango Delta - the latter countries ‘big draw’. North of South Africa and running up the coast of the southern Atlantic Ocean, this county has plenty to offer and 4 of the ‘big 5′ plus seals, ostriches and miles and miles of sand dunes…..

I have chosen 3 of the best locations in the country, not only for wildlife but for just amazing views and miles of endless scenery.

Etosha National Park:
In the north of the country, close to the border with Angola, sits the amazing national park. 25% of it’s surface is covered with a huge clay pan, shimmering white in the sunshine. This region is regularly flooded and the shallow lake becomes a haven for thousands of flamingos and other waterbirds.

Etosha is one of the Worlds greatest known conservation areas, and with a list including lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant, giraffe, jackal, hyena, warthog, rhino zebra and wildebeest, it no wonder. At 186 miles wide and just 68 miles north-south it is remarkably easy to see game here - and with 114 mammal species within it’s boundaries - you will not be disappointed on your safari.

You need an entry permit to visit (usually included with most organised tours) but you are not allowed to visit the west of the park without a guide as the animals are not so used to humans and so will be greatly affected by your presence.

The Namib-Naukluft Park:
Running up the coast in central Namibia is this large almost un-inhabited region, divided into 3 distinct zones.

1) Sandwich Harbour:
To the north of the region you will find this isolated wetland along the Atlantic coast, where thousands of waders and other seabirds spend their days on the mudflats, including terns, flamingos and pelicans.

You cannot visit this region without a permit and there are strict guidelines about when and where you can drive. Only a 4×4 will do, and it is a 2 hour walk from the ‘car park’ to the lagoon. There is no overnight camping allowed, so you had better start out early for this ornithological day trip.

2) The Namib Desert:
Famous for it’s endless reddish dunes, this region seems devoid of life. However, you will find springbok, gemsbok, mountain zebra, bat-eared foxes and ostrich all doing well here.

There are basic campsites here and you need a permit for some areas. There are gravel paths for sturdy vehicles - for the best; follow the Welwitschia Drive for the longest and most scenic tour of the region.

3) Naukluft Mountains:
This area of rugged cliffs and steep escarpments is on the edge of the Namib and has some dramatic landscapes.

Home to a small amount of large mammals including zebra and leopards, you can hike through this region using the many campsites and you will certainly need the largest memory card you can get your hands on. The scenery is just perfectly photogenic, and the different light throughout the day makes even the same place seen totally different.

Fish River Canyon:
Legendary as the largest area of canyons anywhere near here, these geological beauties will certainly leave you speechless.

This complex of steep sided gorges in a lovely rusty stone are surely Namibia’s most spectacular natural feature and are easily reached from nearby Keetmanshoop. Created over millions of years when the land rose in height causing the river to rage it’s way down to sea level - eating away at the cliffs as it tore it’s way down to the ocean.

There are many viewpoints along the way, and some very popular hiking trails and many basic campsites. The best trail is the 85km back-packing trail starting near Hobas and ending in the delightful Ai-Ais hot springs. Just what you’ll need after several hard days hiking!

What Else:
Well, of course, the country has plenty more to offer, including the Skeleton Coast filled with shipwrecks, the local Himba tribes and German colonial towns filled with great architecture and history including the capital Windhoek. Then there is Sossusvlei - where you can watch the sun rise over the flame red dunes wearing out your camera shutter and the wildlife-crammed Bwabwata National Park, just north of the great Okavango delta.

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There was a fantastic post submitted for this months Traveling With Kids Blog Carnival, that I thought it should get a post of it’s own.

TheLifeLessTraveled presents Family Downsizes Life to a Camper, the Open Road and Adventures Rich in Simple Pleasures posted at The Life Less Traveled.

The family and their dog - naming themselves the Smudge Family (a winner for me) decided that enough was enough - and they were going to enjoy their lives together away from the ‘daily grind’.

No more 9-5 ruining their precious time together as a family.  Find out more on their journey as they continue to add more posts…..

Enjoy. 

Just a quick note to everyone in the UK to explain why the vacations this summer have been a bit pricey!

I was visiting my travel agent every week waiting for something to come up for around the £600 or less mark for a long-haul 2 week vacation - but nothing came. She thought they were holding off due to the bad weather this year - so she said come back after the August Bank Holiday. I did, but the prices were still higher than I wanted, and there weren’t many of them to chose from either.

I now know why.

Travel ‘giants’ Thomas Cook and TUI recently announced that they have been taking advantage of other travel companies going bust, by keeping their prices artificially high. They were using their well earned stability in the market to pick up all the travellers who still wanted that summer vacation, and were prepared to pay a little more than usual.

Apparently this has been very successful, what with less flights (Thomas Cook have nearly 25% less holidays on sale this season) and less companies offering them in the first place (with XL and Zoom going bust). Also, holiday selling prices have increased a staggering 18% in the past 7 weeks - according to the London Lite (29/09/08). No wonder I couldn’t find anything worth paying for.

So, it may be that cheap package holidays are becoming a thing of the past - for now.

However, I think that over the next year when things are predicted to get even tighter - for example my electricity bill has gone up another 30% this month - people will stop paying those prices. How many people even now really want to pay more that £600 each for 2 weeks in the sun?

The only people with that sort of money are all the London bankers - oh, hang on a minute - aren’t they all out of a job now!

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If it’s a once in a lifetime vacation - why settle for second best?

If you are planning your Honeymoon, special occasion, or an anniversary celebration and it is something you have dreamed of for ‘ever’, then why not do it in style.  And where better than the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.

I know that everyone is watching the pennies at the moment, but if it is something that is so very important to you and a moment you cannot get back, then go for luxury - but make sure every penny counts. 

Mauritius:
Famed throughout the world as a luxurious tropical getaway, what better place to invest in that little ‘perfection’ you desire for your vacation.  You won’t find hoards of tourists here, watching the football and drinking the bar dry - here you will find peace and tranquility.

Never a location to sell ‘cheap, package deals’ and always a place that earns it’s 5 stars, there are some dream hotels here to make sure that you don’t have a worry in the world during your entire stay.

Finding the Right Hotel:
There are many agents that deal with this ultimate destination, but one stands out - offering exclusive vacations - and ONLY exclusive vacations.

Only Exclusive Travel are true to their name, offering an almost perfect service to some of the best hotels and resorts in the world.  Offering locations where privicy and intimacy are almost guaranteed, and the hotel staff offer a service second to none.

Take the One&Only Le Saint Geran Mauritius, with 60 acres of tropical gardens and a huge stretch of the white sand coastline.  The first-class service will certainly have you feeling as though you are in heaven!

The more contemporary hotel of Le Touessrok Mauritius is designed to have that ‘authentic island’ feel, with timber and white-washed walls.  Again the service here is as exclusive as it’s fine dining and hospitality.  And with it’s own breath-taking golf course set across an azure lagoon with mountains as their backdrop, there are none to rival it’s beauty.

With 13 stunning vacation spots on this amazing and exclusive island, you will not be short of choice.  Have a look at their elegant website, and start browsing their luxury holidays today.

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Destination Venezuela

One of the 9 countries bordering on gigantic Brazil, Venezuela sits to the north. It rests on the shores of the Caribbean Sea and has a whole host of pristine beaches,strands of coral reef and isolated tropical islands to it’s name.

To the east you find the Orinoco Delta weaving it’s way across the land into the Atlantic Ocean; and to the west you can find the snow-capped peaks of the Andes, which can be seen for miles around. Finally, the mighty Amazon sits to the south of this diverse destination and offers a whole host of tropical rain-forest and amazing wildlife to explore - including the highest waterfall in the world: Angel Falls.

Lets take a quick glance at what each of these locations has to offer the visitor.

The Caribbean:
There are several groups of islands in the Caribbean sea that are worth visiting and are inhabited. Of course there are many more islands that are uninhabited and are great for snorkeling and diving but there are too many to discuss here.

Archipielago Los Roques- This chain of small coral reef islands around 160km north of the mainland - about 40 of which are large enough for names - where as the other 250 or so are just rocks or sandbars. This area is a real paradise for divers and snorkelers and the infrastructure makes getting around very easy. The whole region is a National Park, so you will be charged an entry fee when visiting here.

Dos Mosquises Sur - This inhabited island is home to the Marine Biological Station which rears turtles from the surrounding area to be released locally. There are therefore some restrictions about activities in these waters.

Isla de Margarita- This large island is a vacation spot for package tours and is very popular with Canadians and Europeans. The island has some amazing white sandy beaches and 2 national parks. It is also a duty-free shopping zone so is very popular with Venezuelan vacationers too.

The Orinoco Delta:
This river basin is second only to the Amazon Basin in size and at it’s widest, the river is over 20km wide. It then splits into around 40 main channels that spread out across the delta and empty in the Atlantic Ocean.

It is easy to arrange a boat tour of the delta from most surrounding towns and even from some more distant destinations, such as the Isla de Margarita. Along the river banks you will find a whole host of wildlife species, including spider monkeys, caiman, hummingbirds and toucan to name a few. And in the water you are sure to find pirahna, but also pink river dolphins if you are out at dusk……

Many tour companies will arrange for you to stay overnight in an old oil prospectors cabins or local stilted houses on the river itself the very places that gave this country it’s name - Little Venice. Take some serious insect repellant though if you are out in the rainy season!

The Andes Mountains:
The very tip of this huge mountain chain splits into 2 and creeps into the western corner of Venezuela and can be snow-covered all year round. Many of the highest peaks are around 5000m and most towns between 2500m and 3500m. Hiking is risky at any time due to the changeable weather, but August to October really are the worst months here.

Merida state is nestled in-between the 2 ridges and does have an excellent infrastructure for travel and touring, however; neighbouring states can still offer some amazing landscapes and are probably less touristy - although you may have to be a bit more flexible with your arrangements.

Remember that the altitude here can easy reach over 3000m, so it is possible that you will need to take a few days to acclimatise yourself, otherwise you may find yourself feeling terrible the whole time possibly with some serious headaches and other unpleasant (and possibly fatal) side effects.

The Amazon Jungle and Angel Falls:
The Venezuelan Amazon is only small - just a 5th of the country’s size, but never-the-less it is a beautiful place to visit. It is predominately thick forest filled with networks of streams and rivers criss-crossing the land. Many indigenous tribes live here, and around 20 different languages are used.

Puerto Ayacucho is the main town on the Orinoco River and with a landing strip, but the infrastructure is poor and private guides are the only option here if you want to explore. Flora and fauna abound here, with birds, insects and reptiles fitting in every niche. Mammals such as the giant river otter and the ocelot do live here, but are rarely seen - but monkeys may be more frequently seen.

Salto Angel - or Angel Falls is the most visited tourist destination in the country - and I know why. When I flew here recently, the views from the ‘plane were amazing. We flew low over the tops of the giant outcrops of the ‘tepuis’ - the flat-topped mountains. Rather than the mountains coming up out of the ground, these 1000m high plateaus are what is left of the original ground when all the rest fell away!!

I though that was a great site until the ground fell away from under our plane in an instant and we tilted to the left over the falls. All I could see was the continuous drop of this amazing waterfall all the way to the ground below me!!!!! All that water, falling away into the depths of the jungle below leaving a rainbow behind as evidence of it’s beauty!

This is certainly a place to return to, over and over again. And I will.

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