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28 | THE VOICE JANUARY 23-29, 2014
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THIS WEEK WE FEATURE A FEW EXCITING PLACES THAT MADE THE VOICE TOP 50 PLACES TO VISIT. By Jacqueline Asafu-Adjaye, Sponsored Features Editor
T
he much anticipated opening of the luxurious Mara Engai Wilderness Lodge in Spring 2014 will see new levels of opulence and service that will surpass any other safari resort within the Mara Triangle. Set on the Estoit Olooloo Escarpment, 1,000ft above the plains of Kenya’s famous Masai Mara, the new Mara Engai Wilderness Lodge offers around 75 miles of unbroken, breathtaking views. Here guests will experience solitude and serenity. “This is where nature is waiting your embrace�. Guests can relax in luxurious tented accommodation and enjoy fine dining with the most amazing backdrop The Lodge has enormous, luxury tented accommodation each with full en suite facilities. Built on raised platforms, they are beautifully furnished for comfort and luxury and decorated with Masai treasures and objets d’art from worldwide travels. Some overlook the plateau below, while others are nestled in the local forest canopy, interlinked by deck bridges and walkways. The Lodge offers indoor and outdoor fine dining with excellent wines from its wine cellar. Then the well stocked bar offers clients the opportunity to unwind after a thrilling game drive as they watch the sun setting over the Mara. FRONT ROW SEATS FOR ONE OF NATURE’S GREATEST SHOWS ON EARTH
The Lodge is one of the few located on the edge of the Mara Triangle. Divided from the rest of the Masai Mara National Reserve by the Mara River, the Mara Triangle is less visited and less crowded, often with many more game animals grazing on
the plains and between the volcanic hills that distinguish this corner of the Mara. For extra comfort and agility, the Lodge has specially adapted 6x6 Pinzgauer vehicles for their game drives which promise the ultimate safari experience. The highlight of the Masai Mara’s nature packed calendar is the Great Migration. Some two million animals including Wildebeest, Zebra and Giraffe make their way from the Serengeti to cross the Mara River. Whilst predatory lions and crocodiles eagerly await the opportunity to strike. Positioned overlooking the migration route the Lodge provides its guests with front row seats for this, one of nature’s most spectacular shows on earth. “In Masai belief, Mara means the spotted land, whilst Engai is the Masai God who created what we have labeled as the 7th wonder of the World. This was our aim in creating The Mara Engai Wilderness Lodge.� Dipak Bhatti, CEO, Masai Mara Wilderness Lodge (UK) Limited.
wildlife. The country’s iconic attractions include Mvezo, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, cosmopolitan Cape Town and the 5.2sq mile Kruger National Park. South Africa was the first country in the world to include Responsible Tourism as part of government policy and for almost 20 years has acted as a major driving force for change in the sector. The visitor to South Africa can expect an unparalleled authentic experience, accommodation which is sustainable as it is stylish and affordable getaways which don’t cost the earth. A HIDDEN DELIGHT ARUBA
MADIBA’S SOUTH AFRICA
2014 is set to be a milestone year for South Africa – as well as marking twenty years since Nelson Mandela became President, Cape Town will be crowned World Design Capital 2014, beating off stiff competition from Bilbao and Dublin to take over from Helsinki. Since the first post-apartheid elections in 1994, South Africa has had a democratic government. The Constitution is regarded as an example to the world and enshrines a wide range of human rights protected by an independent judiciary. The head of the country is the president. The current incumbent is Jacob Zuma, who is the head of the ruling party, the African National Congress. Nearly half a million tourists from the UK are drawn to South Africa each year, lured by its rich history, vibrant contemporary culture, scenic beauty and
Home to one of the “Top 10 Beaches in the World,� Aruba is the most revisited destinations in the Caribbean, with more than half of all visitors returning year after year. Adventure meets serenity on this island of contradictions – where the sun-kissed, sandy shores of the world-famous beaches intersect with the rugged desert of the northeast coast in Arikok National Park, and where Dutch influence meets American ease. Adventure-seekers bask in cool waters at the Natural Pool (Conchi) and hike through the Guadirikiri Caves and Ayo Rock Formations, uncovering history and civilisation at every turn. Located on the outside fringes of the Hurricane Belt in the heart of the southern Caribbean, 15 miles north of Venezuela, the island of Aruba is 70 square miles (19.6 miles long and 6 miles wide across its longest point). Aruba’s 108,000 inhabitants live within six official districts including Oranjestad (city center), Paradera, San Nicolas, Noord, Santa Cruz and Savaneta. Pos Chikito is known as the island’s unofficial seventh district. The sun shines in Aruba yeararound, boasting a constant 82° F temperature, low humidity and refreshing east trade wind breezes.
Kenya the jewel of the crown
JANUARY 23-29, 2014 THE VOICE | 29
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G
uadeloupe is a French overseas territory, and is perhaps the most romantic of all the islands in the Caribbean sea. The hurricane season in Guadeloupe normally runs from June to November. Only several hundred British nationals visit Guadeloupe each year. Most visits are trouble-free. Guadeloupe has lovely white sandy beaches, a rain forest that is alive with wildlife and the highest waterfall in the Caribbean. The climate in Guadeloupe is subtropical tempered
95 per cent of the population is Roman Catholic while the others are Hindu, pagan African and Protestant. The official language is French. The major population speaks Creole. The best time to visit Guadeloupe is from December to May when the weather is warm and dry. The rest of the year is hot, humid and wet, especially between July and November. The island mainly exports bananas, sugar and rum. They import foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods and construction materials.
by trade winds, moderately high humidity. The highest point is Soufriere at 1,484 m and the lowest point is the Caribbean Sea at 0 m. The administrative capital of Guadeloupe is Basse-Terre. The Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains The Grande-Terre is low limestone formation with rolling hills and flat plains. The natural resources are cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism. The ethnic groups in Guadeloupe consists of Creole (90 per cent), East Indian, Lebanese and less than 5 per cent Chinese.
Most visited countries in the world The following is a listing of the twenty most popular countries as destinations for international travellers. Following each tourist destination country is the number of international tourist arrivals.
11. Austria - 23,000,000 12. Russia - 22,700,000 13. Ukraine - 21,400,000 14. Thailand - 19,100,000 15. Saudi Arabia - 17,500,000
1. France - 79,500,000
16. Greece - 16,400,000
2. United States - 62,300,000
17. Canada - 16,000,00
3. China - 57,600,000
18. Poland - 13,400,000
4. Spain - 56,700,000
19. Netherlands - 11,300,000
5. Italy - 46,100,000
20. Singapore - 10,400,000
6. Turkey - 29,300,000
Source: United NationWorld Tourism Organization.
7. United Kingdom - 29,200,000 8. Germany - 28,400,000 9. Malaysia - 24,700,000
Around 1.8 million of the visitors to Saudi Arabia were pilgrims on Hajj
10. Mexico - 23,400,000
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