Blog Entries

Zambezi Queen Online

shannonmcdza@yahoo.com — Fri, 08 May 2009 02:00:00 +0100

Zambezi Queen Online

Incentiveworld.com goes digital!

Now in its ninth year, incentiveworld.com has made a dynamic move to distribute a digital issue in addition to its print edition.

Click Zambezi Queen to view

the first digital issue of incentiveworld.com

TURN PAGES - click on [...]

SOS - Laws of Survival

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:00:00 +0100

Mac's Laws of survival

Do you remember the first three laws of survival?
Your brain is your number one survival tool, so don’t forget...

S.T.O.P Sit Think Observe Plan The Rule of threes 3 weeks no food 3 days no water 3 minutes no air P.R.W.F - Please Remember What’s First Protection Rescue Water Food Mac's fourth law of survival

...is to avoid problems by being [...]

BonaManzi Photographic Workshop

roger@africaimagery.com — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0100

I’m uploading this from Rhino River Lodge near Mkuze in KwaZulu Natal. It’s taking ages (there’s no 3G out here in the bush) but, here’s the thing: Just a few years ago this would not have been possible. The wonders of technology. I just love it!!!

Wow, what fun we had. Pat and I left Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park where we’d been trying to photograph wild dogs with little success and headed for Bonamanzi, a smallish private nature reserve just outside Hluhluwe [...]

Victoria Falls - Travel Trade Update

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Zimbabwe is having an election re-run on 27th June 2008. As with the March election, this is not expected to impact on the tourist destination of Victoria Falls. We are aware of the diplomatic incident outside Harare yesterday. In talking to our colleagues there are no issues on the ground arising from it.

Victoria Falls operations continue as normal with all GoToVictoriaFalls.com campaign members expressing utmost confidence in the destination. This is illustrated by their steady [...]

Welcome to romantic Mauritius!

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Fri, 30 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

The romantic destination of Mauritius will enchant you, uplift your soul, making you feel that you belong to the chosen few.

It is so often said that it is the people that make the place. In the case of Mauritius this is no understatement.

Every visitor enjoys personal at [...]

Baines Camp in Okavango Delta, Botswana

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Mon, 26 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Where else on the surface of the earth would you see a mighty river just disappear underground as you would when observing the Okavango Delta.

This natural phenomenon, creating a series of fleeting waterways and floodplains, has given birth to one of the most amazing ecological wonders.

The opportunity to sit in a mak [...]

Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park Photography

roger@africaimagery.com — Tue, 20 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

After an overnight stop in Durban to celebrate the birthday of friend and fellow writer Sue Derwent, Pat and I headed up to the oldest game reserve in Africa – the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park.

HiP as it is know, is located just to the west of the Isimangaliso Wetland Park that incorporates Lake St Lucia, the largest estuarine system in Africa. Our mission? To link up with Endangered Wildlife Trust researchers Brendan Whittington-Jones, Zama Zwane and Carla Graaff, all wild dog specia [...]

Bill Geist's Zeitgeist and customer service

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

I found such a brilliant blog post the other day and thought I would share it with you.

It’s such a simple concept, really. Tell the truth when something goes wrong and the customer will often understand and be supportive. Lie and CYA...and you send customers into a rage. When people are lied to, they wig out.

Let's forward backward [...]

Latest Getaway African Holiday specials!

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Sat, 03 May 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Botswana: from R 9807

Kalahari Bushman, Mobile Safari and Okavango Houseboat Experience, fly from Johannesburg, 5 nights.

Mauritius: from R 290

Self-catering units from R290 per person per night.

Mozambique: from R 9530

Island getaways, fit for royalty, fly from Johannesburg, 3 nights.

Uganda: from R 10730

Gorillas in the mist at Nkuringo Safari Lodge, fly from Johannesburg, 3 nights.

Zambia: from R 7492

Private luxury with a personal chef to boot! [...]

Stay updated with social networking!

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Online presence is vital today. And fun! I truly enjoy spending time online with all you fellow travelers, bloggers and readers.

It's addictive though. Sometimes I look at the time and it's way past bedtime...it's normally closer to wake up time. ;-) But it's so much fun that it's easy to get carried away!

If you haven [...]

Football: Mauritius confirm CHAN withdrawal

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

By Yasine Mohabuth, BBC Sport, Port Louis

The Mauritius Football Association (MFA) has confirmed the national football team's withdrawal from the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Club M want to focus on the joint qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.

The withdrawal means that South Africa, who should have hosted Mauritius on 3 May, automatically qualify for next round.

Eskom to pause scheduled load shedding

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

South Africans will be free of scheduled power cuts next week, Eskom said on Thursday.

Set to be a short working week because of public holidays, the parastatal said the scheduled power cuts would not go ahead as demand for power was historically lower on public holidays.

It said in a statement that although demand for power in the evenings was expected to be "tight", it did not expect to go ahead with load shedding unless "additional problems" were experienced.

Hire an entire game lodge or boat!

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Flame of Africa is offering Exclusively Yours holidays whereby you can book out an entire lodge or houseboat in the Golden triangle of Hwange, Chizarira and Kariba.

You can choose between the camp known as Bumbusi Wilderness Camp in Hwange (sleeps 10) the Leopar [...]

Zimbabwe opposition victory claim

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Zimbabwe's opposition has released its results from the presidential election, saying they give it victory.

The main opposition MDC in Zimbabwe has released its own results from the presidential election, claiming they prove it won.

Party Secretary General Tendai Biti told a news conference that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won 50.3%, so avoiding a run-off.

President Robert Mugabe won 43.8% according to the MDC.

Results have yet to be officially dec [...]

Kruger National Park introduces new gate policy

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0100

DAY visitors to the Kruger National Park (KNP) will no longer be able to book their entry as this will be done on a strict "first come, first served" basis.

"We decided to do away with the day-visit booking system as it created logistical problems and was considered unfair by many of our visitors" says KNP public [...]

SAA and Star Alliance strengthen focus on Africa

tess@webmonkeys.co.za — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 02:00:00 +0100

South African Airways (SAA) is moving into the next phase of its membership of Star Alliance, with both parties focusing their efforts on furthering their combined presence on the African continent.

The airline announced an increase in its flights to Entebbe, Uganda, from the current five per week to a daily flight.

Flights will depart daily from Entebbe at 07h15 and arrive in Johannesburg at 10h30, allowing connecting passengers enough time to meet their flights. Return fli [...]

Preparing for Zambezi White River Rafting

cathryn@flameofafrica.com — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 02:00:00 +0100

Author and adventurer: Lew Phelps, of Pasadena, CA, his wife and two adult daughters traversed the Zambezi Rive rapids on 30 November 2006.

The Zambezi River rapids immediately downstream from Victoria Falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, are considered the most difficult rapid in the world that can be navigated by commercial rafters (this is, rafts for hire to carry passengers).

Shearwater Adventures, a premier rafting company located in the town of Victoria Fall [...]

Over the line

cathryn@flameofafrica.com — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 02:00:00 +0100

By Alison Westwood, Getaway Magazine

There's only one man to call if you decide to go to Zimbabwe, and that's Brett MacDonald of Flame of Africa.

The fact that I'm enjoying the last gasp of a hellish hot day sitting on the deck of a well-run luxury lodge with a cold Guinness at my side, and not rotting in the wrong queue at the border is chiefly due to Big Mac.

The border at Beitbridge is not a tourist border like the one at Vic Falls. It's a real border and a r [...]

Human Threat to Gorillas Eases

chris@webmonkeys.co.za — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:28:01 +0100

Its always good to hear that the efforts of others are proving to worthwhile.

While reading the Sunday Argus this weekend, we came across this interesting article about conservation of the Gorillas in East Africa.

Being actively involved ourselves, through one of our lodges in Uganda (Nkuringo Safari Lodge), we are extremelyhappy to hear things are on track to preserve these awesome creatures.

Below is an excerpt of the article and a link to the full read.

[...]

Zimbabwe Security Update

chris@webmonkeys.co.za — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:27:10 +0100

Our friends over at GoToVictoriaFalls.com have published a really good response to the recent security concerns about traveling in Zimbabwe. Below is the brief newsletter they sent out to address this issue. Be sure to check it out on http://www.gotovictoriafalls.com.

Dear All

With Zimbabwe's increased publicity in recent weeks, most of us have been
receivingenquiries regarding safety concerns. We attach herewith a
destination travel update for Victoria Fall [...]