Travel Africa

‘meerkats on the move’

Captured by UK wildlife photographer Ann Toon — who, together with husband and fellow photographer Steve, is a regular contributor to Travel Africa — this image was judged runner-up in the Mammals category in the prestigious GDT European Nature Photographer of the Year Awards 2019. It was taken in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, straddling the border of Botswana and South Africa, where the couple spent many hours shadowing a small colony of meerkats that had established occasional sleeping burrows in a quiet corner of one of the reserve’s rest camps. Because these wild animals regularly spend time among humans, they could be accessed easily on foot for long periods and photographed at ground level. They quickly became accustomed to having Ann and Steve around, so much so the couple felt they…

karibu

A new year – let alone a fresh decade – is a good time to mentally declutter, count our blessings and reflect on how we live our lives and what is important to us. This year doing so seems particularly relevant. The world seems to be in a bit of a mess at the moment, with more pressure, discord, anxiety and frustration than I can remember. At the same time, it is clear that we’re all more aware than ever of the need to be kinder – to ourselves, to each other, to the environment – and I am sure this will have a positive influence on the choices we make, individually and as a society. You will already be very aware of the intrinsic benefits that travel offers, and those of…

storytellers

DAVID LAZENBY PHOTOGRAPHY, P76 “History, both natural and cultural, is my full-time occupation. When I am not in Africa or other far-flung locations around our planet photographing wildlife and wild places, I design immersive, highly visual exhibits for museums and other visitor attractions. As such, the origins of photography and the adventures of those hardy, intrepid men and women that first hauled their hulking great contraptions into the wild have always been fascinating for me. As for my part in the story… To the person that invented autofocus, I praise thee! Africa would be a whole lot blurrier without you!” MARK STRATTON BUSH CAMP, P110 “I’ve been lucky to stay in all manner of safari accommodation and invariably my finest experiences have been at smaller more remote bush camps. When I come to Africa to…

indaba

Namaste With increasing numbers of people appreciating the benefits of yoga, more lodges are encouraging guests to engage while on safari. Doing sun salutations overlooking the savannah at dawn is perhaps the perfect marriage of practice and place. Muchenje Safari Lodge in western Chobe, Botswana, is one such location. In November 2020 Muchenje will introduce its first ever yoga break of 7-10 days, with early morning and late afternoon sessions complementing normal game-viewing activities. WWW.MUCHENJE.COM WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE? EMAIL EDITOR@TRAVELAFRICAMAG.COM…

feeling festive all year

Music runs through the soul of Africa. Deeply rooted in its heritage and culture, it’s an inherent part of daily life. With myriad genres, from Saharan blues to Congolese soukous, from Ghanaian hi-life to Cape Town jazz, Africa arguably has the most diverse music on the planet. Not surprisingly, there are dozens of well-organised music festivals happening through the year, many in stunning locations. Planning a holiday around one of these is a perfect way of immersing yourself into the local culture. Here is our pick of Africa’s festivals for 2020, compiled by Den Hukins SAUTI ZA BUSARA Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania 13-16 FEBRUARY 2020 WWW.BUSARAMUSIC.ORG Taking place in the Old Fort, this is one of Africa’s best festivals. Featuring artists from around the continent. AMANI FEST 2020 Collège Mwanga, Goma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo 15-17…

new photo comp launches

Animography Photography Awards is a new global competition that aims to draw attention to conservation issues while celebrating the beauty of nature through creative photography. The categories are based on the big conservation challenges facing the world’s continents, enabling 30 per cent of the entry fees to be channelled to conservation. However, images can be taken on any continent as long as they highlight the issues or animals from that environment. For example, this year the categories are based around issues faced in Africa; linked to each category is a conservation organisation whose focus is conserving that environment or species. The organisation linked to the category from which the overall winning image is chosen will receive the funding donation generated through the entry fees. This year’s categories are Rivers, Savannas, Forests,…