by Zambezi
28 April 2011
Island hopping by dhow!
Just back from Mozambique, Trish couldn't wait to share some of her favourite discoveries with us.
.jpg)
Perfect for free spirits, the 8 Day Dhow Safari takes you island hopping by traditional dhow, camping on the beach by night on the pristine islands of the Quirimbas archipelago, culminating with a few nights of luxuy on Ibo Island. Snorkel, kayak, dive and star gaze.
With verdant native bush spilling over onto coral reefs, mangrove forests and hidden coves, Ibo Island is a beach seeker's paradise with prolific marine life and a rich cultural legacy. It's also a fabulous spot for birders - the riparian forest is a great habitat for black-bellied starlings and other birds. The mangrove forest provides roosting spots with sightings of Dimorphic egret, great white egret, pink-backed pelican, yellow-billed stork, crab plovers and woolly-necked storks.
.jpg)
by Zambezi
19 April 2011
Great supporters of Zimbabwe, the Zambezi Safari and Travel team are delighted recipients of the Tourism Award 2011 in the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards. Thanks to everyone who voted.
Dear Zambezi Safaris
On behalf of the Panel for the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards 2011, we would like to congratulate Zambezi Safaris on being voted and selected as the Winner of the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards for Tourism Award of the Year 2011.
The Zimbabwe Achievers Awards is an initiative set up to recognise and acknowledge the achievements and excellence of Zimbabweans who are raising the flag high for Zimbabwe and have achieved outstanding success in their specific sector.
The Tourism Award is awarded to a candidate who is successfully promoting Zimbabwe as a Tourism Destination and is continually raising the profile of the country on an International Scale.
Congratulations and Thank You for the work you are doing and we wish Zambezi Safaris all the very best for the year ahead.
May your outstanding efforts and success continue.
Yours faithfully
Shelley Cox
Vice-Chairperson
Zimbabwe Business Network
by Zambezi
12 April 2011
If the soon to be newlyweds are still looking for suggestions of where to go on honeymoon...here's our top tip!
Victoria Falls and Big Five - This is one of our all time favourite honeymoon safaris. Three nights at Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, including a guided tour of the ‘smoke that thunders’ and a sunset cruise along the mighty Zambezi, followed by three nights at an intimate bush camp set in Zimbabwe’s premier wildlife destination and conservation area, Hwange National Park. Now that’s what we call the perfect match!
.jpg)
by Zambezi
6 April 2011
We’re delighted to see an increasing number of positive articles on Zimbabwe in the UK media – the latest in the May issue of Conde Nast Traveller courtesy of Lisa Grainger, following an interview with John Berry in February.
Here’s an extract from John’s latest Zimbabwe update:
Zimbabwe was 80% of our business in 1999, we lost nearly all of that between April and November 2000. Thereafter and up until 2008 Zimbabwe represented less than 5% of our bookings.
Since 2009 when travel restrictions were lifted and despite a stalled recovery, our business to Zimbabwe trebled in 2010 and we expect it to do the same again with clients out of Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America. We have seen a dramatic increase in enquiries from UK travellers for the 2011 season.
Questions remain.
Is it safe? Tourists are not threatened in Zimbabwe: People on safari are in capable hands in remote areas, where the biggest threat is sunburn.
Is there game left? Some areas have been heavily poached. But in all of the main safari spots where lodges and camps have regular visitors we find game conditions as good as they ever were a decade ago – that applies to Hwange, Matusadona and Mana Pools.
Are tourism dollars benefitting Mugabe? The government will be earning limited revenue from fuel duties and the like (about 10% of input costs for the average safari operation) but most of the cost is wages and food – that goes to local producers and staff! None of the operators are making profits – there’s little or no tax being recovered.
Finally, is it ethical? Tourists don’t contribute to Mugabe or the regime in any way. The absence of tourists simply denies conservationists, safari operations and the people of support. We’d much rather have people visit Zimbabwe, “the hottest ticket around” and return to tell their friends back home of the warm hospitality, smiling faces and outstanding safari experiences they’ve just had!
