Recommend February 2013 - (Page 41)

Find Bliss in Tanzania swahili lands Tribal grounds: The Swahili people, ethnographically part of the Bantu tribe, ﬁrst settled on Lamu Island, a tranquil outpost accessed by air from Nairobi. Continuously inhabited for more than 700 years, Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is not only the oldest but the best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa. Built of coral stone and mangrove timber, its narrow lanes are lined with traditional houses enriched by inner courtyards and elaborately carved wooden doors. Elsewhere on the island are rolling dunes, endless beaches and tiny villages nestling among coconut and mango plantations. Transport here moves by donkey on land and traditional sail-rigged dhows offshore. In fact, for a special client experience, arrange a dhow safari around the Lamu archipelago. While today the 300-mile-long coast is a favorite of beach lovers, scuba divers and history buffs, in the past, Swahili lands absorbed Spice Route traders from Portugal, Turkey and Oman, resulting in a cultural blend of Bantu and Islamic traditions. Swahili, the national language of Kenya, contributes an important word to the English language: safari. On safari: TunisUSA’s Iconic Journeys Worldwide division delves deeply into the history and culture of the Indian Ocean outposts of Lamu Island and Mombasa during its 9-night Kenya— Nature, Animal Life and Cultural Diversity tour. Starting in Nairobi, tour members have a private visit to the National Museum; in the Maasai Mara Reserve, wildlife comes into full and spectacular view on early-morning and late-afternoon game drives. On the Swahili coast, the ﬁrst stop is Lamu Island, with a 2-night stay at luxurious Lamu House, a beautiful restoration and combination of two historic mansions. Special activities include a curator-guided tour of the Lamu and Swahili museums; and a visit to the traditional Swahili village of Shela, and the coral palaces and mosque of the 15th century Gede Ruins at Malindi. Finally, clients spend two nights outside Mombasa at the deluxe Serena Beach Resort, styled to recall a 13th century Swahili town. In Mombasa, tour members visit Fort Jesus (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the Swahili Museum, dining out on traditional cuisine: a fusion of Arab, Swahili, and Indian ﬂavors. Departing June 1, the tour cost is $3,800 pp dbl. Living luxe: Abercrombie & Kent, operating luxury tours in East Africa for 50 years, knows Kenya and calls “the endless white beaches and turquoise waters of the Kenyan coastline the perfect ﬁnale to any Kenya safari.” Among luxury beach hideaways, A&K recommends Kinondo-Kwetu, on its own private sands in Diani. All guest accommodations—ﬁve tropical cottages and spacious suites decorated with antiques and Swahili handcrafts—have sea views. Activities center around two swimming pools, sailing, kayaking, tennis, excellent snorkeling and scuba diving. The accent is also on luxury at Msambweni House, an all-inclusive, boutique hotel that stands on a 40-ft. cliff overlooking a 700-ft. beach; it is surrounded by 28 acres of nature. Located south of Mombasa, this owner-managed resort offers daily massages, gourmet French cuisine and Swahili-inﬂuenced, seaview suites and villas for 12 guests that are nothing short of grand. Guests enjoy a huge inﬁnity pool, local village visits, deep-sea ﬁshing, scuba diving and snorkeling in Kisite Marine Park. Extraordinary Journeys Africa (extraordinaryjourneys. net/blog/yoga-safari-in-tanzania) has joined forced with Asilia Africa to offer a series of three limited-time yoga retreats—March, June and December 2013—at Sayari Camp in the northern Serengeti in Tanzania. The retreat includes a 5-night stay at the 15-tent Sayari Camp, a 1-night stay at Onsea House in Arusha, scenic game drives through the Serengeti National Park, domestic travel within Tanzania, and all meals, drinks and activities including two daily yoga sessions and game park entrance fees. The yoga instructor, Shannon Paige, emphasizes deep spaces of calm and connection with the land through her own brand of Anjali Restorative Yoga, in which meditation and synchronized breathing exercises are guided by the rich imagery of the natural wilderness. To that end, students will wake each morning to a restorative sunrise game drive across the Serengeti plains and take advantage of guided afternoon drives or bush walks in between daily yoga sessions. Sayari Camp is outﬁtted with kingsized beds, private verandahs, luxurious amenities, and a ﬁreplace, library, bar and lounge for guests to relax in. Rates for the retreat begins at $3,900 pp dbl. The 15-tent Sayari Camp in Tanzania. Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): Africa Rising (December 2012) contact information Abercrombie & Kent: (800) 554-7094; abercrombiekent.com African Travel, Inc.: (800) 421-8907; africantravelinc.com or africantravelinc.com/agents Cox & Kings: (800) 999-1758; coxandkingsusa.com or coxandkingsusa.com/agents Jacada Travel: (866) 610-1533; jacadatravel.com Kenya Tourist Board: (310) 545-3047; magicalkenya.com TunisUSA: (888) 474-5502; tunisusa.com february 2013 41 38-41 AF Kenya.indd 41 1/22/13 11:22 AM http://www.recommend.com http://www.abercrombiekent.com http://www.africantravelinc.com http://www.africantravelinc.com/agents http://www.coxandkingsusa.com http://www.coxandkingsusa.com/agents http://www.jacadatravel.com http://www.magicalkenya.com http://www.tunisusa.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend February 2013

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk: Virgin Limited Edition
Tour Talk: GeoEx
Celebrity Reflection
Villa del Palmar Cancun Beach resort & Spa
Karisma's Gourmet Feast: Top-End Cuisine & Service
El Secreto, Ambergris Caye, Belize
Hamburg Travel Planner 2013
The Kenya Formula: Wild + Tribal + Luxe
Fiji-3 Luxe Resorts Reflect its Plush Side
Gansevoort Turks & Caicos
It Pays to Book Villas
High-End stays Stateside
The Angler's Boutique Resort, Miami Beach

Recommend February 2013