Kerala is predominantly famous for its breathtaking backwaters which are the prominent tourist attraction in the state. Backwaters are gifted with amazing beauty and provide wonderful opportunity to the tourists to explore the rustic charm of Kerala, its beauty of Nature, terrific temples, astounding scenic vistas, etc. Backwater cruise becomes more delightful sailing on the houseboat that takes tourists to the world of wonderments.

Windows of scenic beauty starts opening as the cruise offers the glimpse of the coir villages, swaying palm trees, cascading waterfalls, scenic vistas, historical forts, churches, exotic resorts and many other splendid attractions. Enjoying backwater cruise over the picturesque backwaters will truly be the delightful experience of Kerala tour.

India’s most idyllic state, Kerala, better known as God’s Own Country is famous for its picture perfect hill stations. These hill stations of Kerala are the perfect place to enjoy holidays in a splendor way. It keeps you away from the hustle and bustle of the city life offering you tranquillity to make your holidays in Kerala more delightful. Decorated with cascading waterfalls, splendid springs, sprawling plantations and scenic vistas, these hill stations are different from the other hill stations of India. These beautiful hill stations are preferred ones by the honeymooning couples and newly wedded couples coming for honeymoon tour Kerala. Couples can enjoy their honeymoon vacation in a romantic way exploring the scenic beauty of these lovely hill stations of Kerala.

A perfect tour destination, Kerala is well known for its exotic wildlife parks and sanctuaries. The rich and diverse wildlife of the exotic national parks and sanctuaries of India appeal tourists from all the corner of the world for tours and travels in India. In the state there are several wildlife parks and sanctuaries, but the most famous ones are Periyar wildlife sanctuary, Kumarakom bird sanctuary, Idduki wildlife sanctuary, Peppera wildlife sanctuary, etc. These wildlife parks and sanctuaries are safe home of varied wild animals and bird’s species. Visitors and wildlife lovers can enjoy safari in these forest which will give them memorable experience of tour to Kerala.

Kerala the favored tourism destination of India is also globally famous for its pristine palm fringed beaches. This beautiful state of India, Kerala is gifted with some of the finest beaches in the world. Tourists can spend some time of their tour with immense happiness enjoying the fun filled beaches whose beauty are even more enhanced by the swaying palm trees. Kovalam, Trivandrum, Varkala, Alleppey, Cochin, Kuttanad, etc are some of the finest beach destination of Kerala.

Beside these there are many other splendid attractions in the state which have their own charm enough to steal the heart of tourists. Mouthwatering cuisines, terrific temples, ayurvedic resorts and spa centres, world class hospitality, traditional villages, rich culture and traditions, beautiful cultural dance performance, etc are to the tourists attraction of Kerala. These entire charm and beauty of Kerala can be delightfully explored by booking Kerala package tours of your choice. You will surely love touring in this beautiful state of God’s Own Country that will give you delightful memories to cherish for lifetime.

Clothing:
Casual and semi-casual clothing is best suited to the relaxed informal style of African Safari and tourist lodges. Bright colors and white are not suitable for game viewing. Stick to neutral colors and do not take a large suitcase and a multitude of clothes.

General Packing suggestion:
Sunglasses, binoculars, camera with telephoto lens, notebook and pen, mammal or birding bird (depending on your interests), alarm clock, small torch/flashlight, sunscreen lotion, sun hat, insect repellent, swimwear, light cotton trousers, cotton shorts, light cotton shirts (long and short sleeved), sandals, walking shoes, waterproof/windbreaker jacket, polar fleece. During winter pack an additional warm jacket, woolen hat, scarf and gloves.

Luggage:
Pack light, especially if you are traveling on a multi-destination safari where you may use different methods of transport (light aircraft, trucks, boats). Most lodges have a laundry service so you do not need a lot of clothes. Luggage should be kept to the following restrictions – Two pieces of soft (not hard case) luggage per person and one carry on (backpack which you will use to carry you safari gear when game viewing) bag. Total weight should not exceed 20kg (40lbs). Certain baggage restrictions apply on small charter aircraft, as well as the requirement of a soft bag. Restrictions vary from 20kg (40lbs) to 12kg (depending on the size of the aircraft) and this includes camera equipment and carry-on baggage.

Should guests arrive with excess baggage without prior warning their baggage could be delayed as it would have to be flown into the camp at a later stage at a considerable cost to you. With advance warning of extra baggage, an extra seat can be booked for the bags at an additional cost.

Photography/Binoculars:
African Safaris offer many excellent photo opportunities. As the game drives usually occur early morning and late afternoon we suggest using a high speed film (200/400ASA), and a telephoto lens (at least 80-300mm). A ultra-violet filter and lens hood are also a good idea as well as a sturdy protective bag and a dust cover or plastic bag. Film and batteries are usually available en route but it is advisable to purchase before departure. For digital cameras make sure you have large capacity memory cards.
One essential piece of equipment for game viewing is a good quality pair of binoculars. It can be very frustrating seeing an animal in the distance and not being able to take a closer look because you only have a cheap pair of binocs.

Health:
Please consult your physician or health department for the latest health and anti-malaria precautions. Lodges do have first aid kits, but remember to take any specific medicine that you need with you. A course of basic anti-biotic is always a good idea to carry with you in Africa, cold/flu tablets, allergy tablets, immodium (for diarrohea), travel sickness pills, bite relief cream, paracetamol.

Toiletries/General:
Sun block, skin cream, insect repellent, mosquito coils (do not use in a tent), body soap or shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush, wet wipes, band aids/plasters, pocket knife, plastic bags (for muddy shoes, wet washing), sanitary products for women.

Water:
Tap Water is safe to drink in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, however bottled water is freely available. Bottled water is recommended for other destinations. Most lodges supply complimentary bottles of mineral water with meals and in lodge rooms.

Passports & Visas:
Please ensure that you are holding a passport with sufficient blank pages for entry stamps and more than 6 months to expiry. Nationals of certain countries do not require visas depending on the country you are visiting.It is advisable to check with the Consulate of the country you are visiting for the latest entry and visa requirements.

Travel Insurance:
Certain safaris carry a medical evacuation insurance. This is to the nearest suitable hospital and does not replace normal travel insurance. Other safaris carry a mandatory requirement of travel insurance. Please ensure that your travel insurance covers personal effects, personal accident, medical travel expenses, baggage, cancellation and curtailment prior to arrival.

General Safety:
As anywhere in the world, take standard security precautions such as not walking alone at night in the city, leaving baggage unattended at airports, and venturing into unfamiliar areas. Do carry a record of your passport number, air tickets, traveler’s checks and travel insurance.

Wildlife Safety:
The animals you will be seeing in the wild are not tame by any means. Do not be fooled by their relaxed attitude as it can change in an instant. Most safari lodges and camps are unfenced, and have potentially dangerous game wandering through. Do not go wandering off on your own without a guide, even to your room unless you have been advised otherwise. Do not leave your room after you have retired for the night.And most importantly, listen to the camp staff and guides as the safety precautions are there for your safety and need to be strictly adhered to.

Never approach or attempt to feed any wild animal, especially on foot. This is very important near lodges and campsites where animals have become accustomed to humans.

Money:
Most international airports have banks where money can be changed and facilities are usually available at lodges, hotels, shops and restaurants. ATM’s are widely available in South Africa and accept many international bank and credit cards. Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in commercial establishments, whereas American Express and Diners Club are not accepted everywhere.

Tipping Guidelines:
At the end of your stay at a private game lodge, most guests will want to tip both the ranger and the tracker. Tipping guidelines vary from lodge to lodge, but plan to give the local equivalents of about US $5-10 per person per day to the ranger and not much less to the tracker; an additional tip of US $25 for the general staff would be sufficient for a couple staying two days. For porters it is US $1 per person, for waiters at lodges it is US $1-2 per person per meal.

Visit African Lion Safaris for a stunning wildlife photo gallery, wild news and safaris. Marcelle Trethewey was born and raised in South Africa. She lives on a game farm and has a deep love of the African bushveld and its wildlife. Marcelle has successfully raised and release orphaned white faced owls, gemsbok and impala. She is a true adventurer who loves disappearing into the back and beyonds in her fully equipped landrover.

Wildlife conservation is a delicate and complicated process, with dedicated teams trying to rebuild complex ecosystems, manage large wildlife populations, and protect these areas from harm. Many of the world’s most magnificent areas of natural beauty are under threat from humans, and conservationists work hard to preserve these places for future generations, and to restore damaged areas back to their former glory.

There’s been an increase in recent years in volunteer wildlife conservation, where people on gap years or career breaks volunteer to help work as conservationists for weeks, months, or even a whole year. Conservation practices vary from country to country and from habitat to habitat, but these are a few of the things you are could get involved in as a volunteer conservationist…

Tracking and Monitoring

Animal monitoring is one of the most important elements of wildlife conservation. Whether it is by electronic tracking or by human observation, animal numbers must be monitored so that their populations can be controlled. If the numbers of a particular species grow too large they could threaten other animals, and if they fall too low steps need to be taken to protect them. Following the movement and migration of animals also provides the chance to research their behaviour. Of course, for volunteers, the chance to observe animals like lions and elephants in their natural habitat can be an unforgettable experience!

Habitat and Reserve Maintenance

There are all kinds of efforts that must be made to maintain the habitats in a wildlife reserve. Rock erosion needs be monitored and countered, and any alien plants and animals which could be a threat to the reserve must be found and removed from the reserve. Many reserves rely on perimeter fences to prevent animals from moving out of the reserve (and to prevent unwanted visitors!), and these need to be checked on and repaired if they are damaged. This kind of work may not be the most exciting side of wildlife conservation, but it is just as essential as any other element.

Rehab and Veterinary Care

Out in the wild, sick and injured animals soon become victims of predators, or simple starvation. However, on a wildlife reserve dealing with endangered species or low populations, the loss of even a single animal can be a terrible setback. Wounded, sick, and poisoned animals can be captured and brought back to a veterinary centre to be treated, rehabilitated, and then reintroduced back into the wild, and this is often an important part of any wildlife conservation program.

Reserve Patrol

Wildlife reserves are fragile areas that need to be protected from humans. Some times, people cause damage unintentionally – tourists feeding animals without knowing that it is forbidden, or attempting to take out rare plants as souvenirs. Some times, of course, it is a deliberate effort, poachers being the most well known human threat that conservationists have to battle against. Most wildlife reserves are diligently patrolled to ensure that tourists and the local population are treating the environment with the respect and care that it deserves.

These activities often form the backbone of wildlife conservation, but there are many more elements to the process – and volunteer conservationists will get the chance to experience many of them first hand!

The next arrival is a marsh mongoose. First time I’m seeing one. It’s quite a cuddly animal and gnaws on the meat, till well satiated and then disappears into the swamp in front of the camp.

The morning sun lights the marsh and awakens the golden weavers whose busy chirping wakes us up and we step out of the tent to a brand new day.

“Umani or rather Umanyi is a Kamba word for ‘place of knowledge or place where everyone comes to’, Richard explains. We notice that the elephants have been near the camp during the night. Their dung is fresh and so is the loose soil on the terrain. “That’s our supply of brown bread, “say’s our guide teasingly pointing at the mound of the dung.

The enchanted forest is full of sky scraping trees fat figs and tall yellow fever trees. The path is laden with a wild strain of busy tizzies near the water and other colorful flowers. Overhead a troop of Sykes monkey race across the tree branches and a cacophony of sounds fill the air. Richard identifies the birds from their call-Narina’s Trojans and trumpeter hornbills. He has some interesting tales.

A few months ago, as he was taking visitors on a walk, he almost stepped on a python. He cried out to the family of three to alert them. But instead of running away they walked straight on thinking he was joking. The good thing is that the python was well satiated and slithered away while the visitors clicked away with the cameras. Another time, the trumpeting of the elephants brought him out to the swamp.

One of the young ones had all but disappeared into the marsh. Only the tip of its trunk and part of the face was visible. He dashed to the rangers office to get help, but they thought he was spinning a yarn. They arrived just in time to save the baby elephant from being swallowed a live in the mud. The water from the springs is in full flow with the rains. A gigantic fig tree stands near one of the springs.

“In the 1960s there was a forester here who used to sleep in the tree. He had five –inch nails stuck up in the tree to climb up. I found one of the nails recently sent it to him with a seed from the tree. “Richard tells us.

The gurgle of the crystal-clear water coming out of the ground is soothing. We spend a few moments sitting on the banks watching the water flow into the pool.” This one of the two large springs.” continues Richard.” There are many smaller ones.”

The forest is cool and we step on stones polished smooth by the water to cross over to the other bank. A marsh terrapin swims first to hide under the water plants. A cormorant perched on a log spreads its wings to dry in the sun while a dainty lily trotter delicately walks on the marsh lilies.

“Look”, says our guide suddenly. He is pointing to white little flowers but when he touches them they move like fairies on a twig. “These are the Kibwezi bugs.” It’s an annual event. In one of nature’s most opulent events, the Kibwezi forest is decked in these fairy-like snow-white bugs which feed of the sap of a vine during the months of August and September. They then metamorphose into earthy colored tangy small butterflies, some of which are fluttering around us.

“Kibwezi is a special enchanted forest,”says Simons of Umani Springs camp.” It’s a ground water enchanted forest.” The forest protects the springs which come filtered from all the surrounding Chyulu hills.

But its not been easy protecting this unique glade of enchanted forest where charcoal burning is rampant and demand for land ever increasing. “We are lucky that we came in when we did,” say the cam owner. Prior to that, there was little in the way of forest protection. “We had a forest officer who worked in cahoots with the charcoal burners and tree poaching was rampant.”

Coming out of the enchanted forest we walk through the silky webs of the tiny caterpillars to the camp, a simple rustic affair by the pond’s edge.

How to get to Umani

Your tour operator will organise a drive from Nairobi in a minivan. While staying at the several camps in the area, you will also be able to visit Kenya’s largest wildlife park-the Tsavo National Park, with its largest brown elephants (brown colour from mudbaths). This safari can also be combined to terminate at the coastal white sandy beaches thereby crowning your wildlife safari with some beach relaxation.

To sample your wildlife, beach, wilderness and adventure safaris see this website. http://www.landmarksafaris.com

Namibia in South Africa is one of the most picturesque locations in the world. With its desert landscapes, bush-veld and colorful wildlife, it is the photographer’s heaven and the ultimate safari destination. Although the extreme temperature makes Namibia a strict no-no during summer months, May to October is a good time to enjoy the scenery, birds and wildlife.

A Namibia safari must begin with a visit to the photogenic Sossusvlei at sunrise. The vibrant and shifting colors on the endless red and orange sand dunes, surrounding enormous dried-up lake beds make for a magnificent view. The dunes measure up to a staggering 300 meters- reportedly the highest in the world. Dessert life forms are fascinating for the sheer variety. Hiking the sand dunes and seeing the prehistoric Welwitschia plants definitely form the high points of the visit.

The Namib Naukluft Park is home to some of the most exotic plants and animal species in the world. The world’s fourth largest conservation area boasts of Sossusvlei, Sandwich Harbor and Naukluft Hiking and four wheel drive trails. One can gain true dessert experience, hiking the dunes and tracking the dessert animals.

The Etosha Naukluft Park is a must visit on the Namibia Safari itinerary. It is the finest game reserve of the Southern Africa and is dominated by Etosha Pan, part of the Kalahari Basin. The Pan attracts a multitude of birds during heavy rains. Besides, the park is home to a large variety of mammals and almost 400 varieties of birds. Tourists must watch out for the congregation of wildlife at the Pan.

Swakopmund is a prime holiday destination in Namibia. It’s the largest city in Namibia. The cool coast offers a welcome relief from the intense heat of the day. It has a rich history and the tour would be incomplete without visiting the beautiful historic building like the Old Provincial Court and the lighthouse. Swakopmund also offers dune carting, parachuting, hot air ballooning, shark fishing and others to those with a taste for adventure. For those who’ll miss their weekend party, Swakopmund has ample, exciting nightlife.

The uniform scrubland is suddenly broken by a massive orange rock with sheer sides and a flat top. The Waterberg plateau is 200 meters high, arid on top and a starkly contrasting bush vegetation and strong permanent springs at the foot. Three-toed foot springs remind one that this was the habitat once. Wildlife abounds as in the rest of Namibia. A visit to the mountains of Spitzkoppe and Brandberg is a must. Brandberg is Namibia’s tallest mountain and home to the famous “white lady”., One cannot help marveling at the Bushmen rock art, the petrified forest and various spectacular rock formations.

A Namibia Safari is intensely exciting. There are safaris to suite every pocket, from luxury safaris to hiking safaris. However, one must remember to take along old, inexpensive luggage, comfortable, casual clothing with muted colors and nothing resembling army uniform.