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author: yes holidays
AFRICA TRAVEL MAGAZINE'S
GLOBETROTTER INVITES TRAVEL AGENTS AND TOURISM
SPECIALISTS ON KENYA TOUR
January 2015
Our Editor Muguette Goufrani is again excited about
this Fall 2015 ATA World Congress in Kenya . She
knows the country well. For details, email her at airhwy@smartt.com
Money you invested to the market, you can lose
overnight, but great experience you have in life can
be taken by no one! said Muguette Goufrani. The
Congress and Tours that ATA organize will inspire,
thrill and surprise all who are willing to travel
beyond the beaten paths on various countries. This
Kenya trip can lead you to fascinating discoveries
and unforgettable experiences.
Kenya is a paradise as far as tourism and wildlife is
concerned. Very few countries can rival Kenya when it
comes to the variety of flora and fauna. Those who have
seen the movie "Out of Africa" will appreciate the
beauty and the variety that we are talking about. Sample
our variety, our hospitality and the first class
accommodation that the country offers and, without
doubt, you will come back for more. Here is something to
wet your appetite. "Karibu
Kenya"
and, as they say: “Kenya
Hakuna Matata”,
or:" in
Kenya you will have no worries".
Come to Kenya and be sure that you will enjoy the
sunshine of the capital city, Nairobi, and a variety of
wild animals a stones-throw away at the Nairobi National
Park the very day you land at the Jomo Kenyatta
International airport. Those who choose to fly directly
to Mombasa, the gateway to East Africa and the second
largest city, will discover that it has plenty of sea
and beautiful beaches. Scuba diving or just swimming in
the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean will entice
the tourist to want to come back again. The cities of
Nairobi and Mombasa enjoy wonderful weather throughout
the year.
Kenya is a tourist paradise with plenty to offer to
those wanting a variety of tour packages. Find out what
we have to offer. A safari in Kenya can start with a
journey through the lush Highlands, where Mount Kenya
stands sentry over all. Coffee and tea plantations line
the road, small grass-thatched villages dot the fields,
colourfully garbed women trudge along your route and
small boys tend herds of goats and sheep. On the
wide-open rolling grasslands of the Maasai Mara, you see
a wide variety of animals as well as the proud Maasai
people. In Nairobi you experience a vibrant and growing
city - a mosaic of many races and cultures. Shops of
every kind sell almost anything you want, from safari
clothing, gemstones and jewellery, to Akamba
woodcarvings, beadwork, Kiondo baskets, printed fabrics
and many other local handicrafts. The markets are fun to
visit and bargains abound. In fact, bargaining is a way
of life, so don't be shy!
The restaurants in Kenya are splendid, and you should
taste our “nyama choma” (roasted meat), either at the
Carnivore or at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. The
game meat is great and the variety is plenty. Try also
crocodile meat at Mamba Village in Mombasa or at the
Carnivore.
A safari in Kenya encompasses more than just game
viewing. Kenya is a land not only of magnificent
wildlife but also of amazing landscapes, beautiful
lakes, a tropical coastline, strong ethnic traditions,
hospitality and artistry. "Jambo Karibu”, soft, warm
voices greet you in Swahili like old friends everywhere
in this friendly country. The distinct regions in Kenya
vary in geographical configuration, habitats and unique
species. Your Kenyan experience will definitely leave
you with a lasting impression and desire to return.
Welcome. Karibu!
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AFRICA TRAVEL MAGAZINE'S
GLOBETROTTER INVITES TRAVEL AGENTS AND TOURISM
SPECIALISTS ON UGANDA TOUR
June 24, 2014
Our Editor Muguette Goufrani is again excited about this
November's ATA World Congress in Kampala Uganda. She
knows the country well. For details, email her at
airhwy@smartt.com
Money you invested to the market, you can lose
overnight, but great experience you have in life can be
taken by no one! said Muguette Goufrani. The Congress
and Tours that ATA organize will inspire, thrill and
surprise all who are willing to travel beyond the beaten
paths on various countries. This Uganda trip can lead
you to fascinating discoveries and unforgettable
experiences.
Uganda is a beautiful
country with an impressive people. This is one of her
favourite countries in all of Africa. Winston
Churchill was so besotted by the country that he gave it
the name that has endured: the “Pearl of Africa”. His
observations about Uganda remain true today: “The
scenery is different, the vegetation is different, the
climate is different, and, most of all, the people are
different from anything elsewhere …in the whole range of
Africa”
Travelers to Uganda are
drawn by its stunning landscape – green rolling hills,
snowcapped mountains, rainforests, majestic rivers and
massive lakes. There are also a number of outstanding
national parks for your safari encounter with the
wildlife for which Africa is renowned. Unfortunately, I
have to advise you to skip a few well-resourced parks
such as Kidepo Valley in the north and Mgahinga in the
west as they are not considered safe. The country’s edge
as a worthwhile destination is further enhanced by its
endowments for white water rafting and sport fishing.
It is in Uganda that you
find the highest number of primate species anywhere in
the world. Opportunities for tracking rare mountain
gorillas and chimpanzees are unrivalled elsewhere. The
primate conservation efforts the country has followed
are bearing fruit. A recent survey carried out by the
Wildlife Conservation Society and the Jane Goodall
Institute in collaboration with the Uganda government,
revealed that there are now 4,950 chimpanzees in the
country. Previously, scientists guess for this number
was between 3000 and 4000, but nobody knew for sure. The
chimp is our closet living relative, sharing 98% of our
genes and much of our behaviour. Uganda is the best
country in the world to view chimpanzees in their
natural habitat.
The best place to see the
rare mountain gorilla is at the 331 sq. km Bwindi
National Park. This park was formerly known as the
Impenetrable Forest with good reason. The trees are
thick and the forest thicker with dense undergrowth,
creepers, bamboos and parasitic plants such as mistletoe
and orchids. This environment is the habitat for
mountain gorilla’s, chimpanzee, and 8 other species of
primate. Not less than half the world’s population of an
estimated 600 mountain gorillas have sanctuary here,
making Bwindi the base for an important scientific
conservation program.
In
addition to its star gorillas, Bwindi is host to
elephant, bush pig, giant forest hog and over 300
species of birds including rare forest birds. Others who
have found a home in this ecosystem include many types
of bats and rodents, 14 species of snakes, 27 species of
frogs and toads, 6 chameleon types, 14 lizards, skinks
and geckos and 200 species of butterfly. Bwindi is to
the west of the country and is 560 km from Kampala.
Though not as famous for
safari as neighboring Kenya and Tanzania, Uganda still
has some pretty good game sanctuaries. The 3,840 sq. km
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest and most
spectacular of them. Aside from game, this park is
renowned for its scenic beauty. Rolling savannah, tall
grasslands and thick bush woodlands make the park. But
you are advised not to miss out the magnificent
waterfalls after which the park is named. The waterfall
is formed where the Nile tapers from 50 metres to rush
through a 7 metre gorge, falling 45 metres in a breath
taking leap. This phenomena is said to be the most
powerful natural flow of water anywhere on Earth.
If you are patient, you can
catch some really huge Nile Perch at the foot of the
falls. What kind of fish can withstand such a force that
exists at the foot of the falls? Charles Norman
describes his fishing day out with a companion who on
seeing the massive fish “…let out a strangled squawk and
I found myself staring at the hog-sized back of a huge
fish protruding above the water at the rock’s edge – a
100kg fish with scales the size of tennis balls.
Swimming next to it was a smaller one, a ‘midget’ of a
mere 40kg or so”. This adventure is described by the
prodigiously experienced Charles Norman as “…the most
exciting morning’s fishing that I have ever known.”
Other game fish found in the Nile include Barbel,
electric Catfish and Tiger fish.
The game you come across in
the park includes elephant, hartebeest, leopard, lion,
giraffe, buffalo, hippo, crocodiles and many species of
antelopes. Upstream of the Murchison Falls are the
Karuma Falls, where the Nile cascades over 23 kilometres
of rapids. Here you have some of the most exciting white
water in Africa. Murchison Falls is located 330 km from
Kampala.
The Queen Elizabeth National
Park is another outstanding treasure. It is a UNESCO
designated a Biosphere Reserve for Humanity. The
recognition arises from the tropical forest, green
meadows, savannah and swamps that constitute the park.
In terms of wildlife, you find elephant, buffalo,
hippos, baboons, chimpanzees and over 600 species of
birds. The park occupies 2000 sq km and is situated 440
km from Kampala. At the northern end of the Queen
Elizabeth, you find Kibale. This park has a unique
forest habitat and has an excellent diversity of animal
and plant life. It is at Kibale that you find the
highest number of primate species in Uganda, and one of
the highest primate densities and diversities in the
world.
Traveling from Kampala to
the Queen Elizabeth or Bwindi, most visitors break at
Lake Mburo National Park. The park is 230 km west of
Kampala along the Mbarara road and is the most
accessible in the country. It is a very attractive park
of rolling hills, open grassy valleys, interspersed with
thickets, woodlands and rich wetlands. In addition to
viewing game including zebra, cape buffalo and eland,
you can relax by taking a boat trip on Lake Mburo.
The fairly flat terrain of
the country is interrupted to the west by the Rwenzori
mountains and to the east by Mount Elgon. Rwenzori ,
otherwise known as “Mountains of the Moon” has the third
highest peak in Africa after mount Kenya and
Kilimanjaro. The Rwenzori is part of the national park
of the same name and contains 6 snow-capped peaks. You
can hike the trails of this mountain without any special
climbing equipment unless you want to go for the peaks.
The mist covered mountain range stretches for about 100
km.
Mount Elgon sits by the
Kenyan border and is the shell of an ancient volcano.
The main attractions here are the waterfalls, caves that
were once used by indigenous people, hot springs, the
mountains vegetation, the various peaks, the Suam Gorge
and the cladera itself. After millions of years of
erosion, the oval shaped caldera now measures roughly 7
by 8 kms, one of the largest in the world.
The traveler with a sense of
history will want to visit the source of the Nile at
Jinja. Jinja is 60 km to the north east of Kampala and
is easily accessible by road. This is where the White
Nile begins, as it exits Lake Victoria on its 5,600 km
journey to the Mediterranean. The source of the Nile was
a thousand year old mystery that was decisively settled
by the explorer John Speke in 1862.
If you are keen about
culture, go for the The Kabaka’s Trail. This is a unique
journey through a part of Uganda’s rich heritage that
has been shaped by the region’s kings over the years.
The Kabaka is the ceremonial king of the Baganda and his
lineage goes way back to the 14th century. The Trail
combines a series of cultural sites, all within easy
reach of Kampala. You can easily combine the Kabaka
Trail with your Search of the Nile excursion to Jinja.
The Trail offers much more than sightseeing and you will
learn about the hidden and forgotten history of Uganda.
You will also experience an authentic tribal culture –
with traditional dance, music, craft making, spiritual
healing and storytelling.
Africa
Travel Magazine's Globetrotter invites travel
agents and tourism specialists on Morocco tour
December
3-8, 2002
 Associate
Editor Muguette Goufrani is excited about this
December's ATA Cultural and Ecotourism Symposium in
Fez Morocco. She knows the country well. For
details, fax her at 604-681-6595 or e-mail
africa@dowco.com.
Muguette's background as an airline agent, tour
guide and travel agency professional has been the
key to her media success, resulting in an ATA
Travel Industry Founders Award in Cape Town, South
Africa. As a "career globetrotter," Muguette's
articles for Air Highways and Africa Travel
Magazine have an authentic, multicultural flavor,
thanks to painstaking research and the confidence
of having lived the experience (walked the walk).
Her career positions have
included Royal Air Maroc, AOL
Airlines,
Air Afrique, Matson Lines, Palm Springs Resorts,
Club Med, Tahiti Tours and Noumea Tours. Upon
graduating from College du Paris, she launched her
career in Casablanca,
Morocco,
where the Goufrani family has operated a tour
company for generations.
 Award
in Africa: A dual
citizen (France - Canada)
and member of Vancouver, BC, Canada's
Francophone
Community,
Muguette prompted the decision to make our travel
magazines bilingual, extending their worldwide
reach and influence Aside from our own publications
and web sites, Muguette has been featured
extensively on African television, radio and print
media, both English and French. Her first
assignment was the 1996 ATA Ecotourism Symposium in
Marrakech, Morocco. This was followed by a National
Geographic - American Airlines sponsored project in
Haiti, plus ATA Congresses in Benin, Tanzania,
Ghana, Ethiopia and South Africa. Her most recent
extended trips to Africa, were Congresses and
overland land tours of Cameroon (December 2001) and
Guinea (May 2002). Muguette returns to Africa in
December 2002, for an ATA event in Fez, Morocco,
following a Cross Canada Road Show Tour and a
Conferencein Atlantic
City,
New Jersey. Next year's African agenda includes
events in Zambia and Tanzania. Travel Agents
wishing to join her are invited to e-mail
Africa@dowco.com
 The
World Scene: Muguette's travels have included
Europe, the Americas, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia,
China, Japan, Russia, Australia the Caribbean, and
most of Europe. Active with the Africa
Travel Association and
PATA, she focuses her efforts on tourism to and
from the world's Francophone community.
Muguette has lived and worked
in seven
African countries - Morocco, Algeria, Gabon, Cote
d'Ivoire, Senegal,
Madagascar and Seychelles. She has also worked in
Guadeloupe, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Cambodia, India,
France, Canada, Alaska, California, New York and
Nevada. Other travels have included Western Europe,
South America, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Japan,
Russia, Greece and Australia
Association
Involvement: Active with (ATA) Africa Travel
Association and (PATA) Pacific Asia Tourist
Association, Muguette provides translations for all
media. A keen observer of current affairs, she is
anxious to receive and pass on news of trade and
tourism developments and events in any part of the
world. E-mail airhwy@dowco.com
Photos: (a)
Muguette in typical Beninese hat (b) Muguette with
Masai tribesmen in Kenya, East Africa (c) Muguette
at historic site in France.
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