This month’s contest theme stood out as soon as we ironed out our schedule. The world is full of wonder, and certainly the animal kingdom is one source of endless awe. That being said, we would like to congratulate Kimondo as this month’s winner, for the dramatic shot titled: “Thirsty Elephants.” Here’s what she had to share about the shot:

We were traveling in our jeep with rooftent to experience the real, wild Africa. It took us 5 weeks and about 7,700 kilometers. After the first two-and-a-half weeks we ended up on this little, wobbly boat on the Chobe River. The sun was casting her last rays for the day and everywhere we looked were giraffes, baboons and elephants. This big herd on the photo came down to the river to have drink and rinse of the dust of the day. A real African moment and one to never forget!

Matt described the photo as “simply spectacular,” and Maria as “exquisite.” Brit, on the other hand, took a deeper approach, “their reputation of having an incredible memory makes me wonder about wonderful things.” Regardless, I think we all agree that a photo and moment such as this, as Kimondo explains, is “one to never forget.”

You can see more of Kimondo’s excellent work at her Flickr page. Our next theme, throughout September, will be another visual spectacular. Join our Flickr group and upload your shots of “The World’s Icons.” We look forward to seeing more incredible talent!

Since the release of French rule in 1960, Madagascar has struggled with ominous periods of civil unrest and environmental destruction. Yet there is no question that this small African island remains one of the most beautiful places on Earth.  A geographic collage of white sand beaches straddled by resplendent turquoise waters, stark desert juxtaposed with verdant rainforest, and swampy mangroves shadowed by rugged mountains peaks — life teeming in each nook and crevice.

Manafiafy, a coastal village located in the southeast corner of Madagascar, was recently featured in the Financial Times as a “natural treasure.”  To reach this tiny place requires an hour flight from the capital, Antananarivo, followed by a three-hour drive through bumpy, muddled roads.  If you survive the nausea from carsickness, the undisturbed serenity of sea, jungle, and fauna may just be worth the trouble. (more…)

You’ve drained the bank account reserving your guide and porters, and have now flown across the world to climb one of the world’s most beautiful mountains. From the flat African Savannah, sprinkled with elephant and lions, rises Mt. Kilimanjaro. You’ve read about the 60% chance you won’t make it up, and about the percentage of people that end up never leaving the mountain. You wonder to yourself, ”which statistic will I fall into?”

At least that is the sentiment expressed in a recent Times article about one fateful climb up Africa’s tallest peak. Reading abut a climb bordering on the disastrous, makes you think, “Why?”

I live in the mountains and often climb them, so I may be partial. It’s fun, provides perspective, and it is challenging. It makes me appreciate my self, surroundings, and the relationship between the two. I do, however, rarely put myself on mountains that put me in a life or death situation. There is an assumed risk in any adventure pursuit, but that risk rises dramatically when you are talking about climbing big mountains — and Kilimanjaro is a Big — with a capital “B” — mountain.

The precautions and awareness you need on a behemoth like “Kili” is amazing. Some of those precautions the article’s guide decided to throw out the window. The result:

Only at dawn do we notice that Roy is not carrying his backpack. He is coughing green slime into a handkerchief . . . Six hours later the rescue party appears over the crater rim. Roy is in terrible shape, coughing up frothy pink blood.

In the end, 3 of the 27 original climbers reach the summit, and green-turned-frothy-pink descriptions of bodily fluids is enough to wonder WTF? Sir Edmond Hillary’s famous quote, “Because they’re there,” doesn’t well enough explain why we climb mountains. Perhaps it is spiting an irresponsible guide en route to Kili’s summit that provides better clarity:

it is a moment of almost divine mystery and beauty. The banks of cloud far below, the melting glaciers. This is why we push boundaries — to touch the sky, to understand what the edge of our existence looks like.

Our first themed photo contest of ”Landscapes,” has absolutely blown us away. Now that all the final votes are in, we’d like to congratulate Kimondo for the shot, “Camels in Erg Chebbi.” I’m learning with these contests each month, that sometimes magic just simply happens. This photo is no exception. After being punished throughout a trek in Northern Africa by rain, hail, and the high winds attacking the Atlas Mountains, they nearly ran out of hope and stopped for the night. In the morning . . . well, that’s when the magic happened:

We were woken by the first rays of the sun . . . This is more like we imagined it! We go out into the big, empty desert. Big, soft dunes of red sand stare at us and we stare back. It’s beautiful and captivating. Like a kid playing in a giant sandpit, we climb the dunes, run down again, take lots of pictures and enjoy the views when all of a sudden we see a long line of camels slowly making their way through the still moist sand. This is how we imagined it and it’s just perfect!

The Free Dictionary defines landscape as, “The aspect of the land characteristic of a particular region.” I’ve never been to this part of the world, but I believe with all my soul this shot embodies that definition. Let’s face it, there’s also something romantic about never ending sand dunes and camel trains — admit it.

Congratulations! For those interested in seeing more of Kimondo’s outstanding work, head over to her flickr photostream. Trust me, it’s worth your time.

Since our theme was so successful last month, we are going to continue through the month of June with our new photo contest called “Faces in Places.” Head over to TheExpeditioner.com’s flickr group, upload your best portraits from around the world, and see how your shots stack up. We look forward to another great month of travel photography!

A few months back, you may remember a post about two friends leaving their jobs and comforts of home life to hop on a Land Cruiser and drive around the world. At the time of that post, it was March, they had just checked off Central America, and were heading south towards Buenos Aires.

I popped back onto their blog yesterday to check out the progress. They have successfully made it through South America, with an apparent extended stay in B.A. (who can blame them?). Then, back to the master plan, shipped their ’96 Land Cruiser over to South Africa to take on the wilds of both the cities of Johannesburg and Durban, as well as the actual wilds of Kruger National Park.

Their most recent post is makes me want to fill up the gas tank and head to South Africa (something doesn’t sound right about that). It is filled with some amazing shots from their “safari” thorough the park (seen above), the adventures of finding a camp each night, and the history and observations of their current location — Mozambique.

One problem that snuck up on the pair: not enough room in their passports. I can’t say I’ve ever had that issue yet . . . must be nice.

After my safari in South Africa I hitched a ride to Tofo, Mozambique, a sleepy fishing village on the Indian Ocean known for its great beaches and amazing diving.

In this video I head underwater to check out the local population of manta rays, whale sharks, and coral life; meet up with some new friends who make their living selling art in town; and recuperate from a bout of malaria I unfortunately caught while there.

The political unrest that dictated Zimbabwe of late doesn’t seem to be affecting the number of people heading there; more than doubling the amount from last year (I should note Wanderlust mentioned this stat was unconfirmed).

With the adoption of the U.S. dollar making currency scams less likely, and the rumors of the political scene heading back to a commonwealth, as well as Douglas Rogers’ book that Matt mentioned in the last post,  it seems the tide, and attitudes, might be swinging in the right direction.

With so much to do and experience there — numerous national parks, safaris, and Victoria Falls — let’s hope this political trend and attitudes continue . . . so the tourism trend can, as well.

On the first leg of my trip to Southern Africa, I headed to the eastern edge of the country to Kruger National Park, the massive wildlife preserve roughly the size of Israel.

Kruger is one of the world’s best places for wildlife viewing. In this video I go in search of lion, while also catching glimpses of giraffes, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, hyenas, and baboons.

Are you kidding me? These actually exist? Travel and Leisure Magazine did a spread on some of the wildest runways around the globe. Let’s just double check that all our tray tables and seatbacks are in the locked and upright positions.

Discussed in the article are the many variables in landing a plane to start with. Then you add in shortened runways, unique atmospheric and meteorological conditions, heavy air traffic, or a combination of those and you have yourself a white knuckle thrill ride . . . at least for some of the people on board (we won’t mention any TheExpeditioner.com contributors or anything).

Tom Claytor, a pilot with experience flying in and out of the Matekane Air Strip in the small African country of Lesotho, talks about taking off from this short strip of concrete sitting inches from a vast couloir at 7,550 feet high,  sometimes “you shoot off the end of the airstrip, then drop down the 2,000-foot cliff face until you start flying.”

The picture above was taken at Maho Beach on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten, where pilots are required to have additional training to fly there. Regardless of training or amount of Dramamine, I’m sure there’s some seriously colorful language heard in these cabins (or cockpits).

Despite being the second most sparsely populated country on the planet, Namibia is adventurously drivable, intensely beautiful, and perhaps even a bit luxurious.

That’s the gist of a recent travel article in the Guardian, which recounts a 12-day loop trip through the south of the country. Though the roads vary from fresh asphalt to what the author describes as “boulders,” the route is liberally stocked with guest lodges, ranging from sleeping bags under the stars to Swiss-trained chefs.

And of course, throughout the country you’re faced with extraordinary landscapes (like the Fish River Canyon) and unique African desert wildlife.

The author of this piece, though charged with the driving, went with a guide for an all-inclusive price of roughly $3,700 per person. TheExpeditioner.com would love to hear from someone who’s done it independently. Leave a comment if you have!

* Photo by geoftheref

Into Africa

This morning, as a stepped out of the shower, I noticed that for the first time in quite a while, I didn’t immediately start sweating profusely as a result of the oppressive humidity that usually blankets New York City in August, which only means one thing: summer is officially coming to a close. (I also noticed for the first time that my neighbors in the nearby 11-story apartment complex, who have a clear view into my bathroom window, like to eat breakfast out on their patio in the morning, something I should remember next time I hop in the shower.)

Here at TheExpeditioner.com we like to celebrate holidays, momentous occasions, and the closing of seasons in the best possible fashion: hitting the road. In this case, the road being a 15-hour flight to South Africa, where, as you can see from the above map, I hope to try out my brand new $30 hiking shoes and spiffy Nikon D40 SLR camera in two of Southern Africa’s best known national parks: Kruger and Chobe. (Videos, articles, and much debriefing to come in the coming weeks/months).

Exciting News

Given the high unlikelihood of much, if any, internet access over the next 15 days or so, I’ve enlisted the help of two former TheExpeditioner.com contributors, one of whom, Jon Wick, I’m pleased to announce, has graciously accepted the title of “Contributing Editor,” and will be posting his own thoughts, recitations, and insights about travel for the foreseeable future on the site (or at least until he decides that he doesn’t want to anymore).

Further, Hal Amen, of Matador Trips fame, has also volunteered to contribute posts of his own for at least the time that I’m away. This while he’s not sipping lattes at outdoor cafes and partying to 6 a.m. in his new Buenos Aires neighborhood.

For a little info about both Jon and Hal, please see their short bios and Hollywood-like head shots below.

Until Then . . .

As for me, I’ll be posting again regularly when I get back on the 14th. Also, by the magic of the newfangled world-wide-internet, I will also be publishing a couple of feature stories from my trip to Colombia over the next two weeks. I know I’ve exceeded the suggested length for online articles by about 10X in both of the pieces, so I apologize ahead of time.

“For Africa to me . . . is more than a glamorous fact. It is a historical truth. No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place.”

Maya Angelou (American Poet, b.1928)

* * *

Jon Wick

I’ve been approaching the age of 30 all my life, but on my 27th birthday I stole a page from the movie “The Bucket List” and decided to create my own, making an effort at achieve one thing a year, for the rest of my life. That has taken me to all but seven of the states, up the flanks of Mt. Rainier, to the strings of hand-me-down guitars, and to Korea, where I am finishing up a year of teaching English and traveling whenever possible.

When I’m not forcing myself to eat Kimchi or quarantined for possible H1N1, I call the mountains of Montana home. I have taught elementary school in Big Sky Country for four years before setting off for Asia. Throughout my travels, I’ve been compiling a list of the “Top 5 Places I’ve Eaten Lunch.” They currently are, in no particular order: a sea cave in the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, any square meter along Boracay’s white sand beach in the Philippines, a narrow canyon along the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park, aboard a junk boat in Vietnam’s Halong Bay, and at Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier.

I look forward to joining TheExpeditioner.com team and searching for more places to add to my list!

Hal Amen

Hal Amen has spent 2009 bouncing between volunteer organizations, Spanish classes, and street food stalls in South America, during which his favorite trip by far was a tour of Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni and the summiting of the 19,400-foot volcano Licancabur.

His last nonprofit gig wrapped up in August, and he’s closing out the year in Buenos Aires, where he’ll be on the constant lookout for drip coffee and meals that don’t feature half a cow (good luck with that). A freelance educational writer, Hal also co-edits the travel site Matador Trips and has contributed to TheExpeditioner.com in the past. He’s psyched to be on board, even if it’s only until Matt (hopefully) returns.

Perhaps the biggest barrier for those looking to go on safari is price, but there are options that are a fraction of your typical luxury promoters, like the bare-bones, camping-heavy trek taken in this Telegraph article. And don’t think you’re missing much by way of experience, as Victoria recounts:

Woken at 6am by my companions, I unzipped my tent to find Kilimanjaro standing majestically against a blue sky without a cloud in sight. A bucket of hot water had been left outside my tent for a quick wash before a full English breakfast. Then it was off to the Amboseli National Park and a day spent viewing herds of elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and more against a sublime backdrop.

This morning I ate a bowl of Grape-Nuts while my excessively hairy neighbor hosed down his sidewalk while standing majestically against a backdrop of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. It’s these memories we’ll cherish forever.

Companies like Porini Ecotourism even take an activist role in helping rural communities create conservation areas with proceeds from such trips. For more ideas on other ecotourism operators around Africa check out this link.

• Wow, how depressing is it that we can already begin talking about travel plans for the fall? Aaugh, at least the fall allows us to look forward to blockbuster travel deals, and it allows me to start sentences like I’m writing for Charlie Brown. Flights to Glasgow and Edinburgh can be had for as low as $284 for travel between October 27th and December 16th, or as low as $399 from NYC to London, Amsterdam and Copenhagen between September 13th – October 24th.

• Today’s the last day for Emirates’ steep discounts on flights to Africa (although look for these deals to be extended into the rest of the summer), with $150 off roundtrip economy tix. I looked around on this one and you really have to play with the dates to take advantage of this one, but it’s worth a try.

• NYC to Rio for $364??? That’s right, three question marks. What a deal, although when I plugged in some dates over Thanksgiving the price was closer to the mid-$500, but this is still an incredible deal.