Uganda E-Visa, Namibia webinar, fantastic Botswana offer and more!

Guatemala’s volcanic range takes center stage on a helicopter hop from Antigua to Lake Atitlan.

 

Whale watching in Magdalena Bay

Todos Santos Eco Adventures: Did you hear the news? Todos Santos Eco Adventures has joined Kusini Collection and we couldn’t be more excited! Have your guests been asking for whale watching, swimming with sea lions and whale sharks, and glamping under the stars? Or maybe waking up to surf lessons, horseback riding along the beach, and lively cooking classes complete with a mariachi band? With easy flights to Cabo San Lucas and the individual attention of owners Bryan and Sergio Jauregui, your guests will have an unforgettable experience! Contact us for more information.

Classic Africa Safaris: Classic Africa Safaris has informed us that visitors to Uganda must now apply for their visas online prior to travel. Uganda immigration announced this new E-Visa on July 8th, retroactive to July 1st. The application process begins here, and detailed instructions on how to fill it out can be found on the Kusini blog. Guests can still get visas on arrival until July 31st, 2016 after which all visas must be applied for in advance using their online e-visa system.

Ultimate Safaris: Join us on July 28th for a virtual safari around Namibia with Ultimate Safaris! Take advantage of Birgit Bekker’s nearly 20 years of experience planning Namibian safaris and learn her top tips for planning a thoughtfully designed itinerary in one of Africa’s most unique and spectacular destinations. We’ll also cover our preferred properties, Ultimate’s new Journeys Under Canvas mobile camping, updates to our Ultimate Namibia Safari for 2017 and conservation travel itineraries in partnership with AfriCat, Save the Rhino Trust and the Desert Lion Project. Register now!

Albatros Travel: You’ve no doubt received a deluge of emails about Tanzania’s VAT update in recent weeks. Albatros Travel is working hard to keep the impact of the new VAT implementation to a minimum on confirmed safaris. In the meantime, they’ve also provided a helpful breakdown of how the new VAT structure will impact various safari activities for new bookings. If you still have questions after reviewing the information, contact Juliet.

Maya Trails: Did you miss the Maya Trails webinar on Luxury and Experiential Travel in Guatemala? You can download the video here or watch on our website here. On the webinar, Maya Trails’ founder and director James Rogers joined us live from Guatemala City and detailed how to design a Guatemalan journey which ticks all the experiential and luxury boxes – elegant accommodation, accessible adventure, exclusivity, insider access and more! For more ideas, download the Maya Trails signature itineraries, which can be fully customized to the interests and budget of your clients.

Tropic Ecuador: Tropic Ecuador is excited to report that construction of Quito’s new metro system is underway! The first line is expected to open in 2019 and signs of construction will be seen around the city until then. Casa Gangotenga, one of our favorite boutique properties, will mitigate a temporary street closure in style. Guests will use an alternate entrance opposite traditional spice and herb shops, which will lead visitors through a beautiful garden at the rear of the property and give a feel for local life they otherwise might not see.

Uncharted Africa takes mobile luxury to a new level

New Frontiers: There’s no experience quite like a stay a Jack’s Camp in Botswana’s remote Makgadikadi Pans. New Frontiers is excited to share a special combining Jack’s Camp with mobile camping in the Okavango Delta and Moremi Game Reserve. Valid from Sept 1 – Dec 20th for a minimum of 4 pax, guests will save $2,548 rack pp for travel in Sep/Oct, and $958 rack pp for Nov/Dec. Even better, flights are free ($958 pp value)! This special was recently featured in New Frontiers’ awesome new mobile app. Have you downloaded it yet?

Travel Ethiopia: We are excited about Ethiopian Airlines’ new Addis – Newark flights. This new service from Newark runs 3x weekly (Su/Tu/Th) on the 787 Dreamliner and joins direct flights from Washington Dulles, Toronto and Los Angeles to Addis Ababa. With less time in transit and more time to explore, Travel Ethiopia recommends adding an off-the-beaten-track destination like Harar, in Ethiopia’s far east. This UNESCO World Heritage site and holy Islamic citadel offers a fascinating contrast to Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christian northern historic route, as this colorful article in The Independent outlines.