Africa can at times appear to be an intimidating region of the world to travel in. Although the reputation that the continent suffers from is not always justified, there is still a lot of guesswork in African travel that can be easier dealt with by leaving the detailed planning in the hands of Eco Travel Africa, and to be met at your destination airport, guided from start to finish and seen off as you make your way back home.
♦ African Birding and General Eco Travel
♦ Independent regional overland travel - small or family groups
♦ Mountaineering for over-50s: Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Rwenzoris, Drakensberg and Chimanimani
♦ History and culture travel
♦ Battlefield and military history tours
♦ Military/Academic study tours
♦ Volunteer/Interactive Travel
Peter Baxter: I have been a mountain and general field guide in Africa for over twenty-five years, guiding specific eco-tours and more general overland travel across the east and southern African region. I am the author of several books on African political and military history, and have an excellent general working knowledge of African social, cultural and political peculiarities, with a detailed expert knowledge in certain key areas. I was born in, and have traveled across the region for most of my life, and I am not only deeply familiar with the history, culture and politics of Africa, but simply how to get around.
Bob Holdsworth: I am a native of New Hampshire. Growing up in a small town, I was always drawn to the outdoors. I started hiking and camping in the White Mountains in high school. A life long love affair with the backcountry has taken me to the Sierra Nevada, the Shenandoah, the Pacific Northwest, and two successful climbs of Mt Kilimanjaro. I have participated in Outward Bound, multiple rock climbing and mountaineering schools, along with Wilderness First Aid training. I am a Leave No Trace Master Educator and regularly speak to groups about minimizing their impact in the outdoors. I am a highly versatile traveler with a great deal of experience in the practicalities or arranging and conducting trips throughout north and east Africa.
If you have a specific objective for your African travel, or if you simply would like to visit and absorb a wide range of potential experiences, allow me to lend my expertise, and years of experience, to arrange your trip for you, and to travel with you to ensure you ease and safety, but moreover to help you understand the regions that you travel through in far more detail than would be achieved by a generic African tour.
Please get in touch today if you have any questions, or would simply like to discuss the travel possibilities in Africa!
The Cape Region offers a wide variety of regional wine tours, each with a specific character and particular associated attractions. The Cape is known for the quality and sophistication of its cuisine, decor and hospitality styles. Please contact us for more details of other wine touring options in the Cape
The Robertson Wine Tour is a convenient excursion from Cape Town, although similar tours are available in various of South Africa's other wine regions, and can be taken in combination with other key attractions of the Cape, or the wider region. Basic cost per person - US$899.00
Day 1 - Arrive Cape Town Airport. Brunch and wine tasting to welcome you in traditional manner in the Cape Province. Travel across the Franschoek Mountain pass to the Robertson Valley
Day 2 - Pick your own grapes and make your own wine. Enjoy a boat trip on the Breede River and do a cheese tasting.
Day 3 - Olive, wine and brandy tasting. Finish the day with a picnic and concert by Nianell and Romanz. This is going to be an awesome event, not too be missed!
Day 4 - Depart for the airport via Du Toitskloof Pass and Stellenbosch.
This stunning tour will take place during the annual Robertson Wine Valley’s Hands-on Harvest Festival: 23 February – 26 February
For more information on this superb South African cultural tour - or for a custom South African Wine Tour, dedicated or in combination...please add the dates and specific details in the form below. This is just to give us an idea of what you are looking for. We will be in touch very soon to arrange your trip in more detail.
Of all the wine regions of the the world, the Cape is one of the most unexpected, and the most historically established. Wine was introduced with the earliest European arrivals who reached the Cape to both service the passing ships of the Dutch East India Company, and to escape the religious persecution of French Protestants during the Counter Reformation.
The climate and geography of the cape was found to be ideal for the development of vineyards, and the industry - and the tradition - developed over centuries to reach the pinnacle of finesse that it now enjoys.
There can be nothing quite like the superb combination of wineries, excellent hotels, lodges and spas and deeply embedded culinary tradition of the Cape to compliment a most unusual journey to Africa.
Eco Travel Africa works with the best and most established wine and culture aficionados in the Cape to bring you the Winelands with all the culture and comfort that this great region has to offer.
One of the great secrets of the Western Cape is the valley of the Breede River, the largest fruit and wine producing valley in the Western Cape, South Africa’s leading racehorse breeding area and a variety of developing olive farms have sprung up in recent years
Here you can enjoy magnificent mountain scenery, breath-taking views, dare the great outdoor activities, visit nature reserves and ethnic villages.
There is no adjective apt enough to describe the beauty of the Breede River Valley. This incredibly beautiful fruit and wine producing valley has become extremely popular with visitors because little towns like Robertson, McGregor, Ashton, Bonnievale, Tulbach and Montagu that litter the valley are particularly appealing and, together with the outlying farms, provides space that gives instant reprieve from everyday living.
More than 50 wine estates are incorporated into various wine routes within the valley as well as a Brandy route. The relatively new and extremely popular Route 62, marketed as the longest wine route in the world, makes its way through the valley.
Dubbed the ‘valley of vines and roses’ the picturesque town of Robertson is the center of the horse breeding industry and has become synonymous with the production of organic wine.
South Africa offers a variety of different combinations of battleground and wildlife travel, with a great many cultural and liberation history features also possible. Likewise more regionally orientated cultural, historical or battleground trips are available. Have a glance at the map at the bottom of this page which list all of the key African battlegrounds. Contact us for for more information on any of these.
This tour brings alive the sites of both the Boer/Zulu Conflict of 1838 and Anglo/Zulu War or 1879
Blood River: Hhere an army of 10 to 15 thousand traditionally armed Zulu warriors were repelled by a force of 470 Boer Voortrekkers utilizing firearms and laager defenses. This stands as a pivotal moment in the iconography of both the Boer and Zulu cultures
Isandhlwana: Here, during the decline of the Zulu nation, the single largest defeat ever inflicted on a British Imperial force was delivered by the regiments of Ceteswayo in the first signature action of the Anglo/Zulu War of 1879
Rourkes Drift: A besieged detachment of British troops met the jubilant and victorious Zulu force in the aftermath of Isandhlwana, frustrating Zulu attempts to overrun the position during one of the most stirring battles of imperial history, winning 11 Victoria Crosses during the course of the evenings fighting
Fugitives Drift: It was here that two British officers, Melville and Coghill, died saving the Queen's colours in Jan 1879. An evening spent at the famous Fugitive's Drift Lodge
Ulundi: It was here that the last major battle of the Anglo/Zulu War was fought, precipitating the eventual defeat of the Zulu.
Tour concludes with a visit to the Midlands en-route back to Pretoria/Johannesburg, with an evening spent at one of the district's fine hostelries where the best of South African wine and cuisine can be enjoyed.
For more information on South African Battle Field Tours - or to visit African/Imperial Battle Fields either in South Africa, Namibia, East Africa or anywhere else on the continent, please get in touch with dates, specifics of your interest and any other tour options that you would like to include. This is just to give us an idea of what you are looking for. We will be in touch very soon to arrange your trip in more detail.
Although South Africa is best known for its well preserved battlefields and monuments, there are many other sites of interest throughout East and Southern Africa
South Africa has taken great care to preserve and showcase its long military history, and is as a consequence the easiest and most comfortable region in which to explore various battlefields and sites of interest. These include the Anglo/ Zulu and Anglo/Boer Wars, but also many other smaller, lesser known scenes of battle.
However, during the Great War of 1914-1918 large scale campaigns were fought both in East and South West Africa, both with heavy South African involvement, but also including Imperial troops drawn from across the gamut of British territories abroad. Battlefield sites in Namibia are reasonably easily accessible, but slightly less so in East Africa where efforts are now underway to locate and preserve sites with a view to adding Heritage and Battlefield travel to the many other attractions of this fascinating corner of Africa.
In addition to this many WWII battle sites can be visited in North Africa, with more remote expeditions possible to visit areas where the Long Range Desert Group and other Special Force units were active.
Contact us for more information on the war history of Africa, and for any specific or general tour interest you have.
View Key African Battle Sites in a larger map
Having summited Kilimanjaro several time using varying routes we at Eco Travel Africa can say with certainty that the mountain is more easily climbed by older climbers if not encumbered by over enthusiastic youth ignoring the natural constraints of body and lungs and attempting to prove prowess by rapid ascent.
It is an oft quoted truism that older climbers have a higher rate of success than younger climbers. This is probably overstating that facts, but it is quite true that a slow, measured approach to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro offers the best chance not only to overcome the difficulties presented by altitude, but also to absorb and appreciate one of last reasonably intact tropical highland African landscapes left on the continent.
To challenge Mount Kilimanjaro is one of those defining, ‘bucket list’ type experiences that many older climbers and hikers hope to achieve. However, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is not all about toil and achievement, it is also about fellowship, immersion in nature and cross cultural outreach. All of this is better enjoyed in like minded company and with companions of similar age, capacity and interest.
Eco Travel Africa offers Kilimanjaro – and indeed African venture travel in general – for the over fifties. Get in touch with us today to see what programs we have ongoing, or to arrange your custom East African mountain and plains safari!
If you would like to link up with a group of like minded and like aged climber to challenge Mount Kilimanjaro then get in touch and join us for a boomers challenge provisionally set for August 2013. The route we will be climbing will be Lemosho Route, the longest and most scenic of all the various Kilimanjaro routes, and the one best suited for older climbers. Accommodation will be at the ParkView Inn in Moshi, Tanzania, with options on various other safaris and side excisions available.
Contact Bob Holdsworth on bob@eco-travelafrica.net or fill in the contact form on this page for more detailed information.
A number of other tour options are available, from a coastal/beach safari to a wildlife excursion to Serengeti/Ngorongoro Crater, or even a more comprehensive regional journey.
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