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Dear <<First Name>>,
 

Moving into the New Year, we would like to remind you of how wonderful traveling to the most pristine corners of this gorgeous planet can be. There is nothing like stretching your geographical boundaries to renew your spirit and clear your vision. We would love to help you plan your next adventure! Here’s where we are focusing our binoculars in 2019:
Hot & Just Opened Safari Camps
New Routes To and Around Africa
Big News from Gorilla Country
The Impossibly Gorgeous Seychelles
At the end of our little update we hope you will find the time to VOTE for EXPLORE in Travel & Leisure’s World’s Best Survey. It means a lot to us…!
HOT HOT HOT & JUST OPENED!
Botswana
Gomoti Plains Camp is located in a wonderfully wild part of Botswana known for its dense lion population. For several years, I assisted my vet brother with his lion research in this area, and the big cats were everywhere! Gomoti Camp is classically colonial in its design with beautiful spacious tents, great food, and elegant appointments. Safari without the fuss…
 
Wilderness Safari’s new Qorokwe Camp on the south-eastern edge of the Okavango Delta guarantees exclusivity and luxury at a somewhat more affordable price than other uber-lux lodges in Botswana. Explore 64,000 private acres in the company of fantastic guides and a handful of other guests. The area is renowned for masses of wildlife, particularly elephant.
Namibia
Serra Cafema, Wilderness Safaris’ newly rebuilt lodge sits all by itself on the Kunini River at Namibia’s northernmost border. A two-minute boat ride across the river takes you to a pristine beach in Angola to sip gin and tonics as the sun sets, while watching a troop of a few hundred baboons play on the massive cliffs across the way. Adventurous day trips by quad bike through the dunes provide authentic interaction with nomadic Himba people. These proud, beautiful people are some of the last of Africa’s traditional herders.
 
Ultimate Safaris “Journeys Under Canvas” are designed to offer an authentic “deep nature” experience. The tiny camps are semi-permanent and seasonal, guaranteeing exclusivity, privacy, and a profound experience of the desert…all in comfort and classic safari style. Imagine spending a day exploring the unique Namibian landscape and falling asleep to the ‘noisy silence’ of the immense, ancient desert, with a massive sea of stars twinkling above you. Namibia’s Namib Rand area is recognized as one of the world’s few International Dark Sky Nature Reserves.


Zimbabwe
Newly opened Verney’s Camp is located in the center of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, adjacent to one of the wildest, least developed parts of Botswana. Hwange’s big tuskers, famed lions (including the heirs of Cecil), and herds of buffalo are undisturbed by other travelers. There’s even a possibility of seeing the elusive rhino.
 
Bumi Hills: Easy access by scheduled light aircraft now makes the western part of Lake Kariba accessible to those who want to increase their travels around Zimbabwe. Recently beautifully rebuilt, the lodge sits on a promontory overlooking the immense lake. Activities include Kariba’s renowned fishing, safari by game drive vehicle in nearby Masusadona National Park, and visiting local villages.
NEW ROUTES MAKE AFRICAN TRAVEL EASIER!
Kenya & New York:   Kenya Airways’ new non-stop flight from JFK to Nairobi makes it a piece of cake to see the migration in the Masaai Mara or visit the Seychelles without spending exhausting hours flying through Europe and losing precious days in Africa. The awkward necessity of overnighting in Nairobi is dispelled as flights land early with plenty of time to get to the Mara the same day.
 
Masaai Mara, Kenya to Entebbe, Uganda:  If you’ve always wanted to experience the Great Migration AND trek to see the gorillas, the transfer is now getting easier. Starting June 1, Air Kenya will offer direct service between the Masaai Mara and Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport with a quick stop to clear customs in Kisumu. No need to stop in Nairobi!
BIG NEWS IN RWANDA!
Recently Opened 
 
Alongside an ancient rainforest, within the lush green expanse of a working tea plantation, One&Only Nyungwe House offers an exclusive window into Africa’s fascinating wildlife and culture. From gourmet picnics to wild chimp tracking and cultural exchanges, this stop is worth a few days’ pause before your ‘coup de grace’ visit to gorilla country. EXPLORE clients are RAVING about their experience, from the chimp viewing to the food and seriously beautiful accommodation.
 
Opening in 2019
 
Cushioned in the foothills of the breathtaking Virunga volcano range, One&Only Gorilla’s Nest will offer a new 5 star, magical experience in Rwanda. Gorilla’s Nest offers close encounters with the rare and majestic mountain gorillas, visits to the endlessly entertaining golden monkeys, and escorted walks with local guides to welcoming traditional villages.



The long anticipated opening of Singita Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House puts gorilla trekking within easy reach. The lodge is nestled high on the mountain bordering Volcanoes National Park, immediately adjacent to the famed gorilla habitat. The transfer from Gorilla Country to the Great Migration is now easy as Singita’s new location in Rwanda makes it simple to connect to Singita Grumeti Game Reserve’s lodges in Tanzania via Auric Air.
SEYCHELLES' BLUE PARADISE….FAR BEYOND FISHING!
If you thought the Seychelles was just about the best fishing in world, you are in for a big surprise! For a fishing / non fishing couple, you can head out for a day on the salt flats for bone fishing while your mate enjoys other ‘fun in the sun’ activities. Spend your days at remote Alphonse or Desroches Island  or the super luxurious private retreat, North Island on their luxurious catamaran fishing for wahoo and marlin or following superpods of wild dolphins (and maybe jumping into the turquoise water to swim with them). Explore brilliant coral reefs with snorkel or scuba gear, paddleboard, kayak, windsurf, track sea turtles, island hop, bird watch, explore rain forests of ferns, orchids and dragon blood trees, bird watch, cycle, and play tennis (or just go to the spa and relax...)!



For world class, hard core fishermen, Alphonse Island has always been revered as the Holy Grail of bone fishing. Well, the Grail just moved south: Cosmoledo Island was, until a few months ago, only reachable from Mahe by 3 day boat journey. As remote as islands get, Cosmoledo is a 3 hour charter flight south of Mahe, the Seychelles’ main island. Previously a difficult destination to reach from the USA, the Seychelles has become infinitely more accessible thanks to the new Kenya Air flight from New York to Nairobi. You can fly non-stop NY to Nairobi and transfer onwards directly to the Seychelles (just over 3 hours away), arriving 1 day after departing New York. On your return flight, stop in Kenya for a few days of safari. This is the perfect journey to escape a grey winter in America.



Seychelles is, hyperbole aside, an unparalleled tropical island paradise. Other islands’ beauty pales in comparison to its raw beauty and absolutely untouched nature. It has the best protected fisheries in the Indian Ocean and is famed for miles of sugar white beaches, lagoons, reefs and sea flats. Call us for details… I was just there for 10 days of bliss and will be happy to share my experiences with you.
VOTE FOR EXPLORE

EXPLORE is proud to announce that we have been nominated again for the 2018 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards under the category "Tour Operators and Safari Outfitters". These awards are based upon the experiences and opinions of world travelers who have the opportunity to rate their holiday destinations in a variety of categories. Please vote for us, it really counts! And don't forget to vote for your favorite safari lodges too.

Click Here to Vote
P.S.: WENDY PERRIN’S WOW WEEK! Keep your eyes peeled January 28 - February 1 where we will participate in travel guru Wendy Perrin’s  #WOWweek social media blast. Tune into our Facebook and Instagram for insider trips about the next great places to visit in Africa, high value travel, sophisticated family travel, and the best of the best of Wendy’s WOW moments.  Wendy will share her travel intel for the best places to travel in 2019 at All Our Best Secrets, Revealed in WOW Week 2019. Check it out! 
 
Happy travels in 2019,
Cherri and the EXPLORE team!
Contact EXPLORE
Cheetah photo by Barbara Hollweg

Copyright © 2019 EXPLORE, Inc., All rights reserved.



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