Where to Go Next: Ethiopia

It's the New Year and the magazines and newspapers are full of articles on Where To Go Next?
We have an idea: Ethiopia! Ethiopia has made it on a lot of those lists this year because it is a country rich with cultural and historical interest. After a long period of political turmoil, the country is stable now and several tour operators are offering trips to the region.

Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa. It is the only country on the African continent that had never been colonized. This allows for a unique perspective for the traveler to really see and experience the various cultures and tribes of the region. Religion also plays an important role in Ethiopian society and has fascinating cave churches, the sites of annual Christian pilgrimages.

Anthropology buffs will thrill at the chance to see "Lucy", the 3.5 million old remains of the most complete hominid ever found, in the National Museum in Addis Ababa.  You are in Africa, so of course there is the opportunity for game-viewing in Mago National Park.

Steven Kalt is escorting clients on a 17- day tour with Travcoa, a luxury travel company. This tour will include all of the highlights that Ethiopia has to offer. Plus you will have the expertise and entertaining stories of Steven Kalt, who will be returning to the country where he was a Fullbright-Hayes Secondary School Teacher fellow in 1967.

Tour dates: October 27 - November 12, 2014

Experience this once in a lifetime opportunity to journey to the Cradle of Humankind.

To reserve your space, Call Steven Kalt at Bee Kalt Travel today!

Email: steven@beekalt.com
Tel: 248-288-9600 or Toll-free 1-800-284-5258
http://www.beekalt.com/
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/beekalt

Bhutan

For the "been there, done that" crowd, Bhutan seems to be on everybody's travel wish list. This tiny landlocked Asian nation is bordered by China in the North and India in the South. Bhutan is untouched and unspoiled, has only 700,000 citizens in the whole country and opened to tourism relatively recently, in 1974.

The number of tourists has been steadily increasing each year. The infrastructure is trying to keep pace to accommodate the growing number of visitors. At the time of my visit, in February 2013, the single road that connects all of the towns was being widened. Having said that, there is no traffic, in fact, there is no traffic light in the entire country. I think this is the most uncrowded place I have ever been, especially after arriving directly from a visit to Nepal.

Bhutan is known as the "Happiest Kingdom on Earth". This small country was never colonized and thus has been able to retain its homogenous culture and traditions among the people. Much of the culture is centered around the predominant Buddhist religion. Each town has a Dzong, which served as a fortress and now holds both religious temples and government offices. These beautiful structures are hundreds of years old and are identified by their white walls, red roofs, and intricately carved and painted woodwork.  The temples are filled with brightly colored paintings on the walls and ornate sculptures of the gods. If you are lucky, you may be able to observe a service with the resident monks chanting and playing instruments.

Along with the culture, hiking and outdoor activities are the big draw to Bhutan. It is incredibly mountainous, at the eastern edge of the Himalayas, and affords many options from short to full day hikes. Beautiful views of snow-capped peaks seem to be around every corner.  Many of the hikes are centered around a trek up to see a temple or monastery on the top of a hill. The most famous of these is the Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger's Nest.  It's the quintessential photo that one always sees of Bhutan - a monastery built into the rock, clinging to a cliff on the side of the mountain. It is an important pilgrimage site and you see all ages on the trail, from babes in arms to the elderly.  The trek up should take about 2 hours at a moderate pace. And then you have to come back down!

Bhutan is also known for producing beautiful and intricate textiles. You can visit the very informative National Textile museum in the capital city of Thimpu. Visits to a painting school and Traditional Medicine Institute are also very interesting.

Bhutan is very unique in how it manages tourism. U.S. citizens must have a valid passport and obtain a visa. All tourists must make their travel arrangements through a government approved tour company. This is not a place where you can just show up and travel around at will. You must be accompanied at all times by an official, licensed guide and driver. No rental cars here. That being said, we partner with the best tour operators who provide a seemless travel experience: from obtaining the necessary visas, to booking the flights (there's only one airline that flies here), to reserving the top hotels in each city.

Has Bhutan piqued your interest? To book your personal adventure, contact the Travel Specialists at Bee Kalt Travel today!    

Email: travel@beekalt.com
Tel: 248-288-9600 or Toll-free 1-800-284-5258
http://www.beekalt.com/
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/beekalt

Hangin' with the Orangutans

Did you know that orangutans share 97 percent of their DNA with humans? The word Orangutan is derived from the Indonesian words: Orang, meaning human and Utan, meaning forest. I wanted to meet our tree-dwelling cousins in the wild and the best place to do this is on the island of Borneo. Borneo consists of three nations: Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. The Malaysian side has better infrastructure and nicer hotels, but I was most interested in visiting Camp Leakey. This is where Dr. Birute Galdikas, the well-known primatologist, pioneered her studies of orangutans in the wild and has worked tirelessly for their conservation for over 40 years.

So, off to Kalimantan, Indonesia we went for our adventure in the rainforest.

We flew from Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, to Pangkalan Bun, a small city in central Kalimantan, in the southern part of Borneo. We transferred to a wooden boat, called a klotok, which would be our means of transport for the next three days. Some travelers opt to actually stay on the boats, where they set up mattresses for sleeping on the open air deck.  We chose to stay in the jungle at the Rimba Lodge. Accommodations are very basic, but provided a comfortable respite after long days on the river. We were very happy with our little cabin that provided a hot shower, air conditioning and the staff tried very hard to be helpful.

Each morning we woke up early, had breakfast, and were on the boat by 7:33am. Our guide, Erwin, was a former ranger so he knew the forest and all of its inhabitants very well. Indeed, he identified my first glimpse of wildlife when I almost sat on a bronzeback snake.

There are three different feeding stations you can visit in the Tanjung Puting National Park. Many of the orangutans living here were former orphans, their mothers having been killed by loggers or poachers. They have been rehabilitated and returned to the wild, to live on their own in the forest. As their habitat has been diminished by logging and other human activities, food can sometimes be scarce. This is why the National Park Service provides supplemental fruit and milk for the animals in case they are in need.

It was a magical experience encountering our first orangutan in the wild! We could spot young males hanging from trees, moving effortlessly from branch to branch. Their flexibility and strength is amazing - they can do yoga poses I can only dream of! We saw mothers with babies, and we got to see the King. He was one big fellow! He can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. If he is at the feeding platform, the other females can approach, but the younger males wouldn't dare to.

We could stay and watch them for as long as we liked. In order to reach the various feeding stations, we usually had a short walk on a wooden-plank boardwalk and down the trails in the forest. It wasn't too strenuous and the longest walk was no further than 2 kilometers.
Along the way, we also saw monkeys, gibbons and wild boar.

While leisurely cruising on the river, we were able to see lots of other wildlife: many species of birds, crocodiles, monitor lizards, and the very odd-looking proboscis monkey. These monkeys only live in the rainforests of Borneo. Not only are they funny to look at, but they make a very funny honking sound as well. We felt very fortunate to see these unusual and endangered creatures in the wild.

Our expert guide, Erwin

If you would like to plan your own adventure in the rainforest, contact the Travel Specialists at Bee Kalt Travel!

Email: travel@beekalt.com
Tel: 248-288-9600 or Toll-free 1-800-284-5258
http://www.beekalt.com/
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/beekalt

 

New Travel Ideas

Each August we attend Travel Mart, where Virtuoso travel advisors come together with our hoteliers and suppliers from around the world. It is a fabulous opportunity to meet and establish personal relationships with the people who help us create memorable travel experiences for you, our clients. In addition to networking and training, we learn about what's new in the world of travel!

We have some great ideas for planning your next vacation:

Want to get away from it all on your own private island? Sir Richard Branson rents his home on Necker Island, in the BVI's for your exclusive use. You can invite up to 28 of your closest friends and family to join you at a rate of $53,000 per night. Price a little steep? Take advantage of their 'Celebration Weeks' in September, October and February. This gives couples a chance to experience the resort at the more affordable all-inclusive rate of $25,000 per week!

The Ritz Carlton Cancun now offers an optional all-inclusive program. You can enjoy their new extra wide sandy beach this winter, the result of a beach reclamation project.

Puerto Rico has a brand-new luxury resort opening this November in the Rio Grande area. Enjoy 2 miles of pristine beach, lakes, rivers, boating, biking, golf and more all at the St. Regis Bahia Beach. No passport is necessary for travel to San Juan!

A lovely country house called Coworth Park will be opening in September, just a 15 minute drive from London's Heathrow airport. Of note, Sony laptops will be provided for guest use complimentary in all of the rooms.
You can split your stay between here and central London, where at the Egerton House you can learn how to make the perfect martini from their famous barman, Antonio!

Interested in going a little further afield? We can arrange a trip to the North Pole! These expeditions depart April - July.

If you love wildlife, flora and nature, and have already been to Africa, may we suggest Orion Expedition Cruises? Check out their new itineraries to Borneo in August, September and December of 2011. The orangutans are waiting...

Book any of our Virtuoso partners with Bee Kalt Travel and you will receive VIP amenities, ranging from upgrades to complimentary breakfasts, spa services and more!

Contact our travel specialists today to arrange your next adventure!
Telephone: 248-288-9600
email: travel@beekalt.com

Phinda Game Reserve - KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

This 56,800 acre private game reserve is managed by andBeyond, formerly known as CCAfrica. This company runs luxury safari camps and lodges all over East and Southern Africa. Phinda is an hour and 45 minute flight from Johannesburg. It can also be accessed by road from Durban, or the smaller Richard's Bay airport or seaport.

There are four lodges and two private use homes located on the Phinda reserve. Each has its own personality to appeal to different people and tastes. Vlei lodge is perfect for couples or honeymooners. Only six individual romantic suites comprise this property, each with its own private plunge pool and views of the open grasslands. You can watch the Nyala and Kudu grazing in the fields from the privacy and comfort of your own verandah.

I loved my chalet at the Forest lodge. At first glance, these rooms reminded me of the cabins I stay in at a family camp in Northern Michigan. All similarities stopped as soon as I climbed the steps to the porch, complete with lovely outdoor seating area. Sliding glass doors lead to a newly renovated suite, in calming colors of cream and beige. Comfy sofas, fluffy comforters, terracotta-colored tiled baths with free standing tub and separate shower all made for a wonderfully luxurious haven to retire to. The room was equipped with everything you could possibly need in, or out of, the bush: I-pod docking station, plugs to charge your batteries and cell phone (if you're so inclined), air conditioning, safe, fully-stocked minibar (included), robes and slippers.

The location of Forest lodge, in a tree-filled sand forest, was a very different environment than that of the Mountain lodge. The family-friendly Mountain lodge is perched high atop a hill with sweeping views of the entire reserve. The beautifully renovated rooms and suites are scattered throughout the property, connected by stone pathways that meander between waterfalls and lush vegetation. Each suite has a private plunge pool, outdoor shower, spacious living areas and ensuite baths. I was impressed by the included bath amenities: in addition to the usual soaps and shampoos, Phinda also provides a wonderful body scrub (perfect after a dusty game drive!) and citronella oil. Luckily, I didn't need the latter item because I never saw a mosquito! The main lodge is centered around a peaceful courtyard and houses the dining room, bar, gift shop and internet lounge.

My favorite choice for families or a group of friends traveling together would be to stay at the Homestead. This stylish, private safari villa has a dedicated team of staff, including a private ranger, tracker, butler and chef. All this to cater just to you and your guests! This is the perfect place for someone looking for very personal service in an intimate atmosphere.

To book your next adventure to Phinda Game Reserve, call the African Specialists at Bee Kalt Travel!
Phone 248-288-9600 or Toll-free 1-800-284-5258
www.beekalt.com
email: shari@beekalt.com

Tip: During the South African Winter months of May - August, it can get very cold in the early morning and evening, especially when driving in an open-air vehicle. We recommend dressing in layers, and include a warm hat, scarf and gloves in your packing list! In the afternoon, when the sun is high in the sky, it's warm enough to swim, so toss in that bathing suit too!