Vayeni Travel

Luxury Zimbabwe - My Destination Zimbabwe

2011-12-07T16:43:00.000+01:00

A great article on some of Zimbabwe's finest

Luxury Zimbabwe - My Destination Zimbabwe

A wedding paradise at Bumi Hills

2011-11-10T17:19:00.001+01:00

A wedding paradise at Bumi Hills

The Bumi Beat!: Unusual animal behaviour…

2011-07-08T18:19:00.001+02:00

The Bumi Beat!: Unusual animal behaviour…: "Guests and lodge staff were treated to a very unusual display of behaviour by a resident herd of elephants this week. This all played out o..."

The Bumi Beat!: Dinosaur Fossil Site Discovered at Bumi Hills

2011-07-08T18:19:00.000+02:00

The Bumi Beat!: Dinosaur Fossil Site Discovered at Bumi Hills: "While on a walk this week Bumi Hills resident professional guide, Dean McGregor, spotted a few unusual looking rocks, upon further examinat..."

Kariba Sunsets - Incredible!

2011-02-26T09:25:00.002+01:00

It's difficult to describe the feeling one gets when the sun sets on Kariba. These pictures can only capture the beauty of the colours. There is so much more to it however. The softness in the colours remains, yet the variation in shades and shapes is constantly changing and it lingers on through the first few hours of the night, only to be replaced by the sparkling lights of ancient celestial bodies. Everything is perfectly in tune at this time. You are not a stranger as your being extends into the sunset itself and the ever evolving calm is embellished by the humbling revelation of the night. The sun gives the world life and at times its energy can be harsh, but here the conditions make for a perfection that is as close to God as one could imagine!

The Bumi Beat!: Solenta Aviation complements the Bumi Experience

2011-02-25T14:39:00.000+01:00

The Bumi Beat!: Solenta Aviation complements the Bumi Experience: "Incoming Solenta Cessna Caravan catching a birds eye view of the lodge before landing, whilst Bumi guests enjoy the refreshing blue waters..."

The Bumi Beat!: From the Cotswolds to Bumi Hills

2011-02-10T19:35:00.001+01:00

The Bumi Beat!: From the Cotswolds to Bumi Hills: "John presents his tiger fish catch! John and Bernice are currently with us for four nights at Bumi Hills. They hail from a bea..."

The Purest Experience at Bumi Hills, Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

2011-01-31T11:04:00.000+01:00

Since Suzanne and I have been based at Bumi Hills we've had the incredible opportunity to have some of the purest experiences of our lives!

Suzanne and I had a welcome chance to go out on a little game drive with Dean McGregor (our new pro-guide) yesterday. It’s quiet at the lodge over the next few days with just a few guests in house, so a chance to catch up on admin, but also make sure that we enjoy the beautiful spot we’re in and beautiful it certainly is. We went out specifically to do some birding and we made some brilliant sightings including Golden Orioles, Golden Tailed Woodpeckers, Dickson’s Kestrel, Eurasian Hobby Falcons, Broad billed Roller, Scimitar Billed Wood Hoopoes, as well as some good old faithfuls like the Red Billed Hornbills, Starlings etc... Was great!

As can often be the case when one heads out with a specific task in mind (in this case to ID birds, which requires careful patience and calculation) one is rewarded with other amazing sightings that would not come about if the patience had not been applied in the first place. Sitting looking at the Scimitar Billed Wood Hoopoes in a dense thicket of Crocodile Bark Ebony and Chinese Hats we inched forward when Suzanne alerted us to a tan brown colouring, to which Dean and I casually blew off as an Impala. “No” she said “Reverse!” So we did and there, about 10 metres into the bush, lay a huge lioness munching on a big rib cage of some poor creature. Whilst watching her for the next five minutes, unbeknownst to us a small herd of three Elephant had come up very quietly to within a few metres of the back of the vehicle. Alerted to a soft crunching noise behind us, when one of their soft grey feet had met a dried twig (the only give away) we spun round and watched them as they walked just inches away past us, without even a glance of concern in our direction, but with their whole beings fixated on chasing off the feline intruder that was sitting in their grazing corridor. The lioness cautiously backed off deeper into the dense thicket, but not without her prize rib cage firmly in her mouth being dragged along too. The elephants continued on their way and disappeared as quickly and stealthily as they had arrived. The lioness continued to snack and chomp, but our visibility had been reduced and we relied mainly on sounds to locate her. We sat for a further 20 minutes listening and getting the odd glimpse - just being there was special. We heard other chomping noises and decided that it must be the rest of the pride, all of which were not visible, but it made sense because we’ve only seen these lionesses on the estate in a pride together before. We continued on our drive down a sandy road, now a dry river bed, carved out by a flash flood from the 120mm of rainfall we had the night before. We ended on a beautiful beach and were greeted by one of those sunsets that only Kariba can produce, with a big herd of elephant neatly silhouetted close by! We managed to get the vehicle stuck and then un-stuck again. A few hair raising moments ensued as Suzanne and I had jumped out to push, whilst Dean sped away in order to gain enough momentum, leaving us marooned for a matter of seconds that felt like hours. This because when we turned around after the hard push we found the elephants had quietly come within 50 metres of us, obviously keen to find out what all the fuss was about. We leapt aboard the vehicle and had a lovely drive back to the lodge.

Pure experiences like these remind us of how incredibly privileged and humbled we are to share in a piece of this raw wilderness!

The Bumi Beat!: Dean McGregor joins Bumi Hills

2011-01-07T16:30:00.001+01:00

iThe Bumi Beat!: Dean McGregor joins Bumi Hills: "Dean at work 'Single file, snaking out, the only sound our footsteps, i aimed our small column for the last roar we had heard, from now on..."

Rare footage of a waterspout forming and then disintegrating

2010-12-26T15:54:00.002+01:00

Water Spouts on Kariba viewed from Bumi Hills Safari Lodge

2010-12-26T11:40:00.001+01:00

This incredible site was captured from the deck at Bumi Hills Safari Lodge

Water Spouts are a rare site on Lake Kariba. The Bumi Hills Safari Lodge in Zimbabwe has an incredible vista across the lake and therefore is in prime position to observe such phenomena. We were all treated to this amazing spectacle this morning. Look at the pictures below to see the water spouts froming and disintegrating. Read all about water spouts here

Happy Christmas from Vayeni!

2010-12-25T13:08:00.000+01:00

WILD FRONTIERS ZIMBABWE RECENTLY LAUNCHED

2010-10-04T20:37:00.003+02:00

An extract from a recent press release by Robin Brown of Wild Frontiers, Zimbabwe

Wild Frontiers Zimbabwe has recently been launched. The company will be running mobile safaris around Zimbabwe.
There will be two options:
1. A mobile tented camp combined with lodges in certain parks.
2. A Lodge to Lodge option.

This is the first time in many years that a product such as this has been launched and will include some of the lesser visited National Parks such as Chizarira, Matusadona, Matopos whilst also including Hwange, Mana Pools and the Upper Zambezi National Parks.
Each safari will be run for a maximum of six clients. The vehicles used are newly assembled stretched Landcruisers that WFZ has imported into Zimbabwe. The same guide will drive the clients for up to fourteen days across the country stopping at points of interest between the parks, and spending a minimum of 2 nights at each park.

Wild Frontiers Zimbabwe invites interested agents to join a short familiarisation stay in a tented camp on the banks of the Zambezi, and have a chance to see the vehicles that will be used, as well as meet the guiding team and camp staff that will be running these trips.

The dates for this famil will be from the 3rd to the 6th of November and the proposed itinerary will be as per the schedule listed at the end of this mail.

You are also invited to request other dates that may suit you better for a chance to experience this new and exciting product.

Famil Itinerary

Day One:
Arrive and transfer to the new Victoria Falls Rainforest Restaurant for welcome lunch and briefing.
After lunch, a brief tour of the Falls and new Information Center.
1600, meet your guide and game drive up into the Zambezi National Park.
Drift into camp by canoe.
Overnight at the WFZ (Wild Frontiers Zimbabwe) Authentic Mobile Tented Camp.
Day Two:
Early morning walking safari in the Siansimba Spring area
Breakfast back at camp
Opportunity to do a full day safari combining game drive and canoeing or to go into Victoria Falls for other activities.
Overnight at WFZ Authentic Mobile Tented Camp
Day Three:
Breakfast at leisure on the banks of the River
Game drive into town and transfer out to the Elephant Camp
Overnight at Elephant Camp. (NB. This may change to the Stanley and Livingstone depending on availability)
Dinner at "The Lookout".
Day Four:
Departure day.

Terms and Conditions Apply.

Impalila Island, Caprivi Strip Namibia: Basubiya people living in harmony with nature

2010-08-12T16:26:00.004+02:00

Impalila Island is situated on the eastern most tip of the Caprivi strip and lies approximately 70km west and upstream from the Victoria Falls. It is geographically significant because this is also where 4 countries meet, one of only two such places in the world. Here the Chobe flows into the Zambezi river and where they intersect marks the end of the Caprivi. The waters here are shared between Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Mozambique and two massive ferries work daily to transport passengers, cars and massive trucks across this stretch to and from Zambia and Botswana.

Impalila is home to a community of about 800 Basubiya people. These are a peace loving community who live a subsistence lifestyle without too many of the frills of the modern world. They have maintained a balance with nature such that the area remains rich in flora and fauna. The islanders rear livestock (cattle and goats), grow various crops and catch fish in the surrounding rivers. Possibly due to the islands isolation the population has not grown significantly and this along with strategic land use has meant that the community sustains its needs well. It is this sustainability that is fascinating and makes for a good balance in the island community's way of life. Huge baobab trees provide shade and form the focal point of many of the little villages scattered throughout the island. The indigenous trees on the island have not been replaced by exotic ones and therefore the massive abundance of bird species that exist here have remained. There is a school on the island and many of its graduates remain in the area and become guides at one of the many lodges on the Caprivi or in neighbouring Botswana.

They are not without challenges though. They are at least 100km from the nearest major Namibian town, Katima Mulilo. Botswana is just across the water to the south and the town of Kasane is where shopping is mostly done. However the trek to Katima Mulilo is not always avoidable and this journey is best done over a few days. Access to the island is mostly by boat, although there is an airstrip on the island too, that is maintained by Ichingo Lodge. The Caprivi strip floods each year due to the rising levels of the Zambezi and Chobe rivers, caused by the heavy rainy season between November and April. These waters are home to large crocodiles and hippos and the island also lies adjacent to the Chobe National Park. Elephant do therefore sometimes swim across to the island to feed on its succulent vegetation, especially during the dry season when the mainland offers limited resources. Despite these inherent dangers the Impalila islanders have learnt to live with them. The community in fact understand the value of their location and they also welcome visits from tourists who would like to come and learn a bit about their way of life. There are resident guides who provide well organised tours and the funds generated from this are channeled towards the upkeep of the community infrastructure.

Impalila is definitely worth a stop over for a few hours whilst on your Chobe safari or visit to Victoria Falls. Luke and Suzanne from Vayeni have visited the island many times and maintain a good relationship with the members of the community. This is a genuine authentic experience and it has not been over commercialized in any way.

Watch our own short videos of life on Impalila by clicking on the following links:

Walking on Impalila
Boating around Impalila
Where 4 countries meet

To find out more please visit our contact us page.

Introduction to Botswana

2010-08-09T16:40:00.004+02:00

Botswana is home to some of Africa's finest wildlife landscapes and is thus ideally suited to safaris. The country has some of the most pristine environments in Africa with approximately 17% of its land surface protected as National Parks or Game Reserves.

The Chobe and the Okavango Delta are Botswana's flagship wilderness regions and comprise the very best that Botswana has to offer. These areas contain some of the most luxurious lodge accommodations in Africa and these are typically accessed by light aircraft, an incredible experience in itself. Both the Chobe and the Okavango are located in the North of Botswana, above the main chunk of the Kalahari Desert that lies to the south. Chobe is home to the World's highest concentration of African Elephants and the Okavango is the globe's largest inland delta. Both areas are teeming with wildlife and you are guaranteed to have a special safari experience by visiting either of these destinations or combining them both in your itinerary.

T.E. Lawrence and Wadi Rum

2010-08-09T11:06:00.003+02:00

T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) is inextricably linked to British History in the Middle East. This was a man who undoubtedly held a special place in his heart for the Arabian desert and her people. He spent many years of his life exploring this region, attempting to understand its history and dynamics, whilst establishing close relationships with its inhabitants. He was made famous through his role as a liaison for the British army during the Arab Revolt against Ottoman Turkish rule between 1916 and 1918. The story of his involvement in this epic series of battles has been sensationalized through film and personally accounted for in his own book "Seven Pillars of Wisdom." Less well known are the multitude of other activities he partook in, not least of which was his first excursion to Ottoman Syria as a 21 year old where on foot he covered more than 1,500km in a quest to gather information on the crusader castles. One need not be British to be seduced by the adventures of this man who spoke 8 languages (including Arabic and Latin), a man who followed a personal desire to gain and share an understanding of a world largely unknown or inaccurately depicted by the West. His extraordinary achievements are made that much more incredible considering his life was cut short by a motorbike accident at the age of only 46.

Now imagine a journey to the Middle East that incorporates the fascinations of this man's life. Visit modern day Jordan's Wadi Rum which Lawrence and his army used as a base during the Arab Revolt. It was from here that they attacked the Hejaz railway, set up by the Ottoman Turks to expand their influence in the region. Wadi Rum is described by Lawrence in his "Seven Pillars of Wisdom".

“Day was still young as we rode between two great pikes of sandstone to the foot of a long, soft slope poured down from the domed hills in front of us. It was tamarisk-covered: the beginning of the Valley of Rum, they said. We looked up on the left to a long wall of rock, sheering in like a thousand-foot wave towards the middle of the valley; whose other arc, to the right, was an opposing line of steep, red broken hills. We rode up the slope, crashing our way through the brittle undergrowth”

Wadi Rum is an incredible landscape marked by massive granite and sand stone mountains, deep fissures and canyons. The mountains also hold the well preserved ancient rock paintings laid down by tribes through the history of time.

Luke & Suzanne can arrange for you to visit this fascinating area and get to know her secrets.
Contact us for more information here

Further Reading References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_rum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Pillars_of_Wisdom
http://www.phespirit.info/places/2002_11_jordan_1.htm

Vayeni Travel: Private Opulent Escapism with Luke & Suzanne

2010-06-28T19:09:00.006+02:00

Your journey begins the moment you contact us. From then on imagine your senses flirting with a dream, fulfilling it and then holding onto it's timeless memory forever.

EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

As your own personally dedicated travel partner we promise to ensure that your travel desires are catered for at the very highest level and with the strictest attention to detail. We will satisfy your desire for an extraordinary itinerary, but we will not remove your need for comfort and rejuvenation. Our unique perception, extensive experience and infectious enthusiasm, coupled with your inspired travel dreams, will guarantee the production of an incredible voyage, to be forever etched on a special part of your memory.WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE US?

First we take away the stress involved in planning your journey, instead giving you the time to focus on what you really want from your voyage - this is the time to give us your wildest ideas. Second we utilize our own expertise to channel your energy and meet your needs. We do this through a thorough consultation process designed to ensure that none of your desires are left unattended. Third we guarantee that once on your journey you will be looked after every step of the way. When you return you will have shared experiences to cherish for the rest of your life.SPECIALIST DESTINATIONS

Southern Africa and the Middle East
We can also confidently arrange trips for you to any corner of the globe through our network of highly qualified partners and resources.Contact us: vayeni@vayeni.com
Website: http://www.vayeni.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vayeni/277804071045?ref=ts
Twitter: http://twitter.com/vayenitravel

"WE TAKE AN ACORN OF AN IDEA AND TURN IT INTO AN OAK OF A JOURNEY"

Kariba - Scenes similar to Operation Noah 52 years on!

2010-06-09T14:55:00.002+02:00

In scenes reminiscent of the massive Operation Noah that took place in 1958 when Kariba Dam flooded the Zambezi valley, rescuers, who included the management from Bumi Hills Lodge and Luke & Suzanne from Vayeni (who happened to be on an educational trip to the new luxury lodge at the time), managed to successfully assist 3 struggling waterbuck on their 2.5km swim to the mainland from the aptly named Starvation Island. Waterbuck are grazers and they have recolonised islands close to the mainland, during low water level periods, where grass is abundant on the flood plains created at these times.

The lake has not reached it's full capacity since 1983 and as a result the waterbuck have had no need to move off areas like Starvation Island. The first animals to suffer are the grazers, but the pressure is also telling on animals like impala and baboon that are also resident on the island. They are mixed feeders and able to browse too, but even this resource is now being reduced due to overgrazing.

Bumi Hills is spear heading a project to feed hay to the animals still on the island, until such time as the water levels recede again. Funds are required in order to do this. Please contact us if you would like to assist or for more information on vayeni@vayeni.com

Thinking of moving or travelling to Dubai? - Here's our honest take on it.

2010-03-08T14:13:00.002+01:00

We lived in Dubai in 2006 and 2007, working at the time for Emirates Hotels and Resorts. Since leaving there we still return often on both business and pleasure. Here is our account of the place, which of course is probably biased by our own opinion, but we've tried to be as objective as possible. Here we talk about life in Dubai, visiting Dubai and the effects of the credit crunch on a modern metropolis still in the midst of a struggle to create an everlasting identity.

Dubai is an incredible place, of that there is no doubt. It is not really like anything else in the world. It is literally "cutting edge" in every field. If you were to reside there then quite naturally the plus side of that is that you would be living in a place that is ranked right up there in the global top 5 in terms of the world's trendiest spots to travel to and do business in. That alone is a plus on the marketing front for your business or personal image. Dubai hosts amongst much more, the world's tallest building, huge islands (easily seen from space) carved in the shape of palms and the globe, underwater hotels, the world's largest indoor ski slope, massive malls and generally just incredible opulence almost everywhere you look. And in the deserts around Dubai a playground of adventure awaits. Camel racing, dune driving and falcon flying are just a few of the many activities on offer. On the basis of these things alone we would recommend Dubai as a place to travel to. The feeling you get as a visitor there cannot be explained in writing. One has to experience it. When we arrived there for the first time the feeling of excitement was so intense. Try it! We recommend landing there on Emirates Airlines for the first time because they play you a really good welcoming video just before you land and that really serves to wet the appetite.

Having said this living there can be quite different and create mixed emotions, once the novelty has worn off. Dubai's development has come only in the last 15-20 years with the growth momentum reaching incredible speed only at the turn of the century. It is all so brand new that it almost lacks true atmosphere or history. This will develop in time for sure, but at the moment you find yourself in the midst of Arabia whilst true signs of it are pretty few and far between in the city itself. This can be a good or a bad thing supposedly and it all depends what you make of it yourself and if you're prepared to search for it then you'll almost certainly discover some gems to fall in love with and make your residence in Dubai that much more appealing.

Climate and People: Dubai can be incredibly hot, humid and dusty from April to October with June to August averaging between 40 and 50 degrees. The most comfortable time of the year to live there lies between October and April. Diurnal temperatures sit for the most part in the comfortable high twenties and there can even be the occasional rain shower. The nationals living there make up only about 25% of the population and the rest are expats from all over the world making for an incredibly metropolitan community. Most of these are labourers that have been brought in from India, Pakistan and the Phillipines to aid with the building and growth of the city. There are also plenty of westerners, who are sitting in pretty good positions because their expertise is well sought after. Never forget though that all of them (expats) are on visas, that generally last 3 years. To become a national in Dubai is a very lengthy process and usually only attributed to those that can claim birthright in the UAE. Visas can be extended after the three year period is up, but one needs to ensure they still have a spotless record at this time. The locals are clever and don't doubt that they are in control. One does not want to get any kind of a blemish on one's history in the country because the consequences can be very grave. We know of people who've been deported out of the country or barred from re-entry. Common reasons for this include debt (being the biggest), drunk driving or being drunk in public, adultery etc.... Look the chances of this ever happening to you or anyone you know are virtually nil, but it's always good to keep in the back of your mind. Make sure you obey the rules and live a life of respect for the rules of the land and you will be fine. Dubai is actually extremely liberal and open as far as the Middle East goes. Ladies don't have to cover up their faces, arms and lower legs and can almost wear what they like, although it wouldn't be wise for a lady to walk around in a mini skirt and tank top. Alcohol can be bought in Dubai - it's pretty expensive and you need a licence to buy it - here we are referring to buying alcohol from a bottle store. You can go to a hotel and buy as much as you want and you don't need a licence for that. To get this licence to buy alcohol and take it home you need first to have a letter from your employer stating that you have a good record. This then needs to be passed by the Dubai police who if in favour will in turn grant you the licence and you are limited to spend a certain amount per month. Remember that Dubai is only one of seven Emirates in the UAE and each Emirate has it's own ruling on alcohol, so be sure to know what these are. For example, alcohol is forbidden in Sharjah.

Home, transport etc..: It is possible, if you have the money, to have a reasonable sized house with a garden. Or otherwise you'd probably qualify for an apartment or compound housing provided to you by your employer. You want to try and be in the Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim sort of areas if you can. Look them up on google earth or ask us for links and we'll send them to you. There are also a number of new cluster home establishments that are being built and these too offer a good lifestyle. Dubai now has a brilliant metro system (very modern - even has wireless on board), so you can get to and from certain places quite cheaply. If you go by car, fuel is cheap (because of the oil), but there are sneaky toll gates everywhere that take your cash electronically(they're called Salik gates) without you having to stop. Ideally if you are travelling to Dubai just for a holiday then we would not recommend you hire a car unless you're confident of your way around. It's a tricky place to drive and the costs can rack up pretty fast. Parking, especially at shopping malls is VERY expensive - we learnt the hard way!! Buses - there are buses and they look pretty OK, but we've never taken one, so can't really comment. Traffic is heavy heavy - eight lane highways and bumper to bumber during rush hours! Best advice: take the metro and then taxis from there.

Jobs?: We secured jobs before we moved to Dubai. We worked for Emirates Al Maha Desert Resort (a division of Emirates Hotels and Resorts). Check out http://www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/english/ for more on emirates recruitment. We would advise that you try to find a job before moving to Dubai. Of course you can always search once on the ground and that may work out too, but you would have limited time. For example, I think on a British passport now they only grant you 30-60 days before you need to get out of the country again. So do some good research before you go. It really depends what line of work you want, but there are loads of resources out there.

The financial crunch has definitely changed Dubai - we were back there in November last year and will be there again soon for a travel show. The place has slowed down a lot. Many buildings are half built and waiting for more funding. Many people have left because they racked up so much debt and could not pay it back - some of them left their luxury cars at the airport with the keys still in the ignition.

Dubai is still a great destination though and whether you choose to visit or live there you are bound to be rewarded with a special life experience.

Don't forget Abu Dhabi - probably ten times richer than Dubai (due to oil) and now starting to grow at a rapid rate. Have a look at what's on offer there too. It's about 2-3 hours up the coast away from Dubai city.

Anyway here endeth the first in our series on Dubai. Please feel free to post your comments, ask for more information or suggest new topics.

The Victoria Falls Mountain Bike Challenge from 20th May 2010

2010-02-23T15:58:00.003+01:00

This year sees another amazing event coming to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The 3 day Victoria Falls Mountain Bike Challenge promises to be a truly unique and special challenge. The course will take riders through some incredibly scenic areas along the Zambezi gorge beneath the Falls, through private game areas, rural communities and finishing with a beautiful ride along the Zambezi from the Botswana border with Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls. Riders will for the most part be traversing these landscapes on single lane dirt tracks and will be allowed into areas where normally they would not be permitted on a bike.

The challenge will thus be a true test for the best mountain bike riders to negotiate the course in the quickest possible time. However for those wanting to take part at a gentler and more social pace, the the thrill of the adventure will be equally rewarding.

This event is brought to Victoria Falls by Wild Frontiers and their partners Wild Horizons and SafPar Zimbabwe. These are the same organizers of the hugely successful annual Zambezi Man and Victoria Falls Marathon events. It will undoubtedly be arranged in World Standard fashion, being fully backed up and professionally controlled!

To find out more about this event contact us
To enter this event click here

VICTORIA FALLS GREEN FUND LAUNCH

2010-02-21T10:38:00.000+01:00

Here is an excerpt of the speech given at the launch by the VFGF Chairman, Robin Brown.

Environment Africa have been integral in setting up the Victoria Falls Green Fund and indeed form the secretariat for our board of trustees, and through Namo Chuma, who leads the EA team here in Victoria Falls, they chair the implementation body of the Green Fund via the Green Fund Projects Committee. As I sit with Namo on this projects committee, I have experienced first hand the dynamics of this new but energetic team, which forms a parternship of private sector and local government. The projects committee will work with 14 action teams through the various council wards of Victoria Falls and these teams will form the implementation arm of the Green Fund. They will also be encouraged to bring foward proposals for recycling plants, waste management systems, clean ups and so forth, for which the funds raised in our Green Fund trust will be utilised. These action teams are currently being set up by our councillors and I would encourage our residents, business owners and stakeholders in Victoria Falls to please give these teams the support they need. We will be looking at each area separately to encourage a level of light competitiveness and look forward to nice clean results!

The timing of the set up of this Victoria Falls Green Fund is no coincidence. We have come through hard times and I am afraid it is apparent in the state of our town. We need to gather our resolve and stop further deterioration in the environmental state of Victoria Falls. We realise that we cannot just solve the smaller issues such as rubbish dumping, drains and so forth - albeit that they are not small issues and we absolutely must solve them. However it is vital for us to work together and tackle the larger problems as well. We have sewage collection, transfer and management problems; road maintenance; rubbish collection, transport and management issues, amongst many more. In order to resolve these large issues, we need buy in across all sectors.

The Victoria Falls Green Fund will in 2010 be looking at a large scale solar development plan, whereby we will seek assistance from government and the World Bank through various regional NGO's to source funding in excess of $ 150 million.

We will also be looking carefully at our local schools to see how we can encourage more environmental awareness and education.

Ladies and gentlemen, the next few days will see the signing into implementation of the KAZA documents. This will result in the linking up of an enormous wildlife dominated area. The Victoria Falls will form a natural centre in this exciting development.

With the formation of the Victoria Falls Green Fund I will ask you, the stakeholders, to join us in setting an example to the larger KAZA area, and the world, that we are going to maintain our town and its beautiful environs for future generations!

The Victoria Falls Green Fund

2010-02-18T13:36:00.000+01:00

Victoria Falls will today officially launch the Victoria Falls Green Fund (VFGF). The launch will take place in the presence of high ranking dignatries on the edge of the mighty Victoria Falls, next to the statue of David Livingstone, in Zimbabwe. The VFGF is the combined initiative of Victoria Falls residents, Environment Africa and the Victoria Falls Town Council. Victoria Falls is a World Heritage site and in a positive effort to preserve this pristine environment for current and future generations the VFGF will today unveil its strategy to green up the town.

Zimbabwe - It's Great News!

2010-02-03T12:51:00.001+01:00

So Zimbabwe is in the news and 90% of the time it's for all the wrong reasons. Yes the country has been going through some very tough times, but the truth is that this country is as safe, if not far safer for tourists than many countries in Africa. The infrastructure on the ground is still very much intact and is growing. The willingness and professional readiness of the locals to cater for high end tourists is there in abundance. The toughest thing affecting the Zimbabwean tourism industry in the past has been the difficult economy. Now the introduction of a multiple currency system, the US Dollar and South African Rand being the main players, has meant that tourism businesses can function normally. All major credit cards are accepted, shortage of food items in hotels is a thing of the past and most importantly communication systems are where they should be.

Find out more on our website http://www.vayeni.com/

Entrepreneur Connect Marketplace: Luke Brown's

2010-01-30T00:20:00.003+01:00

Entrepreneur Connect Marketplace: Luke Brown's

Posted using ShareThis

Entrepreneur Connect Marketplace: Luke Brown's

2010-01-30T00:20:00.001+01:00

Entrepreneur Connect Marketplace: Luke Brown's

Posted using ShareThis

CREATIVE TEAMING in ZamChoVango!

2009-12-17T20:31:00.000+01:00

Creative Teaming is a unique phrase coined by CANSAF-CREATIVE TEAMING in the ZamChoVango region of Africa! It is a unique concept that cleverly combines the elements of incentive travel and team building. The creative blend takes the edge off "hard core" team building and in the same breath adds an aire of enhanced excitment to the incentive. By doing this CANSAF ensures that a group can get the most from the destination it has chosen. These days groups are looking for more than just your ordinary packaged incentive trip that invariably provides the standard accommodation and sight seeing tours. This is especially the case where groups are travelling long haul, as is the case with groups making the voyage to the ZamChoVango. Throw in a creatively designed "teaming" element that does not result in unecessary over-analysis, rather a highly desirous natural synergy, and the resultant discovery is a special shared memory of an incredible destination. The ingredients of Creative Teaming are not set in stone and CANSAF has a multitude of options at its fingertips to enhance any group incentive in the ZamChoVango!

IDEAL INCENTIVES in VICTORIA FALLS LIVINGSTONE and CHOBE

2009-12-07T20:44:00.001+01:00

When one considers planning the ideal incentive for their group's visit to Southern Africa it is understandable that many will choose South Africa and look no further. They often forget to consider whether there may be other destinations in the region that are equally as exciting and often more suited to their particular group needs. They also underestimate the extremely high level of expertise and experience available on the ground in these areas and thus settle on facilitation through organizations claiming to have a pure understanding of the area, but no physical presence on the ground.

Victoria Falls, Livingstone and Chobe all fall within 100km of each other and combine to ensure the very best, truly African group incentive experience. The Victoria Falls themselves are divided by the mighty Zambezi river. In Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls town and in Zambia, Livingstone town each flank the river. You can be rest assured that the diverse combinations of activities and accommodation available to your group are endless, no matter which side you visit.

You will need to schedule at least 3 nights to experience Victoria Falls or Livingstone. Ideally group itineraries should include another 2 nights to visit Chobe National Park in Botswana - home to the world's largest population of African Elephants - the safari experience here is one of the best! Combine this with the adventure, culture and geological magic of Victoria Falls or Livingstone and you have in your hand an extraordinary set of ingredients for your incentive.

The area is also logistically accessible with Victoria Falls, Livingstone and Chobe all having International Airports serviced daily to and from Johannesburg by reputable airlines. Flights are suitably scheduled so that connection times increase time spent in the destination. Flight time from Johannesburg is 1 hour 45 minutes.

CANSAF - CREATIVE TEAMING is your ideal Destination Management Company for the Victoria Falls, Livingstone and Chobe regions. Visit www.cansaf.com to find out more about the uniquely creative options on offer for your group.

Visit http://www.vayeni.com/ for more information about other special incentive and leisure travel options within southern Africa.