Maasai Mara

South Western Kenya is the heartland of the Maasai.

The Maasai are a strongly independent people who still value tradition and ritual as an integral part of their everyday lives. They regard themselves not just as residents of this area but that they are as much a part of the life of the land as the land is part of their lives.

Traditionally, the Maasai rarely hunt and living alongside wildlife in harmony is an important part of their beliefs. Lions and Wildebeest play as important a role in their cultural beliefs as their own herds of cattle. This unique co-existence of man and wildlife makes this Maasai land one of the world’s most unique wilderness regions.

At the heart of these lands is the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, widely considered to be Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve. The Mara comprises 200 sq miles of open plains, woodlands and riverine forest. Contiguous with the plains of the Serengeti, the Mara is home to a breathtaking array of life. The vast grassland plains are scattered with herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Gazelle, and Topi. The Acacia forests abound with Birdlife and Monkeys. Elephants and Buffalo wallow in the wide Musiara Swamp. The Mara and Talek rivers are brimming with Hippos and Crocodiles.

Each year the Mara plays host to the world’s greatest natural spectacle, the Great Wildebeest Migration from the Serengeti. From July to October, the promise of rain and fresh life giving grass in the north brings more than 1.3 million Wildebeest together into a single massive herd. They pour across the border into the Mara, making a spectacular entrance in a surging column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon.

At the Mara River they mass together on the banks before finally plunging forward through the raging waters, creating a frenzy as they fight against swift currents and waiting crocodiles.

The wildebeest bring new life to the Mara, not just through their cycle of regeneration of the grasslands, but for the predators who follow the herds.

The Mara has been called the Kingdom of Lions and these regal and powerful hunters dominate these grasslands. Cheetah are also a common sight in the Mara, as are Hyena and smaller predators such as Jackals.

The Mara is an awesome natural wonder, a place where Maasai warriors share the plains with hunting lions, a place of mighty herds and timeless cycles of life, death and regeneration.

The Mara is probably the best serviced of all Kenyan Parks and Reserves with a wide range of Accommodation for any budget. The Reserve is a popular attraction with Safari operators. The reserve is ideal for game drives, and some lodges and camps offer walks and balloon safaris.

Wildlife moves freely in and out of the reserve, and through neighbouring Maasai lands. Outside the boundaries of the reserve there are many other small camps and lodges, some of which offer walking, horse riding and other safari options.

The Loita Hills and the Nguruman Escarpment, both considered sacred to the Maasai, offer high forest trekking opportunities for the adventurous traveller

KENYA

Most visitors to Kenya want to experience the country’s world famous wildlife. But there are many different ways to experience the Kenyan wilderness.

Whether you want to drive by a pride of lions in a four wheel drive, walk through herds of plains game, watch a herd of elephants from the comfortable veranda of a safari lodge, track game on horseback or search for rare birds in a thick rainforest, the possibilities are endless.

Kenya’s wilderness areas are famous world wide. The name Kenya has become synonymous with the great wilds of Africa but they represent far more than you would ever expect, protecting and showcasing a broad range of habitats and species.

They are complex ecologies that depend on the conservation of diverse natural resources and systems. The Parks, Sanctuaries and Conservation areas co-exist with and depend on the communities that surround them, and work together to protect the future.

From the depths of a coral reef to alpine mountains, from one of the world’s most endangered owls to a herd of wildebeest more than a million strong, the wilderness of Kenya is a wonder to behold.

Coffee Museum in Matagalpa

Nicaragua is a major producer of coffee, which is exported throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. As a vital contributor to the Nicaraguan economy, it seems fitting that there should be a museum devoted to all aspects of this popular beverage. The Coffee Museum, situated close to the central park of the city of Matagalpa, is a popular tourist attraction for visitors to Nicaragua’s main coffee growing area.
Colorful murals adorn the walls of the Coffee Museum and a collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, which were discovered in the Matagalpa region, is on display. Visitors can see old photos depicting the history of the city along with pictures of the Matagalpa’s mayors going right back to 1948. But, of course, the emphasis is on coffee, and the Coffee Museum has numerous interesting exhibits of modern and ancient machinery used in the growing and processing of coffee. Visitors will learn about the history of coffee in the Matagalpa region of Nicaragua as well as what is involved in coffee production - from cultivation to when it is served in countless different ways.
Coffee production was introduced to the country in the 1880s when the Nicaraguan government invited young German immigrants to settle in the northern highlands region of Nicaragua with the goal of promoting coffee growing. Many Germans accepted the offer and to this day, descendents of those first immigrants continue to be the mainstay of coffee production in Nicaragua.
Coffee plants can grow into trees, which reach a height of 10-15 meters, but on coffee plantations they are restricted to about three meters for harvesting purposes. The coffee plant has deep green foliage and remains productive for about 15 to 20 years. The creamy white flowers of the coffee plant are richly scented and self-pollinating. They wither within a few days of appearing, being replaced by clusters of fruit. There are two semi-oval furrowed beans within each fruit. Harvesting is best done by hand because trees carry green, ripe and overripe fruits at the same time. Through a fairly lengthy process, the coffee beans are stripped from the fruit, washed, sun-dried, removed from their parchment-like skin through the use of centrifugal force, polished, expertly sorted, packaged and shipped all over the world.
There is little doubt that coffee-lovers will see their favorite beverage in a whole new light after a visit to Nicaragua’s fascinating Coffee Museum.

Masaya

Masaya Volcano – Some would say that Masaya is the most accessible active volcano on the planet. The volcano owes this reputation to the paved road that runs to the summit of Santiago crater. It is located in a protected area known as the Masaya Volcano National Park. The park features more than seven cones and a crater lake. It is also home to a large number of crater dwelling parakeets who have chosen to make their homes in the toxic inner walls of the still smoking Santiago crater. Santiago last erupted in 2001.

Apoyo Volcano – The Apoyo Volcano is now considered to be dormant. It last erupted roughly 20 000 years ago and has since filled up with beautiful blue ocean water. The Apoyo Crater Lake is the biggest of the fourteen crater lakes to be found in Nicaragua. The crater's interior is a nature reserve that features over 145 species of birds, howler monkeys, white face monkeys and several rare fish species. The Apoyo Volcano is shared by the Masaya and Granada provinces

Chinandega

San Cristobal Volcano - One of Nicaragua’s seven active volcanoes, San Cristobal is located just outside the city of Cinandega. It has constantly erupted since 2001 and today is the country’s highest volcano at 1745 meters above sea level. The hike to the summit is difficult and recommended only for the fittest hikers. If you do not fit this category and still which to make it to the peak, you may be able to arrange a shorter climb from the adjoining Casitas Volcano.

Cosiguina Volcano - The Cosiguina Volcano is located in the province of Chinandega. It is the most north-western volcano in the country and rises to 800 meters above sea level. There is a 3-5 day hike through forest reserve that will take you up the crater to the lip of the volcano from where you can enjoy a most memorable view of the Gulf of Fonseca and its many islands. There is also an incredibly beautiful crater lake hidden at the bottom of the volcano's steep inner walls.

Rivas

Concepción Volcano – located on the Island of Ometepe, Concepción rises an impressive 1610 meters above sea level. It is the second highest in the country and is also incredibly beautiful. Concepción last spewed ash and smoke in 1999 but has not seen lava flow since 1957. The slopes of the cone have been claimed for a nature reserve and are home to deer and monkeys. There is a difficult 7-9 hour climb up the forested sides of the volcano.

Maderas Volcano – Also found on Ometepe Island, Maderas is located in Lake Nicaragua. It rises to 1394 meters above sea level and is usually clouded in thick mist. As a result, it has been claimed as a protected cloud forest reserve. Maderas is far more inactive than its twin Concepción and, as a result, enjoys more plant and animal diversity. It features two popular hikes – an easy two to six hour hike through farmland and cloud forest or a more grueling and mud-filled hike to the summit which takes approximately three to five hours. Maderas features a misty and cold crater lake which can only be enjoyed by trekking to the summit.