The post Tanzania Overland Experience appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year UK.
]]>Starting a Cape Town this amazing tour covers some of the best sights and activities in Africa. Covering six countries and unforgettable features like the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls and Lake Malawi, it will ensure that your African vacation is an epic adventure of a lifetime. The best option if you do not have the time of budget for the 56 day ultimate tour or want to end up on Zanzibar beaches (not included).
This eastern strip of Africa contains some of the most amazing highlights of the entire continent. Some of the best game parks including the Serengeti, the towering Mount Kilimanjaro and one of the worlds most beautiful tropical paradise islands Zanzibar. This exciting group tour takes you on a whirlwind trip around East Africa starting in Nairobi and ending in Dar es Salaam.
Day 1 Arusha
Today we depart the bustling capital of Kenya and cross the border into Tanzania. We will stop in Arusha to visit the local Masai Mara Museum and the snake park. This afternoon we make our preparations for the optional excursion to the Serengeti NP and Ngorongoro Crater.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Activity Package: Masai Museu
Day 2/3/4 Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater
These 4 days are set aside for the 3-night camping excursion into the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. This area has one of the most densely inhabited large animal populations in Africa. On the first day from Arusha to Ngorongoro, there will be time for visiting the Oldupai gorge and museum. The Serengeti excursion is in open topped 4×4 safari vehicles in order to tackle the challenging side roads in the parks. For those not going to the parks, take this chance to absorb some of the fascinating local culture. Optional Activities for those not doing the Serengeti Excursion: Various Serengeti & Ngorongoro Excursion packages, Lake Manyara game drives, day hiking & village tours and many more various day trips.
Day 2/3/4 – For those going on the Serengeti NP/Ngorongoro Crater Excursion:
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activity: Serengeti Camping Excursion
Day 5 Arusha, Tanzania
Today those that went into the Serengeti NP and Ngorongoro will meet up with the truck in Arusha, where there will be time to share stories of the wonderful African animals seen in the park.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 Lushoto
Lushoto is the major town and district centre, albeit small, in the Usambara Mountains, halfway between the coast and the parks. The popular pot plant Saintpaulia has its only wild occurrences in Tanzania, and particularly in the Usambara Mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7/8/9 Zanzibar
After an early wake up, we leave Lushoto and head for Dar es Salaam, where a local ferry will take us from Dar es Salaam (where we leave the truck) to Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar. We spend the first night exploring the historical and unique architecture. There are also spice and seafood markets to be explored. The following day we take a transfer to the northern part of the island where we will spend 2 days relaxing on the beach. Optional Activities: Lunch and Dinner, Motorbike hire, Spice tour, Walking city tour, Swimming with Dolphins, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling etc.
Please note: If you have not purchased the Activity Package you will stay at the campsite in Dar es Salaam for the following 3 nights.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10 Dar es Salaam
Today we leave Zanzibar and catch a late ferry back to Dar es Salaam and return to our truck and campsite.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On our camping tours you will be staying in two-man dome tents. We supply a mattress and you supply your own sleeping bag. The accommodated tours stay in traditional huts, permanent tented camps and hostel-style rooms.
Please note you need to arrange your own pre and post tour accommodation.
Pretour accommodation option:
Location
Sentrim Boulevard is located at the end of Nairobi’s Harry Thuku Road, an oasis of peace and quite with beautiful manicured gardens and lawns. There are 70 rooms in 2 storeys. The main guest area consists of the reception, lounge area, Restaurant and bar. The Mezzanine floor has the conference facilities.
Access
International flights fly into Jomo Kenyatta International airport, Nairobi. Transfers from the airport to the Sentrim Boulevard take 30 minutes and covers 18 kms.
Accommodation & Rooms
The hotel comprises of 70 well appointed en suite guestrooms, 40 of the rooms are in the Garden wing and 30 in the Pool wing.
All rooms have a private balcony, telephone, security safe, radio and satellite TV.
Included are three hearty meals a day, (unless otherwise specified). Vegetarians are easily catered for and they’re always impressed by our varied menu. Our guides can produce miracles on a camp-stove. Special dietary requirements can be catered for, but only by special request. In East Africa it is more difficult to cater to certain requirements.
Activity Package
This is an optional additional payment that covers what we consider to be ‘essential activities’ on our tours and therefore this itinerary has been written with these items included in the day-by-day itinerary. Ideally we would include all of these, but not everyone can afford this.
Activities available on this tour, included if you book with activity pack
“We had a nice group of travellers, made some new friends. Special thanks to the crew: Godfree for his wonderful meals, Chris for his help, and Thabani, our guide. Hope too see you again on a other trip somewhere in Africa.! See more reviews here.”Marte B
” I just wanted to let you know that we had an outstanding time!! more reviews here.”Chavi
” The places we visited, the camp sites, the food, but most of all the people on this trip made it an unforgettable adventure!! See more reviews here.”Eduard
The post Tanzania Overland Experience appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year UK.
]]>The post Meet Masai Mara and Gorilla´s Africa Overland Tour appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year UK.
]]>Our Masai Mara and Gorilla tour will take you through Kenya and Uganda in just two weeks, showing you the stunning landscapes and exotic wildlife that is unique to these regions and Africa. We will take you to see these beautiful endangered gorilla´s for yourselves.
The Masai Mara Reserve in south-western Kenya and is a continuation of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, over the border. It was named after the people who have made their homes in the area for centuries, the Masai. On this tour you’ll have the opportunity to meet the Masai, visit their villages and learn about their customs. Also the Masai Mara is home to a huge population of wildlife, including the big five and all major African cats. Here, you’ll be able to witness the annual migration of animals from the Serengeti Park, allowing it to offer the most coveted of all safaris in Africa.
The activity pack is a bolt on pack including what we consider to be the must to do activities on the trip. You do not have to purchase this at the time of booking, and all activities can be purchased locally as well, although this way you get to pre-book all of your activities and not have to worry about carrying a lot of cash on you throughout the journey.
We leave the capital and travel to the Masai Mara National Reserve. Today the tour enters this huge area of spectacular game viewing to photograph some of Africa’s most abundant wildlife. Famous for the annual migration of around 1.5 million wildebeest, the Masai Mara is also home to many other animals, including lions. Cultural interaction with Kenya’s native Masaai people completes our experience. *The Masai Mara Reserve excursion & game drive will be operated in safari type vehicles.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Activity Package: Kenyan Parks Highlights Excursion (Day 1 -3)
After an early morning game drive in the Mara, we depart towards Lake Naivasha for a relaxing day on the lakeshore. You can go hiking in the area and activities include game and bird watching. One of the more popular optional activities is to go game viewing from a bicycle. An alternative way to spend your afternoon is to take high tea at Elsamere, the former home of Joy Adamsson, best known for her autobiographical novel, Born Free. Optional Activities: Cycle hire, High Tea at Elsamere.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we will travel north to Lake Nakuru where we will spend the afternoon game driving. Originally created as a bird sanctuary, Lake Nakuru was upgraded to National Park status in 1968. White rhino inhabit the transitional savannah area surrounding the lake, with excellent photographic opportunities.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities: Hells Gate National Park, Game drive in Lake Nakuru NP
Leaving Lake Nakuru very early, we head towards Uganda, briefly stopping for a photo at the equator. Later we arrive in Uganda’s capital and largest city, Kampala.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Although officially this day is set aside for everyone to explore Kampala, most people take an optional day trip to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary of Ngamba Island. This non-profit eco-friendly project was set up in 1998 to care for orphaned chimpanzees. Optional Activities: Ngamba Chimpanzee Excursion, Kampala Markets, Dinner Out.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lake Bunyonyi is a small but attractive lake with steep sides and abundant birdlife. Ringed by mountains, the lake is best known for its dense Otter population and stunning scenery. We make use of this beautiful spot to relax the night before the final drive to the gorillas.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The mountain gorilla is extremely endangered and while exact numbers vary it is widely assumed that there are only around 650 left. Visiting the gorillas is a great way to support their future on earth as the money spent on permits is used for their protection. An extremely important part of the future conservation of the remaining gorillas rests in the community development work – as local communities change their attitudes towards wildlife and start to protect rather than poach, the future of the mountain gorilla is assured.
As permits granting permission to visit the gorillas are extremely limited we require flexibility in both the tour itinerary and where we actually visit them. The home of the mountain gorillas is completely at odds with man-made borders and so their range encompasses Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Whenever possible we choose to make use of the National Park in Uganda, but this depends on the availability of permits.
Should we not obtain permits to visit the mountain gorillas in Uganda then we will inform all passengers beforehand that the tour will travel to Rwanda or DRC.
On your free day in Bunyoni you will have the opportunity to participate in certain optional activities. You can embark on a boat ride to the community of the Batwa (pygmies) who stay in the islands adjacent to the lake to observe their social lifestyle, behaviour and be entertained by their cultural performances. You can also go hiking or explore the area on a mountain bike.
Optional activities: Visit to the Batwa (Pygmies) tribe, mountain biking, nature walk, hiking.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Please note: Although there are 2 days allocated to Gorilla Trekking you will only spend one day on the trek. The other day are there to provide a large enough window in which to obtain permits and to allow the entire group to trek if there are more than 6 of you on the tour.
Leaving Lake Bunyoni, we venture to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we will spend the next 2 nights. Many game species can be found in this wetland park as well as the (elsewhere elusive) giant forest hog and the legendary tree-climbing lions of the Ishasha Sector. We will enjoy an included 4×4 game drive on day 10 through the NP. Optional Activities: Kasinga Channel Sunset Cruise, Chimpanzee trekking at Lake George
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activity Package: Game Drive
Jinja is Uganda’s second largest city and more famous as the point where the Nile (officially the Victoria Nile) flows out of Lake Victoria and begins the 6695 kilometre journey to Egypt and the Mediterranean. Optional Activities: White Water Rafting.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (Day 11 only), Dinner
Returning to Kenya we visit Eldoret, the country’s 5th largest city. The Great Rift Valley is still the dominant geographical feature of this region and the altitude at Eldoret is 2100 metres above sea level.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Returning to Nairobi, the largest city in the East Africa region, there’s an optional dinner, where we can swap stories and exchange contact details. Optional Activities: Meal out in Nairobi.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
NB: The itinerary is flexible and can be changed without notice in order to accommodate the best possible viewing of the Gorillas. The Permit price to visit the Gorillas can also change without notice.
On our camping tours you will be staying in two-man dome tents. We supply a mattress and you supply your own sleeping bag.
Included are three hearty meals a day, (unless otherwise specified). Vegetarians are easily catered for and they’re always impressed by our varied menu. Our guides can produce miracles on a camp-stove. Special dietary requirements can be catered for, but only by special request. In East Africa it is more difficult to cater to certain requirements.
Please note prices above exclude the gorilla permit which is mandatory if you intend on seeing the gorillas. This needs to be booked and paid for up front. You can opt out of this but this means you will not be able to see the mountain gorillas and may not be up to get a permit en route as they sell out well ahead.
*The Gorilla Permit is compulsory payment, the cost is between US$605 and US$705
Please contact us with your travel plans, there are set departures twice per month we will check availability for you.
Did you know we can help you plan an epic adventure? You can combine this trip with the following trips to extend you travels.
“We had a nice group of travellers, made some new friends. Special thanks to the crew: Godfree for his wonderful meals, Chris for his help, and Thabani, our guide. Hope too see you again on a other trip somewhere in Africa.! See more reviews here.”Marte B
” I just wanted to let you know that we had an outstanding time!! more reviews here.”Chavi
” The places we visited, the camp sites, the food, but most of all the people on this trip made it an unforgettable adventure!! See more reviews here.”Eduard
The post Meet Masai Mara and Gorilla´s Africa Overland Tour appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year UK.
]]>The post Xtreme Reporter – With Work Experience appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year UK.
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How would you like to get a diploma, spend four weeks travelling somewhere exotic with the possibility to get paid for your efforts at the end of it. Sound too good to be true? Well it isn’t.
Not only can you do all that, you will get mentored by one of the top journalists in the country Beci Wood who spent 10 years at the biggest newspaper in the UK. Get assistance publishing your piece and sending out through news channels with the aim of it being picked up as newsworthy. This will give you an amazing exposure and a genuine opportunity to try out and launch a new career in journalism.
On this program you can either undertake the diploma only and use it to boost your qualifications whilst you undertake any of our gap year programs, or you can involve yourself On our Xtreme journalism assignments. Set in 2 locations where you can study and learn more about journalism.
For the assignments, you can choose either Thailand, or Mexico and you have four weeks to complete the course and we throw in some adventure activities along the way. What they are depends on the time of year, we do not keep it set so we can react to any newsworthy stories or events.
The course involves quite a bit of coursework, so where better to undertake some investigative journalism, or get inspired than abroad by paradise beaches.
You have full backup and support of our UK-based tutors, who have considerable experience in the industry. You can actually study anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection and a laptop.
Once you have completed the course and have written your final piece we will assist you in sending this out to our media houses who may or may not pick up on the story. If you do get published you will receive 60 percent of your royalty fees which could be enough to cover the cost of the entire course.
What you report on is up to you, but you will have the full back up and support and guidance of professional journalists (including the head mentor on the programme – Beci Wood with 10 years experience on staff at the UK´s biggest newspaper).
Not only is journalism and exciting career, it’s something you can take with you to your next stage after travelling, whether that be a part-time job at University, or something you do on the side or launch phone into as a career.
So whether you want to do something genuinely rewarding while you travel, or want to have something that not only looks amazing – really is amazing on your CV then the Xtreme reporter as you.
On the Thailand option we have a completely unique and very exciting work experience attachment to this program. You will work in a genuine media Company that produces monthly magazines all over Asia. Working from their offices in Phuket, you will put your newfound skills to use: tasked With writing articles and uncovering stories as a reporter. You will go out develop and write stories and make a valued contribution to the magazine and online websites. Working under the CEO and his media team this is a genuinely unique opportunity to gain work experience and do a really fun job which will build your resume and give you an insight into an exciting industry as you travel.
The company is called think media and is American run running various different franchises of popular magazines, what’s on guides and delivers local news and features in and around Phuket.
The work experience option can either last two weeks or four weeks, depending on your preference and includes all accommodation.
In Mexico you will stay in Playa del Carmen, a short walk from the beach at our base the Bendito Rancho. This is based on a dormitory (shared accommodation).
In Thailand you will stay in Phuket where you will also be involved in a work experience module with think media. You will stay on a bungalow either your own or shared with one other person the same sex. The bungalow is located close to the officers.
Journalism needs specialists. People with knowledge and passion for their subject. We provide a range of courses in specialist subjects ranging from health to the environment through to investigative and travel journalism.
Journalism courses currently available:
Yes our courses are accredited by third party organisations
Our diploma is widely recognised in the UK and overseas. It is a vocational award, equivalent to an NVQ level 1 or 2.
The Open and Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC) and the ABCC validate it.
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