Arriving into Dubai on Emirates is quite exciting! You fly over watching the onboard cameras and see the very different landscape below with the desert on one side, the ocean on the other and the many many high-rises in between.

After a quick and smooth arrival through the terminal I transfer to my hotel. I’m staying  at the Park Regis Hotel (located about 15  minutes away) situated  in Bur Dubai. After meeting with our hosts from DTCM (Dubai Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing), I have the chance to relax and unpack. It doesn’t take long for my female shopping instinct to kick in though and it’s off to the Bujuman shopping centre located 5 minutes walk from the hotel.

After a couple of hours shopping it’s time to eat! Our Lebanese lunch was hosted by Jumeirah Emirates Towers, and held at Al Nafoorah. The hotel is located on Sheikh Zayed Road, located in the centre of Dubai’s commercial business district and as we pull up we are met by a really cool mirrorball camel.

After lunch it’s time to make our way to the creek for a late afternoon tour. We board the Abra (local water taxi) and begin the journey along the creek which separates the city into Deira and Bur Dubai.  It is nice to be able to get a local perspective of Dubai and watch the locals travelling between work and home across the creek.  There are many great photo opportunities along the way of great sky scrapers, mosques and the dhows that travel between Dubai and India with cargo.

See our range of tours & experience Dubai for yourself! NZ Click here / AU Click here. For more information, contact us at Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049.

Kande Beach.

A strong on shore wind has been in force since our arrival so no water base activities. Kande Beach is on the western shore of Lake Malawi which is over 500 km long and 80 km wide. It covers 1/5 of Malawi. It looks like a sea with no distant hills, the waves are up and I would not be surprised to see some surfers out next to the body boarders. Feels really strange with no tide yet like a beach side with a constant surf noise in the background.

As I mainly pack the tents into the Man powered truck, I know where our 2 person 2 metre by 2 metre tent is so can often choose a better tent site by getting it out quickly. Thank goodness that at this site I have other tents in front of me sheltering ours from the wind. Travel smart being the 50 something traveller? But the coarse sandy beach base is no fun as I suspect sand will be everywhere inside the tent at the end of our stay here.

Malawi has a population of 13 million but with an average life expectancy of 34 and 40 % of the population with HIV / AIDS, no wonder there are so many (over 1 million) orphans here. It is also a very poor country.

Yesterday we went for a 3 hour village walk and from this gained a little insight into the lifestyle of local people. Kande Beach campsite was established in 1995 for overland truck safari companies and with the income from the overland truck clients like myself has meant this village is a bit more fortunate than others in Malawi. Kande Beach has a population of 5,000 people with a primary school and clinic.

We saw a government funded hand operated water pump drawing clean water for a number of houses. We were shown the different stages of one of the village’s staple root crops cassava, plus saw sweet potato, banana, avocado, pineapple and maize growing.

How mud bricks for houses are handmade and then wood fired.

We also saw inside a typical mud brick house which has no electricity with evening lighting provided by kerosene lanterns and cooking done over an open fire in another outside building. Dishes were left out in the sun to dry on a raised drying platform. Chicken were housed in a raised structure built on 4 poles.

The primary school has a roll of well over 1,500 children aged 6 years upwards but it has only 8 classes or grades. While the government has set a guideline of 1 teacher for every 68 children, this school class sizes ranges from 90 to well over 100 children in each class. You do the math: 1,500+ divided by 8 = far too many for good learning. No wonder the hordes of children were able to leave their lessons to greet us as we arrived. I am sure the teachers were none for the wiser of their missing pupils. Primary education is free and a child progresses to the next level once they pass each grade. I think this is correct.

School started at 7 am with 9 x 35 minute sessions and 2 breaks during the day. Attached to this school was an orphanage. We had an introduction to primary school life in the small school library which had books donated from around the world. Yes, I saw my old School Journal publications from various New Zealand schools dated from 1960 onwards!!!!

Look that’s you!

One of the young guys showing us around was 18 and still at primary school. The very lucky few who can afford US$50 a term (3 terms a year) can attend a boarding secondary school in the neigbouring city. The guy who latched onto me was 23 and still had 1 year of secondary school education left before he wanted to become a mechanical engineer. He was needing more money to go back to secondary school, sold paintings and wood carvings plus relied on tips from overlanders to gain funds to achieve this. His parents were subsistence farmers with no real income.

My NZ School Journal!

The simple clinic services some 21,500 in the surrounding area. It is staffed by 2 nurses and 1 assistant doctor who had only 2 years of medical training. The clinic has only 10 beds for overnight stays, 6 with mosquito nets, sees well over 100 outpatients a day and delivers 5 babies a week. It can test for HIV / AIDS but cannot treat people for this. It is just like a large over crowded under resourced doctor’s surgery.

While the village walk was a paid trip optional extra, it quickly became apparent that by showing us overlanders into their school and clinic that at the end of each segment a request was made for donations or materials gifts. I left the pens and pads that I brought with me at the school for later distribution. The children would ask us all … Hello sir, give me pen please. If we gave one child a pen then the rest would expect one!!!!

Last night was fancy dress night with the clothes we brought at Mzuzu. It was like a secret Santa gift where we gave the clothes we had brought to our fellow unsuspecting traveller but before dinner. A pig was spit roasted that afternoon. Other overland groups also took part in the dress up. I’m told it was well after 2 am when the last few retired to their tents having finished the evening in the bar. A few weary travellers from the different overland groups were around camp this morning.

Playing Dress Up.

My New Hat!

After our R&R at Kande Beach we have ahead 3 long travel days totaling 1,620 km till Livingstone at Victoria Falls, Zambia where we will spend 4 nights to see the smoke that thunders ie Victoria Falls. I heard today that they had a heavy rainy season and still a lot of water is going over the falls, so much so that the upper white water rafting rapids are closed as they are too dangerous to raft. I don’t think it will change when we get there in a few days time.

Livingstone is like our Queenstown being Adventure Capital of Africa. It is also the change over point or hub for travellers with 3 well worn routes from Nairobi, Johannesburg and Capetown all meeting here. Some will leave our truck here, some will go onto Johannesburg and new people will join us. Of the 24 who left Nairobi, only 6 of us are continuing all the way to Capetown along with Tom, Mandy and our truck. Six left us at Dar Es Salaam and 5 joined us there.

Livingstone will be the half way point for me. I have just spent a couple of hours talking with a well travelled 71 year old who is travelling south to north along the same route as me. He is also camping with Dragoman. I am currently the 4th oldest in our group with a 70 year Aussie cattle farmer being the oldest. Most of our current fellow travellers are as expected in their 20′s to 30′s. At the moment we have 2 Dutch, 3 Aussies, 1 other Kiwi, 2 Americans, 1 Canadian and the rest are Brits. With some airfares from the UK to Africa being only 500 pounds, I can see why so many overlanders from the different companies we have met are young Poms. So this 50 something Kiwi is young amongst his older peers.

Today is free and for some it is horse riding around the local village and fields, finishing their ride in the cooling lake.

Horse Riding At The Beach.

But for me, more mundane jobs awaits me like more clothes washing in this lovely drying lake breeze and also to write this blog on this slow internet connection but … but hey, a few years ago they had no internet here. The world is certainly getting smaller. Next blog will probably be from Livingstone.

Blog is courtesy of “Bruceontour” from Auckland, New Zealand. Over the next couple of months we will be featuring a series of blogs by Bruce. To read more about his travels with Acacia Africa click here.   For more information on Acacia Africa contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049.

For more information & to view the full itinary of Acacia’s 43 Day Kenya to Cape Tour Overland Safari NZ: click here / AU: click here.

We passed villages, more road side stalls where the locals hope that the few passing vehicles would stop and buy what they have either grown or made.
Nearly every travel day I have seen an overturned truck and the last one was fatal. It was right in the middle of a village along a straight stretch of road so I do not know how it happened. It was early morning just after sunrise when the accident happened – tired driver?

These photos are not of that crash but another one that we drove by.

Tom, our Kenyan driver, has been driving overland trucks for 18 years now and Mandy, our South African guide, has been on the road for 3 years now. Both are really good keeping us on time to get us to the next evening’s campsite before it got too dark to pitch our tents and cook dinner as well as giving us a small glimpse into African life.

All Acacia’s trucks are named after local rivers. Pagani, our particular MAN Evolution 2000 powered truck is a bit gutless going up hills with even the crowded inter town / inter city buses and other overland trucks are not only overtaking us on the flats but also going up the hills! Tom cruises at a steady 80 km. He missed his old truck. Thank you Tom for your driving skills!!!! Tom was more than just the driver. He wasn’t far away from helping out where ever help was needed: whether with the food preparation, getting fires going, helping with the tents, loading the truck  … you name it, Tom was always there willing to assist, if needed!
The day we had to travel 600 kms, we left Kilsolonza Farm House camp site just after the 6.30 sun rise. We got into the Chitimba campsite at 4 pm having crossed a border and also a time zone by gaining an hour. Oh yes, the Kisolonza Farm House long drop toilets were the cleanest that we used on the whole trip. It was an amazing place and I know why Acacia (and other overland companies) stays there. The neat little bar with its home made chocolate brownies is to die for!

Blog is courtesy of “Bruceontour” from Auckland, New Zealand. Over the next couple of months we will be featuring a series of blogs by Bruce. To read more about his travels with Acacia Africa click here.   For more information on Acacia Africa contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049.

For more information & to view the full itinary of Acacia’s 43 Day Kenya to Cape Tour Overland Safari NZ: click here / AU: click here.

Now it’s day 13 and we have just over an hour before we have to meet again to catch the ferry for the 2 hour trip back to mainland Africa (Dar Es Salaam) just 80 kms away. Hope it is as smooth as the crossing over. Normally rougher going south!!!!

I have already spent 3 hours several days ago wandering around the narrow winding alleys of Stone Town and its open air markets (fish, chicken, meat, veg etc) so this morning’s wander and passing this unexpected internet cafe was enough for me to stop.

The last 42 hours were spent at the top of Zanzibar. The 2 sunsets were not magnificent as they can be (too much cloud cover) but I made something out of nothing when last night a couple of guys fishing in their dugout came in to view just as the red sun dropped below the horizon!

Yesterday I went snorkeling for over an hour in amazing crystal clear waters which I can see right into the distance ie for many, many metres. I recently had lasik surgery so no need to wear contacts or glasses now. While the coral was not that fantastic, it was made up by the clarity of the waters and many colorful tropical fishes. Seen better in the Great Barrier Reef and in Hawaii but never the less this was not bad. I was last in and last out the tepid waters – no wet suit needed!

The ocean waters color ranged from a bright turquoise near the white sands shores to dark blues further out.

US$30 for the so called all day trip which included lunch of rice and magnificent kingfish cooked in its juices in tin foil over an open fire. I went back for 4 servings as no one else wanted to finish the fish off! It was nice.

A following wind on the return meant that we could turn the noisy 40 hp Yamaha iron horse motor off, sail the dhow back with the quietness and under its huge white triangular sail. That to me was a bonus and memorable experience.

These 2 days R&R in a real bed (Sunset Bungalows = 3 star beach side resort = US$25 per night including breakfast) were after 2 medium length travel days (300 km and 400 km) travelling east from Arusha to Dar Es Salaam. So a real bed was welcome relief for this 50 something aging Kiwi body. Just kidding. The camping side for me is fine. True.

That’s ahead before we get to Victoria Falls? The next few days we have very long travel days to get to Lake Malawi where we will stay for 2 nights and then another 2 more long travel days passing through Zambia’s capital city of Lusaka before the half way point for me at Victoria Falls (Livingstone). More bumpy roads ahead? Lets see! Six of the original group that joined us all in Nairobi will leave us in Dar and 6 newbies will join us for different sectors that Acacia Africa offers.

Blog is courtesy of “Bruceontour” from Auckland, New Zealand. Over the next couple of months we will be featuring a series of blogs by Bruce. To read more about his travels with Acacia Africa click here.   For more information on Acacia Africa contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049.

For more information & to view the full itinary of Acacia’s 43 Day Kenya to Cape Tour Overland Safari NZ: click here / AU: click here.

After several days of literally living and sleeping amongst the wonderful wild animals out in the open under the stars separated by just a thin tent wall. So far so good and my expectations have been met and surpassed. Yes, it was hot in the middle of the day – in fact too hot for this Kiwi – this was the middle of winter. No, I certainly don’t want to be here in middle of summer!

I suppose I was so amazed at how close the animals (especially my favourite the lions) were to the roads and they totally ignored us. With daily game drives by us tourists, we just become a daily nuisance. But for us humans, what a privilege!

This 50 something Kiwi is coping.. We have been lucky to date, as all of our meals have been provided for us by the local tour company that Acacia has contracted it out to on this part of the trip while we have been out on safari, but that will all change soon when we leave Dar Es Salaam.

Now it’s time to continue to head south towards my next major highlight which is the Victoria Falls via for some a much needed R & R on the spice island of Zanzibar … But Victoria Falls is many, many days of long travel days ahead of us. First we have a Masai village tour. It was put on for us as tourists but provided much needed income for them.

After another 300 km afternoon drive, we got into our evening’s Zebra campsite (yes, there were zebras inside the camp site) and had only an hour to spare before the sun set just after 6 pm. Somehow we lost time at the various stops along the way. An hour to pitch tents and then to get dinner underway using either the charcoal fire or 2 gas rings. We have yet to get into the group rosters routine so it was whoever had first finished pitching their tents, showered etc went to help out with what needed doing for dinner.

The next all day 400 km drive brought us to the bustling city of Dar Es Salem, Tanzania’s capital and commercial centre. After waiting to collect our tickets, we boarded a ferry, a short 5 minute crossing and plus 10 minute drive, our evening’s campsite right by Kipepeo beach was reached.

Stone Town, Tanzania:

Good bye wild animals on the mainland.

Hello to the Spice Island of Zanzibar. Some of the group members (especially those from the northern hemisphere) are really looking forward to the R&R by the northern coast’s sandy beaches. Yes, so am I but it is being able to wander around the winding alleys of old Stone Town and seeing a bit of the slave trade influence plus going on a Spice Tour that is also of interest to me.

First we had a hot (humid) night camping at Kipepeo Beach campsite. Then a 2 hour fast ferry trip over to Zanzibar and thank goodness no sea sickness.

PS: One day I will label what these photos of the different spices are. Spices to me come in tiny packets from the supermarket and are not plants!

Tomorrow it’s off to the northern sandy beaches, swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, R&R and more importantly several days not unpacking, pitching a tent and staying in a real bed = LUXURY!

Blog is courtesy of “Bruceontour” from Auckland, New Zealand. Over the next couple of months we will be featuring a series of blogs by Bruce. To read more about his travels with Acacia Africa click here.   For more information on Acacia Africa contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049.

For more information & to view the full itinary of Acacia’s 43 Day Kenya to Cape Tour Overland Safari NZ: click here / AU: click here.

But first one has to stop and admire the huge Rift Valley that stretches north to south for thousands of kilometers. Then there was the long dusty road into the Masai Mara. It was a 300 km drive today … the first of many driving days and this one was just a short drive! Passing through townships and today just happen to be the weekly market day.

The wide expanse goes on forever with no fences to stop the animals migrating between Serengeti National Park in neighboring Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya. We spent 2 nights in an established tent safari camp – no power except for 3 hours at night for the lights – hot water heated over a 44 gallon drum over an open fire. We had an early morning starts, all day game safaris, plus an evening safari! We were there to see the animals in their natural environment … we were their guests.

Daytime it was lovely but hot, just like a hot New Zealand’s South Island Central Otago summer’s day or a day down the beach with no sea breeze and no cloud cover. Morning just a sweater needed and at night just one layer of light weight merino is enough.

I captured a brilliant sunset, as well as a sunrise the next day on my camera too. I am more happy with my photos taken so far and have 50 gb of memory cards to fill up now … as long as I can get to power like tonight to recharge the 4 sets of batteries which seem to only last a day. That is my concern having enough recharged batteries! With the 560 mm zoom I am getting right into the animals faces. Plus I’m learning how to drive the camera which has a 4 frames per second continuous mode and the video mode so I am capturing short 20 – 30 seconds of moving pictures with sound clips.

For me, this trip has two main highlights.. The First highlight must be to see the 2 young lions walk right pass the front of the van that we were travelling in. I was sitting in the front left hand passenger seat by the driver and the lions were no more than 10 meters away. They walked by me not once but twice stalking a lone water buffalo. I don’t think they got it as we waited for an hour while I was captivated by the hundreds of water buffalo eating in a slight cooling breeze. Some of the older ones were looking up all the time and no doubt would have seen the 2 young lions approach even from downwind. These were 2 young male lions trying their luck and skills so …

The Second highlight was to see a cheetah with a gazelle kill feeding its 2 young cubs. We were on the way home in the evening game drive having seen them earlier without the kill. They also were oh so close to the road like some 20 metres … well 30 metres then. I understand this sight is rare to see, so I am really privileged.

Other than that the list of animals seen goes on so I won’t bore you with more words, and will leave you to admire the photos.

 

UN World Refugee Day

 

Next door to this were literally thousands of women attending a KWFT bank function. I didn’t understand what it was all about but the marquee that covered all these ladies was huge. It felt like a church service in progress.

Feed The Masses

 

For the next 3 hours at the UN World Refugee Day event, I was entertained by refugees or groups from the different countries – Sudan, Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia and Uganda.

The Minister for Immigration was the guest of honour.
I only got into this closed off event and display by walking in behind the brass band as they entered from the street. The ordinary Kenyan citizens were not allowed in till much much later. How was to know? Eventually I became part of the “press” and eventually got game enough to sit in front of the official party with the press taking my photos! I looked the part!

Sudan

 

Seeing and hearing all these different cultures performing their native dance and song was a real bonus to me. Looking at the dramatic photos and understanding a little bit more about the huge refugee problem that the world is facing was an eye opener for little old me living such a sheltered life style away in safe far off New Zealand.
 
I had come to Africa to meet the locals. Talking with them along the street and at the UN World Refugee Day event was a wonderful way to begin my African adventure.

So no visit to the National Museum as planned. This can wait till my next Nairobi trip.

Word of caution … while walking along the city streets, several males came up to me and tried to engage in small talk. Starting to be a bit travel savvy and wary, I kept firm hold of my sling bag which had nothing of consequence in it anyway, engaged in polite chit chat to try and understand a bit more about local African life style but was waiting for what I call the hook which eventually came … bottom line was “can you give me some …. to help me or my family with …”

We have a 6 pm pre-departure meeting with my fellow Acacia Africa travellers tonight, I understand that we have a full truck of 24 travellers, what will they be like? Tomorrow at 8 am it’s off for the Masi Mari and perhaps on day 1 we will see the Big 5! [The Big 5 originated from the early game hunters indicating the elephant, black rhino, buffalo, leopard and lion to be the most difficult animals to hunt by foot]

Blog is courtesy of “Bruceontour” from Auckland, New Zealand. Over the next couple of months we will be featuring a series of blogs by Bruce. To read more about his travels with Acacia Africa click here.   For more information on Acacia Africa contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049.

For more information & to view the full itinary of Acacia’s 43 Day Kenya to Cape Tour Overland Safari NZ: click here / AU: click here.

After 2 restful days getting my body clock right, probably by the hotel pool as Nairobi is said to be unsafe, next Sunday at 8 am I am off travelling for 43 days overland with Acacia Africa from Nairobi, Kenya to Capetown, South Africa via Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.

Only 9,000 km from Nairobi to Capetown – Photo courtesy of Bruce

This is a camping overland safari travelling by mainly self contained custom built truck with up to 24 other kindred travellers, a driver and Acacia guide.

Road side lunch stop – Photo courtesy of Bruce

The travellers will probably be 20 + years younger than me. Hopefully not a young drinking crowd who will want to party till the wee small hours!

Pitching a tent most nights, sleeping on a 3 to 4 cm so called “THICK, firm, comfortable foam mattress”, buying local food and then in our groups cooking it = all good fun (we will see!).

Tents overlooking a South African vineyard – Photo courtesy of Bruce

I will try and upload from time to time a little bit about how the safari is going for me plus give you a sneak preview of some of my photos. Brought a new Canon Power Shot SX1 IS camera that has a wonderful 560 mm lens to really pull in the animals.

Brother Tim will fly into Capetown from London at the end of my overland safari tour and for the next week we will drive around South Africa’s famous coastal Garden Route plus see a bit of Capetown as well.

Blog is courtesy of “Bruceontour” from Auckland, New Zealand. Over the next couple of months we will be featuring a series of blogs by Bruce. To read more about his travels with Acacia Africa click here.   For more information on Acacia Africa contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049. For more information & to view the full itinary of Acacia’s 43 Day Kenya to Cape Tour Overland Safari NZ: click here / AU: click here.

On the same day, we found Shangwa in the north-east near Tai Dam. She had been seen earlier with her 14-month old cub, but we found her alone, trying hard to stalk some impala in the clearings. She was very patient, lying down in the long grass as she waited for the impala to move into a more favourable area. We left her still waiting, and decided to have a look around for the young male cub. We found him, but interestingly he was with the Xikavi female who is Shangwa’s daughter! There was a bit of tension between them, but they eventually lay down quite close to each other, growling occasionally.

Tlangisa is fast becoming one of the best viewing leopards we have had in many years, and considering the history of leopard viewing in the past, this is some accolade! Every time she is found, she poses perfectly and this week was no different! She is still showing the signs of the altercation with the Dewane male, but is keeping these wounds clean by constantly licking them, so they are healing fast.

Metsi was found again later in the week with a very large male impala kill on the southern banks of the Mabrak drainage line. She had it very well hidden, though, and later dragged it into a very wet area where we could not view her any longer.

Kashane has also been around this week, notably down in the south where he managed to elude us for a few days, although we had seen his tracks come close to Savanna. He was found later, however, resting in the classic leopard pose in a large jackalberry tree in the Tulamanzi drainage line.

Our two prides of lions, the Mapogo and the Ximungwe pride, have also been seen often this week. The Mapogo males interestingly have been seen moving a lot during daylight hours, which is very unusual, especially at this hot time of the year! They have been struggling slightly to find food this week, so they might be on the move looking for the Ximungwe pride, or to find food.

The Ximungwe pride, in contrast, has been moving much less than usual, and has been seen in the same place for a few days in the Mabrak drainage line. They were found with full bellies, so presumably they made a decent kill in the night, and so did not need to move at all while they digested their food!

We are continuing to see good elephant sightings, especially breeding herds with small calves at foot. Many of them are only a few weeks old, and it was wonderful to see how this calf was a little unsure of crossing a wet drainage line, but succeeded with good encouragement from its mother. One of the ‘teenagers’ stepped into a particularly wet patch, and its front foot sank a long way into the sand!

The buffalo have remained in the clearings around Savanna Lodge, and have been making daily visits to Georgie’s dam. On one occasion, the lone hippo bull which sometimes visits the dam was particularly inquisitive about the buffalo and came right up to one bull to see what he was up to! The bull did not seem to mind too much and no aggression was witnessed from either party. The oxpeckers also use the opportunity to get a drink from the backs from the buffalo, but it is not often we see a cattle egret doing this!

Around Savanna Lodge, we have also been seeing unusually large numbers of impala and zebra.  The conditions in the south of the reserve have been fantastic and we are seeing general game in this area we have seldom witnessed before! Long may this last…

It is also the marula season and elephants are renowned for loving these healthy gifts of nature. Other species, however, also realise the value of this fruit and this week we saw many other species taking advantage, such as this warthog sow and her young, as well as a troop of monkeys.

Blog courtsy of Neil Whyte from Savana Private Game Reserve.

Savanna is an exclusive five-star lodge situated in the western sector of the Sabi Sand Reserve within the greater Kruger National Park conservancy. The nine superbly appointed suites nestle amongst indigenous bush and trees. The epitome of elegance and comfort, the décor is a blend of colonial and classic with hand crafted furniture, fine linen and beautiful artwork.

For more information on Savanna Private Game Reserve contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049 or NZ: click here / AU: click here.

Gazing at the night skies was amazing as it looked like someone had sneezed stars everywhere and watching them shoot across the skies made me feel so small in the world but it was moments like this which made the long driving days worth it. Getting up at 4am and watching the sunrise as we headed towards the Atacama desert was a sight I will never forget as we passed through thermal areas, volcanoes and incredible colored hills we arrived at a hot pool near the Bolivian and Chile border we sat there taking it all in. As we crossed over into Chile I didn’t think the scenery could get any better but it did. Huge red volcanoes with turquoise lakes greeted us around every bend. If you ever get the chance to travel through this area do it – I feel I have seen some of the most beautiful scenery in the world!

Adventure World’s 2012/13 South America brochure is out now. To order your copy of this amazing brochure click here: NZ / AU. For more information on Bolivia call Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049 or click here: NZ / AU.