Dear fellow traveller,

Africa has been through a rough patch recently. There was Ebola towards the end of last year in three countries in West Africa, terrorist attacks in Kenya and most recently, xenophobic attacks in South Africa. Luckily Ebola has been contained, security threats in Kenya are isolated to one small region of the country for the most part and the xenophobia in South Africa was swiftly dealt with by the government.

I was at the World Travel Market in Cape Town recently and despite the tourism challenge this amazing continent faces, all indications are that tourism is growing. Take Kenya for instance. The magic of the country is almost tangible. The Maasai Mara is the home of the world-famous Maasai worrier tribe and the landscape of wide open plains together with the density and variety of animals should be on everyone's bucket list.

I visited Basecamp Explorer and Eagle View camps in the region and saw first-hand the difference their sustainability and conservation policies make in the lives of the local communities.

A country with an altogether different yet no less beautiful landscape is Zimbabwe. From the amazing Victoria Falls to the blue and enormous lake Kariba and the Big Five wildlife game parks, Zimbabwe is a thrill a minute for those looking for an African adventure.

And if bright lights, big city is more your scene and Cape Town in South Africa is on your itinerary, look no further than the DoubleTree Hilton hotel in Cape Town. Situated about 10 minutes from the city centre and the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, the DoubleTree Hilton offers great value for money without compromising on luxury and great service. Oh, and the food is out of this world.

So enjoy this issue of Africa Travel and hopefully we will be able to welcome you to Africa in May!

Until next time, bon voyage!

Jo Kromberg,

Editor