Morocco, Africa luxury adventure awaits, Marrakech the Sahara, Fes and Rabat are some of the magical cities to explore.  

On a winding road in the High Atlas Mountains between Ourzazate and Marrakech I realized I had to tell of my adventure in the Sahara.  These snowy mountains have watched over us since returning from the desert, and red colored foothills loom formidable, while delicate terraced fields glow green along the riverbanks.  The balance of life is more pronounced than anything I have ever seen.  Morocco is like a jewel lying between the sea and the Sahara.

Berber tradesmen once traveled along the routes between the Imperial cities of Fes, Rabat and Marrakech to Timbuktu. Now they are settled in towns that fringe the dunes and up into the mountains.  Herdsmen still roam with their goats, camels and black wool tents following the best grazing land. From atop the grand kasbah Ait Ben Haddou we watched a man and hundreds of goats scramble along the rocky terrain on their daily search for sustenance.

We met our drivers in the town of Erfoud, where we transferred to Range Rovers for an exhilarating hour long sunset ride.  Dust spewed out behind our wheels and the other vehicle’s lights glowed and danced around us like fireflies as we made our way to Merzouga.  The way is marked on the map as a “regional road track”, starting out roughly paved and turning into imperceptible sand covered tracks.  Our turbaned driver knew the way and laughed at our amazement.  Seeing that he had a tape deck, we asked if he would play some music.  He whipped out a worn cassette, whacked it a few times, blew out the dust and we were in business.  The exotic melodies of drums and horns were then interrupted by the ringing of our guide’s cell phone, keeping us in the present. 

A bonfire and drums greeted us at the camp.  The staff dressed in blue robes and turbans offered dates and goats milk from bronze trays.  Two rows of black tents for sleeping formed a courtyard where the fire burned before an area set with carpets, couches, poofs and low tables.  Everything sparkled as the full moon lit up the dunes as far as the eye could see.  Orion and his pals filled the sky as we dined and drank wine, danced and sang into the night.  Then we slept in our Berber tents, keeping warm under thick fleecy blankets, marveling at the shine of sequins reflected in the candlelight.

We awoke to the sound of a lone drum, then the mooing of camels and the calling of drivers.  The sun was not up yet, just a faint glow that made the sky a deep titian blue.  Warm clothes kept us warm in the chilly Saharan morning, as we sat atop our camels.  Mine was a sweet animal, with a beautifully thick curly brown coat, upon long light colored legs.  As we walked out into the sand my body found its balance in step with my majestic mode of ancient transportation.  The driver was a handsome brown weathery man in a grey chellabah. His pointed hood silhouetted by the sand, as he led us out to greet the sun.

We passed small dunes with sparse, course grasses growing in patches.  Deep valleys in the sand sheltered larger clumps of wonderful green desert plants that surprised me with their rare lushness.  In the distance a great dune stood over a hundred feet tall.  We road on and on enjoying the awe inspiring scenery, when at the foot of the great dune we stopped.  By now the movement of my camel seemed second nature, and I leaned back into a standing position as he sat upon the sand.  After settling on his great legs a moment I climbed off.

My unnamed guide held out his hand and led me on the steep climb up the gigantic dune.  It was a struggle straight up the side. At the point where I thought no way can I make it I looked up, we were so close I could not quit.  One more groaning effort, as the smiling desert man pulled my arm, losing his shoes in the shifting sand, and we were up.  He retrieved his shoes and we happily sat upon the crest to watch the sun rise.  I felt like we sat on the edge of the world, nothing but wind swept sand spread out to what could be infinity. The timelessness was accented as the sun peaked over a distant dune, its bright beams warming our faces and our hearts. 

Call the experts at James TravelPOINTS to plan your adventure 1-800-538-7461, www.travelpoints.com.  
  

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The Niles’ astounding 4,160-mile course from Burundi to the Mediterranean makes it the world’s longest river: And for every mile there are vestiges of more than 4,000 years of history.  Antiquity meets modernity at Aswan High Dam, Which generates electrical power and controls the same nutrient-rich floods that enabled the ancient Nile Valley culture to flower into a great civilization.  Follow the path of great pharaohs, and travel through time:

Cairo-Egypt’s capital and Africa’s largest city, Cairo is a bustling, modern, riverside metropolis as well as keeper of ancient artifacts.  It’s almost forbidden to miss a visit to the Egyptian Museum, home of King Tutankhamun’s treasures–including his 450-pound gold coffin–as well as other statues of pharaohs Ramses II and Cheops.

Giza-The Great Pyramid of Cheops, and the somewhat smaller pyramids for Chephren and Micerinus, are clearly not your run-of-the-mill burial sites.  Master building? Indeed.  Even the track used to haul 2.5-ton quarried blocks for these immense icons of eternity took ten years to build. 

Carved out of bedrock, the Sphinx stands watch nearby, and your guide will no doubt reveal that drifting sand has repeatedly buried the statue up to its neck throughout history.

Luxor and Karnak-Although the climate may be similar, and advertising campaigns make their claims, Luxor is not anywhere near Las Vegas.  It is the ancient site of Thebes, for centuries Egypt’s prosperous capital.  Today you can wander the lively souks and visit Karnak–famous for its clusters of ancient statues and temples replete with unparalleled grandeur and detail. Definitely not to be confused with a fellow of former Tonight Show fame, Karnak includes Amon temple, quite large enough to contain Notre Dame Cathedral. 

Valley of the Kings-South of Luxor, one ventures into the misleadingly barren Valley of the Kings to Discover hidden tombs, notably those of Tutankhamun, Ramses VI and Ramses IX.  It’s an authentic den of antiquity, where archaeologists found still colorful depictions from The Book of the Dead–and struck real gold with King Tut’s treasures.  Let your guide regale you with the legends involving these relics that have launched countless B movies and doctoral theses.

Well we hope we have enticed you to visit this ancient treasure James TravelPOINTS -1-800-538-7461, www.travelpoints.com.

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Any traveler’s list of dream destinations is sure to include an African safari near the top.  The stark landscape of the savanna, the regal silhouette of a pride of lions resting in the shadow of Kilimanjaro, these are the images of Africa that seem to live in the mind’s eye.  Yet the landscapes of Africa are more varied than one might imagine, after all, it is a continent, with a continent’s worth of variety, of animal and bird species, of habitats and human populations.  Real-life splendor is what a journey to Africa is all about, transforming the romance of the imagination into the romance of experience?

From the moment you touch down on African soil, the path to adventure rolls out before you.  Your safari may bring you to the Okavango Delta, to Victoria Falls, or deep into the parklands of Kenya and Tanzania.  When you travel in Africa you become your own Livingstone, your own Hemingway. You’re on your own expedition of discovery. 

In Botswana, explore the avian Eden of the Okavango, a wetland region whose might river exhausts itself in the sands of the Kalahari Desert.  Hundreds of bird species flock to Okavango marshlands, which may be explored via dugouts called mokoros or on guided island walks.  Drier vistas await at Chobe National Park, along with such traditional wildlife as elephants, lions, and leopards. 

The neighboring country of Zimbebwe has been called the adventure capital of Africa, where river and canyon create an arena of wonder.  Hippos and crocodiles cruise the water of the Zambezi upstream from Victoria Falls.  Small planes make “flight-seeing” trips over the falls, eagles and falcons soar above Aambezi National Park, and the percolating beat of the dance music known as jit heats up the capital city of Harare. 

Kenya is a heart of the African dream. Its equatorial location places it in the center of the continent.  This is the where the myth of the “big game hunter” was born, and perpetuated.  While cameras have replaced weapons in the hands of its visitors, the quarry they shoot remains the species of legend, big cats, big game, and graceful herds. 

Tanzania lays claim as Africa’s most diverse country.  Its landscape verges on the supernatural.  Compressed between the escarpments of the Great Rift Valley and flamingo-festooned shores of a soda lake, Lake Manyara National Park boasts blue monkeys and buffaloes, monitor lizards and tree-climbing lions.  The drama of Ngorongoro Crater rests in a panorama seven miles wide and a million years old.  As rich in culture as it is in wildlife, South Africa has quickly established itself as the premier destination for travelers seeking cosmopolitan diversions, sport, and natural spectacle.  There’s surfing near Cape Town, skiing in the Drakensbergs, wildlife-watching in Kruger National Park.  There’s even an intriguing national cuisine, complimented by a burgeoning wine industry attaining global renown. 

Whatever your pleasure is for an ideal African safari, comfort, comprehensive itinerary, cultural perspectives, challenging terrain, James TravelPOINTS has the versatility of arranging the selected itinerary for your trip.  James TravelPOINTS can recommend a 10-day fast-track getaway that focuses on three spectacular game reserves, Samburu in the north, private Sweetwater’s ranch, and the Masai Mara, harboring Kenya’s richest concentrations of wildlife.  Evenings find you lounging at the Mount Kenya Safari Club, Samburu Lodge, Sweetwater’s Tented Camp, and the Mara Safari Club.  Call us for details.

James TravelPOINTS 303 442-2340, www.travelpoints.com

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An unspoiled wilderness, the Okavango Delta is a huge oasis in the Kalahari, in northern Ngamiland, Botswana.  “Ngami” originates from the Bayei word, “floating mat of reeds.”  Waters from the highlands in Angola feed the Delta, creating a mosaic of channels and lagoons surrounding wooded islands and extensive papyrus beds. 

The Delta supports a wealth of wildlife each with its specific function within the ecosystem.  Each animal’s appearance and actions are adapted for survival; for instance, the lion has white markings under its eyes.  As nocturnal hunters, lions need light to be reflected into their eyes for better vision.  Cheetah, on the other hand, have black markings under their eyes, as diurnal hunters, distracting light must be absorbed to provide clear mid-day vision.  Warthogs have white tufts of hair on the sides of their faces, which at a distance makes their tusks look more robust, larger and fiercer.  And leopards have white at the tips of their tails so the young can follow their mothers through tall grass. 

Surprisingly, the little termite and the giant hippo are eco-system partners and perhaps the most important inhabitants of the Delta. This is because the islands in the Delta are so important to the survival of all the other species, and each island starts as a single termite mound.  Because of the fungus gardens that termites cultivate (very fertile ground), vegetation forms and expands as termites add more mounds.  Over thousands of years, this results in thousands of whole islands.

But an island does not remain an island unless the waters surrounding it can flow.  And so the amphibious hippopotamus, wading along at nearly two tons, wallows its way toward keeping the channels clear.  This is all part of the interweaving of life in the Okavango Delta.

Let the experts at James TravelPOINTS design a custom trip to the African continent for you 1-800-538-7461/303 442-2340, www.travelpoints.com

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