Welcome Travel has been my life for 20 years. St Augustine s famous quote remains as true to me today as it was when I first set up 2by2 Holidays the world is a book and those who do not travel, read only one page. My first love was Africa, the place of my birth. Its remarkable wildlife and cultures continue to captivate me today. A recent visit to the gorillas of Uganda has starkly reminded me just how fragile the survival of so many endangered species remains. And reinforced my belief that travel must always have conservation at its heart. In recent years I have discovered the joys of travel in the Indian subcontinent and Latin America. The iconic sites and cultures here are no less enthralling. And everywhere wildlife adapts and survives, from harsh barren deserts to cool mountain cloud forests and tropical wetlands. My enthusiasm burns as brightly as ever and I continue to be as involved in every aspect of the business as I always have been, backed up by our superb travel team. I m particularly thrilled that so many of our customers return time after time. I do hope you find our latest brochure inspiring and we all look forward to hearing from you. Hambe Kahle Travel Safely Claire Farley Managing Director Telephone 01582 766 122 Email claire@2by2holidays.co.uk www.2by2holidays.co.uk Peru, Cusco Province 1
is the original home of the safari and its annual migration in the Masai Mara is prized as one of Africa s most iconic and awe-inspiring natural sights. Straddling the equator, s sunny climate is perfect for travel and it is a country with so much to see and do. Its sweeping landscapes are magnificent, the coast offers wide golden beaches lapped by the warm seas of the Indian Ocean and at the centre of the country majestic snow-capped Mount dominates the vistas for miles. Tourism here is extremely well-run and for a Big Five safari followed with time on a gorgeous beach, is hard to beat. Masai Mara 27
Maasai warriors has some of the most famous wildlife parks in the world with unbelievably vast herds of plains game and their predators. Masai Mara Migration With over 45 national parks and reserves, s natural riches are legendary. Wildlife roams free in huge herds across the lush savanna of the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve and the drier plains of Amboseli, where you can see huge herds of elephants framed against the outline of snowcapped Kilimanjaro. Game is also plentiful in the conservancies around Mount, in the more arid northern Samburu and in vast Tsavo in the south. Along the Rift Valley, which bisects as it runs from Ethiopia in the north to Tanzania in the south, this country boasts six magnificent soda lakes from Lake Turkana in the north to Borgorio, famous for its geysers and huge flocks of flamingos, to Nakuru and Elmenteita (both easily accessible from Nairobi) and Magadi and Natron in the south. You will also find three great freshwater lakes Naivasha, Baringo and Victoria, the largest in Africa. Together with the Kakamega rainforest, they attract over 400 bird species, making this country a birder s paradise. Lake Nakuru also gives refuge to endangered species such as the Rothschild giraffe and Black rhino. The capital city of Nairobi is the gateway to s wildlife reserves and is well served by many international airlines. If you have time between flights, a visit to the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage next to the Nairobi National Park is highly recommended. You can also visit the Giraffe Centre and Karen Blixen Museum for an insight into early settler life, as immortalised in the film Out of Africa. From Nairobi the excitement of your safari will begin, as you fly or travel overland to your game lodge. The year-round game viewing in the open grasslands of the Masai Mara is some of Africa s finest. One of the best reserves for seeing the Big Five, the large prides of lion found here will ensure your game viewing is thrilling. You may see a pride working together as a team, as they stalk their prey or spot an endangered cheetah or elusive leopard. The annual migration of over two million wildebeest from the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania to the Masai Mara takes place between August and October. While timings vary depending on the rains, the wildebeest and zebra usually move north in July, braving the rivers and crocodiles that separate them from the sweet fresh grasses of the Mara. They make the same hazardous journey back south in November. The superb game viewing in the Mara is enriched by the culture of the Maasai people, seminomadic pastoralists, who wear striking red blankets called shukas. If it s elephant you want to see, head to Amboseli on the southern border with Tanzania, as this park offers the highest concentration in East Africa. Tsavo National Park in the south splits into eastern and western sections and offers easy access to the beaches of Mombasa. 29
More remote and rugged, the sparsely populated wildernesses of Samburu-Buffalo Springs, Shaba, Meru and Laikipia are among s lesser-visited wildlife gems. Game viewing can also be enjoyed in the cooler central highlands that surround Mount, from Treetops lodge in the Aberdare Mountains where Princess Elizabeth learned she was to be queen, to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy where Prince William proposed to Kate. Ol Pejeta Conservancy offers excellent Big Five game viewing, including great wild dog sightings. The largest rhino sanctuary in East Africa can be found here, as well as Sweetwaters Chimpanzee sanctuary. Beyond Mount, the country s northern reserves are hotter and more arid than in the highlands. They were made prominent by Joy and George Adamson of Born Free fame, who raised Elsa the lioness in the Meru and Shaba national reserves. Samburu and Shaba reserves are located within the tribal lands of the colourful and seminomadic Samburu people, who are close relatives of the Maasai. These reserves are home to a variety of wildlife found only north of the equator, including the strange gerenuk, which stands upright on its spindly hind legs to graze from trees, the larger Grevy s zebra, Reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx and Somali ostrich. Large herds of elephant and buffalo are found beside the Ewaso Ng iro River and you may see lion and cheetah, as well as antelope and over 350 different bird species. To the west of Mount, the Laikipia Plateau offers one of s most exclusive wilderness experiences. Samburu National Park Here a handful of upmarket, owner-run ranches are set within vast sweeping landscapes, dotted with thorny acacia, candelabra trees and huge rocky outcrops. While game viewing can be good (you may see elephant, lion, leopard and wild dog as well as many of the herbivores that are dry-climate specialists), this is the place to come for old style n hospitality and an exciting mix of activities. Camel trekking, horse riding, hiking, river swimming, picnics and sundowners fill your days, as well as genuinely authentic cultural visits to a local Samburu village. The early morning starts on safari can be demanding, so many visitors choose to complete their trip with time relaxing on one of s spectacular Indian Ocean beaches, sheltered by offshore coral reefs. About 20 miles south of Mombasa, resorts such as Diani Beach boast glorious palm-fringed beaches and many marine activities, including boat excursions, snorkelling, diving, windsurfing, paddle boarding and game fishing. Short safari trips can be arranged from here to Taita Hills, Tsavo East and Shimba Hills. For some of East Africa s most spectacular snorkelling and diving, head to Watamu Marine National Reserve, about 60 miles north of Mombasa. When to go Watamu has been voted one of the world s top ten beaches by the Sunday Times. A string of excellent hotels overlook the 5-mile long beach and the large coral gardens that protect it. Marine life is prolific with over 500 species of fish, including Manta ray, Whale shark and Barracuda. A turtle programme has helped to protect the three species of sea turtle that nest here. As the n beaches are public and can be very busy, an alternative option is to fly to the spice island of Zanzibar in neighbouring Tanzania. has a warm equatorial climate. The best time to visit is during the drier and cooler months from June to October. The short rains fall in November/December and long rains from March to May, when heavy downpours can make road travel difficult. The annual wildebeest migration from the Serengeti into the Masai Mara occurs between August and October, although the exact timing depends on the rains. The best time for diving is September/October and January/February, when visibility is at its best. T E M P E R A T U R E 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC Mombasa beach AVERAGE RAINFALL (mm) MAXIMUM AV. TEMP C MINIMUM AV. TEMP C 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 R AIN F A L L Classic Day 1 Day 2 Days 3/4 Day 5 Days 6/7 Days 8/12 Day 13 Arrive in Nairobi Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Centre & Karen Blixen Museum Thrilling Big Five game viewing in the famous Masai Mara Drive to Lake Nakuru, with its rhino Travel to Amboseli, in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, to see elephant Fly to Mombasa to relax on glorious Diani Beach Depart from Mombasa From 2,895 per person sharing including flights, mid season Masai Mara & Zanzibar Day 1 Arrive in Nairobi & fly to your luxury lodge in the Masai Mara Days 2/3 Enjoy superb Big Five game viewing, including lions, leopards & plains game Days 4/5 Fly to historic Stone Town with walking tour of the city Days 6/10 Relax on the glorious turquoise beaches of Zanzibar Island, with snorkelling & diving Day 11 Depart from Zanzibar From 2,895 per person sharing including flights, mid season These are example itineraries see page 5 for key. For more ideas, information and prices please call us on 01582 766 122 or visit www.2by2holidays.co.uk 31
Book with confidence We have ATOL certification and membership of the Association of Tour Operators (AITO). Booking your holiday When you are ready to book, we will guide you through the process. In all our dealings we aim to be transparent and encourage you to read our terms and conditions thoroughly. These are on our website at www.2by2holidays.co.uk. Please do contact us if anything is unclear. Financial Protection Through our membership of ATOL (9025) and our Tour Operator Insurance, your holiday is fully financially protected wherever in the world you live, regardless of whether you book land-only arrangements or a complete holiday package with flights. AITO Quality Charter AITO is the Association for independent and specialist holiday companies. Our member companies, usually ownermanaged, strive to create overseas holidays with high levels of professionalism and a shared concern for quality and personal service. The Association encourages the highest standards in all aspects of tour operating. Exclusive Membership AITO sets criteria regarding ownership, finance and quality which must be satisfied before new companies are admitted to membership. All members are required to adhere to a Code of Business Practice which encourages high operational standards and conduct. Financial Security An AITO member is required to arrange financial protection for all holidays and other arrangements (including accommodation only) booked by customers with the member under the AITO logo. This financial protection applies to customers who are resident in the UK at the time of booking and to most overseas customers who have booked directly with the member. In doing so, the member must comply with UK Government regulations. Members are required to submit details of their financial protection arrangements to AITO on a regular basis. Accurate brochures and websites All members do their utmost to ensure that all their brochures and other publications, print or electronic, clearly and accurately describe the holidays and services offered. Professional service and continual improvements All members are committed to high standards of service and believe in regular and thorough training of employees. Members continually seek to review and improve their holidays. They listen to their customers and always welcome suggestions for improving standards. Monitoring standards AITO endeavours to monitor quality standards regularly. All customers should receive a post-holiday questionnaire from their tour operator, the results of which are scrutinised by the Association. Sustainable tourism Our members acknowledge the importance of AITOs Sustainable Tourism ethos, which recognises the social, economic and environmental responsibilities of tour operating. Customer relations All members endeavour to deal swiftly and fairly with any issues their customers may raise. In the unlikely event that a dispute between an AITO member and a customer cannot be settled amicably, either party can call on an arbitration service to bring the matter to a speedy and acceptable conclusion. To contact AITO call 020 8744 9280 or visit their website www.aito.com 2by2 Holidays 2 Place Farm, off Mount Road Wheathampstead, Herts, AL4 8SB 01582 766122 info@2by2holidays.co.uk www.2by2holidays.co.uk Copyright and accuracy All efforts have been made to ensure that the information in this brochure is both helpful and correct. However the intention of our brochure is to suggest ideas and inspire and 2by2 Holidays cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies. The content of our brochure is subject to copyright and photos may not be reproduced without the owners written permission. Photographic credits We d like to thank all the lodges, hotels and tourist boards who have let us use their wonderful images. We would like to give special thanks to Alamy, Ariadne Van Zandbergen Africa Image Library, Dale R Morris, istock, Jaco Powell, John Warburton Lee AWL Images, Shutterstock Photo Library and Wilderness Safaris photographers Dana Allen, Mike Myers and Olwen Evans. This brochure is printed on paper sourced from ISO14001 certified mills using sustainable forests. 145