Tag: Africa Travel

View All Tags

/ / / / / / / /

United Airlines' Frequent Flyer Sale Knocks Off 25% to Europe or Africa

January 9, 2012 at 9:50 AM | by | Comments (0)

We know there’s plenty of people saving—or even hoarding—those frequent flyer miles in hopes of the next great redemption or value. Now just might be the best time to cash some in, as United Airlines is running a decent sale on redeeming MileagePlus miles for an award ticket.

The airline is offering up to a 25% discount on "free" flights—plus taxes and fees of course—to most destinations in Europe as well as Central and Southern Africa. The biggest savings are available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as you’ll only get a 20% discount during other days of the week. There’s probably all kinds of permutations and calculations involved with your dream ticket, but a basic 60,000 mile coach ticket to Europe from the United States can now be had for as little as 45,000 miles round-trip.

more ›

/ / / / / / / / /

Sir Stelios and 'FastJet' Scheduled to Depart Soon from Africa

December 15, 2011 at 8:32 AM | by | Comments (0)

When we least heard from Sir Stelios there was news about a potential new low-cost carrier that would focus on more long-haul routes. We guess the potential for cheap flights between London and New York is still there, but now it sounds like his low-cost model is shifting to a different continent altogether.

The founder of easyJet is thinking that the next great success in the airline industry will take place in Africa. He’s already working to get funding in place, and there are some deals being done between his group and Rubicon Diversified Investments in hopes of creating a new low-frills, low-cost airline. The placeholder name—FastJet—is now apparently the working name of the new air venture.

more ›

/ / / /

How You Can Help The Real Machine Gun Preacher In Sudan

Where: Sudan
September 28, 2011 at 11:47 AM | by | Comments (0)

Machine Gun Preacher, which is currently in theaters, stars Gerard Butler as Sam Childers, a man who turned his life around and helped build an orphanage in Nimule, South Sudan.

13 years later, Sam's orphanage is going strong with more than 200 children calling it home, but there is still work to be done considering most people in the region don't have access to clean water, food, or medicine.

more ›

/ / / / /

Google Maps Fails to Recognize the World's Newest Country, South Sudan

Where: Sudan
July 11, 2011 at 9:18 AM | by | Comment (1)


The current Google Map doesn't show the new South Sudan

Close your atlases and history textbooks. They're out of date. Close your browser too, because it looks like the Google Maps team doesn't work on the weekends. Despite all the news reports of the physical alteration to the world that occurred this weekend when South Sudan became it's own country, the official Google Map has yet to recognize it. Even President Barack Obama took some time from his Saturday morning to formally acknowledge the Republic of South Sudan.

It's not like South Sudan is a minor nation, either. It's got a capital (Juba), a flag (see below), a hefty population (some 8.2 million), and fifty years filled with two civil wars that brought it to this point. It's even planning its own currency: the South Sudanese Pound. Bet you can't guess South Sudan's official language...it's English!

more ›

/ / / /

Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler Do Good In Kenya

Where: Kenya
April 14, 2011 at 2:53 PM | by | Comments (0)

Kristin Cavallari recently traded in The Hills for Kenya. The reality star was on a charity trip with her boyfriend, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Culter, on behalf of of her charity One Kid World.

The couple handed out school supplies and helped rebuild two schools while also connecting the kids in Africa with students in the U.S. via a pen pal program. Not surprisingly, they worked in plenty of photo opps with the kids too.

Kristin isn't alone in her philanthropic ventures. Jay also has his own foundation which is hosting a charity event in his hometown of Santa Claus, IN on May 14th. Tickets, which start at $100, which includes dinner, drinks, a performance by David Nail and of course an opportunity to meet Jay and Kristin. For details visit http://jaycutlerfoundation.eventbrite.com/.

Related Stories:
· Kristin Cavallari takes a charitable trip to Kenya[DailyMail]
· Celeb Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: DailyMail]

more ›

/ / / / /

Spend a Vacation Volunteering with Chimpanzees in Africa

Where: Zambia
November 17, 2010 at 3:31 PM | by | Comment (1)

Even though most voluntourists have good intentions, a recent study suggests, in some cases, they may be doing more harm than good. The Human Sciences Research Council looked specifically at students who spend a gap year (the year between college and the "real world") working with orphans in South Africa. Linda Richter advises, "Many of the children they [volunteers] leave behind experience another abandonment to the detriment of their short- and long-term emotional and social development."

What the study doesn't address is that there several other extended voluntourism opportunities in Africa for those who want to help out, without having to work with kids. Like working with chimpanzees!

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Where Prince William Popped the Question to Kate Middleton

Where: Kenya
November 16, 2010 at 9:10 AM | by | Comment (1)

The best way to start a day is with news of a royal engagement! This morning (or evening, in Britain), it was formally announced that England's Prince William has proposed to long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton, who accepted. The pair have been dating for eight years ever since meeting at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. They are due to be married in the spring or summer of 2011, with a wedding no doubt conducted at Saint Paul's Cathedral in London [or Westminster Abbey or Windsor Castle].

With all the excitement over the engagement, you can bet that both St. Andrew's in Scotland and Saint Paul's in London will become even bigger tourist hotspots than they usually are, but there's one area no one's thought of yet: the place where Prince William actually popped the question to Kate.

more ›

/ / / / / /

Lufthansa Puts Europe and Africa Flights on Major Sale, But You Have to Book Today

November 3, 2010 at 12:30 PM | by | Comments (0)

Have you booked your vacation for next year yet? We hope not, because we've just come across a really tempting, really great deal on Lufthansa to Europe and Africa, featured on Travelzoo today. We found round-trip tickets between various US cities (New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, etc) and Russia for under $600 and US cities and South Africa for under $1000, taxes and fees included. The only catch is that you have to book today before airfares rise tomorrow.

Here is the link to the Europe sale fares.

Here is the link to the Africa sale fares.

more ›

/ / / /

Under No Circumstances Should You Steal Hotel Towels in Nigeria. Ever.

Where: Nigeria
September 24, 2010 at 3:49 PM | by | Comments (0)

A few years ago we published three or four Nigerian etiquette tips, just in case you ever find yourself in the area. You probably won't need them since Nigeria is divided between people who live in abject poverty and super-mega billionaires who go there to party, confident that they can engage in insane bacchanalian debauchery and then bribe their way out of any potential trouble. But just in case you do have to hop there for business or whatever, we wanted to have you covered.

And now we can add one more entry to the do/don't do list: "don't steal towels from hotels." Apparently one woman tried, and has been sentenced to three months in jail because of it. The alternative is to pay $20, which frankly sounds like a better deal, but salaries in Nigeria are so low that it might not be worth it just from a missed wages point of view.

more ›

/ / / / / /

If Jessica Biel Can Climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Then You Can Too

March 12, 2010 at 9:00 AM | by | Comments (0)

Emile Hirsch, Jessica Biel and Lupe Fiasco at the premiere of Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro at NYC’s Tribeca Grand Hotel.

We can't picture Jessica Biel starring in a movie that climbs the box office charts, to say nothing of her being in a film where she climbs Mount Kilimanjaro. But Justin Timberlake's girlfriend, along with celebs Emile Hirsch, Lupe Fiasco and Kenna, and explorer Alexandra Cousteau—yep, Jacques' granddaughter—made their way up the tallest mountain in Africa for the film Summit on the Summit: Kilimanjaro.

The trek wasn't to avoid the paparazzi. Instead, the group made the rigorous six-day, 50-mile climb to call attention to the global clean-water crisis. The documentary follows the celebs as they scaled more than 19,300 feet in Tanzania. So what was it like for them to conquer Kilimanjaro? Apparently, it's like having an STD. At least that's how it went down for Hirsch, who revealed that his junk was in a funk on the climb...

more ›

/ / / / / / /

United Gets Going To Ghana, and More New Airline Routes

March 5, 2010 at 11:45 AM | by | Comments (0)

Let's talk new airline routes! Because we all love some variety...

· United begins direct Ghana flights
The rush to Accra, Ghana is on as both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways announced recently that they'd begin direct service to the African capital from London. Taking the lead in American is United, who will launch direct a direct Accra flight from Washington-Dulles airport on June 21, pending government approval. Next up, United would like to add Lagos, Nigeria to their route map, but we'll see how Accra goes first.

More new routes, after the jump!

more ›

/ / /

Tourists Go Looking For Clues In Botswana With 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'

November 11, 2009 at 4:19 PM | by | Comments (0)

Think of it as the 21st century's 221B Baker Street: Fans of the book series No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency have taken an interest in the country of Botswana, where the book's action takes place, thanks in part to a small-screen adaptation.

The ten-book series by Alexander McCall Smith follows Precious Ramotswe, the first female Botswanan P.I., as she and her assistant Grace solve cases of missing girlfriends and blackmail, among others. Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella shot a TV adaptation of the books in Botswana starring singer Jill Scott last year before his untimely death after surgery; in a documentary called "In the Footsteps of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective," author Smith visits Minghella on set as well as other locations he used in his books.

more ›

Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy (Revised 08/01/2011). © Condé Nast Digital. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast Digital.
Ad Choices