Zambia safari has it all …an ideal tourist destination for that special holiday of your lifetime. And Africa’s undiscovered gem! But why? Because of the rich cultural heritage, the spectacular wildlife, the unforgettable adventure and the awesome beauty.

And don’t forget Zambia is home to the mystic and awesome Victoria Falls. And Zambians are well known for being warm and friendly people. Zambia safari is a cultural tourism you’ll remember.

Rich Cultural Heritage
With a population of only 10 million people in a country of 753,614 sq km Zambia is large country. It’s larger than Texas in the USA and has one of the lowest populations to land ratio in Africa. The high urbanisation has resulted in massive tracts of uninhabited land across the country. But, however, many of the rural inhabitants have retained their indigenous and traditional customs and values.

The government recognizes this and has set up institutions to protect and promote Zambian culture. The National Heritage Conservation Commission is one. Government and private museums and cultural villages promote the expression of artistic talents.

Over 73 dialects are spoken in Zambia but the official language is English and most Zambians speak it fairly well. All media and business is in English. Bemba is the next most commonly spoken language, followed by Nyanja. Other large languages are Tonga, Luvale, Lozi. Being a haven of peaceful Zambia has hosted many refuges from the neighbouring countries in the past and still do today. It’s an epitome of unity in diversity.

Traditional Ceremonies
Would you have known it? Zambia has numerous traditional ceremonies. But a word of advice! They generally do not follow the normal calendar. The weather elements and a bit of “sniffing around” or such related matters bring things to bear on the date… if you get the drift…

But seriously, the timing of most traditional ceremonies depend more on natural factors such as rainfall, the season, the position of the moon, the month, etc. If you happen to be around when one of these ceremonies is on don’t miss the opportunity. Just ask your tour operators they’ll advise you.

There are more than 21 annual traditional ceremonies cerebrated in Zambia. They generally manifest customs, social life, rituals, oral history, material and spiritual culture. They provide a valuable insight to a traditional culture that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Two of the more colourful traditional ceremonies are Ku-omboka and Umutombuko.

Ku-omboka
The Ku-omboka means “to get out of the water onto dry ground”. Every year during the rainy season as the floodwater of the upper Zambezi River valley rises, the Lozi people make a ceremonial move to higher ground.

They pack their belongings into canoes .…and the whole tribe leaves en mass! The Litunga (the Lozi King) rides in his royal barge called the “Nalikwanda”. It’s got zebra stripes that run up and down and make it look great on the water. Numerous boats and canoes of all sorts, shape, colour and make follow it.

Just imagine the jostling that gets under way when it’s time for the people to get selected for this great honour, the honour to paddling the royal barge. A troop of traditionally dressed Lozis paddle it with pride. It takes about six hours to cover the distance between the wet season capital Limulunga and the dry season capital Lealui,

This crossing when completed successfully is celebrated with traditional singing and dancing. Great traditional beer and all! This ceremony dates back more than 300 years ago.

The Umutombuko
The celebration is an annual reminder of the victories of Chief Mwata Kazembe of the Lunda people. It commemorates the migration of his great kingdom into Luapula Province of Zambia from the Congo earlier last century. The two-day ceremony is a grand affair, mixed with ritual, semi-mystic performance, pounding drumbeats and long speeches. The women bring tributes of beer and food to the chief.

Then the chief, smeared with white powder, goes to pay homage to his ancestral spirits by pouring the foodstuff in special places such as shrines and into the special lake. Children have a “field day.” They jump into the water to collect the food stuff. …and they get praised for finding the bounty.

Later the Chief is carried in a special hammock back to his palace accompanied by the beating of drums. On the second day, a goat is slaughtered before the Mutomboko dance is opened by the chief. This ceremony takes place in the Luapula Province near the border with DR Congo.

Enestle Zimba is a practising geologist for over twenty years. He promotes Zambia tourism and safari part time. He’s a great believer of conservation.

zambiasafari.blogspot.com zambiasafari.blogspot.com
zambia-the-african-safari.com zambia-the-african-safari.com

Family oriented all-inclusive vacation resorts provide vacations with activities tailored for the whole family. A family all-inclusive resort hotel features entertainment, activities and dining for all members of the family. Many all-inclusive family resorts include children’s clubs and activities targeted to different age groups from infants to teenagers.

Some all-inclusive resorts for the family provide vacation nannies, supervised day-care, and/or babysitting. Some may have a teen disco. Children stay free at some all inclusive resort hotels. Other resorts offer a deep discount for children. Some resorts can accommodate larger families and allow up to 3 children and 2 adults in a room. Some all inclusive family resort hotels have adult-only restaurants and areas, children-only and adult-only pools, and water parks.

Some of the Best Family Beach Vacations Resorts include:

Atlantis Resort – Paradise Island, Bahamas, a 14-acre water park with waterfalls, streams, and lagoons with more than 50,000 sea animals. The Atlantis also has thrilling waterslides and a lazy-river ride, as well as a Discovery Channel Camp for kids.

Beaches – Negril, Jamaica offers kids programs from infant care to teen activities; other features are a major game complex and a new, on-site water park including snorkeling trips to a coral reef, and scuba diving for kids 12 and older.

Beaches – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos has a Kids club with daily nanny service for ages 0-2 in the nursery and 3-5 Here the children enjoy ice-cream parties and arts and crafts. At Beaches Turks and Caicos, there are organized activities for older children. In the Pirates Island area, there is a 1950’s diner, a Sega games center, a tropical game room with air hockey and pool tables, a disco, basketball court, swim-up soda bar and a swimming pool with water slides.

e-BeachVacations.com Beach Vacations provides detailed information on Beach Vacations, All Inclusive Beach Vacations, Family Beach Vacations, Anniversary Beach Vacations and more. Beach Vacations is affiliated with e-BeachHotels.com Virginia Beach Hotels.

The home away from home but a little bit more better is what the vacation rentals should be. They should be a lot functional and provide you with a lot of facilities and amenities that you would find in your home and a little bit more. This article looks at what makes these chalets or condos the luxurious properties which the clients crave to rent each time. Luxury could mean very different based on the locality the property is in. If you are in a Ski resort you would want the hot tubs and the cozy fireplaces to make the stay a wonderful experience. If you are in one of the exotic places deep in the jungle where Mosquitoes and insects have the best of the place; then luxury means a simple Mosquito net and a small spray to get these pesky creatures out. In this article let’s see what it means to spend time in luxury in the beautiful ski resort area of Whistler.

Whistler is a famous ski destination with thousands flocking to meet the snow each season. The acres and acres of mountain terrain and the pristine lakes added with the availability of good rental properties make this a perfect vacation spot. The core of this article is what makes a few properties like the one listed in WhistlerDeluxe.com stand out. The custom services make a huge difference and the luxury you are offered is directly proportional to the care and services offered in these properties. Luxury comes in many forms and sizes. For folks with kids the luxury in this resort is having nannies from reputed folks when they go out and get the real vacation. Parents need their personal time without worrying about the kids this is one of the major hits offered by these luxurious properties. Don’t mistake me, the regular stuff like the cozy bed, and the fire place and hot tubs come first, but the custom services make this the real trip to remember. The other attraction is the service offered by these folks to deliver the best food right at the home. This gives you that little extra bit of time with family in the vacation home. The next that is useful for many folks is restaurant bookings. This is one hot commodity in the crowded ski areas. Unless you get the insider help in these bookings you will end up in one of those dingy unwelcoming tables or corner shops.

The availability of Maid Services in your vacation rental is one more service that upgrades your stay to the luxurious side. These are offered in the big hotels but finding a reliable and cost efficient maid service for your vacation home is one of the things that only the deluxe properties offer. For the folks with a family, the day care and sometimes baby sitting offers is what makes the trip a real vacation. Ah how good a feeling and what a break it will be to be with your whole family on a vacation. And now and then when you need that little bit of private intimate moments you could always sneak out. Sneak out giving your babies or children to reliable folks and enjoy the ski, or enjoy a good meal in the restaurant. That is what I call Luxury, look for these or demand these from your vacation rental folks.

Author suggests the custom services offered for whistlerdeluxe.com Whistler Vacation Rental in the website whistlerdeluxe.com. Some of Whistler’s best chalets and condos for rent; if you want 5-star vacation rental accommodation, this is the place – whistlerdeluxe.com.

Author does freelancing for many websites and can be contacted through the no fee free freelancefree.com freelance website FreelanceFree.com

London enjoys a swarm of travelers each year because of the rich and unforgettable experience it offers. The once conservative London now enjoys a sense of modernity and is regarded as one of the coolest cities in the world. So be wise, plan your trip ahead of time.

You will be amazed with the large variety of hotels, from London 5 star hotels to 2 star hotels… from chic and pricey London boutique hotels to budget bed and breakfast hotels. Make sure to choose a hotel according to the purpose of your visit keeping proximity and cost in mind.

A few good examples are the Langham Hotel London, located at the West End of the city and ideally situated near Regents Park. It’s only a short walk from the best shopping areas like Regent Street, Bond Street and Oxford Street. If you are looking for budget accomodations in London, try the London House Hotel. Business travelers will not go wrong in the upscale Jumeirah Carlton Tower.

There are many modes of transportation in London. If you like to travel in style, renting a chauffeured vehicle is quite common in London. You can take the fast underground trains, commonly known as the tube, for shopping or to visit any of London’s famous attractions. Get a single day or multiple day discounted travel pass.

It’s not a bad idea to start the day by taking a bus or underground to St. Paul’s station off the Central Line to see the St. Paul’s Cathedral which is quite an architectural wonder, and an awesome historical breathtaking beauty. Stop in at Vinopolis, if you want to experience worldclass wine tasting. Here, you can learn everything about winemaking.

Of all the other sights, the Thames offers the most famous one in London and you can get an impressive view of the city from the Tower Bridge. From there when you reach the north bank, don’t miss out the Tower of London. It’s a very historical and a must see sight.

A lot happens in London each day, events like concerts, shows, sports, festivals and plays are very popular. When you are ready for some fascination…you would enjoy the excitement of witnessing live show rehearsals at the Royal Albert Hall. History of this stunning building is sure to fascinate you.

After a tiring day, you may want to reward yourself with a sumptuous and succulent meal. London has scores of restaurants that offer dozens of cuisines from various parts of the world. It’s a good idea to join Henry the VIII and his special guests who will perform a festive show at The Medieval Banquet located at Ivory House, St Katharine’s Dock.

Lamika Zuberi writes for Straat Investments. To learn more about London, its attractions, transportation and areas or about a map of London visit Londonhotels.com www.Londonhotels.com