Luxury for Less: Cape to Cairo

Ker & Downey is world re-knowned for its bespoke luxury travel adventures. Now, however, we are focusing on creating more affordable itineraries via our “Luxury for Less,” series. Built on the idea of Attainable elegance, the Ker & Downey “Luxury for Less” itineraries offer extraordinary leisure at a reasonable price.

Our Cape To Cairo itinerary begins with your arrival in Cape Town, South Africa where you board at Cape Cadogan: a luxury Victorian farmhouse declared a national monument in 1984. Patterned in soft creams and whites, the fashionable hotel is just a short distance away from Kloof Street, the Times Square of Cape Town. If the luxury hotel life isn’t appealing to you, Cape Cadogan offers 4 luxury apartments, each situated within walking distance of the hotel.

After Cape Town, you will have the option of traveling to the Lion Sand luxury lodges. The Lion Sand lodges are divided into two distinct, yet equally luxurious options: the family friendly River Lodge and the very exclusive Ivory Lodge. For the most discerning traveler Lion Sands also offers the owners private residence to small groups or families. Built in 1933, the home is a massive expression of Victorian grandeur on the South African plains. Each of the owners staff members, and every amenity in the home, is there for your private pleasure.

While at Lion Sands you will also have the journey to undertake a true South African safari. Led by the lodge’s team you will be led on a professional and holistic adventure that few others have the pleasure of enjoying. The Elderhostel, Adventures in Lifelong Learning program gives advice when planning a South-African safari.

After your sojourn in Cape Town, you will fly to Cairo to tour the land of the pharaohs. While there, you will stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence where you will enjoy unparalleled service and hospitality. The hotel’s premier location, overlooking the Great Pyramid of Giza and the ancient Zoological and Botanical Gardens, makes it the board of choice for weary travel adventurers.

While in Cairo you will have the opportunity to visit the Khan El Khalili Baazar. Frequently known as the Turkish Baazar, this open-air shopping center was built in 1832 and was central to the Spice Trade of the time. Notably, it was this trade in goods that was responsible for Cairo’s early wealth and forced European explorers to seek to find alternate routes to the Indies to break the Mamluks monopoly.

If you are looking for extraordinary travel at remarkable prices, Ker & Downey Luxury for Less itineraries may be just what you are looking for. Contact us to speak to one of our travel experts and plan your own bespoke adventure.

Luxury for Less: Wonders of the Okavango - Travel to Botswana

Ker & Downey is world re-knowned for its bespoke luxury travel adventures. Now, however, we are focusing on creating more affordable itineraries via our Luxury for Less series. Built on the idea of attainable elegance, the Ker & Downey, Luxury for Less itineraries offer extraordinary leisure at a reasonable price. Notably, our Wonders of the Okavango itinerary offers luxury travelers the opportunity to experience Botswana for a pittance.

Botswana is one of Africa’s most developed countries. As such, it offers curious travelers a “best of both worlds” scenario in that the country offers travelers the true African safari experience in the context of a developed nation.

On the first day of our, Wonders of the Okavang itinerary, travelers arrive in Maun, Botswana and whisked away to an awaiting light aircraft in which they are then flown across the Okavango Delta. After your aerial tour, you are taken to Kanana Camp, a pristine lodge in the inner reaches of the delta. In a buoyant recommendation on TripAdvisor, a user describes their trip to Botswana (and Kanana Camp) via Ker & Downey saying:

My husband and I have been to Botswana three times, always through Ker & Downey. Great company, everything worked like clockwork, people to meet our flights, etc. The fact that we rebooked with them twice after the initial trip should speak volumes. I don't know who you're working with there, but we had Jamie, and she gave us the BEST advice, really figured out "who we are" and what we'd enjoy and was spot-on. She convinced me to include 3 days at their more rustic "Footsteps Across the Delta" camp, and we're eternally grateful to her for that.

There, we primarily walked, and learned so much about the Delta, the animals, how to track, etc. Not as many animals encountered on foot, but much more intense and thrilling and personal an experience. This camp has been our "common denominator" on all three trips, we just love it! However, if you need en suite flush toilets to feel comfortable, Footsteps isn't for you!

We've stayed at both Shindi Camp and Kanana, both are wonderful. Although Shindi is perhaps a bit more "luxurious", you won't feel deprived at either! Even though the game viewing was probably superior at Shindi, it was certainly good at both and we found we prefer the atmosphere at Kanana, hard to explain why and this is a very personal, subjective thing anyhow. Shindi is more "polished" and the main dining/lounge structure is certainly spectacular (built into and around a huge tree, all polished mahogany or teak), but there was something very sweet about Kanana that defies explanation... perhaps it had to do with the staff all gathering at the entrance as our 4-wheel drive pulled up, to sing a welcome song to us.

Also, Kanana is a bit smaller and seems to be less booked up than Shindi -- we liked having only 4 to 8 other guests in camp with us, it just felt more congenial and personal. The food was comparable at both (very good). And they both had small pools for cooling off in the "siesta" time of the day, when no game activities are scheduled. Both camps have great water activities (pending time of year) as well as game drives. At Shindi it was possible to opt for a game walk, too.

What other camps are on your itinerary? We've stayed at most of the Ker and Downey camps, also some of the other camps that they cooperate with. Will you spend any time at Chobe park?

You will be in good hands with Ker and Downey, and you will fall in love with Botswana. We thought our first trip would be our "once in a lifetime", and find ourselves being drawn back again and again. (It's been 2 years since our last trip, and we're dreaming of returning).

After leaving Kanana Camp, you will head to Moremi Game Reserve where you will stay at the Okuti Camp. Of note, the Moremi Game Reserve is regarded as one of the world’s best locales for photographic expeditions. The reputation has been cultivated by years of diligent care and protection. Further, experienced game drivers accompany every traveler on their forays to ensure that the experience is professional and personal.

Ker & Downey Luxury for Less itineraries offer remarkable value for a remarkable price. Contact us, to speak to one of our travel experts and plan your own once in a lifetime luxury vacation.

Luxury for Less: Whispers of Africa: Luxury in the Bush

Ker & Downey is world re-knowned for its bespoke luxury travel adventures. Now, however, we are focusing on creating more affordable itineraries via our “Luxury for Less” series. Built on the idea of Attainable elegance, the Ker & Downey, “Luxury for Less,” itineraries offer extraordinary leisure at a reasonable price.

Today we focus on our, Whispers of Africa: Luxury in the Bush, itinerary. You will begin your journey with an overnight stay at #1 Melrose Blvd, a set of luxury apartments located in the heart of Johannesburg. The next morning, you will begin your journey by traveling to the game reserves at Madikwe Hills. Of note, a user from the popular travel website TripAdvisor wrote of his stay at Madikwe Hills saying:

We stayed 3 nights at Madikwe Hills in March this year. On arrival we were surprised to be upgraded to the honeymoon suite, which was magnificent. All accommodation here is of a very high standard. The rooms are huge - each with their own very comfortable lounge / sitting area with a fire, a huge bedroom (ours had a large four poster)looking out on to a private decked terrace with pool, and a large bathroom. Ours was entered via a flight of stairs and at the top was a large tub and a huge shower, all carved out of the rock. There was also an outside bath and shower on the terrace at the back of the bathroom overlooking the plains - very private and deeply romantic.

The two things that stood out about this place were the staff and the food. Both were superb. The hotel staff were friendly and helpful, and the rangers and guides were fabulous. This is one of the few lodges in this area of Madikwe where you go out with both a ranger and a tracker, so your chances of sightings are greater. During our stay we saw all but one of the big five and had the most jaw dropping encounters with lions. (It was scary, but then you can't come back from Africa without at least one near death experience story!) Our guide reliably informed us he had never seen anything like it before. Madikwe is less busy than Kruger, and the different lodges all work together and share information about sightings, increasing your likelihood of seeing what you've come to see.

The food at the lodge was fabulous, with all diets catered for - there was just too much of it and it sometimes felt a shame not to be able to eat everything put before you. Dinner was eaten around a communal table on the deck overlooking the water hole - a lovely setting.

On our last night here, we came back from the evening drive to be greeted with a candle lit room, rose petals leading up to our bath, which had been prepared with bubbles and flowers, with a complimentary bottle of champagne and a message 'Enjoy'. That just sums this place up - 5 star.

On your fifth day, your travel adventure takes you to Djuma Vuyatela, an exclusive and inviting lodge in the Sabi Sand area. Inkeeping with the African tradition of hospitality,  the term Vuyatela means, “come and visit again” and the lodge features a melting pot of modern South African cultures and design traditions. This is an important theme at Djuma Vuyatela as the lodge is built to reflect the local culture and styles. Most amazingly, if you so choose, after your morning game drive, you can accompany your guide to his nearby Shangaan village, where you will have the opportunity to interact with his family and learn about village life.

After leaving Djuma Vuyatele, adventurers can head to the Timbavati Private Game Reserve where they will lodge at the renowned Kings Camp. Kings camp is a luxury lodge built to give guests the opportunity to take advantage of the African wildlife in an unmistakably genuine fashion. Known for customizing any particular request, Kings Camp offers some of Africa’s rare sights and wonders to the adventurous traveler.

If you seek remarkable attention at a discrete price, Ker & Downey Luxury for Less itineraries provide just what you are looking for. Contact us to speak to one of our travel experts and plan your own luxury vacation of a lifetime.

Visit Zambia and Enjoy a Luxury Safari

Zambia is a landlocked country in Central Africa roughly the size of Texas or France.  Known for offering some of the world’s best safari opportunities, Zambia is the perfect locale for anyone looking to create their own luxury safari experience.

Formerly known as the territory of Northern Rhodesia, Zambia was administered by the South African Company from 1891 until 1923. During the 20s and 30s interest in Zambia skyrocketed as advances in mining gave foreigners access to the large mineral reserves in the country. In 1964, the country gained its independence and the name Zambia was chosen by the people.

As evidenced by the bizarre shape of the country Zambia is one of the stranger legacies of colonialism. Over 73 different tribes and 20 languages are accounted for within its borders.  However, because of the people’s long history of coexistence and the similar their Bantu-family language origins, the people of Zambia have been spared the internal strife that marks other African countries such as Rwanda.

A highlight of any trip to Zambia is the festivals held throughout the country year-round. For example, The Kazanga ceremony is considered Zambia's oldest traditional ceremony having been celebrated by the Nkoya people for over 500 years. The ceremony celebrates and maintains Nkoya traditions of music, dance and many other ancient practices. Furthermore, in August, the popular August festival, The Day of Mize, is celebrated.  This ceremony takes place at Mize, the official palace of Senior Chief Ndungu. People of the Luvale tribe gather to celebrate their cultural heritage, bringing displays of all types of handicrafts and spicing the event with traditional singing and dancing while the chief holds court. The Makishi dancers recreate famous events from Luvale mythology, and local artists display their work.

One of the most interesting things about Zambia is the unique treatment of travelers in the country. Because of the popularity of safari expeditions, foreigners are afforded a certain amount of respect, but are not catered to as with most nations frequented by adventurers. The country boasts some of the African continent’s best wildlife parks and highlights; most notably, Victoria Falls in Southwestern Zambia, and Lower Zambezi National Park in Southeastern Zambia. It is also an angler’s dream, as fishermen from all over the world attempt to try their luck on the mighty Zambezi River with the hopes of landing a toothy tigerfish or the rare, giant vundu. Avid birders also flock to the country to glimpse its wonderful collage of birds, most notably Chaplin’s barbets.

The Kapani Lodge, situated beside the Luangwa River, is one of the exclusive safaris lodges managed by the Norman Carr Safari company. On their website, they write of the perfect Day With Norman Carr Safaris saying:

We usually rise at about 5:30 am and always reward our guests with what we refer to as a “light breakfast”. This can be as substantial as you wish, with fruit, cereals, toast and cooked options available.



Your morning safari activity, whether in a vehicle or on foot, will last about 3 to 4 hours, returning to your camp in time to enjoy a hearty brunch. After this, most guests feel that they have earned a rest and so you will typically have a few hours during the heat of midday to relax in camp, reading one of the many reference books that we keep, sunbathing or taking a dip in the pool, or perhaps having a quick nap in your room.



Tea is served at about 3:30 and then the afternoon and evening safari will leave camp at around 4pm. Depending on the arrangements for the day you will either return to camp for sundowners or stay out in the bush, enjoy an evening drink and return to camp with a spotlight looking for nocturnal animals. Either way we like to enjoy the sunset with a drink in our hands as this really is one of Africa’s better traditions!



After returning to camp at about 7:30pm you may be accompanied to your room or you may choose to retire to the bar, and dinner will be served at around 8pm, giving you a chance to relive the events of the day with your guide and safari companions.



Another of the African traditions that we like to honour is a chat around the camp fire. This will often come after dinner when the adventures of the day can be analysed and the stories that will be told for a long time to come start to take shape.

If these tales of a Zambian safari have given you a curiosity to find out more about luxury vacations, then please contact us. We’d be delighted to help you customize the perfect travel adventure.

Experience Adventure Travel with a Vacation to Bhutan

Thimphu is the capital of the Kingdom of Bhutan and has a population of around 100,000, making it the countries largest city. Ker and Downey’s Kingdom in the Clouds itinerary takes you through Thimphu and Paro in Bhutan and Delhi in India.

Although the valley in which Thimphu is located has supported villages for nearly eight centuries, there was no sustained habitation for much of the time and the city didn’t grow until the king declared Thimphu the new capital in 1961. Amazingly, It wasn’t until a year later that automobiles first appeared on the streets. The city center is small enough to negotiate by foot so the most adventurous tourists can take in the many cultural heritage sites of the city by means of walking.

The city’s main street is, undeniably, one of the foremost culture and natural tourism destinations in the world. The Tashichoedzong hosts a colorful masked-dance festival at the end of summer, which is very popular with travelers. Most interestingly, Thimphu is one of two national Capitals in Asia that does not have traffic lights. Instead, the local traffic police direct the oncoming automobiles.

Thimphu is home to dozens of religious structures, museums, and landmarks. Most notably, Changangkha Lhakhang - a temple constructed in the 15th century - is one of the oldest structures in the Thimphu Valley. It is by far the oldest temple in Thimphu and hovers over a ridge above the city near Motithang.



Phajo Drugom Shigpo, one of the principles of the Drukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, is acknowledged as the primary catalyst in the building of the temple. During the building of the shrine, he dedicated the temple to Avalokiteshvara - the Buddhist emanation of compassion. Because of its unique location atop the city, the dzong has wonderful views across the entire valley.

In a recent New York Times Article, Seth Mydans writes of the tranquil setting he found in Bhutan saying:

If the rest of the world cannot get it right in these unhappy times, this tiny Buddhist kingdom high in the Himalayan mountains says it is working on an answer.



No more than 700,000 people live in the kingdom, squeezed between the world’s two most populous nations, India and China, and its task now is to control and manage the inevitable changes to its way of life.

 

It is a country where cigarettes are banned and television was introduced just 10 years ago, where traditional clothing and architecture are enforced by law and where the capital city has no stoplight and just one traffic officer on duty.



“How does a small country like Bhutan handle globalization? Survive by being distinct, by being different.”

Ker Downey, specialists in custom designed travel, will work with you to arrange the best adventure travel destination that will surpass your every expectation. Contact us to find out how.

Embark on a Vacation of a Lifetime to Cairo

Cairo, the triumphant city, known officially as al-Qāhirah is one of the world’s largest and oldest cultural centers. Because it has the largest and oldest of the Arab film industries, it has been dubbed the ‘Hollywood of The East,’ by observers. Notably, while Al-Qahirah is the official name of Cairo,  Egyptians refer to the city simply as Misr: the Arabic name for Egypt itself.

As a result of its age, Cairo has a distinct mix of historic and modern attractions. The city was founded in 969 AD as the royal enclave of the Fatimid caliphs. The actual civic center was based in nearby Fustat but what was then Cairo served simply as the living quarters for the ruling family. When Fustat was destroyed by Crusaders in 1169, Cairo was declared the administrative capital of Egypt.

In 1250, the Mamluks (the slave soldiers who served the Muslim caliphs) captured Cairo and ruled until the 16th century when the Ottomans defeated them in battle. Amazingly by the middle of the 16th century Cairo had high rise apartment buildings where the two lower floors were for commercial and storage purposes and the multiple stories above them were rented out to tenants.

Of note, most scholars now believe that the tales from “Thousand and One Arabian Nights” probably took place in Cairo during the period of the Mamluks rather than in Baghdad. In the “Tale of the Jewish Physician,” there is a description of Cairo which states:

"He who hath not seen Cairo hath not seen the world: her soil is gold, her Nile is a marvel; her women are like the black-eyed hours of Paradise; her houses are palaces; and her air is soft, more odorous than aloes-wood, rejoicing the heart.  And how can Cairo be otherwise when she is the Mother of the World?"

Modern Cairo is noted not only for its historical importance and size, but as the education and cultural center of the Arab world. The Cairo International Film Festival draws crowds from across the Arab Peninsula and Northern Africa. Founded in 1976, the Film Festival has welcomed internation movie icons to Egypts capital for 29 years to discuss the state of cinema today.

No luxury Egyptian travel excursion would be complete, however, without a tour of Egypt’s cultural and religious heritage.  The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities is home to the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world. It has nearly 140,000 items on display for travelers to enjoy. Many more thousands of antiquities wait patiently to be displayed in the museums many storerooms.

If you are looking for a one of a kind luxury travel excursion Cairo is the perfect place. At Ker and Downey, we offer several unique itineraries to choose from. Whether you’d like an extended luxury adventure of 11 nights with our Egypt Revealed itinerary or a shorter excursion via our Glimpses of Egypt plan, contact us to build the most exquisite luxury vacation for you.

Customize Your Travel Experience in the Himalayas

The Himalayas are, quite deservedly, the most famous peaks in the world. The name, short in sanskrit for ‘abode of snow’ aptly describe these natural wonders. The Himalayan mountain system is the planet's highest and home to the world's highest peaks, the Eight-thousanders, which include Mount Everest and K2. The result of massive subterrainean collisons, these mountains are so gargantuan they completely control the weather on the Indian subcontinent.

Notably, the Himalayas are the youngest mountain ranges on the planet, and consist mostly of loose sedimentary material. Due to the continuing collision of the continental plates beneath the Eurasian and Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas are continuing to shift upward, growing ever larger and more formidable.

If you are looking for the premier custom designed travel experience, consider contacting us to design the perfect adventure travel excursion for you. We look forward to fielding any questions you might have and providing you with the most unique luxury travel experience on earth.

Suprisingly, nearly 40 million people inhabit the Himalayas. generally, they are Hindus of Indian heritage, dominant in the Sub-Himalayas and the Middle Himalayan valleys from eastern Kashmir to Nepal. To the north Tibetan Buddhists inhabit the Great Himalayas from Ladakh to northeast India. In central Nepal, the Indian and Tibetan cultures have intermingled, producing a combination of Indian and Tibetan traits. This is where we find the major urban centers (as well as popular tourist destinations) of Kathmandu, Simla and Srinagar. The settlement patterns in the Himalayan region is greatly influenced by the topography, economic pattern and the climatic condition. The climate condition is one of the main factors for the population settlements since extreme wind and cold imposes a restriction on the living conditions and tends to inhibit movement and communication. But the ethnic groups living in remote valleys of the Himalayan region have generally conserved their traditional cultural identities.

The Himalayas are most important to would be backpackers and bespoke adventurers because of Mount Everest the significance in the climbing community. The highest mountain in the world attracts climbers of all levels, from well experienced mountaineers to novice climbers seeking to hire professional mountain guides and sherpas to complete a successful climb and experience the foremost in luxury adventure travel. Amazingly, Everest has claimed 210 lives, including eight who perished during a 1996 storm high on the mountain. Conditions are so difficult in the death zone that most corpses have been left where they fell. Some of them are even visible from the standard climbing routes.

Of great importance is Sir Edmund Hillary, world famous for being the first human being to set foot on the summit of Mount Everest. In his obituary he is praised as one of mankinds most notable heroes with his biographers noting:

By the time Sir Edmund attempted his ascent, seven previous expeditions to the top of the world's highest mountain had failed. Sir Edmund recalled: "We didn't know if it was humanly possible to reach the top."



Despite this general trepidation, the determined New Zealander joined a trip led by British climber, Sir John Hunt.



After a gruelling climb up the southern face, battling the effects of high altitude and bad weather, Sir Edmund and Tenzing Norgay managed to reach the peak at 1130 local time on 29 May.



'All this - and Everest too!'



When they finally reached the top Sir Edmund, who lost four stone on the expedition, reported his first sensation as one of relief.



He took the famous photo of his Sherpa companion posing with his ice-axe, but refused Tenzing's offer to take one of him, so his ascent went unrecorded.



On the morning of Queen Elizabeth's coronation in May 1953, her subjects were told that Sir Edmund had made it to the summit.



As he was a New Zealander and therefore a citizen of the Commonwealth, British subjects celebrated his achievement as their own.



On the day the Queen was crowned, one newspaper headline crowed "All this - and Everest too!"



Sir Edmund was knighted for his efforts, and Tenzing given a medal.



The pair initially reported the ascent as one made in unison. Only after the Sherpa's death in 1986, did Sir Edmund reveal that he had been about 10 feet ahead at the final ridge.