REOPENING OF BORDERS - Subject to change 

Botswana 
Last updated: 24 March 2022
Botswana is UK Air Bridge approved since 12 December 2020
All Countries are allowed to travel to the destination 
The Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
*Fully vaccinated travellers are not required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result on arrival. Presentation of a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate is required. 'Fully vaccinated' means having received a primary series of COVID-19 vaccine.
*Travellers who are not fully vaccinated must present a printed original test certificate of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result not older than 72 hours from time of testing, and undergo a PCR test at their own cost on arrival.
*All travellers under 12 years old are exempt from vaccination and COVID-19 testing requirements.
*Undergo health screening for COVID-19 symptoms.
*Complete a traveler locator form (handed out on the airplane or on arrival) with accurate contact information while in Botswana so that the local Health Authority can contact you, if necessary, within 14 days.
Mandatory quarantine: 
Not required. 
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on departure:
All travellers departing Botswana must present a negative COVID-19 test certificate (paper version only), irrespective of their destination. Tests must be conducted within 72 hours of departure at any of the country's testing facilities, or:

• Option 1: Arrange in-camp testing – a qualified practitioner is flown to your camp or lodge to conduct a PCR test. This has to be booked 36 hours in advance, online bookings are essential, and a minimum of two guests is required. Guests are liable for all costs.
• Option 2: Do the PCR test in Maun, Kasane or Gabarone Airports – bookings are essential. Your Africa Safari Expert can arrange this for you. Test results are available within 24 hours.

Kenya 
Last updated: 24 March 2022
On 6 July 2020, Kenya announced that international travel will resume from 1 August 2020. 
All travellers to Kenya must be fully vaccinated unless they meet the following exemption criteria:
* Medical conditions precluding vaccination – travellers are required to provide a letter from a recognised medical practitioner detailing the medical reason precluding vaccination.
* Recovered from an active COVID-19 infection or received convalescent plasma in the preceding 90 days – travellers are required to provide a letter from a recognised medical practitioner showing that the person may have recovered from an active infection in the preceding 90 days.
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
* Fully vaccinated travellers are exempt from PCR testing.
* Unvaccinated travellers (older than 5 years) who meet the above exemption criteria are required to present a negative result for a valid PCR test conducted within 72 hours before departure for Kenya.
* Unvaccinated travellers who meet the above exemption criteria are required to undergo rapid antigen testing on arrival at a cost of USD 30. Any positive results will require a further PCR test at a cost of USD 50, and self isolation.
* There will be no paper verification of COVID-19 test results and vaccination certificates upon arrival in Kenya. All travellers must upload both documents to the Global Haven platform before boarding an airplane.
* All passengers (including those in transit) must complete the Travellers Health Surveillance Form once you have your seat number from the airline. This will provide you with a QR code required for entry. We recommend you also print out a copy of the form in advance to expedite the process on arrival.
* All travellers will be expected to fill in the passenger locator form on the 'jitenge' platform.
Mandatory quarantine:  
Not required.
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on departure
* All travellers are required to have a COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
* PCR tests are not required unless specified by the airline or final destination.
 
Mozambique 
Last updated: 24 March 2022
Mozambique's borders are open for international travel and flights have been approved from Portugal, Turkey, Qatar, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa. Land borders are also open for self-drive travellers. Maputo International Airport is a member of the Airport Health Accreditation Programme by Airports Council International (ACI).
As of 28 October 2021, Mozambique has a curfew in place in all cities and towns from 00:00 to 04:00. Most beaches are open.
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
*All travellers older than 5 years must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test result, conducted in your country of origin within 72 hours of departure for Mozambique.
*Undergo health screening and temperature testing.
Mandatory quarantine: 
Not required unless you arrive without a negative COVID-19 test certificate, test positive for COVID-19 on arrival, or were in contact with someone who has COVID-19. You will then be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
 
Namibia 
Last updated: 24 March 2022
Namibia announced new implementation protocols that will guide the country's international tourism revival initiative. These protocols came into effect from 1 September 2020.
As of 1 August 2021, Namibia has lifted all travel restrictions between regions.
All Countries are allowed to travel to the destination
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
* Fully vaccinated travellers are not required to take a PCR test before arriving in Namibia, and must present a hard copy of their vaccination card.
* All unvaccinated travellers older than 5 years must present a negative certificate (hard copy) for a PCR test that was carried out within 72 hours from the time taken to the time of arrival into Namibia. Before arriving in Namibia, all PCR test certificates must be uploaded to the Trusted Travel (TT) platform. Travellers with results from non-TT compliant labs must upload results to the Global Haven system. Only test results from the Trusted Travel platform or results that have been verified on the Global Haven system will be valid for entry. See a guide on how to use the Trusted Travel platform.
* All travellers must complete the COVID-19 Surveillance Form before departing to Namibia.
* Travellers are recommended to carry hard copies of all the above documents.
* Undergo health screening and temperature testing.
* Complete a short health questionnaire.
Mandatory quarantine: 
* Unvaccinated travellers who arrive with PCR test results older than 72 hours and who are not in possession of a de-isolation certificate must take a PCR test at the port of entry, at their own cost. You will also be required to quarantine at own cost until the negative result is provided.
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on departure:
*A negative COVID-19 test certificate, conducted within 48 hours of departing Namibia, if your country of origin requires it.
  
Rwanda 
Last updated:  24 March 2022
Tourism activities across the country resumed from 17 June 2020 and Rwanda's airports reopened for scheduled commercial flights on 1 August 2020. Kigali International Airport is a member of the Airport Health Accreditation Programme by Airports Council International (ACI).
As of 13 October 2021, movement movement is prohibited between 00:00 and 04:00. Tourism still continues in line with COVID-19 regulations.
Countries allowed to travel to the destination: 
All tourists will be allowed to visit Rwanda's attractions and destinations after testing negative for COVID-19 in two consecutive tests.
 Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
* All arriving passengers (except accompanied children younger than 5 years) must present a negative result for a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to first departure.
* Complete the Passenger Locator Form and upload your COVID-19 test certificate via www.rbc.gov.rw/travel prior to arrival. On completion of the form, you will be provided with a Unique Health Code (UHC) which you must present on arrival. Note: this can only be submitted within 72 hours before your departure. 
* Complete a short health questionnaire on arrival.
* All arriving travellers will be required to take a PCR test on arrival at a cost if USD 70. An additional test will be taken on day 3 at a designated testing site.
* All tourists older than 5 years who are visiting national parks in Rwanda must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 24 hours of arrival. A PCR test is required for those visiting primates at Volcanoes, Nyungwe and Gishwati-Mukura National Parks. Rapid Antigen tests are required for those visiting Akagera National Park, and all other activities.
* All travellers transiting or connecting and not leaving the airport for less than 12 hours will not be required to take a second COVID test.
* All visitors entering via land borders may be required to take random COVID-19 tests.
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on departure:
* Travellers older than 5 years are required to present a negative result for a PCR test taken within 72 hours before departure. Allow 48 hours for results from when the sample is collected.
* Passengers are encouraged to book and pay for tests online at least 2 days prior to departure.
Mandatory quarantine: 
* All travellers arriving or transiting for more than 12 hours – except those visiting any of Rwanda's national parks – must undergo a COVID-19 test on arrival (USD 70 per traveller). An additional PCR test is then required on day 3.
 
South Africa 
Last updated 24 March 2022
South Africa announced on 16 September 2020 that the country's borders will reopen for tourism on 1 October 2020.
OR Tambo, King Shaka and Cape Town airports are members of the Airport Health Accreditation Programme by Airports Council International (ACI).
All Countries are allowed to travel to the destination 
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
* Download, print and complete the Traveller Health Questionnaire (Entry) not more than 2 days before arrival. The same applies when leaving South Africa.
* All unvaccinated travellers older than 5 years are required to present a valid, printed certificate of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure. The test must be conducted by a certified medical practitioner and the certificate must have the name and signature of the practitioner who conducted the test.
* All vaccinated travellers are exempt from taking a PCR test prior to departure for South Africa.
* Undergo screening for any COVID-19 symptoms and/or for contact with people who have been infected with the virus.
* Travellers who recently recovered from COVID-19 may be requested to present a letter of exemption – see more details.
Mandatory quarantine is not required unless: 
Not required unless:
* Arriving passengers fail to present a valid and negative COVID-19 PCR test. This will require a 10-day quarantine at own cost.
* Travellers display any symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with an infected person. A mandatory COVID-19 test will be required at their own cost. If this test result is positive, travellers will be subjected to a 10-day quarantine at a designated site, at their own cost.
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on departure:
*Download, print and complete the Traveller Health Questionnaire (Exit) not more than 2 days before departure.

 Tanzania 
Last updated: 24 March 2022
The government of Tanzania announced on 18 May 2020 that it will lift the ban on international flights arriving and departing from the country.
All Countries are allowed to travel to the destination 
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
* All travellers (including children) are required to complete a Traveller's Health Surveillance Form, to be submitted within 24 hours before arrival in Tanzania. Upon submission, you will receive a Unique Health Code that will be requested during primary screening on arrival.
* Fully vaccinated travellers are not required to take a PCR test before departure and must show a vaccination certificate with a QR code upon arrival. Vaccines must be approved for use by the Republic of Tanzania and the WHO.
* Unvaccinated travellers older than 5 years must present a negative certificate for a PCR COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival in Tanzania.
* Travellers who were infected and recovered from COVID-19 are required to submit a proof of recovering from the disease, obtained from Authorised Medical personnel upon arrival in Tanzania.
* Undergo enhanced screening for COVID-19 and complete a health form.
* All travellers who have been in these countries in the preceding 14 days will be required to take Rapid Antigen Tests (USD 10 per traveller) at their points of entry. Travellers are advised to pay for the test online to avoid unnecessary queues on arrival. Payment can be done via an automatically generated control number that's obtained after completing the online Traveller's Health Surveillance Form.
Mandatory quarantine: 
Not required unless a traveller tests positive on arrival – isolation for 14 days is then required at an approved hotel, or until they test negative (RT-PCR test).
 Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on departure
*All departing travellers must adhere to COVID-19 requirements of their country of destination or conveyance to be used. 

Uganda 
Last Updated: 24 November 2022
Uganda has released a tentative phased reopening schedule for all its land borders and the resumption of international passenger flights to Entebbe International Airport, effective 1 October 2020. 
All Countries allowed to travel to the destination 
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
Arriving passengers: 
*Provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued no more than 72 hours before boarding the aircraft or crossing land borders. Children younger than 5 years are exempt when accompanying parents arrive with a negative test certificate. COVID test certificates must indicate 'travel' as the intended purpose of the tests.
*All arriving passengers (except children under 5 years) at Entebbe International Airport are required to undergo a COVID-19 test at a designated testing facility at their own cost (USD 30 per test). Tests must be registered and paid for online in advance.
*Undergo temperature checks and health screening on arrival.
*Wear masks, maintain a social distance of 1.5 metres (5 feet) where possible, and practice good personal hygiene.
Departing passengers:  
* All travellers (except children under 3 years) must provide a negative result for a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours from the time of sample collection.
Mandatory quarantine: 
*Not required
Airlines flying into the destination are: 
*Turkish Airlines 
*Qatar Airways 
*Emirates 
*Kenya Airways 
*Ethiopian Airlines 
 
Zambia 
Last updated: 24 March 2022
Zambia is open to foreign nationals and issuing visitor visas upon entry into the country. Depending on your nationality, travelers can arrive without a visa, obtain a visa on arrival, or apply for an e-visa before travelling to Zambia – visit the Zambia Department of Immigration website for more info. Limited domestic flight schedules are operating twice-weekly between Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and Mfuwe International Airport, and between Kenneth Kaunda and Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone. 
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival are subject to: 
* All travellers are required to produce a negative result for a COVID-19 PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to departure.
* Complete a Traveller Health Questionnaire from the Ministry of Health on board the flight before landing in Zambia.
* Undergo temperature and symptom screening.
Mandatory quarantine: 
Not required
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on departure
* Travellers will be screened and must meet all the COVID-19 entry requirements of the destination or transit country. 
 
Zimbabwe 
Last updated: 24 March 2022
Zimbabwe announced the reopening of the country's local tourism sector on 3 September 2020. Domestic flights resumed on 21 September 2020 with Air Zimbabwe and Fastjet, in advance of 1 October 2020: the reopening date of Zimbabwe's international airports.
As of 1 February 2022, the government instituted a curfew from 00:00 to 05:30. Inter-city and inter-provincial holiday travel, as well as visiting national parks and designated tourism facilities are allowed, but will be bound by the country's curfew hours. Visitors who are travelling between destinations are required to provide documentation of bookings at national parks and other designated tourism facilities.
Open for international travel via:
Airports
Land borders (Victoria Falls and Kazungula for fully vaccinated travellers only)
Health screening & COVID-19 protocols on arrival and pre departure are subject to: 
* All unvaccinated visitors are required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate, obtained from a recognised facility within 48 hours of departure for Zimbabwe.
* Undergo health screening and temperature testing.
* Social distancing, hand sanitisation and the wearing of masks are mandatory.
* All travellers older than 18 years who arrive via the Kazungula and Victoria Falls land borders must produce proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as negative PCR test results no older than 48 hours. Children under 18 years are only required to have negative PCR test certificates. Children younger than 5 years do not require PCR test certificates.
Mandatory quarantine: 
Not required
 
 ​

If you have been considering a holiday in South Africa then now is the time to make it happen!
The South African Rand, the local currency has in the last few days slumped to an all time low against major currencies like the US Dollar, the Euro and the British Pound.
For the international traveller, what this means is that South Africa has become cheaper overnight and offers value for money second to none!

Seize the day I say and get exceptional value to a destination that is still best described as:
A world in one country!

To add to that, we are offing 10% discount of any travel itinerary offered on our web site.
Choose from Short Breaks, full length tour or we will gladly mix and match or tailor make something to suit your interests and requirement

In the words of the great Nelson Mandela: " Now is the time"

Just a quick note to tell everyone that rather than clog up our blog page, we have created a dedicated page to important travel updates and travel advisories and it can be found here

I have been designing and operating travel itineraries to Southern Africa for over 16 years. I have spent time on safari in
many regions on my own, with family, with clients, as a guide, as a tour leader and as a client myself.

It still gives me a real thrill to see what a profound and often life changing effect an African safari can have on a visitor.
And that got me thinking: The world is big and for the travel enthusiast, there are many “jaw droppingly” gorgeous travel destinations to choose from. So what is it about an African safari that makes it so special and has people coming back time and time again?Obviously, seeing animals in their natural habitat is in itself an unbelievable experience. Also, many of the safari camps are so beautifully designed and decorated with accommodations, cuisine, etc that are out of this world. Add the people, the staff and game rangers encountered who are so knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. Oh and of course, the natural beauty of many of the safari locations - just breathtaking.

BUT there is something else. Something "below the line" that is at play. 

Many people are visibly moved and sometimes overwhelmed by their safari experience. Many experience it emotionally. I have had people sobbing uncontrollably for no apparent reason on a number of occasions out there in the beautiful African bush.

It begs the question: So what is it about an African Safari that moves people?

Some believe that it is the “rawness” or freshness of Africa that sets it apart from other destinations. I am sure that is a
factor, BUT after many years of pondering this question, it all clicked on a recent sales trip to the USA. It was while driving on a 7 lane highway in a rental, with 4 zillion other people between Long Beach and San Diego, in
California. Daunting it was, but that was when it dawned on me. 
 
This is my take: In a world that has been tamed and manipulated to suit our human "needs", an African safari offers an experience in an environment that is real and beyond our control. We need that. It reminds us that we are part of something bigger and we need to know that. It is not safe to believe that we control the world and all that happens in it.
Money does not make the world go around. The world will continue revolving long after we have left.

In our modern world and specifically in what we term "First World countries", most people live in a largely man made
environment, a material world which has been constructed on top of what is the real world - a concrete jungle!

As a result and without even being aware of it, people end up disconnected from the real world. Primal instincts like survival have become economic, not actual. Pursuit of groceries at a shopping mall using money as our weapon is how we hunt.

Production of consumer goods and service delivery has evolved and have become the driving economic force that in many respects defines our very existence. We have achieved amazing things but in many ways, we often work against rather than with the forces of nature to achieve our goals. Our natural world is bearing the brunt of this approach. But that is another story :)

The Answer:
Africa levels the playing fields. On safari, you very soon become acutely aware that you are a visitor and this is the animal’s domain. You observe, you respect, but you do not judge nor try and intervene. There are scenes of both immense beauty and sadness, but we let it be. The Animal kingdom teaches us a lot about ourselves and about how
things in this world have a symbiotic relationship. Every living organism needs every other living organism. We all need each other, from ants to elephants. 

Through simple observation from the back of a safari vehicle or on foot, with the guidance of a safari guide this becomes
glaringly obvious. Safari awakens something that may be buried, but it is part of our very make up, our instinct, our soul! This realization, this connection, this is the thing that hits home and moves people.

Take care and if you would like us to tailor make a life changing safari experience for you, please email me at: mark@edgetravel.co.za 

Until next time

Mark Stodel

I have just returned from an island paradise!

No, I am not talking about the Carribbean, The Maldives, Mauritius, Zanzibar, The Seychelles, or even Bazaruto.

I am talking about a hidden gem or more like a string of pearls, the Quirimbas Archipelago, in Northern Mozambique. A collection of 32 Indian Ocean islands located a few kilometres offshore on the edge of the warm Mozambique Channel. These islands stretch for about 200 kilometres from just North of Pemba in Mozambique, until just South of the Tanzanian border.

The area is an untouched island wonderland with beautiful warm azure water, white sandy beaches, warm air, abundant sea life, great food and excellent fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving and swimming.

Our dilemma: With 32 islands in the chain, which one were we going to choose to visit??

The solution: We decided to choose them all and go by boat!

We chartered a beautiful 47 foot Leopard catamaran (considered by many to be the Rolls Royce of cats) out of Pemba, with skipper and crew, for a full week with the intention of exploring this pristine string of islands at our own pace. It
was a family holiday with 8 in the group spanning 3 generations. The youngest being my 7 year old and the eldest, my father, about to turn 80. We wanted an island holiday that had something for everyone and one where you could be as
active or inactive as you wanted.The trip was in a word “magnificent” This destination is the epitome of a dream island vacation and our choice to go by boat was spot on. It was relaxing beyond belief. Everything was laid on, so we didn’t need to lift a finger unless we wanted to. The crew moved around the boat like little elves, cooking and cleaning, serving drinks, but always relaxed and friendly. Nothing was too much trouble. Even laundry was taken care of.
As a family vacation, it pushed all the right buttons. There was something for everyone and all of the time. At any point you could be:
Reading, sleeping ,eating, drinking, kayaking, fishing, sun tanning, swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, waterskiing, watching a DVD, sailing, photographing, shell collecting, lying on a beach, visiting an island lodge, trading with local fisherman, checking out the stars, playing board games in the lounge or on the rear deck

Our itinerary:
Our plan was to follow a basic itinerary with a large amount of flexibility built in. John the skipper mapped out a basic course and gave us all the options. By all accounts, the further North from Pemba you go, the better it gets. We were prepared to go with the flow, see as much as we can and stop whenever we feel like it. We would generally island hop during the day and make sure that we were in a nice spot by nightfall so that we could anchor and spend the night in a calm and pretty area.

The islands range from permanently inhabited to completely uninhabited. Generally, the larger islands with access to fresh water would be permanently occupied while the smaller and more remote islands tend to be either uninhabited
or have small groups of fishermen who use the island as a base from which to fish. Some of the islands are privately owned or have beautiful lodges which are run as hotels where people can come and stay. Access to these lodges is
generally by small aircraft, anything from a 4 seater Cessna 206 to a 12 seater 208 Caravan. The lodges generally have there own boats that guest would charter to go fishing and or diving. Most lodges or resorts are run on a similar principle where your accommodation, meals and non-motorised water sports are included. Drinks, scuba diving, deep sea fishing you pay for. This is another advantage being on the boat i.e. the daily rate includes all motorised water sports, scuba diving, fishing and equipment and includes all meals and soft drinks. The only thing you pay for is your alcoholic beverage. And instead of paying a premium for drinks, you simply send a list of what you want on the boat
and John will purchase it and get it on board before you arrive and only charge a 10% fee on top of the cost of the drinks. That is a big saving right there. 

The route:
As you head North from Pemba, away from the madding crowd, there is soon very little sign of human habitation and the only boats around are traditional dhows and dugout canoes. The coastline starts off as quite rugged with rocky cliff faces which are testament to the prevailing sea current and sharp drop of the continental shelf. There are many bays and peculiar rock formations but soon these give way to white sand and turquoise water as we approach the 1st islands of the Quirimbas. From here it just gets better and better. 

Getting there:
The main reason why the Quirimbas is still pristine is that logistically (and financially) it is quite a challenge getting there. This will change pretty soon I am sure as the massive gas reserves that were recently found off shore in Mozambique are in this the Northern part of the country. There is massive oil extraction happening in the same area. So if you are
planning on going, my advice is to go soon, before it is discovered and by nature, exploited and commercialized by the masses. While we were in Pemba, we heard rumours that 500 US families would be moving there in the next few months.
I will talk about Pemba a bit later. Pemba is currently the northern gateway to the Quirimbas. It is accessible by air but the options are limited.
By far the easiest way of getting to Pemba is with SA Airlink from Johannesburg non-stop, which is approximately 3 hours. They currently fly twice a week as in Wednesdays and Saturdays JNB POL SA 8204 at 11h00 arriving 14h00 and POL JNB SA 8205 14hh25 arr 17h30. but the price of the ticket is almost double that of flying with LAM, Mozambique Airlines. you can get to Maputo and then it is a further 2 hours 20 minutes on LAM (Mozambique Airlines) to Pemba. If you fly with LAM, the flight is from Johannesburg to Maputo where you change aircraft (sometimes) get off the aircraft, go into the airport terminal, clear customs and then get back onto the same aircraft or a different one (which was the case
with us) and then fly on to Pemba. LAM as an airline is fine, even though the joke still stands that LAM stands for “Late and Maybe or Lost Around Mozambique), we found them to be more than adequate even though there could have been a bit more communication at times. They use a brand new Embraer 190 or Boing 737 – 200 between Johannesburg and Maputo and then just the Boeing 737 between Maputo and Pemba. getting there is the via Maputo

Pemba
Now let me say, that having 500 US families moving into Pemba may not be such a bad thing! Pemba is a town that is in drastic need of attention!! It is in a total state of disrepair! It might have been the most beautiful city in the world as its location on the edge of the world’s largest natural inland and tropical bay is an idyllic setting BUT, as is the case with
so many African cities, it is clear that: “It is broken” Nothing works, it is in a state of chaos, it is hot and oppressive, litter lines the potholed streets, spaza shops line the streets with all the muck just deposited on the road site.
Taxi’s look like they come straight out of demolition derby and it is just a very sad place to be! 

Starting from the airport: The airport building is cute when you land, but very quickly turns into a stress filled and unpleasant experience. The international arrivals area is about the size of a shoe box. Everyone is crammed into this non
air-conditioned area. They want you off the tarmac for safety reasons, but there is no room in the terminal building. If you are lucky enough to get a trolley, you can barely manuvour it as the area is so small and jam packed with people. Then there is man in uniform controlling your exit from the terminal and once out they don’t want to let you back in, even if you were about to pass out due to the lack of fresh air, heat and claustrophobia.  Another joke was that once you have manouvered your trolley to the exit door, a distance of about 3 metres, there were steps leading to the outside, so you had to take everything off the trolley and carry it down onto the sidewalk. When we arrived back at the airport 8 days later, this is what we found on the 23rd of December,

After we managed to extract our luggage (which all arrived, even with the aircraft swop in Maputo which we were impressed with), from the conveyer, we made it out into the warm yet fresh air of Pemba.

The trip:
The trip from the airport down to where the yacht was moored takes about 15 minutes and takes you through the ramshackle streets of Pemba. Our driver really had to negotiate his way in some sections to avoid landing in one of the many large pot holes in the roads. Once down by the sea however, that all changes and we could see Pemba Bay stretching out for miles in a massive circle. John the skipper pointed to where we would be spending our first night, a small bay in the distance called Londo which is in a sheltered section with stunning Baobab trees and a wonderful coral garden. Perfect for snorkelling. Dandelion our beautiful floating hotel was majestically anchored and waiting for us a few 100 metres offshore. We were collected by Tuca, John’s deck hand in the tender, a rubber duck (Zodiac) with a 30hp Yamaha outboard and transported to the boat. Once on board we were welcomed by Isabella the hostess who had laid out some much appreciated ice cold drinks and some tasty homemade snacks.

Dandelion
We were shown to our cabins of which there are 3, plus the skippers cabin, all which are en-suite. The cabins are neatly laid out and functional. As they are situated in the pontoons of the catameran, there is little more than space for a double bed, some shelves and a bit of cupboard space. There is a step up onto the beds. The en suite bathroom has a hand shower basin and a toilet. More than adequate, as long as you are not a heavy person. There is an electronic bilge pump for flushing as well as for draining the shower after using it.

The room has a skylight / hatch that can be opened at night and which has a mosquito net if necessary, but it does restrict air flow. There are a number of portholes around the room.  

There is also air conditioning throughout the boat, but it is a bit of a Catch 22 situation as you need to run the engines to run the air-con and then there is the noise factor to contend with. We chose to do without, but many also chose to sleep outside on the deck as it was very warm in the cabins and just so beautiful outside. There is no shortage of space on the boat.

The Dandelion is self sufficient, meaning that once at sea, she can generate her own power, has a de-salinator, so can make her own fresh water, an ice maker, fridge, freezer, washing machine and can run all electric appliances, laptops, charge batteries, etc. She has a sound system and music can be played throughout the boat and even has a 32 inch LCD TV with DVD player if you are bored. Not that that is likely, but if you have kids, it might be a nice novelty and also great to see pictures and movies that may have been taken during the day. John is also able to show the navigation maps, depth, fish finder and routing on the TV screen which is great so that everyone can see where they have been or are going.

On that note, the boat has state of the art navigation equipment and safety equipment and the Leopard Catameran is known to one of the safest ever made. It has a double fibreglass skin and has only a 1.2 metre draft. She also has replaceable keel strips, which is a really novel idea. She is also equipped with diving and fishing equipment, details of which will be contained in a spec sheet at the end of the article.
 
As the wind was light most of the time we spent most of our time motoring. When on occasion, the wind did pick up enough, John would hoist the sails and cut the engine. It was awesome to be under sail on the graceful Dandelion. We were however grateful that the wind was light as the sea conditions remained calm for pretty much the whole week, except of course when we planned to leave the lea of the islands and spend the day in deep water doing some serious fishing. Anyway, it was not to be, so we stayed closer to shore as we had a few on board including myself who don’t have the best sea legs .

Fishing off the Quirimbas:

Whenever we would travel, we would have 3 to 4 rods out the back with either feathers or Rapala’s trolling at various distances. All the boys and my 12 year old daughter are keen fisher folk, so it was great to have the opportunity to do this type of clean fishing while travelling and the rest of the party didn’t feel like they were being dragged on a fishing trip. It
wasn’t long after we left Pemba that we hooked our first fish. There was great excitement and it was all hands on deck as Sean, fought and landed a nice Wahoo (King Mackrell). It was about 8 kilograms and gave a great account of itself. We decided that this was to be our lunch. We picked up a few more fish of different size and species on this morning (which we let go), but eventually decided to bring the lines in as we weren’t making very good progress in getting to our destination as we kept on having to stop the boat to fight a fish. Not a bad complaint I must say. Over the next week we would fish in pretty much the same way. Not intense, but it was happening without us turning the trip into a fishing trip and everyone, even the non- fisherman had a chance to catch a nice size fish. Isabella filleted and prepared the Wahoo in two different ways. One fillet she prepared on the gas bar-b-cue at the back of the boat and the other fillet she did wrapped in foil and baked in the oven. Both were fantastic, but the one done on the bar-b-cue comes close to the best piece of fish I have ever tasted. That one fish fed everyone and there was plenty left over.

Snorkelling Quirimbas:

I was in the water within 5 minutes of arriving on the boat. The water temperature was magnificent! About 30 degrees C and maybe 5 degrees either side of that as we travelled. The water is very salty and this adds to the buoyancy factor. I found it great when snorkelling on the surface, but it was hard work when diving down to get a close look and some of the smaller reef fish. The water and the sea life were just so beautiful that you could not get enough of it. Also, during the day the temperature was in the mid 30’s (90 – 100 degrees F) and humidity high so we would cool off as often as possible. Getting into and out of the water is easy with the two pontoons running right down to water level and there is a
retractable step that is lowered into the water whenever we stopped. There is a hand shower as you get out of the sea, so we would rinse the sea water off before getting back onto the main deck. Although we brought deck shoes, we found
that bare feet gave the best feel and traction was not a problem
.The reefs vary in quality. As the locals rely on fishing for their survival, areas that are accessible by foot at low tide show signs of degradation on the inhabited islands. This is becoming more of an issue and will be the subject of another blog coming soon.

Things that we did not see:
Pirates, mosquitoes, dangerous sharks and jellyfish, pollution, crowds, sad faces

Animals we saw at sea: Turtles, dolphins, flying fish, reef fish, game fish, sea birds 

Game fish we caught:
Wahoo, barracuda, King fish (various), Small eastern Tuna, Rainbow Warrier. We only kept 3 fish, all which we ate. Tuna made delicious sushi and the Wahoo we grilled on the bar-b-que and OMG was it good!!!

If you would like to hear more or would like to take such a trip, please email me at: mark@edgetravel.co.za

Until next time

Mark Stodel