Ninth issue of free "Safari" digimag out now!

The ninth issue (Oct- Dec 2012) of the free online digimag Safari just got published. Safari is an interactive monthly travel magazine about Africa from the multiple award-winning Africa Geographic publishing stable.

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The ninth issue of Safari covers stories about:

• a food safari in South Africa
• South Africa's Cradle of Humankind
• Six of Africa's Best National Parks
• 48 Hours in Maputo in Mozambique
• surf n' turf safari in Mozambique
• Freshlyground's "My Africa"
• and much more...

South Africa: 430 rhinos killed by poachers so far in 2012

According to the latest statistics released by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), South Africa has lost 430 rhinos to illegal poaching since the beginning of 2012. Kruger National Park remains the hardest hit by poachers, having lost 258 rhinos since the beginning of this year. Limpopo has lost 48 rhinos to illegal poaching; KwaZulu-Natal has lost 50 rhinos and the North West province 43 rhinos.
The number of individuals arrested in connection with rhino poaching is 205 . Of those arrested, 177 are at the level of poacher, 10 are receivers and 18 are couriers.

Latest rhino poaching figures (as of 02 October 2012): 

• Kruger National Park (SANParks) - 258 rhinos poached
• Mapungubwe National Park (SANParks) - 3 rhinos poached
• Gauteng - 1 rhino poached
• Limpopo - 48 rhinos poached
• Mpumalanga - 18 rhinos poached
• North-West Province - 43 rhinos poached
• Eastern Cape - 7 rhinos poached
• Free State - 0 rhinos poached
• KwaZulu Natal - 50 rhinos poached
• Western Cape - 2 rhinos poached
• Northern Cap - 0 rhinos poached

The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has urged members of the public to report incidents of rhino poaching or any tip-offs that could lead to arrests and prevention of illegal killings to 0800 205 005.

LAM Mozambique Airlines to resume Maputo <> Harare flights

Mozambique's national airline Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, better known as LAM Mozambique Airlines, has announced that it will resume flights between Maputo and Harare in Zimbabwe. Starting on 31 Oct 2012, LAM will fly twice a week to the Zimbabwean capital - on Wednesdays and Sundays. The flights, both to and from Harare, will be via Beira, Mozambique's second largest city.
LAM Mozambique Airlines last served Harare in the early 2000s, but then dropped the service due to the downturn in the Zimbabwean economy.

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Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi (Kenya) named winner of the Africa section of the World Routes Awards 2012

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya, was named the winner of the Africa section of the World Routes Awards 2012. Kenya's biggest airport is followed by Accra International Airport in Accra, Ghana, ("Highly Commended). Entebbe International Airport in Entebbe in Uganda, Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and Mombasa's Moi International Airport (Kenya) got shortlisted.
The World Routes Awards have grown and developed over the last 15 years and are unique within the industry because they are voted for exclusively by the airline network planning community. The prestige of these industry awards, which recognise excellence in air service development by airports, is largely due to this method of voting.

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Turkish Airlines to launch flights to Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) & Mombasa (Kenya)

Turkey's flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, announced that it will launch flights to Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) and Mombasa (Kenya). From 04 December 2012, the airline will be operating five weekly flights routed Istanbul (Turkey) - Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) - Mombasa (Kenya) - Istanbul (Turkey).
Turkish Airlines, a Star Alliance member since 2008, is currently operating  scheduled services to 160 international and 41 domestic cities (38 domestic airports), serving a total of 201 airports, in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

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RwandAir: Various schedule changes

Rwanda's national carrier, RwandAir, has announced various changes of its Winter 2012/13 timetable, effective 01 October 2012.

• Kigali <> Bujumbura (Burundi)
  13 flights per week, instead of 14 flights per week
• Kigali <> Cyangugu/Kamembe (Rwanda)
  10 flights per week, instead of 12 flights per week
• Kigali <> Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
  daily flights, instead of 4 weekly fligths
• Kigali <> Entebbe (Uganda)
  21 flights per week, instead of 20 flights per week
• Kigali <> Gisenyi (Rwanda)
  3 weekly flights, instead of 6 flights per week
• Kigali <> Johannesburg (South Africa)
  7 weekly flights, instead of the planned increase from 8 to 10 weekly flights
• Kigali <> Lagos (Nigeria)
  5 weekly fligths per week, instead of the previously  planned daily service
• Kigali <> Mwanza (Tanzania)
  Service increases from 3 to 4 weekly flights
• Kigali <> Nairobi (Kenya)
  21 weekly flights, instead of 11 weekyl flights.
• Kigali - Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)/Mombasa (Kenya)
  Kilimanjaro overall service reduces from 4 to 3 weekly flights, while Mombasa remains unchanged. Service to operate Kigali – Kilimanjaro – Mombasa - Kigali
• Kigali - Libreville (Gabon)/Brazzaville (Rep. of Congo)
  4 weekly flights, instead of 3 flights per week. Operational routing change sees 2 weekly flights Kigali – Brazzaville – Libreville – Kigali and 2 in opposite direction
• Kigali <> Dubai
  daily flights, instead of 6 weekly fligths.  The daily service operates nonstop in both directions, replacing 3 weekly flights each of nonstop and 1-stop via Mombasa (Kenya)

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Kruger National Park Calendar - November

Weather:

• early summer
• very hot days and warm evenings
• rain - rainfall usually double that of October

Temperatures:

• between 16°C - 32°C (Fahrenheit: e.g. 28°C = [(28x9)]/5 + 32 = 82.4°F)
• visit travelcomments.com/webcams_sa.htm and follow daily game drives via webcam to check the weather & how the landscape is changing during the year

Landscape:

• lush vegetation
• many trees in flower
• new pans appear in drier areas
• river levels start rising

 Animal Activity:

• breeding season underway for most animals
• plains animals very aggressive in protecting their young as predator activity increases
• explosion in insect activity after the first good rains

Kruger National Park info guide >>
Kruger National Park tours >>
accommodation in the Kruger NP area >>

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