Imlil is located in a valley where flowing icy water comes from the melting of snow during winter, which is then deposited on the tops of the mountains. This water is very well used by locals for agriculture. To this end, the people of this village have developed elaborate irrigation systems to water their fruit trees and fields.

The site offers tourists from all over the world several routes to follow. Imlil is also the starting point for all those who want to climb Mount Jbel Toubkal. Mount Toubkal being the highest mountain of Morocco is ranked eight highest peaks in Africa.

The easiest way to drive to Imlil is travelling from Marrakech. From this city, take the road leading to Asni and Tahenaout to get through. Road is fairly good until you reach Tahenaout. Beyond Tahenaout, it is always advised to walk because the road has suffered a lot of damage caused by rain. One needs to be careful and remember, driving and riding are the best means of transport to get to Imlil.

After crossing the gorge of Asni, picturesque village known for its weekly market on Saturdays, the route continues along a green valley where the mountains and impressive natural bastions play with colors.

The people of Imlil are big entertainers who welcome you on their land with a big smile. Tourism in this part of North Africa is largely increasing because people feel safe all the time, get to experience real life lessons from the natives. There are always people willing to help you visit the most interesting sites and the native Moroccan guides make sure you capture and keep only good memories of their culture.

You will find Imlil mountain guides in the area to assist you in the ascent of Toubkal and many other excursions. The guides are not all graduates, but most of them are native to the valley and the mountains. They know all the ins-and-out of the valley and, most importantly, teach you about the climate and the region’s history.

Finally, accommodation in Imlil is not a problem. You will find, in this small village, a variety of inns, guest houses, small hotels, rooms for rent, etc. It is up to you to choose the ideal accommodation package, according to your budget and the luxury you are looking for, to soak up the Moroccan culture and the Imlil’s way.

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With major crossroads on the east coast, the picturesque village of ‘Trou d’Eau Douce’ turned in recent years into a beautiful resort. This fishing village on the edge of a turquoise bay welcomes more and more travelers looking for a peaceful stay in the heart of this enchanting island every year. And if they like it because ‘Trou d’Eau Douce’ has a lot to offer.

Swept by the winds, ‘Trou d’Eau Douce’ is a breathtaking destination with its dazzling turquoise lagoon and its beautiful beaches of pristine white sand! Ideal for an enjoyable holiday in the sun, beautiful sandy coves of ‘Trou d’Eau Douce’ are perfect to relax – luxuriate under the palms for a relaxing time while sipping your cocktail, enjoying the beautiful views of the turquoise waters, indulging in many water sports in the area such as diving, windsurfing, kite surfing … or simply make any picnic with your family or with your partner memorable and let yourself be seduced by the variety of things to do and see in this place.

‘Trou d’Eau Douce’ is also the focal point for the inevitable trip to Mauritius – a visit to the island in the deer. This paradisiacal place has, in addition to its legendary lagoon with clear water, many restaurants but also a magnificent 18-hole golf course in an idyllic landscape to fill your days. The latter part of the 10 most beautiful golf courses in the world according to the Golf World Magazine. Various water activities are also available such as canoeing, sailing boat, boat trips, glass bottom, snorkeling, water skiing and windsurfing, etc.

The east coast of Mauritius, with its blue sky, its bright sunshine, turquoise waters and endless white sand beaches, is also home to some of the finest hotel deals in Mauritius. Perched on the beautiful coast, the winner of the 2012 Certificate of Excellence awarded by TripAdvisor, Hotel Lux Belle Mare (formerly Beau Rivage) invites you to dive into the authentic Mauritius while enjoying this luxury island. On the other hand, with a wide range of activities and a contemporary and relaxed atmosphere, Amber Hotel is one of the best places to stay for a lively holiday in a sublime setting compared to the Tropical Attitude Hotel, another charming place which has been recently renovated, in the heart of a garden planted with coconut trees.

If this former fishing village is particularly appreciated for its beautiful beaches that promote relaxation, it is also an ideal starting point to discover the inner richness of the island and meet the local people known for their kindness and warm hospitality. Take the time to ride a bike to travel around the village and discover the unusual landscapes, unique in this part of Mauritius. You can also experiment few additional local cultural activities including visiting the old sugar factory converted into a coffee shop and a restaurant where you have the opportunity to enjoy the Creole cuisine in the Flacq District.

Ultimately, ‘Trou d’Eau Douce’ simply promises you a pleasant stay in Mauritius with holidays that anyone could enjoy in an idyllic setting. Think of it and start planning your trip to Mauritius and start experiencing the splendor of this divine bay of ‘Trou d’Eau Douce’ for yourself or a family member.

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A real energy boulevard, the Congo River is by far the most pertinent tourist attraction in the country. The river separates the two Congos - Kinshasa and Brazzaville. Also known as the Zaire River, it is one of the most important rivers in Africa and is the deepest in the world. With measured depths in excess of 220m (720 ft), the Congo River is the third largest river in the world by volume of water discharged. Additionally, its overall length (4,700km 2,920 mi) makes it the ninth longest river.

Historically, this river got its name from the ancient Kingdom of Kongo (Royaume Kongo) which inhabited the lands at the mouth of the river. The tributaries of the Congo are the Ubangi, Sangha, Likouala, Alima, Mossaka, Nkéni, Léfini, Djoué and finally Loufoulakari. The average flow of the river is 40 000km3 / s, often up to 50 000m3 / s during rainy seasons and can go down to 30 000m3 / s during low flow periods or dry season (between May and September) which is the perfect time for tourists to plan a trip on the Congo River because the emergence of sandbanks, during this period, will promote relaxation and camping on the surrounding beaches.

Talking of surrounding places, the Kintélé Bay (30 km from Brazzaville) offers a favorable space for water skiing and sport fishing … In some other parts, the river looks in places as Lake extending to the horizon, and the width varies between 25 and 30 km. It is a paradise for fishermen. They say that it is very easy for them to fish and make a living out of their daily activity which they enjoy so much.

Until this day, the bustling underwater world of the Congo River is home to at least 686 species of fish, 80% of which are found nowhere else in the world. According to the Biodiversity Survey: Systematics, Ecology, and Conservation Along the Congo River, a snapshot of this aquatic habitat reveal the elephant fish, the air-breathing lungfish and the endearing killifishes. But there is much more to this amazing fish world than meets the eye.

Taking a trip to the Congo and not see the Congo River will be a great waste of time. Tourists are always amazed by the incredible views they get from Les Rapides, La Cataracte and other waterfalls sites next to the Djoue which, at the end of the day, make your Congolese experience an unforgettable trip. And again, meeting fishermen along the coast who come out of these waters with tiger fish weighing about 180kg is just a rewarding experience for any tourist. And when comes the sunset, you can enjoy the same fresh tiger fish as a very tasty meal served with cassava, fufu or plantains paired with a nice glass of wine or a cocktail, all this prepared by local Chefs who are experts on Congolese and French gourmet cuisines.

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Head of the department of the ocean, the city is bordered by sandy beaches. During the day, people spend time on the beautiful beaches enjoying sweet coconut milk and the sunny weather which in this region reaches 25 degrees all year round.

In the afternoons, while spending time under the coconut trees, visitors can see many fishermen returning from the sea with their boats. One interesting thing is that anyone can buy fresh fish directly from them at a very low cost.

The evening atmosphere is lively thanks to many people scattered throughout the city restaurants. This is the right time to enjoy the famous Kribi shrimps, lobsters, prawns, grilled fish, plantains, prunes and grilled sweet corns. Who could say no to such a delightful combination of nutritious food?

For the young visitors of Kribi, please be assured that visiting Kribi is still a good idea and you will find great spots and a amazing variety of nightclubs in the area. The atmosphere is hot, especially on weekends when many Cameroonians and expats come from Douala and Yaoundé to entertain themselves. One can easily learn how to dance Makossa, the traditional music.

Please be assured that your stay in Kribi will be very much interesting if you visit one of the internet cafes around. Internet connection is very cheap for the public and you can share your pictures with the rest of the world as soon as you can. People are very friendly and telephone communications, as well as by fixed or mobile, are also easy and cheap. One thing is for sure, the means of transport will amaze visitors and the most prevalent in the city are taxis and motorcycles. These two means of transport will be found at all hours of the day and night. It will cost every tourist less than a dollar race.

For those who want to venture out of Kribi, about ten kilometers south of the city on the track, are the beautiful waterfalls of Lobe, a turbulent cascade of more than 100 meters wide which falls in salt waters of the Gulf of Guinea. Always in the same direction at 50 kilometers from Kribi, lies the fishing village of Ebodjé. Tourists can make trips in canoes and observe sea turtles that come floating on the beaches between November and January.

If you are planning to go to Kribi this year, please know that this town is considered as the top tourist destination in the country. Do not expect to find highly sophisticated equipment in this resort but learn to enjoy its white sand beaches lined with coconut palms; all this will make you smile after a harrowing journey across the country. As a bonus, you can enjoy the various tropical fruits and just enjoy the views and get to know the culture through its people.

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Cape Verde is one of the few tropical resorts absolutely safe and not invaded by mass tourism, and it offers a great range of activities for visitors. Sea and beach tourism, eco-tourism, water sports or mountains activities. Here everything is possible under the spell of the islands where peace and security prevail in an atmosphere marked by hospitality and cheerfulness of the island.

Today, we have the pleasure to discuss the beauty of Sal, one of the Cape Verdean islands. Originally called “Lhana”, because of its very flat landscape, the island later adopted its current name, after discovering that its water contained the largest amount of salt in the country. To date, Sal is reputed for the large quantities of salt exported between the 18th and the first half of the 20th century, to the coast of Africa and Brazil.

The Pedra de Lume saline (salt works), situated in the crater of an ancient volcano, are the best example, and this city is well worth a visit. Their only access is curious – via a tunnel that seems to separate two different worlds. The view is unique and the colour of the ground covered with salt that varies from turquoise blue, white and pink. However, this industry has been abandoned for so many years, and the island is now famous for its seaside tourism quality.

Considered the “youngest” island of the country, Sal has a population whose average age is very low and is still looking for its own identity. Its development began with the high demand for labour in the salt works, but got to its peak later with the construction of Amilcar Cabral, the largest international airport and gateway output of Cape Verde. It is located at the southern tip of the island of extraordinary beauty, where the turquoise sea and golden beaches are superimposed on an arid and barren nature, which makes it the most beautiful destination in the country.

In the small town of Santa Maria, is a beach of the same name in the archipelago, the best known and most exploited resort. Situated at the edge of the beach 8km of golden sand, with warm sea all year round, are located the most important hotel units and the best in the country. Over the years, this place has gradually turned into a tourist destination, popular with visitors from around the world. The practice of most water sports is encouraged by the hotels that offer tourists to enjoy most of these ideal conditions. Lovers of windsurfing, diving and fishing there are a paradise and championships are frequently held, some even internationally, as in the case of windsurfing.

In Cape Verde, it is recommended to enjoy the ambience of a divine dinner in restaurants that overlook the beach. The Cape Verdean atmosphere is enhanced by groups of musicians, whose sounds lull visitors while they savour the gastronomic specialties, listening to the soothing waves.

In addition to these beautiful views, there are natural pools formed by large concave naturally carved in the rocks and constantly met by the breaking waves. These are safe for those who wish to swim and it is an ideal place for people of different origins. Between this place and the beach of Santa Maria, 2 km from the airport, is the small town of Espargos, the main urban center of the island. It seems guarded by the small hill Morro do Coral, where you can admire the Morro Pedra de Lume (which hides the salt) and Palmeira, a fishing village where the seaport of the island and a pool of feature lobsters. Overall, the experience of Sal is wonderful and self-satisfying.

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Over the next three years, Novartis will support the campaign financially and also donate up to three million full courses of its pediatric antimalarial drug to match the treatments donated by the public, doubling the impact of these donations.

“Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease, yet a child dies from malaria every minute,” the company said in an official statement.

“We believe that this innovative campaign will help speed malaria elimination,” said Joseph Jimenez, Novartis Chief Executive Officer.

“Novartis has been striving towards this goal for more than a decade, and we just reached the milestone of providing 600 million treatments without profit to patients in malaria-endemic countries. No one should die from malaria today.”

The development comes following the backdrop of global funding gaps and concern that the gains made to defeat Malaria could be reversed. The Power of One campaign aims to address this need by closing the global treatment gap between now and the end of 2015 through direct donations and existing government commitments.

“The Power of One campaign challenges the global public to help close the global treatment gap for malaria; every dollar raised will buy and deliver a full course of life-saving child treatment,” said Martin Edlund, CEO of Malaria No More. “We are delighted to be partnering with forward-thinking companies like Novartis to help end deaths from this disease — one dollar and one child at a time.”

Novartis alongside some of the world’s most innovative companies, including Alere who will be providing malaria rapid diagnostic tests, Time Warner, Twitter and others have joined forces to ensure the success of the Power of One campaign. The campaign will use the latest social, mobile, and e-commerce technologies to rally the global public to contribute to the campaign.

“Malaria is a complex issue and needs a multi-pronged collaborative approach. We can’t solve a problem like this on our own,” said Linus Igwemezie, Head of Novartis Malaria Initiative.

“Through partnerships, with organizations like Malaria No More, we can speed up progress toward the ultimate goal of malaria elimination.”

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Speaking at an event in New York, van Schalkwyk revealed that the country’s tourism sector grew by 10.5 percent, surpassing global estimate.

“Last year we grew at more than double the world average – 10.5 percent for January to November 2012, compared to a global average growth of 4percent,” he said.

“With growth rates of more than double the world average and quadruple the world average if one takes overseas visitors into account, we can look back very favourably on 2012.”

With these statistics, van Schalkwyk says South Africa stands out as a top tourism destination in the world.

“Visitors to South Africa stand in awe of how much this country has to offer, which includes the variety of experiences, the value for money, our world-class tourism infrastructure, and of course our culturally-diverse people.”

To boost the country’s tourism sector, van Schalkwyk said SA will focus on building its business and leisure tourism.

According to the Minister, “It is by far fastest growing segments of our economy — 9.6 percent — and we intend that to be in the double digits soon.”

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Wildlife is superb and Zambian lodges and safari organizers are able to offer the tourists the best possible safari they can ever dream of. There are a wide range of exciting activities including the legendary walking safari in the middle of nature, rafting at international level, bungee jumping into the gorges below Victoria Falls, swimming, climbing, Canoeing on the Zambezi, surfing, excellent fishing and breathtaking African sunsets.

The Victoria Falls is one of the world’s biggest waterfalls; it is also a home to one of the most amazing natural waterborne phenomenon or as the locals in Zambia call it – The Devil’s Pool. The Pool is right on the edge of the falls. When the river flow is at a low level but still pretty awesome and massive (generally from September until December), a rock wall on the edge of the 100 meter falls slows down the current and prevents the brave from going overboard though it is definitely not a safe place to stand. Some deaths have occurred, in that place, as a result of people that slipped over the rock barrier. Still, there is one professional guide company that is allowed to take people to this pool, charging tourists a relatively small fee, and anyone can get to the Devil’s Pool through a little hike on Livingston Island.

Primarily known for Victoria Falls, Zambia has many other advantages: the country has several national parks and nature reserves which are home to large colonies of elephants, lions, leopards and giraffes. Zambia offers so many opportunities for safaris, far from major parks widely popular in South Africa or Namibia. The Zambian capital, Lusaka, is a vibrant city, which allows you to quickly soak up the culture. Take a trip to Zambia if you are looking for a magical and peaceful destination away from major tourist trail.

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Art Dubai 2013, the leading international art fair in the Middle East and South Asia chose to focus on West Africa through MARKER — a curated section of galleries spotlighting a country or region — selected by curator Bisi Silva (Director, Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos).

Lagos-based Silva presented five galleries: Espace Doual’ art (Douala, Cameroon), Carpe Diem (Segou, Mali), Nubuke Foundation (Accra, Ghana), Raw Material Company (Dakar, Senegal) and Centre for Contemporary Art (Lagos, Nigeria) each reflecting the wide diversity of artistic practice in West Africa. The featured works exhibited represented the largest showcase to date of artists from the continent in the Middle East and included works across painting, photography, sculpture, sound art, and film. The artists participating include Soly Cissé, Ndidi Dike, Charles Okereke, Mary Evans, Abdoulaye Konaté, Aboubakar Fofana, Taiye Idahor, Em’Kal Eyongakpa and Ade Adekola.

Art Dubai located in the splendour of the city’s Madinat Jumeirah attracted a sea of heavy-hitters from the art world including Tate Modern Head of Exhibitions Achim Borchardt-Hume, Anne Pasternak, Artistic Director of Creative Time in New York, to Catherine Grenier, Associate Director of the Centre Pompidou in Paris and Curator Hans Ulrich Obrist. Important collectors of modern and contemporary African art were also in attendance: Prince Yemisi Shyllon, Sammy Olagbaju and Sandra Mbanefo Obiago all came to view works available from 75 galleries across the globe exhibiting at the illustrious fair.

Lagos-based writer-editor Tolu Ogunlesi who partcipated in Global Art Forum_7, the leading platform for cultural discussion and debate at the fair said, ” It was my first time at Art Dubai, and I was equally intrigued and impressed. The high-points of the fair for me were MARKER 2013 and the Yemisi Shyllon session. I felt understandably proud, as a Nigerian, listening to Prince Shyllon speak about his matchless collection, and now firmly believe that Nigerian and African art are on the cusp of deserved global prominence.”

By day one, many of the galleries within MARKER reported steady sales. Raw Material Company from Dakar sold a sculpture Valeur Marchande, 2012 by artist Senegalese Henri Sagna who primarily uses recycled materials, priced at $4000. Accra’s Nubuke Foundation solo booth of paintings by renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover proved one of the fair’s star attraction and did brisk business with his series of vibrant coloured cityscapes selling for between $15,000-20,000. The wire and scrap-iron sculptures by Joseph Francis Sumégné on display at Cameroon’s Espace Doul’ art attracted serious interest from a private collector.

From Segou in Mali, Carpe Diem gallery featured a stunning collection of black and white photographs by Harandane Dicko selling at $1500 each. The 35 years old photographer based in Bamako has in recent years been making a name for himself in what has been heralded as the new school of Malian photography continuing the tradition of Malick Sidibe, Hamidou Maiga, Adama Kouyaté, Soungalo Male and Seydou Keita. MARKER curator Bis Silva and her Centre for Contemporary Art in Lagos gathered praise for its eclectic booth notably for exhibiting sound artist Emeka Ogboh, Interludes, 2009, priced $3800 an edition of five. The sound installation including prints of sound waves explores 50 years of Nigeria’s independence. Using archival sound recordings of the voices of two of Nigeria’s former Head of States, Nnamidi Azikiwe and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the work examines the promises independence imposes itself on the contemporary present uncovering the ways in which nostalgia and memory play in the imagining of the nation.

Meanwhile many blue-chip galleries at the fair took the opportunity to exhibit a number of artists from Africa from their gallery programme. Italy’s Galleria Continua sold a work by Cameroon-born artist Pascale Marthine Tayou Chalks and Pins O, 2011, priced at $100,000 to the Belgian collector Guy Ullens.

Galerie Imane Fares from Paris showed two tapestry pieces with embroidered silk Lazy Haze, 2013 and Late Afternoon Shimmer, 2013 from Malawian-born and South African based artist Billie Zangewa’s. The Lebanese-Senegalese born dealer, who opened her self-named gallery in 2010 in the city’s fashionable St Germain focuses on contemporary art from the Middle East and Africa has drawn critical praise for her diverse programme of young and emerging artists and its elegantly curated exhibitions. Fares praised the fair and its excellent organisation, adding, “They were good curators around, and good collectors, also foundations! We sold works to a Turkish foundation. We will be doing the fair again next year”. Also at New York’s Lombard Freid Projects, the gallery displayed works from Mournir Fatmi, selling the Moroccan artist’s Father’s Carpet # 8, 2012, priced at $32,000.

Other wonderful surprises include works from a trio of distinguished Benin artists, Meschac Gaba, Dominique Zinkpè and Romuald Hazoumè. A display of Gaba’s iconic wigs’s and Zinkpè luscious paintings on paper took centre stage at Paris’ Galerie In Situ + Fabienne Leclerc while Hazoumè’ s Water Cargo, 2012, made of reconstituted motorcycle parts and plastic canisters graced the stand at London’s October gallery. Elisabeth Lalouschek, Director of the gallery maintained that there were ongoing discussions regarding the installation being acquired by an institution The artist himself was present at Art Dubai and could be regularly spotted elegantly roaming the fair in his exquisitely designed agbadas.

Maria Varnava, Founder and Director of Tiwani Contemporary in London focusing on visual art from Africa and its diaspora didn’t exhibit at this year’s fair but expressed what many fairgoers felt, “I thought Art Dubai 2013 was a well balanced, well organised fair with a strong talks programme. It was really exciting to see that this year’s MARKER curated section focused on West Africa and that the participating institutions from the region did very well in terms of sales. I really enjoyed Hossein Valamanesh at Grey Noise, Rana Begum at Bischoff/ Weiss but also, Em’Kal at Doual’art, Emeka Ogboh, Taiye Idahor at CCA, Lagos to name a few”.

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Malawi is a beautiful country with a varied nature with high mountains, white sand beaches. One of the most popular destinations in Malawi is Cape Maclear. With spectacular turquoise water, sand dunes and mountains surrounding Lake Malawi, Cape Maclear is a great place for kayaking, diving and hiking. Offering more than that, this small seaside town of West Africa is also a great place to do nothing but enjoy the African sun and sandy beaches of beautiful Lake Malawi.

Another popular natural attraction in Malawi, Mulanje Mountain, is the highest point and the area is mostly known for walking, hiking and climbing. Mount Mulanje is a mountain of 3002 m, with spectacular scenery, hiking trails and swimming holes located on the boats of the mountain. To facilitate walking, there are a few huts for accommodation in the area.

Another popular urban destination in Malawi is the capital Lilongwe, a popular travel destination, and Blantyre which is the business center and main business area of the country.

Finally, Malawians are warm and friendly people who live in a beautiful country. For many years now, Malawi has been known as one of the most appropriate destination for African economic classes and even for business trips. But before you start planning your next visit to Malawi, make sure to travel during the right season. Do not forget that the climate in Malawi is hot throughout the year: they vary between 22 and 28 ° C. The warmest time of the year in Malawi is between September and December. The best time to visit Malawi is between April and August.

If you happen to seek a beautiful growing ecotourism destination in Africa, do not hesitate to pick Malawi.

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