Happy Birthday, Gorongosa National Park! On this day in 1960, the Gorongosa Reserve in Mozambique was degreed a national park. It had been a game reserve since 1935.

You may have heard about Gorongosa when reporter Scott Pelley featured the national park on 60 Minutes in a segment called “Saving a Global Treasure.” View the video clip of Gorongosa on 60 Minutes.

With FIFA’s 2010 World Cup soccer championships going on now, many eyes are turned toward South Africa. If you haven’t yet visited one of the country’s many luxury safari lodges, you are missing out. Hidden away in the bush, these opulent lodges rival the best European hotels in terms of service, food and wine, and sometimes even spa treatments. Of course, the real draw of any safari is the chance to get close to the “Big Five:” elephant, lion, Cape buffalo, leopard, and black rhinoceros. In most of South Africa’s game reserves, you’ll see those species as well as many others

With FIFA’s 2010 World Cup soccer championships going on now, many eyes are turned toward South Africa. If you haven’t yet visited one of the country’s many luxury safari lodges, you are missing out. Hidden away in the bush, these opulent lodges rival the best European hotels in terms of service, food and wine, and sometimes even spa treatments. Of course, the real draw of any safari is the chance to get close to the “Big Five:” elephant, lion, Cape buffalo, leopard, and black rhinoceros. In most of South Africa’s game reserves, you’ll see those species as well as many others

If the World Cup has piqued your interest in South Africa, consider these luxury lodges:

Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve

Leopard Hills
Aptly named, you often won’t have to leave camp to see leopards. The resident female is frequently seen drinking from guest plunge pools and lounging on lodge decks. She has even left her cub on property while she went off hunting. If you don’t spot a leopard at the lodge, you almost certainly will during a game drive. Leopard Hills rangers and trackers regularly lead guests to sightings of lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, giraffe, wild dogs, and occasionally even cheetahs. This intimate lodge features eight air-conditioned glass-fronted suites—each with a private plunge pool and gorgeous views of the bushveld. The spacious bathroom features a standalone tub, his and her sinks, and both an indoor and outdoor shower. The main lodge offers a spa and small gym, library, dining room and bar, deck overlooking a watering hole, and swimming pool. Per person rates are approximately $1,000/night.

Kruger National Park

Singita Sweni Lodge
Singita is one of the most recognized names when it comes to luxury safari lodges. Here at Kruger National Park, Singita—a Relais & Chateaux property—offers two options: Sweni and Lebombo lodges. (over at Sabi Sands you’ll find Singita Ebony, Boulders, and Castelton Camps). Sweni Lodge, situated next to the Sweni River, intrigues many guests since it’s built on stilts—affording you a giraffe’s-eye view of the area. There are six open-concept suites, all with the obligatory outdoor shower. The big draw is the fact that you can sleep out under the stars on the day bed on your viewing deck. Per person rates are approximately $1,450/night.

Jock Safari Lodge
If you’re traveling to South Africa with children, Jock Safari Lodge should be at the top of your list. The lodge allows children over 7 to join the daily game drives (although kids need to be over 16 to go on a walking safari). If you need several rooms for your family anyway, consider booking “Little Jock.” This trio of suites come with a chef, waitress, and ranger. This level of privacy and flexibility is appreciated by families who may need to adjust the times of daily game drives to coincide with their children’s sleep and wake schedules. Per person rates are approximately $650/night. (Children 7–11 charged 50% of nightly rate. Children 12 and older require a separate room and are charged full price.)

Timbavati Private Game Reserve

Kings Camp
Kings Camp is one of the only places in the world where you have a chance to catch a glimpse of white lions in the wild. You may assume that white lions are a subspecies of Panthera leo, but they are not. These animals actually carry a recessive gene that acts as a color inhibitor that’s responsible for pure white coats instead of the usual tawny ones. Residents of the Timbavati area have told stories of these lions over the centuries. A pride of white lions is currently traversing the area near Kings Camp, so it’s definitely worth a visit. The rangers at Kings Camp also understand all aspects of wildlife photography and are fantastic when it comes to maneuvering the game drive vehicle so you’ll get the best shot of the animals being viewed. Per person rates are approximately $560/night.

Kapama Game Reserve

Camp Jabulani
For something completely different, look no further than Camp Jabulani (another Relais & Chateaux member). Not only is this one of Africa’s most opulent game lodges, it also offers elephant-back safaris. Here you’ll be granted one-on-one encounters with a herd of trained elephants, including six babies. (Many of these elephants were rescued from Zimbabwe, where they had been tagged for slaughter.) Now these animals live a privileged life at Camp Jabulani and guests are thrilled to make their acquaintance. The accommodations are no less exhilarating. During the day, the walls of your suite can be rolled back so you are one with the great outdoors. On chilly evenings, you’re sure to use the in-suite fireplace. There’s also an on-site spa that offers a variety of massage and skin care treatments. Per person rates are approximately $1,000/night.

Madikwe Game Reserve

Madikwe Safari Lodge
For those who are a bit nervous about safari vacations in the first place, a good first step is a trip to Madikwe Private Game Reserve, because it’s located in a malaria-free region. No special health precautions are required to visit this area of South Africa. &Beyond’s Madikwe Safari Lodge is one of the best accommodations in Madikwe. At twenty suites, this is a larger lodge than those mentioned above but the rooms are distributed across three separate camps so you’ll still get the “out in the bush” vibe. Animal sightings have been very good recently and often include cheetah and wild dog in addition to the Big Five. Per person rates are approximately $400/night.

To further research safari getaways in South Africa, visit South African Tourism.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com

Photo courtesy of Camp Jabulani

Sanctuary Chief’s Camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta reopened on April 21, 2010, after extensive upgrades. Returning guests will notice the extended deck in the lounge and dining area as well as a new furniture and thatched roof.

Views from the boma now feature the inspirational flood plain and the bar and gift shop have also been refurbished.

The flood waters of the Okavango Delta have already reached Sanctuary Chief’s Camp for the season and guests are enjoying the popular mokoro excursion.

If you’ve been dying to try this camp, now may be the time to do so as it’s are offering a “Stay 4 Nights, Pay for 3″ special. Travel dates are May 1–June 30, 2010.

For more information, contact your travel agent or Sanctuary Retreats.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com

Photo courtesy of Sanctuary Retreats

Ellerman House in Cape Town, South Africa

Reputable tour packager Kensington Tours is offering a new 8-night luxury vacation to South Africa. Dubbed “Sophisticated South Africa,” the package is privately guided so there’s no set departure dates. Go when your schedule dictates, not someone else’s.

You’ll spend four nights at Ellerman House in Cape Town. This chic hotel is know for its personalized service, and celebrities like Oprah, Sting, and Bono have all stayed here while traveling in South Africa.

The first part of your journey in Cape Town will take you to Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, Simons Town, Boulders Beach (for some playtime with the penguins), and nearby vineyards.

Next you’ll fly to Johannesburg and then connect to Kruger National Park, where you’ll make yourself at home at either Singita Lebombo Lodge or Sweni Lodge. Eight game drives are included, along with all meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) while on safari.

Pricing for Sophisticated South Africa has been reduced for departures between January 15–May 31, 2010 and August 1–December 15, 2010. The package is approximately $8,995 per person, based on double occupancy.

For more information, talk with your travel agent or Kensington Tours.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com

This page will be continually updated to archive a list of the luxury accommodations on the Zambia side of Victoria Falls. If you know of an option that’s not listed, please let us know!

Islands of Siankaba
Postnet 621, Private Bag E891, Lusaka
Tel: 260 211 260 279

The Royal Livingstone
Mosi-oa-Tunya Road, Livingstone
Tel: 260 213 321 122

Tongabezi Lodge & Sindabezi Island
Private Bag 31, Livingstone
Tel: 260 213 327 450
Rates: from $450 per person per night

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com

Photo of Sindabezi courtesy of Tongabezi Lodge

This page will be continually updated to archive a list of the game lodges in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park. If you know of a luxury lodge that’s not listed, please let us know!

Ana Tree Lodge
P.O. Box 32661, Lusaka
Tel: 260 211 250 730
Rates: $575 per person per night (doesn’t include the bar)

Chiawa Camp
P.O. Box 30972, Lusaka
Tel: 260 211 261 588

Chongwe River Camp
P.O. Box CA 102, Lusaka
Tel: 260 211 278 248

Kasaka River Lodge
Tel: 260 211 256 201
Rates: from $395 per person per night

Royal Zambezi Lodge
P/Bag CH42, Lusaka
Tel: 260 211 840 682
Rates: from $380 per person per night

Sanctuary Zambezi Kulefu Camp
Rates: from $400 per person per night

Sausage Tree Camp
P.O. Box 35139, Lusaka 10101
Tel: 260 211 845 204

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com

Photo courtesy of Sausage Tree Camp

I’ve been doing a lot of online holiday shopping and recently picked up some nice travel gifts at Magellan’s Travel Supplies. When my items arrived, the box also contained a flyer about Magellan’s partnership with a nonprofit organization called SEE International.

According to the organization, 75 percent of the world’s 37 million cases of blindness are actually treatable, making the loss of sight a humanitarian emergency.

SEE International puts together teams of volunteer ophthalmologists to go where their help is needed, including places like Thailand, Mexico, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.

Since 1974 SEE’s eye surgeons have performed more than 360,000 sight-storing procedures.

Magellan’s has been a corporate partner of SEE International for over 20 years, providing travel kits for surgeons as well as advertising outreach to its customers.

Expeditions to the following countries are scheduled for 2010: Swaziland, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Ghana, The Gambia, Nigeria, Namibia, and Kenya.

Donations are tax deductible and may be made online via a secure server. Visit See International’s website or call 1-(805)963-3303 and mention that you heard about the organization from Magellan’s Travel Supplies.

Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE) International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID #31-1682275.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com

Photo of Maasai woman and child courtesy of iStockPhoto.com

If you’re a member of HHonors, Hilton’s frequent guest program, you’ll want to keep tabs on the upcoming opening of Hilton Windhoek in Namibia.

Hilton Worldwide recently signed a management agreement with Pride of Africa Hospitality, Africa Pride Hospitality, and United Africa Group for the first Hilton property in the country.

Mark your calendar for mid-2010. That’s when this brand new 154-room hotel will open its doors in Namibia’s capital city.

This Hilton is especially appealing since it’s part of a mixed-use development that includes a casino, restaurants, and boutiques as well as residential houses and offices.

The hotel is under construction now. Stay tuned for more details as Hilton releases them.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com

Photo courtesy of Namibia Tourism Board

Project in Zambia with Plan Australia

Do you remember the 1999 movie Office Space with Jennifer Aniston and Ron Livingston? It’s a favorite of mine and if you haven’t seen it, I’ll need to explain one of the plot lines in order to set up this blog post.

Do you remember the 1999 movie Office Space with Jennifer Aniston and Ron Livingston? It’s a favorite of mine and if you haven’t seen it, I’ll need to explain one of the plot lines in order to set up this blog post.

Livingston plays Peter Gibbons, who works in an administrative role at a computer company called Initech. When his friends are laid off, they conspire to devise a way to skim fractions of pennies off all financial transactions being handled by Initech. Consider it micro-embezzling.

Think about it… fractions of a dollar seem like chump change on its own, but combine all those fractions together and we’re talking big money.

That’s sort of the concept that The Footprints Network, based in Australia, has embraced to fight poverty across the globe. They believe that micro donations—between $1 and $5—made by consumers during online transactions can help fund community development projects.

The network funds programs that upgrade farming, education, access to clean water, and sight restoration—all in an effort to eliminate poverty. One of the current projects on the docket focuses on improving farming in Zambia. This will, in turn, increase access to food for the poorest families in the region. Plan Australia is overseeing the training program.

Founded in 2004 by WorldNomads.com after the Asian tsunami, 302,278 individuals have raised more than $785,383 for 53 projects around the world.

“Alleviating the extreme cycle of poverty and the ills that accompany it is everyone’s moral responsibility,” said Chris Novel, general manager of WorldNomads.com. “Yet the extent of world poverty can seem so overwhelming that many of us are left feeling helpless and that the problems are just too big for any one person to make a difference.”

In just five years, WorldNomads.com has developed an independent network of e-commerce businesses that share the same ethics and values and, through technology, seek to change the world by asking customers spending money online to make a small donation to charity at the same time.

WorldNomads.com supports all administrative costs of the program so 100 percent of donations go directly to the projects.

While the network is small, it is growing. “We’re looking for more online e-commerce business partners to integrate the Footprints mechanism into their shopping carts and, transaction by transaction, help make a difference,” said Noble.

This is definitely a program worth watching. For more information, visit The Footprints Network.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com

Well, it’s finally our turn! The 2009 Travel Bloggers’ Caravan wraps up today at LuxurySafariExperts.com. It’s been a fun two weeks and I’ve discovered a lot of new travel blogs to watch throughout 2010. We hope you did too!

Today’s giveaway—a pair of Able Planet folding noise-cancelling headphones—is courtesy of Magellan’s Travel Supplies. If you still need to pick up some last-minute holiday gits, check out their website. Magellan’s offers some unique and very useful items for travelers.

If you’re traveling to Africa next year, you’ll want a pair of noise-reduction headphones. They dramatically cut back on airplane noise so you can listen to music or a movie in comfort. I tend to watch several movies on long-haul flights and noise-cancelling headphones have saved the day on more than one occasion.

Win a Pair of Able Planet Folding Noise-Cancelling Headphones

One lucky reader will be randomly chosen from all eligible entries to win a pair of Able Planet Noise-Cancelling Headphones. Contest starts at midnight on December 15 and ends the same day at 11:59 pm. You must have a mailing address within the United States in order to be eligible to enter and win.

How to Enter

Comment on this post between 12:00 am (midnight) and 11:59 pm on December 15, 2009. You’ll need to include your e-mail address so I may make contact if you are the winner. Good luck!

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxurySafariExperts.com