|
Congo Travel Special: Virunga National Park
Looking out over the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo
Our next few updates will be breaking new ground for us in a couple of ways. First, Sandor, Richard and I are all traveling to a destination together. That's something that we've never managed before. Second, we're headed somewhere that was, until a few years ago, way too dangerous to be on any tourist itinerary: the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Up to 2008, the DRC was being torn apart by a terrible civil war. Over the last couple of years, a measure of stability has returned to the country, though it's still not entirely safe.
We're heading to Virunga National Park in the east of the country. It's one of the most extraordinary places in all Africa. It has more species of mammals than any park in the world — 200 of them — and the diversity of its landscape is just mind boggling: from glaciers to active volcanos to rainforests and vast inland lakes.
Our hope is that we'll be trailblazing for future adventurous clients. As the situation in the DRC normalizes, it will become a place that more and more people will want to visit. All three of us are going because it's a trip that none of us want to miss out on.
P.S. It's a pride of lions, a leap of leopards and a bloat of hippos, but I have no idea what the collective noun for a group of safari guides is. Feel free to tweet your suggestions:www.twitter.com/ml_lorentz
A PASSION FOR AFRICA: About Michael Lorentz
Michael Lorentz is passionate about wildlife and the wilderness. He started his life in the bush in South Africa's Timbavati Game reserve in 1985, then moved to Botswana as assistant general manager of Gametrackers safaris. In 1991 he met Randall Moore, who successfully returned elephants from zoos back to the wild, and formed Elephant Back Safaris on half a million acres in the Okavango Delta. After nine successful years, Michael moved back to South Africa and joined forces with Mike Kirkinis to develop Passage to Africa. Michael now lives in Cape Town with his family and is heavily involved in ecotourism and conservation. Guiding remains his first professional love and he personally conducts privately guided safaris throughout Botswana, Zambia, South Africa, Namibia and East Africa.
ABOUT PASSAGE TO AFRICA
[Back to Press Releases Main]
|
