Great cultural safaris and Kilimanjaro climbs in Tanzania

Kambona Ole Tirra Mollel, owner and lead guide for Africa VIP Travel gave a great presentation at Exploration Works in Helena, MT, last night. Even though the event was organized last minute due to the troubles Kambona had in getting a visa to visit the US, turnout was good and the classroom was packed to overflowing. Way to show up Helena, and thanks Amy and the staff at Exploration Works for all your hard work setting this up!

Kambona gave a very detailed talk on climbing Mt Kilimanjaro, with route descriptions and details on why his trips are so good. Not all Kili trips are created equally, and Kambona has put a lot of thought and energy into choosing a route and itinerary that maximizes climber's experiences and sucess rates on Kilimanjaro. He treats his porters right, and carries portable toilets so his climbers don't need to use the disgusting public toilets where they risk getting stomach bugs.

He also had great slides and information on wildlife and cultural walking safaris in Tanzania.
The new pictures are great, and I for one am dying to go on a walking safari with Kambona or one of his other guides. The mix of cultural interaction with the Maasai and Bushmen tribes, combined with wildlife viewing looks like a truly memorable trip that totally blows away the traditional safari vehicle trip in Eastern Africa.

Look for more details soon on these great trips, including new photos and descriptions here: Mt Kilimanjaro and Tanzania Safaris.

Slideshows on Climbing Kilimanjaro and Tanzania Safaris

Detour is hosting Kambona Ole Tirra Mollel for several slideshows in Montana this week. Tomorrow, Tuesday May 20, Kambona will present at The Trailhead in Missoula (221 E. Front St. Missoula, Montana 59802) at 8 pm. Then, on Wednesday, May 21, he will present in Helena a the Exploration Works (995 Carousel Way Helena MT, 59601) at 6:30 pm. The events are open to the public.

Kambona will discuss trekking on Mt Kilimanjaro and walking and driving safaris in Tanzania. He will also share his perspective on tribal life in Tanzania. Here is the press release about his talks:

"KILIMANJARO THROUGH THE EYES OF A NATIVE MAASAI -
"For those of you who dream of traveling to Africa, this presentation is a fascinating glimpse into the land of Mount Kilimanjaro where there are over a thousand bird species, ecosystems ranging from jungle to desert, and fascinating cultures.

"Senior Tanzanian safari, trekking and climbing guide, Kambona Ole Tirra Mollel, will speak and present a slide show about his experiences as a guide and as a native in this area. Having climbed Kilimanjaro over 100 times, as well as Mount Kenya and Mount Meru, Kambona has a unique and unparalleled view of this fascinating destination.

"Kambona, who is native Maasai and trilingual, is also known for his funny and engaging talks. The accompanying slideshow will be an incredible display of some of the most exotic wildlife and ecology on the planet.Whether you want to learn about mountaineering, safari viewing or Maasai culture, this presentation is sure to inspire wanderlust in everyone."

We are pretty excited to have Kambona visit us in Helena, and to get him onto a mountain bike to show him some of Helena's great trails, as he is an avid biker back home in Tanzania.

Inca Trail Permits Sold out for August 2008

Inca Trail trekking permits have sold out incredibly quickly this year, and the trek is now sold out through the end of August. Permits are available on many start dates in September, but permit availability is limited until around September 19. October, November, and December still have good availability, except for the odd day in October. Click here to view more information on permit availability: Inca Trail Trek Permit Availability

What does this mean if you are heading to Peru this travel season? If you haven't already booked an Inca Trail trek, you won't be able to get a permit for the famous hike to Machu Picchu. Permits are issued to actual trekkers and are linked to their passport numbers, so once permits are sold out no outfitter can get you a permit for those dates. If you really want to trek the Inca Trail, there are still many permits available for Oct-Dec, or postpone your trip to next year and purchase it now.

Better yet, go ahead and go to Peru. There a number of fantastic alternative treks that go on Inca trails in the area, and all can be combined with a visit to Machu Picchu. All of these treks are less crowded than the Inca Trail, and local guides and others in the know claim many of them are much better treks than the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. I have done the Inca Trail a few times, and while I enjoy it very much, I personally would prefer one of these off-the-beaten-path trips. They offer fantastic scenery, interesting culture, and Inca ruins, all far from the crowds of the Inca Trail itself.

Chile's Chaiten Volcano Erupts Forcing Evacuation of Chaiten and Futaleufu

A surprise eruption of Chaiten Volcano in the Lake District /Northern Patagonia of Chile has forced the evacuation of the towns of Chaiten, Futaleufu, and Palena. This is the first eruption of Chaiten in more than 2,000 years, and was unexpected. An ash cloud rising 20 km (12 miles) above the volcano can be seen from great distances, and it is raining ashes for 100's of km around the mountain. The volcano is only 10 km from the town of Chaiten, and is 120 km west of Futaleufu, which has been coated in gritty ash.

The eruption has forced thousands of people to flee their homes, many traveling by boat to Chiloe Island and Puerto Montt on the mainland. People are staying in guesthouses and schools that have been turned into makeshift shelters.

It is unknown how this will affect the area in the future. The region is home to the world-class whitewater of the Futaleufu River. Detour will be offering Futaleufu River trips for late 2008-early 2009 soon. Check back for more details soon.

Detour Finally Gettled Settled in New Office in Helena, MT

We have finally moved into our new office space on the walking mall on Last Chance Gulch in historic downtown Helena, MT. It is exciting to have a new home for the business, and to finally get settled. We are in the lower level of the old Securities Building, right next to Taco del Sol. The location is great and the space is fantastic. It is the old Bullwhackers bar space that later became Flikkers coffee bar. We love being in the historic heart of Helena, and also love the easy access to the fantastic trail system here for lunchtime and after work trail runs and mountain bike rides.