USA,Walt Disney World® Resort

Walt Disney World® Resort

The world’s largest theme park, Walt Disney World Resort, covers a space twice the size of Manhattan, delivering the Disney promise of magical escapism and thrilling rides. It is divided into four theme parks, alongside water parks, restaurants, theatres and hotels. The best-known of the theme parks is the Magic Kingdom, which provides traditional Disney rides and attractions and allows visitors to meet their favourite Disney characters. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is an animal park, where visitors can learn about the animal kingdom, enjoy shows such as the ‘Festival of the Lion King’, and go on an animated jungle trek or African-style safari. Disney-MGM Studios is a Hollywood-inspired theme park featuring rides, shows and tours of Hollywood sets, both real sets and reconstructions, including a children’s playground adventure based on the film ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’. Epcot is a science-based park which explores the earth’s natural phenomena and the human anatomy, as well as taking visitors on virtual trips around countries such as China and France (in World Showcase) and offering a glimpse into the technology of the future (in Future World). Air: Orlando International Airport. Road: Car: I-95, then I-4 (from New York, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Richmond, Baltimore or Washington, DC); I-4 to Osceola Parkway West (exit 3) (from Orlando International Airport).

Contact Addresses

Walt Disney World® Resort, PO Box 10040, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830, USA Tel: (407) 824 2222 or 934 7639 (tickets) Website:

Location

United States of America, Orlando

South Africa

Kruger National Park

At 20,000 sq kilometres (7722 sq miles), Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa and boasts the world’s highest concentration of species. Created in 1898 to protect the flora and fauna of the South African Lowveld, the park is named after its original proponent, President Paul Kruger. Today, it is home to a wealth of wildlife, including cheetahs, leopards, lions, rhinos, wildebeest, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, antelope and impala. The park is also renowned for its cultural heritage sites, including many native rock art sites. At Thulamela Hill, visitors can see the excavated remains of a late Iron Age settlement, whilst the village of Masorini provides an excellent example of the way of life of the Stone Age hunter-gatherers who inhabited South Africa long before the first white settlers arrived. Air: Johannesburg International Airport, Skukuza Airport (domestic flights). Road: Coach: Services from Mpumalanga. Car: Mpumalanga Highway.

Contact Addresses

South African National Parks, PO Box 787, Pretoria 0001, South Africa Tel: (012) 248 9111 Website:

Location

South Africa

Cape Point

Part of the Cape Peninsula National Park, Cape Point is an 8000-hectare (19,770-acre) narrow promontory of land jutting into a stretch of open sea popularly believed to be the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. The peninsula, situated 60km (37 miles) southwest of Cape Town, is characterised by towering sea cliffs, the highest in South Africa, which reach a height of 249m (817ft). Criss-crossed by spectacular walks and trails, the area also features whale and penguin watching, tidal pools, over a thousand species of indigenous plants and a variety of mammals, such as baboon and buck. Popular activities around Cape Point also include abseiling, parasailing, horseriding and surfing.

Contact Addresses

Cape Peninsula National Park, PO Box 37, Constantia, 7848 Western Cape, South Africa Tel: (021) 701 8692 Website:

Transportation

Air: Cape Town International Airport. Rail: Train: Simon’s Town Station. Road: Bus: Public services. Car: M3 towards Muizenberg (from Cape Town); M4 towards Cape Point (via Simon’s Town).

Location

South Africa

Kenya

Mount Kenya National Park

A wide variety of wildlife inhabits the park, some unique to it, including Sykes and Colobus monkeys, buffalo, elephants, black rhinos, leopards, the elusive Bongo antelopes and giant forest hogs. It is also home to many species of birds such as the giant kingfisher, olive pigeons and red-fronted parrots. Air: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Wilson Airport. Rail: Train: Thika Station. Road: Bus: Services to Nanyuki (from Nairobi). Car: A2 heads northwest from Nairobi, by-passing Murunga, before heading west around the base of Mount Kenya to Nanyuki.

Contact Addresses

Senior Warden, Mount Kenya National Park, PO Box 69, Naru Moru, Kenya Tel: (0171) 2383

Mombasa

Introduction

Sultry, dusty Mombasa is the gateway to Kenya's sparkling Indian Ocean coast. Crammed onto an island that is connected to the mainland by a short causeway to the west, a bridge to the north and a ferry to the south, this distinctly tropical city is steeped in history. Its chunky fort, historic houses and cosmopolitan population bear witness to its long pedigree as a trading centre: Swahili, African, Indian, Chinese, Omani and British traders have been striking deals here since the 12th century, and dhows (traditional sailing boats) still ply the surrounding waters.

Who goes there?

Most of the tourists who fly into Mombasa waste no time in heading out of town to the beach resorts to the north and south. The mixed bag of hotels in the city centre cater to business visitors, independent travellers and urban aficionados, while the beach suburbs have a few package holiday hotels.

Where in the world?

Mombasa, the largest city on the Kenyan coast and the largest Indian Ocean port in East Africa, is situated in the south of the country, 85km (53 miles) from the border with Tanzania. The Kenyan capital, Nairobi, is 487km (303 miles) inland, to the northwest. The coral outcrop of Mombasa Island measures just 5km (3 miles) by 3km (2 miles).

When to go?

The best months to visit Mombasa are January to March when the chance of rain is low. Temperatures are fairly consistent fluctuating between 27-31°C (81-88°F) during the day and rarely dipping below 22°C (72°F) at night. April to June are the wettest months with frequent often heavy rainfall.

Flying in

Moi International Airport, Mombasa (MBA)