The Rich Biodiversity of Africa

This rich biodiversity of Africa supports its tourism industry by organizing camps and tours of its excellent wild life parks that give a glimpse of the famous lion, leopard, elephant and rhino. The wonderful safari parks in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania offer an unparalleled wild life spectacle for adventure seekers. The luxury casino resort at Sun City in South Africa is also a popular weekend destination for the elite. Africa has boundaries like the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Red Sea to the northeast and the Indian Ocean to the southeast. The great African Continent expands across the equator. It is the oldest land mass known to man. Africa is the second largest continent in the world after Asia and is home to the earliest civilizations of the world like those of Ancient Egypt. The continent geographically boasts of gigantic mountains, tropical rainforests and three large deserts. They are the Sahara, the Kalahari and the Namib. The climate ranges from tropical to sub arctic on its highest peaks like Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and Mount Mawenzi. It is a continent known for its diverse ecosystems and a variety of wild life population. Although Africa is considered as one of the richest nations in natural resources, it is still riddled with economic problems of poverty, malnutrition and underdevelopment. It has abundant reserves of diamonds, gold, petroleum, cobalt and coltan which is a dullish black metallic mineral taken out of the mines of Congo. A majority of the world’s software devices and mobile phones today use Coltan and there is a great demand for it. [Source: Wikitravel.Org]

The Great Himalayan Circuit and the Impressive Himachal Pradesh Mountains

Himachal Pradesh is a favourite destination for many tourists in the northern part of India. Thousands of foreign and local travellers come here every year to see the rugged mountains of the western Himalayas that crown this state. Very few places in India can match the incredible range of the high altitude deserts, the expansive apple orchards, the serene pine forests and the rolling foothills of the lofty hill stations. The lower hills swell with palaces, castles, temples and forts. Himachal Pradesh is home to all the major Himalayan ranges. These high altitude deserts are cut off from the outside world by snow for almost six months of a year. The mystique of the Himachal Pradesh Mountains is impressive. The lofty peaks of the Dhaula Dhar, Pir Panjal and western Himalayan range provide an opportunity for adventure activities ranging from rafting and treks to skiing and Buddhist meditation. The Tibetan Buddhist culture is prevalent in the ancient monasteries of Lahaul and Spiti. The elevation of the Dhaula Dhar Mountains ranges from four thousand to six thousand metres above sea level. In the east, Shimla is India’s most popular hill station. Further north, Kinnaur is the eastern neighbour to Spiti and is fast becoming a popular destination for domestic hill tours. In central Himachal Pradesh, Kullu and Manali valleys provide a great attraction for foreign tourists, adventurers and honeymooners. Manali is the start of the main overland route to Ladakh. In fact, the Great Himalayan Circuit starts in Kashmir and slides through the mountain valleys of Ladakh, Lahaul and Spiti to Kinnaur and ends in Shimla. [Source: Wikipedia and Lonely Planet Travel Guide]