SPS Travel is in Metro Society this month and we made it on the front cover, too! Swipe left to read more on how and why Special Personal Sojourns came to be, our Dream Journeys, and the Top Three Things one must bring, no matter what kind of trip you’re on! 📸@metrosocietyph and @sps_travel . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, @shysala, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #metrosociety #luxuryissue #luxurymagazine #holidayissue #magazinecover #coverpage #philippines #kcconcepcion #alyborromeo #sharoncuneta #iceland #jordan #iran #oman #portugal #europe #northamerica #southamerica #asia #antarctica #africa #australia #familytravel #luxurytravel #luxurytrip #femmetravel
TOP SPS TRAVEL TIP: Did you know that there are more pyramids in just one portion of northern Sudan than there are in all of Egypt? Egypt has 138, while Sudan has 255! In fact, some of the archeological sites found in Sudan are several hundred years older than those of its northern neighbor, as both counties were once part of the ancient Kingdom of Nubia. The four prominent locations which are home to these Nubian pyramids are El-Kurru, Jebel-Barkal, Nuri and, the mother-lode Meroe, which has 200 out of the 255! Nubian Pyramids (ranging from 6-30 meters) may not be as impressively massive as their counterparts in Egypt (138 meters, on average), but if you consider yourself a true travel pioneer and are planning a visit to this enigmatic country, you will definitely have the place almost all to yourself — a real luxury in this day and age! Just avoid Sudan’s intensely hot summer months and aim to travel between November - March. 📸@smartertravel . . . . . @shysala, #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, #privateguide, #bespoke #traveltips . . . . . #sudan #nubian #africa, #northafrica #kushite, #meroe #ancienthistory #archaeology, #egyptology #empire #pyramids #nubia, #unesco #unescoworldheritage #ruins #kingdom #landscape, #ig_landscape, #adventuretravel #lifeofadventure, #couplesgetaway #coupletravel, #couplestrip, #instaculture #culturetravel
This charming neighborhood in the beautiful city of Cape Town is Bo-Kaap, formerly known as the Malay Quarter. During the apartheid era, this was the main township where the Cape Malays were housed, and this was also where the religion of Islam was first introduced to South Africa (the oldest mosque was established here in 1794). The Cape Malays who first resided in the Malay Quarter were known for their prized skills in carpentry, shoe making, and tailoring. Nowadays, Bo-Kaap is a highly sought after residential and commercial area, not only for its super convenient location but also for its brightly colored, pastel heritage homes and its well-preserved cobblestoned streets. 📸@andbeyondtravel . . . . . @shysala, #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #bokaap #capetown #southafrica #africa #tablemountain #heritage #capemalay #museum #heritagearchitecture #honeymoon #coupletravel #honeymoontravel #design #archilovers #femmetravel #sheisnotlost #dametraveler #familytravel #travelwithkids #doyoutravel #cobblestone #islam #muslim #mosque #gentrification #beautifulhomes
One of the most striking and fascinating of all of Ethiopia’s 50+ tribes is the Mursi. When a girl reaches the age of 15-16, her lower lip is cut by her mother or another woman of the same village. It is then held open by a wooden saucer or plug until it heals. It’s up to the teen to decide whether to gradually insert bigger plugs, as some can even take saucers of up 12 cm or more! Among the Mursi, it is said that the size of the lip is related to woman’s wealth and beauty — the bigger, the better! 📸@afritorial . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, @shysala, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #mursi #ethiopia #omovalley #africa #tribe #tribal #portrait #photooftheday #natgeo #amazingafrica #portraitphotography #africa_vacations #onlyafrica #shotsofafrica #visitafrica #lifeofadventure #adventuretravel #dametraveler #femmetravel #familytrip #familytravel #honeymoon #coupletravel #couplesgetaway #coupletrip #honeymoontravel
If only these trees could talk! This is Madagascar’s iconic Avenue of the Boababs. These giant, ancient trees, many of which are nearly 1,000 years old with trunks that measure up to 45 meters, have undoubtedly seen, heard and experienced everything! When the Arab settlers first came to this country, they coined the term “upside down tree” — they said the devil came and ripped them out and put them back the wrong way because their branches resemble roots. Despite their strange appearance, Boababs have been known to be incredibly useful. Their massive trunks can store water and provide shelter; the leaves are edible; and the pulp of the fruit is a nutritious beverage and a major ingredient in local desserts. Constantly under threat to urban encroachment, private organizations are thankfully working hard to recognize this as the country’s first national natural monument so that they can survive for another 1,000 years to come. 📸@samsonso_photography . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, @shysala, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #avenueoftheboababs, #baobab, #lemur, #lemurs, #baobabtree #madagascar #africa #thisisafrica, #sunsetoftheday #sunset, #conservation, #ecotourism #adventuretravel, #getoutside, #sunsethunter,#ig_landscape, #natureaddict #landscape, #simplyadventure #lifeofadventure #familytravel, #travelwithkids, #travelingwithkids #coupletravel #honeymooon, #honeymoontravel
Chalkley Treehouse, a spectacular sleep-out in game-rich Sabi Sands! Instead of counting threads, you’re counting stars! A mere 10 minute drive from the outstanding Lion Sands Ivory and River Lodges, it is located in a totally secluded and private area, built just for two. With its deck wrapped around a 500 hundred year old Leadwood Tree, this treehouse is designed with all the mod-cons except for wifi and a shower. A perfect spot for sundowners and private dinners. Usually, guests would stay for one night and will be collected the next morning by their safari guide. 📸@lionsandsgamereserve . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, #privateguide, #bespoke, @shysala . . . . . #sabisands, #southafrica, #kruger, #glamping #getoutdoors #getoutside #treehouse #sleepoutside #wildlife #safari #campinglife #amazingplaces, #luxurytraveler #roamtheplanet, #igtravel, #coupletrip, #luxurytravel, #travelstoke, #luxurytrip, #coupletrip, #bestviews #beautifulhotels #luxuryhotel, #optoutside, #honeymoontravel, #honeymoon
After patiently waiting for several minutes, we were rewarded by this amazing sight — a wildebeest river crossing! Each year, around 1 million wildebeest and zebra migrate in a big loop between Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, in search of rainfall and the subsequent fresh grass to feed on. Several herds usually splinter away from the mega herd and this is just one of them making their way between territories. And, since there is no border patrol or passport control, these animals can freely cross between countries, up to several times a day! 📸safarisnapshots.com . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, @shysala, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #serengeti #tanzania #africa #wildebeest #greatmigration #safari #glamping #honeymoon #coupletravel #honeymoontravel #femmetravel #sheisnotlost #dametraveler #familytravel #travelwithkids #natgeo #shotsofafrica #africanature #visitafrica #naturephotography #africageo #camp #africanwildlife #animals #wildlife #rivercrossing
I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to most of the world’s continents and have witnessed some of its greatest natural phenomena. But one such phenomenon still sticks to my mind till this very day — the annual Sardine Run in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. My travel companions and I literally saw thousands upon thousands of sardines being herded by both Bottlenose and Common Dolphins and being fed on by Bronze Whaler Sharks, Cape Fur Seals, Penguins and these amazing Cape Gannets (pictured). These gannets strike the water like missiles — they dive down from as high as 30 meters, achieving speeds of up to 100 km/h and this enables them to catch fish more efficiently than if they were airborne. We were right smack in the middle of their airstrike, in our little inflatable boat, but we miraculously managed to avoid being dive-bombed! 📸safarisnapshots.com . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, @shysala, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #wowsouthafrica, #easterncape, #sardinerun, #southafrica, #migration #wildlife, #feedingfrenzy, #thegreatoutdoors, #letsgosomewhere, #travelstoke, #wonderful_places, #welivetoexplore #letsgoeverywhere, #travelmore #worldnomads, #traveldeeper #travelawesome, #doyoutravel #instatravel, #gannets, #simplyadventure, #master_shots #phenomenalshot #photooftheday #thebest_capture #travelphoto
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) in Cape Town is now OPEN! With stunning views of Table Mountain and Robben Island, MOCAA is home to Africa’s largest collection of contemporary African art. What was once a once grain silo, its soaring, 10-story high atrium was inspired by the shape of a single grain, which also has spectacularly hallowed out spaces to house all 80 galleries. Swipe left to admire and gasp over Thomas Heatherwick’s genius! 📸@iwanbaan and @zeitzmocaa . . . . . @shysala, #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #thomasheatherwick #zeitzmocaa #capetown #southafrica #africa #tablemountain #robbenisland #museum #gallery #honeymoon #coupletravel #honeymoontravel #design #architecture #femmetravel #sheisnotlost #dametraveler #familytravel #travelwithkids #artinstallation #art #africanart #contemporaryart
Stunning archaeological ruins over 5,000 years old can be found all over Egypt but the most iconic ones are on the Giza Plateau. Giza, the third largest city of Egypt, is closest to Memphis the ancient Pharaonic capital city. It is for this reason that this plateau has an amazing array of ancient monuments and sacred structures which include the Three Pyramids of Giza, and the Great Sphinx, the final resting places of several of these pharaohs who were the rulers of ancient Egypt. 📸@jamesjcruz . . . . . @shysala, #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #egypt #giza #middleeast, #northafrica #ancientegypt #archaeology, #egyptology #empire #pyramids #pyramidsofgiza, #unescoworldheritage #ruins #wordlwidegetaways #landscape,#ig_landscape, , #lifeofadventure, #iamatraveler #passionpassport, #travelawesome, #vacationtime, #instatravel, #theglobewanderer, #doyoutravel, #bestintravel, #traveldeeper
Ethiopia — the source of the Nile, the land of Queen Sheba, and home to some of the earliest and greatest Christian archeological sites. It is also the only African country to never have been colonized by European powers hence it has retained much of its unique heritage. Thinking of a visit? Time your trip to coincide with the country’s most important festival in the Ethiopian Orthodox Calendar, Timkat. Timkat (which means Baptism) is held annually between Jan 19-20 in celebration of the Epiphany of Jesus Christ. It is the ritual re-enactment of Jesus’ baptism ceremony by the Ethiopian pilgrims. Weather wise, it is also the best time to visit this endlessly surprising country! 📸@afrotourism . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, @shysala, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #ethiopia #lalibela #timkat #festival #christian #orthodox #baptism #religion #natgeo #amazingafrica #best_africa #africa_vacations #onlyafrica #shotsofafrica #visitafrica #lifeofadventure #letsgosomewhere #wonderful_places #welivetoexplore #letsgoeverywhere #travelmore #worldnomads #passionpassport #travelawesome #doyoutravel #instatravel
Singita Pamushana Lodge is arguably one of Zimbabwe's best kept secrets. Set on top of a mountain, this Relais and Chateaux property has 7 exclusive villas, each with spectacular views of the valley and lake below. The conical design of the main lodge is reminiscent of the Great Zimbabwean ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage site, believed to have been a royal palace for the ancestral Shona people. As a result of a single largest donor investment, this generous gift was able to create and secure 135,000 acres of a completely private and protected wildlife area adjacent to the Gonarezhou National Park — aand you won't find a game reserve more diverse than the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve where Singita Pamushana is located. It has rocky ravines and mountains, mopane forests, the iconic African Baobab, pristine plains, and over 400 bird species. It also offers one of the best opportunities to view rare and endangered wildlife such as the Pangolin, Wild Dog, Black Rhino, Roan and Sable antelope. And, as if that were not enough, there are also around a hundred or so rock art sites which date back to more than two thousand years ago! Activities such as game drives, game walks, fishing and boating are on offer. And, families with small kids are also welcome. 📸@singita_ . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, @shysala, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #zimbabwe #singita #africa #safari #luxurylodge #UNESCO #africanwildlife #travelgram #amazingafrica #wildlife #adventuretravel #africa_vacations #amazingplaces #uniquehotels #luxurytraveler, #staywild, #roamtheplanet, #igtravel, #luxuryvacation, #honeymoontravel, #familyvacation, #honeymoon, #familytravel, #beautifulhotels, #beautifuldestinations, #travelingwithkids
After a productive day successfully tracking the mega-herd of wildebeests over the Ndutu plains, we came across this breathtaking sunset silhouette of a relaxed giraffe -- right in the middle of the Serengeti! Can you guess what it was doing? (Hint: look very closely near its tail). 😂😂😂 📸safarisnapshots.com . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, @shysala, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #tanzania #serengeti #greatmigration #giraffe #safari #glamping #camp #sunsethunter, #sunsetoftheday, #sunset_madness, #sunset_pics, #africanwildlife #animals #amazingafrica #best_africa #wildlife #nature #africa_vacations #onlyafrica #wildlifevision #natgeo #shotsofafrica #africanature #visitafrica #naturephotography #africageo
There is nowhere else in the world quite like Madagascar, the 4th largest island on earth where over 80% of the Madagascan wildlife and plants can only be found on this island. This is where the much-anticipated Miavana, Madagascar’s first 5-star eco-luxury resort has finally opened to much fanfare. Located on the private archipelago of Nosy Ankao, guests from each of the 14 solar-powered exclusive villas can do every type of safari imaginable — on land, water and air. There are forest walks and lemur treks; turtle hatchling seasons on the 5km all-private white sand beach; bird-watching; cruising for humpback whales, dolphins and manta rays; kite-surfing; snorkeling & scuba-diving and even heli-fishing — there is not just one, but two helicopters on standby for the resort guests! This amazing “helicopter safari” is what makes Miavana stand out pretty far above the rest of the resorts in the country, if not in all of Africa! 📸@timeandtideafrica . . . . . @shysala, #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, #privateguide, #bespoke . . . . . #miavana, #madagascar, #nosyankao, #lemur #helicopter, #safari, #wildlife, #marinemammals #indulge, #luxuryliving, #luxurytravel, #luxurytraveling, #luxurylifestyle, #passionpassport, #travelawesome, #seetheworld, #vacationtime, #doyoutravel, #instatravel, #travelstoke, #privatevilla #beautifulhotels, #hotelsandresorts, #beach, #resort, #luxuryresort
The Silo Hotel, which has earned a place on the Conde Nast Traveler’s 2017 Hot List, is the newest jewel in the crown of properties designed by the ultra-stylish Liz Biden of @theroyalportfolio. This 28-room hotel is sure to be in the center of Cape Town’s arts, design, and cultural scene as it is perfectly positioned 6 floors above the the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA). Set to open in late September 2017, the MOCAA will be the new home of Africa’s largest collection of contemporary African art! 📸@theroyalportfolio . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, #privateguide, #bespoke, @shysala . . . . . #southafrica, #design, #wowsouthafrica, #cntraveler #capetown, #bathroom, #indulge, #luxury, #hotel, #luxuryhotel, #luxurylife, #luxurytravel,#boutique, #boutiquehotel, #honeymoontravel, #familyvacation, #honeymoon, #familytravel, #beautifulhotels, #beautifuldestinations, #travelingwithkids #interiordesign, #architecture, #traveltheworld, #travelgram, #uniquehotels
Bonjour Bisate! Guests, get ready for the ultimate in the Gorilla Trekking experience! Bisate Lodge has definitely set a new standard in luxury in Rwanda and beyond. These ingenious thatched pods, designed to resemble weaver birds nests, have successfully balanced indulgence and comfort with sustainable conservation and local community involvement. 📸@crookesandjackson . . . . . #specialpersonalsojourns, #sps_travel, #privateguide, #bespoke, @shysala . . . . . #rwanda, #volcanoesnationalpark, #bisatelodge, #wearewilderness, #africa, #gorillatrekking, #gorilla, #silverbackgorilla, #gorillatrek, #adventuretravel, #getoutside, #borntoroam, #amazingplaces, #luxurytraveler, #staywild, #roamtheplanet, #igtravel, #luxuryvacation, #wildandfree, #luxurytravel, #travelstoke, #welltraveled, #seetheworld, #luxurytrip, #iamatraveler, #wildandfree
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