hot air balloon Tag

12 Feb

Posted at 09:46h in Blog

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1770890637202{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}"] From Dream to Resilience: The Journey of Asante Journeys [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image="11032" img_size="large" alignment="center" qode_css_animation=""][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] It has always been my dream to build my own luxury travel company — one that didn't just arrange trips, but crafted unforgettable stories. In 2019, I took a deep breath, stepped far outside my comfort zone (again), and launched Asante Travel. With an extraordinary team by my side — truly the best anyone could hope for — we began creating real magic for our clients. Then came 2020. Covid brought the world — and our entire industry — to a sudden, devastating halt. Borders closed, safaris stopped, hotels emptied. Countless friends and colleagues lost their businesses, jobs vanished overnight, and the travel world I loved felt like it was crumbling. But I refused to let go. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] During those long, uncertain months when no one could travel, I poured my energy into something new: a global training programme for travel agents. I taught professionals from every corner of the world how to authentically sell Africa — how to share its soul, its wild beauty, and its hidden wonders with their clients. I was exhausted, often running on fumes, but tourism wasn't just my job; it was who I was. It was my identity. Then life reminded me I had to take care of myself first. I fell seriously ill, and in that quiet, vulnerable space, I felt my dream slipping through my fingers. It was a turning point. I had to pause, heal, and reflect. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image="11066" img_size="large" alignment="center" qode_css_animation=""][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" z_index="" el_class=".center-row-content"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text] That difficult season taught me so much — about myself, about resilience, about what truly makes Africa extraordinary. While recovering, I worked on incredible projects, represented my continent on global stages, partnered with remarkable companies, offering strategic guidance and got involved with projects that empowers women and children, sustainability, health and empowerment. I had the privilege of collaborating with true masters in the industry, people I will always thank for their wisdom and belief in me. And now, I'm deeply grateful to say: Asante Travel is back — reborn as Asante Journeys. We’ve evolved. We now serve far fewer people, intentionally moving away from mass tourism. Instead, we focus on deeply personal, meaningful experiences — the kind that go beyond simply visiting a place. We create those rare, unique moments you won’t find on Google or in any guidebook. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="11076" img_size="large" alignment="right" qode_css_animation=""][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" el_class="center-row-content" z_index=""][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="11083" img_size="large" qode_css_animation=""][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]I still adore beautiful hotels, intimate lodges, and breathtaking villas. But at the end of every journey, it is the secret shared experiences - the quite sundowner with loved ones, the unexpected encounter in the bush, hearing my children laughing and unable to stop - that stay with me forever. Asante means "thank you" in Swahili. For me, it has always been about pure gratitude - gratitude for the privilege of  doing what I love, now on a more intimate, transformative scale. Every day should feel life-changing, not just for our clients, but me me as well. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="center" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern" z_index=""][vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] So to my long-standing clients, friends and trusted suppliers: thank you. Thank you for standing. by me, for believing in me when things were uncertain, and for inspiring me every single day to deliver something exceptional...

27 May

Posted at 12:27h in Blog

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1622111750483{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}"] On the road with Asante [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1622111677187{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}"] Clifftop Exclusive Safari Hideaways [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][qode_banner image="10467"][/qode_banner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Clifftop Exclusive Safari Hideaways invited Asante Travel to experience their lodge subsequent to recent refurbishments, and what an experience it was! The lodge, aptly named Clifftop, is perched on the edge of a cliff that overlooks the Sterkstroom river, located in the Welgevonden Private Game Reserve. Eight luxurious rooms are in their own deluxe cocoons. Here, the mountain and river surroundings ensure a complete disconnect from the world. We were greeted by a friendly gatekeeper upon arrival and our ranger, Keegan, was waiting for us at the parking bay, ready to take our bags. Refreshed by ice cold water, the spectacular setting in-between the mountains became even more imposing as we approached the entrance to the lodge. A welcoming committee awaited us: the lodge’s General Manager and several members of staff were ready with warm smiles and refreshing washcloths to clean our hands.  While our bags were whisked off to our rooms, we were given a tour of the lodge and an explanation of our itinerary during our stay.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]With drinks in hand, we walked onto the vista deck where we looked down onto the river, a group of zebras and a lone elephant grazing around “Welcome to Clifftop”  set out in stones on the hillside. We were soon joined by other guests and toasted champagne flutes on the future success of Clifftop. We were treated with a variety of tapas to enjoy with our bubbly - kebabs, chicken pieces, mini-wraps, fruit kebabs and delicious dessert treats. Delicious! Opening the door to our room was like walking into another world - soft natural hues, warm and inviting lighting, high wood and grass ceilings together contribute to an overwhelming sense of ease and relaxation.  Opening the sliding doors onto a wooden deck revealed an exclusive plunge pool, comfortable recliners and the most spectacular views.  If all we had to do was stay in this room, it would have been the most incredible breakaway.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_empty_space][qode_banner target="_blank" image="10472"][/qode_banner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Our first game drive was a celebration of sunset and we saw elephants, warthogs, a variety of antelope and hippos. The sundowner drink stop was accompanied by the cry of jackal in the distance and the general soft and beautiful sounds of the bushveld.  Stars started twinkling in the dusky sky as we returned to the vehicle.  We drove a few turns and our ranger switched the vehicle off and we sat in utter silence under the black sky, glittering with a million stars, listening to the variety of sounds. After a refreshing welcome back at the lodge, we found a sumptuous dinner table set up beautifully inside the dining room, where we could choose from a three-course menu.  It was a feast for the senses in its presentation and taste, each meal meticulously crafted and skillfully prepared.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="10465" img_size="large" qode_css_animation=""][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="10473" img_size="large" qode_css_animation=""][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]We could not imagine that we had to leave the incredible comfort of our room when the early morning wake-up call came for our morning game drive.  Warmed up by a quick coffee, our ranger drove out into the crisp morning air that has a unique sense of magic, just before sunrise. We drove to a section of flat, open landscape where a skittish jackal ran along the road, surprised by the unusual activity.   Our morning drinks break was taken next to a watering hole,...

30 Apr

Posted at 12:01h in Blog

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1619783741955{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}"] I dream of Africa! How I ignited travel during lockdown [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][qode_banner image="10334"][/qode_banner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Asante Travel launched in October 2019. Very excited for the opportunity to visit our agents in USA and Mexico, I embarked on a 5-week sales trip to Mexico and USA. It was fantastic!  We were received very well and immediately started receiving requests for 2020. It was going to be a fantastic great year. Little did we know what was in store for us. In the beginning of March 2020, due to Covid-19 we were inundated with postponements, cancellations and general panic and uncertainty. People started to postpone or wanting to cancel their bookings. Overnight, we found ourselves in a hard lockdown – something we could not have imagined in our worst nightmares. A death sentence for any travel agency is one where countries are shut down and where no travelling is allowed.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]After spending at least a few days in PJ’s and acting like a zombie, staring the end of my dream squarely in the face, I realized I that even though I could not change the current situation, I could not just mope around and accept my fate. I held steadfast and remembered where I come from: a place of service. It is my greatest wish to show people the magic and beauty of Africa. I could still share the knowledge I have built up over the past 20+ years in the luxury inbound travel industry. While on my sales calls in 2019, I realized how little people really know about Africa. I had a clear vision: to make sure that agents and operators stay excited about Africa. And once things return to normal, they will think of Africa first before any other destination when a client asks what they recommend.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][qode_banner image="10261"][/qode_banner][vc_empty_space][blockquote text="How could I, locked down and with only time, expertise and technology at hand, do something about tourism to Africa? I decided to put pen to paper and show the agents my Africa by creating a free, very in-depth destination training for our agents, covering 14 of the most popular African and Indian Ocean Islands’ countries." show_quote_icon="yes" text_color="#737773" background_color="#e2e2dc"][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]How could I, locked down and with only time, expertise and technology at hand, do something about tourism to Africa? I decided to put pen to paper and show the agents my Africa by creating a free, very in-depth destination training for our agents, covering 14 of the most popular African and Indian Ocean Islands’ countries. The development of the course took about five weeks - there was very little sleep, although I might or might not have stayed in my PJ’s - and in the beginning of May 2020, I extended the invitation started to offer it to our agents. Each course was seven weeks long and presented live via Zoom and with each session two hours long. On our first course, we only had eight people belonging to one agency and I thought we would eventually end up with 40 to 50 people attending the course.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_single_image image="10338" img_size="large" qode_css_animation=""][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image="8940" img_size="large" qode_css_animation=""][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]The bug really bit me by now and I started running multiple courses to different agencies and operators throughout the week, with different times in order to cater to the different time zones. I spent about 40 hours per week on training. The response was overwhelming! Many said that it is the first time they felt confident and...

24 Mar

Posted at 18:49h in Blog

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text css=".vc_custom_1618319063171{padding-bottom: 30px !important;}"] 10 Kenya Lodges you need to experience [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] Asante Travel's favourite Kenyan Lodges | Our first ten [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][qode_banner image="10261"][/qode_banner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Kenya. The name itself sounds powerful and magical. This land of Mount Kenya is a country of diverse tribes, multiple languages and breathtaking African landscapes. In fact, the Republic of Kenya is named after its famous mountain. The earliest recorded version of the modern name was written by German explorer Johann Ludwig Krapf in the 19th century. While travelling with a Kamba caravan led by the legendary long-distance trader Chief Kivoi, Krapf spotted the mountain peak and asked what it was called. Kivoi told him "Kĩ-Nyaa" or "Kĩĩma- Kĩĩnyaa", probably because the pattern of black rock and white snow on its peaks reminded him of the feathers of the male ostrich.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]This became Kenya. It’s in this beautiful place with its wondrous natural heritage that you will find some of the most exclusive lodges. All of them are exactly what dreams are made of and each unique and spectacular in their own right. We’ve picked 10 of these incredible lodges to introduce the land of the Swahili to you.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][qode_banner image="10262"][/qode_banner][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text] ONE | Angama Mara - Maasai Mara National Park [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_empty_space][qode_banner target="_blank" image="10250"][/qode_banner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Situated in the Maasai Mara National Park, Angama Mara overlooks Kenya’s Maasai Mara which can be described as one of the finest game reserves on the continent. With two tented camps, including fifteen tented suites within them, this incredible home away from home will take your breath away. Meaning “suspended in mid-air”, Angama Mara will have your soul soar and rejuvenate your body and mind. You won’t be amiss living your ultimate African dream in the luxurious tented suites, which are fit for comfort and relaxation along with breathtaking views.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Immerse yourself in the fantastical vistas from bedroom to the bathroom, the sitting area and even the shower. Talking about getting in touch with nature! Perfect for two or an extended family vacation, four of the fifteen rooms offer interconnecting tents, enabling children to move freely between rooms while still allowing safety and privacy. But staying inside your beautiful room would mean missing out!  Dreamily float over the savannah in a hot air balloon, experience the local Maasai culture, take a walking safari along the vast plains, or indulge in a wide variety of wellness and relaxation options.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][button size="medium" target="_self" hover_type="default" text="Read more" link="https://wetu.com/iBrochure/en/Launch/27587_47351/angama_mara/Landing"][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] TWO | Governors' il Moran Camp - Maasai Mara National Park [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_empty_space][qode_banner target="_blank" image="10251"][/qode_banner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]Within 1,672 square kilometres of wilderness, with some of the best game and bird viewing one will ever have the privilege of seeing, lies the award-winning Governors’ il Moran Camp. Perfectly located in the heart of the Great Wildebeest Migration, here you can be a part of the action, ensuring a once in a lifetime experience. The recipient of a Silver Eco rating by Eco-tourism Kenya due to its sustainable tourism practices, Governors’ il Moran is a conservation camp. Governors’ il Moran Camp is small and intimate, making sure that your experience is tailor-made and super exclusive.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/2"][vc_column_text]With only ten tents lined along the forest and the Mara river, game viewing is at your doorstep. Enjoy delicious cuisine on the main deck of the camp, overlooking the hippos in the water and other animals at the...

× How can I help you?