GLENDALE, Calif., April 19, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On April 22, more than one billion people around the world will participate in the 42nd annual Earth Day to help raise awareness of global environmental concerns. For Earth Day and every day, African Travel, Inc. works to bring more awareness to the plight of Gorillas and Chimpanzees in the wild; as part of their efforts they offer special packages to see these incredible creatures in their natural habitats while simultaneously working to protect them.
Mountain gorillas are among the most famous of all endangered animals. These majestic animals are lately finding it very hard to survive, and as recently as 2006, they were at the brink of extinction. Fortunately, recent conservation efforts have been quite successful, the primary factor responsible for this positive trend being an effort by organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda to protect the gorillas and their habitat. Another significant contributor towards protection of the Mountain Gorillas is tourism! When travelers visit Africa using a knowledgeable company such as African Travel, they are making a huge contribution to the conservation of Mountain Gorillas. Despite these positive efforts, Mountain Gorillas are still under threat of extinction, and more conservation efforts will be necessary to remove gorillas from the endangered animals list. Now is an excellent time to visit these magnificent animals in their natural habitat.
Chimpanzee tracking is even more limited in its opportunities than gorilla tracking, and viewing locations are further to reach. Thus it is a great privilege to observe these engaging creatures in their forest home. Chimps are extremely vocal and quite active, which means treks may continue for quite a while as the chimps continue to move as they feed. Mahale Mountains National Park is home to one of Africa's most studied chimpanzee populations. Mahale has sightings virtually every day and the chimps, accustomed to being watched, continue their daily activities in the company of their human observers.
According to Jim Holden, President of African Travel, Inc., "By joining an African Travel safari to view Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees, Americans traveling to Africa are directly contributing to the conservation of these magnificent animals, as the income derived from Park and Game Lodge fees goes towards maintaining their habitat and educating the local people as to the inherent value to their livelihoods."
Two African Travel, Inc . safaris where you can see these beautiful animals in the wild:
The Pearl Of Africa—8 days. Uganda, Rwanda. Renowned for its physical beauty, Uganda offers a variety of wildlife viewing experiences in the Kibale Forest, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi . The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is a sanctuary for 13 different species of primate, colobus monkeys, chimpanzees and many birds (such as hornbills and turacos). It is perhaps most notable for the approximately 300 Bwindi Mountain Gorillas, half the world's population of the critically endangered Mountain Gorillas. The region around Ishasha is noted for its tree-climbing lions, often seen lounging in old fig trees. The photographic opportunities are plentiful as you experience Uganda, a country considered to be a source of the Nile River. Priced from $4,995 per person land only, based on double occupancy.
Remote Tanzania: Katavi and Mahale—9 days. Tanzania is one of the most spectacular places for wildlife viewing in Africa, and African Travel Inc.'s unforgettable adventure to Remote Tanzania: Katavi and Mahale will surpass your wildest expectations. Wildlife viewing in Katavi can be nothing short of breathtaking, especially the huge herds of buffalo and amazing numbers of hippo. Almost everywhere you look there is something grazing, bellowing, fighting, mating or hunting. Further north, on the western border and the edge of Lake Tanganyika (the world's second largest and deepest lake), is Mahale Mountain, another region where the clock seems to have stopped. The forested mountain slopes are home to the world's largest known population of chimpanzees and eight other primate species. Mahale is considered by many to be the best place in the world to track wild chimpanzees. Observe them as they groom, wrestle and forage across the leafy floor. Priced from $5,695 per person land only, based on double occupancy.
For more information and reservations contact your favorite Travel Professional, call African Travel, Inc. at (800) 421-8907 or visit www.africantravelinc.com .
Don't forget to check out African Travel Inc.'s brand new Journal Page! Get travel tips, photos and testimonials, and stories from the bush. Subscribe to the RSS feed to get all of these things in one place!
Arnelle Kendall
Vice President of Public Relations
The Travel Corporation USA
110 East Atlantic Avenue Suite 325
Delray Beach, Florida 33444
Telephone: (561) 330-0850
Email: arnelle.kendall@travcorpusa.com
African Travel creates personalized African safaris and adventures for today's travelers seeking an experience of a lifetime. Established for over 35 years, and with more than 100,000 past travelers, African Travel knows all the different ways to safari and how to match each individual client to their own unique experience.
Whether experiencing the great migration in the Serengeti, tracking mountain gorillas in Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda, gliding silently along the Zambezi River viewing wildlife from a canoe, learning desert survival skills from a bushman in the Kalahari in Botswana or sipping champagne while watching the sun descend into the Atlantic from a private balcony in Cape Town, We Know Africa.
African Travel, Inc. was nominated by Travel Weekly in their Readers' Choice Awards as a Top Tour Operator and Safari Outfitter and listed in Travel Leisure's World's Best Awards. National Geographic also includes African Travel in their list of "Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth." African Travel, Inc. is part of The Travel Corporation, which also includes in the USA Trafalgar, Contiki, Brendan Vacations, Insight Vacations, Red Carnation Hotel Collection, and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. In Africa, African Travel is proud to have as its sister company Thompsons Africa with its extensive network of offices throughout the region. In addition to Thompsons Africa, African Travel works closely with a network of highly rated lodge operators in Africa including Wilderness Safaris.
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The following pictures are available for download:
| [Image] | Gorilla |