Topdeck Travel Blog

No. 36 Feel the Power of Mighty Vic Falls

Capture the power of the falls

As up to three thousand tonnes of water plunges over a nearly two-kilometre-long precipice every second, plummeting over a hundred metres down, the resulting white cloud of spray billowing high into the air can be seen up to thirty miles away. Both the sheer ferocity of the falls and the awesome spectacle it creates are eloquently summed up in the name given to it by those living within earshot: Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the Smoke that Thunders’.

That we know this mighty force of nature by the less poetic Victoria Falls is thanks to David Livingstone, the British explorer who is believed to be the first European to witness them. It is a reflection of the colonial attitudes of the day that he chose to name them in honour of the reigning Queen Victoria, similar to the attitude that would see a nearby Zambian town named Livingstone.

Fortunately though, just as a rose by any other name would cost as much, the astounding power of the world’s largest falls thunders for itself, making the chance to see them one of the most coveted travel experiences around.

But this isn’t simply about turning up, joining a group of poncho wearing tourists and taking a boat out to within a zoom-lens distance. No, no, no! The only way to really do justice to the force of the falls is to experience it in a manner as awesome and memorable as the falls themselves. And fortunately, there are a few options to choose from that will let you do just that.

Get an angel’s-eye view

Get an angel's view

In describing what he had witnessed, Livingstone said that such an amazing scene “must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.” And what better way to fully grasp the magnitude and scale of the scene than to take to the air. The closest you can get to flying with the angels is a microlight flight over the area. From this vantage point you have an all-knowing view of the scene, as you can see both the wide Zambezi snaking its way down unaware, and the deep gorge ahead into which it is about to plunge a hundred metres to the rocks below. Not even Top Gun at an IMAX can take your breath away quite like the combined experience of gliding in the air, the wind gushing through your hair while some of nature’s greatest theatre plays out beneath you.

For those not so keen to put all their faith in a microflight, there are also helicopter flights that offer a similar experience. But the enclosed cabin and roar of the propellers dilutes the experience for some.

DO look down!

If flying high above the falls is the domain of the angels, then your next option is aptly named. Devil’s Pool tests the trepidation of even the most fearless traveller, as it involves jumping unaided into the river just a few metres upstream of the falls. Then, as the current drags you closer and closer towards the edge, with nothing in reach to stop you hurtling over with the current, at the very last minute a lip in the pool halts the flow and leaves you resting on a rocky outcrop and peering down into the deep abyss below. Never will you appreciate more the sheer size and force of Vic Falls than to sit in the middle of it and look down over the edge!

Going into free-fall

As to truly experiencing the sensation of free falling 100 metres to the rocks below, well the best way to do that is to just hop in a barrel a few hundred yards upstream and let gravity take care of the rest. Probably no less exhilarating though – and considerably kinder to loved ones – is the nearby bungee jump that lets you take the same fast route to the bottom of the gorge.

If your budget, or perhaps even your bladder, excludes you from doing a bungee, there are plenty of other activities available that have earned the region a reputation for being the Africa’s adventure playground. From the heart-stopping, such as a gorge swing or white water rafting on the Zambezi (starting below the falls we add), to the spirit-warming, like a sunset cruise in search of wildlife, there is something in and around the area that doesn’t just let you see them, but lets you live the force of nature that is the spectacular Victoria Falls.

And would you believe it, many of Topdeck’s fabulous Africa adventures spend several days in and around Livingstone, meaning you’ll have the chance to try all, or at least one of, the above for yourself and truly expereience the power of the mighty Vic Falls.

No. 33 Jump up, jump up, and get down with the Maasai warriors!

How high can you go?

How does this sound for a movie idea? An American basketball coach (to be played by someone versatile like, say, Kevin Bacon) gets this great idea to go to Africa, convinced that he’s going to find the next Michael Jordan amongst the famous jumping tribesmen of the Maasai – as obviously being able to jump’s all it takes!

Yeah, ok, so ‘The Air up There’ was a howler and the aforementioned actor really should take a good long look at himself for being involved. And forgetting, if we can, that the makers of this film took such a potentially fascinating subject only to render such a frightfully dull story, it’s perhaps no great surprise that the iconic red-robed warriors of the Maasai leapt to Hollywood’s attention, as their traditional way of life, elaborately colourful jewellery and, of course, legendary ‘jump dance’ have captured the imagination of people the world over for decades.

And it is for this way of life, and the Maasai’s ability to maintain these fascinating traditions in the face of governmental pressure to modernise and settle – and not Hollywood’s efforts to caricaturise them – that make visiting the tribes where they live and witnessing their culture one of our top travel experiences to do before you’re 40.

So just who are the Maasai?

The Maasai are a semi-nomadic people (a bit more about that later) who live in the region of the Great Rift Valley on both sides of border of Tanzania and Kenya. The grazing and ownership of livestock is central to the Maasai’s existence as it plays a central role in everything from their economy to social standing and community interaction. The protection of livestock, particularly from predators such as lions, gave rise to the ‘Maasai warrior’, for whom the daunting prospect of hunting a lion is something of a rite of passage. It is important to note that since lion numbers have been in decline, this practice has changed accordingly and policies to compensate lost cattle have also reduced the number of lion hunted by warriors.

And what’s got them jumping up and down?

The sight of the Maasai men, decked out in their bright red robes and leather sandals, leaping straight-legged and incredibly high into the air, as if assisted by a hidden trampoline, is perhaps the most iconic and enduring image of this people. Indeed the ‘adumu’, often called the ‘jumping dance’ is a popular tradition and is performed during a warrior’s ‘coming of age ceremony’. During the dance groups of men will form a circle and one or more will enter the centre and try jump as high as they can and outdo one another, while others voice their appreciation in song.

Though it isn’t all about the men. The Maasai women are also well known for the elaborate jewellery they wear as well as colourful robes, and the chance to show off their huge, colourful neck pieces is an equally important part of the same ceremonies.

Is the sun setting on the Maasai people?

Why is their lifestyle under threat?

As semi-nomads, although they will build semi-permanent dwellings and even grow crops, they do graze their cattle on a rotational basis over a wide area. Ecologists in the mid twentieth century attributed this to the destruction of sparse resources. Although this view has been convincingly challenged it is one still held by Tanzanian and Kenyan governments who have run programmes to get the Maasai to abandon their traditional lifestyle and settle permanently. This, as well as the introduction of concepts such as private ownership and integration in the outside economy, has hugely altered their traditional way of life, making their future uncertain.

What about visiting the Maasai

With the Maasai way of life under threat, many Maasai tribes today welcome visitors, to share with them the lifestyle that they have practiced for centuries and want to protect. It also helps draw attention to the governments the role the Maasai lifestyle can have in attracting tourism, and as a result and make them more inclined to do more to protect that way of life. So hopefully visiting the Maasai people can be as beneficial to them as it is an interesting and informative experience to us.

Topdeck has a great range of amazing trips to Africa, many of which visit East Africa where you can visit a Maasai tribe and learn more about their unique way of life.

Back in March Amanda Griffin won herself an African Safari in our “Wild About Topdeck Africa” competition. Well, Amanda has just returned home after 19 days on the road and has put together a selection of photos she’d like to share with us.

Dune 45, Namibia. Photo/A.Griffin

“It was a chilly morning when we got up at 5. We were the first footprints to break the surface of the Dune 45 that day. When we got back after our explorations we were greeted with a feast of pancakes prepared by our guides - such a good day!”

Sunrise over Namib-Naukluft National Park from Dune 45. Photo/A.Griffin

Zebras in Etosha National Park, Namibia. Photo/A.Griffin

Animals chillin' at a watering-hole near our campsite in Etosha. Photo/A.Griffins

A Kill. Photo/A.Griffin

“We were so lucky to see this leopard (or leo-parrrd as our guide says) about 10m from us at Chobe National Park. The safari guide got a call on the radio in another language and next thing we had turned around, unaware of what was happening, and were zooming towards something unknown. It turned out to be this amazing sight. We sat there for a long time just mesmerised by the beauty of the leo-parrrrd.”

Spitzkoppe Camp. Photo/A.Griffin

“Another absolutely beautiful area to camp, Spitzkoppe is completely untouched land (sans a few bushman artworks on the rocks from thousands of years ago). There are no showers, amenities or toilets - it was hard-core camping! We had the option to sleep outside, but it was freezing cold (and I have a fear of scorpions climbing into my sleeping bag) so none of us braved the weather - which in the morning we realised was wise as there was frost on one of the mats left outside! You can see our safari truck in this picture and it gives an idea of just how HUGE the boulders are!”

Etosha Waterhole. Photo/A.Griffin

“These animals were less than 50m from us as we sat behind a fence just watching them. Crazy.”

A springbok biff at Etosha watering hole. Photo/A.Griffin

Okavango Delta, Botswana. Photo/A.Griffin

“Just chillin’ in the Mokoro as the local guides take us to our bush camp in the Okavango Delta - no fences, no protection, no amenities - just camping in the wild with the animals! We did a bushwalk with the local guides and a huge elephant came within 10m of us while we were strolling. We were instructed to stand still so as not to alarm the elephant and wait for it to walk away - definitely got the heart beating!”

Adorable elephants having a drink at the campsite in Elephant Sands, Botswana. Photo/A.Griffin

Typical house in the township we visited just outside Cape Town, South Africa. In the background is the famous Table Mountain. Photo/A.Griffin

Sossusvlei, Namibia. Photo/A.Griffin

Playing with perspectives at Sossusvlei, Namibia. Photo/A.Griffin

“The beautiful Sossusvlei used to be a lake, but is now a clay/salt pan surrounded by contrasting dunes. Also a part of Namib-Naukluft National Park - very pretty!”

Oryx at Etosha National Park, Namibia (I just love how it’s bending its knees haha). Photo/A.Griffin

Run ostrich run! (Just by the side of the road as we drove). Photo/A.Griffin

Amanda & a young lion in Livingstone, Zambia. Photo/A.Griffin

“My absolute highlight of the trip! In Livingstone we had an optional activity to go on a lion walk where we could pat 17 month old lions and walk with them as they familiarised themselves with the landscape (Note: they are not drugged or anything). They gave us a stick just in case the lion ‘gave us a funny look’ so that we could tap the ground to distract it (I think it was really just so we felt safer) Very cool!”

The Tropic of Capricorn, Namibia. Photo/A.Griffin

The Happy Travellers. Photo/A.Griffin

“Africa was absolutely amazing! The tour guides were fantastic, people were fantastic, we got to see the Big Five (including a leopard eating a baby elephant - pretty insane!), walked with and patted some lions (crazy cool!), went on a microlight flight over Vic Falls and I went skydiving in Namibia! Overall it was an absolute success of a trip that I wholeheartedly recommend.”

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Amanda travelled on Topdeck’s 19 day Desert Tracker. If you want to experience all that Africa has to offer join us on one of our safari adventures.

Lifelong traveller (and Topdeck’s head designer) Bec shares her experiences of her African journey with Topdeck.

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For me and many others on my trip, Africa is the last frontier in terms of travel.

My partner Brad and I have been through Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South and North America, so other than Antarctica we only had the wilds of Africa to cross-off.

We arrived on in Nairobi on Friday, but as the trip didn’t start until Sunday we had some time to kill.

With no plans and no idea what to do we contacted our Trip Leader Masivu for advice and he made some excellent suggestions.

Fancy a Giraffe Kiss? Photo/R.McCaig

First up we paid a visit to the Giraffe Centre followed by a trip to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. The giraffes at the centre are so beautiful and gentle. You get to feed them with these giant pellets. If you’re feeling keen, hold one between your teeth to receive your very own giraffe kiss!

The best way to get around is by taxi and we had a great driver for our time in the city. He was really fun and gave us heaps of facts and information about Nairobi.

After meeting our group and Trip Leader on Saturday evening we were up bright and early the next morning for our road trip to the Maasai Mara.

Our group of 15 was split into two mini vans for the 4-5 hour drive. Distance-wise the Mara isn’t too far away, but thanks to rough road conditions the drive is rather slow.

With the stunning scenery of the Great Rift Valley all around and new trip mates to meet we were kept busy.

THE ANIMALS

That afternoon we pulled up at our home for the next two nights, a permanent campsite just outside the Maasai Mara.

Lion in the Maasai Mara. Photo/R.McCaig

With no fences around the site it’s not uncommon for animals to wander around the tents at night.

The tents at this site were more like canvas houses – they even had their own indoor toilets!

After dinner around the campfire we went out for a night drive of the Mara.

Elephants, giraffe, impalas - I couldn’t keep track of all the animals we saw! The best thing we encountered was a leopard sleeping in a tree right by the road.

Sunset in the Mara was simply awe-inspiring. It was everything you ever imaged from the Lion King and more.

Leaving Kenya behind, we made our way to a brand new destination – Tanzania and Serengeti National Park.

The experience of waking up in the vast open landscape of the Serengeti with no fences, just beautiful scenery is amazing.

While eating dinner at our campsite one night an elephant wandered in for a quick drink from our water tank. We went up to say ‘hi’, but he was a little shy.

THE PEOPLE

A short drive from the Maasai Mara we visited a traditional Maasai village.

Ben & the Maasai Warriors. Photos/R.McCaig

We watched a performance of the traditional Adumu (jumping) dance and had a go ourselves.

The villagers showed us inside their homes and we were able to buy jewellery made by the Maasai women.

While the Maasai live in conditions far removed from us Westerners, they place a high value on education and as a result nearly all the people in the village speak English.

Being able to speak to the locals isn’t something you often get to do so it really gave us an important insight into how they live and their culture.

The Maasai were as interested in us as we were in them. The women I spoke to wanted to know how many children we all had and they were rather surprised to find out none of the girls in our group were mothers. They were also interested in the lives of western women and how we all worked.

THE BEACH

Leaving the vast savannah behind, we spent the last two nights of our trip in a resort on the palm-fringed beaches of Kendwa Beach, Zanzibar.

Beach-side Bliss in Zanzibar. Photo/R.McCaig

It was the perfect way to finish our trip. Relaxed and chilled out, we spent our time snorkelling, swimming and sipping drinks at the bar.

For our final night together we took a sunset cruise. After spending 13 days together our whole group were really close so saying goodbye was hard.

It’s difficult to sum up just how incredible my time on safari was. Would I go back? In a heartbeat – there is still so much of Africa to explore!

THINGS TO BRING

• A South African adaptor to charge your gadgets on the truck.
• Wet wipes – at times you’ll get rather grubby!
• Plastic poncho – for those unexpected downpours.
• Binoculars – so you don’t miss out on the best wildlife spotting.
• A good camera – for lasting memories (also great for bragging).

Bec travelled on Topdeck’s 13 Day Kenya & Tanzania Adventure. For more images and inspiration check out Bec’s photo blog.

Topdeck Travel’s Designer Bec goes wild in Africa on Topdeck’s 13 Day Kenya & Tanzania Adventure and decides to inspire us with her amazing photos!

1. Our first afternoon in Maasai Mara National Reserve and we spot a sleeping Leopard in a tree right beside the track. It was a good find because they say leopards are often the hardest animal to spot out of those in the Big Five!

2. Elephants everywhere! Not only in Maasai Mara but also in the Serengeti and the savannahs outside of the national parks.

3. Up close and personal: this cheetah strolled up to us and posed for our cameras for a little while. They are really beautiful animals.

4. The secret of getting a good giraffe photo is…stopping the vehicle for a while and waiting patiently! They are quite timid creatures but they would always be curious about us and for a while, they would come up close to check us out eventually.

5. King of the jungle: this young male lion was just gorgeous. We found him with about 7 others from his pride taking a break from the midday sun by some trees in the Maasai Mara.

6. Jumping with the warriors: we visited a local Maasai village where the people live in the traditional way, in mud huts and herding cows and goats. The men did a performance for us, singing us their traditional songs and invited the other guys from our group to jump with them.

7. Cultural curiosity goes both ways! The Maasai women were interested to know how many babies the women in our group had. They were quite surprised to learn that none of us had had any children yet. In Maasai culture most women will have had a few children before they turn 20.

8. Meet the truck! Our truck was called Shashe, named after the famous river in Botswana. Shashe became our home away from home, and even though some of the drives were long, it always went fast because we had heaps fun together. Our truck was really good; it had lockers at the back for our stuff, power points for charging our cameras and an on-board freezer and esky.

9. Our trip leader Masivu was awesome, he made the trip an amazing experience for us. As Masivu is from Kenya he helped us see East Africa from a local perspective. In this picture Masivu has a bunch of red bananas, a local specialty near Arusha in Tanzania.

10. When we were in Arusha in Tanzania we visited a local village. It was really interesting seeing the day to day life of the people who lived here. The children in particular loved our visit, they were so excited to meet us.

11. Sweets= popularity! The local children in the village really wanted us to pick them up and play with them. Also some of our group had brought sweets to give away...

12. Drive day lunch, yum: Masivu our trip leader, and Antony our driver would have something prepared for us and we would also help out. Usually we had sandwiches, with freshly baked bread, ham, cheese, fresh salad, and array of different sauces. They would always have fresh tropical fruit ready for us as well, which was delicious.

13. Hitting the Serengeti! When we visited Maasai Mara and Serengeti, we left Shashe behind and got around in smaller, off road, game-park-friendly vehicles, which got us closer to the action.

14. Camping out in the Serengeti was amazing, with no fences separating us from all the colourful wildlife. It was perfectly safe though, we were just told not to stray too far from our tents in the middle of the night, and to make sure we had no food around which might attract hungry hyenas. We spotted this Cape Buffalo just near our camp not long after sunrise.

15. How not to become a lion’s dinner…On our last afternoon in Serengeti our truck blew a tire. It wasn’t that unusual, we had already punctured a couple of others and our drivers had lots of spares on hand just in case. As our driver was changing the tire, one of the guys in our group noticed two heads in the savannah watching us – it was two lions, about 50 metres away. Our driver told us to stand on the other truck, while he finished, as lions see the truck was one big animal and won’t attack it. Phew…

16. Night camping on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. The crater was once a huge volcano millions of years ago, but collapsed after an eruption. What is left is the huge crater floor wilderness that is a popular home for local wildlife. Our campsite on the rim was pretty cool, and after dinner we had a shy elephant wander in to say hello!

17. Zebras crossing. In Ngorongoro Crater there were zebras everywhere, I couldn’t believe it. There were also hundreds upon hundreds of wildebeest, at this time of year they tend to congregate in the crater before their big migration later in the year.

18. Hippo-watch. We stopped by this beautiful lake for lunch in Ngorongoro Crater. There were a few hippos in the water enjoying themselves, but we were warned not to get to close to the water because hippos are actually the most dangerous animals in Africa. You don’t want to get stuck between a hippo and his water hole!

19. Next stop for us was the beautiful island of Zanzibar. We spent our first day in Stonetown, Zanzibar’s capital and spent the afternoon at a local spice plantation. This was really fascinating, we found out how nutmeg and cardamom grows and that cinnamon comes from the bark of a cinnamon tree.

After Stonetown, we ventured further north to west coast of the island to Kendwa beach. We took a snorkeling trip out too the Mnemba reef, which was beautiful. Not long after this picture was taken it bucketed down with rain – one of the downsides of traveling in rainy season. However the rainy season wasn’t all bad, usually it would only rain for an hour, before the sun was out again, and we would get to watch some spectacular storms in the distance over the ocean in the evenings.

I had a fabulous time on this safari, hope you will enjoy it too! Love, Rebecca.

Blessed with epic landscapes, famous wildlife, friendly people and diverse cultures, Africa truly has something for everyone.

Part of what makes Africa such a sought after destination is its raw and wild charm, but this does mean you need to take a few extra steps to stay happy and healthy on your trip.

Gail Graham from the 1st Contact Travel Clinic tells us how to keep fighting fit on safari in Africa!

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Heading to Africa? Want to stay healthy while abroad? There are many things you can do to keep yourself healthy while travelling around Africa.

Where ever you travel to in Africa the recommended vaccines are: Typhoid, Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria and Hepatitis A.  Depending on where you are and your itinerary you may also need Meningitis ACWY, Rabies, Hepatitis B and Yellow Fever (Yellow Fever can be compulsory in some countries).

Majority of time most travellers have no problems while abroad but that does not mean you should become complacent in preventing any unwanted incidents.

Reduce your risk of consuming contaminated food and drink. It is the most common reason for travellers to become unwell. You can do this by:

• Always washing your hands before eating
• Only eat meat that is cooked all the way through
• Avoid salads and shellfish; you never know where they are from
• Only eat fruit that you can peel
• Avoid ice in your drinks

Some other basic tips for staying healthy abroad include:

• Cover up! This not only helps protect against sunburn, but helps against mosquito bites – those bugs can carry nasty diseases such as Malaria
• Don’t approach or pat any animals unless you guide says it’s okay, you don’t know if they carry rabies or not
• Take a sterile medical kit with you
• Use an adequate mosquito spray

It is recommended that most vaccinations are given 4-6 weeks or more prior to departure. Our nurses will be happy to advise you on appropriate vaccines and Malaria tablets for your journey.

1^st Contact Travel Clinic can provide expert advice on vaccinations, medical kits, anti-malarial medication and general safety tips.

If you are planning a Topdeck Africa trip and have any health related questions please feel free to call the 1^st Contact Travel Clinic on  0808 141 5506 (UK Free call) or +44 20 7759 7574 and book a free travel consultation.

Topdeck’s business development manager Kate shares some memorable animal encounters at Kruger National Park, South Africa

The first time you see a giraffe roaming the African plane is an unforgettable experience.  As you drive through the bush the challenge to spot wildlife before anyone else is exciting and tense.

Growing up in South Africa I have been lucky enough to visit the Kruger National Park many times, each being just as spectacular as the last.

The Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi) and extends 360 kilometres (220 mi) from north to south and 65 kilometres (40 mi) from east to west. To put these numbers into perspective, it is a similar size to Wales or Israel.

The park is home to Africa’s ‘Big 5′ - elephant, rhinoceros, leopard, lion and buffalo. It also has over 500 species of birds, 150 species of mammals (including some 12,000 elephants), 100 reptiles, 23,000 plant species and a variety of amphibians.

In short, it’s a truly amazing place that has Africa stamped all over it!

Being in the Kruger isn’t like being in a zoo by any means. As you drive along the tracks each turn takes you to a different experience.  Binoculars are a MUST and will make anyone who has forgotten theirs green with envy.

Because the animals are wild and free every time you go out on a drive you will see something new and just as awesome.

Those lucky enough to see a kill (as heartless as it may sound) really do experience the true awe of nature as it is meant to be. These animals are free to roam; they find their own food and are wild things.

One of my favourite memories from the Park is seeing two lionesses cross the track ahead of us and then proceed to walk by either side of our vehicle. With your heart racing it’s hard to believe that you have just been within a few metres of one of the most amazing animals and in the wild!

Another was seeing a herd of elephants crossing the road between our vehicle and another right through the gap.

This herd was a whole range of ages including little calves.  Seeing them link tails with trunks and cross the path was incredible and brought a whole new meaning to zebra crossing!

Kruger Park is a year round destination with each season bringing its own highlights so whatever time you decide to safari in the Kruger National Park you will not be disappointed!

The Park has a hot, sub-tropical climate and for most of the year it is hot during the day (above 25°C).

Game viewing can be at its best during the dry winter months (June- September), however the wet summer season brings full waterholes, lush bushveld, many new born wildlife and the summer migrant birds arrive.

We went out for morning and evening drives as these are the best times to spot the animals. There is nothing quite like an evening drive and spending time at a water hole watching the sun set and the animals drink the water.

No matter when you go and what you see, the Kruger National Park will be one of the best travel experiences you will ever have.

Africa is truly a magical destination so what are you waiting for?

Top Tips:

• Take binoculars
• Invest in a decent camera
• Hats are essential for sun protection in those pop up safari vehicles
• Bring layers for the morning drives as it can be chilly
• Remember the animals are wild and you are in their environment

Visit Kruger National Park with Topdeck on one of these African Safaris: 31 Day South East Adventure, 25 Day Desert Tracker, 7 Day African Insight Northbound, 7 Day African Insight Southbound, 22 Day Zanzibar, Victoria Falls & Kruger, 25 Day South West Safari, 29 Day East African Explorer, and the 46 Day Ultimate African Adventure!

I can report that here in London many of us are getting affected by the seasonal ‘time-to-get-out-of-town’ disease, only curable by packing your bags… The next question is: where to go? We are torn between the idea of hitting the white slopes of Europe for a spot of skiing or exploring the wonders of North Africa but in the end, our yearning for warmth as well as sunshine wins. We are heading to Egypt!

Pyramids, Pharaohs, quad bikes and beaches: life does not get much better than this.

If you are ready for a well-deserved break, check out Topdeck’s Egypt programme. You can also save up to 10% on Egypt specials.

Always wanted to experience diving? How about the Red Sea? Topdeck is now offering its awesome 9-day Learn to Dive package in Dahab for 10% less! Trip departs 8 August 2009, please use promo code TD ADV09 015 to redeem your discount when booking online. If the idea of chilling by the Red Sea appeals (diving optional), hop onto our Sinai Horizons trip on the 27 June or 8 August 2009 to save 10%  with promo code TD ADV09 002. For further Egypt deals, check out the travel deals and competitions page.