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Member of the
Africa Travel Association from San
Francisco, CA For bookings
visit: http://www.theculturalexplorer.com The
Cultural Explorer, featuring cultural and philanthropic
travel into South Africa, announces an exclusive tour
especially for art and animals lovers. Travelers will stay
in one-of-kind hotels, visit mystical regions few tourists
see, get to know local artists, and view South Africa's big
game animals in luxurious, eco-friendly safari
camps. Animals
and Art - VENDA INDIGENOUS ART TOUR South Africa is
home to some of the most ancient and beautiful art in the
world - the rock art of the ancestors of today's Bushman or
San. It is also the scene of a host of vibrant and exciting
contemporary artists producing new and important work in a
post apartheid era. On this trip,
Cultural Explorer travelers will have the opportunity to
view fine and experimental art by both black and white
artists from various South African communities. In
Johannesburg travelers will explore the top national and
commercial galleries and will meet with many of the artists
in their studios. In the rural areas, travelers will meet
with eccentric, well known local artists like Jackson
Hlungwani and Noria Mbasa, both who sculpt in wood, as well
as select craft makers. Travelers will
begin the VENDA INDIGENOUS ART TOUR staying at an upscale
Afro-chic hotel in Johannesburg. Visitors will visit the
Apartheid Museum, and Constitution Hill, and the vibrant
township of Soweto, before two full days of touring
Johannesburg's world-class art galleries and
museums. Next stop is a
lovely lakeside lodge in the Limpopo province. The lodge was
one of the first establishments to gain Fair Trade in
Tourism South Africa certification. It is co-owned by
a family descended from Swiss missionaries, and a local
entrepreneur whose main goal is to promote the local artists
and crafters in the area. Then it is on to
Lesheba, an authentic Venda village re-created by artist
Noria Mabasa. This artistic wonderland of sculpted walls,
seating areas, figures and entrances, breathes the mystical
spirit of old Venda. A highly creative people, the Venda
produce many fascinating arts and crafts, with sculpture
being particularly well represented. Whether using wood or
stone, the artist carves away the surplus material to reveal
the true form or spirit of the object hidden underneath.
Collectives have been established featuring pottery,
sculpture and weaving, and Venda artists have been
commissioned for major works of art across South Africa.
Travelers will meet with Venda and Shangaan artists,
including visits to Mukondeni Pottery Village and
Mogalakwena Arts Centre. Lesheba is also a unique game
reserve with an abundance of wildlife, including white
rhino, the rare brown hyena, and giraffe. The next stop is
a private safari lodge situated between the Limpopo and the
Luvuvhu Rivers in the northern part of famed Kruger National
park. The area is the ancestral home of the Makuleke people,
and is one of the most scenic areas in the Kruger. The
region is considered one of Kruger's biodiversity hotspots,
with large herds of elephants, buffalos, leopards and lions,
and extremely prolific birdlife. The last day of
the trip is spent in Johannesburg for travelers to want to
go back and get that great piece of art they may have passed
up the first day! This 14-day trip
is an immersion into South Africa art with safari, also
includes optional cultural excursions to local villages and
philanthropic projects. Only The
Cultural Explorer offers this itinerary. For more
information please contact: Pat
Walker Founder The Cultural
Explorer 211 27th Avenue,
Suite 301 San Francisco,
CA 94121 Phone:
415-387-1335 Fax:
415-386-8334 Cell:
415-994-0019 For bookings visit:
http://www.theculturalexplorer.com
Join
Pat Walker
March
7-21, 2009 and May
16-30, 2009
