Are you the Bear Grylls adventure type? The type that doesn’t mind falling out of a plane, landing in some extremely remote land filled with10 lb. fanged spiders, (10 lb.’s is probably an exaggeration, but still, they’re big and I don’t want anything to do with them), eating undigested food from dung droppings and at night resting comfortably in the carcass of a dead animal?

Or maybe you’re at the other end of the spectrum.  Maybe your idea of an incredible adventure vacation is boarding a plane en route to a touristy island, resting comfortably on the white sand beaches of  a beautiful resort, lounging around in your beach chair, Mai-Tai in hand with everything you need at the snap of a finger.

My adventure level probably falls right between the two.   Although I love throwing on my boots, packing a tent and all of my gear into a pack and setting out to hike the beautiful forests of North America for a few days, I would much rather pack in my food than take the Bear Grylls approach and munch on anything, and I mean ANYTHING that I find moving around on the ground, in a tree, on dead animals or anywhere else.

Here’s what I think of when I close my eyes and imagine what adventure means to me:

My idea of a dream adventure is to visit safe, friendly destinations abroad, where throughout the course of my trip, I can be immersed in new cultures, meet the local people, be surrounded by exotic wildlife and get that heart rate up a bit with some really fun activities.

On my trip I don’t want to be lounging around all day.  I want to get out and trek to the top of an active volcano, get soaked as my raft flies down the untamed white water,  fly through the canopies of a rain forest tethered to a zip-line and navigate remote waterways by kayak where I’ll have monkeys, pigmy elephants, exotic birds and 1000’s of other animals in every direction that I look.

Instead of staying in a large resort type atmosphere, I want to stay in smaller, but still really comfortable eco-type lodges.

A small, thatched roof cabana comes to mind. It’s placed right in the heart of a jungle or, maybe it’s right on the sands of a deserted beach.  In either case they’re off the beaten path and in a location that’s unworldly.

That’s the cliff notes version of what comes to my mind when I think adventure.

I wanted to find out what others thought of when asked the question:  What does adventure mean to you?”

Here’s what we came up with.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Don’t forget to visit us at www.FalkAdventures.com and join us on Facebook

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The big question:

Do I really need to carry a money belt when traveling abroad?

Answer:

Absolutely!

When traveling abroad, you need to keep your passport, money, credit cards and other important documents safe from would be pickpockets.

No doubt, the next question is:

What should I be using? A money belt, neck pouch or just stash everything deep within my pack?

The choice is up to you. The one thing that I would not recommend is just stashing everything deep within your pack.

You want to keep all your important information as close to you as possible and when you get lazy and just stash your items, they become vulnerable.

Here’s the pro’s and con’s to your two other options.

Money Belt:

Pro’s:

• Effective way of keeping items close to you and away from sticky fingers McGee.

• Durable

Con’s

• Large

• Bulky

• Can be uncomfortable

• Chaffing can occur

My recommendations:

• Opt for a silk version or Eagle Creek’s MicroFlex version, they’re softer, thinner and dry quicker when wet

• Stay away from the dark color versions.  Get the tan or other  light colors as they stands out less

• Place the belt around your waist and buckle it. Take the belt off and then sew the adjustable end of the belt so that the belt can not extend anymore. If you don’t sew the adjustable ends together, as your hiking, dancing and moving around, your belt strap will gradually loosen and in no time you’ll realize that the pouch is half way down your leg.

• Put your passport, money and documents in a plastic zip lock bag so they won’t get wet

Neck Pouch:
(This is what I prefer, but not worn in the traditional way. I place the strap around my neck and  across my chest, bandolier style. Very stylish!)

Pro’s:

• Effective way of keeping items close to you

• Comfortable

• Durable

Con’s

• Worn across the chest like I do, I can’t really think of any, but if I do think of any I’ll be sure to update this post.

My recommendations

• Don’t wear it around the neck where it can be annoying as it flaps against your chest and it can be easily seen through the shirt.

• Opt for the thinner silk or microfiber type pouches. Here’s the one I have from Eagle Creek.  Eagle Creek Microflex Neck Pouch = Awesome
  

• Stay away from the dark color versions (black) and stick with the lighter colors as they stand out less.

• Put your passport and other items in a zip lock bag so that the goodies don’t get wet.

Oh!, and one other side note.

Here are a couple tips for you while wearing your money pouches.

• Carry enough money for the day in your pocket and put the rest in your pouch.
• If you need to get extra cash out of your pouch, make your way over to the nearest restroom where you can privately remove more cash.  Don’t do it in public!

Now get out there and play!

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This country has so much to offer.  Adventure, wildlife, culture and excitement around every corner.  We new that this would be a popular destination for us and we also knew that we had to make this itinerary absolutely incredible.

What’s new?  Let’s be honest, all of our itineraries are pretty incredible.

After locking ourselves away in our office for a few days, living off of nothing but Ding Dongs and coffee, we had completed an itinerary that sent chills through our spines.  It was AWESOME!

What tops off the trip?  Oh, I don’t know.  Probably the fact that we have Jeffrey.  One of the coolest and most knowledgeable guides to roam the beautiful lands of Costa Rica.

Want to meet him?  Where here you go.

Let me introduce you to your Costa Rica naturalist guide, Jeffrey.

Take it away Jeffrey…….

What do you like most about living in Costa Rica?

It is hard to tell since I like so many things about my country, I love the Freedom, the Education access for everyone, the Democracy that we enjoy, the Peace of not having an Army, the Culture and the Biodiversity and Nature Conservancy.

What do you like most about working as a guide?

My heart is divided in two equal parts, one half the chance to interact with the nature every day, the other half the chance to meet people that at the end of every trip I can call friends!!!

Tell us about an amazing wildlife encounter or cultural experience you’ve personally experienced in Costa Rica?

4 years ago, helping Mr. Eduardo Carrillo, Author of the Guide to the Costa Rican Mammals for InBio I had the chance to experience an encounter face to face with an Adult Jaguar at the Osa Peninsula, for about 5 seconds the Jaguar and I look into each other eyes, he shows No Fear when he look at me but at the same time I never got to feel any Danger, he was in his Natural Habitat and I guess that made him feel comfortable to say it in that way… This encounter plus the chance to work and learn from Mr. Carrillo is priceless for me and will always stay in my mind…

Together, we’ve created a really exciting trip to Costa Rica.  Is this an itinerary that was created specifically for Falk Custom Adventures or is this just another crowded, mass marketed tour?

The Itinerary is well balanced, it gives the chance to the guest to enjoy several different ecosystems and as a result of that combination we will have the chance to enjoy a lot more the Flora and the Fauna of Costa Rica. This Journey will take us from the Rain Forest combine with the Adrenaline of the White Water Rafting to the Geological History of the Country at the Youngest and most active Volcano of the of Costa Rica, then following the program the Amazing Cloud Forest is to me one of the most beautiful “Living Garden” in the World and to finish with this wonderful Costa Rican experience we will end up our trip visiting the Manuel Antonio National Park where nature and beaches gets fused in one unique environment!!!

To be Honest, I can’t wait to share this Itinerary with all your clients!!!

Tell us about some of the exciting things that our guests will see and experience during our trip?

Based on this itinerary I am sure they will enjoy seeing a lot of wildlife all year around,  I always like to tell everyone on my trips “I Don’t know if we will see Monkeys, Toucans or Parrots but I am sure this won’t be just another trip for you, I promise this will be a life experience for everyone”

Why would you recommend people travel to Costa Rica?

I think Costa Rica has something for everyone, if you are looking for adventure we have it, if you like to relax at the beach you can find it in here, if you just want to be surprised by the Wonders of Nature I am sure you will, so just come because we have what you are looking for… Just an advice, don’t come with expectations, come full of hope and you will find what you are looking for…

Any final thoughts, words of inspiration or just something you need to get off your chest?  We’re listening.

Monteverde, Arenal and Manuel Antonio, are the highlights of a Nature experience for everyone, this plus the unique chance to do WWR and be able to stay overnight in the middle of the Rain Forest will add the “Salt & Pepper” that we need .

An advise, After more than 12 Years working as a Naturalist Guide I have notice that Travelers in general are open for new experience, let’s take them out of their comfort zone at least once during their trip.

I can’t wait to see all of you and your clients in here, Mi casa es su Casa!!!

Thank you.

Jeffrey

Naturalist Tour Guide.

Want to go?  Follow this link  Falk Custom Adventures Costa Rica

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These guys must have been a good 200 lbs a piece, tattooed from head to toe and biceps the size of mountains.

They seemed to come from nowhere.  I’ll be honest,  I was pretty scared.

They demanded that I hand over my wallet and fearing for my own safety, I complied immediately.

The entire event was caught on camera.

I go over one way you can protect yourself from having your wallet being hijacked.

*Disclaimer:  Maybe some of the things mentioned above aren’t completely true.  You’ve got to watch the video to understand.

Check it out!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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The nasty, stinky and sweaty part is more of a badge of honor, so where it proudly, but the achy feet thing….. that is no fun and can turn what was supposed to be an amazing adventure into a very painful, blister popping and expletive filled experience.

Boot companies are in the business of designing really rugged boots.  Boots that scream, “Bring it on Mother Nature!” and “I eat puny trails like you for breakfast!.” But apparently boot companies are not in the business of designing really comfortable and long lasting insoles.  It sounds odd to me that this is true, but it is.

The insoles that come inside of your boots are flimsy, flat and are meant to be temporary.

If you’re getting ready to purchase a new pair of boots or if you have an old pair that is still protecting that flat, poor excuse for an insole, switch them out with a new pair!

There are a few different brands out on the market, but the brand that we personally use is Superfeet.  They’re tough, rugged and come with different levels of arch support, so it’s important to be fitted for the correct one.

Go ahead, switch out your current insoles with insoles that are designed specifically to laugh at any and all abuse that you’re able to dish out and you’re feet will be a none issue whether your hiking with us to Machu Picchu in Peru or trekking with us through the thick jungles of Rwanda in search of  mountain gorillas.

Your feet are going to love them!

See for yourself what incredibleness happened when I switched out my insoles with some Superfeet insoles.   Check it out!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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I confess, I’m a shop-a-holic!  I love shopping here in the states and it’s definitely no different when I’m traveling abroad.  It’s a disease, what can I say?

I always look forward to visiting the local markets, watching local artisans make their handmade goods and most of all I look forward to hunting for unique, hand made and extremely colorful souvenirs that are unique to the destination I’m visiting.

It really is a lot of  fun and an adventure in of itself when purchasing our beloved souvenirs.  The adventure I speak of is “The Art of Bargaining.”

When bargaining, the goal is not to rip the merchant off.  I want them to get paid a fair price.  It’s me that I don’t want getting ripped off.

Here’s our bargaining tips:

• Buy early or Buy late….  Merchants are usually motivated to sell at the beginning and end of the day.  I’m not sure if this is because they’re tired or exhausted but it works.

• Stay away from the masses…. Avoid buying anything at congested tourist sites.  The merchants are less likely to negotiate with you.

• An aggressive seller is a scary seller… If the seller is really aggressive, just walk away.  Aggressive sellers are usually just looking for a tourist to sucker!

• 1/2 price isn’t good enough…. Remember that some merchants mark up their items up to 10 times true value.  Even if you offer half price, you’re still overpaying!

• Make merchants compete…. If you’re interested in buying many of the same items, what you can do is negotiate the price at one vendor and buy “one.”  Then move on down to another merchant that has the same item, let them know what you just purchased this item for and see if he beats the price.  Usually they will low ball the price by 20% – 30%  because they think you’re not going to buy anymore of the same item.

• An Oscar Award goes to your travel buddy…. Include your travel buddy.  While talking to a merchant, have you’re travel buddy role play by reciting in front of the merchant, “You don’t want that.  You don’t have enough money for that.”  The merchant wants to make the deal and this will usually swing in your favor.

• Small bills work best… When shopping, carry small bills!  It is better to negotiate and pull out the exact amount of cash that was agreed upon.  If you pull out to much money, the merchant may have a quick change of heart and up the price.  No Good!  Pulling out the exact amount of cash that you want to purchase the item for is also a good negotiating tool, just follow it up with, “This is all I have and start walking away.”  You’ll have that item in your pack in no time.

The two most important rules:

• TAKE YOUR TIME!! You don’t have to rush into anything.  Walk around and compare prices.  If you’re in a rush, odds are you’re going to overpay.

• The number one bargaining tool in your bargaining backpack.

Your ability to walk away

OR

Your ability to look like you’re going to walk away!

If you follow these tips, you’re going to come home with a ton of cool stuff to give away as gifts or to strategically place around the house so that you and your jealous friends are reminded of what an awesome time you had.

Happy Shopping!

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Borneo, the third largest island in the world, is also one of the most incredible and most adventurous places in the world.  This is a culture and wildlife mecca!  I’m pretty sure the real name of this location is “Incrediblealaborneotheculturewildlifemecca,”  but it’s been trimmed down for obvious reasons.

To tour this area, we needed to find really, really good guides to tackle this adventure and once again we have outdone ourselves.

It is my great please to introduce you to Lemon, your Borneo guide.

What do you like most about living in Borneo?

Harmonious living, ethnic festivals and rituals and longhouses dwellings is what I like about my home country and Borneo. Being born in Borneo as a native Bidayuh I feel very fortunate as being part of the rich cultural heritage as we have in Borneo. Being able to enjoy the ethnic festivals like the harvest festival, witnessing the folklore bard singing by the women from the older generations is a highlight to me. This is unknown to and unpracticed by the younger generation. In the event of death in the community the delicate rituals that is practiced is equally unique in this 21st century. To experience this is the best thing that can happen to a person like me who is aware that this will become vanished in the years to come.

What do you like most about working as a guide?

Meeting new people from all over the world and having the cultural exchange is what I like about being a guide. It is always good to share opinions and to show the visitors some of the interesting places and definitely the rare and endemic species of wildlife living in Borneo. This includes the orang utan, proboscis monkey and langur to name a few.

Tell us about an amazing wildlife encounter or cultural experience you’ve personally experienced in Borneo?

Encountering wild orang utans in the wild, and not in a forest reserve or national park, is always a unique experience and you will really only understand after such a personal encounter. I have been fortunate to have this kind of encounter and it is difficult to describe it in words. Experiencing healing ceremonies in the longhouses by the local shaman is an unique experience and meeting nomadic Penan’s and being able to stay with them was a great experience too. Going hunting and foraging for food in the forest with the Penans is an unique survival experience I will never forget.

Tell us about some of the exciting things that our guests will see and experience during our trip?

I will say that the visitors exciting experiences will include the peoples friendliness and hospitality and being able to sample some of the local delicacies such as fresh food cooked in bamboo and eaten off a banana leave right in the middle of the jungle. That is special for any visitor I believe. Seeing wildlife such as the proboscis monkey and orang utan in the wild is always a highlight for most visitors. To experience the ambiance of the jungle with all it’s sounds, smells and ‘noises’ coming from the insects is what is amazing about the rainforest and that will be experienced too.

Together, we’ve created a really exciting trip to Borneo.  Is this an itinerary that was created specifically for Falk Custom Adventures or is this just another crowded, mass marketed tour?

This itinerary is specifically created for Falk Custom Adventures and is unique in the way that it meets the very specific requirements expected by Falk Custom Adventures in terms of accommodation, tour experiences and level of adventure.

Why would you recommend people to travel in Borneo?

Borneo’s name is already a mysterious and attracting name and experiencing the diverse ethnic tribal groups with a remarkable cultural diversity are good reasons to visit Borneo. This coupled with the amazing nature, the jungle and the distinctive wildlife makes it all so special. People do speak English widely in Malaysia’s Borneo as it is formerly an English colony and that makes it relatively easy for visitors to interact and to obtain first hand knowledge, facts and information from the local population. Modern and appealing facilities in the cities are available to provide a bit of comfort after roughing it out. We don’t have to forget about that.

Any final thoughts, words of inspiration or just something you need to get off your chest?  We’re listening.

Just come to Borneo with an open mind and there will be a lot of good surprises awaiting for you ……..

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I absolutely love these things.  I’ve packed up my family and friends just to drag them all over the state in order to attend these one day events.  We’ve been to the Sacramento, Fresno, Encinitas, Folsom, Stockton, Roseville and Rancho Cucamonga REI Garage Sales just to name a few.

If you haven’t gone to one of these you are missing out my friends.

So what is an REI Garage Sale? First off, hopefully you’re familiar with REI, which is one of the biggest and baddest motha’s out there.  REI, Recreational Equipment, INC., is the adventurers go to store.  They have everything for every type of trip, vacation and adventure.  Although I haven’t seen it, I’m pretty sure they’ve got what you need to make lunar landing and moon walk stashed away somewhere in the store.

Click here to view the embedded video.

These stores are huge and conduct a lot of business.  Well, with all that business there are bound to be lots of returns from people who were unsatisfied with their new purchase for one reason or another.  REI responds by yelling at the return-er, “Fine, you didn’t like it, but someone else will and guess what.  We’re going to sell it to them for a fraction of what you paid for it!  Take that!”

OK, they don’t yell or get hostile at all, but they do put that returned item in a guarded room where it rests, nestled comfortably in a big heavenly pile of goodies that I can only dream about swimming in.  That pile of returned stuff  builds and builds until REI hosts their quarterly garage sale.

On the date of the garage sale you will find all the items that have been returned, selling for a fraction of the original cost.  Usually 50% – 90% off the original price.

Sounds like an awesome deal right?  Well it is and everyone wants in on it.

100’s of people show up to these events and even though the event is posted to last from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, the reality is that this thing is usually over in about 30 minutes.

What’s that mean?  It means that you want to be strategically placed somewhere towards the front of the line in order to get your hands on all the good stuff.

To get a good spot in line, expect to show up at around 5:30 – 6:00 am.

In the video that we posted here, I had asked the person that was at the very front of the line what time he had shown up…….. “7:00 P.M the night before” was his answer.

So a couple things you should remember:

• Show up as early as possible to get a spot in line.  Expect to hang out with some  really good people for about 5 hrs. prior to the event starting
• You have to be an REI member to participate, which means you just have to pay the $20 lifetime enrollment fee.  Very much worth it!
• If you see something you like, but someone has already snagged it, just follow them around.  There’s a good chance they might decide they didn’t want it after all
• Protect your stuff!!  Don’t leave your goods unattended or else its sayonara.  You’ll never see that stuff again.
• Come with a good attitude, meet lots of great people and have a good time.

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OK, close your eyes and think of your dream adventure vacation to Africa.

Now hopefully you’ve opened them back up so you can read the rest of this.

You probably thought of wide open plains, filled with incredible wildlife such as lions, giraffes and elephants roaming freely.  Maybe you even thought of an incredibly massive hippo poking just his eyes and ears out of the water slightly.

Did you also think about visiting with the locals and interacting with the Maasai people?

Throw a scoop of relaxation and tranquility in there and you’ve got yourself a pretty amazing trip.

Unfortunately for us, it can be very difficult to actually find this dream trip in Africa due to the mass numbers of tourists that arrive daily, piling into cramped busses and mini-vans all on a mission to find the exact same thing.

Well, no worries!  We’ve planned that trip for you.  It’s in a little country called Kenya, maybe you’ve heard of it.  We get the privilege of staying on private nature conservancies, oozing in wildlife and culture.

And what makes a trip really fun and incredible?  The guides!

So, we searched and searched and found guides that are second to none.

Let me introduce you to one of our amazing guides right now.  Lets give a big round of applause for your Kenya guide ……..  Harry!

What do you like most about living in Kenya?

Climate is very favorable. Mornings and evenings are characterized by the remarkable sunshine/ sunsets that offer a natural reason to smile for the new day then toss and hit glasses in cheers at the end with the lovely sunsets. No extremes of weather.

People- very hospitable, can afford you a smile, welcoming, beautiful cultures within the different tribes and different nationalities residing here are a good mixture to the cross cultures, i.e. indigenous.

Wildlife & Landscape- Kenya is rich in wildlife. Our heritage is among the biggest attraction of tourists, locals and foreigners. Varied relief from coastal lowlands to the highlands, then the Great Rift Valley running from north to south, offers great sceneries for nature lovers and film makers. The beach spanning North to South coast is among the top on the list of the finest beaches on the earth.

What do you like most about working as a guide?

Working as a guide keeps me in the field where I have to move up and about. This enables me to observe changes like, how global warming is impacting our earth, etc. I thus believe that I’m in a position of informing/ advising any interest groups on what’s happening and what can be done.

Also, I have the opportunity of meeting people from all over the world, making friends with them and learning their cultures; the highlight being showing them the beauty of our country in the flora and fauna.

Tell us about an amazing wildlife encounter or cultural experience you’ve personally experienced in Kenya?

The most amazing wildlife encounter I had was in March of this year when a lion of about a year old came into the camp at 08:15 pm. The guests were seated at the camp fire having their drinks. The night guard shone his torch at the lion and everyone was astounded by the sighting. I was 3 meters from the lion separated by a stick fence that is behind the office tent. He looked hungry and thirsty but had lost the track of the pride. The clients got into the land rover and we followed the lion for a half an hour, as he walked majestically in search of the rest.

Tell us about some of the exciting things that our guests will see and experience during our trip?

The wonderful wildlife, particularly when clients take time to observe social behavior of different species. Abundant wildlife is exiting especially to bird lovers but also gets to attract the attention of people who didn’t have interest in bird watching. Taking a walk on the wild side with Maasai warriors adds to the experience.

Together, we’ve created a really exciting trip to Kenya.  Is this an itinerary that was created specifically for Falk Custom Adventures or is this just another crowded, mass marketed tour?

This is definitely NOT a mass market tour and in fact the  camps that your clients will be staying at are low impact bush camps in exclusive wildlife rich conservancies so clients can have an classic safari experience similar to the bygone days of Ernest Hemingway and Teddy Roosevelt…of course with more comfortable arrangements like flush toilets and proper mattresses on the beds.

Why would you recommend people to travel in Kenya?

Kenya is indeed a great travel destination owing to the wildlife heritage, home of the big five in their natural habitats and all the other animals available. Hospitable people are there to gladly host you and for those who want to enjoy a quiet time, there is a wide range of exclusive camps to offer you the piece of mind you may require. After a safari in the parks and the country, one can relax at the beach at a place of choice.

Any final thoughts, words of inspiration or just something you need to get off your chest? We’re listening.

When booking a safari, destination choice is of paramount importance in terms of wildlife, cultural and the hospitality experience. Booking with Falk Custom Adventures becomes the first choice owing to the fact that we are staying on private conservancies. Clients can get many extras like Maasai walks, night game drives, sundowners, open 4×4’s, authentic safari camps etc…The camp involves the local communities in conservation and they, the communities, benefit a lot as they earn a living without going to the cities in search of work.

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And any trip to Madagascar is an amazing experience, but what makes our trip even better is the fact that we have super incredible guides to lead us through their home country.

Our new Madagascar itinerary has been in the works for quite some time and alas, we’ve created an itinerary that takes us to some of the most incredible areas of this amazing island, while mingling with the locals and taking in the beautiful flora and fauna of this nature wonderland.

Who’s gonna lead us on our trip?  (Ooooo! This is so exciting)  Adventurers, I have the great pleasure of introducing you to your Madagascar guide, the one and only Heritiana!  (applause!)

Take it away Hertiana!

What do you like most about living in Madagascar

One reason I like to live in Madagascar is that I am Malagasy, of course. Madagascar is  my home country. I’m born here, I live here, I’m home here.

I enjoy my country as it is safe to live here. Malagasy people are warm and friendly. We have gained freedom, peace, security and have some opportunities to prosper. We did huge steps forward in coming  in contact with the world using new technologies, and step by step we’re getting a modern nation. We have this chance to prosper thanks to such as our unique biodiversity, our climate and not to forget our cultural heritage, our beliefs, customs and traditions. Such descriptions may apply for a lot of countries in the world but Madagascar is different. Really!

What do you like most about working as guide

I’ve been really lucky in my professional life. I got the offer to work as tour guide and there was a specific moment when I thought ‘Yes, I’m going to do this!’. I like tour guiding. It involves contact with different people and cultures and gives me the chance of showing our beautiful country to people from all over the world.

This work also allows me to know and to explore my own country. I share my experiences  and knowledge, meanwhile I can receive new information and always be up to date about the speedy change and development that currently happens in Madagascar. I also learn so much about foreign countries, their history and ongoing. Opportunities, ambitions and fun in my job, that’s my motivation.

Tell us about an amazing wildlife encounter or cultural experience you’ve personally experienced in Madagascar?

Madagascar is famous for its remarkable selection of lemurs, primate’s endemic to the island, colorful birds, brilliantly colored chameleons and lizards, tenrecs, bats and rodents.

The fantastic one I’ve encounter is to see the ring-tailed lemurs ’sunbaking’ – sitting in the sunshine with their arms spread wide and their bellies facing towards the sun and the amusing ‘dance’ of the Verreauxi Sifakas nearby.

Together, we’ve created a really exciting trip to Madagascar.  Is this an itinerary that was created specifically for Falk Custom Adventures or is this just another crowded, mass marketed tour?

As for me, this is an itinerary created and designed exclusively for groups of Falk Custom Adventures. This tour gives our guests the opportunity to come close to lemurs and wildlife in our country. It also brings them closer to local cultures and environments by involving local people.

Your holiday in Madagascar will be an experience that will sure to be etched in your memory.

Tell us about some of the exciting things that our guests will see and experience during our trip?

Oh, there are so many things! During the trip our guests will see two difference types of forest, the spiny dry forest in the deep south and the rainy forest on the edge of a humid region. We round the tour up with a little time on the exiting beach of a very small tropical island.

The lemurs. The biggest living lemur called Indri-Indri and so many others. Big ones, small ones, white ones, black ones, brown ones… And of course the different species of lemur,s specially the Dancing Sifaka and the nocturnal Mouselemur, sometimes seen even during daytime.

Of course our guests get into touch with the local people, during the trip, they will meet several ethnic groups as Merina, Betsimisaraka, Antanosy and Antandroy. And may discover the different behavior of those.  And last not least to join a Malagasy family for dinner and to be served with the local food.

One of the most memorable aspects of traveling in Madagascar is the relaxed pace and the real lack of haste, and to get part of day-to-day life of the Malagasy people.

Why would you recommend people travel to Madagascar?

We in Madagascar have an extremely high percentage of endemic flora and fauna, almost 80% of our wildlife are not found elsewhere in the world. That is already an important reason to come. Also our experience of a range of climates, including combinations of hot, dry, wet and cold, not to forget our culture, tradition and customs. There is so much to mention. Madagascar is so unique! The fascinating uniqueness of this island has led some to class it as the Eighth Continent. We will be happy to lead our guests in our beautiful country. We know their time is precious so we have tried to make it as easy as possible for everybody to find what they are looking for.

Any final thoughts, words of inspiration or just something you need to get off your chest?  We’re listening.

Madagascar is a treasure. A natural treasure, a cultural treasure. With this heritage in our hands we have the objective in mind, to seek to create values, multiply them and preserve them for the future.

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