The Millennium Experience

Think of Egypt, and pyramids spring to mind. We marvel at their sheer size, at the precision of their design. We speculate about the people who demanded their construction, those who designed and built them, and finally, those who robbed them. ... More

What so many people come to Zimbabwe for, of course, is the fantastic numbers of wildlife: from the lion, elephant, and wild dogs of Hwange National Park to the hippos and stealthy crocodiles of Mana Pools—and all kinds of birds and beasts in between. The country prides itself On its largely successful game management policies, and the fact that a good 13% of Zimbabwe is dedicated wildlife country or protected nature reserves is a source of pride. ... More

The ferry ride from Spain to Morocco—just 15 km (9 mi) across the Straits of Gibraltar—may be the longest short trip on the globe. A 90-minute trip from Algeciras to Tangier replaces a Europe on the verge of the 21st century with a timeless and tumultuous North Africa. Islam is the state religion, and Arabic the official language, but Morocco’s colorful history means you’ll also hear French, Berber, Spanish, and English in the streets. ... More

The most picturesque and fascinating part of Marrakech is surely the old city, the medina, where there is the famous Djemaa el Fnaa, with its labyrinth of roads that bring to different characteristic districts. Djemaa el Fnaa is the vital center and pulsating heart of Marrakech. The plaza confines to north with the district of the souks and to east with the Kasbah, while from southwest there is the mosque of the Kutubiyya. ... More

Cairo is in Lower Egypt, at the southern tip of the Nile Delta, about 100 mi/160 km south of the Mediterranean Sea. At the center of the city, on the east bank of the Nile, is bustling Tahrir Square. The Egyptian Museum is on its north side. Beginning on the eastern side of the square is Talat Harb Street, a major commercial thoroughfare. It crosses another major street, Kasr el Nil, at Talat Harb Square. This entire area, continuing north to Ramses Square, is generally referred to as downtown. Running along the eastern bank of the Nile is a scenic street called Corniche el Nil. Following it south from downtown will take you to Garden City, where many embassies are located. Farther south is Old Cairo, the oldest Islamic and Christian (Coptic) part of the city. Beyond that to the south is Maadi, a residential suburb. East of downtown is the largely medieval quarter called Islamic Cairo. The famous Khan el Khalili Bazaar and the Citadel are found there. The suburb of Heliopolis (where the airport is located) is northeast of downtown. ... More

The country is basically a flat, sand-filled basin. The Kalahari Desert covers the center and south of the country and extends into in to Angola, South Africa, and Namibia. The northwest of the country is the unique watershed produced by the Okavango River (Southern Africa’s third largest watercourse) which rises in the highlands of Angola and then flows south, west, and south again into Botswana’s interior. Here, as it fans out over the Kalahari sandveld, it creates an immense inland delta, a fragile and perfectly balanced ecosystem which is one of the wonders of the natural world. ... More