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Native Eye Travel

Native Eye - Experts in the Unusual

Native Eye offers cutting edge group and private trips to some of the world's most unusual destinations, from tribal encounters in hidden corners of Africa, to groundbreaking and unique journeys through the vast steppes of Asia.

13/11/2024

The Algerian Sahara is home to some of the most jaw dropping scenery on the planet, from the rock pinnacles of the Tassili n'Ajjer to the volcanic landscapes of the Hoggar, and vast fields of sand dunes.

Home today to the nomadic Tuareg, one of the last people to resist French colonisation of Africa, it was once a lush and well watered region and home to large mammals like giraffe, elephant and more, evidence of which can be found in the superb rock art here which dates back thousands of years.

This is a place for raw adventure, on a grand scale - to venture here you have to be prepared to forgo a few creature comforts, with camping most of the way, but you're rewarded with unspoiled vistas, landscapes to die for, and virtually no-one else around.

These images were taken on our Jewel of the Sahara trip last month by group member Chris Ellis.

Our next departure is in February - details here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/algeria-jewel-of-the-sahara/

10/11/2024

We've recently finished our group tour to Eritrea, known as one of Africa's more secretive countries, and often one of the last few people visit on their travel career through the continent.

Located in the Horn of Africa and bordered to the east by the Red Sea, it's also one of Africa’s smallest and youngest countries - a hidden gem with a rich and colourful history. The Italians, Turks and Egyptians have all left their mark here and under centuries of foreign occupation, Eritrea has gained a collective cultural heritage and diverse ethnic make-up.

Highlights here include remarkable Italian colonial architecture in Asmara, the sights and sounds of the market in Keren, the ancient city of Qohaito and the heritage of Massawa – one of the hottest places on earth. As always though, it's often the people that leave the most lasting memories.

Here are some images taken by group member Alar Laius on our recent trip - full details to be found on our website here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/eritrean-highlights/

01/11/2024

We've just finished our annual trip to Chad's Gerewol festival. In a world where experiences can sometimes seem to be becoming more commodified, contrived and inauthentic, this is the real deal - not a 'tourist show' but a genuine celebration for the Wodaabe themselves, at which we're privileged to be allowed to attend, and where we have the opportunity to spend time with the Wodaabe and immerse ourselves in their customs and culture.

The Gerewol festival takes place at the end of each rainy season, and the specific place is chosen according to where local elders deem there to be the best grazing for their cattle. The Gerewol occurs at the same time as the ‘cure salee’, when cattle are brought to grazing grounds that are rich in salt and minerals; the minerals help to strengthen the cattle and rid them of parasites. The festival is an opportunity for scattered groups of Wodaabe to meet once a year, exchanging news and embarking on a series of dances. The purpose of these is for the young Wodaabe men to show off their beauty, with the intention of finding partners – the mean usually range from about 17 to 25 in age, although ‘noble’ men, those who have the potential to become chiefs or sultans, do not take part.

The dances themselves involve the men standing in a line, singing traditional rhythmic songs and chants while doing their best to show the whites of their eyes and baring their teeth, two symbols of male beauty. Every so often a dancer will step forward, almost as if in a trance, with jerky movements which imitate the courtship dances of local birds. These songs and dances can last for a long time, seemingly without stop, during which time some of the dancers seem to almost enter into a different consciousness, trembling as they continue with their rituals.

This happens once a year, and we'll be going again in October 2025. If you'd like to join, you can see the full details here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/the-gerewol-festival/

30/10/2024

The Kamberi are one of Nigeria's most fascinating ethnic groups - in a country where modernity is quickly eroding, or at least changing, the old ways the Kamberi stick resolutely to the customs of their ancestors. To the north east of Kontagora they live in isolated villages far from the main roads, making a living out of traditional agriculture. The Kamberi women are a sight to behold, with colourful beads and headgear, tattooed and painted faces and bright jewellery protruding from their lips - the men tend to be less traditional as is often the case. The Kamberi congregate at weekly markets held in a different village each day - these are lively affairs with millet beer being passed around, traditional singing and dancing, and you are likely to be the focus of attention if you visit.

We visit the Kamberi on our Lost Kingdoms of Nigeria trip, next departing in November 2025. We've been visiting this fascinating, often frustrating, brash, bold giant of West Africa since 2014, and it remains one of our favourites. Nigeria isn't for everyone, and it's probably not where you should start for a first time visit to West Africa, but you can't say that you know the region fully until you've been there.....
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/lost-kingdoms-of-nigeria/

25/10/2024

If you're looking for a winter break with a difference, you could do a lot worse than Sao Tome and Principe. This tiny island nation sits off the coast of Central Africa, with gorgeous beaches, a lush forested interior, turtles coming ashore to lay eggs and the fading grandeur of the old Portuguese plantations. Small enough to fit into a week or so, it consists of two main islands - the larger, Sao Tome, where the capital is located, and the smaller, Principe, just 55 square miles in size.

Our next guaranteed departure to explore one of Africa's least visited countries is on 4 January - full details here: https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/sao-tome-explorer/

And if that's not quirky enough for you, not long after we're running a tour to Equatorial Guinea, the former Spanish colony split between the island of Bioko and the mainland, Rio Muni. Once incredibly difficult to visit, EG has recently relaxed its visa requirements and introduced an e-visa for tourists. Here you'll find more turtles, black sand beaches, crater lakes, a bizarre capital being built out from the forest, and almost no other tourists. You can see the details of our next trip, on 12 January, here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/island-africa-equatorial-guinea/

17/10/2024

Last month we ran our Silk Road Explorer tour, starting in Tajikistan, travelling through Uzbekistan and ending in Turkmenistan.

From the Tajik capital of Dushanbe we explore the west of the country, visiting the turquoise blue lake of Iskander Kul and the towns of Khojand and Istaravashan, before crossing the border and heading to Tashkent.

In Uzbekistan we explore the sublime cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, awash with blue domed mosques and intricately decorates madrassahs and mausoleums - the very image of what one associates with the Silk Road, exuding the history of the various civilisations that have existed through the centuries.

In Turkmenistan we camp by the flaming crater of Darwaza, explore the 'unusual' monuments of Ashgabat and see the vast archaeological site of Merv.

This gorgeous collection of images was sent by traveller Chloe Neild, who joined our recent tour. The season for Central Asia is coming to end now, but we'll be running this trip again in spring 2025 - our original departure on 19 April is almost full now six we've just added another slightly earlier trip, and the next after this is in September.

Full details here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/silk-road-explorer/

10/10/2024

Our scheduled departure in May to Eastern Turkey has recently filled, so we've added another just before it, in mid April.

This is a Turkey that couldn't be more different from the well frequented beaches of the south west, or the cosmopolitan hub of Istanbul. Home to a bewildering array of archaeological sites, from countless civilisations, this part of the country is more traditional, less visited, and gives you a chance to discover Turkey away from the crowds.

We visit the ancient temple of Gobekli Tepe, the iconic stone heads of Mt Nemrut, and uncover the history of the Armenian empire at Ani, long abandoned but testament to forgotten glories. We also explore Byzantine monasteries and churches, see the 'beehive houses' of Harran, and hike in the Kackar Mountains, still home to traditional shepherds and a stronghold of traditions that are being eroded elsewhere.

Turkey is a history buff's dream, with ancient citadels, tombs, temples and archaeological sites seemingly everywhere, but as well as its incredible sites we take time to discover local customs and of course sample the country's great cuisine....

Our new April departure is already guaranteed, so if you're looking to discover a very different part of Turkey, please get in touch.
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/a-taste-of-eastern-turkey/

03/10/2024

Last month we ran our group tour to Papua New Guinea's annual Goroka Show, a festival showcasing the incredible array of customs and traditions that the country has to offer.

Accompanied by our Head of Sales Chelsea, we visited both the highland region, where the show takes place, as well as the steamy jungles of the Sepik River basin, home to some of the country's more isolated ethnic groups.

PNG is not a country for the faint hearted - the poor infrastructure here means creative comforts can be few and far between, with simple village guesthouses sometimes the only option for accommodation, and the domestic flight schedule can be 'fluid', shall we say. Patience and a sense of humour are most definitely required. But for those willing to withstand the challenges the country poses, travel here offers a glimpse into a world unlike any other.......

27/09/2024

Earlier this summer we ran a private trip to the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros, a collection of small islands between Madagascar and Mozambique. Despite the idyllic scenes, Comoros is one of our more challenging destinations, with little tourism and in many places difficult infrastructure, but for those prepared to look beyond this, it offers truly off the beaten track travel and very authentic experiences.

With influences from Arabia and Africa, Comoros shares some characteristics with the Swahili coast further north on the continent, with atmospheric old medinas and sultans' palaces, but don't expect the crowds of Zanzibar, or even Lamu. Here you'll find endemic wildlife - it was off the shores here that the prehistoric coelacanth fish, long through to be extinct, was rediscovered in the 20th century, turtles come to lay their eggs ashore, and the giant Livingstone's fruit bats call these islands home as well.

You can see details of our group tour to these islands here:

https://nativeeyetravel.com/destination/africa/comoros-holidays-tours/

Photos courtesy of Scott Gunn, who travelled with us in August.

23/09/2024

We've just completed a private trip for one of our travellers to visit Dzanga Sangha Reserve, in Central African Republic. One of our trickier places to access, getting here involves a two day journey from the Cameroonian capital Yaounde, on bad roads but through lovely forest scenery, to reach the border.

Located in the southwestern corner of CAR, Dzanga Sangha is contiguous with two other protected areas; Lobeke National Park in Cameroon and Nouabale Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo, which together form the Sangha River Tri-National Protected Area.

The reserve is renowned for its dense tropical rainforests, rich wildlife, and efforts to protect endangered species like forest elephants and western lowland gorillas. Dzanga-Sangha is also home to the Ba'Aka people, whose traditional knowledge contributes to the region’s preservation.

Its remote location means that it receives very few visitors - our guest was the only western tourist there at the time....

If you'd like to delve in the central African rainforest yourself, you can see details of our next group departure via the link below, or contact us for a private tour, if you prefer:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/gorilla-adventure/

Photos courtesy of Alan Shuster.

18/09/2024

Our trips in South Sudan focus heavily on the different ethnic groups living here - together with Ethiopia's Omo Valley and northern Kenya this region is perhaps the most traditional on the entire continent.

The Toposa are the principal ethnic group living around Kapoeta and are perhaps the most interesting in the whole country. Closely related to the Turkana of Kenya and the Karamojong of northern Uganda, they are herders with an economy based largely around livestock. They are also prolific cattle raiders, which has led to conflict with other groups in the past, although with the independence of the country and greater stability this is now less of a problem. The Toposa live in villages made of mud and sticks, with thatched roofs often adorned with the skulls of cattle.

The most striking feature of the Toposa is their practice of scarification. Many of the men and women are decorated with elaborate raised patterns caused by careful incision, covering their upper arms, torsos, backs and in some instances their faces. Although modernity is starting to erode their customs, many of the older Toposa still adhere to traditional dress - for women this is usually animal skins worn around the waist, while men often go naked.

We spend two days exploring the culture of the Toposa on our annual group tour to South Sudan, which next departs in January 2025 and is confirmed to run. If you'd like to meet the Toposa - and others, like the Mundari and the Boya, you can see the full details of our next trip here:

https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/south-sudan-africas-forgotten-world/

11/09/2024

Earlier this summer we ran our group tour to Indonesia, one of South East Asia's most complex, diverse and fascinating countries. Starting in Java we explore the spectacular temples of Borobudur and Prambanan, and watch the sunrise over the volcanic landscape of Mt Bromo, before flying to the oddly shaped island of Sulawesi.

Sulawesi is home to unusual wildlife such as the tiny tarsier, another volcano, Mahawu, and the vibrant customs of Tanah Toraja, with August being one of the best times to see the traditional festivals that are held in the unique Torajan villages.

From Sulawesi we continue to Flores, exploring the coloured crater lakes of Kelimutu, traditional villages, and then taking a boat out to the Komodo Islands. Our group were lucky enough to see ten komodo dragons while here....!

It's not possible to see all of Indonesia in one trip - with over 17,000 islands, you could spend a lifetime exploring it - but in three weeks our group managed to gain a good insight into an often neglected part of the region, a little further off the backpacker trail than much of it.

Full details of next year's trip are here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/temples-dragons-volcanoes/

28/08/2024

The mighty Tibesti Mountains straddle northern Chad and southern Libya and are the highest range in the Sahara desert. The name Tibesti means ‘where the mountain people live’ and the range is home to the Teda group of Tubu, most of whom live in the main settlements of Zouar, Aozou and Bardai. The independent spirit of the Tubu and the geopolitical situation in the region has complicated the exploration of the range as well as the ascent of its peaks, and for a long time this area was considered out of bounds, but it is now possible to visit the mountains – possible the most remote and least explored area of the whole desert.

We've been travelling here since 2014, and our next group tour is in February 2025. From N'Djamena we head north through the Sahel, to Abeche and then skirting the Ennedi massif to reach Emi Koussi, the highest peak in the Sahara. We stop at Tubu villages, look for rock art and drive through incredible landscapes dotted with striking rock formations, camping each night in pristine desert wilderness.

One of the highlights of this trip is the Troy au Natron, a collapsed volcanic crater with salt pans and mini craters on its floor - arriving at the rim to be suddenly confronted with this view is always a real 'wow' moment for our travellers.

On the journey back to N'Djamena we cross the forbidding Erg du Djourab, a vast sand sea of undulating dunes and one of the Sahara's most formidable obstacles.

This is perhaps the most remote, most 'wilderness' trip that we offer, in the wildest and least explored part of the Sahara. It's definitely not an easy trip, but an incredible journey for those that love deserts and the sense of true exploration.

If this sounds like your sort of trip, you can see full details here:

https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/untamed-tibesti/

23/08/2024

This summer our Head of Sales Chelsea has been off exploring two of our African destinations, accompanying our ever popular Angola tour, and the first departure of our new trip to Mozambique.

Angola is one of the most traditional countries in southern Africa, with a huge variety of different ethnic groups, and distinct customs and cultures, particularly in the south of the country. We spend time meeting the Muila, Mucawana, Himba and other communities, camping nearby, discovering their unique lifestyles and seeing prehistoric rock art.

In Mozambique the focus is largely on the gorgeous coastal scenery, old Swahili towns and marine wildlife, with our group being lucky enough to see several breaching humpback whales while there - sorry, no photos!

Here's a taster of what to expect if you're thinking of joining us in the future - our Angola trip in October still has some places left, while our next departure to Mozambique will be in July 2025. Full details via the links below:

https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/expedition-to-angola/

https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/south-mozambique-explorer/

26/07/2024

The Tassili n’Ajjer is one of the most beautiful parts of the Sahara, nestled in the south east corner of Algeria. The word ‘tassili’ refers to pinnacles of eroded sandstone, shaped by millennia of wind and abrasion, while the Ajjer are one of the twelve Tuareg tribes, who have traditionally made their home in this area.

This is a land of golden deserts, huge rocky outcrops, dramatic arches, huge pinnacles of basalt and bright blue skies. May people call this the largest open air art gallery in the world on account of the concentration of cave paintings and engravings in the region. Highlights of the region include the gorge of Essendilene; located in a strange lunar landscape of great geological interest, this site has one of the most important groupings of prehistoric cave art in the world. More than 15,000 drawings and engravings record the climatic changes, the animal migrations and the evolution of human life on the edge of the Sahara from 6000 BC to the first centuries of the present era. The geological formations are of outstanding scenic interest, with eroded sandstones forming ‘forests of rock’.

We've arranged a number of private trips to this breathtaking region earlier this year, as well as having a few lined up for when the intense Saharan summer abates - as well as a scheduled group tour here at the end of September. This is without a doubt one of the most visually spectacular trips that we organise - a dream for lovers of landscapes very off the beaten track travel......

https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/algeria-jewel-of-the-sahara/

18/07/2024

Last month we arranged a private trip through the five stans of Central Asia for a British couple, Helen and Roy. They've recently returned and sent us some of their images of the trip, as well as some lovely feedback:

'Right from our initial contact, Native Eye were incredibly helpful in adapting a group itinerary to suit our requests and advising on visas and obtaining paperwork where required. We were pleased with, although slightly daunted, by the challenge of five countries in 31 nights. With six border crossings and twenty different styles of accommodation, ranging from yurt camps to a swanky five-star hotel, there was so much that could have gone wrong. However, everything went according to plan and we saw some amazing sights and scenery, with the highlight being holding a golden eagle after watching it hunt. It was truly the adventure we hoped it would be.'

If you have a trip in mind that you'd like us to help with, do get in touch - there's not much we like more than chatting over travel plans and turning them into reality (well, apart from going ourselves)........

16/07/2024

Voodoo, or Vodoun, is one of the more unusual religions in West Africa. Forget what you may have seen on TV about it being a form of black magic - here it has the same legitimacy as any other belief system and has been adopted as an official religion by Benin.

Voodoo is a complex and intricate way of seeing of the world, with literally hundreds of different gods responsible for various areas of daily life - some are benevolent, some less so, and in order to communicate with them and ask for favours local people will seek the assistance of followers, or adepts. There are numerous voodoo temples scattered around the coastal regions of both Benin and Togo, each headed by a priest who for a suitable donation will intercede on your behalf.

Voodoo is not limited to the temples though and travelling around the region it is highly likely that you will see some ceremonies being carried out. Also worth looking out for are the Egunguns - earthly manifestations of the dead who roam the streets in outlandish costumes, striking fear into the heart of local people. Our you could meet a Zangbeto - looking very much like a giant dancing grass skirt. There's even a specific god for smallpox.....

You're also likely to see fetishes dotted around villages - these are inanimate objects such as rocks or trees in which a spirit is believed to reside, often covered in candle wax, feathers and blood where sacrifices have been made.

Each year, on 10 January, Benin holds its annual voodoo festival. There are numerous small festivals dotted around the south of the country, as well as a larger one at Ouidah. We've been running trips here for more than ten years, and are back again in 2025.

This time, as well as visiting the main festival at Ouidah, we're also spending time at a more intimate set of celebrations at a nearby village, away from the crowds.

We can't wait - experiencing this unique side of West African culture is one of the most magical experiences you can have on the continent.

If you're thinking of joining us, there are a few spaces still left - full details here:

https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/ouida-voodoo-festival/

04/07/2024

Our latest blog post is an interview with our tour leader Helen, following our first group tour to Syria earlier this year. If you're booked for one of our future trips, or are thinking about it, read what it's like to travel here now:

https://nativeeyetravel.com/news/visit-syria-now-is-the-time/

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We've just finished our annual trip to Chad's Gerewol festival. In a world where experiences can sometimes seem to be becoming more commodified, contrived and inauthentic, this is the real deal - not a 'tourist show' but a genuine celebration for the Wodaabe themselves, at which we're privileged to be allowed to attend, and where we have the opportunity to spend time with the Wodaabe and immerse ourselves in their customs and culture. The Gerewol festival takes place at the end of each rainy season, and the specific place is chosen according to where local elders deem there to be the best grazing for their cattle. The Gerewol occurs at the same time as the ‘cure salee’, when cattle are brought to grazing grounds that are rich in salt and minerals; the minerals help to strengthen the cattle and rid them of parasites. The festival is an opportunity for scattered groups of Wodaabe to meet once a year, exchanging news and embarking on a series of dances. The purpose of these is for the young Wodaabe men to show off their beauty, with the intention of finding partners – the mean usually range from about 17 to 25 in age, although ‘noble’ men, those who have the potential to become chiefs or sultans, do not take part. The dances themselves involve the men standing in a line, singing traditional rhythmic songs and chants while doing their best to show the whites of their eyes and baring their teeth, two symbols of male beauty. Every so often a dancer will step forward, almost as if in a trance, with jerky movements which imitate the courtship dances of local birds. These songs and dances can last for a long time, seemingly without stop, during which time some of the dancers seem to almost enter into a different consciousness, trembling as they continue with their rituals. This happens once a year, and we'll be going again in October 2025. If you'd like to join, you can see the full details here: https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/the-gerewol-festival/

We’ve just confirmed our annual trip to Chad’s Gerewol Festival to run, starting on 12 October. Held each year at the end of the rainy season, this is an opportunity for the nomadic Wodaabe clans to gather, with young Wodaabe men donning their finest outfits, decorating themselves with elaborate make up and performing songs and dances to attract partners. We spend several days with the Wodaabe to experience the festival on its full glory. In true African fashion the schedule can sometimes be ‘fluid’, and being here for several days allows us to be sure of seeing the highlights. This isn’t a festival for tourists. Over the past decade we’ve built up solid relationships with the Wodaabe which enable us to spend time experiencing their traditions and customs in depth – this isn’t a show put on for a day or so, or the type of contrived experience one can so often find these days, but a week long event that is far more important for the Wodaabe than it is for us. Each year the festival takes place in a different area, depending on where the Wodaabe find the best grazing for their livestock, and to reach it the only way is to travel with a guide from the clan who can find their way through the dense, trackless bush to the exact spot where they gather. If you’re thinking of joining, this video was taken on one of our previous trips. You can see the full details of our 2024 trip here: https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/the-gerewol-festival/

Later this year we'll be heading to Zakouma National Park. One of Africa's wildest, in the south of Chad, Zakouma is a success story with huge herds of elephants, lions, leopards and more. Want to learn more? Watch this great short film.....