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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.

02/01/2025

Happy new year.....!

Our director Jim is just back from exploring the gorgeous tropical island nation of Sao Tome and Principe. South of Nigeria and west of Gabon, this tiny country (just 1001 square kilometres in total!) feels like Africa crossed with the Caribbean, with a little bit of Portugal thrown in - Portugal having been the colonial power until 1975.

Sao Tome is blessed with some of Africa's best beaches, lush scenery, easy-going and friendly people, and is one of the best places on the continent to watch turtles come ashore to lay their eggs - including the enormous leatherback turtle, which can measure more than two metres. As well as this there are remnants of its colonial heritage everywhere, with the old Portuguese plantations and their impressive rocas, once home to the owners and now home to the descendants of those that once worked the fields.

Sao Tome is central Africa, but far less of a challenge than its mainland neighbours, with no visa needed for most nationalities. Our next group tour is about to depart this weekend, and after this we have another in July - details here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/sao-tome-explorer/

And here are some photos from Jim's recent trip.....

18/12/2024

We've just finished running our final Bangladesh Discovery tour of this year, and traveller Janet Ross has sent us this lovely collection of images.

If you'd like to explore this hidden gem with us next year, you can see full details of our tours here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/waterways-wildlife-hill-tribes/

11/12/2024

What do you know about Equatorial Guinea? Possibly not that much - it's one of Africa's least visited countries and until fairly recently was also one of the more difficult to visit. Now though, the country has started to open up to tourism and issues e-visas to those curious to see what secrets it holds.

Some facts about Equatorial Guinea:

- it's the only Spanish speaking country in Africa, having previously been a Spanish colony
- it's split between an island, Bioko, where the capital is located, and a territory on the mainland, known as Rio Muni
- it's been ruled by the same president since 1979.....
- Monte Alen National Park, on the mainland, is home to lowland gorillas and forest elephants

We run one group tour here each year, and a number of private trips, often for people looking to visit one of the last countries in Africa on their list. If you'd like to find out more, you can read our blog about the country here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/news/equatorial-guinea-travel-guide/

And full details of our group departure can be found here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/island-africa-equatorial-guinea/

06/12/2024

Situated in the farthest reaches of Europe, Armenia is a hidden gem nestled in the heart of the Caucasus region. The country is renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich culture, deep history and world class wines.

In the west lie mountains - over half of Armenia's territory is elevated between 3,000 and 6,500 feet, etched with canyons and gorges. The eastern part of the country unfolds around the sapphire waters of Lake Sevan, one of Eurasia’s largest freshwater alpine lakes.

It also lays claim to being the first country in the world to adopt Christianity, converting from pagan beliefs in the early 4th century. As you might expect, ancient churches and monastery dot the land, with some of the best being found in Echmiadzin, the country's answer to the Vatican.

We've been visiting Armenia for many years now, either combining it with its neighbours in the Caucasus or on its own. Our departures are starting to fill up for next year already, and if you're interested in joining you can see the details here:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/destination/europe/armenia-holidays-tours/

26/11/2024

The Ennedi region of Chad holds a special place in our hearts here at Native Eye. We've been running trips here since our inception and travelling here ourselves for longer - in our opinion it's one of the most impressive parts of Africa, with superlative landscapes, intriguing local culture and a true sense of adventure that comes with being hundreds of miles away from any large settlements. If you can forgo a few creature comforts, there are few sensations to beat camping in the wilds of the Sahara.

Don't just take our word for it - here are some gorgeous images taken by recent traveller Jacqueline Knie.

Details of next year's trip via the link below:
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/expedition-to-the-ennedi/

20/11/2024

If you've ever thought about visiting Brazil and wondered where to go, our travel consultant Karina hails from here and has written a lovely blog on some of her favourite places.

Brazil is such a vast country that it's impossible to see it in one go - even Karina hasn't been everywhere! Our group tour covers some of the highlights within three weeks, but the country lends itself well to private travel as well, allowing you to focus on diverse areas and perhaps return a second or third time....

https://nativeeyetravel.com/news/where-to-travel-brazil/

18/11/2024

Back in July we ran our 19 day group tour to Tibet - the 'roof of the world'. Starting in Chengdu, our group flew to Lhasa and from here made their way westwards, taking in Gyantse, Shigatse and Everest Base Camp then heading all the way to the sacred lake of Manasarovar, revered by Buddhists, Hindus and adherents of Tibet's ancient religion, Bon.

They also explored the ancient kingdom of Guge, dating back a thousand years, before making their way back to Lhasa along the little travelled northern route.

This isn't an easy journey, with most of it being over 4000 metres, crossing several 5000 metre passes, and sparse infrastructure on the more remote legs. But for breathtaking landscapes and truly getting off the beaten track, it's hard to match.

Photos taken by traveler Michael Bamford, and you can see the full details of this trip on our site here - next departure in July 2025.
https://nativeeyetravel.com/itineraries/tibet-in-depth/

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 Al 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/

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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/