Airlink flights out of JNB impacted by yet another ATNS failure

(Posted 05th January 2026) Airlink apologizes to customers while ATNS remains silent in the wake of constant failures \ Airlink sincerely regrets the delays caused to its flights this afternoon and this evening. We are working to recover the schedule and ensure that all passengers reach their intended destinations as soon […]
Corridors, Not Culls, Offer Solution to Southern Africa’s Growing Elephant Population

(Posted 05th January 2026) Ryan Truscott, Mongabay (U.S.) via GMP Since being collared in Zambia two years ago, a young bull elephant known to researchers as Z16 has walked nearly 12,000 kilometers, or 7,500 miles — three times the distance between New York and Los Angeles. In that time, Z16 has traversed four […]
How Cooperation Secured the Future of South Africa’s Smallest Free-Roaming Elephant Herd

(Posted 05th January 2026) Courtesy of African Elephant News Brent Lindeque, Good Things Guy (South Africa) For more than a decade, a small elephant herd in KwaZulu-Natal has been walking a thin line between freedom and danger. Their story has been complicated, emotional and, at times, deeply uncertain. Recently, it took a […]
Kenya Wildlife Service Partners Global Conservation Forum On Technology Innovation

(Posted 05th January 2026) Courtesy of African Elephant News Roger A. Agana, News Ghana (Ghana) Kenya Wildlife Service confirmed its role as official conservation partner for the scheduled Global Conservation Tech and Drone Forum, positioning Kenya as a regional hub for conservation innovation and environmental technology. The forum will bring together […]
Worry over sharp rise in Botswana’s wildlife hunting quotas, plans for year-round elephant hunting

(Posted 05th January 2026) Courtesy of African Elephant News Cyril Zenda, Down To Earth (India) Wildlife conservationists are alarmed by the sharp increase in elephants and other wildlife that Botswana continues to put on its annual hunting quotas, a move they say is detrimental to the long-term term survival of the species. […]
How Southern African farmers & elephants can both adapt to coexist

(Posted 05th January 2026) Courtesy of African Elephant News Ryan Truscott, Mongabya (U.S.) Elephants are considered a sacred totem by many in northwestern Zimbabwe, but they also frequently raid villagers’ crops near harvest time, says Agripa Ngorima, who has studied attitudes toward conservation in Simangani. During his fieldwork, he presented residents with […]
Ethiopian Achieves Major MRO Breakthrough with First A350-900 Full Strip and Paint Program in Africa

. (Posted 05th January 2026) Ethiopian Airlines, the leading carrier in Africa and one of the fastest-growing airline brands globally, is proud to announce the successful completion of Africa’s first full strip- and-paint program of the Airbus A350-900 aircraft on two of its aircraft, marking a significant advancement in Ethiopian MRO’s capacity, technical expertise, […]
Rider arrested with 39.9 kilos of elephant tusks valued at Sh4 million in Samburu

(Posted 05th January 2026) Courtesy of African Elephant News Cyrus Ombati, The Star (Kenya) A rider was arrested on Saturday evening in Wamba, Samburu County, while transporting approximately 39.9 kilograms of elephant tusks, valued at about Sh4 million. Authorities said the suspect told police he was taking the tusks to a potential buyer […]
Mana Pools restores hope for endangered elephants

(Posted 05th January 2026) Courtesy of African Elephant News Obert Siamilandu, News Day (Zimbabwe) Africa’s forest elephants remain critically endangered, but new data reveal a glimmer of hope where protection, science and community partnerships converge. Zimbabwe has stepped up conservation efforts, deploying six newly-graduated Akashinga Rangers to Mana Pools National Park in the […]
TravelComments.com – Travelling to South Africa this season? Here’s what the weather outlook suggests!

(Posted 04th January 2026) Travellers planning a holiday to South Africa over the coming summer and autumn seasons should take note of evolving climate patterns, as meteorologists indicate a likely transition toward a weak La Niña event later in the summer…. READ MORE
Nancy Chavi from Malawi takes office as new Editor in Chief of ‘More Cream than Coffee’

(Posted 02nd January 2026) The management of More Cream Than Coffee, a dynamic digital travel media and destination promotion company is pleased to announce the appointment of Nancy Chavi as the new Editor- in-chief of its flagship publication, Travels & Thrills magazine. With nearly a decade of experience in communication consulting, Nancy […]
Construction of ‘New Airport’ in Nairobi set for later this year

(Posted 02nd January 2026) Kenya’s President Ruto, in his address to the nation on New Year’s Day, announced that construction of a new airport facility at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport will commence later this year. He described the new facility as a: ‘modern, world?class airport at JKIA from 2026, a transformative investment […]
TravelComments.com – Durban Beach Safety Update: 19 beaches open for swimming!

(Posted 02nd January 2026) The eThekwini Municipality has confirmed that 19 of Durban’s 23 beaches are currently safe for swimming, following the latest coastal water quality test results released on 31 December 2025. The announcement comes at a pivotal moment, as festive season travel reaches its annual high and thousands of holidaymakers descend on KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline…. READ MORE
TravelComments.com – Polokwane International Airport: Runway 05 Instrument Flight Procedure now operational!

(Posted 28th December 2025) The South African Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) has confirmed on 27 December 2025 that the Instrument Flight Procedure (IFP) for Runway 05 at Polokwane International Airport (PTG) in Polokwane in Limpopo is now valid and fully operational…. READ MORE
TravelComments.com – Durban Beach Safety Update: 20 of 23 beaches cleared for swimming!

(Posted 29th December 2025) The eThekwini Municipality has confirmed that 20 of Durban’s 23 beaches are currently safe for swimming, following the latest coastal water quality test results released on 24 December 2025. The announcement comes at a critical time as festive season travel reaches its annual peak, with thousands of visitors flocking to KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline…. READ MORE
Carnival Calabar at 20: Cobham Promises a Sharply Choreographed, World-Class Spectacle

(Posted 26th December 2025) As Carnival Calabar marks its 20th edition, the Cross River State Carnival Commission says the focus this year is not on expansion, but on refinement. In this interview, the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Austin Cobham, explains how early planning, tighter choreography and route re-calibration are shaping what he describes […]
Air Rescue gone wrong leaves 5 dead on Kilimanjaro

(Posted 25th December 2025) An Airbus H125 helicopter, flying an air rescue evacuation mission from high altitude on Mt. Kilimanjaro, late yesterday crashed, leaving two Czech nationals (evacuees), the pilot, a local doctor and a mountain guide dead. The locally registered helicopter, 5H-KMA, MSN 7946, owned and operated by KiliMedAir Aviation, came down […]
TravelComments.com – URGENT WEATHER AND TRAFFIC ADVISORY = Namibia: Temporary road closures in Etosha National Park following heavy rainfall!

(Posted 24th December 2025) The Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has issued an important advisory for travellers planning to visit Etosha National Park, following above-normal rainfall recorded over recent days. The persistent rain has led to localized flooding and deteriorated road conditions in parts of the park, prompting the temporary closure of […]
Highlights from AGA 57 – Sustainable Skies & Connected Africa

(Posted 24th December 2025) Sustainable Skies, Connected Africa: A New Era for African Aviation We are pleased to share the Special Edition Newsletter covering the highlights of the 57th AFRAA Annual General Assembly (AGA) held recently in Luanda, Angola. Hosted by TAAG Angola Airlines under the theme “Sustainable Skies, Connected Africa,” this year’s assembly gathered 516 delegates from 49 countries to shift the industry’s […]
Cross River Tourism Bureau Trains Enumerators For Carnival Calabar Data Collection After Record-Breaking Calabar Festival in 2024

(Posted 24th December 2025) The Cross River State Tourism Bureau (CRSTB) has commenced preparatory training ahead of a comprehensive data collection exercise for the upcoming Detty December season in Calabar, building on the strong performance recorded during last year’s Calabar Festival and Carnival. The training, organised by the bureau, is aimed at […]
A Christmas hello from Diary of a Muzungu – and a little Twixtmas listening

(Posted 24th December 2025) Just a short Christmas hello – and a thank you for reading Diary of a Muzungu and listening to the (award-winning) East Africa Travel Podcast. In the New Year, look out for a longer newsletter from Diary of a Muzungu with a round-up of the most useful stories and popular podcast conversations […]
TravelComments.com – Urgent Travel Advice: Mpumalanga traffic update: R533 closed between Graskop and Bushbuckridge!

(Posted 23rd December 2025) The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport has announced the temporary closure of the R533 road between Graskop and Bushbuckridge, effective immediately. The closure follows a comprehensive on-site safety assessment conducted on Monday, 22 December 2025…. READ MORE
TravelComments.com – Durban beach safety update: 22 of 23 beaches cleared for swimming this festive season!

(Posted 23td December 2025) The eThekwini Municipality has confirmed today (22 December 2025) that 22 of Durban’s 23 beaches are currently safe for swimming, following the latest round of coastal water quality testing. The announcement comes at a crucial time, just as festive season travel peaks and visitor numbers to KwaZulu-Natal’s coastline surge…. READ MORE
TravelComments.com – Botswana rainfall & temperature outlook (January – April 2026): What travellers need to know!

(Posted 23rd December 2025) The Botswana Ministry of Environment and Tourism, through the Department of Meteorological Services (DMS), has released its official seasonal rainfall and temperature outlook for January to April 2026. The forecast indicates that most of Botswana is likely to experience normal to above-average rainfall, while temperatures are expected to remain close to seasonal norms […]
Philippine Airlines takes delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000

(Posted 23rd December 2025) Philippine Airlines has taken delivery of its first A350-1000 , becoming the 10th airline worldwide to operate the largest version of the long range market leader. The aircraft, configured in a premium three-class layout with 382 seats, will open a new chapter in Philippine Airlines’ long haul operations […]
Airlink’s new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft enters commercial service

(Posted 23rd December 2025) Airlink’s new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft entered service this morning, in time for the Christmas and New Year rush, with its inaugural flight, number 4Z 553, from the airline’s main base at O.R. Tambo International Airport to Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. Airlink is the first carrier in Southern Africa […]
Africa Weekly Aviation Trails: Week 51, 2025

(Posted 23rd December 2025) (Posted 23rd December 2025) Courtesy of Aero Trail Ltd and Mr. Alex Koech you can read every week the arguably most comprehensive aviation updates available from all over Africa. Introduction.. Eswatini has positioned itself at the forefront of efforts to advance the Single African Air […]
TravelComments.com – URGENT WEATHER WARNING: Heavy rains force road closures in Kruger National Park – What visitors need to know!

(Posted 22nd December 2025) South African National Parks (SANParks) has confirmed that exceptional rainfall across Kruger National Park has caused extensive damage to several roads, prompting temporary closures for visitor safety…. READ MORE
TravelComments.com – URGENT WEATHER UPDATE: Kruger National Park travel alert: Heavy rains force road closures – visitors urged to exercise extreme caution!

(Posted 22nd December 2025) South African National Parks (SANParks) has issued an urgent advisory to all visitors to Kruger National Park as persistent heavy rainfall continues to impact large parts of the national park. The ongoing wet weather has significantly deteriorated driving conditions, prompting the closure of most roads within the park until further notice…. READ MORE
Two New Gorilla Births in Virunga National Park

(Posted 21st December 2025)