This is the story of Golden, and his dream.

It was an actual dream—and the kind that stays with you long after you awake.  In it, an angel showed him a garbage dump filled with colourful flowers.

To him, there was a clear message:  go to the dump and find these flowers. But Golden was a practical man… living in a shack in the Khayelitsha slum of Cape Town, he wanted only to provide a better life for his wife and five daughters.  He didn’t really have the luxury of pursuing dreams.

But he went to the dump anyway.  There was nothing there.

He had the dream again, and he revisited the dump again.  Still, there were no flowers. After having the dream for a third time—and beginning to question his own sanity—he went one final time.

Nothing.  Frustrated, he kicked a discarded soda can on the ground.  And with the hollow clatter of tin across the dirt, an idea came like a thunderbolt.

He could turn trash into treasures!  He could transform symbols of blight into manifestations of beauty.  Golden, an unassuming man living in the slums of Cape Town, could make these cans into “flowers.”  And so he did.

Today, almost 20 years after he had his dream, Golden’s colourful and intricate tin flowers are a local (and international) phenomenon.  Golden remains as humble as ever, painstakingly creating the flowers in his neighborhood studio and working with his children to paint them (a budding family business!).

Golden invites Micato travellers visiting Cape Town to his studio to watch him work.  It’s a marveleous opportunity to meet an inspirational man… and an experience travellers mark as a highlight of their journey with Micato.

The news is out: Prince William loves Kate Middleton and apparently he loves Kenya too….

The Prince is engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Kate Middleton. The announcement has sent the world abuzz, as has the location where the princely proposal was made… Kenya, of course!

And in the process, William and Kate have also exposed one of our favourite secret hideaways:  Lewa Downs.

The proposal took place on the grounds of Lewa, an idyllic ranch owned by Will and Emma Craig that has been a Micato favourite for years.  William spent time at Lewa on his “gap year” before heading to college, and he has been visiting the ranch ever since.

We have a longstanding relationship with the Craigs and Micato’s Bespoke guests are a regular fixture at Lewa.  It is an exclusive lodge, described as “a private home, a private ranch, a private paradise,” so it’s no surprise to us that Prince William chose this location.

Even the site of the actual proposal—Rutundu—is an old Micato favourite.  A remote and rustic enclave on the slopes of Mount Kenya, our Bespoke Adventures guests visit the very spot that the royal couple got engaged.

Learn more about Micato’s Active and Adventurous safaris here, or give us a call at 1-800-MICATO-1.

The choir sings the evocative national anthem of South Africa “Nkosi Sikeleli Africa.”

Supporting the education of disadvantaged children in Africa is a core philanthropic principle of Micato Safaris and our nonprofit arm, AmericaShare. And we’ll admit that we’re softies when it comes to hearing children’s voices united in song.

So as you might imagine, we are big fans of a group that combines education and music: The African Children’s Choir. We absolutely adore the organization and their choirs—so much so that we have invited them to perform for guests and friends several times. Most recently, they were featured performers at our presentation for Virtuoso Travel advisors this summer. You can see their deeply moving performances in the videos below.

This is truly a wonderful organization. For over 25 years, The African Children’s Choir has been spreading hope and joy while raising awareness about the plight of Africa’s most vulnerable children. The choir consists of orphaned children age seven to thirteen and tours the U.S., Canada and Europe every year, performing fundraising concerts to support numerous schools throughout Africa. When they are not travelling, the children live together in a compound in North Carolina.

Children stay overseas for one year then return to Africa and a new group of children take their place. Performance fees finance the education of these children, giving them a precious opportunity at a better life.

The choir has become a global phenomenon, singing for such luminaries as the Queen of England and Nelson Mandela. Plus, their impact on the lives of African children has been phenomenal: with the help of donors and sponsors, the African Children’s Choir has helped to provide an education to more than 7,000 children.

We’re proud to work with this wonderful organization that improves the lives of African children through the power of song. Click the videos below to enjoy these talented children’s stirring performances.

A sweetly melodious version of “Mother Africa” featuring a poignant roll call of dreams.

In addition to supporting the Choir, we are making an impact in the lives of African children through many of our own initiatives, including the Micato-AmericaShare School Sponsorship Programme. Click here to learn how you can transform a child’s life with the precious gift of an education.

We’re in Seventh Heaven!

T+L magazine has named Micato the #1 tour company in the world, topping a list of 20 other prestigious tour and safari operators.

It’s our 7^th time in the #1 position—a record for any tour company and a humbling honour because the award comes from our esteemed travellers who ranked Micato so highly in the T+L survey.

So thank you past travellers!  With redoubled enthusiasm, we look forward to fulfilling this spectacular distinction every day with every new guest.

And for those of you who haven’t experienced Micato’s award-winning service yet, take a look at our Travel+Leisure World’s Best Safari—a stunning African experience that includes stays at T+L World’s Best lodges and camps.  It’s a real winner!

World Cup Fever is gripping us all… it seems everyone is transfixed by the excitement in South Africa. Yet as millions of people watch the thrilling games unfold, the following question arises:

What’s that noise?

The die-hard fans in our Cape Town office have long embraced it: the sound of the vuvuzela, that ubiquitous horn filling South Africa’s stadiums with its signature drone. Said to be descended from the kudu horn—a device that was used to summon African villagers to gatherings—the original tin vuvuzela gained particular prominence at soccer games in the 1990s. Banned as a danger, it was replaced by a new plastic version that has been popular ever since.

And what does vuvuzela mean? No one has a clear answer – one popular theory is that it evolved from the Zulu word for “making noise.” Which it most certainly does: in fact, the blare from a vuvuzela has been measured at up to 130 decibels (louder than a chainsaw).

Of course, you can experience the thrills of South Africa without the need for earplugs.  May we suggest our South African Sweeping Sojourn? From canyons to coastlines, whales to wildebeests, urban sophistication to untamed wilderness, you’ll experience the best of this remarkable land on this unique and active safari.

For now, we hope you are enjoying the World Cup as much as we are.

Ever imagined yourself on an around-the-world trek?

The intrepid adventurer, hopping from one spectacular place to the next. Costa Rica’s lush jungles. Austria’s verdant hills. Borneo’s far-flung islands. Exploring the Arctic, discovering the Galapagos and roaming the wild wonders of East Africa.

What if you could do it all?  And all that was asked of you… was to blog about it.

It can happen.

No, really.

Announcing the Blog Your Way Around the World contest. Sponsored by Micato Safaris and several of our travel partners in Adventure Collection, this contest will send one lucky and talented blogger on the trip of a lifetime.

You can go whitewater rafting, bicycle touring, heli-hiking, polar bear viewing, bird watching, zip-lining, snorkeling and sea kayaking in some of the most spectacular places in the world.  Not to mention two five-star expedition cruises and, of course, an African safari that is beyond compare (if we don’t mind saying so ourselves).

Win a chance to embark on a continent-hopping adventure with some of the most respected travel companies in the world.

CLICK HERE for all the details.