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The Kandy Perahera, Sri Lanka
‘Perahera’ is one of the most spectacular annual street processions in Asia.
Although this Buddhist festival is not confined to only Kandy, the town provides a wonderful place to see the procession as it is the former capital and at the heart of Sinhalese religion.
Perahera is a time of year that really brings the town to life. The procession is held in August and this year runs from the 15th to 25th August.
Perahera pays homage to the tooth Relic of Buddha with a nightly procession lasting 10 days, with the last 5 nights being the most spectacular. With Kandy home to the Temple of the Tooth, it is the most important and extravagant place to celebrate the festival.
The street procession is made up of elegantly costumed musicians, dancers, acrobats, decorated elephants, torch bearers and whip-crackers.
The significance of this great event is to pray to the Gods for rain and the atmosphere created by the performers and elephants makes this a magnificent cultural experience.
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Dhow Festival, Zanzibar
July sees one of East Africa’s most significant cultural events taking place in Zanzibar.
Against the historical backdrop of Stone Town’s waterfront, the Dhow festival celebrates the unique cultural heritage of the "Dhow" countries.
Also around this time, the Mwakakogwa Festival in Southern Zanzibar celebrates local New Year and is marked by traditional dances and live combat.
Early Migration, Kenya
Each year millions of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle make their way across the open plains of East Africa in search of grass and water.
This year the migration has started to cross the Kenyan border into the Masai Mara early, affording visitors a rare opportunity to see this unique wildlife spectacle while the landscape is still lush and green.
There is still availability in the Masai Mara this Summer, so it is worth planning a last minute holiday to Kenya in order to enjoy a piece of the action. This sort of availability at this late stage to witness the migration during the school holidays is almost unheard of.
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Natural dramas in the Galapagos
The Galapagos Islands are a great family destination and can be visited all year round.
Nature does not take a rest, there is always something happening in the Archipelago that Darwin explored two centuries ago.
This summer, sea lions are giving birth to pups. They can be aggressive if they feel threatened but you can still get close up.
Also in summer, the giant tortoises of Santa Cruz head back to the highlands.
Meanwhile, frigate bird chicks are hatching and migrant shore birds are arriving. The courtship of Galapagos hawks is visible on Santiago and Española. And Nazca boobies nest on Genovesa.
There is a possibility of whale shark sightings near Wolf and Darwin islands right up until the end of November and Humpback whales pass through the Galapagos islands as they migrate.
In December, giant tortoise eggs start to hatch and the green sea turtles' mating season starts.
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