"GOREE ISLAND"

Goree Island (Ile de Goree) is a small island just off the coast of Dakar, Senegal's sprawling capital city. Goree Island is a big tourist attraction because of its history as a major slave-trading center. It's an important destination for African-Americans in particular who come to pay their respects and reflect upon their ancestors' past. In fact the Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves) on the island has become a place of pilgrimage for everyone to reflect upon the horrors of the slave-trade and remember the millions of souls who died because of it.

"THE ASHANTI TRIBE"

The Ashanti live in central Ghana in western Africa approximately 300km. away from the coast. The Ashanti are a major ethnic group of the Akans in Ghana, a fairly new nation, barely more than 50 years old. Ghana, previously the Gold Coast, was a British colony until 1957. It is now politically separated into four main parts. Ashanti is in the center and Kumasi is the capital.

"MOUNT KILIMANJARO"

Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania stands at 19,340 feet (5895 m) and is Africa's tallest mountain. The attraction of hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro is that it's not a technical climb so no equipment such as oxygen and ropes are necessary. But it's no walk in the park, trekkers make their way through 5 climatic zones before reaching the summit. Weather changes from moment to moment and the high altitude wreaks havoc on the body and mind.

"THE AFAR TRIBE"

The Afar people live primarily in Ethiopia and the areas of Eritrea, Djibouti, and Somaliacan in the Horn of Africa. Their land is mainly rocky and desert terrain. The Afar people also live in the Awash Valley and the forests located in northern Djibouti. There are approximately 3 million people that make up the Afar culture.