Visit Africa

Giraffes amble gracefully through the savanna, hippos cool off in large lakes, and lions lay in wait for unsuspecting prey, while vultures circle overhead, waiting to clean up. East Africa conjures up images like these, and it's no dreamscape: The wide-open plains of Kenya and Tanzania make for the planet's best game watching. The major game parks serve up unparalleled diversity of plants and animals, while legendary gorillas and outrageous hiking make Uganda a getaway all its own.

Trail of trunks: Elephants amble across Kenya

But while these three countries comprise safariland central, animals are only the tip of the African iceberg. Get out of the safari van and you'll find a wide variety of vibrant cultures, from the Arab-influenced Swahili people of the coast to the warrior Masai people of the interior, and the nomadic Turkana in the north. While Africa isn't the easiest place to travel on your own, independent travel is certainly possible: once you get beyond the slow trains and crowded buses, you'll find hospitable people anxious to show off their ancient homeland.

East Africa is also a region of incomparable beauty - snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro rises almost 20,000 feet from the plains, the Nile River crashes over the jaw-dropping Murchison Falls, and the serene beauty of Rift Valley lakes teem with birdlife. It is a destination which more than repays the effort involved in getting there and around.