Top Ten Adventures on a Shoestring

7. Safari in Lewa Downs, Kenya
Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve, on the Tanzanian border, deserves its legendary status as one of the finest safari experiences in the world. Yet few people realize that an estimated 60 to 70 percent of the wildlife in Kenya is found outside of national parks and reserves. In the country's wild and sparsely populated northern frontier, private ranches that once dotted these plains are now being preserved as wildlife refuges like Lewa Downs, a sanctuary for lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, zebra, and the rare black rhino. Because you're on private land, not at a national park, you don't have to rely solely on jeeps to get around. At Wilderness Trails, owned by former rancher Will Craig, you can go on safari via horseback or camel, even fly in a bi-plane a la Out of Africa. But the best part about venturing to this developing region is that you're far away from the masses that congregate at Masai Mara and Serengeti and are more than likely viewing the wildlife with only a guide. Bill Gates, Prince Charles, and others who relish their privacy have made a stop at Lewa. Rates start at $575 per person per day, including rooms, all meals, game drives, horseback riding, and camel treks. The price for children under 12 starts at $290 per person. Learn more about the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

Away.com's Kenya Travel Guide