Elite Traveler March-April 2018

INSPIRE TOP SAFARIS

Heart of the jungle INDIA Africa isn’t the only place to go on safari, and if you want to see tigers, India is where to be. For impeccable service and ultra-luxurious accommodations, visit all three of Taj Hotels’ safari lodges with a custom trip from Abercrombie & Kent. India has excellently preserved national parks and tiger sanctuaries, including Bandhavgarh, which is home to one of the country’s densest tiger populations, as well as leopards, deer, boar and jungle cats. Twice daily game drives and walking safaris provide plenty of opportunities for tiger sightings. Back at the Mahua Kothi lodge, relax with treatments at the Taj Jiva Spa or on a private massage deck, or in the large outdoor pool. For a decadent evening, your butler can arrange a private dinner in a picturesque spot. In a private concession in Kanha National Park, Banjaar Tola lodge is set in a sal forest along a river. In this jungle environment, you can see barasingha (endangered swamp deer), gaur (Indian bison) and tigers. Then, at The Gateway Hotel Gir Forest, an adrenaline-pumping Jeep safari will have you tracking leopards, hyenas and the endangered Asiatic lion through the jungle. End your journey in complete luxury at The Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi. From $8,995 for 14 days, based on double occupancy. Contact Sue Jaeger, manager, scjaeger@abercrombiekent.com +1 800 725 3400, abercrombiekent.com

Walk with giants KENYA, TANZANIA, ZANZIBAR

In addition to a classic East African safari, Rothschild offers an exclusive elephant experience and a chance to soak up the sun and swim in the sea at a beach resort. Beginning in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara, take day and night game drives, trek through the area on guided bush walks, enjoy cultural visits with the Maasai, ride on horseback and see Mount Kilimanjaro tower over the savanna. You’ll stay in luxury tents and Cottar’s Bush Villa, all offering privacy, stunning views and proximity to wildlife. Deep within Tsavo National Park, Kenya’s largest, is the four-tent Ithumba Camp in the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Guests there are able to make a donation to become a foster parent to an orphaned elephant and participate in an impossible-to-forget day with these incredible creatures. Aid in their rehabilitation by feeding milk to a young elephant, walking with them around the Trust, then watch them play in the mud nearby. The trip’s final days are spent on the water at &Beyond Mnemba Island, just off Zanzibar Island, where you can while away the time scuba diving, kayaking, fly-fishing and stand-up paddleboarding in the warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. From $36,123 per person for 17 days, based on double occupancy. Contact +1 800 405 9463, rothschildsafaris.com