PREV
NEXTInside an African safari vehicle you feel strangely invisible. Even if you’re three meters away, the predator won’t glance your way. Step outside the truck, however, and it’s game on. Don’t try it. There are, however, a few outfits that lead walking safaris where you can experience the adrenaline-soaked experience of standing a short sprint from lions, leopards, crocodiles, and elephants. Kenya’s Tropical Ice practically invented the category, and in the 34 years they’ve been guiding clients on foot through Tsavo East National Park, they’ve never lost a guest. That’s thanks to experienced guides carrying AK rifles like Samburu tribesman Mohammad Hamisi, who shot poachers in the 1980s alongside notorious Parks warden Richard Leakey. Tropical Ice’s Elephant Walk traverses 60 miles of the Galana River, the region’s only watering hole in the dry season, followed by vehicle-supported tent camping each night ($7995). You’ll walk in the morning when temps are cooler and then seek out more animals by vehicle in the afternoon. The tour also includes three days of traditional safari at Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game reserve.
Game on via Shutterstock
Photo: Keith Levit
