Students of history of British royal family will recall that it was at Treetops in 1952, where then Princess Elizabeth was staying on honeymoon when her father, King George VI, died. She descended from Treetops to assume backbreaking role of presiding over far-flung dominions and colonies of empire. If you stay at Treetops you are bound to meet with some of her fans.

Though not as famous as Mara, Samburu National Park is another wildlife haven. Here you will spot lions, elephants, cheetahs and elusive leopard. Some animals are unique to this northern park: Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, kudu and gerenuk. You will find semiarid landscape quite dramatic. On your trip to Samburu, you may also want to take in nearby Shaba and Buffalo Springs game reserves. In addition, this is place to take a camel safari. Samburu is three hours from Nairobi by road.

Tsavo is so huge, all of 20,000 sq km, that it is administered as two units: Tsavo West and Tsavo East. This is park that is closest to Mombasa at coast. The park is three and a half hours away from Nairobi by road. You will find large herds of elephant, especially in Tsavo East. Tsavo West is filled with crocodiles, vervet monkeys, antelope, baboons, giraffes and hippos. It is in Tsavo that poachers were most successful in their bloody racket and this saw a dramatic fall in elephant population. The good guys have in recent years gained upper hand and numbers are recovering.

But Kenyan authorities are still extremely wary of future of elephant in Tsavo. The country is very active in seeking a permanent ban on international ivory trade. I wish at this point to declare to all that I am a great fan of African elephant. I believe this to be true king of jungle and not that overrated pretender, lion. You may recall from movie "The Man-eaters of Tsavo" how cowardly lions disrupted building of railway in Tsavo area by feeding on workforce. Would true royalty be involved in such a disgraceful affair?

Kenya is a year round safari destination. The rains come around April- May and November-December. This does not however, much affect travelers' ability to get around. This is except for heavily forested Aberdares. In wet season roads in Aberdares are extremely slippery and park is at times actually closed down. Generally best time to go on safari is over drier months when grass is short and sighting animals is so much easier. But in areas such as Mara, animals are so plentiful that you are going to see lots of them regardless of season. The peak tourist season falls around January to February and July to August. April to June is low season and prices for accommodation in lodges can be as much as 40% lower than in high season.

Accommodation on safari varies from basic camping to luxury lodges and tented camps. Out there in bush, you will be pleasantly surprised that all trimmings of 5 star accommodations are available. But if you want to rough it out, you will find campsites in almost all game reserves and national parks. Info on Kenya hotels, lodges & resorts accommodation options is available online.

It is generally recommended to take an escorted Kenya safari tour package that includes transport, park fees and accommodation. The reason for this is that tour guides are usually well versed about animals, where to find them and how to get there and have other such useful local knowledge. Have a look at some offers of various durations and budgets.

But if you have a lot of time and need more freedom as you get around, then hire a vehicle in either Nairobi or Mombasa. For Kenya car rental there is a choice between self-drive and chauffer driven vehicles. On safari, wear light cottons and linen. Warmer clothing is needed for evenings and for your early morning game drive. Some rainwear is advisable between March and June and October and December.

You should bring along a decent pair of sunglasses. The glare you experience in bright tropical light is a new and uncomfortable experience for most. It is also a good idea to carry a pair of binoculars. They are very useful for spotting animals and will earn you envy of your less knowledgeable traveling companions.

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Windhoek, capital of 165,000 people is only true city in country. For those traveling to more remote regions, this is where you settle practical matters. The positive aspects of German period can be seen in charming style of older buildings in city. Places of interest in city include State Museum, State Archives, and Namibia Crafts Centre. The Dan Viljoen Game Park lies 24 Km west of Windhoek on gentle hills of Khoma Hochland. In this resort you find ostriches, baboons, zebras and over 200 species of birds. The Waterburg Plateau Park, located 230 km from Windhoek is popular with weekenders. This extensive mountain wilderness is home to cheetah, leopard, kudu, giraffe, and white rhino.

Etosha National Park is what brings wildlife lovers to Namibia. The park is comparable in size and diversity of species with best in Africa. The unusual terrain of Etosha holds savanna grassland, dense brush and woodland. But it is Etosha Pan, a depression that sometimes holds water and covers 5,000 sq km, that is heart of park. The perennial springs around pan, attract many birds and land animals in dry winter months. The effect of this background is magical and some of best wildlife photographs have been taken here.

There are 144 mammal species in park and elephants are particularly abundant. Some other interesting wildlife here includes giraffe, leopard, cheetah, jackal, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and black rhino. The birding is great at Etosha and over 300 bird species have been recorded. You will get best value by spending at least three days here. There are excellent accommodation facilities at three rest camps of Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo. The best time to see animals is between May and September, when water draws them in huge numbers to edge of pan. Etosha is 400 km to north of Windhoek by road.

The Fish River Canyon is unrivalled in Africa and only Grand Canyon in U.S in larger. The Canyon runs for 160 km and reaches a width of 27 km and depth of 550 m. But size alone does not explain appeal of canyon. You experience incredible views at various points along rim. Adventure lovers do not merely come for views. Hiking through canyon is ultimate endurance adventure for hikers. There is an established 90 km hiking trail that will take you 4-5 days to cover.

The trail ends at Ai-Ais hot spring resort where you can unwind. You are allowed to hike between early May and end of September. The hike is quite strenuous and needless to say, you must be physically fit. The authorities disbelieve capacity of most people to undertake hike and will actually insist on seeing a medical certificate of fitness before allowing you to start off. Fish River Canyon is 580 km to south of Windhoek.

The Skeleton Coast has been graveyard of seafarers and whales and deserves that morbid name. The problem is dense fogs. And woe to ship wreck survivor who expects respite onshore! Ahead is Namib Desert, one of driest and most unwelcoming places. Adventure travelers love trekking along coastline as they enjoy stark beauty of area. To south at Cape Cross, you find a seal colony carrying tens of thousands of seals. The Skeleton Coast Park covers 16,400 sq km and begins at 355 km northwest of Windhoek.

The Portuguese explorer Diego Cao reached this part of world in year 1486. He is probably one of people whose experiences discouraged Europeans from venturing ashore until arrival of Germans 400 years later. Further south is Namib-Naukluft National Park, a vast wilderness covering 50,000 sq km. The landscape is very diverse and covers mountain outcrops, majestic sand dunes, and deep cut gorges. For really spectacular dunes, Sossusvlei area is unsurpassed. Here you have dunes rising to 300 m! The orange tint giants extend as far as horizon and area has an unreal, unforgettable atmosphere.

To northeast of country, well-watered Kavango and Caprivi Strip region offers an unspoilt wilderness suitable for rugged game viewing and camping. The area also promises a feast for bird lovers. Game reserves in area include: Kaudom, Caprivi, Mahango, Mudumu and Mamili. Poachers did great damage to wildlife during years of civil war in neighbouring Angola. Animal numbers are however building up rapidly. Some of wildlife in region includes leopard, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, lion and various antelope species. The Caprivi Reserve falls in an area of swamps and flood plains. Here you have an opportunity to partake fishing, hiking, game viewing safaris and river trips in traditional mokoro boats.

In Namibia you can enjoy up to 300 days of sunshine. The coast is temperate and thermometers run between 5C-25C. Inland, daytime temperatures range from 20C-34C, but can rise to 40C in north and south of country. Winter nights can be quite cold and frost occurs over large parts of country. The rains inland fall in summer (November-April) and are heaviest in Caprivi region. Rains do not much affect travel, but beware of flash floods in vicinity of riverbeds. The best time to travel is over dry months of March to October, when it is easier to see animals at waterholes. It is best to avoid Namib Desert and Etosha between December and March when it can get unbearably hot.

You can get by wearing light cottons and linens in summer. Over winter nights and mornings, you need heavier cottons, warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as ground gets very hot. Some useful stuff to pack includes: camera, binoculars, sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen and mosquito repellant. Be ready for dusty conditions and carry your clothing, equipment and supplies in dust proof bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made of ivory. You may not be allowed to carry them through customs at home. And it also good that you do not encourage trade in ivory products that keeps poachers busy.

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