KENYA

One week in Kenya without an expensive safari package — here's how we did it. From walking beside giraffes on Crescent Island and biking through Hell's Gate (yes, the landscapes that inspired The Lion King) to two full days of game drives in the Maasai Mara, we travelled by matatu, booked our safari directly from our camp, and saw every Lion King character except the rhino. Full itinerary, real costs, and the booking trick that saved us hundreds of dollars.