NEW YORK -- In the last four years, Park East Tours here has seen a
shift in its base of safari clients, from travelers in their 60s
and 70s that still make up its core, to a younger crop of 40- and
50-year-olds in search of an active experience, according to
marketing manager Alice Uhl.
"We're seeing a lot of Wall Street people, music industry
people, a lot of honeymooners and a lot more families," Uhl
said.
These younger travelers are more active than their predecessors,
Uhl said.
They're also booking in closer, taking shorter trips and
expecting a more extraordinary experience, said company president
Eric Gordon.
Riding the trend, lodges are offering more-active programs,
according to Uhl, such as bungee jumping at Victoria Falls and
whitewater rafting on the Zambesi River.
Safari honeymoons also are on the rise because U.S. travelers
are discovering that tented camp accommodations are luxurious, Uhl
said.
"Americans are always amazed that they're not camping," she
said. "They have four-poster beds, the food is wonderful and the
people they meet at the camps are interesting, as well."
As part of its effort to accommodate the new breed of traveler,
Park East is offering a nine-night Classic Tanzania Safari during
April and May at 20% off its normal price.
April and May is considered the "green season" in Africa, with
the best opportunities for game viewing.
The Classic Tanzania itinerary includes three nights in
Serengeti National Park: one night at the Serengeti Serena Lodge
and two nights in tented camps.
Included are stays at lodges in the Great Rift Valley near Lake
Manyara National Forest, a trek 2,000 feet into the Ngorongoro
Crater and a visit to the world's oldest archaeological site, the
Olduvai Gorge, where hand axes from 2 million years ago were
discovered.
The $2,995 price tag includes two internal air fares,
accommodations, all meals and wildlife viewing with an
English-speaking guide in a four-wheel-drive Land Rover.
Park East also is offering a special winter price on its
12-night Delta Wing Safari to Botswana and Victoria Falls. From
December through March, the price will be $4,995, 20% off its
high-season price.
The trip includes five nights in Botswana's Okavango Delta, a
7,000-square-mile oasis that is home to lions, cheetahs, impala,
giraffes, wildebeests, buffalo and 300 species of birds.
The itinerary includes nights in the Linyanti area, west of
Chobe National Park in Bo-tswana, and Victoria Falls.
For more information, contact Park East at (800) 223-6078 or
visit the Web at www.parkeast.com.