‘Less is more’ tactic puts safaris in reach

African safaris are a special type of vacation, and not just because they allow travelers to get a glimpse of wildlife. They’re unique because they keep getting cheaper. As tour operators learn to shave costs, a decent safari in the game parks of Kenya -- including round-trip air from New York, a couple of nights in Nairobi and all meals and wildlife-viewing drives during a weeklong safari -- has dropped to as low as $1,999 per person in recent years.

Now, a well-regarded Canadian safari operator (whose trips are booked mainly by Americans) has cut the price to $1,899 for departures this fall and winter, further reducing your excuses for not taking advantage of one of the most memorable of vacations.

An African safari takes you to the world as it used to be. You travel each day in an open-air van, looking out at prides of lions several feet away, brushing past dozens of elephants, surrounded by thousands of wildebeests, giraffes, cheetahs, monkeys and rhinos, all occupying a world that belongs to them and not to human beings.

In the vast African game parks, there are no roads (you travel overland); there are no power lines; there are no buildings for 50 miles, other than the lodge in which you eat and sleep. And you have a magical experience of the sort that every person should at some point in his or her life experience.

Ernest Hemingway and other celebrated hunters used to spend months at a time on safari.

A few years ago, it dawned on the commercial operators of safaris that five days out in the open were more than enough for most people.

After you have made several successive drives through a teeming world of wildlife, you usually feel that this initial, several-day encounter is perfectly sufficient and that you’d now like to reflect on what you have seen.

By reducing the average time spent in the game parks on safari to five days in place of the usual two or three weeks, several popular safari operators were able to cut in half the charges of $4,000 and $5,000 per person that traditional safaris used to cost.

It remained for the Canadian-operated Lion World Tours of Toronto, (800) 387-2706, www.lionworldtravel.com, to somehow reduce the price to $1,899 for its Kenya Highlights tour. The price is good from September through November, and from January to March of 2006, including round-trip airfare from New York, Washington, D.C., Newark and Boston. Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix and San Francisco travelers pay $200 more.

Most travelers fly overnight on British Airways to London, where they connect with a flight to Nairobi for an overnight stay at the Jacaranda Hotel.

On Day 3, they drive through Kenya’s coffee country to the Samburu Game Lodge for their first game drive, a night’s stay and all meals.

The following day travelers have breakfast and go on a game run before heading to Kenya’s tree hotel, the Ark, where they spend the night.

On Day 5, the tour visits Lake Nakuru for an afternoon game drive and a night at the Lake Nakuru Lodge.

On Day 6, the group visits world-famous Masai Mara for two nights at the Mara Simba Lodge. There they have an opportunity to see the big five: elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard.

On Day 8, the group returns to Nairobi, where day rooms are available at the Jacaranda. They then take an evening flight back to London and on to the U.S.

This experience was not available at a comparable price in the past. At $1,899 per person, including airfare, lodging, game drives, most meals and more, it is now within reach.