Tanzania Unfiltered

Here's our problem with safaris: They're billed as authentic, up-close-and-personal wildlife experiences, but by Land Rover–bound definition, some are as canned as any Club Med junket. Closer to the real thing is Kiba Point, a brand-new luxury safari lodge in the heart of Tanzania's Selous Game Reserve. Selous is the largest game park in Africa, an undisturbed, 19,000-square-mile chunk of rivers, lagoons, and bush. It's also one of the rare African parks to permit walking safaris. Kiba visitors can hike from four stone-and-thatch cottages through dried-up riverbeds to stalk elephants, crocs, and any of the reserve's other 400 native species without the distractions (and assurances) of four-wheel drive. When the safari is over, cool off in a private plunge pool with a sundowner drink in hand. And because Kiba only books exclusively (a group of ten rents it out at once), there's no chance of encountering pith-helmeted impostors. $5,000 per night, all-inclusive, for ten people; sand-rivers-selous.com