The annual wildebeest migration through Kenya and Tanzania is one of nature's greatest shows. But as with any hot ticket, you can be sure you'll be jockeying for position among herds of eager onlookers. That is, unless you stay at the new Lamai Serengeti.

Situated in the remote northern Serengeti, the 12-room open-air lodge perches on the rugged granite outcrop of the Kogakuria Kopje, overlooking the Mara River valley. From late July through October, the migration of those 1.5 million hairy beasts (not to mention the lions, leopards, and hyenas that dine on them) will be on your elegantly decorated doorstep. Interiors are understated and stylish, a blend of canvas and plaster walls with pops of blue or red against a cream-and-white backdrop. The secluded location ensures that the tourists won't outnumber the four-legged animals. It's wildly civilized.

Photo: Courtesy of Nomad Tanzania

Did you know that safari actually means "journey" in Swahili? Ponder this nugget as you experience exactly that with Singita Explore, the brand-new luxury mobile tented experience from Singita Game Reserves. So, just as animals roam the 340,000 dramatic acres of Tanzania's western Serengeti, now you can, too.

You'll camp with the crickets and cawing and crick-crack of who-knows-what shuffling in the bush. But fear not, you'll hardly be roughing it. Accommodations are pared back to finely tuned yet high-class basics (a plush bed, and leather, rubber, and timber furnishings) in custom-designed, eco-friendly en-suite tents. The caravan itself is a private jaunt of 2 to 12 people. Just because you're following the herd doesn't mean you have to be a part of it.

Book two nights and receive a third night free with Singita Explore introductory promotion (from $2,600 per person sharing for three nights through December 2011)

Photo: Courtesy of Singita Game Reserves

Fancy going on safari without flying halfway around the world? On Far and Away Adventures' new river-rafting safari in Idaho (the U.S.A.'s answer to Africa's big game parks), you'll see predators stalking their prey, majestic scenery, and of course, the American Big 5: elk, wolf, bighorn sheep, bear, and moose. And if the thrill of wildlife spotting isn't enough for you, you'll also face down 100 rapids churning over a 100-mile stretch of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. With a client roster that includes Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, Far and Away makes sure "roughing it" comes easy--campfire feasts feature organic dishes and tasty microbrews. But you still may hear a wolf howling at the moon from the comfort of your tent. It is the great outdoors, after all.

Photo: Courtesy of Far and Away Adventures