For sheer awe-inspiring travel, few countries can match Kenya. Its national reserves and conservancies are well-protected havens for some of the most endangered wildlife on the planet, from lions and cheetahs in the Maasai Mara in the south to elephants and black rhino in Samburu in the north. Its tribal culture has its roots in the Great Rift Valley, the cradle of human civilization itself. And in Nairobi, it has one of Africa's most bustling, up-and-coming cities. Those looking for a more laid-back trip will find azure waters and white sands near Mombasa, where Kenya meets the Indian Ocean.