Camping offers an alternative to famed East African safari tours

Adventurous travelers can escape the crowds and see some of the region's most beautiful sites

With a coastline stretching for 536 kilometers along the Indian Ocean, Kenya, which is rich in tourist attractions like the savannah, lake lands, the world-famous Great Rift Valley and mountain highlands, is one of the leading tour destinations in Africa.

As part of its staple offerings, the East African country is home to wildlife like lions, elephants and rhinos. Most tourists who visit Kenya seem to prefer safari visits in the numerous parks, like the Maasai Mara Reserve, known for its annual wildebeest migrations, and Amboseli National Park, which offers panoramic views of the 5,895-meter-high Mt. Kilimanjaro in neighboring Tanzania.

In recognition of its world-class safari destinations, Kenya, which is East Africa's largest economy, scooped the world's leading safari destination award at the World Travel Awards held in Oman last November.