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tours

BEHIND THE AMPERSAND

Discover the signature style of Abercrombie & Kent. BY KRISTY ALPERT

CREDITED WITH REDEFINING THE SAFARI
experience and famous for pushing the enve-
lope on bespoke travel, legendary luxury tour
company Abercrombie & Kent has a long-standing
tradition of blazing its own trails.
Although A&K was officially born in 1962,
the true inception of this illustrious operator
began decades earlier when its cofounders,
Valerie and Col. John Kent, embarked upon an TRAILBLAZER:
unforgettable safari in Zambia — unforgettable (Left to right) Geoffrey
because on that safari the couple gave birth to Kent circa 1977 with
his Land Rover, and
their son, A&K cofounder Geoffrey Kent. more recently in
Kent grew up on the family’s farm in Kenya, Mongolia; and the
where he later became the first person to journey newly refurbished
Sanctuary Chief's
between Kenya and Cape Town on a motorbike. Camp in Botswana
Kent obviously shared his parents’ pioneering PHOTOS: © ABERCROMBIE
sense of adventure, and after a short career with & KENT
the British Army, he teamed up with his mom
and dad to launch a safari camp that would give guests
an experience like no other.
Equipped with one Land Rover, a sterling silver ice
bucket that belonged to Kent’s mother and a made-up
name (the “Abercrombie” portion of the name was
strategically created to put the company at the front of
the yellow page listings), the trio began offering guided
safaris around their beloved home in Africa. Kent took
over the company in 1967, when his parents retired,
and began developing what would become the new
standard of luxury travel by creating A&K’s signature
travel style.
It was Kent who first repositioned African safaris to
a “hunt with a camera, not with a gun” experience, and
it was he who first introduced refrigeration to mobile-
tented safaris, making it possible to enjoy a chilled
martini during a sundowner or a freshly chilled towel to
refresh guests after a long day on a game drive.
The company now operates 52 full-time offices
around the world with experiences that include luxury
safaris in Botswana, high-end cruises to Antarctica and, are accompanied by local experts who carry an intimate
its brand-new offering, Private Jet Journeys that offer knowledge of the destination and are able to offer The recently refurbished
the ultimate luxury travel experience. thoughtful insights on local customs and cultural mores. Sanctuary Chief’s Camp
The A&K difference is embedded in the philosophy A&K’s holistic approach to the travel experience features an expansive
that travelers should be able to discover the world in a allows for authentic encounters to occur naturally while lounge deck; an extended
uniquely authentic and stylish manner. Journeys with giving guests a comfortable environment in which they dining room; and updated
A&K are notoriously and delightfully old school, where can relax in some of the world’s most exotic locations, bedrooms equipped with
travelers receive mailed packages leading up to the from air-conditioned camps in the Okavango Delta to WiFi, air-conditioning
journey with printed details and materials to help make freshly brewed cappuccinos on board the expedition and personal espresso
the journey more comfortable. Once on the road, guests ships to Antarctica.
machines.

32 globaltravelerusa.com FEBRUARY 2018