nYou?ve lost count of how many times you?ve seen the insides of Heathrow Airport. And New York is becoming a yawn. How about following in the footsteps of a Livingstone or a Stanley and making a trip to the Dark Continent? There?s heaps of variety and you can choose between chilling out in South Africa or hitting the game parks of Kenya. Thomas Cook is offering a one-week package to Kenya priced at Rs 1.41 lakh, which takes you on a tour of the Masai Mara Reserve, Lake Nakuru, Mountain Kenya National Park and Mountain Kenya itself, one of the highest peaks in the region. Or consider a one-week hiatus in beautiful South Africa (at Rs 99,195), which takes you around Cape Town, Johannesburg and Sun City. All quotations are per head and on twin sharing basis, and include accommodation in four-star hotels, all meals, sightseeing, airfare, visa charges, ticket taxes and medical insurance. Call 2282 4711-2.

nIf you?re looking out for a cheap holiday destination, there are no better bargains than the ones offered by hotels in places like Kerala or Goa. The Taj has put together rainy day packages valid till end-August across its hotel resorts at some of the country?s top tourist destinations. In Goa, a 2-night/3-day deal is available between Rs 2,170 to Rs 2,875 at the Taj Holiday Village, Fort Aguada Beach Resort, and Taj Exotica. There are seven participating hotels in Kerala and packages include stays at a combination of hotels. You could book for three nights at Rs 1,950, five nights at Rs 1,840 or seven nights at Rs1,670.

Other packages are available starting at Rs. 1,250 for a minimum of two nights in hotels in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Gwalior, Chennai, Agra, Madurai, Ooty, Conoor and Chikmangalur (all tariffs: per person, per night on double occupancy).