History

Abercrombie & Kent began in East Africa

East Africa

East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...

, where Geoffrey Kent was born while his parents, Valerie and Colonel John Kent, were on safari

Safari

A safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife.-Etymology:Entering the English...

. Though British

British people

The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...

 by birth, the Kents were drawn to the freedom and beauty of life in Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

, qualities that made a powerful impression on Geoffrey, who lived on the continent for most of his childhood. In 1962, he and his parents founded Abercrombie & Kent to allow visitors to experience Africa without compromise to either comfort or authenticity. The company's beginnings were modest; as Geoffrey Kent fondly remembers; their first safaris were conducted with little more than "a Bedford truck and my mother's sterling silver ice bucket."

In 1967, Colonel and Mrs. John Kent retired from active participation in the company, leaving their son to become Managing Director. Recognizing the tremendous business opportunity in international travel, Geoffrey Kent decided to expand A&K's signature style of travel. In 1969, he began opening additional companies in Africa; in 1971 he met Jorie Ford Butler of Oak Brook, Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

. She became a partner in the business and together they expanded A&K beyond the African continent. Abercrombie & Kent became a worldwide group of companies, first opening an office in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, then in Oak Brook, Illinois, followed by Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

.