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On Arrival
| Currency & Exchange | Banks
| Credit Cards
Valuables
Safety | Security | Communication
| Spectacles/Contacts
Packing
| Clothing | Punctuality
| Sunlight | Drinking Water | Food
Beverages
| Anti-Malaria | Medical
| Electricity | Photography
| Wild Animals
Tipping
| Tour Guides | Airport Tax/Tickets
| Flying Doctors | Safari
Experience
Arrival
Get
some rest the first day in Africa. The
elevation is high, and you are in a different time zone.
Currency
Declaration
Unlimited
foreign currency can be brought into Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia
but only certain amount can be exported – check currency regulations carefully. Unspent
local currency may be re-converted at the airport bank on departure but
this takes time and patience. We recommend you change only what you intend to
spend. Top
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Money
Exchange
Do
not exchange money on the street. You may be approached by someone willing to give you premium for your hard
currency. This is what is known as
the black market. It is illegal. Do NOT therefore get involved. Hotels,
Camps and Lodges can change money but sometimes their exchange rate is lower. There
are several foreign
exchange bureaus in all major cities offering competitive rates. Top
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Banking
hours Banking
hours is from 0900 - 1500 Monday through Friday and 0900 - 1200 on the
first and last Saturday of the month. Banks at Airports remain open 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. Top of Page
Credit
Cards Credit
cards such as American Express, Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted
in cities, and in most camps and lodges. Top
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Safekeeping
of passport and Valuables Please
keep your passport and money ON YOU at ALL times. Never leave money or valuables in your room or in your
vehicle. You can check valuables in security boxes at the hotels and lodges. Be especially careful whilst in camps and lodges and on special excursions
such as boat-rides. Avoid wearing
expensive jewelry. Top of Page
Security
Do
not walk around cities at night and apply extra caution on weekends when
they are relatively deserted. Please take a taxi instead. Always let a
tour member know where you are going when you go off to do your own thing. Please
take the same care
and common sense precautions - that you would do in any other part of the
world.
Be
careful of the "hustlers" in cities. You
may hear a hard luck story, which is designed to get you to donate money
to some cause. We strongly suggest
you do not get involved. Top of Page
Communications You
may make international telephone calls home. Do not however, expect all hotels/camps/lodges to be able to get
through. Cities are the best places to make these calls. All hotels/lodges/camps have fax and Internet email
services. Top of Page
Spectacles
& Contacts
On
safari be prepared for bumpy and dusty roads. These can be irritating to contact lens
wear. Eye drops and a spare pair of glasses are a sensible precaution. Top
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Packing Pack
light; Laundry facilities are available throughout your safari. Remember your 20-kg limit (30 kg for first and club class travelers) on your return
from Africa. Excess luggage charges
may apply. Top of Page
Luggage
Allowances
Remember,
if you are staying at one of the 'tree hotels', the cabins are small and
you are only allowed to take one small overnight bag with you. The bulk of your luggage is stored at the base hotel and retrieved the following
morning. If your itinerary includes
any flying on safari, you are restricted to a maximum of 15 kgs, including
hand luggage. Top
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Luggage
tag
Place
the safari luggage tags we have provided on your baggage. Your driver-guide uses these to identify your
bags. Top of Page
Clothing
Safari
attire is casual and comfortable. Dress mainly for outdoor comfort with a change of informal clothes for the
evening. Evenings and early morning can be chilly especially on the mountain areas. Warm
jerseys, socks and walking shoes or sneakers are recommended. Footwear should be low-heeled and
comfortable. There is not much walking and you stay in your vehicle during game runs. Bring
a lightweight raincoat and a hat for sun protection. Roof hatches on safari vehicles are left open whilst game viewing. Top
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Punctuality Please
be on time when you meet at your minibuses for game drives. Top
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Sun Our
equatorial sun is strong. Too much
can cause dehydration, nausea, dizziness and headaches. We recommend that you wear sunscreen and a hat, as well as a strong pair of
dark glasses. All of the lodges,
with the exception of the 'tree hotels' and some of the permanent camps,
have swimming pools. When sunbathing
use common sense. Top of Page
Drinking
water On
safari, we recommend that you do not drink the water from the taps and
even out of the thermos or flasks provided. We recommend instead, that you purchase bottled water at the
lodges. Use mouthwash to brush and wash your teeth. Ice is generally frozen from boiled water and is ok for
consumption Top of Page
Food
Food
is delicious, varied and plentiful, succulent crayfish from the Indian
Ocean, smoked sailfish, English roast beef, and much more. Plenty of variety of fruits is available, pineapples, papaw, mangoes, avocados,
passion fruits, banana, pears, and strawberries to name a few. Fresh vegetables are equally abundant.
The
hotels, lodges and camps are renowned for their high standard of cuisine. However,
a change of climate and travelling can, in a few instances, cause traveler’s
diarrhea, a minor complaint not comparable in severity with 'gyp tummy'. Eating in moderation avoiding cold buffet lunch tables that have been exposed
to the mid-day sun, and fasting for a day (whilst drinking plenty of bottled
water) should you be stricken, are sensible precautions. Top
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Meal
plan
Generally,
unless otherwise requested, bed and breakfast is the meal plan provided
for in Cities, and full board on Safari. Coastal hotels are booked on the meal plan of your
choosing. Top of Page
Spirits,
beers, wine and cigarettes Are
all available. The price of soft
drinks and beer is reasonable, whilst imported spirits, wine and cigarette
tend to be on the expensive side. Top
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Anti-malaria
medication We
strongly recommend that you take anti-malaria medication. Malaria is rare in most highland areas, but travelling in the hot bush and coastal
areas requires precautions. If, on
your return home, you develop influenza symptoms, please see your doctor
immediately as you may well have contracted malaria. Top
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Medical
services Major
cities have drugstores (Chemists) and hospitals, but you should carry with
you adequate supplies of your own medicines and toilet items as in the
smaller towns these cannot be obtained. A spare pair of prescription glasses is
recommended. Top
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Hospitals
There
are several hospitals in all major cities, staffed by doctors with internationally
recognized degrees. Most City hotels
have their own house doctors for emergencies. Appointments can be made
if a doctor is necessary. Top of Page
Electricity
Most
hotels and lodges generate their own electricity. However,
take a small lightweight flashlight, as some generators are usually only
run for short periods in the early morning and again in the evening from
1830 to 2230 hrs. The voltage is
220-240 AC, suitable for appliances with the exceptions of those manufactured
in the USA and Canada. Top
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Photography
DO
NOT take photographs of the locals without their permission. NEVER
take photographs of military, military institutions, armed forces barracks,
policemen, the President, Government officials, or airports. Always
keep your camera loaded and ready for action. You
never know when it is going to start. If
you intend to purchase extra film, we suggest you do so in major cities,
as often the safari lodges and camps have limited stock. You
may wish to carry your equipment in a dust-proof bag, as the roads can
be extremely dusty. Top
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Wild
animals
Do
please remember that our animals are wild and should never be approached
on foot. Please be alert and cautious
in the lodges and camps when walking from your room to the public areas. Top
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Game
viewing
Carry
binoculars for added pleasure whilst game viewing. Top
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Tipping
Most
people, when visiting a foreign country, like to be given some guidelines
regard tipping. Bearing in mind that
tipping is an extremely personal matter, the below are mere guidelines.
Ultimately,
expectations are left to the discretion of the individual safari member.
However,
if in doubt, please check with either your host/hostess or safari guide
for advice.
Restaurants
These
guidelines are for those lunches and dinners you may enjoy on your own,
that are not included in your itinerary. If
the menu says 10% service charge included, you do not need to tip. Otherwise,
10% is considered usual and customary.
Drinks
When
ordering from the bar waiter, a 10% tip is fair.
Top
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Driver-Guides
Ever
since the early days of safari-ing, driver guides in Africa have had their
expert bush skills acknowledged in the form of tips. We
recommend 5 dollars per person per day payable at the end of safari.
Professional
Tour Guides
The
tip for your professional tour guide is entirely discretionary. The
numbers in a group determines a good tip for the guide. These
tips are payable on the final day of your safari program.
Top
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Tour
Guides
Get
to know both your driver-guide and professional tour guide. Their
knowledge of Africa is a bottomless treasure of travel. Be friendly. Sometimes, at the outset
of a safari, the driver-guides can be shy and need encouragement to open up. Ask a lot of
questions. Don't
be afraid to make requests of both your driver-guide and your professional
safari guide.
Top
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Air
Ticket reconfirmation
Air
tickets must be reconfirmed for all domestic and international flights. We
would be delighted to assist. In
order for us to do this, we must be able to personally check your tickets. We
will do all possible to secure your specific seat requests but this cannot
be Guaranteed. Top
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Airport
Department Tax
Local
and international departure taxes may vary form country to country. For
example Charges in Kenya are as follows
-
International flight - US $40.00 person (can be paid in local currency)
- Domestic flights - Kshs. 200.00 per person (payable in local currency) Top
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Flying
Doctors Society
The
Flying Doctor's Society of Africa has been evacuating patients by air since
the 1950's in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. In
the event of a medical emergency, you will be flown back to Nairobi where
an ambulance will be waiting to move you immediately to a leading Nairobi
hospital. Evacuations will not be carried out if the nature of the medical
complaint is minor.
Top
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The
Safari Experience
Please
look at any inconveniences with a positive attitude. Flat
tyres and a few unexpected delays are all part and parcel of the safari
experience.
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