These pages are full of general information and useful links we suggest you browse through these before you travel to give you a bit more background on what to expect and what you need to do to prepare for your amazing trip to Africa… If you cannot find the answers to your questions here please do not hesitate to contact us for any further information.
Advice varies from country to country, we strongly suggest visiting your GP’s or a third parties travel clinic to obtain the most up to date information on the requirements/suggestions for your destination.
Most commonly recommended for all of our destinations are Hepatitis and Typhoid, along with this it is important to consider antimalarial medication.
Africa is not by its nature a tipping culture, however, with tourism now making up such a large portion of the employment it has become a very important way of families increasing their income and it can make a big difference to the monthly income of camp stadd. This said, as anywhere, tipping should be a reflection of the service that you receive.
How much should I tip? Is one of the questions we have been asked most prior to travel…It is important to note that tipping varies from place to place;
The most common system is that there is a box for General Camp Staff (usually very easy to find!) and this is split between all the people that make the camp run, from the people you see to those that you don’t. We suggest somewhere between $5-10 USD per person per day which is then split between all the staff. If you want to tip a member of staff specifically that has made your stay special then this is best done directly and discreetly.
Guides and Scouts/Rangers are not included in this communal tipping box, for guides we suggest around $10 USD per person per day, however, if they have been exceptional or are a private guide then we suggest using your discretion. This is best given to your guide at the end of your stay in an envelope.
We require you to have travel insurance before you leave the UK. As for any foreign holiday, make sure it covers you in case of illness and make sure that it includes cancellation insurance as deposits paid are non-refundable.
There are many insurance companies out there and it is important that you are covered for any activities that you are plaaning during your trip, so if for example you are planning on some white water rafting at Vic Falls or we are arranging a horse back safari please check the details of your policy and make sure that you are covered.
Clothing on safari is another question that comes up a lot, FIRSTLY it is not essential that you go out and buy a wardrobe full of expensive safari clothes that you may never wear in real life!
The most important things to consider is the colour of the clothing, while this is most important while on walking safaris and the like it is definitely still relevant when in a vehicle. Muted earthy tones such as greens, browns and beiges are most appropriate..we ask that you try and avoid whites and bright colours while on safari, although these are fine for around camp and in the evenings.
Depending on the time of year you are travelling you will need some warm layers for early morning starts (a moving open vehicle can be quite chilly before the sun heats up the day), you will also need shorts and t-shirts for the middle of the day and something for the evening, although most of the camps that we use do not require you to change for dinner we understand it is nice to get out of your khaki gear and into something more ‘normal’…
