How do I/we book our chosen Safari through your Company?
Please complete our Online booking form or send us an e-mail.
How can I pay you and what are your Charges for Credit Card Payments?
We require 25% deposit wired to our account, and balance is payable at least 30 days prior to commencement of the safari or can be paid in cash US dollars or traveler check on arrival. We accept payment by Visa and Master Card but there is a 5% surcharge for Credit Card Payments.
How far in advance should I book my safari?
It is better to book as far in advance as possible to ensure availability at the time you wish to travel, especially during the high/peak seasons – July/August and Christmas/New Year season.
Do I/We require a visa?
Visas to all 3 East African Countries should be obtained in advance through the various Embassies/High Commissions abroad, although airport visas are available. Travelers who opt to obtain an airport visa should expect delays upon arrival. There is a fee for the visa currently ranging from US$30 to US$50, whether obtained in advance or at the airport.
Does your price include all International Flights?
No. International transportation to and from East Africa is not included.
What type of vehicles do you use on safari?
We use 9 and 7 -seater custom safari minibuses with pop-up roof ideal for game viewing and sight seeing. The buses are fitted with HF long range radios for easy communication and are well maintained to provide the maximum level of comfort and safety. In addition to the above, all our vehicles are fully equipped with cool-boxes and first aid kits.
If requested, transportation can be arranged in a 4 x 4 Landcruiser or Land-rover at an extra cost. All our safari drivers are trained tour guides, friendly, experienced, knowledgeable and are committed to ensuring clients’ satisfaction.
How many people do you take on a safari Minibus?
Our safaris have guaranteed departures with a minimum of two people and recommend a maximum of 7 persons per safari minibus, for guaranteed window seats.
What are the terms when booking a safari with your company?
Please see our Terms & Conditions page.
Are we guaranteed to see the ‘Big Five’ as well as other wildlife whilst on safari you’re your company?
We cannot guarantee this! as all of the animals are in their natural environment, but with our chosen locations you will not be disappointed!
What is a single supplement?
This is a fee imposed on single travelers by the hotels, lodges and camps. Our safari prices are quoted based on two people sharing accommodation. If someone takes a room by themselves they have to pay the per-person price plus the single supplement fee.
Is it possible for people with special needs to travel on any of your Safaris?
We cannot guarantee that facilities will be available for such as wheelchair passengers, but some of the properties that we use have these facilities. Please contact us with your specific requirements.
Can you cater for people with special Dietary requirements?
Yes we can! Please make sure to give us advanced notice so that we can make arrangements with the lodges and camps concerned.
Do I/We require Travel Insurance?
We strongly recommend that you take out all of the necessary Travel Insurance before commencing on your journey. This cover should include for emergency evacuation.
Are the destinations and Safaris that you offer safe and secure?
All of the destinations that we offer are considered to be safe and secure, and are all well-established destinations and locations.
In the unlikely event of an accident what facilities do you offer?
– We recommend that our clients take up temporary membership with Flying Doctor’s Services at US$25 to US$50 depending on the radius (we shall advise).
– All our vehicles are fitted with two way radios for easy and regular communication with the driver/guides. This gives our clients extra peace of mind. Take you time to study our Emergency Page for more information.
What are the time differences in East Africa?
Kenya: GMT +3 hours
Tanzania: GMT +3 hours
Uganda: GMT +3 hours
Should I/We expect a language problem?
English is spoken throughout East Africa. Other common languages include Italian, French, and Spanish especially by those involved in the tourist circles.
Is the water safe to drink?
While water in major towns is chlorinated and relatively safe to drink, it is safer to drink sealed bottled water, available in stores and supermarkets.
What medical precautions should we take?
Vaccination requirements change from time to time. We suggest you consult your local doctor or health department for information on the latest health precautions. If you are on prescription medication, please ensure you have an adequate supply to last the duration of your stay and a copy of your prescription(s).
Any advise regarding photography?
For wildlife photography, a 200 mm zoom lens is the smallest that you should use, A 300-400 zoom is preferable. For bird-watchers, a 500mm or larger is necessary, and a wide-angle lens would be ideal for scenic shots.
Bring extra camera and flash batteries and plenty of film – you may find these quite expensive and difficult to obtain locally.
Why should I book my Safari with you?
Because we have the knowledge, experience & commitment to make your safari a lifetime experience! Comments from our past clients bear us witness. Incase you would like to communicate with some of these past clients, please request for e-mail/telephone contacts.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Arrival
Get some rest the first day in Nairobi. The elevation is 5,000 feet and you are in a different time zone.
Currency Declaration
Unlimited foreign currency can be brought into the country but only maximum of Kshs.100,000 can be exported. Unspent Kenya Shilling 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.
Money Exchange
Do not exchange money on the street. You may be approached by someone willing to give you a 50% to 70% premium for your dollars. 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 bureau in Nairobi offering competitive rates.
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 (necklaces etc.).
Banking Hours
Banking hours are from 0900 – 1500 Monday through Friday and 0900 – 1200 on the first and last Saturday of the month. Banks at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi and Moi International Airport, Mombasa remain open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Credit Cards
Credit cards such as American Express, Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in Nairobi and Mombasa Hotels and in most camps and lodges.
Security
Do Not walk around Nairobi at night and apply extra caution on weekends when Nairobi is 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.
Hustlers
Be careful of the “hustlers” in Nairobi. 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.
Communications
You may make international telephone calls home. Do not however, expect all hotels in Kenya to be able to get through. Nairobi is the best place to make these calls. Nairobi and Mombasa hotels have telex, facsimile machines and internet services.
Spectacles & Contacts
On safari be prepared for bumpy and dusty roads. These can be an irritant to contact lens wear. Eye drops and a spare pair of glasses are a sensible precaution.
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 East Africa. Excess luggage charges may apply.
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 in light aircraft around Nairobi or on safari, you are restricted to a maximum of 15 Kgs, including hand luggage. Coastal scheduled light aircraft flights have a limit of 10 Kgs per person.
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 light-weight raincoat and a hat for sun protection. Roof hatches on safari vehicles are left open whilst game viewing. Although evening wear is informal, the Mt Kenya Safari Club at Nanyuki and some Restaurants in Nairobi do require gentlemen to wear a tie and jacket for dinner, and ladies, equivalent evening attire.
Luggage Tag
Place the safari luggage tags we have provided on your baggage. These are used to identify your bags by your driver-guide.
Punctuality
Please be on time when you meet at your mini-vans for game drives.
Sun
Our equatorial sun is strong. Too much can cause dehydration, nausea, dizziness and headaches. We recommend that you wear sun screen 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.
Drinking water
In Nairobi and 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.
Food
Food in Kenya is delicious, varied and plentiful, succulent crayfish from the Indian Ocean, smoked sailfish (Kenya’s equivalent to smoked salmon), English roast beef, Molo lamb, and much more. Kenya’s’ famed fruits abound, pineapples, pawpaw, mangoes, avocados, passion fruits, banana, pears, and strawberries to name a few. Fresh vegetables are equally abundant.
The hotels, lodges and camps in which you stay are renowned for their high standard of cuisine. However, a change of climate and traveling can, in a few instances, cause travelers diarrheic, a minor complaint not comparable in severity with ‘Gympie 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.
Spirits, beers, wine and cigarettes
Are all available around East Africa. The price of soft drinks and beer is reasonable, whilst imported spirits, wine and cigarette tend to be on the expensive side.
Meal Plan
Generally, unless otherwise requested, bed and breakfast is the meal plan provided for in Nairobi, and full board on Safari. Mombasa hotels are booked on the meal plan of your choosing.
Anti-Malaria Medication
We strongly recommend that you take anti-malaria medication. Malaria is rare in most highland areas, but traveling 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.
Medical Services
The larger towns around East Africa have pharmacy 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.
Hospitals
There are several hospitals in Nairobi and Mombasa staffed by doctors with internationally recognized degrees. Most Nairobi and Mombasa hotels have their own house doctors for emergencies, appointments can be made if a doctor is necessary.
Electricity
Most hotels and lodges outside Nairobi and Mombasa 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.
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 Nairobi, 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.
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.
Game Viewing
Carry binoculars for added pleasure whilst game viewing.
Tipping
Most people, when visiting a foreign country, like to be given some guidelines regarding 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 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.
Driver-Guides
Ever since the early days of safari, driver-guide and naturalist/ tour guide in Africa have had their expert bush skills acknowledged in the form of tips. We recommend a tip of at least US$ 20.00 per day, but this is entirely at your own description.
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.
Flying Doctors Society
The Flying Doctor’s Society of Africa has been evacuating patients by air since the 1950′s. 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.
The Safari Experience
Please look at any inconveniences with a positive attitude. Flat tires and a few unexpected delays are all part and parcel of the safari experience.
Buy your Flight Ticket
Before departure, you will be required to buy an appropriate flight ticket to and from your tour destination. Double check your flight departure and arrival day, time and flight number and ensure that we are supplied with these details well in advance. These details will be very important to facilitate your arrival meet and greet service. An international airport departure tax of US$20 or the equivalent in foreign currency is levied. Visitors may import, duty-free, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, and one liter of spirit.
Get Reliable Health and Vaccination Advice
All visitors to East Africa are required to produce health records. It’s therefore very important for you to get health advice before you depart. Malaria is endemic to certain areas of Kenya, notably at the coastal region and western Kenya. However, visitors to Nairobi and the higher altitudes should also be taking prophylactic treatment. Treatment should start one week before entering the country and continue throughout the duration of the visit and for six weeks thereafter. Anti malaria tablets and any over the counter drugs can be purchased in chemists and pharmacies in major towns. Other medication should include Paracetamol (or any other effective pain reliever as headaches can be caused by the glare of the sun and tiredness). Anti-diarrheas’ medication such as Imodium (loperamide), throat lozenges, band-aid, insect repellent and antibiotic cream for cuts and scratches. The appropriate tanning or sun-blocking lotion is also essential.
Many towns have good hospital care and Nairobi has excellent medical facilities. A course of anti-malaria tablets is essential, seek advise from a General Practitioner. A mosquito repellent is also advisable. The UK Department of Health also recommends vaccinations against hepatitis A, polio and typhoid. Hotels and game lodges supply clean water, if in doubt stick to bottled mineral water. Swimming is not recommended except in hotel pools and in the sea. If on medication, it is best to take a supply of medicines to last the entire trip.
Before you leave:
• Double-check your airline reservation; make sure there have been no changes.
• Get vaccinations six weeks in advance if possible, a Yellow Fever certificate is necessary when visiting Zanzibar (you don’t need the actual shot) – be sure to ask for one at the travel clinic.
• Some clinics prescribe malaria prophylactic pills (e.g., Lariam) however, you will have less risk of side effects if you simply wear long sleeve shirts and pants at dusk – and use an insect repellent containing DEET (e.g., Off, Deep Woods).
• Fill personal prescriptions if necessary.
Buy trip insurance (for int’l medical/dental) from an independent trip insurance agency; be sure to get trip cancellation and medical evacuation coverage.
• Make sure you have flight insurance coverage (for lost luggage, delay, or cancellation) many credit card companies offer flight insurance if you purchase your ticket with the card.
• Personal effects (clothes, camera, etc.) are normally covered on your renter’s or home insurance – they will not be covered by trip or flight insurance – be sure to verify that you have coverage.
• Get entry Visas at least one month in advance, ensure passport is updated and will not expire while you are overseas. US/UK/EU/Canadian citizens can purchase visas at the border or airport of most African countries, other nationalities should make sure they have their visas in advance.
• Make 2 copies of passports, visas, tickets & immunization records (hide one copy in suitcase somewhere and leave other copy with friend or relative to hold in case of emergency).
• Take about one hundred dollars in cash ($20 bills or smaller) for driver, guide, and porter tips, visa fees, airport tax, and any other miscellaneous requirements.
• You may want to rent a powerful zoom lens for safari photos – 300-500mm lens is standard when taking game viewing photographs (1000mm and tripod needed for good bird pictures), also a good pair of binoculars and/or good zoom digital video camera if you wish.
Tipping Guidelines
It is a common courtesy to tip your driver, guide, and porter when on safari. The following list is a guide – as always you should tip based on your satisfaction with service. All amounts per person, per day (per event)
Mountain Climbing rates: When climbing Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro there is at least one senior guide, a cook/junior guide, and an average of two porters per client. In a group of 8 it will be typical to have one senior guide, one cook, and 16 porters. Therefore, on a six-day ascent expect to pay $90 in tips per person – or more if you feel a particular person went above and beyond the call of duty. All amounts shared by group, per day
Packing: Carryon Bag:
• At least one major credit card (ATM cards will work in most cities – but it’s easier if connect your VISA/MC to your bank account for use in the automatic teller machine
• Money belt, or travel pouch (make sure the pouch hangs/clips inside your pants or shirt), do NOT use a fanny pack.
• Tickets, itinerary
• Immunization records (International Travel Immunization Record – required for some countries)
• Passports/visas, plus copies of everything
• List of emergency contact numbers
• Sun Hat or cap, sunglasses, clip-ons for regular glasses
• Extra set of eyeglasses or contacts
• Pick up many rolls of film before even getting to the airport, the price of film increases dramatically at the airports and overseas.
• Birds, mammal field guides and Africa travel books.
• Reading material
• Blow-up travel pillow (helps for sleeping during the flight and on whilst on safari)
• Earplugs & blinders (for sleeping on the overnight flights or anti-snoring during camping)
Packing: Medicines
• Basic stuff (band aids, gauze, tape, first-aid cream, Betadine, pick up a kit from EMS, L.L.Bean, or wherever)
• Swiss army knife (do not take in carryon, it will be confiscated at airport security)
• Antibacterial hand gel (very useful when water is scarce)
• Personal prescription medications (whatever you need)
• Pepto-Bismol tablets, chewable (important)
• Imodium A-D or other diarrheic medicine
• If you wear contact lenses, bring eye medicine (Neosporin eye drops)
• Tylenol, aspirin, Advil or other painkiller
• Benadryl pills or other antihistamine
• Cold/flu medicine (important)
• Mosquito repellent (DEET 35% concentration – DeetPlus, Repel or Deep Woods, to spray on skin)
• Sunscreen, aloe Vera gel
• Mount Climbing: Glucose tablets (critical for the final summit push on Kilimanjaro and Kenya) and recommended prescribed medicines: dysentery antibiotic pills (Cipro), altitude pills for Kilimanjaro (Diamox)
Packing: Toiletry Bag
• Manual shaver & extra blades
• Deodorant stick (not aerosol)
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss
• Shampoo and hair conditioner (in small leak proof bottles)
• Bar soap with soap bag/container