Travelling has been a culture to many especial the western culture and slowly it has been seen becoming a common thing in the whole world.
Whilst planning for a vacation everyone has their own concerns, especially if it is their first trip out of their country or even continent. These are general questions that are not specific to any given attractions or activities.
With these questions, we hope to have answered some of your burning questions. You may have other questions and we encourage you to ask them via the contact page on this website or through any of our social media channels.
Our blog is another place where we address some other questions and concerns. We also share helpful tricks and insights
How safe is it for me to Travel to East Africa?
East Africa mainly Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania have enjoyed peace and stability over the past decades and are one of the safest areas to visit in Africa.
Covid 19
Covid 19 has affected all parts of the world. As of September 2022, there are only few restrictions in East Africa. For example, you have to wear face masks when you are in close proximity the primates to protect the animals, but otherwise you don’t have to wear masks while on safari.
Restrictions are changing all the time and we kindly ask you to update yourself on travel restrictions on the webpages for the individual countries. There may be restrictions for entering the countries.
We will of course assist you navigating the current restrictions.
What are the main attractions in East Africa?
There is so much you can see and do in East Africa. Uganda and Rwanda are well known for their primates like the endangered mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, and many other primate species, there are also a huge number of other wildlife in these countries. Besides exciting wildlife you can do watersports, Rwenzori and Mt Elgon climbing, bungee jumping, Lake Victoria Islands visits and many more.
Kenya and Tanzania are well known for their wealth in wildlife that includes the annual wildebeest and zebra migration in the month of July, August and September from Serengeti to Masai Mara National Reserve and vice versa there are also other attractions like Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya climbing, the nice sandy beaches of the Kenyan coast and Zanzibar.
What do most of your visitors talk about after a trip?
The intriguing experiences with gorillas, chimps, golden monkeys trekking, game drives, white water rafting in the Nile and boat cruises in both Nile River and Lake Victoria are some of the activities, clients talk the most about. This is because our experienced driver guides with 8 years and above of experience take the utmost responsibility of creating an unmatched and personal experience, thus making our clients come back with friends or recommend our services to their families and friends.
How long ahead do I need to Plan for my Safari?
Basically East Africa have two seasons:
High Season; 15th December – 28th February, and 1st June to 30th September
Low Season; 1st March, to 31st May, and 1st October to 14th December
During the high season most accommodations are always very tricky to get, it is highly advised to book your safari several months in advance to avoid last minute inconveniences. This also helps our team to plan properly without rushing and prepare in advance for ensuring great execution of your safari.
Some activities where slots are limited – such as gorilla and chimps trekking permits. We advise planning even further ahead because gorilla and chimps trekking permits are given on a first-come-first-served basis.
Do I need any shots/vaccinations before taking my trip?
This depends upon the advice of your doctor or physician. You might need to consider anti-malarial for prevention purposes. A certificate of yellow fever vaccine is required for entry into East Africa.
We recommend you consult with your doctor about any sort of medicine to get professional advice.
What about my passport and visa? What do I have to do?
Passport and visa requirements are different depending on which country you are coming from. The best and most up to date information is always on the embassy of the visiting country of your country. If you face any problems in the process, feel free to reach out and we will do it together with you.
Visas can be applied for via the relevant online portals for each country. If you are going to be taking a trip that goes through two or more countries of East Africa, we advise that you get an East African Tourist Visa.
Will I be able to use my credit cards to buy things?
In the bigger cities and on most lodges, you can pay by credit card. In most big establishments like hotels and chain supermarkets establishments they accept credit cards from all over the world.
You might not be able to use your cards for light shopping in the smaller towns. All banks offer foreign exchange services where you can convert your money into local currency that is easier to use. There are also Forex in many locations.
We advise that you exchange your money to local currency before the start of your safari. This is the extra money you will use for extra spending such as tips, souvenirs, and such other expenditure.
You will usually get the best exchange rate on larger US dollar bills. Smaller dollar bills are useful for tips.
Whom do I contact in case of emergency?
In case of an emergency, small or big – your tour guide is usually the immediate person who can offer you all the necessary assistance. Beyond your driver-guide, you can always get in touch with anyone from our office via the numbers shared with you.
Depending on the emergency, you can also contact local law enforcement and authorities. All this information is provided to you in your final itinerary copy and to the driver-guide as well.
Can a safari be organized, based on my budget?
Absolutely. A trip can be designed based on your interests and budget. Through interactions with you, we collaborate on planning for you the trip that will meet all your needs.
If you already know some details of what you would want, feel free to end us an email to give us the details of what you want – and then we design a safari based on that.
Are there any discounts available?
Sometimes there are various discounts. Whether it is for a solo tour or a group trip, you can always ask and the available discounts can be effected in your tour plan.
Discounts are usually communicated on our website and social media channels. Whether the discounts are communicated or not, just ask anyway and it could be your lucky day. No harm in asking, right?
Tipping on a safari
Tipping is not obligatory, but it is always highly appreciated. A rule of thumb says that you driver/guide on the safari is tipped 10 USD a day.
Other local guides and hotel staff also appreciate a tip, so if you enjoy tipping, please bring smaller bills for this purpose.