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- Tips For Planning Wildlife
Safari to Kenya and Tanzania
- Useful Tips For Planning Your
Wildlife Safari to Kenya and
Tanzania:
- Kenya and Tanzania represent an
amazing combination of an African
wildlife safari. You will enjoy a
memorable safari whether in
individual countries or combining
both countries.
Designing your Kenya and Tanzania
safari itinerary
If you are thinking of combining the
two countries, on an average budget
safari overland, you are
well-advised to put aside about 12
to 14 days at the minimum to allow
you enjoy a well-designed safari
program.
You can however visit more parks and
reserves with the same number of
days if you can afford to fly
between some destinations. For
example in, Kenya, there are
regular, reliable schedule flights
between Nairobi and some of the
well-known wildlife areas like
Maasai Mara, Amboseli and Samburu.
Likewise, you will find similar
regular schedule flights between
Arusha and the various lodges in the
vast Serengeti and Lake Manyara.
Needless to say, by flying between
some of the parks and reserves, you
save on the time. This is of course
besides the relative comfort that
the flight options offer.
In comparison with the schedule
fixed departure tours, a private
safari is much better in the sense
that it offers you the flexibility
to make changes and enjoy the safari
at your own pace. With the schedule
fixed departure tours, one is
obliged to follow the program as set
from the beginning, taking into
consideration the interest of the
other participants.
The climate
If there is a perfect climate in the
world, surely it is in East Africa
with cool mornings and warm middays.
Although it can be hot and sticky by
the sea, inland the air is dry and
even at midday the temperatures are
equitable. Due to the proximity to
the equator, sunrise occurs daily
between 06.00hrs and 06.30hrs while
sunset takes place 12 hours later.
It can get quite chilly in the early
morning and evening hence visitors
should pack a sweater. Each time of
year has its special attractions.
There are two main rainy seasons -
usually mid-April to the end of May
and November to mid-December. Even
during the rains, the weather can be
pleasant with rain occurring in the
early morning and late in the
afternoon or evening. If you travel
during the rainy season, insist on
using 4WD vehicles for your overland
travel between the nightstops.
Visa Regulations
Visitors must be in possession of
valid visa before entering either
Kenya or Tanzania. Most
nationalities can obtain the tourist
visa at the entry points – airports
and designed border post. For both
the tourist visa and commercial
visa, the regulations vary dependent
on nationality and country of
origin. It is always advisable to
check with the nearest tourist
office or diplomatic mission. Your
travel agent or tour operator may
also be in position to advise you on
specific visa needs.
Health regulations and medical
advise
Inoculation centres in the country
of origin will provide updated
information and advice on health
regulations and recommendations. As
Kenya & Tanzania enjoy a healthy,
invigorating climate, visitors need
feel no concern for their general
health during their stay. However,
malaria is endemic in certain areas
and anti-malaria medication should
be taken according to prescription
recommendations. Visitor requiring
special medication should pack
sufficient supplies in their hand
luggage. Chemist shops are well
stocked, but the same generic
medication may not be readily
available. It advisable to drink
bottled water. On safari, rooms are
provided with flasks of filtered and
purified water. Mineral water is
readily available.
Customs and exit regulations
Personal effects, film and cameras
may be imported temporarily free of
duty. However professional video
equipment, tape recorders, radios,
musical instruments and souvenirs
from other countries may require a
customs bond to ensure
re-exportation. Baggage is normally
inspected by customs officials on
arrival and departure. Please
strictly adhere to baggage
limitations as advised by the
airline as excess baggage charges
can be quite expensive.
Airport and departure taxes
A local airport service charge is
payable on departure for domestic
flights. In some cases, it may be
included on the airfare. Please seek
clarification from our travel /
booking agent.
The currency
Kenya’s currency is the Kenya
Shilling (KES). Tanzania’s currency
is Tanzania Shilling (Tsh). There is
no restriction to the amount of
foreign currency a visitor may
import provided that it is exchanged
through authorized dealers only. It
is essential to retain a receipt for
each transaction in order to
re-exchange the local currency on
departure. Foreign currency as the
U.S. dollar or British pound (in
cash or travellers cheque) are the
most widely accepted. Well known
credit cards are also widely
accepted in Kenya & Tanzania It is a
legal offence to deface local
currency.
The Banks
Banking hours are from 09.00hrs to
14.00hrs Monday to Friday. Most
Hotels and Lodges change money
outside these hours.
Security
Normal precautions as in any other
destination worldwide should be
taken. Keep a close watch on
handbags, wallets and cameras when
walking in crowded places and avoid
walking at night (take a taxi).
Place all valuables in safety
deposit boxes at hotels and lodges
and only carry small amounts of
cash. Wear as little jewellery as
possible, if any, and never leave
valuables on show in an unattended
car or tour bus. Taking photographs
at airports, near military
installations, of policemen, the
President, the national flag, the
State House, state lodges, soldiers,
prisons and prisoners etc., is
prohibited. Before photographing
local people, permission should be
obtained and a fixed price agreed.
Seek the assistance of your
driver/guide in this matter.
Driving
Driving is on the left for all
countries.
Clothing
Safari clothing should be casual and
comfortable. Cotton slacks and
shirts, with skirts and culottes for
ladies and a light sweater or
jacket, during the day. Evening wear
in game lodges and safari camps can
be very casual. In the more
sophisticated clubs and hotels
gentlemen will be required to wear a
jacket, while ladies should dress
rather more formally. At high
altitudes, where early mornings and
evenings can be very chilly, warm
sweaters, socks and comfortable
shoes are recommended. Pack suntan
lotion, swimwear (to be reserved for
the beach and pool only) and a small
first aid kit. Local customs and
modesty should be respected.
Laundry
Most hotels, game lodges and safari
camps offer a 24-hour inexpensive
laundry service.
Electricity
Voltage in East Africa is
240volts/50 cycles AC, British
standard generally through three-pin
square plugs. Some lodges and camps
have power only in the early
mornings and evenings and, in some,
video charging facilities are
centralized.
Luggage
For your safari, it is strongly
recommended that luggage is limited
to one piece per person. A small
overnight bag is essential. All city
hotels provide secure storage for
left luggage. On all itineraries
where journeys by light aircraft are
involved the baggage allowance would
be around 15kgs per person.
Photography
There is no shortage of the more
usual film throughout Kenya, however
it is expensive and visitors are
advised to bring plentiful supplies,
especially where specialist film is
concerned. As a general guide,
double the amount of film normally
needed in other areas. In Tanzania
films may not be available. For
wildlife photography a 35mm single
reflex camera, with telephoto lens
of 200mm to 300mm is recommended.
Larger lenses which require a
tripod, or double reflex cameras are
generally impractical. An ultra
violet filter, waterproof dust cover
and spare batteries are essential. A
pair of good quality binoculars for
each person will be a great asset.
City Hotels check in and check out
The standard check-out time for
city/town hotels is 10.00hrs. That
means rooms may not normally be
ready for occupancy until 12.00hrs.
In case you anticipate and earlier
arrival, please reserve rooms from
the preceding night. Day rooms up to
18.00hrs are usually available.
African Safari - Tips and Guidelines on
Money Matters and Tipping
After booking and confirming your travel
arrangements, you may realize that you
still need some more information even as
you prepare for the trip to Africa. Some
of the questions that you will have,
relate to money – for example, the value
of your home-country money in relation
to local destination currency. You will
probably need to know how much would be
enough to cater for your needs. You will
certainly need to know in what form you
need to carry the money – whether cash,
credit card or in form of checks.
The guideline below, although apt for
travelers to East Africa, may apply to
most other African destinations.
Ultimately, the most reliable and
current advise should come from your
chosen African Safari Outfitter.
How To carry your money
Cash and travellers' checks each have
advantage. Obviously cash is more
readily exchanged and accepted and
command a better exchange rate in East
Africa. Travellers' checks on the other
hand, are replaceable in case of lose.
You should carry a combination. Decide
what proportion of each to carry,
according to your own taste or
convenience against the risks that may
arise. Try for a diversity of
denominations such that you have a mix
of smaller, medium and a few or the
larger denominations of your home
country currency.
You can change money at slightly less
than standard bank rates in most hotels.
Traveller's checks cannot be changed at
hotels and lodges; it can only be done
at banks and financial institutions.
Credit Cards
Major credit cards (and debit cards with
Visa or Master Card logos) offer you a
superb emergency back-up. Every
traveller should carry one, even if you
don't plan on using it. If your air
ticket is lost, or you need to fly home
in an emergency, your credit card can
make this possible. Your credit card
will be accepted in better shops in
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, so if you
develop an unplanned infatuation with an
expensive art object, you can buy it
without having to carry hundreds of
dollars in cash or checks. Please
remember to keep your receipts in case
you have questions about the conversion
or exchange rate. Also keep your
receipts as a proof of purchase.
How Much Money To Take
Do not count
on being able to withdraw cash with a
credit card, a debit card or an ATM
card. Whilst this service is becoming
increasingly available, it might not be
functional/available on some of the
areas you might be visiting. Plan to
carry enough money to cover your
expected expenses, plus a small reserve.
Your credit card can be your financial
emergency back up kit.
By far, the biggest variable in your
budget may as well be your taste for
souvenirs. You take a few meals on your
own; these will cost between $10 and $15
each, including a 10%-15% for tipping.
You might also spend a bit on telephone
bills, laundry and drinks. Other
incidental expenses may arise from
domestic and regional airport departure
taxes. This may happen in cases where
your itinerary includes some internal
flights and the tickets do not include
the local departure tax. In such cases,
these figures are variable depending on
the dates of travel, the airport in
question and even the country. A
confirmation closer to your dates of
travel with your Safari Outfitter may
give you an idea.
Most people on our trips carry between
$500 and $600 (for a two weeks visit)
for all extra expenses. (If you have a
safari extension, such as to the beach -
take about $300 more) If this seems low,
take more. If this seems high, remember
that you don't have to spend it all.
The Local Currency
All the three East Africa Currencies
(shillings) are composed of 100 cents.
For current exchange rates, please refer
to the internet or a newspaper.
Tipping Suggestions
In East Africa, all tipping on your trip
is optional, and the amounts given, if
any, are strictly dependent on your
decision, obviously based on your
satisfaction with the services rendered.
For those who want suggestions, we offer
the following guidelines.
You may budget for between 2% and 3% of
the entire cost of your trip. Always
remember that amounts given, if any, are
personal decision, and if travelling in
a group, every group member does not
have to give the same amount. US dollar
cash is preferred for tipping safari
staff.
At the end of your trip, if travelling
in a group: a volunteer group member can
'pass the hat' and present a collective
tip to your drivers/guides. Many
travellers give between $3 to $ 10 per
safari day. You can also tip the drivers
and guides individually.
Enjoy your trip to Africa.
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African Safari Packing:
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Going
to African on Safari! This is How
You Should be Packing!
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Packing for your long-awaited safari
to Africa may appear like such a
little task until you begin. Then
you suddenly realize you do not have
sufficient information to help you
make good choices on what to carry
or leave behind. Many are gripped
with anxiety trying to figure out
what to take along in order to enjoy
some level of comfort. A few
commandments that might help you in
the process of packing for your
African Safari are given here:
Generally, keep your bag light
You are probably restricted to
approximately 30-40 kilos on your
flight. That fact along should in
some way determine how much you will
take along from home. In any case,
you are better off if you were able
to tote your bags yourself for short
distances in the event this becomes
necessary.
Besides, you'd like to have extra
room left over for souvenirs at the
end of the safari! Most travelers
pack too much. Choose clothing with
multiple uses. Find toiletries in
sample sizes. Remove all disposable
material from your gear before you
leave home.
Get a day pack or rucksack:
For your daily necessities like
water bottles, camera gear,
sunscreen, etc, get a day pack or
rucksack. Use this as your carry-on
bag on your flights, and keep it
with you during game drives and
walking trips. A day pack keeps both
hands free. Store camera gear and
important papers in plastic bags
within to protect them from dirt and
moisture.
Packing your Carry-on Bag:
Use your day pack/rucksack as your
carry-on bag for your flights. In it
pack a change of clothes, camera
gear, all medications (especially
essential prescription medications),
several changes of socks and
underwear, and other irreplaceable
or breakable items.
Get a duffel bag or soft-side
luggage:
A sturdy zippered duffel need not to
be expensive. Depending on how much
you bring, you'll need a duffel
about 26" to 30" long and about 12"
to 15" in diameter. Look for heavy
nylon fabric, wrap-around handles
and a heavy-duty lockable zipper.
You can buy a duffel bag with
built-in wheels from just about
anywhere.
Use plastic shopping bags, nylon
stuff sacks, smaller zipper duffels
or special mesh bags to separate
clothing and gear inside your
duffel. Isolate liquid toiletries in
heavy duty zip-loc bags. Bring a few
spare bags, including one for dirty
laundry.
What clothing for your African
Safari?
Plan to dress in layers so you can
adjust to temperature changes. Be
sure to bring all the warm clothing
on your packing list. You will need
at least one heavy wool sweater, as
well as a warm fleece jacket in the
season May to October – at least in
the case of East Africa Safari.
You can buy clothing designed
especially for travel. Avoid
tight-fitting jeans. If you like to
hand-wash your clothes, bring socks
and underwear made of silk or a
cotton-synthetic blend, which will
dry out overnight.
You may be on your feet a lot during
game drives, where you can stand in
the vehicle to view wildlife. Bring
supportive and comfortable shoes.
You might consider light hiking
boots, for increased ankle support.
Style Hints
Dress on safari is functional and
casual, while being neat and
presentable in the lodges. In local
communities, and to some extent in
the lodges, your dress should be
modest and conservative. Although
many tourists are not sensitive to
this, travelers who observe this are
likely to receive a warmer welcome.
Avoid tank tops and sleeveless
shirts. You should usually not wear
shorts in towns, and women will get
better reception if they wear a
mid-length skirt. (A travel skirt is
also unbeatable for roadside pit
stops in open country, so you can
maintain a degree of modesty without
hiking all the way to the horizon!).
Recommended Clothing
If you are on this trip over a
period of about 2 weeks, the
following list may serve as a good
guideline on what to bring along in
terms of clothing. You won't need
much else, and you won't have room
for much else in your duffel any
way!
The list:
Short-sleeved cotton shirts - 5.
Polo-style shirts are more versatile
than T-shirts
Long sleeved cotton shirts - 2.
These can include light dress shirts
for sun protection and flannel
shirts and cotton turtlenecks for
layering
Trousers: two pairs, comfortable and
loose-fitting. One lighter, one a
bit heavier for warmth in the
evening.
Travel skirt, for women. Not
required, but highly recommended.
Underwear - 7 to 10 changes. Due to
the very bumpy roads, brassieres are
suggested for women, even if you
usually don't wear one.
Fleece jacket
Light rain jacket with a hood. A
water- proof breathable jacket can
double as a wind breaker. This
should be sized to fit over your
sweater or fleece jacket
Light rain jacket with a hood. A
water proof breathable jacket can
double as a wind breaker. This
should be sized to fit over your
sweater or fleece jacket
Wide brim sun hat
Footwear
Pack comfortable walking shoes. Look
for shoes with good arch support.
Sports sandals. Not required, but
very highly recommended, especially
if you are taking an extension tom
the beach/coast.
Socks - 5 to 7 pairs. During May to
August, one or two pairs should be
warm hiking socks made of wool,
capilene or Thermax.
Optional Clothing
Swim suit (recommended for dips in
swimming pools, except in June July
and August, when it might be too
cool to swim- East Africa speaking)
Walking shorts, long-cut for modesty
(Not needed May through August –
East Africa speaking)
The above commandments are only
suggestions provided for your
convenience. It is important to
mention that it is often possible to
do laundry during the safari,
although dryers might not be
available.
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Tips for planning wildlife safari to
Kenya and Tanzania tour Kenya and
Tanzania African wildlife safari
African safari wildebeest migration
in Masai Mara animal migration in
Serengeti, wildlife safari packages
Tanzania safaris Kenya safaris
African safari holidays.
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African Safari
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Safari tour operators
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Kenya safari
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Tanzania safari
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Masai
Mara - Serengeti wildebeest migration:
Wildebeest migration to and back from Serengeti into
the Maasai Mara is the single most popular wildlife
spectacle in Kenya. The wildebeest migration is such
a phenomenon it involves movement of over 1 million
animals crossing plains and rivers in the Mara
migration. River crossings are the most spectacular
where the wildebeest of
Mara jump into rivers full of crocodiles and surging
currents. The wildebeest is feted as the clown of
the Savannah. Also known as a gnu, the animal has a
structure resembling a young horse with a heavily
built frontal shoulders and chest and a slender
posterior. Its legs are so slender it’s intriguing
how it supports the proportionately larger body
frame. The ‘clown’ title results from its unusual
behavior considered to other bovids, for example a
gnu herd will usually scatter in different
directions when attacked by a lion.
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Lamu Town began life as a 14th century Swahili
settlement. But the island has seen many
visitors and influences, including Portuguese
explorers, Turkish traders and the Omani Arabs.
Despite all these influences, Lamu developed its
own particular culture which has ultimately
endured. The island is a beautiful place of
rolling dunes and endless beaches, where tiny
villages nestle among coconut and mango
plantations and lateen sailed dhows ply the
waters. Dense mangrove forests fringe the
mainland and the inland sides of the island. The
beach on Lamu Island is 12km of empty sands
backing on to an ocean protected by a reef...Read
more..
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Mount Kenya: Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya plays a crucial role in the life of
the country being Kenya's single most important
permanent watershed and her largest forest
reserve. The fertile soils of its lower slopes
also sustain the growth of the nation's richest
farmlands whilst much of its vegetation is
globally unique. In recent years, however, the
Mountain has suffered greatly from the adverse
effects of deforestation, resulting in large
tracts of its lower slopes being entirely
denuded of trees and occupied by squatters. And,
although much of the vast forest cover remains
intact, the growing demand for timber (Kenya's
staple construction and fuel source) threatens
to lead to even more serious deforestation and
subsequent soil erosion. ....Read
more... |
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Bwindi , Uganda
Formerly known as the
'Impenetrable Forest',
this park is home to one of the largest
surviving numbers of the mountain Gorilla in
Africa and a superb location for a gorilla
safari trek.. more |
Zanzibar
Also known as the spice
islands, these exotic islands are one of the
best honeymoon destinations and also make for a
relaxing African beach holiday ...
more
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Shaba National Reserve
It is impossible to talk about the Shaba National
Reserve without mentioning Samburu National Reserve,
and Buffalo Springs National Reserve, because they
are all intertwined, and they form a trio of unusual
and attractive game sanctuaries, and all neighbours.
Shaba is a relatively small National Park being a
little over 239 sq. kms, and it is only 70 kms north
of Mount Kenya, at an altitude varying between
700-1500metres.
Visitors go to Parks to see wildlife, and the Shaba
Game is outstanding. You have a very good chance of
seeing Giraffe, Cheetah, leopard, and lion. You can
add to this gazelle, oryx, zebra, and Gerenuk, but
of course it is the predators that are most sought
after....Read more..Tips
for planning wildlife safari to Kenya and Tanzania
tour Kenya and Tanzania African wildlife safari
African safari wildebeest migration in Masai Mara
animal migration in Serengeti, wildlife safari
packages Tanzania safaris Kenya safaris African
safari holidays.
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