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Welcome to the General
& Important Information Section. You will find some of
the important travel information you need to know here.
Shouldn't you find any information you require, please go
to the Contact Us section
& you will get a personal response from our Support Department.
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Climate
Clothing & Luggage
Health
Travel Documents
Security
Currency
Shopping
Tipping
Photography
Deposits & Cancellation
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CLIMATE:
Although it can be hot and humid by the sea, inland the air
is dry and even at mid-day the temperatures are equitable. Temperatures
rarely fall below 15 C at night. There are two rainy seasons-
between mid November and mid December and from end April to
May (temp. approx. 24C in the middle of the day), mostly in
the late afternoons and at night; the sun is out during the
day. From December to March, it is our summer, and temperatures
are approx. 29 C in the middle of the day, but cool in the evenings
& early mornings. June to beginning of August isour ‘winter’
and temperatures range from a low of 19 C to high of 26C. It
is also a very good time to see the annual migration of wildebeest
in the Masai Mara.
CLOTHING
& Luggage: On safari, the emphasis is on comfort
and informality. Warm clothing like pullovers & jackets
are required for early mornings and evenings. Mid-days are warm
in the equatorial sun. Safari hats and sunglasses are a useful
protection against the sun and dust. We recommend a safari jacket
with pockets, a pair of comfortable tennis shoes, shorts during
the day, light cotton trousers, t-shirts and swim suits. In
Nairobi & on safari dressing is informal.
There is limited space in safari vehicles and charter aircrafts
& soft-sided luggage is preferred. On domestic flights,
luggage is restricted to 15 kgs per person. Excess baggage costs
US$1.00 per kg. You should arrange travel insurance for your
luggage.<
HEALTH:
It is all a matter of taking the right precaution. Please ask
your Travel agent / airline which inoculations are required
for your visit to East Africa. Yellow fever shots are required
in Kenya, Yellow fever shots in Tanzania are required. Malaria
is endemic in certain areas of East Africa and all visitors
should take precautions. Anti-malarial medication should be
taken before and during the stay & after departure according
to your Doctor's recommendations. There are chemists in all
major centers but visitors requiring special medication should
pack sufficient supplies for their stay. A tube of antiseptic
cream to put on bites & Mosquito repellent cream especially
for children is also recommended. Medical facilities in Nairobi
are first class and highly professional. It is a good idea for
any traveler to be well insured to cover any eventuality.
We can enroll you with the Flying Doctor’s Society of
Africa for a small premium. This organization has its own aircrafts
and medical and will evacuate you to Nairobi in case of any
emergency!! This is highly recommended, but it should be noted
that this service is only for evacuation to the nearest reliable
hospital and does not cover costs for hospitalization or treatment.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:
You will require Kenya & Tanzania visas, Currently costing
$50 each per country. It is advisable to arrange for your visas
before your arrival, but it is also easily available on arrival
at the airport or other points of entry.Please ask for a visa
for your total stay; due to an agreement between Kenya/Tanzania,
you will not pay additional visas to go back & forth between
the two countries for the duration of your visa stamp, even
if it reads 'single entry' (it is good to ask for one month
to be on the safe side). If you arrive in Nairobi & depart
within 24 hrs, then you will pay $20 each for a 'transit visa'.
SECURITY:
Africa is no different from anywhere else in the world. This
is a matter of common sense and the same precautions should
be taken as in any major city. Do not carry large sums of money
around, keep a close watch on handbags, purses, wallets etc.
when walking in crowded areas, avoid walking at night (especially
alone), lock up valuables in hotel/lodge safe deposit boxes
and never leave valuables on show in an unattended car or tour
bus. It is recommended that you do not bring expensive jewelry
or watches.
CURRENCY: The unit of currency
in East Africa is the shilling divided into 100 cents. Visitors
are advised to check exchange rates regulary. Banks & exchange
bureaus give slightly better rates than lodges & hotels.
It is illegal to leave with the local currency and these should
be exchanged at the airport of departure or earlier before departure
time. It is a serious offence to deface or damage such currency.
Visitors are advised to avoid street dealers and to make or
currency dealings through official dealers. Travellers cheques
are considered the safest way to carry money. They can be changed
at Banks upon production of your passport.
SHOPPING: Hand
made curios are the best buy such as wood-carvings, baskets
and beadwork. There is also a wide range of semi-precious stones.
Old jackets, t-shirts, base-ball caps, tennis shoes and jeans
are useful for trading for curios on safari; also bring old
children's books to give to the many children along the way;
old Reader's digests and magazines are useful give aways. Most
credit cards are acceptable for payment of services or goods
in Kenya & at most lodges in Tanzania. In Kenya and Tanzania,
it is advisable to carry some cash in the form of US$. About
US$ 200 in 5's, 10's and 20's, will prove invaluable for petty
disbursements. A hidden pocket in your trousers, preferably
with a zipper will be most useful.
TIPPING: Most hotels
and lodges include a service charge, however, tipping of exceptional
service is always appreciated. It is usual to tip your waiters
& porters. It is normal practice to tip your safari driver/guide
and this is at your discretion.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Bring
a your camera and a lot of film, though its available at most
game lodges, even in remote areas, stocks are usually small
and of the common brands & sizes. Most cities have supply
of the normal types of film. For game &bird photography,
a telephoto lens of 200 – 300 mm is strongly recommended.
Larger lenses which require a tripod are generally impractical
for game photography as are double lens reflex cameras. A lens
hood & ultra violet filter are advisable, also a dust proof
cover. It is an offence to photograph Kenya’s head of
state, military installation, policemen in uniform etc. Visitors
are strongly advised to seek permission before photographing
the local people.
DEPOSITS AND CANCELLATIONS:
A deposit of 40% of the tour cost is required at the time of
booking. Cancellation fees charged by the lodges are as follows:
Tours cancelled between 35 to 14 days prior to commencement
will be subject to a cancellation fee of 15% of the tour cost
per person. Cancellation received between 14 to 2 days will
be subject to a 35% cancellation fee. No show fees of 100%
within 48 hours will be charged. Nairobi and Mombasa hotels
will charge 1 night's cost if cancelled less than 30 days
before date of booking. This cancellation policy is not always
strictly charged, therefore we will only charge you, if the
lodges raise an invoice.
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