Doing research for an African vacation is very important. Even if you’re taking a vacation in your own country, doing some research and planning is a good idea to ensure you and your family have fun and stay safe. But when you travel to another continent, doing research and planning ahead of time is vital to keeping everyone safe.
Plants, animals, and bugs can wreak havoc on your health. Customs are often very different, and you could inadvertently insult someone simply by making a commonly used gesture.
And, of course, making sure that your accommodations are clean and safe is also a must. An African safari is an adventure of a lifetime, but only if you know what you’re getting into.
Here’s everything you need to know before you book the flight to your Africa holidays.
Know When and Where You’re Going on Your Africa Vacation
Weather and the time of year should be major considerations when planning a vacation. Besides the cost, there are over 50 African countries to choose from.
Maybe you want to see the Egyptian pyramids or go on a wild animal safari. Know where you want to go and book your accommodations as soon as possible. Africa really isn’t the place to “wing it,” especially if this is your first time there.
The time of year is also a consideration. Their seasons may be out of sync with yours, depending on where you’re traveling from. And you also want to make sure you go when it isn’t raining most of the time.
Book your flights as early as possible as well. Most African countries don’t have many flights available, and they are booked quickly. Make sure you know how you’ll travel to everywhere you want to visit before you get there because otherwise, you may get stranded somewhere you don’t want to be.
Bring These Medicines
Getting sick while you’re on vacation is the worst. Not only can’t you enjoy what you’re seeing and experiencing, but there’s never a guarantee that another country will carry the same medications you need.
This is especially true if you’re on a safari adventure, where the next pharmacy or doctor may be too far away for you to get the care you need in a timely manner, which is why you need to pack ahead of time.
Vaccinations
Visit a travel doctor in your own country a few months before your wildlife safari adventure to get all your vaccinations taken care of. Some vaccines require you to visit the doctor more than once, so give yourself plenty of time before your travel date.
To stay safe, you should probably be vaccinated for cholera, hepatitis, yellow fever, and typhoid. Check to see if you need a vaccination certificate to enter the country you’re visiting or if you’ll need it to re-enter your own country.
Ask your doctor for a prescription to prevent you from getting Malaria, as it’s common in Africa. To prevent bug bites from happening, pack plenty of bug repellent and pack long, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Your clothing will also protect you from the stronger sun rays as well.
Stomach Issues
Most people’s stomachs react unpleasantly when new foods and environments are introduced. Be prepared for that by packing medicines like laxatives for when you can’t go and Imodium when you can’t stop going. You might want to ask for antibiotics just in case.
Also, pack plenty of hand sanitizer and use it often. A first aid kit is also a good idea, as you can treat minor cuts and scratches yourself.
Bring Only Cash That You Will Need
In most English-speaking countries, you can use a credit card everywhere. It’s easy and convenient, especially if you travel overseas and the currency is different where in Tanzania they use Tanzania Shillings.
In Tanzania American Express, visa cards and other credit cards are accepted in major cities like Dar es Salaam and Arusha. Although these cards aren’t accepted everywhere you want to be; they are accepted in large hotels and lodges. You will need enough cash for tips, personal expenses, souvenirs and some persona extras around.
Its advisable to take along at least one credit card and debit card to use in these hotels and lodges and some cash enough to cover your personal expenses and needs in small towns and areas where only cash accepted. Bring along your Visa card, as it’s the most widely accepted. And don’t forget to call your bank(s) and let them know you’re leaving on an African vacation before you leave so they can lift your security layer for amount limits and also permit the use outside your country. There are ATMs everywhere in large cities but you can only withdraw in Tanzania shillings
Bring American Dollars
Even if you’re Canadian, English, or Australian, you’ll want to bring American dollars to make your trip easier. You’ll find that a lot of the time, the locals are happy to trade US dollars for their currency. You’ll also find that it’s not always easy to change other types of foreign currency to American dollars.
Also, many places where you visit will only accept cash. It’s a lot easier to have the right cash to buy whatever you want whenever you need to.
Purchase Insurance
You should invest in two types of insurances before you go on an African holiday. Having both medical insurance and travel insurance will ensure you have a peace of mind on your safari, and incase of an unexpected event, your travel insurance becomes useful.
While safari animals are stunning and majestic and while there are very few incidents reported, they are potentially dangerous. If anything happens on your safari, you’ll still be able to get all your money back when you return home. Just make sure you keep any receipts for things that are covered under your insurance cover.
Travel insurance is necessary in case of any unforeseen events. Your luggage may go missing, or valuables may get stolen or lost. Also, it’s not unusual for flights to be suddenly canceled. Ensure your insurance covers medical issues and sudden cancellations because you need peace of mind while planning and when you are on safari.
Check Visa Requirements and Register Your Travels
Some countries on your Africa vacation require visas to enter. While some countries do allow you to purchase a visa upon arrival like Tanzania for example, it’s far easier to get one well before you arrive to the destination of your travel.
This is especially true because visa rules are subject to frequent changes, especially in Africa. Even if a certain country doesn’t require a visa, there may be special requirements for your passport, such as the length of time left on your passport and how many blank pages are available inside your passport.
Most of the rules are based on your country of origin. Check to make sure you can fulfill all requirements well before you travel. Also, make photocopies of all your documents and keep them somewhere safe before you travel, just in case they are lost or stolen.
Register Your Travels with Your Government
Not every African country is politically stable, and safe for travel. Should anything go wrong, it’s best to register your travels with your government before you leave as some governments especially the USA government keeps its Travelers updated and highly informed while they travel in abroad.
That way, your government knows where you are in an emergency and can help you get out immediately should the need arise. They can also contact you if something goes awry that you’re not aware of because you’re too busy enjoying your wild animal safari rather than paying attention to the news.
Most African destinations are now popular because they are very safe to Travel for Example Tanzania and Zanzibar has maintained its peace and political stability for years since independences and can say without any doubts that you can travel to Tanzania without any worry. Ensure you are travelling with a good tour operator who can take good precautions and safety standards for your peace of mind while on safari
Bring Your Mobile Phone
Some prefer to go out off radar for a week, some need to remain connected with their loved ones throughout the safari days. You may bring your mobile phone, what is important is what activates your mood and peace of mind, so that you can enjoy your safari adventure, consider bringing your own mobile phone if you want . should you decide to travel gadget connected, make sure you speak with your network provider before you travel and turn off data roaming and anything else that will make your bills skyrocket while in Africa.
Wi-Fi is available throughout most camps and lodges where you are staying and in some restaurants as well. And don’t forget to pack your A/C adapter so you can charge your phone and electronic devices, some tour operator’s safari cars are highly designed to enable you charge your cameras and devices as you safari in the bush. For example top tour operators like Sassabi Expeditions have safari land cruisers with such safari facilities
The USA and UK have different systems of power adapters, but if you’re from a different English-speaking country, make sure you bring along a converter to safely use any electronics you have and don’t forget to crosscheck with your tour operator during the safari planning for compatibility.
Know the Local Laws
You don’t want to ruin your own African vacation be being arrested or encountering problems for breaking the law, on your safari you only need to encounter good memories and safari adventures. Before you travel to a new country, consider becoming familiar with its laws.
Don’t do drugs because the penalties in Africa are usually severe. Some even include mandatory prison sentences and other severe fines.
Also, be aware that you aren’t allowed to take photos of airports, army base, Security centers and government buildings in many places in Africa, some countries for example Ethiopia restricts travelling with binoculars, likely some tour operators have these facilities in the safari cars in Tanzania. This is not always clearly marked or defined, and if you’re caught, authorities could confiscate your camera or valuable equipments. The best way gauge these challenges is to ask from your tour operators on what is allowed should you be uncertain. Its important also to visit government websites and portals way before your travel date to learn about their restrictions, especially in the wildlife areas, where somethings are laws and regulations are highly restrictive.
Bring Your Equipment
You can purchase much better equipment before you go on your safari adventure. Check to see what equipment you’ll need to bring before you go.
Not every country requires the same type of equipment. However, in many places, especially for those embarking on a wildlife safari, you’ll want to bring a good mosquito net, binoculars, and a durable and comfortable pair of hiking shoes.
Make sure to pack clothing for all types of weather, and remember to pack plenty of sunscreen! While it gets hot during the day, it tends to get very cold at night.
You may also want to invest in a good camera to capture the memories you’re making.
Read Up on Travel Tips
Once you know where you want to visit on your Africa vacation, read up on travel tips for the area(s) you plan on traveling to. The more you know where you’re going and the more prepared you are, the more likely you’ll have a great time.
If you’re planning to go on a wildlife safari, read up on our tips first.