The list of Questions & Answers below are some of the more common ones, have a glance through and if you can’t find an answer drop us a line and we will gladly answer the questions you may have about planning your tour or safari to Africa!

Are there luggage limits?

The check in luggage limits on the regional commercial flights is 20 kg pp (44 lbs per person) plus you are allowed 1 carry on bag. Unless otherwise specified, if your African safari itinerary involves any light aircraft transfers, there is a limit of 15 - 20 kg (44 lbs) per person. This 20 kg includes camera bag and equipment. Please ensure the bag is a soft carry-all (instead of a rigid suitcase).

What health precautions do I need to take?

There are a few basic health matters that require care and attention if you plan to participate in an African adventure travel. Here are a few guidelines for you to address with your general practitioner. Please also check with your health department prior to departure for any changes in health regulations. Your African tour operator will also be able to inform you.

a) Malaria
As most eastern Africa safari destinations do have occurrences of malaria, a lot of the camps are quite remote and the chances of contracting malaria are low. However, it is definitely worth taking preventative steps. Both chloroquine resistant and normal strains of malaria are prevalent in Africa. Malaria is transmitted by a very small percentage of female Anopheles mosquitoes. They are generally active in the early evening and throughout the night, usually when one is sleeping or sitting around campfires. Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to malaria prophylactics. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be contracted despite taking tablets, especially in areas where chloroquine resistance has been reported.

Please remember that the best insurance against contracting malaria is to try to prevent being bitten, so use mosquito repellents liberally. Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks in the evenings. You should spray your room prior going to dinner with an insecticide like Doom which will kill any mosquitoes that may have flown into your room. Mosquito coils are also effective. We do suggest you contact your own doctor prior to leaving for your African holiday, to advise him/her of where you will be travelling and let him/her prescribe the best suited prophylactic. If you become ill on your return, while still on prophylactics or even once you have stopped, make sure that your doctor does everything necessary to establish that your illness is not malaria. Malaria is not a serious problem if people are sensible and take basic precautions. If caught early on the disease can be effectively dealt with.

b) Water
It is very important that you drink plenty of water especially if you travel to Africa during the warmer months. Dehydration is possibly the single biggest cause of ill health on an Africa safari. It is generally recommended that guests drink at least 2 to 3 litres of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration. This excludes tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages, which act as diuretics and actually contribute to dehydration. If water is not fit for human consumption then the lodge or hotel will advise guests and supply drinking water, but bottled mineral water is readily available at most places anyway.

c) Billharzia
Billharzia is a disease, which is common in most large bodies of water in the southern half of Africa. In the unlikely event of billharzia being contracted, it is easily diagnosed by a simple blood test and easily and effectively treated with biltracide. We recommend a test is taken after any African holiday, where you may have swam or drank water from rivers or lakes.

d) Yellow Fever
All travelers entering Kenya or Tanzania from any of the 43 countries where yellow fever has been diagnosed must present a valid certification of vaccination against the disease. Any passenger who cannot present such a certificate at his or her point of entry will be vaccinated at the cost of about 50 US dollars before entering the country. Yellow fever has been reported from 43 countries, mostly in Africa and Latin America. Consult designer if you are not certain whether or not the country you will be entering from is in fact on the list.

What about wild animals whilst on safari?

Most private camps in Africa are unfenced, so listen to your camp staff and guides. Don’t push any safety issues – you will not be in any theme parks where the animals are tame. Don’t ever go strolling away from the camp or from your guide.

Many of the animals and reptiles you will see are potentially dangerous. Attacks by wild animals are rare. However, Designer cannot guarantee that such incidents will not occur. Neither Designer, or any camps or operators, their staff members, associates, agents, nor their suppliers can be held liable for any injuries caused during an incident involving the behaviour of wild animals.

Please make sure that you listen to and abide by the safety talks given by your guides or camp staff prior to your Africa safari. Don’t go wandering off on your own without a guide – even to your rooms; a guide must escort you to your room. After retiring to your rooms at night, don’t leave your rooms. If you are sensible, you should be safe.

Is self driving safe in Africa?

For Kenya self driving is a viable and economical way of seeing the area. For other parts of Africa self driving is something to be done only be experienced African travellers, and preferably in more than one vehicle.

When self driving in Kenya, please bear in mind that the standards of driving are not as high as that of the average road user in places like Europe, Britain and North America. The roads are generally good and well marked, but one must drive defensively, always anticipating the worst from your fellow road users. It is advisable to carry cash (of the local currency) with you as there are toll gates on certain national roads where you will need to pay a fee. DO NOT try to bribe or accept any bribe attempts from a traffic official in the event you are stopped for a speeding fine or anything of the sort.

What about crime in East Africa?

Crime has been a much reported evil of certain areas in East Africa, particularly the big cities. We have had no problems of this nature happen to any of our Africa safari clients. The hotels we suggest are in good areas and you are invariably out of the rough downtowns. However we do urge guests to exercise the same common sense they would whilst in any other big city of the world, and not to openly display cash and valuables whilst out on the street. If you will be self driving for part of you African holiday, don’t pick up any hitch hikers or stop near informal settlements (shanty towns), unless you are with a guide who will have good local knowledge.

Do we need travel insurance?

Designer Tours and Travels, its agents, operators, suppliers and its associates cannot be held responsible or liable for loss, damage, or theft of personal luggage and belongings, nor can they be held liable for personal injury, accident or illness. Please ensure that you have yourself and your belongings adequately insured before you depart for your Africa safari. Insurance is compulsory for all our trips. If you do not possess a policy, we can issue insurance at competitive rates. It is, however, better to purchase your policy locally as this will cover you for repatriation back to your home country. Please contact your broker or your travel agent for details. We cannot be held liable for any losses or damages incurred during your African holiday.

a) Health Insurance
It is very important to have full medical, emergency evacuation and repatriation cover for the period of time you are away.

b) Cancellation and Curtailment
You might have to cancel or curtail your Africa safari due to unforeseen circumstances. If you cancel a trip close to departure date for any reason you could lose all that the safari was going to cost you. Should you have to leave the safari early, we cannot refund you the portion of the Africa safari you do not complete. Dependant on the reason for cancellation and curtailment, insurance may cover you for this eventuality. In such an event we do try our utmost to get the various suppliers to waiver cancellation fees, but this is something that we cannot guarantee, as each provider will have different views on the issue.

c) Baggage & Money Insurance
It is advisable to take out insurance to cover you for damaged or lost baggage or cash, especially if you are carrying a large amount of cash or expensive and valuable camera equipment. You should always carry such equipment as “carry-on” luggage. Do not put anything of value in your checked baggage! On some Africa safaris, you may travel in dhows, motorized boats (dugout canoes). It is rare that these overturn, but it is possible. So have insurance and also bring waterproof bags for your cameras.

What about tipping (gratuities) ?

Tipping (gratuities) is not compulsory at all, however, you can  tip because you have received good service. However once again, tips are only to be paid at your discretion if you as the client feel the service provider deserves something extra. It is not compulsory.

Are there any specific requirements for passports ?

It is the responsibility of the client to ensure that their passports are valid for travel to Africa, for at least 6 months after the date of termination of services, provided by Designer. The passport must also have at least 3 - 4 blank pages in it.

It is also the responsibility of the client to ensure that they are in possession of valid visas for all countries being visited during their African holiday, and that all necessary health certificates for these destinations are in order. Designer Tours and Travels does not arrange visas, but will dispense verbal information received from a country’s consulate regarding visa and / or health requirements. This is a courtesy but not a service. Designer tours and Travels  will not be held responsible for any misinformation, errors and omissions with regard to this information.

What sort of camera equipment should I bring on safari ?

The choice of the correct camera equipment and film will determine the quality of your photographs on your African holiday. For good photography of birds and animals, a good SLR camera and telephoto lens is necessary. The minimum recommended size is 200 mm and a zoom lens can be extremely useful on safari. Consideration should be given before travelling with any lens bigger than 400 mm as most interesting shots are taken using hand held equipment. Colour reversal film (slides) will give far greater quality than prints.

The guides’ personal preference is the slower film (either 50 or 100 ASA) as this gives almost perfect quality for normal light. However you may consider going to 200 ASA for a larger lens in low lighting conditions. The only disadvantage with the low ASA film is that you need a tripod for the early morning and evening shots. IMPORTANT: BRING LOTS OF FILM, AS IT IS OFTEN NOT AVAILABLE ON THE SAFARIS. BRING SPARE CAMERA BATTERIES TOO.

What type of electricity can I expect in Africa ?

In East Africa current is 220/240 volts at 50 cycles per second. Please note that some game lodges do not have electricity and run on generators. You will not find plug sockets in the rooms/tents at lodges.

 Points for electric shavers (electric current 250VAC) are available at major hotels and most state-owned rest camps and resorts. It is advisable to bring battery operated or conventional razors if visiting remote areas during the course of your African holiday.

In the Bush most safari camps are situated in remote areas and have to generate our own electricity. They do so in a number of ways. Generally each camp has a generator, which runs for about 6 hours per day (3 hours in the morning and 3 in the afternoon when guests are out on activities). These generators then charge batteries located at each tented room which provide good 12v lights all night (if used sensibly). There are generally no 220v or 110v power points in camp. If you need to have your video battery re-charged we can do so while you are out on an activity - please therefore bring a spare for use while the other is being charged.

Should I bring cash, credit cards or travellers cheques ?

Most places, even the safari camps in East Africa, accept credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and Amex); however it is a good idea to carry some cash with you to pay for curios, bar accounts, gratuities etc… In Kenya  it is advisable to change your money into shillings as it is the accepted currency countrywide. Be advised to carry some cash in USD, but in small denominations. The reason being when paying for something with USD, you will receive change in the local currency, which you can then use whilst you are still there, but won’t be able to change back to USD once you have left the country after your African holiday has ended.

Will I get my laundry done ?

Laundry can be done at most camps and hotels. Some camps and certainly hotels charge a fee for this facility, but others do provide this service for free.

Do I need to bring a flash light ?

It is essential that you bring a small flashlight (torch) as you may encounter WILD ANIMALS in camp at night. You should also bring a spare globe (bulb) as well as batteries as they are often unobtainable in these remote areas of Africa. Most safari camps supply a flashlight, but it is good to have your own as a backup as this is one of the best forms of safety.

What are the driving conditions whilst on safari ?

The roads are rough and bumpy and occasionally you will travel “off road” where it is possible that one may hit a pothole or a trees branch. So if you have back problems its best to advise your consultant so that we can suggest an area that will ensure smoother safaris be it on road or boat.

What if my luggage goes missing ?

Luggage that goes missing on scheduled flights is beyond the control of African Designer, and often the airline concerned too. Usually it is the airport (and not the airline) that controls what happens to passengers’ luggage from when it is checked in until it is put on board the aircraft. We would like to suggest that you take the following precautionary action: Please pack a small bag with your essentials that can be carried with you as hand luggage, and pack a second bag containing non-essentials that can be loaded in the aircraft hold. If the second bag was not to arrive, you will still have your essential items on hand to see you through the first couple of days while we try and recover your baggage.

What are good game viewing ethics whilst on safari ?

- Observe the animals silently and with a minimum of disturbance to their natural activities. Loud talking on game drives can frighten the animals away. Don’t stand up when the vehicle is close to dangerous animals.
- Never attempt to attract an animal’s attention. Don’t imitate animal sounds, clap your hands, pound the vehicle or throw objects.
- Please respect your driver or guide’s judgement about our proximity to lions, cheetahs and leopards. Don’t insist that he take the vehicle closer so you can get a better photograph. A vehicle driven too close can hinder a hunt, or cause animals to abandon a hard-earned meal.
- Litter tossed on the ground can choke or poison animals and birds and is unsightly.
- Never attempt to feed or approach any wild animal on foot. This is especially important near lodges or in campsites where animals may have become accustomed to human visitors. Refrain from smoking on game drives. The dry African bush ignites very easily, and a flash fire can kill animals.
- Never walk on your own. Always have a guide with you.
Refrain from smoking on game drives. The dry African bush ignites very easily, and a flash fire can kill animals.

How do I solve problems whilst on the road ?

Designer tours and Travel strives for a very high quality of service from pre to post safari. Should you run into any problems whilst on tour, your first course of action is to take the issue to your camp / hotel / lodge manager who will help you sort it out. If, for some reason, you have no success, please contact the Designer offices or after hours number and we will ensure that your problem is dealt with swiftly. It is in our interest to ensure you have a hassle free and enjoyable stay in Africa!

Is there a suggested packing list ?

1. Good quality sunglasses - preferably polarised. Tinted fashion glasses are not good in strong light
2. Bush hat
3. Golf-shirts, T-shirts and long-sleeved cotton shirts
4. Shorts/skirts
5. Long trousers/slacks
6. Track suit
7. Underwear and socks
8. Good walking shoes that are already worn in (running/tennis shoes are fine)
9. Thongs
10. Swimming costume
11. Warm winter jersey
12. Warm Anorak or Parka (important for the cold winter mornings ie. June-August)
13. Camera equipment and plenty of film (If available, it is expensive in Botswana)
14. If you wear contact lenses, we recommend that you bring along a pair of glasses in case you get irritation from the dust
15. BINOCULARS - ESSENTIAL (and Newman’s bird book if you are a keen birder)
16. Personal toiletries
17. Malaria tablets
18. Moisturising cream & suntan lotion
19. Anti-histamine cream
20. Insect repellent eg Tabard, Rid, Jungle Juice, etc
21. Basic medical kit (aspirins, Band-Aids, Imodium, antiseptic cream etc)
22. Tissues/“Wet Ones”
23. Visas, tickets, passports, money etc
24. A flashlight (torch) with spare batteries and a spare globe (bulb) as these are unobtainable in most rural areas in East Africa
25. Light rain gear
26. Scarf and gloves

Do I need a special driver’s license to drive in East Africa ?

Designer car hire will accept your driver’s license. However, the potential problem is if you are stopped by a traffic officer and asked for your license as they may or may not require an international driver’s license. They are not very consistent in this regard. It is advisable before you leave home for Southern Africa, to go to your local AA office and have an international driver’s license issued, then at least all of your bases are covered.

Are Park Fees included ?

Park fees are generally included in the cost of your package, but this is specified in the included and excluded section of your confirmation.

What should I pack when travelling Africa?

As no formal clothes are needed, we recommend that you keep your luggage to the basics for your African holiday. Whilst on Africa safari bright and contrasting colours (black & white) are NOT advised. Try and ensure your clothes are of a neutral colour such khaki, beige or green. Please note that ARMY CAMOUFLAGE UNIFORMS OR ARMY HATS ARE FORBIDDEN in Kenya. Dark colours are not a good idea especially if you are going to be out in the sun, as they absorb the heat.