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African VISAS
If a holder of a British, EEC, Australian, New Zealand or Canadian passport, many visas can be procured en route at the border. RSA nationals may need to obtain them in advance. As this info can change regularly and at short notice, we recommend that you check with each embassy of the countries you will visit. Visa procurement remain the responsibility of the client and not that of GOBUS. |
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voltage
Plug types and voltages vary throughout each country in Africa. Please see www.kropla.com/electric2 for a visual guide. |
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health advice
Please visit your local GP or health clinic for professional up to date advice on what vaccinations you need, but generally if visiting Africa it is recommended that you be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B, Meningitis, Typhoid, Tetanus and Polio. Our Africa trips will require you to be vaccinated against Yellow Fever and to bring your certificate with you on the trip. You will also need protection against Malaria. Please visit your medical practitioner well in advance as many of these need to be done several weeks before your trip starts.
Personal first-aid kit
You should also pack your own first-aid kit, for treatment of common ailments such as nicks and grazes, insect bites, upset stomachs and diarrhoea. Items such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen, throat lozenges, anti-diarrhoea medication such as Lomotil or Imodium, antiseptic ointment or powder, rehydration powders, multi-vitamins, Band-Aids, gauze dressings, sunscreen, anti bacterial wipes and waterless handwash and any personal medicines used regularly such as oral contraceptives, Ventolin inhalators etc. should be considered for your personal first-aid kit. |
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climate
There are two distinct seasons in East Africa - wet and dry. The dry season is the most popular time to travel because the grass is short, the water sources are fewer and far between and naturally wildlife tends to concentrate around it. In East Africa the dry season occurs roughly between December through March and again from June through October. For the rest of the year, bright and sunny days are punctuated by light showers and tropical downpours. The temperatures are warmer and the landscape is lushly regenerated. Rarely does it rain continuously day and night. Milder temps and higher humidity is experienced in Zimbabwe, and parts of Southern Africa during the rainy season which runs from January through March. From April through December, days are usually warm and sunny, with cool to very cool evenings. It will be necessary to drink plenty of water and keep the body hydrated, don a hat, apply sunscreen and gravitate towards the shade until your body becomes acclimatised. After the sun sets in Africa, the night air can suddenly become very cool and temperatures can reduce by as much as 10 - 20 degrees Celsius. It is a good idea to pack a long sleeved top and long pants to keep yourself warm during cooler evenings, when undertaking early morning or evening game drives, visiting the Ngorongoro Crater which can get very chilly and also to protect yourself from insects. |
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time
Kenya and Tanzania are GMT +3, and Zambia Zimbabwe and Malawi are GMT +2. None of these countries have daylight savings time.
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money
How much you spend depends largely on individual tastes and often how much you eat, drink or shop. We can’t specify every sundry cost however you need to allow for expenses such as drinks, snacks, small entry fees, border visas, occasional meals out, postage, the odd souvenir and accommodation on Zanzibar. You can find rough guide prices on the go guides. On some trips you will need to budget for an extra night of pretour accommodation if you would like to attend the pre-departure meeting. Some days, you may spend very little. Other times, you may spend more.
Budget for optional excursions separately. Most have to be paid for in US Dollars cash. You’ll also need to pay the local payment in US Dollar cash. Credit cards are virtually useless outside main cities.
PLEASE DO NOT RELY ON DEBIT CARDS - ATM'S IN AFRICA TEND TO BE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN AND DO NOT ALWAYS ACCEPT DEBIT CARDS.
CASH IS KING in Africa.
Bring your funds in clean, unmarked US Dollars in a variety of denominations. If travelling in East Africa, please ensure that US Dollar notes are minted post-2001, as it will be difficult to change US bills that were minted prior to 2001. Possibly also carry some of your funds in US Dollar traveller cheques. There are some optional activities you may like to budget for, check the go guides for more details. |
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