Safari planning | African destinations | Seasons in Africa
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Formalities
Medical matters: We don't dispense medical advice! Instead we've included some brief summaries on things that you should consider plus web links to additional info sources ...
Insurance is a pre-requisite for any safari - you simply can't join us if you don't have it. We've tried to de-mystify the topic with some basic explanations and web links to providers ...
Air fares and logistics in Africa - visit our sister site for some simple explanations on African logistics with destination maps, details on all the important gateways and hubs in Southern and East Africa and an online Trip Planner for obtaining real time airfare quotes.
...if you'd prefer to look at some of our trips instead then just go straight onto our safari directory...
Medical issues on safari:
Speak to your doctor before you travel - get accurate and current advice on inoculation requirements and any recently recognized medical precautions that may be necessary. There are a few "definitive" websites listed below - visit them before finalizing your safari plans.
Common medical concerns on safari include the following:
Malaria: caused by a mosquito borne parasite, malaria is endemic in all of our main safari areas. From experience we've found the worst time of year for malaria generally from mid February to the end of June. The incidence of malaria diminishes as the season gets drier and cooler but there is still a risk even at the end of the dry season before the new rains.
The best precautions are physical barriers in the early evenings and at night (long trousers and sleeves, 30% plus deet-based repellents, mosquito nets). You need to watch for the symptoms for several months after your return home - it's important to get treatment very quickly if you've contracted malaria. If you develop flu-like symptoms then get a quick and simple blood test without any delay to be on the safe side. [...more from CDC, Department of Health (UK) and MedicinePlanet]
Diarrhoea: a common problem when travelling in Africa. We've seen advice recommending that even salads should be washed in bottled mineral water?! That's extreme, the reality is that food preparation and presentation in some of the remotest camps is better than the fare you'll get in many well known hotels in Europe and North America. Just be sensible about what you eat and drink, and bring suitable medication in case. [...more from CDC]
Sunburn: The African sun even during our southern winter from May to July is fierce. Aside from the long term risks of skin cancer, a bad sunburn could spoil a safari. The greatest risk of serious sunburn is on the lower Zambezi canoe safaris, white water rafting at Victoria Falls and on walking safaris. There's no need to get extreme with precautions unless you're particularly sensitive to the sun. Be sure to bring a hat, long sleeves, strong sun barrier that suits your skin type and sunglasses. On canoe safaris a towel or "kikoi" covering the legs is essential.
Medical services: Even the remotest camps are reasonably well geared to handle minor mishaps in terms of first aid practitioners, trauma kits etc. In the event of a serious accident, Johannesburg in South Africa is the only real option for immediate high care evacuation in Southern Africa. Ensure that you have adequate medical insurance - as a rule the remoter and less developed the destination, the more expensive the evacuation.
Required inoculations: Hepatitis A and cholera for Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. If you've travelled from another country where yellow fever occurs then you may be required to produce an International Certificate of Vaccination when entering Zimbabwe, Zambia or Botswana. (Yellow fever occurs in the north west of Zambia - none of our featured safaris are run in this area.) [...see CDC updates]
Yellow Fever News Update: January 10th 2005
Some Facts:
Cause: The yellow fever virus, an arbovirus of the Flavivirus genus.
Transmission: Yellow fever in urban and some rural areas is transmitted by the bite of infective Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and by other mosquitoes in the forests of south America. The mosquitoes bite during daylight hours.
Transmission occurs at altitudes up to 2500 metres. Yellow fever virus infects humans and monkeys.
In jungle and forest areas, monkeys are the main reservoir of infection, with transmission from monkey to monkey carried out by mosquitoes. The infective mosquitoes may bite humans who enter the forest area, usually causing sporadic cases or small outbreaks.
In urban areas, monkeys are not involved and infection is transmitted among humans by mosquitoes. Introduction of infection into densely populated urban areas can lead to large epidemics of yellow fever.
In Africa, an intermediate pattern of transmission is common in humid savannah regions. Mosquitoes infect both monkeys and humans, causing localized outbreaks.
Nature of the disease: Although some infections are asymptomatic, most lead to an acute illness characterized by two phases. Initially, there is fever, muscular pain, headache, chills, anorexia, nausea and/or vomiting, often with bradycardia.
About 15% of patients progress to a second phase after a few days, with resurgence of fever, development of jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting and haemorrhagic manifestations; half of these patients die 10–14 days after onset of illness.
Geographical distribution: The yellow fever virus is endemic in some tropical areas of Africa and central and south America. The number of epidemics has increased since the early 1980s. Other countries are considered to be at risk of introduction of yellow fever due to the presence of the vector and suitable primate hosts
Risk for travellers: Travellers are at risk in all areas where yellow fever is endemic. The risk is greatest for visitors who enter forest and jungle areas.
Precautions: Avoid mosquito bites during the day as well as at night.
Prophylaxis: Vaccination. In some countries, yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for visitors:
|
Country |
Endemic* for
Yellow Fever? |
Require Proof of Vaccination
for entry from Endemic Countries? |
| Algeria |
|
Yes |
| Angola |
Yes |
Yes |
| Benin |
Yes |
Yes |
| Botswana |
|
Yes |
| Burkina Faso |
Yes |
Yes |
| Burundi |
Yes |
Yes |
| Cameroon |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cape Verde |
|
Yes |
| Central African Republic |
Yes |
Yes |
| Chad |
Yes |
Yes |
| Congo |
Yes |
Yes |
| Cote d'Ivoire |
Yes |
Yes |
| Dem. Rep. of Congo |
Yes |
Yes |
| Egypt |
|
Yes |
| Equatorial Guinea |
Yes |
Yes |
| Eritrea |
|
Yes |
| Ethiopia |
Yes |
Yes |
| Gabon |
Yes |
Yes |
| Gambia |
Yes |
Yes |
| Ghana |
Yes |
Yes |
| Guinea |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Guinea-Bissau |
Yes |
Yes |
| Kenya |
Yes |
Yes |
| Lesotho |
|
Yes |
| Liberia |
Yes |
Yes |
| Libya |
|
Yes |
| Mali |
Yes |
Yes |
| Mauritania |
Yes |
Yes |
| Mozambique |
|
Yes |
| Namibia |
|
Yes |
| Niger |
Yes |
Yes |
| Nigeria |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rwanda |
Yes |
Yes |
| Senegal |
Yes |
Yes |
| Seychelles |
|
Yes |
| Sierra Leone |
Yes |
Yes |
| Somalia |
Yes |
Yes |
| South Africa |
|
Yes |
| Sudan |
Yes |
Yes |
| Swaziland |
|
Yes |
| Togo |
Yes |
Yes |
| Tunisia |
|
Yes |
| Uganda |
Yes |
Yes |
| Tanzania |
Yes |
Yes |
| Zimbabwe |
|
Yes | *Either Yellow Fever has been reported, or disease in the past and a presence vectors and animal reservoirs creates a potential risk of infection and transmission.
Some valuable web sources for medical guidance:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Destination updates, reference materials, current news, special needs travel info, travelling with children, excellent checklist, hotline numbers...
MedicinePlanet: San Francisco based team - premier health resource for travellers, visit the Adventure Travel Center or get specific updates on the individual African safari destinations...subscribe to this site...
US State Department: medical information for Americans travelling abroad, includes a very valuable listing of addresses of Med-Evac and Travel Insurance companies plus additional regional tips etc.
British Department of Health: Simple but comprehensive advice for British subjects travelling abroad with extensive introductory material, planning and treatment.
Travel Insurance on safari
Irrespective of whether you're on a business trip or a high-risk adventure to a remote spot in Africa don't leave home without adequate insurance cover. If you're coming on safari, you need to understand that any safari activity is potentially hazardous and the Third World doesn't always run as smoothly as you might like - travel insurance is your responsibility and you must have it.
There are two main types for which you must make provision:
International Medical Insurance is short or long term medical insurance designed to reimburse you for medical expenses incurred when you're travelling
Travel Protection Plans will cover your non-reimbursed travel expenses if an emergency (death, sickness, airline strike, technical delays on flights, tour company/operator default/bankruptcy etc.) occurs right before or during your trip causing it to be cancelled, interrupted or delayed.
Some basic travel insurance tips....
If your remuneration package, existing insurance policies or credit cards include international travel insurance then check the small print to ensure that you're adequately covered.
"Adequate cover" is a bit like defining the length of a piece of string. Understand that if you require emergency evacuation or urgent high care treatment for whatever reason, you'll need to be able to cover the costs without delay.
International travel insurance whilst on foreign travel is a prudent option under normal circumstances - it's an absolute necessity when planning a safari.
Ensure that your premiums are up to date and keep a copy of your travel insurance card or certificate of coverage handy.
Some valuable web sources for travel insurance:
For US Residents: Access America, Travel Guard International, TravelSafe, World Medical Plan, Universal Travel Protection
For UK Residents: Travel Insurance Direct
For all others, see World Travel Center: read the newsletters, featured articles and global notes - valuable resource for simple facts on travel insurance
...also Global Travel Insurance: travel tips for the "travel weary and travel savvy" - simple, sensible stuff...
...move onto our safaris for this season...
Safari planning | African destinations | Seasons in Africa
Types of safaris | safari costs | special interest trips | formalities | booking your safari
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