Before You Travel
Everything to arrange before your journey, in the order to arrange it.
A great journey begins well before the first game drive. Some preparations take months, others an afternoon. We have set them out in the order they need attention, so nothing is left to the last week. Every page is written from our own experience across Africa and the Americas, and checked against official sources.
When you travel with us, we review every requirement for your specific route and passport as part of planning. These pages are here so you know what to expect, and so you can plan with confidence.
Arrange early
Visas and entry requirements. What your passport needs for each country on your journey, including travel authorisations that apply even where no visa is required. Allow several weeks.
- Africa entry requirements at a glance
- Kenya: visa and eTA requirements
- Tanzania and Zanzibar: visa requirements
- South Africa: visa and ETA requirements
- Seychelles: entry requirements and Travel Authorisation
Yellow fever. Whether a certificate is required at each border in Africa and South America, including when travelling between neighbouring countries and through transit airports. Be vaccinated at least ten days before you travel; the certificate is valid only from the tenth day.
Travel insurance. What your policy must cover for a safari, above all medical evacuation and cancellation, and where insurance is now compulsory on entry. Arrange it as soon as your journey is confirmed.
Prepare
Money and tipping. Cash, cards and currencies, and what is customary when thanking your guides and camp teams.
Packing and luggage. Light aircraft weight limits, soft bags, and what to wear.
Know before you go
Halal and dietary needs. Halal dining, prayer, Ramadan and every other dietary need, confirmed with each property in advance.
Plan with us
If you would rather leave the details to us, every requirement on these pages is checked for you as part of designing your journey. We would be pleased to begin with a conversation.
Information on these pages is checked regularly against official sources, and each page shows the date it was last checked. Entry rules can change at short notice, so please confirm with the relevant authority before you travel.