Travel Tips

Passport! You’ll need one! So if you don’t already, contact your local Passport Office to arrange. Remember the process can take longer than you’d think. If you have one already, it must be valid for at least six months after your return home and have at least one blank page for each country you intend to visit. Don’t forget, if you’re travelling on a foreign passport, you may need a re-entry visa into your home country. It’s worth carrying a copy of your passport with you at all times. Just in case!

Travel Insurance

Insurance is compulsory and you’ll need to organise your own. Just let us have a copy of the policy and carry the details with you on your travels. Look around for the best deal and choose a policy that has cover suitable for your trip.

Visas

In most instances you’ll need a Visa to travel to any African country. We’ll send you up to date requirements closer to your trip, but we also recommend you check with your travel agent when booking your flights.

Visa on arrival are generally payable in US$ only. The visas for some countries are only available online, not on arrival so make sure you double check with us or your travel representative.

Please note: Raw Africa is not responsible if passengers are not in possession of the correct travel documents. This is ultimately the responsibility of the traveller. You should ensure you travel with enough US cash to pay for your visa.

General

As with all international travel, it pays to be careful with your money. Steer clear of visible money belts and consider a mix of cash in the relevant currency and a credit card. It’s worth organising a travel card, which will ensure that your main accounts are not accessible if your card is misplaced. Check with your bank for this option. And just as you would at home, be careful when withdrawing cash.

Credit Cards

Larger hotels, luxurious shopping centres and restaurants in the major towns and cities accept most credit cards and the rate of exchange is usually excellent. Let your bank know your destination and travel dates to avoid any ‘blocking’ while you’re away. 

You’ll need a type C, D, G,  adaptor for your trips to Africa, but if you’re after a one stop solution, carry a universal adaptor, which will work in the rest of Africa and anywhere in the world! Many camps and lodges operate on generator power, which means there won’t be facilities to use hair dryers and shavers, so leave those at home. Battery-operated appliances are ideal and most camps and lodges have solar recharging facilities for use overnight.

Vaccinations

Your GP or Travel-focused medical centre should  have the most up-to-date information available on what vaccinations, if any, you’ll need. Visit your GP at least three  months before you leave as some vaccinations must be given well in advance. Make sure you’re covered for both rabies and malaria, both prevalent in many of the areas we travel to.

Drinking water

Your guide will tell you whether it’s safe to drink the tap water on the road, but in general it’s safest to avoid drinking tap water in Africa. Boil all drinking water or drink bottled water.

First Aid Kit

It’s a good idea to bring one with you. And here’s some things to consider including!

As with all international travel, it makes sense to prepare for your trip by reading up on the country you’re travelling to, so you can enjoy a safe, hassle-free trip. Here’s some information  to help get you started.

Security, Firearms and Terrorism

While there’s a threat from terrorism in different parts of Africa, we locate all of our tours and operations away from major city centres (where possible) and areas frequented by western interests, including embassy districts. If we’re on a bush walk or in an area of high wildlife, we’ll be escorted by armed rangers, who are highly trained professionals and know exactly what the potential risks are in any given situation.

Political

The political situation in the areas of Africa we travel to is generally stable, but developments elsewhere  can resonate in Africa, so keep up with the news before you travel. We’ll do the same.

Taxi Theft

Keep an eye out for extortionate fares or robberies by unlicensed airport taxi drivers. Their vehicles are usually in poor condition, unmetered, and don’t have a dashboard identity licence. Use a reputable firm, booked by phone, a registered taxi firm inside the airport or arranged by your hotel.

Car Hire

Use your common sense when hiring vehicles. City streets are congested and foreigners involved in even minor traffic violations or accidents may be vulnerable to exploitation. So think about using a private driver or hiring a car with a driver.

General 

Getting a glimpse of the spectacular wildlife is one of the main reasons we head off on tour. It’s a privilege to observe them so we ask that you respect the wildlife in all the areas we visit, even when outside reserves and national parks. Our guides are there to find the animals, to educate us about them and to protect us from them. Attacks by animals are rare but no guide can guarantee they won’t occur and as such they cannot be held responsible for any accident or injury, which might happen as a result. Wild animals can be dangerous so it’s vital to follow the instructions of the guide.

Below is a heads-up on the basic rules to follow:

• Never wander away from the accommodation on your own or go walking without a qualified guide.
• Never feed the animals.
• Don’t litter.
• Leave nothing but footprints and take only photos.
• Respect the wildlife guide around potentially dangerous animals such as elephant, rhino and buffalo.
• Don’t encourage your guide to ‘get closer’, offer food, tease the animals or cause the animals any distress.
• Don’t remove anything from a park such as feathers, plants or bones, wood or natural materials.

Follow common-sense rules in camp – don’t wander around at night, don’t sleep with your tent flaps open and don’t leave food scattered around your sleeping area. A qualified security staff member will be on site at all times.

Gorilla Trekking

• Don’t eat, drink or smoke while you are near the gorillas.
• The maximum time you can spend with the gorillas is one hour, but if the gorillas become agitated or nervous, the guide will finish the visit early.
• Keep your voices at a lower tone – until you are 200 metres from the gorillas.
• A five-metre distance should be observed at all times to protect the gorillas from catching human diseases.
• Don’t look the gorillas directly in the eyes and wait for the animals to pass.
• Don’t try and take pictures and don’t attempt to run away – this will increase the risk.
• When taking pictures move slowly and carefully – no flashes.
• Stay in a close group whey you are near the gorillas.
• Don’t attempt to touch the gorillas.
• We highly recommend hiring a porter to assist with carrying your bag and with steep parts of the track – $15 paid directly to your porter.
• The trek takes place at high altitude, which may cause shortness of breath and some dizziness – walk quietly at your own pace and drink plenty of water.

Clothes

• Thongs or sandals
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Hiking boots or solid closed-toe shoes with good grip for hiking (required if you are doing gorilla or chimpanzee trek)
• Socks and spare socks
• Comfortable clothing that is easy to dry and not see through when it rains!
• Long trousers (2 to 3 pairs)
• Shorts (2 to 3 pairs)
• Plenty of underwear (sports bras recommended for females)
• Short sleeved shirts/t-shirts/long sleeved shirt
• Nightwear/cotton pyjamas
• Swimwear
• Lightweight waterproof raincoat/poncho
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Towel

Personal Items

• Toiletries – biodegradable soap, toothpaste, sanitary bags
• Spare pair of prescription glasses
• Contact lenses and saline
• Torch/head torch and batteries
• Small binoculars
• Camera/video camera and tapes/batteries
• Desiccants to absorb moisture in camera case
• Camera batteries and recharge units for videos
• Nail files and clippers
• Adaptor plugs
• Sunscreen 30+
• Earplugs
• First Aid Kit – (see suggestions under ‘Health’ section)
• Waterproof bag for passport and documents
• Medium backpack
• Mosquito repellent – strong and general (Bushmans 80% DEET recommended)
• Biodegradable facial wipes

One of the reasons for travelling is to see and experience something other than your day-to-day life. The people of the African continent are warm, helpful and eager to meet foreign tourists. Just remember you’re a guest in their country and a smile goes a long way! Respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure you don’t accidentally offend other cultures or religious beliefs.

Swahili, French and English are the most common languages you’ll hear on tour. But Africa is known for its huge array of local languages. English is widely spoken in most major cities. The local dialect language is often spoken in the villages.

Everyone loves a souvenir, but in some places you might need to work for them! Bargaining is an art form and can be half the fun of coming home with ‘a treasure’. The skills are easy to learn and you’ll soon become adept at picking up a bargain for much less than the starting price. There’s a huge amount to choose from when it comes to local produce,  including hand-worked leather and bead goods, batiks, spears, colourful fabrics, stone and wood carvings and traditional masks. Just keep an eye on the quality and make sure there are no signs of borers in wooden products. When you head back home, you’ll often need to declare everything you’ve bought – particularly basket-ware and wooden products (pack them separately or on the top of your suitcase so customs can access them easily).

It’s not always easy to find supplies when you’re away from home, so take more than you think you’ll need! There’ll be opportunities to recharge camera batteries on tour – just check with your guide when you arrive. Respect locals when taking photos. For example Warriors in Kenya are often greatly offended with having their photos taken. Some communities do not wish you to photograph their livestock and we prohibit the photography of small children unless we have permission  – your guide will advise you. It’s also forbidden to photograph certain places such as airports, dams, bridges, government buildings and military installations. If in doubt, ask. Protect equipment from the rain, water and humidity with plastic bags.

Things can get pretty hectic just before you head off, so our checklist should provide some peace of mind:

• Airline ticket – check all name and itinerary details are correct and match those in your passport.
• Passport – valid for a minimum of 6 months from your return date.
• Visas – US$ for relevant visa on arrival.
• Cash and credit cards – make sure credit cards are valid for the duration of your trip and that cash notes are in good condition.
• Vouchers/Itinerary/contact list and luggage tags – check that all details on your travel documents are correct.
• Insurance – bring copies of your policy.
• Vaccinations – carry the certificate with you for inspection by customs.
• Safety – register with ‘Smart Traveller’ and check all safety alerts prior to departure.
• Duplicate copies – make duplicate copies of your itinerary, tickets, passport, visas and leave a copy with your emergency contact.
• Confirm your flight – at least 72 hours prior to travel and double check the flight details.