| Binoculars | Climate | Communication & Contacts | Currency | Electric Current | Language | Laundry | Luggage | Other Essentials | Passports & Visas | Photography | Reading List | Recommended Packing Lists | Time Change | Tipping | Video  | Vehicles | Weather Tips | Web Sites |

Guest Information (PDF)
Kenya Travel Guidelines (PDF)
Terms and Conditions (PDF)

Climate:

East Africa:- has two rainy seasons a year. The "long" rains normally set in towards the end of March or early April and last through until the end of May, whilst the "short" rains usually break in mid October and last until the beginning of December. However, during the East African rainy seasons, it is unusual for rain to fall every day or all day, but rather in heavy thunderstorms in the afternoons and at night, with beautiful clear sunny spells in between. During the intervening dry seasons road conditions are more predictable as is the game viewing, since the animals are concentrated within reach of permanent water sources. During the rains, the animals disperse, no longer dependent on their dry season feeding grounds. Then inland waterholes fill with rainwater, releasing the pressure on their dry season range and enabling them to enjoy lush vegetation further afield. At this time of the year, however, the country looks its best, everything green and beautiful adorned with a profusion of wild flowers attended by myriads of butterflies. It is the vibrant season of plenty – the season of renewal. In short therefore, it can be wet in April and May and again end of October through to the end of December, and dry from January to April and again from mid October to the end of December. Higher temperatures are experienced in East Africa during the Northern hemisphere winter and vice versa, due to the positioning of the sun, but altitude also influences temperature, cooler at higher altitudes and hotter at the lower altitudes.

Southern Africa:- There is generally just one main rainy season a year in the safari regions extending from late November through to mid April. However, the Cape of South Africa enjoys summer conditions at this time of the year, and can be cold and wet from June until the end of August.

Weather tips:- Although these are general guidelines regarding seasonal patterns, please be advised that the weather can vary dramatically throughout your trip. We strongly recommend dressing in layers, as this is an effective method of compensating for the wide variations in temperatures.

Passport and Visas:- Your Passport should be valid and well within its expiry date. It is also important to have a Return Ticket. Entry Visas are needed for most African countries, but when your Safari is being planned, you will be notified should a Visa be necessary. You will also be provided with suggested packing lists to assist you in bringing only what is needed and useful for your safari, since luggage space is obviously limited.

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Currency:- We recommend bringing Cash, either in US$ Dollars, Sterling Pounds or Euros, along with some Travellers’ Cheques to cover your incidental expenses. Personal cheques can be useful for shopping for specialised things, for instance jewellery, furniture etc. Most establishments also accept Visa or MasterCard Credit Cards. There is normally no restriction on the amount of currency that may be imported. Please note that personal expenditures, gratuities, airport taxes and visa fees are not included in your safari.

Time Change:- East Africa is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (5 hours during Daylight Savings Time.) Southern Africa is 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, (6 hours during Daylight Savings Time)

Communications and Contact Numbers:- Most of the lodges throughout Africa have either a conventional phone or a satellite phone. All our camp units have a satellite phone available for clients use so communication is now possible no matter where the destination. Before you depart, we will ensure that you have all relevant contact details should anyone wish to contact you whilst you are on Safari.

Language:- The official language throughout East Africa is Swahili, although English is spoken throughout. In total there are 42 ethnic languages in Kenya alone!

Luggage:- As no formal clothes are needed, it is recommended that you keep your luggage to the basics. Army camouflage uniforms or army hats are forbidden in most of East Africa. For safety and space reasons on the charters, there is a 50lb limit on luggage per person. (Please see clothing list). We recommend that you pack in a duffel bag or other soft bag, as this helps when loading and unloading the planes and vehicles.

Recommended packing lists:-

Other Essentials:-

• Handkerchief
• Toothbrush and paste
• Shampoo is provided in the rooms
• Sunglasses, good quality preferably polarized, as tinted fashion glasses are not good in strong light
• Eye glasses if worn, as some people have problems with contact lenses and dust
• Sunscreen/ Suntan Lotion
• Basic Medical kit – (Cold tablets/ Asprin or Paracetamol, band aids, Immodium etc.)Anti-histamine cream and Piriton for those who suffer from allergies
• Disposable moist tissues
• Insect repellent, preferably the lotion rub on sort for the body as the lodges tend to supply the spray
• Flashlight
• Zip lock bags
• Film and Camera bag * see under Photography
• Batteries
• Razor and shaving cream
• Appropriate toiletries

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Laundry:- Laundry is done daily in camp, dried and returned to your tent the same afternoon, depending on the weather. The lodges have daily laundry for a modest fee; although many offer this service as complimentary. The camp and Lodge staff will not wash ladies underwear due to local traditions but laundry soap is provided.

Tipping:- The gratuity of staff and camp crew is not included in the price of your trip. Our general recommendation is to tip in accordance with the level and quality of service provided. As a guideline we recommend about US$5-10 per guest per day for the general camp staff, and lodge staff. This does not include your professional guide. A reference for the guides is around $40-50 per guide per day. In restaurants and for taxi drivers the customary tip is approximately 10%. Tipping in US$ 1.00 bills for porters and waiters at lodges is greatly appreciated, so it is advisable to bring some US$ notes in smaller denominations with you.

Photography:- Our safari vehicles are fitted with roof hatches for unobstructed viewing of wildlife, but often a better photographic angle is obtained from a lower view-point. We provide sand or bean bags for use as camera rests. For game and bird photography, a telephoto lens of between 200 and 400 mm is strongly recommended. Larger lenses, which require a tripod, are generally impractical for photography from vehicles, as are double lens reflex cameras. Our safari guides are familiar with many camera systems and can often assist with their operation or with advice on how to get the best pictures. Make sure that you are thoroughly conversant with all your equipment before coming on safari and that you have an ample supply of film (2/3 rolls per day) or video cassettes and spare batteries and lens papers with you. Out of respect for the local cultures, seek the advice of your Guide before photographing people. Note that certain Government, military and police buildings may not be photographed. Video cameras can be recharged at many Lodges and in our Camps via the camp generator.

Still:- One or two camera bodies (one for high speed film or black and white is useful) with 28mm, 80-200/300mm zoom and, for close-ups and birds, 400mm lenses. Wide angle and macro lenses are also useful for the enthusiast. An ultra violet filter should be fitted to each lens. A polarizing circular filter is advisable on a wide angle. There are some good 1•4 teleconvertors which are suitable for zoom lens that work very well. Bring a flash for campfire and tent scenes. Allow for at least two to three rolls of 36 exposure film per day, some of which should be high-speed film for early morning and late afternoon shots, ASA 100 & 200 should be the bulk with some 400 for poor light (evening) conditions. Remember to bring spare camera batteries. Digital cameras are also now widely used with excellent results.

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Video:- Make sure you bring a 12v car power adaptor for running the video and charging its spare batteries. A 12 VDC to 115 VAC portable power inverter is another alternative. (Try Radio Shack). Our vehicles are negative-ground 12 volt systems and the local mains supply is 220/240 volt, 50 Hz, so bring a good quality transformer if you have a 110 volt (US) system. We can provide a 220/240 v charging generator if requested. Allow for a minimum of three spare batteries for operation away from the vehicle, plus at least four to six hours of video cassettes.

Binoculars:- Binoculars are essential. Each person should have his or her own pair to avoid the annoyance of passing them around when something exciting happens. The best field binoculars are lightweight with central focusing and good light-gathering capability. Do not get them too powerful as these are hard to hold steady: 7 x 50, 8 x 40 or 10 x 32 are excellent sizes. Avoid the zoom variety, as clarity is often poor.

Electric current:- Electricity is 220 watts AC, so with 110V appliances, you will need both an adapter for the proper plug configuration and a converter for the correct current. Both round and rectangular three pronged plug sockets are in use. For the mobile-tented camps we do not have individual electrical outlets in the tents, but great attention is given to aesthetic and practical lighting, which runs off an inverter system. Camp also has a generator so your guide can arrange the charging of video batteries or anything else at any time.

Vehicles:- The vehicles we use are closed 4 x 4 Land Rover and Toyota Land cruisers specially modified to ensure maximum comfort. Roof hatches ensure that guests are able to have good game viewing, but also the comfort of being able to escape from the elements if desired. The lodges on privately owned land tend to do their game drives in open four-wheel drive vehicles, and while this enables all-round visibility one can expect a lot more dust and cold mornings/evenings so bring a warm jacket and hat.

Please see our Bibliography page for a full list of items.

Useful Websites:-

www.magicalkenya.com
www.kenya-airways.com
www.amref.org
www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org
www.tourismkenya.com
www.travelafricamag.com
www.kenyaembassy.com

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