Essential Safari Tips To Help You Stay Safe on Kenya Wildlife Safari:
Its always very important listen to your guide so that you can stay healthy, safe and get the best of your trip.
Spotting big game in Africa is such a great travel adventures, surrounded by wide-open landscapes, dangerous animals and the continent‘s raw beauty and intriguing history. However, no matter where you go in sub-Saharan Africa, there are rules you must follow when in the bush. So if you want to make this an enjoyable and memorable experience, you will need to follow them.
Keep your voice down – animals get scared easily and you wouldn’t want to miss a pride of lion because you are chatting too loudly. Predators also need alot of time and silence while stalking a kill. So try to talk in low voice.
Always stay in the van, truck or 4WD – Africa is not a zoo and its animals will eat you. There have been many terrible cases of people getting out to try and grab the perfect photo. Avoid this by all means unless adviced by your tour guide.
Never turn your back on a wild animal – this is more for the brave souls who undertake a walking safari (one of the great joys of Africa). The only thing that turns and runs in Africa is prey, so lions will chase you if you get on their wrong side.
Listen to your guide: not every situation will be safe for you. If your guide advises you to move on or back away, then do so and dont experiment with your life.
Organise for a Simple and flexible travel insurance at home or while traveling, and claim online from anywhere in the world.
Being in the wild will bring you in contact with a variety of possible infections: malaria, sleeping sickness and dysentery are just a few of the diseases you can pick up. Make sure your vaccinations are up to date, and follow these precautions against insect bites:
-Wear long loose-fitting white clothing.{ if possible.}
-Spray insect repellant on exposed skin both day and night.
-Sleep under nets or have insect repellent in your room.
Do yourself a favour before even considering traveling to Africa, buy a good camera and make sure it is charged before you venture out. If it is a battery-operated camera then carry some extra batteries. Africa is a photographer’s dream. Carry a charging cable and a top-plug to recharge your camera or phones if you visit places with electricity.
We have professional and trusted driver guides who know how to look for animals in the park but it is not a guaranty that you will see them. So give them time to help them give you the best of the trip by chancing to locate them.They know the terrain and the best areas and the movement of the animals.
Don’t expect to see everything in one safari – you can spend months in the African bush and still see new animals each time you visit
Pick your time of year, if you have limited time, go when the grass is short, the animals are around and viewing is expected
Keep your eyes open – people sometimes wait for the animal to come to them. They aren’t paid performers, so search yourself. After a few trips, your eyes will become sharp and you spot game everywhere
Listen. You aren’t the only ones on the lookout for the animals. Smaller, less aggressive creatures are also watching their backs. Bird calls, animal noises and strange silence can all mean a lion is lurking in the nearby bush.
Guides will always have suggestions where to look for the animals. Lions love the shade and leopards love the trees, so don’t expect them to just walk into the middle of the road. They also dont know that you have gone to the park to view them, so they have to be looked for.
Africa is a living environment, you are just a guest – the myths about a wide playground full of animals are all true. Try to be responsible.
And always remember safari doesn’t mean animal-spotting, it literally means journey – so take in your surroundings. The environment is just as important as the creatures that fill it.
One of the true great safari experiences is sleeping under the stars. Most visitors go straight to the luxury lodges, but they miss out on the real experience. You can as well combine both lodge and camping safari to compare and contrast the experiences.
Pitching a tent with an organized company is amazing for those who want to feel the African ground.
Falling asleep to the chirping of crickets, roar of a lion, the footsteps of a nearby hyena or the grunt of a hippo can be awe-inspiring and remarkable.But don’t be fooled, along with the joys there are dangers and your guides will run you through each little rule to help you stay safe.
Always remember to Zip up your tent to keep our belongings safe
Avoid walking about at night. Stay in tour campsite and avoid dark places.
Don‘t take food to your tent. You will be taken around by your guide and shown the dinning hall.
Watch out for one of Africa’s biggest pests – the baboons will be at most tourist places in Africa, they know travelers bring food, and they will snatch them if you entertain them.
-Secure all your food and belongings
-Wind up windows in cars and trucks
-Don‘t take food into your tent or room.
Baboons and their other monkeys are crafty and usually smarter than us, so if you want to see your new camera plus a sandwich disappear, then just leave them out. They will be stolen.
Three of the best safari destinations in Africa
Kenya is one of the very best travel destinations that will you you a huge chance of seeing animals. Try the legendary Masai Mara, Tsavo National Park, Amboseli National Park and Nakuru. Each place is unique and will provide you with an unforgettable experience.
Tanzania is where you can see the incredible Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater for plentiful animals and breath-taking surroundings. For the more hearty souls, get down to Ruaha National Park.
Safety
I think we all know that in general Africa is not the safest or most secure continent. However, compared to most other places in the region, Kenya and Tanzania are among the safest safari destinations.
The governments of Kenya and Tanzania rely heavily on tourism and want to make sure that the tourists coming to these countries are well treated. Most of the big malls, shopping centers, and tourist attractions are well secured and they do thorough checks for each visitor.
Definitely be careful in the big cities, especially if you are by yourself. In Nairobi, there are many areas that are not safe for tourists and many slums. If you go with a guided tour you will be ok, but theft and pickpocketing are common so be very careful.
Beware of fake police men who can forcibly arrest you to get bribe from you. Visit any nearby tourist information desks to get free tips on how to move around and avoid getting in trouble. Otherwise Both Kenya nd Tanzania are safe countries for both solo nd group travelers.
In general there are a few extra health concerns when traveling to an African country, the most infamous being malaria, yellow fever, and hepatitis. Different doctors will recommend many different things so if you’re concerned consult your doctor before you travel. The only vaccine that is required to enter Kenya and Tanzania is the yellow fever vaccine, however if you are coming from a western country (with little to no yellow fever concerns) they usually don’t check if you have it. But its important to have it with you.
A visa is required to enter Kenya and Tanzania. It costs about $50 and is valid for three months. If you are traveling to Uganda and Rwanda as well I would suggest getting the East Africa visa to save some money. You can obtain your visa online through the E-Visa website. From my experience, however, it’s far easier to just apply for the visa in person after you land. There are usually very short and fast moving lines and the process is a bit simpler. It takes maximum 10 minutes to receive your visa at the airport and you can pay with cash or credit card.
Getting around Kenya and Tanzania is not too challenging. Within the city Uber is widely used and very reliable. It is also very inexpensive with a 20 minute drive costing about $5. If you want an even cheaper option, there are countless boda boda (motorbike) options for about half the price. In the countryside it is a great, and sometimes only, option. However, most of the time they don’t provide helmets so be extremely careful.
If you book a safari, the tour company will provide transportation to the parks. If you want to do some traveling alone there are a few options, one of them being a bus. Long distance busses in Kenya are generally safe and reliable. They do not run very often however so be sure to check the options beforehand. There are the three biggest lines for intercity busses: Modern Coach, Tahmeed, and Easy Coach. The busses leave from CBD (Be careful with your belongings in this area as theft is common and if you’re female maybe ask for the taxi driver to escort you).
Within the city there is the option of a minibus, called a Matatu. Besides walking, this is how most locals get around. The rides only cost a few cents, but they do not really have routes or stops. The drivers will be riding down the road, hanging halfway out the door and honking to get the attention of those interested in a ride. I would NOT suggest taking a matatu alone as a foreigner as you will almost definitely be the only tourist aboard and theft is a large risk. NEVER take a bus or matatu at night, it’s not worth the risk!
There is also the option to rent a car in Kenya for about $30 per day. Just as a warning, many of the roads in Kenya are not in the best shape. I would certainly recommend something with 4-wheel drive, even if you are not planning to go off the road. Entrance to most parks will almost definitely require a small portion of the path being on dirt or rocky routes.
As the street names and road signs are also usually not very clear, I would recommend hiring a private driver (usually about $10 per day) so that you don’t have to worry about getting lost.
There is a train between Kenya’s two largest cities- Nairobi and Mombasa (~5 hours). If you are interested in visiting the coastal area, the train is a very safe and reliable option. Built in 2017, it is a very smooth and beautiful ride. You will even get to pass through Tsavo National Park and have a train safari. I saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, camels, and more on our ride from Mombassa! You can book online before at this link here.
Although as a tourist you can get away with wearing just about everything, as a female I would recommend wearing things that reach below or just above the knee if you want to avoid causing attention. Exposed upper chest and tight clothing are acceptable and common, but you will rarely see an exposed thigh on a lady. If you are in the coastal region and other major touristy areas (like safaris), shorts, bikinis, and normal resort wear are common and acceptable, but in Nairobi and small villages it may be better to cover the knees.
The weather in Kenya can be quite unpredictable especially in recent years. Normally the rainy seasons are from mid-October to December and from March to end-May. The rest of the seasons are supposed to be dry, but in recent years the rains have seemed to mix into all seasons so bring a raincot with you just in case! In Nairobi it is always a bit chilly at night. Kenya and Tanzania are big countries so if you are planning to travel around, check the weather before as it can go from extremely hot to extremely cold depending on the region.
Because of the colonial times (Kenya was controlled by the British until the 1960s) just about everyone speaks amazing English. English is even the main teaching language in most Kenyan schools so even the children are practically fluent! Swahili (also known as Kiswahili) is the native and common language besides English. Tanzania on the other hand has Kiswahili mostly spoken. English too is spoken but not as fluent as Kenya. Though communication is okay and the natives are hospitable. But not everybody can be good..
Despite what many expect, Kenya and Tanzania are actually expensive countries for tourists. Just about everything has a fee.
Accommodations in general are also quite pricey especially if you are looking for something private (private bathroom). There are not many hostels in Kenya and Tanzania, but there are a decent amount of options for shared tents (with actual beds) at various lodges and campsites that are quite nice. Food at a decent restaurant in Nairobi is pretty on par with average European or American food prices. If you go to small, local places to eat in the countryside you can get a filling meal for a few dollars.
Internet/SIM – If you are traveling for a longer time, I would definitely recommend getting a local SIM card. If you want to contact your Uber driver or call local house guards, you will need a local number. Safaricom is the most common in Kenya and Vodacom is mostly used in Tanzania and are reliable. You can purchase a SIM at the airport right after baggage claim or while in local shops around in town.
Mzungu. This is a very useful word as you will probably hear it very often, especially from children. It technically means foreigner or wanderer, but is used for anyone who looks blatantly unlike the native Kenyans. It is not usually a derogatory term.
Cash. Ever since the Covid pandemic, Kenya and Tanzania have tried to become cashless. This can be a bit of an issue with tourists as most places only accept cards or mpesa (an app for cashless payments used across East Africa). Be prepared and don’t bother to carry a lot of cash around as it’s near to useless and easier to be pickpocketed.
Corona. Kenya and Tanania allow in tourists from most countries without the need to quarantine as long as you provide a negative PCR test.
Termed as the birthplace of adventure safaris, Kenya is one of the most ideal safari destinations in Africa. Bordering the Indian Ocean with Mount Kenya towering over a tapestry of tiny farms, green hills and golden savanna, this East African nation began attracting tourists over a century ago, enticed by tales of wild animals and rich cultural values.
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