The areas you are travelling have a risk of malaria and we recommend you consult your GP for travel advice. It is advised that you wear mosquito repellent (Avon Skin so Soft dry oil spray, the one with the green lid, works really well against mosquito’s and smells nice too).

The main injections you need to check up on are Tetanus, Hepatitis and Typhoid.

We advise you not to drink local water, however, the water at Gweta Lodge, where you will spend a lot of time is ok to drink.

It is important to wear a high factor sunscreen whenever outside during the day, whether you are in the shade or direct sunlight. We also recommend that you wear hats and sunglasses.

It might help to take re-hydration sachets with you and some Imodium.

It can get chilly on an evening in the winter months, so we suggest you bring some long trousers and jumpers. Some activities require sensible footwear lightweight walking boots or trainers are suitable.

We advise that you get your own travel insurance.

Local Customs

Shaking hands is part of the greeting process and men often hold hands. 

Local people like to be friendly; greeting people in the local language will earn you a lot of respect:

Please ask for permission before taking photographs, particularly in a village.

It is custom for females to wear clothing that cover their knees and men are advised to keep their shirts on as a sign of respect. (and ladies of course)

Finances

You can get local currency in most towns and use cash points, we will arrange stops where this can be organised. Check with your bank that you can use your card and any charges, it is normally around £1.50 a transaction which is normally less that any bureau de change fees. You can generally pay for things in US dollars, but they don’t always give you a good exchange rate. We advise you not to take travellers cheques, as it is difficult to cash them and can be very time consuming.  

The safari vehicle does have individual lock up facilities for small personal items and valuables.

People do tip, normally 10%

When buying from traders on the street you can barter with them.  They some times put the prices up for tourists and if tourists pay the high prices it makes it harder for locals to buy things at higher rate.  What you see in the tourist’s stores, you can normally buy off the street for a fraction of the price.

In a bar/restaurant a soft drink can cost anything from 50p to £1.00, a beer can be from 70p to £1.50 shorts and wine about the same.  Wholesalers are cheaper and there will be opportunities to stock up.