Welcome to the Africa travel guide by Travitude safari tours to help you prepare for your African safari trips and expeditions to the different safari destinations that we handle. Travitude safari tours’ destinations are some of the world’s best adventurous and nature unique places any first time traveler will get persuaded to forever fall in love with the wild and nature. Whether you should to go out for family trips, cultural trips, Gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, mountain climbing and hiking, water surfing, bungee jumping, road trips, nature walks, birding, boat cruises, hot air balloon tours, camping, flying safaris, honeymoons, white sand beach holidays and relaxation trips; our destinations of Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda have you got you covered to fill your travel desire.
- How safe is Africa for travel?
- What health procedures should you follow prior an African safari?
- How to book an African safari?
- Why are African safaris expensive?
- What should you pack for an African safari?
- What’s the cost of an African safari?
- What to consider while book affordable African safari packages?
- What’s the best time to visit Africa for safari?
Overall the East African countries that is Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda have enjoyed stability and good security for the past decades and worked together to crack down terrorist threats from some small notorious groups. These countries have also raised a voice to safeguard wildlife from illegal cross border animal organ trade as a result of poaching. While in the parks, well trained rangers are deployed 24/7 to protect the animals from poachers and always accompanying or patrolling to ensure the safety of all visitors in these game parks and game reserves. Our experience drivers are well versed with circumstances and measures to keep your life safe while on African safari with Travitude safari tours.
Also see that you always check on travel news and advisories to all your destinations before setting off with you home state/country travel department for example https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/ for travelers from the United states of America.
Just like you are sensitive of your property while moving else where in the world, always be cautious and watch your property especially that which can be snatched away by petty thieves while on your African safari trips.
Medical/health tips
Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda lie in Africa’s tropical region and also the great lakes region; having many lakes and rivers thus being potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes and the climate being so conducive for other insect breeding that may cause diseases like Malaria and yellow, so, while packing for an African safari make sure you pack an Insect repellant to smear on for protection.
Anti malarial drugs can be carried along with you as recommended by the doctor/physician. You can carry malaria preventive drugs like Malaria prophylaxis. It’s often used by travelers to areas where malaria is endemic, and pregnant women living in those areas are also recommended to take it routinely. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3395692/
Covid-19 vaccination is no longer a requirement to all our destinations and all restrictions were lifted and no cases are being reported as of the effect of the disease.
Don’t forget to carry with you your drugs that you take on routine as for treatment of chronic diseases or allergies as directed by your doctor.
How to book an African safari?
Booking an African safari after capturing moments of inspiration from the African wild will require you to get in touch with a travel agency like Travitude safari tours that can assist organize your trip, book permits, prepare transport along with a driver that will double also as an experienced travel guide, book hotels among others making your trip to Africa more organized, less time consuming, travel without tension and indeed enjoyable. Make extensive research and authenticity about the travel agency, make live calls, live video calls, live chats and emailing, demand for proof of booked amenities such as copies of receipts and permits among others to avoid fraud. Search on proof of registration of the company by governing body in any of the destinations of its operation for example registration as a company.
Why are African safaris expensive?
The cost of maintaining and operating a safari lodge requires proper planning due to their isolation deep into the wild. The long distances covered to deliver groceries and needs to the safari lodge make operating cost very high and thus making African safaris cost so much.
What to pack on an African safari
- Linen shirts
- Utility trousers
- Tank tops/vests
- Bag
- Over-shirt/Jackets
- Sunglasses
- Hats/Sun caps
- Walking /ankle/desert boots
- Scarf
- Matching sets
- Comfy shoes/clogs/leather sandals
The Don’ts on packing;
- Avoid packing clothes RED, BLACK & DARK BLUE colors that attract tsetse flies and other insects which may subject you to insect bites; keep it Khaki, brown, green and white for game drives, forest and nature walks. If packed, wear them on other activities like city tours, beaches relaxation etc.
NOTE; Different activities may require different packaging sets thus endeavor to make more inquiry with our travel experts.
FOR SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL AND CLIMATE CONSERVATION GOALS as being one of our tourism sustainable measures, avoid packing packing polythene bags as some of destinations like Tanzania and Rwanda have set a total ban on use of polythene bags in their countries.
What's the cost of an African safari?
The cost of an African safari will depend on various factors such as; time/season of travel, number of days for safari, type of activities, nature of trip (budget, mid-range or luxury), tour operators, distance covered per day, number of travelers, cost of tickets or permits, means of transport (tour van or flying safaris), cost of lodges among other factors.
The table summarises the least of average on how much an African safari could cost you per day, as an individual or group in all our operating destinations. The prices will increase with increase in amenities and itinerary differences.
| BUDGET SAFARI | MID-RANGE SAFARI | LUXURY SAFARI | ||||
| PRIVATE | GROUP | PRIVATE | GROUP | PRIVATE | GROUP | |
| UGANDA | $375 | $325 | $480 | $430 | $1,050 | $1,000 |
| RWANDA | $380 | $330 | $700 | $650 | $1,500 | _ |
| TANZANIA | $310 | $275 | $430 | $380 | $700 | $600 |
| KENYA | $280 | $200 | $400 | $350 | $650 | $550 |
| ZANZIBAR | $300 | $280 | $600 | $450 | $1,500 | _ |
Tips on booking affordable African safari packages
- Stay Longer in One Place – Staying longer at a destination, hotel, lodge or game park will make your African safari trip cheaper because there will be less distances travelled not to get to different and further distances from one place to another thus saving fuel consumption.
- Choose the Right Destination – Always have top priority of the wild game that you want to see and inquire of knowledge of the best locations where to find these wild vistas. This will save you time from hitting aimless destinations that are not in line with your requirements thus having a boring trip.
- Use a Local Safari Operator – A local tour operator like Travitude safari tours that will help you book your permits and tickets to your destination with little hustle and with assurance since the local tour operators have updated and first-hand knowledge about those destinations. This will ease your travel more so to destinations that require you to book tickets in advance for example gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey tracking and destinations that attract high numbers.
- Consider moving in numbers – Moving in numbers will save you some dollars as it will get you sharing some costs such as transport and lodging facilities with the charge on other family members and friends than moving alone where the cost will be upon you alone.
- Compromise on Luxury – Do not over cling or emphasize on luxury travel if your pocket is not well off. Use local tour operators who have advance knowledge of what is on ground that can help get near to luxury experiences at an affordable cost that also fits in your pocket without strain.
- Travel During Low / Green Season – For low cost safari experiences, consider travelling during a low/ green season which is the rainy season. It’s a low season as many tourists visit during the dry season when the grass is short and herbivores more around in search for water where predators also move around to hunt them for food thus easily seen. Never the less, the rainy/ green season is equally entertaining in the wild as it’s the time when many herbivores are also giving birth and are all over the wild since there’s much green everywhere thus predators are always next too their prey. Visiting during this time with fewer tourists gets you to pay less as most facilities and parks have less pressure.
African Safari lodges
Most African safari lodges are constructed in the wild and middle of game parks and reserves to guarantee you the best experience of the African wild and feeling of nature. This brings a brilliant relaxing experience and amazing stays that calm you down in quietness and reconnect you to sounds and life of Africa’s gorgeous nature. These lodges are set up to give the best views in the various parks where they are. African safari lodges are very comfortable with all required amenities to ensure an amazing stay. Tented camp lodges and sites have also offer an amazing wild experience with near and face to face engagement with wild species such as warthogs, kobs, elephants, buffaloes among others.
Africa Safari Packages
Have inspirations about what you expect to see in the wild before you finally decide to speak to the tour operator so as to have your safari tailored according to your dream expectations on an African Safari. Regardless of whether the key species you want to see are in different countries, they can be catered for in the same itinerary to suite your desire and have your safari carried on excellently from Gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, birding, mountain climbing, water rafting, game drive, the wildebeest migration, honeymoon holidays, sole travel, white sand beaches, cultural tours among others.
Best time for an African safari
From JUNE to AUGUST and DECEMBER to MARCH are the dry seasons and best months to visit Africa for a safari and are referred to as high/peak seasons. During this time most parts of the game parks are accessible and its easy to see animals as they usually head to rivers and ponds in the park for water so its easy located them. During this time roads are not slippery and hiking too for example for gorilla trekking is made easy.
APRIL–MAY and SEPTEMBER to NOVEMBER are the green/low/wet seasons of the year there is usually plenty of rainfall and roads are slippery which usually calls for strong Jeep trucks to maneuver through the parks. This season is favorable for low cost safaris.
Just one exclusive park, Kidepo Valley national park is not affected by these season as its located in a semi-arid area which only receives one rain season.