African Bush Camps - General Info |
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Passports & Visas
It is the responsibility of our clients to ensure, before they travel, that they have their passports and any visas that might be necessary. Visas are the responsibility of the guest travelling. It is up to you to have secured the necessary documentation and paid for it yourself.
Please ensure that you do have all the necessary visas prior to departure (unless available on entry) as neither the African Bush Camps group of companies, their staff, their agents nor their operators can be held liable for any errors. Visa requirements can change from country to country so please double-check this information with your agent or nearest embassy/consulate again before departure.
Guests who are not permanent residents of the Republic of South Africa (R.S.A) and travelling through R.S.A. must make sure that they carry either an onward ticket from South Africa or sufficient funds to purchase such ticket in order to comply with South African immigration regulations. Please note that you must bring your ticket with you on safari or you may be refused re-entry into South Africa. South African citizens travelling on a foreign passport require an exit permit to leave South Africa. Please note that any passengers requiring a visa for South Africa, regardless of residence status, must carry a re-entry visa to get back into the R.S.A. |
Insurance
Guests travelling with African Bush Camps must have fully comprehensive insurance cover, including full medical, emergency medical air evacuation, and repatriation cover. Please ensure that you have yourself and your belongings adequately insured before your departure. African Bush Camps and its agents and associates cannot be held responsible or liable for loss, damage, or theft of personal luggage and belongings, nor can they be held liable for personal injury, accident or illness.
In the event of you having to cancel or curtail your safari due to unforeseen circumstances we regret that we cannot make any refunds. Consult your insurance before you travel.
It is advisable to take out baggage and money insurance, especially if you are carrying large amounts of cash or expensive and valuable camera equipment. (We recommend that you should always carry such equipment as "carry-on" luggage).
If you anticipate having to make an insurance claim upon your return home, be sure to document as accurately as possible any accident, injury or loss. Doctor's notes and police reports will aid any claim. |
Flights, International and safari charters
The cost of international flights is not included in the price of our safaris. Clients pay for their own international travel up to the point when they are met at the airport/hotel by our representatives. When travelling on normal scheduled airline flights, the luggage limit is 20kgs per person. Airport taxes are not included in our pricing.
Please check in early at all airports as flights are occasionally overbooked. Please ensure that all your onward flights are reconfirmed at least 72 hours prior to flying. If you are in a lodge or in a hotel ask them to confirm your flights.
The cost of air transfers during the course of the safari is included in our price. There are a number of things we would like to draw to your attention regarding these flights.
- We offer two types of air transfer: either a private charter where you have sole use of the aircraft, or a scheduled air transfer based on a "seat-in-plane" basis where you share the aircraft with other guests and thereby benefit from the lower cost. Unless specifically requested, we will automatically schedule your booking onto a scheduled air transfer.
- All the flight times between camps are arranged a few days before the flights take place so that there are not endless schedule changes. The camp where you are staying will be advised of your departure time the day before and will have you at the airstrip on time. At certain times of the year it may be necessary, for safety reasons, to transfer you from camp to camp during the cooler times of the day, in early morning or late afternoon. Once the departure times have been set they cannot be changed unless additional costs are paid.
- Please advise us at the time of booking if any one guest travelling alone weighs more than 100kgs, or if two guests travelling together weigh more than 180kgs. All weight limits are due to safety factors involved in the light aircraft transfers. Kindly note that should these limitations be exceeded, it may be necessary to charge for an additional aircraft.
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Luggage/Baggage
We have a regular client who has arrived on international flights without his luggage on three occasions. Take his advice: make sure you have a small bag, taken as hand luggage, packed with essentials such your toiletries, a change of underclothes, spare shirt/shorts etc., as well as binoculars and camera(s).
It can take many days for your belongings to catch up with you once you have gone into the bush. Our problem is that luggage that goes missing on scheduled flights is beyond our control and often that of the airline as well. If your stowed luggage does not to arrive you will have essential items to see you through the first few days while we try and recover your baggage.
On light aircraft transfers there is a 12 kg per person limit on luggage. This is for safety and space reasons. Please note that this 12 kg includes any cameras, camera bags and associated equipment. We insist on a soft carry-on (instead of a suitcase) with the following maximum dimensions: 80 cm by 30 cm. If it is necessary to bring extra baggage, we can usually “sell” you an extra seat, allowing you to bring an additional 70kgs (154lbs). The cost of this extra seat varies depending on your safari. The luggage limit is taken very seriously by charter companies. Additional luggage can result in an extra aircraft being used and charter companies reserve the right to charge at least US$600 per person. |
Transport on safari
Game drives and land transfers are conducted in reliable open four-wheel drive Land Cruisers or Land Rovers. For your safety and comfort, these have been custom-built by specialists and each vehicle is canopied, most of the vehicles seat seven passengers and are fitted with padded individual bucket seats. |
Money, currency and the use of credit cards
While in the bush, in our camps, you will not require any money, as our safaris are fully inclusive. However, if and when you stay in a lodge then there may be some charges for some premium alcoholic drinks and you may need cash for the purchase of souvenirs. It is advisable to consult your itinerary or confirm with your agent the specific details of what is included at lodges visited on your safari. Drinks in other operator's camps may or may not be included in the cost. Drinks in hotels and in major centres are not included.
Tipping is at the sole discretion of the guests and is not compulsory. Tipping should only be done if you have received good service. However, guests often want to know what is appropriate, so we have included a brief guideline to assist you. (a) Guides: We recommend that if they have done a good job, then about US$5 or more per guest per day is a recommended tip. If you have a specialist guide who accompanies you all the way, this could increase to US$10 per guest per day. (b) Camp Staff. We recommend about US$3 per guest per day. This should be placed in a communal tipping box for distribution equally amongst all the staff. (c) In Restaurants and Hotels 10% is customary but only if you are satisfied with the service.
Zimbabwe restricts the import of their own currency to a maximum of Z$500 in cash. You may also only take Z$500 in cash out of Zimbabwe; however this is not recommended as you cannot exchange Zimbabwe Dollars outside of Zimbabwe. MasterCard is usually accepted throughout Zimbabwe, but American Express and Diners Club are often not accepted. Generally only the large hotels will accept credit cards and even then it is recommended that guests use cards for emergencies only.
For those passengers flying out of Zimbabwe, there is a US$20 (UK citizens US$50) airport departure tax that is not included in the cost of the safari. Please ensure you have the exact amount of US Dollars in cash before you leave your home country. You cannot get any US$ in Zimbabwe so bring them with you. Large denomination bills such as U$50 or US$100 bills are not accepted. |
What to Wear
Safaris are casual affairs. Remember that during our winter months in the Southern Hemisphere it can get quite cold at night. Bear in mind that you are subject to weight restrictions if you are taking charter flights to transfer between locations so keep the amount of clothes you bring to a minimum. Please wear clothes of subdued colouring - no reds, whites or yellows. Most suitable are brown and khaki. The following list should help you plan what to bring to wear. Good quality sunglasses, preferably polarised - tinted fashion glasses are not good in strong light; Bush hat; T-shirts and one long-sleeved cotton shirt; Shorts/skirts; Long trousers/slacks; Track suit; Underwear and socks; Good walking shoes (running/tennis shoes or lightweight boots are fine); Flip flops/thongs; Swimming costume; Jersey; Anorak or Parka (for cold winter mornings i.e. June-August). Same-day laundry is available at all our camps and this is included in the cost of the safari. However, please note that camp staff will not wash underwear.
Other essentials to bring: Personal toiletries; Malaria tablets; Moisturising cream & suntan lotion; Anti-histamine cream; Insect repellent; Basic medical kit aspirin, elastoplast (Band-Aids), Imodium, antiseptic cream; Tissues/"Wet Ones"; flashlight (torch); Light rain gear for summer months (late November to April). If you wear contact lenses bring a pair of glasses in case you get irritation from dust. |
Protecting against malaria
Consult your doctor before coming on safari. It is also advisable to check with health departments prior to departure for any changes in health regulations.
Malaria is always a concern when travelling in Africa. As our camps are generally in remote locations, the chances of contracting malaria are slim, but preventative measures are strongly advised because you will be travelling in malarial areas. Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to preventing malaria. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be contracted despite taking tablets, especially in areas where chloroquine resistance has been reported. One of the best ways to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes is to use insect repellents liberally and often, especially from dusk onwards. Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks in the evenings. Camps and lodges provide guests with insecticides and/or mosquito coils for use in the tents. Please use them. |
Keeping safe in the bush
It is very important that you drink plenty of water especially during the warmer months. It is generally recommended that one drinks at least 2 to 3 litres of water a day to avoid dehydration. Tap water in towns such as Victoria Falls, Cape Town and Johannesburg is generally safe, but it may be safer to drink bottled water.
Our camps are out in the bush. There aren't any fences between you and whatever predators are in the area, so always listen to the safety advice of camp staff and guides regarding wild animals. Dangerous animals can and do wander through camps. Never walk away from the immediate confines of the camp without your guide. Attacks by wild animals are rare. However, no safari in Africa can guarantee total security. None of the African Bush Camps group of companies, their staff members, associates, agents, or their suppliers can be held liable for any injuries caused by wild animals.
Don't leave your tent open at any time, and if you are in a lodge always close the door to your room. After retiring for the night don't leave your room/tent and never sleep with your tent open. When on a game drive or game walk always obey the instructions of your guide. He is the expert and your life may depend on heeding his advice. |
Using binoculars
We strongly recommend that you bring a pair of binoculars with you as they can enormously improve one's enjoyment of game viewing.
Cameras, digital and film
Second only to binoculars come the cameras. Your choice of the most appropriate cameras and lenses will determine the quality of your photographs on the trip. For photography of birds and animals a good Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera with a zoom lens is one of the best options. The zoom will give you the flexibility you will require. The minimum size of lens suitable for wildlife photography is a 200 mm. If you plan to use a bigger lens it is worth remembering that most opportunities for photographing game will call for hand-held shots, and longer lenses can produce “camera shake.” Old hands at photographing game swear by the use of beanbags on which to rest one's lens. If one is in a “hide” watching game then a tripod is a worthwhile option.
If you are going to use a digital camera then remember to bring plenty of spare memory cards, spare batteries and battery chargers. If your budget does not reach to an SLR there are now quite a few fixed-lens digital cameras with quite excellent optical zoom lenses. A x10 optical zoom can give very satisfactory results.
If you are going to use a film camera then remember to bring far more film than you think you will need. You almost certainly will not have an opportunity to buy up to date film rolls at the kind of prices you will pay at home. There will always be much debate about what film to use. Many guides favour slower films (100 ASA or even 50 ASA) for normal light, but you will require faster films for early morning and evening shots - and that is when you are more likely to see some action. Colour reversal (slide) film is a favourite with many professionals.
An absolute must for anyone with cameras is to bring along polythene bags to protect your camera and lenses, etc. from dust thrown up on your travels.
Some video advice
If you need to have your video battery re-charged we can do so in camp while you are out on an activity - please therefore bring a spare for use while the other is being charged. |
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