Before coming to Africa, the question that lingers on many people’s minds is safety. Oluokos Signature, Africa Travel Tips will allow you know that for the destinations we send our clients to the answer is always a definite yes, within reason, and with precaution. Our company has handled a good number of travelers to Eastern and Central Africa for over 10 years with no reported incident. Our best understanding to Africa both logistically and geographically has contributed to our smooth operations in all our handpicked destinations.
If you make Africa as your destination of choice then this will be definitely the best travel decisions you could hope to make. From the incredible natural environment to the rich cultural diversity, the friendly locals in its numerous open-air markets to the vibrant and informative cultural festivals, Africa has everything, whether you are a first time or a seasoned guest.
From what to know before you go, how to travel around, and how to stay safe, travel health, travelling with children and choosing accommodation, our Africa travel tips guide will offer you a good dosage to your questions!
Get ready for Africa!
At Oluokos, we don’t cut corners nor do we sugarcoat our destinations so that we convince you. We’re more than happy to hear more from you regarding your preferred style of holiday. Your travel group matters too alongside other aspects like when and money.
Our experience designers have worked effortlessly to ensure that you’re never limited to the traditional travel style. Our safaris menu allow you to mix and match what suits your holiday quest.
At Oluokos, we believe that going on holiday is easy especially when you choose to work with our experience designers. They are not only designers but also accredited destination specialists who understand the inside out of this ever dynamic industry.
Before coming to Africa for your safari, one of the biggest query is when? When, is the question that we ask most and guests ask us most about the best time to come to Africa.
As much as Africa is amazingly a year-round destination, there are still genuine concerns that must always be addressed. Due to its vastness, different climates and with so diverse landscapes, wildlife, and experiences, it means you can always have a thrilling African getaway, no matter what time of year you choose to travel.
However, if you are following your special interests or a particular passion then, when you would want to visit Africa will be critical to us for you to get the best experience out of Africa. For example; if you are birder, you would love to visit when most of the migrant birds are in Africa and the same goes to wildebeest migration that will require you to be in the right place at the same time.
At Oluokos, we appreciate every season as it provides opportunities for witnessing different aspects of the wonder of nature in Africa. To us it’s not just a case of matching up your holiday expectations with the right locations and times but also billed to ensure that you are well informed about local wildlife movements in Africa especially during this era of the climate change.
It is well believed that an African holiday is a lifetime holiday, so it’s no surprise that the question we’re asked mostly by our guests: “How much does our safari cost?”
Based on our pure value added experiences and just like the safari experience itself – still varies greatly. This mainly attributed to the season, country or even the region you’ll be travelling in. And, just like any sort of holiday, the cost will depend on a range of other things, including your accommodation, activities to be taken and the length of your safari.
To be honest, we’ve organized shorter, cost-friendly safaris costing around U$ 1500 per person, right up to pure luxurious trips costing in excess of U$18000. All these come with different level of travelling, accommodation and a bunch more of experiences.
Oluokos Signature has longstanding relationships with our well reputed suppliers and we are always in position get best properties at special rates.
With this in mind it means that you’ll pay the same price or even less than if you would book the same holiday directly with these accommodation properties.
At Oluokos we believe that Travel Insurance is essential for any holiday, no matter what your destination.
We insist that all of our guests are covered by insurance for the duration of your time away, and recommend you take out a policy as soon as you’re ready to book.
Here in Eastern and Central Africa, the medical system is not free and good hospitals are not cheap – if you’re staying at a remote safari location, they’re not close either, so even getting to one can be not only expensive but a nightmare.
Choosing the right travel insurance provider for an African safari holiday is not a decision you should made purely on price – always consider the quality of coverage first.
We’re sorry to say that we don’t accept any booking with the Travel Insurance proof. Kindly consider this as a must have requirement for your booking at Oluokos Signature.
Being On Safari
At Oluokos, we take you on a very different and unique African safari. When it comes to exceptional, authentic wildlife experiences, our experience stands out as second to none. We have chosen to shift away from the traditions of game-viewing activities by offering our guests a wide range of variations according to destination, wildlife behavior, migration trends and the season. This allows us to share with our guests experiences as crafted by our finest in-house Experience Designers. Below, please find how we handle our day on safari:
This presents the best chance to see wildlife when temperatures are cool and animals are still interestingly, very active. The price that you must pay here is to wake up early! The wake-up call will be between 5am and 6 am for a quick snack of tea, coffee and biscuits. The morning can be freezing in these early hours so dress warmly but also in layers, so you can peel off clothes as you warm up.
It warms up pretty quickly if you’re doing a walking safari, but should you get chilly on a 4×4 game drive or boating safari; the vehicles and vessels are always packed with blankets.
From our morning wildlife viewing, a beautiful breakfast or brunch will be waiting for you when you get back to camp/lodge.
When you get to the camp or lodge after a morning game activity you can relax and escape the heat of the day for a couple of hours before. This is the time to read a book, visit a souvenir shop, take a siesta, swing on a hammock, cool off in the pool or indulge in a spa treatment. This is the hottest time of the day, so we recommend you copy the animals by taking it easy. Later, at around 3 pm, you might have another little snack before heading out on an afternoon wildlife drive.
If you’re feeling super active, after lunch is a great time to spend with the camp/lodge conservation team or get an insight into African life with a visit to a local village.
Wildlife drives in the afternoon are amazing because the light is so fantastic. And as the day cools down, the wildlife becomes more active again – predators start to stir and their prey prepares for another nervous night in the Africa’s wilderness. Apart from well great wildlife-viewing opportunities, sundowners do complement the day too!
On our way to the camp, we will stop at a picturesque spot and admire a beautiful African sunset. Arriving at the camp/lodge just before dark, in good time for a shower before pre-dinner drinks.
Back at the camp or the lodge it’s dinner time, so you won’t miss out! This may be even be served al fresco, under those incredible African sky. Afterwards, you might care to share stories and over drinks around a campfire with fellow guests.
Please note that once it starts to get dark on a game drive it’s not safe to stop for any “bush loo relief”. So make sure you stop before the sun sets or you’ll have to hold on until you return to camp or the lodge– which might be some distance away!
For those staying at a private reserve, it’s likely you’ll be offered the chance to head out on a night-time game drive. Don’t miss this unique opportunity. It’s a completely different perspective of Africa’s bush and will round off your safari experience absolutely.
Heading out into the endless bush, the only lights you’ll see will come from the stars in the sky, your vehicle’s headlights and a spotlight. This will be held by the expert tracker sitting at the front of the vehicle, constantly on the lookout for wildlife.
Thanks to their knowledge, instinct and brilliant eyes, you might get to spot nocturnal creatures such as chameleons, owls, leopards and, if you’re really lucky, perhaps even a pangolin or aardvark. Then it’s back to camp to enjoy a hot drink before falling asleep to the sounds of the night and dreaming of your next promising day on safari.
We always recommend to our guests to consider this experience at least one night drive, but be aware that it can be cold and, in terms of animal action, slow. It’s more about the pleasure of spotting nocturnal creatures, and the sounds and serenity of the night than the day time wildlife drive.
Travelling With Children
Take your loved ones on the greatest holiday adventure with Oluokos Signature: our family safari choices will take you to some of the vast and unspoiled wilderness of Eastern and Central Africa. With our highly skilled Experience Managers at your side, you’ll delve in the heart of our communities, discover the natural and diverse Africa’s wildlife, and awesomely create some of the finest family moments.
Oluokos Signature families are exceptionally welcomed upon their time of arrival. This comes after a very long time of communication that could have even gone for over a year through emails, phone calls, WhatsApp and even Zoom meetings. Our team of professions will be more than happy to continue taking care of your holiday requirements to details right on-the-ground, in air, in the deep jungles and even on the waters of Africa and they’ll ensure exceptional levels of you safety, pure value and satisfaction.
Your holiday with Oluokos is a journey. This journey of a lifetime begins with your enquiry that will be handled by one of our Experience Designers. From here it will be escalated further to our destination’s management team who will get your personal attention, to unmatched accommodation and expectations, putting focus on planning your African holiday experience for the enjoyment of your entire family. Your children of all age brackets will definitely be in love walking on foot alongside the game in some of our selected itineraries or cuddling under the African sky as the family enjoy the warmth bonfire. This is Africa, the way we present it to families!
Please note that stricter requirements may need to be adhered to in Eastern and Central Africa’s countries. If the minor is travelling unaccompanied, they must have in their possession:
Accommodation Options
Eastern and Central Africa is awash with diverse and stunning accommodation options to call home while you are on safari. Our choices of accommodation range from the classic tented safari camps and exclusively exemplary luxury lodges, to the hidden boutique hotels, fully inclusive resorts and private homes that are tucked away off the popular tourist routes. Whatever your taste is, we are sure that, the accommodation options are not limited to our taste of clients.
Our experiences have been crafted to offer truly unforgettable memories. We have designed them in an aspect that allows our guests to enjoy the mix of sleeping under canvas in a remote location before getting spoilt at a luxury city hotel or touching noses with an elephant at one of the luxurious wildlife camps. The detailed accommodation is provide on each itinerary so you’ll never get bored with amenities and each destination.
From the experience that we have gained over the years, we are happy to share that we have sampled numerous properties in Eastern and Central Africa. The ones we recommend to our guests are our favorite places and have been handpicked by us because we know they meet our average criteria of selections.
Most of these facilities are responsibly run and cater for just a reasonable number of guests. Oluokos accepts that getting absolutely away from the crowds is high on every guest’s safari wish list. Having this as our number one golden rule, inspection of our preferred accommodation choices continue on a regular basis to ensure the highest standards are maintained year in, year out.
Our selected tented safari camps or bush camps are enormous, fully equipped with most of the expected amenities and they incredibly come with high level of comfort. Although the quality varies as in some are more rustic while on the other hand others will blow you away with their elegance and luxury.
Our choice of lodges are tucked away in sensational locations, where our favorites not only blend into the environment but also value and practice sustainable tourism as much as they value the comfort and satisfaction of their guests. If you’re staying in a lodge, expect a permanent construction built using materials such as stone, wood, bricks and thatch. Most rooms will have en suite bathrooms with running hot and cold water plus all the other creature comforts you’d expect in a luxury hotel, including, in many cases, air conditioning, plunge pools, Wi-Fi and much more.
To ensure that you enjoy your safari experiences beyond the parks, reserves and the community owned wildlife sanctuaries, our choices of accommodation in East Africa also offers unmatched exclusive-use private houses and homes, for the ultimate in privacy and seclusion. These can be found from cities and mountains to islands and beaches – and, of course without losing the touch of the safari experience. Our selections of houses have been creatively handpicked and they are set in locations that command some stunning views in East Africa’s pristine locations.
Travel Documents & Other Requirements
Before embarking on your Africa safari there are quite a number of things to put in order, but nothing’s more important than ensuring your passport, visa and health requirements are all sorted out. Start planning early so you’ve got plenty of time to take care of the following:
All nationalities except Kenyan citizens booking a holiday with Oluokos Signature require a passport. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date you returned home. You’ll also need two blank pages for each of the countries you’ll be visiting.
If you’re not a Kenyan citizen, other regulations may apply – we encourage you to check with the nearest embassy of the country or countries you intend to visit. Please note that for certain trips, Oluokos Signature will need your passport details before we can accept your booking. And if you have to renew your passport after you’ve booked with us, it’s important that you provide us with the new details as soon as you have them.
Visa requirements vary from country to country and also depend on which passport you hold – you are responsible for securing any visas for your travels with Oluokos Signature. We advise that you check with the nearest embassy of the country or countries you intend to visit. We’re always here to help if you have any questions while completing visa forms.
We recommend you visit your specialist travel doctor at least two months prior to departure. This will allow time for any necessary vaccinations and medication. Please be aware, if you’re visiting Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda or Ethiopia a yellow fever vaccination is compulsory.
Your doctor may also recommend other vaccinations, depending on where you’re travelling (please remember to take your itinerary with you), but these will be at your discretion. Keep in mind that some vaccinations and tablets take time to become effective, so it’s vital that you follow instructions. Yellow fever injections, for example, need to be administered a minimum of 10 days prior to entering any country that requires this vaccination.
Please note that, you are responsible for obtaining appropriate vaccinations and taking all appropriate precautions for the countries to which you’ll travelling. Should you fail to do so, Oluokos Signature cannot be liable in the event of any illness or injury or if your travel or entry is denied. Be sure to also carry a supply of any regular medication, along with a copy of the script from your doctor for any prescription medicine, and keep all medication in your carry-on baggage!
At Oluokos Signature, we value your health and safety and we’ll ask questions to ensure that we understand your abilities and any medical conditions that might affect your itinerary. In an ideal world you’ll be in reasonably good health and in a position to participate in activities without assistance.
Should you need assistance with activities, it’s important you let us know well in advance so we can make necessary arrangements. If you have any existing medical conditions or any food allergies, you’ll need to advise us no later than 30 days prior to arrival for your safari. Please, it’s a great idea to carry a basic medical kit on any overseas trip – you can pick up most items from your local chemist, but just be sure to check that they’re all okay to take onboard and into the countries you’ll be visiting.
Tipping During & After Safari
For ages, tipping has remained to be something of a tradition on safari. This having been well said, it is not compulsory in Africa and always remains at your discretion.
Should you wish to show your appreciation to guides, drivers, camp and lodges staff, an amount of your choice can be added to your bill upon departure from each property, or placed in a gratuities box (where available). This money will then be distributed among all the staff. Alternatively, you may prefer to personally thank – and tip – any staff members you feel went that extra mile to ensure your safari experience was a memorable one.
Staff are usually extremely hard-working and proud of their contributions, and very appreciative when they receive a gratuity and a personal note of thanks. This is an effective way to acknowledge the great job they’re doing and what a positive effect it had on your experience in Africa.
