When you or your Travel Agent wish to confirm a holiday booking you must pay a deposit of 40% per person. The deposit will only be refundable as set out in these booking conditions. Canceling your holiday. When you make a booking, the lead name confirms that you understand and have accepted these booking conditions and our Important Holiday Information, which forms our booking conditions. We reserve the right in our absolute discretion to refuse to accept any booking without necessarily specifying a reason. Many airlines now require the full name of all passengers traveling. We will therefore ask you at the time of booking to provide us with your first forename (as shown in your passport) as well as your title and surname. When booking your holiday, if you wish to make a modification to a holiday we will try to assist. Should you wish to change to an alternative featured hotel, this will be charged at the difference in published price, as long as Oluokos Signature holds the space required. Additional services will be quoted upon request. Should you wish to extend your holiday by making your own private arrangements, this can usually be done subject to an administrative charge of $5 per person per night. Prices for accommodation-only bookings can be quoted on request. We accept various methods of payment.
Our pricing is up to the highest standards of our services and this strongly reflects what we offer at your destination of choice.
Oluokos Signature Best Price Guarantee protects you in one way. If you find a lower price for the same tour or activity offered by us within 48 hours of booking, send us the details and we’ll refund the price difference. No gimmicks, no exceptions. It’s that easy.
NOT INCLUDED
We will arrange to provide you with the various services, which form part of the holiday you book with us. Before your booking is confirmed and a contract comes into existence, we reserve the right to increase or decrease, and correct errors in advertised prices, and change any of the information. Changes will be made known to you at the time of booking.
4.1 Booking Acceptance
A booking is not accepted until we issue an invoice. The date shown on the invoice, which will be sent to you or your Travel Agent, is the date of booking. It is important to check the details on the invoice when you get it. If any details appear to be incorrect or incomplete, please contact us or your Travel Agent immediately as it may not be possible to make changes later. We regret we cannot accept any liability if we are not notified of any inaccuracy (for which we are responsible) in any document within 10 days of our sending it out (5 days for tickets). We will do our best to rectify any mistake notified to us outside these time limits but you must meet any costs involved in doing so. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be given a reference number. Your booking reference is also used as your unique password. It is important that you do not give your reference number to anyone or it will allow access to view, amend or cancel your booking via our website.
Unless otherwise stated, your booking does not include visa fees, overseas airport taxes, overseas porterage or local taxes, levies or other compulsory charges that require payment by you, directly. Where possible, we will advise you of any local charges that may be due.
After your booking is taken and a deposit is received, a confirmation invoice will be sent to you detailing the total cost due. Full payment must be received in not less than 21 days. If we or your travel agent have not received full payment at least 14 days before departure, we reserve the right to treat your booking as canceled by you and forfeit your deposit by way of cancellation charges.
5.1 Pricing Errors
Whilst we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the pricing information provided, regrettably errors may occasionally occur. When we become aware of any such error, we will endeavor to notify you at the time of booking (if we are then aware of the mistake), within 7 days of the time of booking, or as soon as reasonably possible. If a booking is already in place, you will have the choice to continue with the chosen itinerary at the corrected price or amend it to a different holiday. We reserve the right to cancel the booking if you do not wish to accept the price that applies to your holiday or any quoted alternatives.
It is important that you have insurance cover and that it is adequate and suitable for your particular needs. If you fail to take out insurance and have to cancel your booking, you will be charged in accordance with our normal terms and conditions. Furthermore, if you require medical/any other form of assistance whilst on holiday you will not be covered and you, in turn, may incur significant costs. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday.
After booking, you will receive an invoice with important information relevant to your destination. We strongly recommend that you check the details carefully and read all of the information provided.
8.1 Changes or Additions to Your Holiday
If you want to change any part of your holiday arrangements after the invoice has been issued, we will do our best to assist but it may not be possible. Any request for changes must be made in writing by the person who made the original booking or their travel agent. If it is possible to make the change, it will be subject to an administration charge of $50 per booking and payment of any further costs incurred by us as a result of the change. You should be aware that any such costs are likely to increase, the closer to the departure date the changes are made. If we agree that you may change your booking to a holiday of lower value and then you cancel that holiday, we reserve the right to levy cancellation charges on the value of the original booking. Please note that save for the transfer of a booking (see below) or the addition of any offers made by Oluokos Signature which were not requested at the time of booking, it will not be possible to make changes within 21 days of your scheduled departure date.
8.2 Transferring Bookings
You can transfer your booking to another person, who satisfies all the conditions that apply to this booking, by giving us notice in writing at least 7 days before departure. Both you and the new traveler are jointly liable for paying all costs we incur in making the transfer. An administration charge will be made of $50 per person for requests made more than 21 days before departure, and $100 per person within 21 days (before departure. If you request to change all names on a booking, this will be considered as a cancellation and a new booking and full cancellation charges will apply.
8.3 Cancelling Your Holiday
If you or anyone on your holiday booking decides to cancel the holiday, the lead name or their travel agent must notify us of the decision in writing as soon as possible. Any notification by telephone must also be confirmed in writing or by e-mail. Cancellation will take effect from the day written confirmation is received by us.
A cancellation invoice will be sent within 7 days. If you do not receive this, please contact us immediately in order to prevent an increase in charges. You may also check your booking has been canceled on our website, www.oluokos.com. Should you already be in receipt of your airline tickets please also return these to us along with your cancellation request.
Since we incur costs in canceling your travel arrangements, the following scale of charges will be payable. References to the deposit include all sums paid or payable at the time of booking.
The period prior to departure, a notice of cancellation is received by us or your travel agent | Cancellation charge per person canceling |
Prior to 61 days: | loss of deposit |
60 – 42 days: | 50% of total holiday cost |
41 – 33 days: | 60% of total holiday cost |
32 – 15 days: | 90% of total holiday cost |
14 days or less: | 100% of total holiday cost |
NB: In some instances, hotels may charge a higher cancellation fee and you may therefore be charged a higher amount than detailed above.
It is important to enquire for full details of cancellation terms at the time of booking and cancellation. We would strongly recommend that you take out appropriate travel insurance which includes cover against loss of deposit and cancellation fees.
9.1 Website/Brochure Accuracy
We rigorously check the information about accommodation, resorts, itineraries, etc., to ensure it is correct to the best of our knowledge before being published. Product descriptions and facilities may change before and after you book and it is worth noting that our brochures are prepared well in advance. Please check the up-to-date position at the time of booking. Please bear in mind that hoteliers, restaurateurs, etc., may wish to maintain or improve their facilities, or even take a break themselves. Final details will be shown on your holiday documents. Tour, excursion, safari itineraries may change as a result of local conditions. Circumstances such as these, or weather conditions, time of year, or other situations beyond our control, etc., may cause some of the amenities we have described to be unavailable or different from those advertised. When we are told of any significant or long-term changes we will always endeavor to advise you prior to your departure.
9.2 Building & Development Work
Many hotels and resorts are continuing to develop, sometimes rapidly and intensively and often with little or no advance warning. Whilst we have no control over such work, as a responsible tour operator, it is important to us that you are aware of any significant building/refurbishment work that may be going on during your stay. General refurbishment at hotels is necessary to maintain standards but if we are informed of such work where this can reasonably be expected to have an effect on your holiday, we will endeavor to notify you of it as soon as possible, however near to your departure this may be.
9.3 If We Change or Cancel Your Holiday before Your Departure
We hope and expect to be able to provide you with all the services we have confirmed to you at the time of booking.
We plan arrangements a long time in advance of your holiday using independent suppliers such as airlines, hotels, etc., over whom we have no direct control. On occasions, changes do have to be made, and we reserve the right to make these. Most of these changes are minor. However, occasionally, changes are significant.
We do our best to avoid canceling holidays but we must reserve the right to do so. However, we promise we will only cancel your confirmed booking after you have made a full payment where we are forced to do so because of ‘Force Majeure as defined below.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible. If there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options: –
(a) Accepting the changed arrangements (with any refunds that may be due to you for changes to a lower category of service); or
(b) Selecting an alternative holiday from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available. If this holiday is cheaper than the original, we will refund the price difference. You will be liable to us for any additional costs payable for the new arrangements; or
(c) Cancelling the booking or accepting our cancellation of the booking, in which case you will receive a full refund of all monies you have paid to us, within 21 days.
9.4 Changes Due to Circumstances Beyond Our Control
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract with you is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any damage, loss, or expense of any nature as a result of “force majeure”. In these booking conditions, “force majeure” means any unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances beyond our control which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not have avoided, even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such events may include, whether actual or threatened, war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, epidemics, fire, and other situations which are outside our control.
9.5 If We Change Your Holiday Accommodation
We do not control the day-to-day management of your accommodation, and in exceptional cases, it is possible that we may be advised that the reserved accommodation has been overbooked or your accommodation may have to be changed for other reasons. If this happens before your departure or on arrival in the resort, we will endeavor to provide accommodation of at least the same standard in the same resort area. If only accommodation of a lower standard is available we will refund the difference between the accommodation booked and that available and will pay up to $50 per person for any inconvenience.
9.6 If We Curtail Your Holiday after Departure
Very rarely, we may be forced by “force majeure” (see 4.3) to change or terminate your holiday after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation, or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result. Please ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place to cover any such eventuality.
We will indicate whether a particular holiday is subject to a minimum number of participants for its operation. We will advise you at least 61 days before departure if minimum numbers have not been reached and as a direct result, your tour has to be canceled.
You will then have the choice of booking an alternative holiday with us, changing your departure date at the appropriate additional cost, or having a refund of monies paid. No compensation will be payable and we are unable to offer refunds of any associated costs i.e. visas etc.
Whilst every effort is made to operate a tour as advertised, on occasion it may be necessary to make changes to the accommodation, content, routing, or order of an itinerary. Unless the change significantly alters the holiday, compensation will not be payable.
9.1 Water/Electricity Supplies
In many of the less sophisticated destinations we feature, the water and electricity services struggle to keep up with the increased demands from tourism. Limited rainfall can put further pressure on their provision. Hotels do everything possible to maintain full services. However, occasional power cuts and/or water restrictions may be experienced.
9.2 Accommodation in The Tropics
In many hotels, especially beach resorts, ‘insects’ in the rooms (e.g. ants, cockroaches, etc.) and the occasional rodent sighting around the hotel grounds are almost inevitable. It should by no means be taken as a sign of dirtiness, as it is simply a fact of life in these destinations. Views from some hotel rooms may be partly obscured by palm trees and other vegetation that can grow very quickly in tropical climates.
9.3 Watersports & Other Activities
Many hotels offer watersports and other sporting activities; in some cases, these may be free of charge. Please note that in the interest of your personal safety, the operators of these activities may require that you demonstrate your competence (for example a swimming test) prior to commencement and reserve the right to refuse participation for any reason if they feel this may compromise your or another guest’s safety. Please note there may be certain age restrictions for children/adults to do certain activities so please ensure you enquire locally.
9.4 Behavior
Most people go on holiday for rest and relaxation, so if in our reasonable opinion or in the opinion of any hotel manager, tour leader, or another person in authority, your behavior is causing or is likely to cause danger, upset or damage to property or is persistently affecting the enjoyment of others, we reserve the right to terminate your holiday. Should this happen no refund or compensation would be paid and we will have no further responsibility for your holiday arrangements including return travel.
9.5 Personal Belongings and Lost Items
For security reasons, valuables should be kept to a minimum and packed in your hand luggage along with any medicines and some basic essentials, such as a change of clothing and toiletries. It can be easy to lose items but it is your responsibility to look after your property at all times and you must ensure you are adequately covered by comprehensive insurance. If you lose any personal items whilst on holiday, please obtain a written report from a local representative and the police, where appropriate, as these may be required if you wish to make an insurance claim upon your return.
9.6 If You Have a Complaint While You Are On Holiday
If you have cause for complaint whilst on holiday, you must bring it to the attention of our local representative or agent and the hotel immediately and they will do their best to rectify the situation. If matters remain unresolved, your concerns must be brought to the attention of the Oluokos Signature Duty Officer, without undue delay (see 5.7). It is unreasonable to take no action whilst on holiday, but then to complain upon your return. If you do not raise concerns promptly, this may affect our ability to investigate and take remedial action and it may impact the way your complaint is dealt with.
9.7 Oluokos Signature Duty Officer
Oluokos Signature offers 24-hour assistance for emergency situations and to help resolve any general issues while you are on holiday. The number provided on your itinerary is a messaging service and our Duty Officer will return your call. Many destinations have local representation and they should be contacted in the first instance, should you have a problem.
9.8 Conservation
It is becoming ever more important to conserve the world’s natural resources, landscapes, flora, and fauna. Someone coined the phrase ‘Take only photographs; leave only footprints and a number of countries now use this to promote conservation. It would be hard to improve on this statement.
10.9 Coastal Conservation
Changes in season, wind direction, and tides can cause the shape and beach width of some tropical islands to change. The use of sandbags and sand pumping procedures on beaches is becoming increasingly necessary, in order to minimize the effects of erosion. Reef ecosystems worldwide are suffering from bleaching, erosion, and other natural declines, associated with extreme weather and climate change. Whilst the effects can be temporary, recovery can be very slow.
10 Our Commitment to You for Your Holiday Arrangements
(a) We promise to ensure that the holiday arrangements we have agreed to make, perform or provide as part of our contract with you are delivered with reasonable skill and care. This means that subject to these booking conditions, we will accept responsibility if, for example, you suffer death or personal injury or your contracted holiday arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient as a result of the failure of ourselves, our employees, agents or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care in making, performing or providing, as applicable, your contracted holiday arrangements. You must inform us without undue delay of any failure or improper performance of the travel services included in this package. Please note, it is your responsibility to show that reasonable care and skill have not been used if you wish to make a claim against us. In addition, we will only be responsible for what our employees, agents, and suppliers do or do not do if they were at the time acting within the course of their employment (for employees) or carrying out work we had asked them to do (for agents and suppliers).
(b) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (for example loss of enjoyment), damage, expense, cost, or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from any of the following: –
(c) Our liability will also be limited in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to:
(b) Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services, which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised by us and we have not agreed to arrange them as part of our contract and any excursion you purchase in resort. In addition, regardless of any wording used by us on our website, in any advertising material, or elsewhere, we only promise to use reasonable care and skill as set out above and we do not have any greater or different liability to you.
(c) The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract – and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred – will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, the services will be treated as having been properly provided.
(d) Our suppliers (such as airlines, accommodation, or transport providers) have their own booking conditions or conditions of carriage, and these conditions are binding between you and the supplier. Some of these conditions may limit or remove the relevant transport provider’s or other supplier’s liability to you. You can get copies of such conditions from our offices or the offices of the relevant supplier.
(e) Oluokos Signature has no control over such decisions and is therefore unable to accept responsibility for them. Where, as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances we are obliged to change or end your holiday after departure, but before the end of your holiday, we will not pay compensation or reimburse you for expenses incurred. You should have adequate travel insurance for your holiday and claim via your insurance company for any loss or damage to luggage and/or personal possessions.
If it is impossible to ensure your return as scheduled due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, we will bear the cost of necessary accommodation, if possible of equivalent category, for a maximum of three nights. The limit doesn’t apply to persons with reduced mobility and any person accompanying them, pregnant women and unaccompanied minors, or persons in need of specific medical assistance, provided that you notified us of these needs at least 48 hours before the start of your holiday.
(f) Whilst you are away on holiday you may be offered the opportunity to buy optional excursions and activities. These are provided by independent local companies, which are neither owned nor controlled by Oluokos Signature, and for whom Oluokos Signature acts only as an agent (if we make a booking for you). If you decide to buy an excursion or activity, your contract will be made with the local company which provides it and it will not form part of your contracted holiday arrangements with us. The contract will be subject to the excursion/activity provider’s terms and conditions, some of which may exclude or limit its liability to you, and will be governed by local law and jurisdiction. Oluokos Signature accepts no liability for any breach of contract or act or omission of any excursion/activity provider. Some excursions/activities may contain an element of risk or require a good level of physical fitness, and, if in doubt, you should make direct inquiries with the local provider, before deciding to buy and check that you are covered by your travel insurance policy.
11 Representative Services
Please note we do not have representative services available in all the destinations we feature and therefore you will not necessarily be met on arrival. Please ensure you refer to your itinerary which will provide the appropriate contact details should you need assistance whilst on holiday.
12 Curtailment
If you cut short your holiday and return home early in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation and services provided, we will not offer you any refund for the remainder of your holiday not completed, or assist with any associated costs you may incur. Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.
13 Volunteering Holidays
The volunteering element of your holiday involves working and, where applicable, staying in locations that tourists do not usually visit. These locations are often remote and the conditions for the people who live there are generally basic. Volunteering is not a conventional holiday activity and the organizations with whom we work do not provide services for tourists. Whilst we will endeavor to carry out certain health and safety checks on any accommodation you are intended to stay in, these checks will be limited. We do not carry out health and safety checks on the other elements of your volunteering experience as it is not practical for us to do so. We make no representations or promises as to the conditions you will encounter during your volunteering experience or that there will be compliance with any minimum standards of health, safety, or hygiene. You must therefore exercise caution and take all appropriate steps to protect yourself against the risks involved.
Whilst volunteering, you are likely to come into contact with both wild and domestic animals. All animals, including domesticated ones, are unpredictable and capable of causing injury and even death. They may also carry disease or parasites which may be passed on by close contact with the animal or its feces. You must therefore exercise a great deal of caution and take responsibility for your own safety in any situation where animals are, maybe, or have been present. All instructions and guidance provided in relation to any animal, whether in advance or by anyone accompanying you, must be followed at all times and no animal must be touched or approached unless you are specifically invited to do so. As we cannot control any animal nor predict its behavior, we cannot accept any liability for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, or other claims of any nature which you suffer in connection with any animal.
14 Surveys
Your feedback is very important to us. As a valued customer, we may periodically send you email surveys to complete, so we can track your satisfaction throughout the course of your booking journey. We would like to know about your experience with Oluokos Signature before, during, and after your travel and whether there are any elements of our service that you feel we could look to improve along the way.
15 If You Had a Problem
If a problem remains unresolved during your holiday, you should make a complaint in writing to Oluokos Signature within 28 days of the completion of the holiday. Please remember to quote your holiday booking number and daytime telephone number. We will reply to you within 28 days of receipt of your letter.
16 Law & Jurisdiction
We both agree that Kenyan Law (and no other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim, or other matter of any description (hereinafter referred to as “claim”) which arises between us.
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.
