AFRICAN SAFARI TRAVEL INFO

Tourists planning African Safari holidays would find the following tips handy:

Greetings: Shake hands with everyone on arrival and before leaving. Eye contact must be maintained while shaking hands and wait for a woman to extend her hand.

As the continent was closed to outside influences for a long period of time, some older residents may act suspicious of travellers on safari trips, for they might harm the culture.

CRIME – Safari holidays to Africa are safe most of the time, but travellers have to take extra precautions for some places. Places like Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya), Lagos (Nigeria) and Johannesburg (South Africa) are notorious for pick-pocketing, snatch-thefts and sometimes even violent muggings. Travellers must ensure they don’t carry ANY valuables on streets and stay in lighted areas at night-time.

DRUGS - Buying, selling, possession and use of all recreational drugs is illegal in every country in Africa.

HEALTH – Travellers are encourage to carry a medical and first-aid kit on their safari holidays , for help in cases of minor illness or injury. The World Health Organization recommends all travellers to be covered for diphtheria, measles, tetanus, rubella, polio and mumps, along with hepatitis B, regardless of their destination.

MONEY – Visa and MasterCard are accepted at many places, although tourists are encouraged not to rely too much on plastic and carry traveller’s cheques and cash on their safari holidays.

CONTACT INFO - In case of an emergency, travellers on their safari holidays can contact the British Embassy at the following contact details:

High Commission in Pretoria at (27) (12) 421 7500
High Commission in Johannesburg at 0027 (0) 11 537 7000
High Commission in Port Elizabeth at (27) (41) 3638841
High Commission in Durban at 0027 (0) 31 562 7900