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Everything You Need to Know
Comprehensive answers for every stage of your journey. Use the navigation bar above to jump directly to your topic.
✈ BEFORE YOU TRAVEL
Everything You Need to Prepare
Visas, vaccinations, packing, insurance, and everything else to sort before you fly.
Q
What are the visa requirements by country?
Visa requirements depend entirely on your passport nationality. Here is a summary for the most common passport holders:
Tanzania: e-Visa required — apply at evisa.immigration.go.tz before travel. Cost $50 USD. Most nationalities eligible.
Uganda: e-Visa required — apply at visas.immigration.go.ug. Cost $50 USD single entry. Must be obtained before arrival.
Botswana: Visa-free for most EU, US, UK, Australian, and Commonwealth passport holders. Up to 90 days.
Namibia: Visa-free for most nationalities. Up to 90 days.
South Africa: Visa-free for most nationalities. Up to 30 days (some passports 90 days).
We confirm exact visa requirements for your specific passport as part of your pre-departure documentation.
Q
What vaccinations do I need?
Routine vaccinations should be fully up to date before travel. For most East and Southern African destinations, the following are recommended or required:
Yellow Fever: Certificate required for entry into Uganda and Tanzania, and for any traveller arriving from an endemic country. This is strictly enforced at borders.
Typhoid: Strongly recommended for all destinations.
Hepatitis A: Recommended.
Tetanus and Diphtheria: Keep boosters current.
Rabies: Recommended for remote areas or travellers spending extended time outdoors.
Consult a qualified travel clinic at least 6 to 8 weeks before departure.
What to Pack for Safari
CLOTHING
✓Neutral-coloured clothing only — khaki, olive, sand, beige
✓Warm fleece or jacket for early morning drives (even in summer)
✓Lightweight long-sleeved shirts for sun and insect protection
✓Comfortable closed-toe walking shoes
✓Sandals or flip-flops for camp evenings
✓Rain jacket or poncho
✓Wide-brim hat for field days
⚠ Avoid white, black, and bright colours — they disturb wildlife and attract insects.
GEAR & TECH
✓Zoom lens camera — 100 to 400mm equivalent minimum
✓Binoculars — 8×42 minimum for quality wildlife viewing
✓Headlamp with spare batteries
✓Reusable water bottle (lodges provide filtered refills)
✓Portable phone charger / power bank
✓Soft-sided luggage only — hard cases not permitted on bush flights
✓ Most lodges provide laundry service. Pack light — you will not need as much as you think.
HEALTH & PERSONAL
✓Sunscreen SPF 50+ — enough for daily reapplication
✓Insect repellent DEET 50% or higher
✓Lip balm with SPF
✓Personal prescription medications plus extra supply
✓Anti-malarial medication as prescribed
✓Basic first aid items — plasters, antihistamine, rehydration sachets
✓Glasses and spare pair if applicable
Q
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes — comprehensive travel insurance is essential and a condition of many Tourist Lads bookings. Your policy must include as a minimum:
Emergency medical evacuation: Minimum $250,000 coverage. Medical evacuation from remote areas can cost $50,000 to $150,000.
Trip cancellation and interruption: To cover prepaid costs if you cannot travel.
Medical treatment: Hospital and clinic costs in destination countries.
Personal belongings: For lost or stolen items including camera equipment.
Activity coverage: Confirm your policy covers safari, trekking, gorilla trekking, and Kilimanjaro climbing specifically.
Important: All Tourist Lads bookings are additionally protected by the Swedish Kammarkollegiet government guarantee — which secures your payments if we cannot deliver. This is separate from and does not replace personal travel insurance.
Q
What is the booking and deposit process?
Booking a Tourist Lads safari is simple and has no obligation until you decide to confirm:
Step 1 — Free enquiry: Send us your destination, dates, group size, and any preferences. No payment required.
Step 2 — Personalised proposal: We respond within 2 hours with a tailored itinerary and exact pricing.
Step 3 — Refinement: We adjust the proposal until every detail is exactly right. No rush.
Step 4 — Deposit: A 30% deposit confirms your dates. All payments are immediately protected by the Kammarkollegiet guarantee.
Step 5 — Balance: The remaining 70% is due 60 days before your departure date.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and direct bank transfer.
🌿 DURING YOUR TRIP
How Daily Safari Life Works
How drives, camps, food, and wildlife encounters actually work on the ground.
How Safari Drives Work
THE DAILY RHYTHM
05:30 — Early morning call. Coffee, rusks, and a warm layer.
06:00 — Morning game drive departs. Best light, most active predators.
09:30 — Bush breakfast in the field or return to camp.
11:00 — Rest period. Heat of the day. Wildlife rests too.
15:30 — Afternoon drive departs. Golden hour and sunset.
18:30 — Return to camp. Sundowner drinks in the field.
20:00 — Fireside dinner. Stars, silence, the bush at night.
VEHICLES & SETUP
✓Custom 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser — pop-up roof for open-air viewing
✓Private vehicle — never shared with other groups
✓Individual window seats with cushioning and arm rests
✓USB charging port at each seat
✓Cold water and snacks on every drive
✓Bean bag camera rest provided on request
✓Electric vehicles on select Botswana expeditions
Q
What is camp and lodge life like?
Most of our camps and lodges are set inside or directly adjacent to unfenced wilderness. Wildlife roams freely at night. This is normal and completely safe when you follow your guide’s briefing.
Accommodation types: From tented camps (permanent canvas tents with en-suite bathrooms and real beds) to luxury lodges (full hotel-standard rooms with air conditioning, plunge pools, and views over waterholes).
Wildlife at camp: Elephants, hippos, hyenas, and leopards regularly pass through camp perimeters. You will hear them. Your guide will brief you specifically on what to do.
Golden rule: Never walk between your tent and any other structure at night without calling for an escort. Every camp has a radio or call button system.
Q
What are the tipping guidelines?
Tipping is customary across all our destinations and an important part of guide income. Our guidelines:
Lead safari guide: $10 to $15 USD per person per day
Tracker (where present): $5 to $10 USD per person per day
Camp and lodge staff: $5 to $10 USD per person per day
Driver (where separate): $5 to $8 USD per person per day
Gorilla trekking ranger: $10 to $15 USD per person
Mountain guide (Kilimanjaro): $15 to $20 USD per person per day
Carry USD cash specifically for tips — this is the preferred currency across all destinations. We include a destination-specific tipping guide in your pre-departure pack.
Q
What wildlife will I see?
Wildlife sightings depend on destination, season, and the natural unpredictability of wild animals. Our guides significantly increase probability through years of expert tracking knowledge.
Big Five: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, Rhino — possible across all safari destinations.
Additional predators: Cheetah, Wild Dog, Hyena — Botswana and Tanzania strongest.
Primates: Mountain Gorilla and Chimpanzee — Uganda only.
Large herbivores: Giraffe, Zebra, Hippo, Crocodile, Wildebeest, Kudu, Eland — across all destinations.
Birds: 500+ species recorded across our combined destinations.
No guide can guarantee specific sightings. What they can do is put you in the right place at the right time, consistently.
Q
What about photography tips on safari?
Safari is one of the best photographic environments on Earth. These habits make the biggest difference:
Lens: 100 to 400mm is the most versatile range. A 70 to 200mm covers most camp and landscape shots.
Settings: Use shutter priority — minimum 1/800s for moving animals, 1/2000s for birds in flight.
Light: Shoot in the first and last 90 minutes of daylight. Midday light is harsh and flat.
Patience: Ask your guide to wait. The best shots come from staying with a sighting, not moving on.
Vehicle rest: Request a bean bag camera rest from your guide — it eliminates vibration completely.
Storage: Bring more memory cards than you think you need. You will fill them.
⭐ AFTER YOUR TRIP
Feedback, Reviews & What Comes Next
How to share your experience, leave a review, get your impact report, and plan your next adventure.
Q
How do I leave a review?
Reviews are the most valuable thing you can give fellow travellers — and us. Within 48 hours of your return you will receive a post-journey survey by email. Beyond that, we genuinely appreciate honest reviews on:
Trustpilot: trustpilot.com — search Tourist Lads. Verified booking reviews.
TripAdvisor: Our Certificate of Excellence is built entirely on traveller reviews.
Google Reviews: Search Tourist Lads on Google Maps.
All reviews — positive and critical — are personally read by the specialist team. We respond to every one.
Q
How do I access my conservation impact report?
For bookings on conservation expeditions — The Blue and The Bleached, 6 Nights Conservation Package, and the Genesis and Galaxy Expedition — you receive a personalised impact report within 60 days of your return.
The report includes: donation amount transferred to the Chobe Angels Training Academy, wildlife data you helped collect, anti-poaching unit contributions from your booking, and community employment supported.
The report is sent to the email address on your booking. If you have not received it within 60 days, contact your specialist directly.
Q
How do I book my next adventure?
Many of our travellers return for a second and third destination. Returning travellers receive priority availability and early access to new routes before general release.
Popular follow-on journeys:
After South Africa: Botswana — the natural progression in wildlife quality and exclusivity.
After Tanzania: Uganda — gorilla trekking is a transformative complement to Serengeti.
After Kilimanjaro: Zanzibar — five days of beach recovery is the perfect finale.
After Botswana: Namibia — completely different landscape and atmosphere.
Q
What if I lose something on my trip?
Contact your Tourist Lads specialist as soon as you notice the loss — ideally before you leave the destination. Provide a description of the item and the last known location.
Our operations team maintains active contact with every lodge, camp, vehicle, and transfer service for several weeks after each itinerary concludes. We have successfully reunited travellers with items left at remote bush camps, inside light aircraft, and at lodge pools.
For high-value items, ensure your travel insurance policy includes personal belongings coverage before you travel.
Q
What is the refund and cancellation policy?
Our standard cancellation policy applies from the date your deposit is received:
30 to 60 days before departure: 20% of total booking cost charged.
10 to 30 days before departure: 50% of total booking cost charged.
Under 10 days before departure: 100% of total booking cost charged.
If Tourist Lads is unable to deliver your confirmed itinerary for any reason, you receive a full refund. All payments are protected by the Swedish Kammarkollegiet government guarantee from the moment your deposit is paid.
🏥 HEALTH & SAFETY
Medical Considerations & Safety Protocols
Everything you need to know about staying safe and healthy on safari.
Q
What health precautions should I take by destination?
All destinations: Sun protection (SPF 50+, reapply every 2 hours), insect repellent (DEET 50%+) from late afternoon, minimum 3 litres of water per day.
Uganda: Malaria prophylaxis strongly recommended year-round. Yellow Fever certificate required.
Tanzania: Malaria risk in most areas. Yellow Fever certificate required. Altitude awareness if combining with Kilimanjaro.
Botswana: Malaria risk, particularly in northern areas (Okavango, Chobe). Prophylaxis recommended.
Namibia: Malaria risk in northern Namibia (Etosha, Damaraland). Central and coastal areas low risk.
South Africa (Kruger): Low to moderate malaria risk depending on season. Consult your travel clinic.
Q
What are the emergency contact procedures?
In any emergency, your guide is your first point of contact. All Tourist Lads guides carry comprehensive first aid kits and hold wilderness first aid certification.
Medical emergency: Contact your guide immediately. They carry satellite communication on all remote expeditions and have direct lines to our operations team 24/7.
Operations emergency line: Included in your pre-departure documentation. Save it to your phone before you travel.
Medical evacuation: We maintain partnerships with AMREF Flying Doctors (East Africa) and regional evacuation providers for Southern Africa.
Your travel insurer: Keep your policy number and insurer emergency line saved in your phone.
Medical evacuation from remote bush areas can cost $50,000 to $150,000 USD without insurance coverage.
Q
What is the malaria risk and how do I prevent it?
Malaria is a genuine risk in most of our safari destinations. Prevention is straightforward when taken seriously:
Antimalarial medication: Consult your travel clinic 6 to 8 weeks before departure. Common options include Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil), Doxycycline, and Mefloquine. Each has different side effect profiles.
Insect repellent: DEET 50% or higher. Apply to all exposed skin from 4pm onwards — peak mosquito activity is dawn and dusk.
Clothing: Long sleeves and long trousers from late afternoon.
Accommodation: All Tourist Lads lodges and camps provide mosquito net protection where risk is present.
Take your antimalarials exactly as prescribed — missing doses significantly reduces protection.
Q
What medical evacuation arrangements are in place?
Medical evacuation is arranged immediately in the event of any serious medical incident. Our standard procedure:
First response: Your guide provides first aid and contacts our operations team via satellite or radio communication.
Assessment: Our operations team assesses the situation and coordinates with your travel insurer directly.
Evacuation: Light aircraft evacuation to the nearest appropriate medical facility — Nairobi Hospital (East Africa), Netcare Milpark (South Africa), and private clinics in regional capitals.
Family notification: We contact your nominated emergency contact immediately.
Your travel insurance must include medical evacuation coverage of at least $250,000. This is non-negotiable for all Tourist Lads bookings.
📒 LOGISTICS & TRAVEL DOCS
Flights, Transfers, Permits & Documents
Everything you need in order before departure day.
Your Pre-Departure Document Checklist
ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS
✓Passport — valid for 6+ months beyond return date, minimum 2 blank pages
✓Visa or e-Visa confirmation printout for each destination
✓Yellow Fever vaccination certificate (required for Uganda and Tanzania)
✓Full vaccination record booklet
✓Travel insurance policy documents with emergency contact number
✓Tourist Lads booking confirmation (required at all lodge check-ins)
✓Proof of onward travel (return flight booking)
SMART DOCUMENT HABITS
✓Keep originals in your accommodation safe at all times
✓Carry high-quality photocopies in your day bag separately
✓Store digital copies in cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud)
✓Do not rely only on your phone — devices get lost or stolen
✓Share your full itinerary with a trusted contact at home
✓Save your tourist Lads emergency line before you fly
✓Save your travel insurer emergency line before you fly
⚠ Never leave your passport in a vehicle or on a beach. Keep it in your accommodation safe.
Q
What are the domestic flight luggage limits?
This is one of the most commonly overlooked pre-departure requirements, and getting it wrong on the day causes real disruption.
Maximum total weight: 20kg including carry-on luggage. Most bush airlines are strict on this limit as aircraft weight must be balanced precisely.
Bag type: Soft-sided bags only. Hard shell suitcases, rigid frame backpacks, and wheeled cases with rigid bases are not permitted on light aircraft. Bags must flex to fit irregular cargo holds.
Dimensions: Most bush aircraft have maximum bag dimensions of approximately 60 x 40 x 20cm. We include exact airline specifications in your booking confirmation.
Arrive at your departure airport with a soft duffel bag, not a hard suitcase. You will not be able to check in otherwise.
Q
How do airport transfers work?
All Tourist Lads bookings include airport transfer coordination. Here is how it works for each phase of your journey:
International arrival: Our driver meets you at the arrivals hall with a Tourist Lads sign. You are transported directly to your first lodge or hotel.
Between camps (road): Transfers in a private vehicle driven by your guide. Time in the vehicle is also safari — wildlife is seen from the transfer vehicle regularly.
Between camps (air): Light aircraft transfers coordinate departure times with lodge schedules. We handle all booking and confirmation.
International departure: Your guide or a designated driver transfers you to the international airport in time for check-in.
We monitor your international flight for delays and adjust ground transfers accordingly.
Q
How does gorilla permit booking work?
Gorilla permits are the most limited wildlife access in Africa and require specific advance planning. Here is everything you need to know:
What a permit is: An official Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) permit granting access to one habituated gorilla family for one hour. Only 8 visitors are permitted per family per day.
Cost: $700 USD per person per permit. This is a government-set fee paid directly to the Uganda Wildlife Authority. It is non-negotiable.
How far ahead: For travel in peak months (June to October), permits sell out 6 to 12 months in advance. For shoulder and low season, 3 to 6 months is advisable. Walking in without a pre-booked permit is not possible.
What we do: Tourist Lads handles all permit acquisition as part of your Uganda itinerary. We monitor availability, book at the optimal time, and include permit confirmation in your documentation.
Gorilla families: Multiple habituated families exist in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Your guide allocates the family most appropriate for the group’s fitness level and preference.
Minimum age: 15 years. This is strictly enforced by Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers at the trailhead. No exceptions.
REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS — QUICK REFERENCE
South Africa
✓Passport (6+ months validity)
✓No visa for most nationalities
✓No Yellow Fever cert required (unless arriving from endemic country)
✓Travel insurance
Botswana
✓Passport (6+ months validity)
✓No visa for most nationalities
✓Yellow Fever cert if arriving from endemic country
✓Travel insurance
Namibia
✓Passport (6+ months validity)
✓No visa for most nationalities
✓Yellow Fever cert if arriving from endemic country
✓Travel insurance
Tanzania
✓Passport (6+ months validity)
✓e-Visa required — book at evisa.immigration.go.tz
✓Yellow Fever cert required
✓Travel insurance
Uganda
✓Passport (6+ months validity)
✓e-Visa required — book at visas.immigration.go.ug
✓Yellow Fever cert required
✓Gorilla permit ($700 per person)
✓Travel insurance
🏕 ADVENTURE SPECIFIC
Technical Guidance for Hiking, Climbing & Specialist Expeditions
Kilimanjaro preparation, bush camping, expedition vehicles, and fitness requirements.
Q
Kilimanjaro preparation guide — how do I get ready?
No technical climbing experience is required for either of our Kilimanjaro routes. What you do need is physical fitness and mental endurance.
3-month training programme (recommended):
Months 1 to 2: Build cardiovascular base. Walk or hike 3 to 4 times per week for 60 to 90 minutes. Include hills. Increase weekly distance by 10%.
Month 3: Hike with a loaded pack (5 to 8kg). Aim for 6 to 8 hours on weekend days. Include back-to-back days (Saturday and Sunday) to simulate consecutive summit days.
Specific exercises: Stair climbing with pack (best simulation for ascent), cycling, swimming, strength training (legs and core).
Altitude acclimatisation: If possible, spend a night or two at altitude before your climb (hotel in Arusha at 1,400m is a start). The Northern Circuit’s extra acclimatisation day at Buffalo Camp is built into our 10-day itinerary specifically for this reason.
Q
What are bush camping essentials?
Bush camping on expedition-style safaris (primarily the Botswana Triad) is a different experience from lodge-based travel. Here is what you need to know:
What is provided: Dome tents with sleeping mattresses, a dining tent with folding furniture, a camp kitchen, solar lighting, and a bush shower (heated by fire). Your guide is also your camp manager and cook.
What to bring: Your sleeping bag (3-season minimum, 4-season for Kilimanjaro and Rwenzori), pillow, personal toiletries in a soft bag, camp shoes or flip-flops.
Electricity: Solar power available for device charging. Do not rely on mains power.
Toilets: Bush toilet systems. Not glamping, but well-organised and clean.
Wildlife at camp: Real. Unfenced. Your guide manages this. Stay in your tent unless escorted.
Q
What expedition vehicles are used?
The vehicle defines the quality of the safari experience. Our standard and specialist fleet:
Standard safari vehicle: Toyota Land Cruiser 4WD, custom converted with pop-up roof, individual seats, USB charging, and cold storage. Private — never shared.
Electric vehicle (select Botswana routes): Silent operation allows approaches to within 5 metres of predators without disturbing behaviour. No exhaust smell. Completely different experience from conventional vehicles.
Expedition 4WD (Botswana Triad): Fully equipped self-drive or guide-driven 4WD with roof tent mounting points, high-lift jack, dual spare tyres, recovery boards, and full camping kit.
Mokoro (Okavango Delta): Traditional dugout canoe poled by a local specialist. Silent. Low to the water. The only way to experience the innermost delta channels properly.
Motorised boats: Aluminium flat-bottomed river boats for Chobe, Murchison Falls, and Zambezi excursions.
Q
What are the physical fitness requirements for each activity?
Standard safari game drives: No fitness requirement. Seated throughout. Suitable for all ages and mobility levels (minimum age 6 at most lodges).
Walking safari: Moderate fitness. Ability to walk for 2 to 4 hours on varied terrain at altitude. No technical skills required. Minimum age 12 to 16 depending on operator.
Gorilla trekking: Moderate to high fitness. Treks range from 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on gorilla family location that day. Steep, humid, rainforest terrain. Minimum age 15.
Kilimanjaro Northern Circuit: High fitness. 10 days, 6 to 8 hours walking per day on consecutive days. No technical skills. Minimum age 10 (recommended 16+).
Kilimanjaro Skycrest Route: High fitness. 7 days. Same demands as Northern Circuit but shorter acclimatisation window.
♻ SUSTAINABILITY & ETHICS
How Tourist Lads Approaches Responsible Travel
Our conservation commitment, community principles, and how your booking gives back.
Q
What is our conservation commitment?
Responsible tourism is built into how we operate at every level, not added as a marketing statement:
Community employment: Every guide is locally born, locally trained, and paid above local market rates. Your safari income stays in the destination, employed by the people who live there.
Chobe Angels Training Academy: We donate $250 from every conservation expedition booking directly to this programme, which trains local women in northern Botswana as professional wildlife rangers, conservation scientists, and anti-poaching scouts.
Low-volume travel: We operate small private groups only. Never mass tourism. We partner exclusively with lodges that operate at controlled visitor density.
Electric vehicles: On select Botswana expeditions, we use electric safari vehicles — zero emissions, zero noise disturbance.
Impact reporting: Conservation expedition guests receive a post-trip report showing exactly how their contribution was used.
Q
What are our community tourism principles?
We operate on the principle that tourism should leave communities economically stronger and culturally respected — not dependent, commodified, or disrupted.
Guides and staff: All guides are local. We do not import guiding talent from outside communities.
Lodge selection: We only work with lodges that meet our minimum community employment requirements — meaning a defined percentage of staff must come from the immediate local community.
Cultural visits: Community visits (Himba in Namibia, Maasai in Tanzania, Zanzibar spice farms) are conducted only with explicit community consent and on terms set by the community. Visiting fees are paid directly to community funds, not passed through operators.
Photography ethics: We never place guests in positions where local people are photographed without consent. Your guide manages this on every interaction.
Q
How does my booking give back?
Every Tourist Lads booking creates direct, traceable conservation and community value. For standard safari bookings:
Direct employment: Your guide earns a living wage for each day of your itinerary. Your lodge stay employs a lodge manager, housekeeping staff, kitchen staff, and maintenance workers — all local.
Park fees: National park entry fees (included in your package) fund wildlife protection, anti-poaching patrols, and habitat management.
Lodge conservation levies: Many of our partner lodges charge a per-night conservation levy that funds specific local wildlife projects. This is built into your package price.
For conservation expedition bookings (The Blue and The Bleached, 6 Nights Conservation Package, Genesis and Galaxy):
$250 per booking donated directly to the Chobe Angels Training Academy on top of all standard contributions.
Q
What sustainability certifications does Tourist Lads hold?
We assess every partner lodge and operator against a defined set of sustainability criteria before placing guests with them. The criteria include:
Energy: Solar or renewable energy generation on-site. Diesel generator use minimised or eliminated.
Water: Grey water recycling systems. Borehole rather than municipal supply where available.
Waste: Waste separation and composting. Plastic elimination policy.
Wildlife corridors: No fencing that disrupts natural animal movement. Lodges positioned to allow wildlife passage.
Community: Defined minimum local employment percentage. Community benefit fund contributions documented.
Several of our Botswana and Namibia partner properties hold formal Travelife, Rainforest Alliance, or national eco-certification. Details available on request.
Every Tourist Lads journey is designed around one principle:
Your visit should leave the destination genuinely better for the next visitor and for the next generation of wildlife.
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