Private luxury Safari in East Africa

Tanzania, Kenya & Rwanda

BEFORE YOU DEPART

PRIORITY CHECKLIST

● Passport – Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the last day of your trip. There must be two (2) blank pages for every country you visit. Do not count the pages for amendments at the back of US passports as blank pages.

● International Flight Ticket – Please reconfirm all flights 48 hours prior to departure. Most airlines no longer require confirmation, but this will give you an opportunity to verify that your flight times have not been changed. Unfortunately, some airlines no longer notify passengers of schedule changes. (Plan to arrive at the airport 2 hours prior to international departure.)

● Visas – Please be sure to carefully check your visa requirements before your intended date of travel, as Epic Road cannot be held responsible should the necessary visa requirements not be fulfilled. Visas are required for entry into Tanzania & Kenya. Should you decide to get your visas upon arrival, please remember to bring the exact change for a visa and bank notes MUST be from 2001 and onwards or they will not be accepted. Epic Road DOES NOT recommend getting your visas on arrival, as the wait varies and can at times be a couple hours.

● Proof of Yellow Fever Vaccination

-Often required for entry into Tanzania or South Africa following a visit to a yellow fever country such as Kenya; it is sometimes recommended you obtain this inoculation regardless (and bring your yellow fever card) as the policy is unpredictably enforced. It is law if you have been to a country that is recognized as a yellow fever risk country on the same itinerary. Please consult your doctor.

● Photocopy of the picture page & visa pages of passport, extra passport photos

– Keep these in a separate place in your luggage. If you lose your passport, having these photocopies and extra passport photos will greatly expedite the replacement process.

● Travel & Medical Insurance – Please carry the documentation with you. Epic Road requires that adequate travel and medical insurance be taken out prior to departure. This must cover any medical situation such as hospitalization, as well as cancellation, curtailment of arrangements and baggage. You must provide proof of insurance to Epic Road prior to your departure.

● Personal First Aid Kit – Basic medications and prescriptions

● Money – see note below.

Flight Delays or Changes:

If your flights are delayed, changed, or canceled we cannot be responsible for any losses, although we will do our best to help you.

Luggage weight restrictions:

Please note that the luggage limit for travelers on intra-country flights is 15 kgs (33 lbs) per person in a soft bag. Only soft-sided luggage is permitted. Soft sided luggage can have wheels. These rules are imposed for the aircraft safety of you and your fellow passengers. Though you may see other travelers with luggage that violates these guidelines, we are providing you with the official rules from the airlines.

● Soft (all sides) luggage / duffel bags – with no rigid sides

● Maximum luggage weight is 15 kgs (33 lbs) (including all carry-on luggage, if more than one bag and camera equipment.

● Recommended maximum dimensions are 10x12x24 inches with collapsible handles

● Any excess is available on a space basis on the plane, so there are no guarantees.

The luggage restrictions appear minimal, however please bear in mind the following:

● Most hotels/safari camps/lodges provide basic toilet amenities

● Laundry can be done on a daily basis (safari camps provide this service free of charge, but hotels do charge a nominal fee)

● Mainly casual clothing is required

Lost Luggage:

Luggage does not get lost often; however, should this unfortunate situation occur, you will be eternally grateful that you are wearing or carrying your walking shoes, an additional change of clothing, and other irreplaceable items.

Carry on Luggage:

It is highly recommended that you hand-carry any essential items. Pack the following irreplaceable items in your carry-on bag:

● Passport

● Prescription medications (including malaria pills) and eyewear

● One change of clothing (including comfortable walking shoes if you’re not wearing them)

● Money (including traveler’s checks)

● Fragile and valuable items such as cameras

INTRA-AFRICA FLIGHTS:

There are no paper tickets required for your intra-Africa flights. You just need to state your full names at the respective travel desk or with the pilot at the airstrip. Your guide will help you with this process. Light aircraft flights in Africa, even private charters, can be quite prone to delays and changes, so please be flexible and know that all resources are in place to ensure your timely departures and arrivals.

ELECTRICITY/VOLTAGE:

Electric current is, in most cases, 220/240 volts and Plugs D & G (3 PIN square plugs). Although most of the hotels do have universal plug adaptors, sometimes you may want an extra plug adapter and an extra universal plug adaptor can come in handy. Please be aware that the electricity service can be erratic or even non-existent in some of the more remote bush camps.

Photography:

Please be careful when photographing public buildings, airports, bridges, the national flag and people in uniform. If you do not get permission, then do not take a picture. If in doubt, don’t photograph it! Please make sure permission has been sought before photographing local people, and their villages. They may charge for pictures to be taken. Please check with your guide.

COMMUNICATION:

In Tanzania, communication with abroad ranges from manageable to difficult. Telephones can be unreliable and exceedingly expensive. If you must stay in contact with home, we suggest you rent a satellite phone. Some of your hotels have satellite phones that may be used sparingly and charged at current rates. If you do bring a phone, we remind you of these guidelines in camp:

● Ensure the ring tone is kept at a low volume to avoid disturbing other guests

● Use your phone only in the privacy of your room and not in common areas or during activities with other travelers

WEATHER CONDITIONS:

Tanzania’s climate is predominantly tropical. Temperatures on safari are typically moderate, although it can get very hot and very cold. It is advisable to bring light cotton shirts for day time drives and then a fleece, sweater and windbreaker for the mornings and evenings. Please bear in mind that the Ngorongoro Crater is at an altitude of 2300m above sea level and can therefore be close to freezing at night. The coolest months are June to August when the nights and early mornings can be cold. In high-altitude areas such as Kilimanjaro, temperatures can fall below freezing. Coastal areas are hot and humid with an average daytime temperature of 85 F, but sea breezes make the climate very pleasant. The weather can be tough to predict at any time of year, due to the close proximity of the great lakes which can create dramatic weather systems under the right conditions, so you should be prepared for wind, possible precipitation, and cool evenings and early morning. Layers are very important, especially for evening and early morning game drives. The wind can be cool, but the sun is also strong. Bring extra layers along on evening game drives, because when the sun goes down the temperature drops rapidly. The safari vehicles have blankets on board for extra warmth. It is advisable to check weather conditions for up-to-date temperatures and weather conditions the night before departure. This will help to pack more accurately for the prevailing conditions.

LAUNDRY WHILE ON SAFARI:

Anytime you are at the same safari lodge for two or more nights, you can have laundry done. Generally laundry is hand washed and line dried. Give it to the lodge on arrival, don’t delay.

MONEY:

In addition to credit cards, travelers should bring US dollars cash and traveler’s cheques. Small denominations are recommended. All bills should have been issued after 2001 and must be in good condition. If you are carrying US dollars, bring plenty of $10’s, $5’s and $1’s as they are needed for tipping.

TIPPING:

In all instances, tipping is treated as a personal matter and a gratuity is given when you feel the service warrants it. This is merely a guideline and you are free to tip more, less or not at all. Tips may be given in shillings or US dollars. If you are tipping in US dollars, make sure bills are the newer designs issued after 2001.

On safari: Guideline

- Please multiply the following figures by the number of people in your party

- Driver guides: $10–15 per person, per day, can be handed directly.

- General safari camp/lodge staff: $5–10 per person, per day, placed in the communal tipping box at each camp/lodge (usually in the bar/lounge). If there is no tipping box, then this can be given to the camp manager who will make sure that it is divided evenly amongst all staff.

- It is not unusual for families to give slightly below these figures, given they’re traveling as a group and amounts can quickly add up.

GIFTS:

Despite the generous urges we all experience while traveling; giving money, candy or gifts to children is a proven recipe for undesired or unhealthy behaviors. If you wish to do something for the people you meet, we suggest making a financial contribution to a proper organization, which directly funds carefully screened social, educational, and conservation programs in Tanzania and Kenya. Please contact your hotel or Epic Road for additional information- we would be thrilled to help you and consider this a core part of the services we provide.

SAFETY ON SAFARI:

While all of the animals you encounter on safari are wild and, therefore, potentially dangerous, attacks by animals are extremely rare. Occasions for these rare attacks typically arise when common-sense guidelines and established safeguards are ignored. We strongly advise that you pay close attention to the instructions of your guides and camp staff, professionals whose years of leadership and judgment in the field will enhance your experience while increasing your safety.

CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN TANZANIA and KENYA:

Tanzania is politically stable, and you will spend most of your time in remote, peaceful areas and very little time in cities, where most events occur. We remind you that it is important to be discreet when talking politics with the people you will encounter. Your local guides will advise you as to appropriate and inappropriate behavior. The US State Department issues a “Consular Information Sheet” for every country in the world. Other countries provide similar information, please check your country’s website. Your safety is paramount and Epic Road has taken all measures to ascertain the situation in the places you’re visiting; however, it is not possible for us to predict all potential difficulties or dangers. Travelers are responsible for taking this into account and making their own decision to travel here as they would anywhere in the world.

IF YOU BECOME ILL DURING YOUR TRIP:

If you become ill while you are on your trip, please notify your guide and the hotel at the first sign of illness. Please don’t wait.

CONTACT DETAILS FOR YOUR TRIP:

In Country Ground Handler

Emergency for Tanzania 24 hr duty mobiles:

Epic Road will provide you with our Ground Handler’s phone numbers prior to departure.

Epic Road Team While Traveling

+1 646 580 3050

hello@epicroad.com

OTHER EMERGENCIES:

If you experience a logistical emergency – air issues, security, trip operations – use the contact numbers for Epic Road and Emergency Tanzania ground handler number. Should you encounter any issues along your journey, it may be easier for you to resolve them locally with the hotel, guide, or pilot, however, please reach out to Epic Road for any reason should the need arise. And also please let us know if something has gone wrong (even if you have resolved it locally) so that we can make sure that things go smoothly going forward.

IMPORTANT PERSONAL ITEMS:

When completing your packing, we suggest that you review the detailed packing list. Please REMEMBER the following very important items:

● Passport

● Passport-sized photographs (to safeguard in the event that you lose your passport)

● Photocopy of picture page of passport showing number, photo, etc.

● Yellow Fever Inoculation Certificate

● Travel Protection Plan wallet card

● Anti-Malaria tablets (at your discretion)

● Personal prescription drugs – Be sure to carry these in your hand luggage

● Camera with 300mm zoom and extra film or memory cards, batteries and battery charger

● Binoculars- a good pair for each traveler are a must for safari (especially for those traveling without a camera with a telephoto lens)!

● Universal voltage adapter and converter kit

● All relevant visas

ADDITIONAL SAFARI PACKING LIST:

As a general guide, comfortable, casual wash and wear clothes are recommended. Please note that muted colors are recommended for game-viewing. Game-drives are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon, which can be very cold, especially in winter. Dress is casual on safari, but can be very trendy in Cape Town (like New York). Leave your ripped jeans at home. Africans of all socioeconomic levels, across the entire continent, pride themselves on neatness in dress and personal appearance. Clothes should preferably be hand-washable and dry quickly.

Visit www.epicroad.squarespace.com/best-time-to-go-on-safari for our full packing list and advice on binoculars and cameras.

● Khaki, green, beige and neutral colors (dark blue and black clothing should be avoided, as it attracts Tsetse flies)

● Shirts with long sleeves (even in summer, as protection from the sun, mosquitoes and Tsetse flies)

● T-shirts

● Shorts or a light skirt

● Jeans or cargo pants for evenings and cooler days

● A jacket and sweater are recommended for early morning and evening game drives

● Lightweight water-proof jacket

● Swim and beachwear

● Padi scuba certifications

● Comfortable walking shoes

● Sun block, sunglasses, hat, moisturizer and lip-balm are essential

● Strong insect repellent (at least 25% DEET), although the hotels will provide

● Flashlight and spare batteries

● Luci micro solar lights for community distribution if applicable

● Toiletries in plastic bags (e.g., ziploc)

● Although most hotels and lodges are equipped with a First Aid kit, we suggest that you bring a few well-chosen articles, such as: band-aids, travel sickness tablets, antiseptic cream, antihistamine cream, pain relieving tablets for headaches, indigestion tablets, eye drops, medication for upset stomachs and after-sun moisturizer.

● We remind travelers who have any allergies i.e. insect stings, or an asthma condition, to pack the required medication.

● Spare eyeglasses/contacts and your most recent prescription

Operating Standards:

The staff of Epic Road is dedicated to preserving the character of the lands and cultures we visit. We invite you to call us for a description of the steps we are taking to promote environmental and cultural preservation.

TRIP GRADE:

This trip is graded Easy to Moderate Touring, as all accommodations, tented camps, touring conditions and facilities are good to excellent. You will travel on small light air charters domestically, usually not exceeding 2 hours per flight. All game drives are operated in 4-wheel drive vehicles; you will be driving over uneven surfaces at low speeds. More rigorous activities like walking safaris and horseback riding are optional and can be adjusted to fit your desired activity level.

Africa's wild animals are unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Photographic safari activities and staying in any safari camp, places visitors in close proximity to wild animals; it is therefore an inherent risk to those persons wishing to undertake these activities. In the safari camps, paths leading to your tent/room and the common areas are often uneven, and sometimes poorly lit, so care must be taken when walking around camps.

ABOUT TRAVEL:

Your East Africa journey will present opportunities to meet local people as well as other travelers. As you all well know, travel in East Africa can be arduous and fraught with logistical delays and challenges leading to necessary changes in your itinerary. You will endure the rigors of rough roads and full schedules, and share the fantastic rewards of discovering remote lands. Africa is not the easiest place to experience and again, as you know, that is part of its appeal. Your positive attitude, flexibility, and interaction are essential to making the most of your exploration.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

While we endeavor to make the itinerary as accurate as possible, it should be considered as an approximate schedule of activities rather than a rigid schedule of events. Trip itineraries are subject to revision due to weather, trail conditions, government restrictions, and other factors beyond our control. We will make every effort to notify trip participants in advance of any changes, but due to the nature of global travel, this is not always possible. We trust you are looking forward to your journey and safari. Please feel free to email or call us with further questions.

Bon voyage!

Sincerely,

The Epic Road Team

www.epicroad.com + USA: (+1) 646 580 3050 + hello@epicroad.com