Plan your safari
Everything, in order

The Safari Planning Guide

Every generic planning answer lives here, once and kept current — so each destination page can stay about the destination. Work through the four stages, or jump to the answer you need.

Written by Evance & Jenny — reviewed and updated August 2026.

Stage 2

Budget & book

What it costs, what’s included, and when to commit.

What a luxury safari costs What’s included When to book Booking terms (official) Travel with confidence

Stage 3

Prepare

Flights, entry rules, health and the packing list.

Flights from the USA Vaccinations & health The packing list What to pack — the thinking

Stage 4

On safari

The rhythm of the days, and the small practical graces.

A day on safari Tipping on safari Is a safari safe?

Kept in one place

The essentials, for every safari we plan

Documents, health and packing are the same across most of the continent, so we maintain them here rather than repeating them on every country page; money, tipping and connectivity are answered just below. Country pages keep only what is specific to that country. Rules change; we confirm every requirement for your routing when you book.

Passports
Most safari countries ask that your passport be valid for at least six months beyond your return date, with at least two blank pages for stamps. South Africa is the exception: validity of 30 days beyond your departure and two blank pages. Seychelles, Mauritius and Morocco require validity for the length of your stay, though six months remains the safe habit. Renew early if you are close to the line.
Entry
Kenya uses an online eTA (about $30), Tanzania a $100 multiple-entry eVisa, Uganda a $50 eVisa and Rwanda a $50 visa on arrival, or a single East Africa Tourist Visa for Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda together. South Africa, Botswana and Zambia admit US citizens without a visa for tourism; Zimbabwe issues one on arrival, and Namibia introduced a visa on arrival for US citizens in 2025. Egypt offers an e-visa or visa on arrival; Morocco, Seychelles and Mauritius are visa-free, with Seychelles asking for a short online travel authorization. We send exact links and timings with your itinerary.
Health
Malaria prophylaxis is advised for most safari areas; South Africa's malaria-free reserves and the highland cities are the exceptions. A yellow-fever certificate is required by Uganda for all arrivals and elsewhere only if you arrive from an endemic country. Comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation is essential, and Zanzibar adds a mandatory visitor insurance. Our vaccinations and health guide goes deeper.
Packing
Soft bags, neutral colors, layers for cold dawns and a 33 lb (15 kg) light-aircraft allowance on most routes. Cameras yes, drones no. The full checklist is our African safari packing list, and the thinking behind it is in what to pack for a safari.

Entry and health rules summarized from official sources and reviewed September 2026. Always check the current requirement for your passport before departure; we do the same for every traveler we book.

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The universal answers

Money & tippingUS dollars are widely accepted at safari camps for tips and extras, and cards work at most lodges and city hotels. Most costs are prepaid in your itinerary, so cash is mainly for tips: plan on roughly $10–20 per guest per day for your guide and $10–15 for camp staff, handed over at the end of each stay. We send exact guidance with your final documents — full etiquette in the tipping guide. Local-currency notes for Botswana, Zambia and others appear on those country pages.
Staying connectedNearly all lodges have Wi-Fi in the main areas (often in-tent too), and an eSIM from your US carrier covers the cities. Expect to be offline on game drives — most guests come to see that as the point. Family back home can always reach you through us, day or night.
The green seasonIn the rainy months many camps drop their rates by 20–40% — emerald landscapes, newborn wildlife, superb birding and far fewer vehicles, traded against some rain and dispersed game. Peak season isn’t the only great season: tell us your budget and we’ll show you what the green season buys. Month-by-month detail is on when to go.
InsuranceTravel insurance is not optional on a journey of this value — we tell you what it must cover and when to buy it, at booking. The schedule it protects you against is set out plainly in our terms and conditions.

This safari planning guide covers the decisions that shape a journey before the details do.

Or skip the reading — tell us your month and what you want to feel, and we will do the planning.

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