Passports are required by all foreign visitors and must be valid for 6 months after the intended length of stay. Please ensure that you have at least 2 consecutive blank visa pages (not endorsement pages) in your passport.
It is imperative that you check your visa requirements with the relevant embassies / consulates as it may vary according to your nationality. This is your responsibility.
Botswana & South Africa
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN: All minors travelling through all ports of entry must strictly adhere to requirements. Minors must be in possession of:
• Valid Passports
• Certified unabridged birth certificates for all minors below the age of 18
• A letter of consent from the other parent should the minor be travelling with one parent.
Insurance
It is essential adequate travel insurance be taken out prior to departure. This should cover any medical situation such as hospitalization, as well as cancellation, curtailment of arrangements and baggage. When you travel with African Bush Camps, you are automatically covered by our emergency evacuation insurance. This guarantees emergency evacuation to the nearest hospital should you suffer either severe illness or injury. This does not cover the cost of treatment once in hospital and in no way replaces your normal travel insurance.nationality. This is your responsibility.
African Bush Camps and its agents and associates cannot be held responsible or liable for loss, damage, or the theft of personal luggage and belongings, nor can they be held liable for personal injury, accident or illness.
Health Requirements
Anyone who has any special medication should take enough supplies to last the visit.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificates are required for entry into Southern Africa if you have travelled through the yellow fever belt.
Please consult your physician before you travel to Africa for advice on precautions against malaria and other recommended vaccinations.
For preliminary information you can also check:
United Kingdom: Foreign Travel Advice
United States: Foreign Travel Advice
As you will be travelling in vehicles and aircraft with limited space, luggage is required to be packed in a soft bag. No hard suitcases are allowed, and oversized bags may not be carried on your lap. An additional seat can be booked for extra luggage, subject to availability.
The luggage restriction for internal light aircraft flights:
Soft sided bags only. Maximum weight of 20kg (44 lbs) which includes hand luggage.
For loading purposes, we also require the weight of each individual, so the pilot can plan accordingly. Persons over 120kg may be required to purchase an additional seat. Please notify us on the Personal Information Form
As a general guide, comfortable, casual wash & wear clothes recommended. Muted colours are recommended for game viewing. Game drives are generally conducted in the early morning and late afternoon which can be very cold, especially in winter.
The most practical items to pack for safari are:
• Khaki, green, beige and neutral colours (Camouflagepatterned clothing is not permitted in Zimbabwe. This applies to any clothing that can be construed as mimicking military-wear.)
• Shirts with long sleeves (even in summer, as protection from the sun and mosquitoes)
• T-shirts
• Shorts or light skirt
• Jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days
• Jackets and sweaters are recommended for early morning and evening game drives.
• Lightweight water-proof jacket
• Swim and beachwear
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, insect repellent, moisturizer and lip-salve are all essentials.
• Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion supplied at camps)
• Personal medications
• Binoculars and camera equipment
Most camps do their best to deliver a same day laundry service, weather permitting. Dry cleaning is not available at camp. Please be mindful that, due to different cultures and customs in many of the areas in which we operate in, some of our camps do not wash any underwear so the camps provide soap suds in your room for delicate items.
Zimbabwe - Botswana - Zambia
The climate in this region is mainly temperate. Summer - October to April - can be very hot, but daytime temperatures typically average around 30ºC (86ºF). The rainy season lasts from January to March. Winter -May to September - brings cooler weather with an average temperature of 25ºC (77ºF); early mornings and evenings may be very cold.
1 hour 40 minute flight from Victoria Falls International Airport1 hour
30 minute flight from Harare International Airport
30 minute flight from Mana Pools
1 hour 30 minute flight from Hwange
All flights landing at Bumi HIlls Airstrip have a 5 minute transfer to camp
• Check-in is 1.5 hours prior for domestic and 3 hours prior for international departures.
• Scheduled regional and inter-lodge flights may involve multiple stops before reaching destination. Flights are operated as “shuttle transfers” and therefore departure times and scheduling are only confirmed the day before travel and may vary up to 1 hour. Times are subject to change without notice. Flight scheduling will be communicated to camp managers or hotel guest relations.
• In the event of bad weather airlines reserve the right to drop guests off at the nearest serviceable airstrip which may mean a road transfer for guests to get to their destination. Any costs resulting from such diversions would be for your own account.
• Some shuttle inter-lodge flights may depart very early in the morning which means you will miss your morning activity. Regrettably, this is beyond our control as flights are scheduled to meet onward flight transfers and connecting flights out of the various international airports. If a specific departure time is required, a private charter would need to be booked and paid for.
Most properties will have a charging station in the communal area where you can charge your cameras etc, and only some will have electricity available in the rooms / tents. Some properties may supply converters; however, we recommend bringing your own.
Botswana: Electric plug M, or G (rare) 230V, 50Hz.
Zambia: Electric plugs C, D & G 230V 50Hz.
Zimbabwe: Electrical plug D & G. 220V and 50Hz
Most camps and lodges do not offer WiFi or internet connection. We encourage you to enjoy the opportunity to “switch off”.
USD Cash is the preferred currency for any curio shopping and tips. Banks and foreign exchange bureaus are available at all international airports and main towns. ATMs do not dispense USD notes.
Properties with a gift shop will have credit card facilities.
Please make sure you have sufficient cash for duration of your stay.
English is widely spoken throughout Southern Africa.
Most dietary requirements can be catered for. Please advise us of any specific dietary requirements and these will be communicated to all properties in advance of your stay.
Please make sure to bring sufficient memory cards and batteries as these are not readily available in Southern Africa. Please remember to ask permission before taking a photograph of any local resident.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) are not allowed.
Guide, Camp Host, Camp staff
USD 15 per person per day.
Tipping to each of our staff is discretionary. The above is a guideline. Please note tips cannot be paid on card machines, and USD cash is the preferred method. Tip boxes are used for general staff and can be found the main areas at Camp. Please note, Guides and Camp Hosts do not share in this tip box.
Please see the full range of African Bushcamps Covid19 related protocols & policies in the Documents section