I Wish I Knew __________ Before Going to Africa

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YETI

YETI

Well-known member
This summer, winter there, my family is doing a tourist (i.e. not hunting) safari to Kenya and Rhode.... er Zimbabwe. (I'm hunting in SA next year, don't worry about my man card) Having never been to Africa, I'm sure there are things I will wish I had known before going. I've read a few on here: Don't bring my Gin shirt to Zimbabwe, no camo, don't drink the local water, etc. I also know I'll need to bring some sort of adapter for charging electronics.

So what am I missing? What did you wish you had known or brought on your first Africa trip??
 
YETI said:
This summer, winter there, my family is doing a tourist (i.e. not hunting) safari to Kenya and Rhode.... er Zimbabwe. (I'm hunting in SA next year, don't worry about my man card) Having never been to Africa, I'm sure there are things I will wish I had known before going. I've read a few on here: Don't bring my Gin shirt to Zimbabwe, no camo, don't drink the local water, etc. I also know I'll need to bring some sort of adapter for charging electronics.

So what am I missing? What did you wish you had known or brought on your first Africa
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You can get any and everything you need right there. SA is Africa light.
 
Yeti, for sure, bring adapters. Easy to find relatively inexpensively at Target, Walmart or Bezos' Emporium of Cheap Chinese Stuff. On another post, I mentioned my experience with African Tick Bite fever...it sucks. Get your local Doc to prescribe doxycycline if you're going to be in an area with tick bite fever and/or malaria. Doxy works for both. Also azithromycin for travelers diarrhea. Take plenty of small bills for tipping. I never seem to take enough $5's and $1's. I always burn through them quickly and end up over tipping or not tipping....or looking to exchange $20/50's into local currency.
 
Kenya - you will need an eTA - Electronic Travel Authorization visa before entering Kenya: https://etakenya.go.ke/

Zimbabwe - you will need a visa but you will obtain this at the point of entry, i.e. their stamp in your U.S. passport with at least 6 months remaining on it's validity / prior to expiration and two blank pages.

Both Kenya and Zim (and most other African countries) - a Vaccination Certificate for Yellow Fever is Required if arriving from an infected area within 5 Days. Consult with your primary care provider or a travel medicine doctor about which vaccines are right for you, when to get them, and where to get them.

Visit the U.S. Department of State's Consular Affairs which provides detailed destination-specific travel and risk information to allow U.S. citizens to make informed international travel decisions.

International Travel | Travel.State.gov

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs provides travel risks, safety updates, and embassy and consulate services for U.S. citizens abroad.
travel.state.gov travel.state.gov

South Africa - if you booked your 2027 safari through Outrider, we got you. If you didn't, and you plan to bring your own rifle(s), you will need to apply for a gun permit.
 
Chris M said:
Yeti, for sure, bring adapters. Easy to find relatively inexpensively at Target, Walmart or Bezos' Emporium of Cheap Chinese Stuff. On another post, I mentioned my experience with African Tick Bite fever...it sucks. Get your local Doc to prescribe doxycycline if you're going to be in an area with tick bite fever and/or malaria. Doxy works for both. Also azithromycin for travelers diarrhea. Take plenty of small bills for tipping. I never seem to take enough $5's and $1's. I always burn through them quickly and end up over tipping or not tipping....or looking to exchange $20/50's into local currency.
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Great pointers, thank you! I have already been prescribed azithromycin but had not thought about Tick Bite Fever. I'll get him to prescribe doxycycline too since they have that in Zimbabwe. Great point on the small bills!
 
YETI said:
Great pointers, thank you! I have already been prescribed azithromycin but had not thought about Tick Bite Fever. I'll get him to prescribe doxycycline too since they have that in Zimbabwe. Great point on the small bills!
Click to expand...
Something else currency related I ran into in Zambia last summer, no one would take old $100's or $100's that had rips or torn edges. Thankfully most of my $100s for tipping were crisp new $100s, but I had a few old style $100 bills mixed in. The camp manager explained that they are very hard to transact with so it's a PITA for camp staff to use them. I tried paying my hotel bill in Lusaka with the old $100s and they wouldn't take them either. Not sure if Zim and Kenya are the same.
 
Chris M said:
Something else currency related I ran into in Zambia last summer, no one would take old $100's or $100's that had rips or torn edges. Thankfully most of my $100s for tipping were crisp new $100s, but I had a few old style $100 bills mixed in. The camp manager explained that they are very hard to transact with so it's a PITA for camp staff to use them. I tried paying my hotel bill in Lusaka with the old $100s and they wouldn't take them either. Not sure if Zim and Kenya are the same.
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Good point, thanks. Our guides told us that only new bills will be accepted, none of the old style
 
YETI said:
Great pointers, thank you! I have already been prescribed azithromycin but had not thought about Tick Bite Fever. I'll get him to prescribe doxycycline too since they have that in Zimbabwe. Great point on the small bills!
Click to expand...
Doxy makes you very sun sensitive so be sure to wear sunblock, etc. if you end up taking it.
 
My 2 cents...

(If you've done your logistics planning properly) I do not believe there are bad days in Africa. Though... I am an animal guy in general, so I love watching/observing/studying their behavior just as much as I love hunting.
 
Steven Donovan said:
My 2 cents...

(If you've done your logistics planning properly) I do not believe there are bad days in Africa. Though... I am an animal guy in general, so I love watching/observing/studying their behavior just as much as I love hunting.
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This is kind of a bucket list trip for my wife and I so we're not sparing any expense. We went with one of the premier and oldest safari companies and they have put together an amazing trip. No hunting, but we'll be seeing ALL the animals
 
YETI said:
This summer, winter there, my family is doing a tourist (i.e. not hunting) safari to Kenya and Rhode.... er Zimbabwe. (I'm hunting in SA next year, don't worry about my man card) Having never been to Africa, I'm sure there are things I will wish I had known before going. I've read a few on here: Don't bring my Gin shirt to Zimbabwe, no camo, don't drink the local water, etc. I also know I'll need to bring some sort of adapter for charging electronics.

So what am I missing? What did you wish you had known or brought on your first Africa trip??
Click to expand...
This is depending on where you’re staying but most places are doing your laundry daily so you can pack way lighter than you would expect.
 
This may sound funny, but I honestly wish I had anticipated the level of bloodlust that would wash over me. I've just done the one safari, plains game in Namibia. And thinking who knows if I ever get another, I was fully locked in. Ended up shooting 7 animals. I know I would have shot 70 given the chance. Just seeing all that for the first time, walking that ground for the first time. I felt it in some seriously unexpected ways. I just wanted to hunt and hunt and hunt. And drink beer. And hunt. So maybe the only advice is this - whatever your package includes, consider building extra budget for the unexpected. If something truly special walks out, it's good to have the green light to pull the trigger. After all, moderation is only good in moderation. To that end, and speaking of budget, I also wish I had fully understood all the ways people would take my money in the name of getting those Euros to my front door. Pretty sure I paid the mafia at the docks in Baltimore, a final fugazi import fee. That's a whole other thing ...
 
YETI said:
Several people have told me that once I go to Africa I will keep wanting to go back
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It either gets in your blood or doesn't. One trip may be more than enough....but if it's not, it'll suck every last penny out of your bank account if you let it.

I've lived all over but Southern Africa is like a magnet for me. I'm lucky that my wife and son enjoy it and I have a couple hunting buddies that will always say "sure I'll go back".

It's that one place that as many times as I go, it never gets scratched off the bucket list.
 
I haven’t taken anti malaria meds in years and I probably never will again. They zap your whole system. A co-worker got malaria when we were in Uganda years ago and he was absolutely fine with proper medical care. Similar to the flu. If you’re healthy, Maleria shouldn’t be too bad if you get treatment.

We’re too quick to take strong antibiotics as preventatives these days. Save them for when you really need them.

Also, I’ve had tick bite fever and it wasn’t too bad. Definitely not something I’d fry myself with antibiotics over.
 
Question, I've been told not to wear anything black as it attracts mozzies and flies. True or not?
 
YETI said:
Question, I've been told not to wear anything black as it attracts mozzies and flies. True or not?
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Tests flies for sure. The first fly I ever encountered, when sitting in the Land Cruiser with the PH. I smacked it hard on my leg. And lifted, and flew away like nothing hit it.

PH told me, "next time smack it down and then twist your hand and crunch it down"

They are armoured!
 
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