Everything you need to know about a trip: how to get there, what to pack, and what to expect.
Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, is well served by a number of international air carriers, including the national carrier, Kenya Airways. Other airlines currently flying direct to the capital include British Airways, KLM / AirFrance, Lufthansa, Turkish Airways, Etihad, Emirates, Qatar Airways, with numerous code-share options available. For an up-to-date schedule, please consult your preferred travel agent or online resource.
Many nationalities, including the US and the UK, require a visa to enter Kenya, prior to arrival. A single- entry visa must be obtained before arriving in the country, which allows you to remain in Kenya for up to 90 days. The single-entry visa’s current fee is US$51 (subject to change), and is obtainable through the eCitizen website (manual applications are not accepted). For a list of nationalities requiring a visa, please refer here. Your passport should be valid for 6 months from the date you arrive. You should have at least two blank pages in your passport on arrival.
All passengers travelling into and out of Kenya are required to abide by the travel-, health- and COVID-19-related requirements of Kenya and any other destination country.
From 9 May 2023, the Government of Kenya no longer requires proof of either COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test for entry into Kenya.
On departure, testing and other requirements depend on which airline you’ll be departing with and the particular travel, health and COVID-19-related requirements of your destination country. If you are travelling to a country that requires an antigen test, please contact us for more information on pre-departure testing stations.
Many countries require travellers to have a Yellow Fever certificate prior to returning from a visit to Kenya, including children from the age of nine months. For updated advice, we recommend consulting the World Health Organisation’s website and checking their list of specific country requirements.
All guests should get travel insurance at the time of booking to ensure they are covered for cancellations, and check that their health provider covers their travel and any hospital admissions while in Kenya.
Please note that scheduled flights to the Mara carry a luggage restriction of 15kg (33lbs) per person in soft bags, including carry-ons, camera equipment, etc. The dimensions of the bag should not be more than 58cm (23in) long x 33cm (13in) high x 25cm (10in) wide. The carriage of excess baggage is at the sole discretion of the airline and may be subject to additional charges. Soft bags and/or storage are available at Wilson Airport.
We have some advice for you here, but in a nutshell:
• Comfortable cotton clothing
• A light jacket and/or warm fleece
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Sunhat, sunglasses, sun block
• Bathing suit
• An extra pair of reading glasses (if you need them)
• Camera, binoculars, extra memory cards, charging equipment
In an effort to reduce the impact on the environment, Kenya has made the use and importation of all plastic bags illegal. The ban applies to carrier bags, flat bags, zip-lock bags, etc. Plastic bags (including those from duty-free shopping) are known to be confiscated upon arrival in Nairobi. In line with this, Angama properties are plastic bag-free.
All guests at Angama properties are covered by an insurance policy for evacuation due to a medical emergency, of up to US$25,000 — which would typically include evacuation by fixed-wing plane from Angama Airfield to Wilson Airport in Nairobi and transfer to the renowed Nairobi Private Hospital.
For your peace of mind, AMREF are the subcontracted transport providers.
Trained paramedics and nurses are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can assist with any diagnosis or treatment advice should it be required, as well as dissemination of medical supplies which are regularly restocked and compliant with the Interhealth Worldwide base kit. South African-qualified doctors are also available over the phone should they be required. These services are provided by Africa Assist.
The main airport is Julius Nyerere International Airport located just outside of Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, and is serviced by a number of international carriers, including the national carrier Air Tanzania, along with Emirates, Kenya Airways, SWISS, KLM / Air France and Qatar Airways to name a few. Kilimanjaro International Airport, just east of the town of Arusha, is the gateway to Tanzania’s safari circuit, but many charter airlines operate out of the smaller Arusha Airport.
Visas are required for visitors from many countries, including the UK and the US and are available upon entry at all official entry points. However, it is recommended that visas are obtained in advance online on the Tanzania Electronic Visa Application System.
Ordinary / Tourist visas cost US$100 for American citizens and US$50 for other nationalities; applications must be accompanied by two recent passport-sized photographs. Please ensure your passport is valid for at least six months and has at least three empty visa pages.
All passengers travelling into and out of Tanzania are required to abide by the travel-, health- and COVID-19-related requirements of Tanzania and any other destination country. Please see the latest Tanzanian government COVID-19 Travel Requirements for more details and the requirements below.
You do not need to show a COVID-19 vaccination certificate or negative COVID0-19 test to enter Tanzania. Health officials may screen you for symptoms on arrival and may also randomly select travellers for rapid antigen testing.
On departure, testing and other requirements depend on which airline you’ll be departing with and the particular travel, health and COVID-19-related requirements of your destination country. If you are travelling to a country that requires an antigen test, please contact us for more information on pre-departure testing stations.
Many countries require travellers to have a Yellow Fever certificate prior to returning from a visit to Kenya, including children from the age of nine months. For updated advice, we recommend consulting the World Health Organisation’s website and checking their list of specific country requirements.
Malaria is present in Tanzania and we recommend that you consult a specialist travel physician or travel clinic prior to travelling.
All guests should get travel insurance at the time of booking to cover any potential cancellations and check that their health provider covers their travel and any hospital admissions while in Tanzania.
Please note that scheduled flights to many safari destinations in Tanzania carry a luggage restriction of 15kg (33lbs) per person in soft bags, including carry-ons, camera equipment, etc. The dimensions of the bag should not be more than 58cm (23in) long x 33cm (13in) high x 25cm (10in) wide. The carriage of excess baggage is at the sole discretion of the airline and may be subject to additional charges.
Not sure what to pack? Don’t forget:
In an effort to reduce the impact on the environment, Tanzania has made the use and importation of all plastic bags illegal. The ban applies to carrier bags, zip lock bags, etc. Plastic bags (including those from duty-free shopping) may be confiscated upon arrival in Tanzania.
The international dialling code for Tanzania is +255 and local SIM cards are readily available with prepaid credit to be purchased at the same time. The local currency is the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) but US dollars are widely accepted. You may have some trouble exchanging high denomination notes, and only those issued after 2009 are accepted. Credit cards are accepted by only a few lodges and hotels.
All international flights arrive at the capital’s Kigali International Airport. Due to the hilly nature of the terrain across Rwanda, there are not many regional airstrips suitable for fixed-wing aircraft available, and most visitors choose to either enjoy scenic flights by helicopter, or scenic drives by road; these are generally in good condition.
To enter Rwanda you will need a passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry, with at least three consecutive blank pages. Visas can be obtained upon arrival and cost US$50 (payable by credit card), valid for a period of 90 days. Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda offer an East Africa Tourist Visa, allowing travellers to visit multiple countries at a cost of US$100, valid for 90 days and can be obtained online.
All passengers travelling into and out of Rwanda are required to abide by the travel-, health- and COVID-19-related requirements of Rwanda and any other destination country. While vaccination is encouraged, visitors are not required to present proof of full vaccination to enter Rwanda. There is also no requirement for COVID-19 testing prior to departure or on arrival.
The Government of Rwanda has removed all requirements for guests to present negative RT-PCR COVID-19 and Rapid Antigen COVID-19 tests when visiting the country’s National Parks, with immediate effect.
Please note that all travellers over the age of 5 years, due to visit primates at Volcanoes National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park and Gashwati-Mukura National Park are required to wear face masks.
When departing Rwanda, testing and other requirements depend on which airline you are flying with and the particular travel-, health- and COVID-19-related requirements of your destination country.
Many countries require travellers to have a Yellow Fever certificate prior to returning from a visit to Kenya, including children from the age of nine months. For updated advice, we recommend consulting the World Health Organisation’s website and checking their list of specific country requirements.
Malaria is present across East Africa and Rwanda is no exception. We recommend that you consult a specialist travel physician or travel clinic prior to travelling.
All guests should get travel insurance at the time of booking to cover any potential cancellations and check that their health provider covers their travel and any hospital admissions while in Rwanda.
Not sure what to pack? Don’t forget:
Please note:
In an effort to reduce the impact on the environment, Rwanda has made the use and importation of all plastic bags illegal. The ban applies to carrier bags, flat bags, zip lock bags, etc. Plastic bags, including those from duty-free shopping, may be confiscated upon arrival.
The international dialling code for Rwanda is +250 and local SIM cards are readily available with prepaid credit to be purchased at the same time. The local currency is the Rwandan Franc (RWF) but US dollars are widely accepted. You may have some trouble exchanging high denomination notes, and only those issued after 2006 are accepted. Credit cards are accepted by only a few lodges and hotels.
All international flights arrive at Entebbe International Airport, on the shores of Lake Victoria and 40km south of the capital, Kampala. National parks are best accessed via light aircraft and road transfers.
Many nationalities, including the US and the UK, require a visa to enter Uganda, prior to arrival. A single-entry visa must be obtained before arriving in the country, which allows you to remain in Uganda for up to 90 days. The single-entry visas’s current fee us US$50 (subject to change), and is obtainable through their online visa portal (manual applications are not accepted). Your passport should be valid for six months from the date you arrive. You should have at least three blank pages in your passport on arrival.
Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya offer an East Africa Tourist Visa, allowing travellers to visit multiple countries at a cost of US$100, valid for 90 days. This can be obtained online.
All passengers travelling into and out of Uganda are required to abide by the travel-, health- and COVID-19-related requirements of Uganda and any other destination country.
For entry into Uganda, travellers are required to:
On departure, testing and other requirements depend on which airline you are departing with and the particular travel-, health- and COVID-19-related requirements of your destination country.
Many countries require travellers to have a Yellow Fever certificate prior to returning from a visit to Uganda, including children from the age of one year. Polio vaccinations are also required for children younger than five years of age. For updated advice, we recommend consulting the relevant pages on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) website, and checking its list of specific country requirements.
Malaria is present in Uganda and we recommend that you consult a specialist travel physician or travel clinic prior to travelling.
Please note that scheduled flights to many safari destinations in Uganda carry a luggage restriction of 15kg (33lbs) per person in soft bags, including carry-ons, camera equipment, etc. The dimensions of the bag should not be more than 58cm (23in) long x 33cm (13in) high x 25cm (10in) wide. The carriage of excess baggage is at the sole discretion of the airline and may be subject to additional charges.
All guests should get travel insurance at the time of booking to cover any potential cancellations and check that their health provider covers their travel and any hospital admissions while in Uganda.
Not sure what to pack? Don’t forget:
In an effort to reduce the impact on the environment, many East Africa countries have made the use and importation of all plastic bags illegal. The ban applies to carrier bags, zip lock bags, etc. Plastic bags (including those from duty-free shopping) may be confiscated upon arrival.
The international dialling code for Uganda is +256 and local SIM cards are readily available with prepaid credit to be purchased at the same time. The local currency is the Ugandan Shilling (UGX) but US dollars are widely accepted. You may have some trouble exchanging high denomination notes, and only those issued after 2006 are accepted. Credit cards are accepted by only a few lodges and hotels.
