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  • Writer's pictureTippy Brewitt

Planning Your Next Safari: An African Travel Update

Currently, the possibility of going on safari in Africa is becoming more of a reality for many people around the world.


Although there is a newfound sense of freedom when it comes to planning your next Escape, it is often clouded with the concerns around cancelled flights, PCR testing, border crossings and general logistics. As we have seen over the past year and a half, how covid can affect your travels is everchanging. A concerted effort has gone into maintaining our close relationships with both guests and suppliers to ensure that the entire process is as smooth as possible. Now more than ever it is important to seek out advice and insight from experts, into safaris and travelling in Africa.


Continued vaccine rollouts and the lifting of lockdowns and travel restrictions have meant that many African countries are now more accessible to international travellers. Naturally, this is great news on the conservation front. A previous blog, Coronavirus, Conservation & Conservancies, highlights the challenges that the safari industry has faced since the global pandemic and the effect these challenges had on the conservation of the wild spaces and wildlife they usually protect.


Is it too presumptuous to say that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel? We are not sure, but we are certainly enjoying the influx of interest and enthusiasm towards the thought of travelling again.


We have put together details pertaining to travel in each country that we regularly operate in. Below you will hopefully find a helpful guide to booking your next African Safari. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to the Escape Safari Co. team.


Botswana

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • Present a valid negative COVID-19 PCR test result, conducted within 72 hours prior to arrival in Botswana.

  • Undergo health screening for COVID-19 symptoms and update local health authority for two weeks while self-monitoring.

  • Any visitor showing symptoms of COVID-19 will be required to undergo a PCR test and possible isolation and/or quarantine for 14 days.

Republic of Congo

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • All passengers arriving in the Republic of Congo by commercial flights should provide proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test undertaken within 72 hours upon entry, with the exception of children under 11 years of age.

  • Passengers who do not present a negative COVID-19 test upon entry will undertake a COVID-19 test at the airport and need to self-isolate for 14 days, pending the results.

  • Screening on arrival: Travellers entering the Republic of Congo may be subject to screening, including temperature checks.

  • All passengers departing from the Republic of Congo by commercial flights need to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test, undertaken within 72 hours prior to departure, with the exception of children under 11 years of age.

  • Travellers leaving the Republic of Congo may be subject to screening, including temperature checks

Kenya

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • An entry visa is required but this must now be issued in advance online via www.evisa.go.ke.

  • All passengers (inclusive of transit passengers) are required to produce a printed copy of a Negative PCR Test upon arrival at Nairobi JKIA Airport with the test taken 96 hours prior to arrival.

  • All international travellers arriving in Kenya will need to fill out a Health Surveillance form within 24 hours of departure. The resultant QR code issued, either printed or digital, will be scanned on entry. An alternative to the above online form is to download and register on the Jitenge App via Google Play or the App Store.

  • All passengers are required to have filled in the Travelers Health Surveillance Form upon arrival at Wilson Airport, a QR code will be issued from the locator app/form.

  • Most countries will require you to present a Negative Covid PCR Test upon entry. The test result is then automatically uploaded to the Trusted Travel Portal (Panabios), and emailed to the traveller, with a TT code that must be presented at JKIA airport on departure.

Namibia

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • Any person arriving in Namibia must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the country of departure and must not be older than 7 days (calculated from the date that the sample for testing was taken).

  • This requirement also applies to anyone who has been vaccinated against COVID-19 – a negative test must still be produced before entry into the country.

Rwanda

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • All travellers arriving in Rwanda must have a negative COVID-19 certificate. The only accepted test is a PCR test performed within 72 hours prior to departure (meaning travellers must be tested and get results within 3 days of their first flight). This regulation does not apply to accompanied children under 5 years.

  • All travellers arriving in Rwanda must complete the passenger locator form and upload the COVID-19 test certificate before heading to the airport. Please see the passenger locator form and list of designated transit hotels on www.rbc.gov.rw.

  • All travellers will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival at the airport and are required to wait 24 hours for the results of their COVID-19 test taken upon arrival in a designated transit hotel. All COVID-19 prevention measures announced by the Ministry of Health must be respected during the waiting period (Link of the designated hotels).

  • All travellers departing from Rwanda must present a negative PCR test within 72 hours before departure performed by an accepted testing facility, this is not mandatory for accompanied children under 5 years. We encourage travellers to book and pay for their tests at least 2 days prior to departure through the online platform available on www.rbc.gov.rw.

Seychelles

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • Since mid-march, Seychelles have opened their borders to travellers irrespective of their vaccination status.

  • All travellers must present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure.

  • There will be no quarantine requirement and no restriction on movement for most visitors upon entry to Seychelles

  • Visitors must adhere to public health measures

  • An application for entry form should also be completed and returned to the Public Health Authority

  • Travellers are allowed free movement throughout their holiday and are free to stay at any health certified tourism accommodation establishment.

South Africa

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • Travellers will need to present a paper copy of a negative PCR COVID-19 test to border officials in South Africa. The test needs to be taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Children under the age of five do not need to take the test.

  • Screening processes have been introduced at all major ports of entry and departure, including airports, for arrivals, departures and transit passengers.

  • Visitors will need to comply with any additional screening measures put in place by the authorities. The screening may include temperature measurements and check on recent travel to affected areas.

Tanzania

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • All passengers arriving in Tanzania will be required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate upon arrival. The test should be taken within 96 hours of departure for Tanzania.

  • All visitors to Tanzania need to complete an online Travellers Surveillance Form which should be submitted no more than 24 hours before arrival.

  • All visitors entering Tanzania will be subjected to screening for COVID-19 including a mandatory rapid test. Children under the age of 5 are exempt from the pre-departure PCR test and the rapid test on arrival.

  • International travellers will also be subject to temperature screening at the airport on arrival

Uganda

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • Arriving passengers are required to provide a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate issued no more than 72 hours before boarding the aircraft to Uganda or crossing land borders – children under the age of three are exempt from the pre-departure testing if accompanied by parents with negative PCR tests.

  • Travellers will ago have to undergo another test upon arrival into Uganda at the border at their own expense. This applies unless they have received their full COVID-19 vaccination, can provide evidence of their vaccination and show no COVID-19 symptoms

Zambia

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • Zambia’s borders are open and under health screening. Tourist and business visas are available in advance and on arrival in Zambia.

  • All travellers must produce evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin

  • Visitors are responsible for monitoring their condition for 14 days after arrival and should report any occurrence of COVID-19 symptoms to medical authorities

  • All airports are open to flights, though the availability of international flights remains limited.

  • There will be PCR testing on arrival for any international passengers arriving from ‘high risk’ countries

Zimbabwe

Health Screening and Quarantine protocols:

  • Tourists, residents and citizens entering Zimbabwe must present COVID-19 test results issued no more than 48 hours before their departure to Zimbabwe.

  • All passengers arriving in, departing from or transiting Zimbabwe should validate their COVID-19 PCR test via the African Union Trusted Travel or UNDP Global Haven Systems (you will need to register an account on one of these sites). These systems will generate a digital Trusted Travel reference code for your test, which should be presented upon request.


**Please note: The information in this blog is correct at the time of publication. Information will be updated accordingly as it is made public by each government across the continent.**


| Updated: 25 October 2021 |



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