Travelling Information

• Subdued safari colours such as khaki, green, beige and neutral colours (dark blue and black clothing is not practical during game drives but can be worn at the lodges & camps).
• Shirts with long sleeves for a chilly evening and even in summer as protection from the sun & mosquitoes.
• Golf-shirt/T shirts.
• Shorts or light skirts.
• Safari trousers for evenings and cooler days
• A fleece or thick sweater is recommended for early morning and evening game drives.
• Lightweight waterproof jacket.
• Swim and beachwear (swimming is available at each of the Elewana Collection of lodges and camps).
• Comfortable walking shoes (running/tennis shoes are fine).
• Jackets or ties are not required nor any special dress code when dining in lodges & restaurants.
• We suggest that ladies do not wear shorts above the knees or tops that shows bare shoulders in cities, particularly in Muslim areas. The same applies for public areas on the coast of Kenya and Zanzibar. Swimwear is fine on the beach or around the pool, but not appropriate in town. Topless sunbathing is prohibited.

• Sunblock with high SPF 30 or 50. Hat, moisturiser and lip-salve are all essentials.
• Personal toiletries – all our Elewana properties have their own range of complimentary shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion.
• Malaria tablets if applicable – please seek advice from your physician or local travel clinic.
• Basic medical kit containing plasters, travel sickness tablets, antiseptic cream, antihistamine cream, pain relieving tablets for headaches, indigestion tablets, eye drops, medication for upset stomachs, rehydration sachets and after-sun moisturiser. If you have any allergies i.e. insect stings, or an asthma condition, please make sure you bring enough of your required medication with you.
• Strong insect repellent.

• A good quality pair of sunglasses (tinted fashion glasses are not good in strong light) If you wear contact lenses, bring enough solution & a pair of glasses in case your eyes get irritated.

East Africa a generally comfortable tropical climate year-round, but there are significant regional variations. The coast & Zanzibar are warm & humid and can feel sticky throughout the rains. These rains throughout Kenya and Tanzania are ‘the long rains’ from March to May and ‘the short rains’ from October to December. 

Amboseli is located at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro and has a dry but temperate climate, cool in the morning and evening and warm during the day. Meru National Park enjoys a more arid and warm climate. The coolest months in Kenya are from June to August and the warmest are from December to March.

The northern national parks of Tanzania enjoy a more arid and warm climate. Note that due to the altitude it can be very cold at night at the Ngorongoro Crater during June & July. The coolest months in Tanzania are from June to September and the warmest are from December to February.

• A good camera with zoom function. 300 mm lenses are adequate for wildlife photography.
• We recommend you bring plenty of memory cards/film and batteries.
• A dust proof bag ensures your camera is safe from the dust whilst on safari.
• A pair of binoculars will enhance your game viewing experience and although your guide will have pairs available to use, you may wish to bring your own. We recommend 8 x 40 as an appropriate specification.
• Please don’t forget to ask permission before taking a photograph of any East African resident. There could be a charge for this.
• A small flashlight – although flash-lights are available at each of the Elewana Collection of lodges and camps.

The local currency in Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling, and Tanzania Shilling in Tanzania. You can either change money at a Bureau de Change or bank which you will find at the major airports & towns. ATMs are available there too but note that you can only draw local currency.

Alternatively, on arrival, you can change money at Hemingways in Nairobi and at Elewana’s Arusha Coffee Lodge in Arusha.

US Dollars are widely accepted in sites frequented by tourists. We advise our guests to take spending money in the form of US Dollars cash, bring some small denominations too for tipping purposes. Note that USD bills must be newer than 2006. Credit cards are accepted at larger shops & restaurants but note that often a surcharge (approximately 5%) is levied. Note that Elewana does not apply this policy, there is no surcharge levied on any credit card payments.

Entry into Tanzania:

While obtaining a tourist visa at the port of entry on arrival for entry into Tanzania is allowed for most countries, the process can cause delays in clearing arrival procedures at the airport. We strongly recommend that you obtain your tourist visa in advance of your departure for your SkySafari adventure. Please visit the official online visa application site for Tanzania at https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/ and follow the instructions. The process should not take more than 2-3 working days and you will require digital copies of the following documents to assist you with the application:

• Jpeg of Passport photo
• Jpeg of passport biometric page
• Jpeg of international flight ticket

Should you insist on obtaining your entry visa on arrival at the airport, make sure you bring US Dollars in cash in US $20 and US $50 bills to pay for your visa. Upon arrival, guests requiring an entry visa are required to:
Fill out a visa application form

• Queue for a Government Control Number
• Queue to pay for the visa at the bank
• Queue for immigration to confirm and issue the visa

Thereafter they may proceed with other entry formalities.

Entry Form:
You might be asked to fill in an Immigration Form either in the plane just before arriving, or upon your arrival. When asked for a local address, please fill in:

Elewana Travel Limited / SkySafari
Sopa Plaza, 99 Serengeti Road
P. O. Box 12814 Arusha, Tanzania
Contact Person: Michel Allard, +255 782 600 049

Entry into Kenya:

Kenya no longer requires an entry Visa, instead all visitors are required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization permit. All travellers, including infants and children (except citizens of Kenya and East African Community partner states) arriving in Kenya from 4th January 2024, are required to apply for ETA online via http://www.etakenya.go.ke prior to their arrival. Please be advised of the below requirements for ETA applications:

Requirements – all Countries

• Valid passport (6 month validity from the date of arrival in Kenya, with a minimum of one blank page)
• Passport-style photo
• Contact information (home address, email address and phone number)
• Itinerary details
• Accommodation booking confirmation
• Credit card, debit card, Apple pay for payment of $34 per person

Requirements – Depending on Country of Residence / Travel Histrory

• Yellow Fever certificate (if arriving from a Yellow Fever endemic country)
• Additional vaccinations

Travellers are eligible to apply for ETAs within 3 months of their arrival date in Kenya. Following the application, a confirmation will be sent to the email address submitted in the application. Upon approval, the ETA will be sent to the same email address.

Standard processing time for ETAs is three working days and the status of applications can be checked at any time on the ETA website using the ETA reference number.

Entry Form:
You might be asked to fill in an Immigration Form either in the plane just before arriving, or upon your arrival. When asked for a local address, please fill in:

Elewana Travel Limited / SkySafari
Peponi Plaza, Westlands
P. O. Box 277703-00506, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +255 730 127 000

Entry into Zanzibar:

When Zanzibar is your first entry point into Tanzania, you will have to either buy or show your Tanzanian visa upon arrival. If you are flying from mainland Tanzania to Zanzibar, you do not need another visa but you may have to show your passport upon arrival in Zanzibar.

We advise against drinking water from the faucets. Mineral water is available in all shops & restaurants and in all the Elewana lodges and vehicles. We recommend that you use mineral water too for brushing teeth. Life on safari can be tiring from time to time. A different climate, different food & water could lead to dehydration. From the day you set foot in Africa we would suggest that you drink more water than you are used to.

The sun close to the equator is strong so please wear a hat & apply sunscreen frequently.

Note that it’s obligatory to show a Yellow Fever Certificate upon entering if you have come from a Yellow Fever infected area. If you are travelling direct to Kenya/Tanzania/Zanzibar without passing through such areas, it’s advisable but not obligatory to have a Yellow Fever vaccination. If you can not have the Yellow Fever Vaccination for medical reasons, ensure that you carry a signed letter from your medical practitioner with you upon entering the country. It is every traveller’s own responsibility to obtain the correct vaccinations which will allow you entry  – please check with your local travel clinic or physician for up-todate advice.

Please check with your local travel clinic or physician what the latest requirements are for travelling in a malaria area. It’s best to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes which are at their most active during dusk and dawn. Cover up during those periods and apply mosquito repellent liberally. Do not forget your ankles.

Medical Evacuation insurance is included in all our Elewana safaris. Note that this insurance is not a complete Travel Insurance, it only covers medical evacuation in case of a medical emergency. It is a booking condition that all our guests have valid Travel Insurance, please check that you are covered for medical emergencies, curtailment of your trip due to unforeseen circumstances & loss of belongings. Ensure proper insurance for your camera/video equipment.

Please consult your physician or local travel clinic for an up-to-date list of required vaccinations for travelling to remote places in East Africa.

All Elewana properties have free Wifi internet access in the communal areas of the lodge. There are some restrictions to the speed in some areas but the download capacity is more than capable of managing email and social media access. The mobile phone networks are extensive but in more remote areas, where you are on safari there is likely to be a weak signal.

Electricity in is 240 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are UK Standard plugs (rectangular 3-pin). All Elewana properties have adaptors for your use in each room. Elewana Lodges run on either generator or solar power which allows for 24-hour electricity.

Please give details of your flight leaving Kenya to our SkySafari Representative. Reconfirming flights on your behalf is part of our service.

Please note that all wild animals can be dangerous and you should not wander off on your own whilst on safari. After dark you will be escorted to your room, please do not walk alone. Always listen to your guide and follow the instructions carefully. No animal is tame and must at all times be treated with respect and not approached unless with an authorized professional guide.

We often get asked ‘what should we tip?’ The simple answer is that you should tip as you wish, with no obligation whatsoever. What we do say is that tipping is very much welcomed and is normal here in Africa, and our staff very much appreciate any extra contributions. Once again we say that you should only tip as a reward for excellent service. It is customary to tip 10% of your bill & 10% of the taxi fare to taxi drivers. It is also customary to tip local guides for excellent service.

Suggested amounts:

• US$10-15 per person per day for general staff
• US$10-15 per person per day for guides

So if there are 3 of you travelling together, we would suggest tipping your guide between US$30-45 in total per day.

Each Elewana property has a ‘tipping box’ for a discrete contribution to your camp, lodge or hotel staff. Any staff member more deserving for excellent service may be tipped individually/separately and as for tipping your driver guide, we suggest that this is done separately.

Kiswahili otherwise known as Swahili is the ‘lingua franca’ of East Africa, including Zanzibar. English is widely spoken in Tanzania, particularly in tourist centers, lodges and main cities.