Africa has always been high up there on my bucket list. I’ve always dreamed of being able to submerge myself into the culture and wildlife. 2016, I made my first trip to Africa, and guess who’s returning? SHESHE is for my trip #3! Today, I am so excited to start sharing with you my tips on how to prepare for an African Safari.
Africa January 2016 | My First Visit
I had wanted to visit Africa for a photo safari (meaning a journey) for most of my adult life and I was just waiting for the right opportunity to come up.
Dec. 2015 I received an email from a Journey to Africa Safari Company owned by Mefi Alapat. She was encouraged to reach out to Houston bloggers to join her on a luxury safari adventure in Tanzania Africa where we would visit the Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti National Park among a couple of other side excursions.
The invitation seemed like a fit for me. Norman was NOT on board at first until he got to meet Mefi when she came to visit us at our home. Of course, I followed up with about 10 of her past and current clients and I received glowing reviews, some were seasoned world travelers. When the decisions were made, the deposit was paid, and there would be 3 of us making the trip. Natalie King age 33 at the time, blogger @natkingcouture, Mefi 40, and myself 61 (at the time). I felt like I was traveling with my children. Ha!
We met for lunch on 2 different occasions in Houston where we discussed all of the details of the trip. The most shocking thing for me was that I would only be able to take 2 bags weighing no more than a TOTAL of 32 pounds. I was in distress for sure! I had to think back to the days when I was a pilot and remember how to pack for 3 days in a roll-on bag. The difference this time is that we would be traveling for 10 days. Yikes!! I knew that was not going to be easy for this fashionista!
All of this being said, be sure to check with your itinerary on how many bags and size you can carry. My most recent trip to Zambia allowed us to tak a bigger bag and more weight.
I would like to thank my husband, Norman, for allowing me to fulfill a dream. I love you so much!!! Mefi, you were the best! I can’t wait to see the gorillas with you and Natalie someday!
The photo below is Mefi, our host extraordinaire! She is the fifth generation in her family, raised in Tanzania. She speaks fluent Swahili and knows many of the lodge owners, camp managers, and guides, which made our trip even more special. I loved listening to her speak her native language with the guides and her old friends!
PREPARING FOR AFRICA
Preparing for this trip was part of the excitement. Below are some of the things you will need to do before you leave.
- Choose a country in Africa that you want to visit. There are several that you can do a safe and adventurous safari. The most common and most visited are Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, and Rwanda (where travelers visit the gorilla families).
- Do thorough research on reputable safari companies. Asking friends is the best place to start. First-hand experiences are the best references, then you can always go to the internet. There are large outfits that are well known but a Journey to Africa Safari uses the same lodges, camps, and guides as the better-known companies but for much less in cost. Make sure you understand what your safari includes and does not include and understand the cancellation policy. I highly recommend trip protection. (Travel Insurance) Most plans do not cover airfare.
- Book your airfare at least 2 months in advance. For my first trip,, KLM out of Houston was the best option out of Houston to Kilimanjaro Airport with a layover in Amsterdam. 9 hours + 9 hours = 18 hours. Qatar Airways was the best option for mt third trip. I like to use American Express to book. I was able to book a first-class ticket and offset the expense with my points. They can also book all of my travel options. So, if you don’t have a Platinum American Express card, then you might want to get one and start using it for all of your purchases. The Platinum card also has a nice out-of-country Protection Package included. ie Travel Insurance. This is a must!! Insurance in case you get sick or something happens that causes the trip to be cancelled. Go to www.seatguru.com to see seat maps on all segments of your trip. Ensure you know if your ticket is refundable or not. Mine was refundable. That gave me peace of mind.
- Flyin Business First is well worth the money. I found a great deal on BuyBusinessClass.com It is at least 40% less than booking through the airlin, Expedia, Priceline and more.
- Visa – A visa costs approximately $100. A Journey To Africa Safari Company took care of this for us. Included in our cost. Make sure you know if you need to obtain a Visa on your own. Ours was done upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport. Also, we did not need a visa for Zambia.
- Vaccinations– Depending on which country you enter in Africa, dictates what protection is needed. No vaccinations are required going into Tanzania; however, a pill for malaria. Just ask your primary physician if you need a script for Malarone or Mefloquine or a drug specifically for Africa. My dosage was one pill a week for 7 weeks, starting 2 weeks before you leave and then until they are gone. Mefi grew up in Tanzania and has had Malaria a few times. She said that the most important thing to know is the symptoms of Malaria and treating it at the first signs. It is curable, caught in the early stages. We were there at the end of mosquito season, but we did get into the obnoxious Tsetse flies. They would sting. I couldn’t say Tsetse so I called them the sexy flies. Ha!
- International Phone service – Make sure to call your cell phone carrier and get an international plan for your phone while you are traveling. So worth it. Depending on how much you need to phone home or to use data (texting, internet, etc.) will depend on what plan you should choose. Being a blogger, I chose a little higher plan so I could use the internet, email, texting, and calls. If you don’t do a plan then you will get the shock of your life when you get your end-of-month bill when you return from your trip! I think my plan with AT&T was $12 a day unlimited texting, and limited data.
- Passport– Make sure you have a current passport. If you need a passport then you can go to https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/forms.html Make sure it doesn’t expire within 3 months after your trip.
- Health Insurance Card – Make sure that you check to see if you have international health coverage. Take your insurance card with you. You can get additional international health coverage if you need it through your Protection Plan.
- Make a copy of your passport and put it somewhere different than where you carry your passport. Should you lose or get your passport stolen, it will expedite the American Embassy to re-issue your passport if you have a copy handy.
- Put identification inside all of your bags, whether you check or carry on. I like the Apple tags or Tile Tracker for tracking. If you have a handle torn off of your suitcase and your ID is missing, then you can be tracked down if you have other identification inside your bag. This happened to me a couple of times over the last 30 years, and I got my bag back because I had my ID at the bottom of my bag.
- Tip Money – Most of your expenses will be covered, but you will need to bring some cash to tip your guides, camps, and lodges. Americans tend to tip more than the rest of the world, so $10 to $20 a day for the guides is sufficient. The same goes for maid service at lodges and camps. Your call. I brought 8 envelopes for my tips. I sometimes wrote a note to put inside.
PACKING LIST FOR SAFARI
Check out THIS BLOG POST for my packing list and some other great options, or you can follow me on the LTK app @shesheshow. You can find my list here as well.
Beauty & Health
Travel + Tech Necessities
Africa February 2023 | My Second Visit
In February of 2023, I went back to Africa where I experienced other countries sponsored by CroisiEurope River Boat Cruises.? This time I got to do it with my travel partner in crime, Shauna @chicover50! Read my blog post HERE
Brand Awareness
I go to Amazon, LL Bean Banana Repulic, REI for They are all great for picking up items to create your safari look or great resource for outdoor apparel,, whether for hiking, a safari, fishing. etc.
Africa July 2025 | My Third Visit
I’m thrilled to soon share my latest African adventure in Zambia, a journey made even more special by the incredible sponsorship from The Bush Camp Company. This continent consistently reawakens my artistic spirit, and I loved immersing myself in Zambia’s unique magic, drawing inspiration from its breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cultures.
All 3 safari’s were different and is so hard to choose my favoite. Entering Zambia did not require a visa and their main language is English een though there are over 70 tribal languages spoken there.
My Favorite Africa Boutique – TAP BELOW
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XOXO, SheShe
