6 Relevant things to know before traveling to East Africa

6 Relevant things to know before traveling to East Africa. East Africa is a picturesque destination with its beaches, diverse wildlife with apes, primates, wildebeest, and the big five, its amazing destinations are perfect vacation places to choose. East Africa is one of the most gorgeous places to visit on the African continent and therefore needs one to be best prepared with knowledge of all the tips that can help them have a perfect trip.

A safari to East Africa is a lifetime trip to the waterfalls, white sand beaches, panoramic vistas, rolling lush hills, volcanic summits, hippo and croc free waters and lots of several attractions. There is a lot of uniqueness in East Africa with places far from affected by mass tourism.

The top East African trips include Uganda safaris, Rwanda tours, Kenya safaris, Tanzania safaris, and combined East African safaris. Here are 6 relevant things to know before traveling to East Africa.

6 Relevant things to know before traveling to East Africa

Undertake some of the less popular activities

There are lots of popular attractions and activities like gorilla trekking and wildlife tours however, these are not the only activities that you can undertake. There are many activities that you can undertake off the beaten track. Try to discover those hidden gems, explore those amazing but unpopular places like the streets of Lamu in Kenya or have a swim with the whale sharks on a Tanzanian island.

Have photography etiquette

Every photographer would wish to take each opportunity to catch those memories with their cameras. However, remember to have a photography etiquette. You can take photos of all kinds of animals on safari but you should not take photos of locals without their express permission. The locals may not feel safe with what you are doing and can easily get upset with you, something you wouldn’t want to happen.

Pack the right clothing

Pack and wear the right safari clothing. Wear neutral safari clothing with khaki clothing that will not attract tsetse flies. Since khaki clothing get dirty easily, you can wear blue jeans and khaki shirts. Avoid wearing blue shirts while on game drives to avoid attracting tsetse flies. Avoid wearing army like clothes since it may be referred to as camouflage.

The most important rule with what to wear is to keep comfortable and wear appropriately. While visiting communities wear clothes that the community refers to as descent and wear body-covering clothes while doing activities like gorilla trekking.

Try out local dishes

To best understand a community, you need to be like the locals. When you take your safari, try to eat local foods in local restaurants such that you can have a taste of what the local food is. In many regions, you will find different dishes and definitely these are far different from what you might be used to in your local community. Just be careful with what you eat to avoid eating disorders.

5. Travel in the dry season – 6 Relevant things to know before traveling to East Africa

All through East Africa, the dry season is almost in the same months of the year and this is from June to September and December to February. During this time safari experiences are excellent and you won’t be a victim of a stuck safari vehicle or affected by floods in the parks. Some activities have specific best times and therefore it is good to contact your tour operator before planning to choose that activity for your trip.

Have tipping etiquette

Tipping is not mandatory in East Africa, however, for when safaris became popular in Africa travelers made it a habit to offer a tip to those who offer exceptional services to them on their trip. When you feel satisfied with a service you can offer a tip to the person who has offered the service.

The recommendable people for tipping include your tour guide, hotel servants, park rangers and porters. When tipping hotel members it is advisable to drop your tip at the tip box rather than handing it over to an individual. For your tour guide, it is very advisable to tip them at the end of the trip.

Individuals like hotel owners and tour operators are not recommended for tipping since this may make those who offer the services on their behalf feel demoralized. If you want to do so, do it in private since it can have an impact on how services may be delivered.

These tips are applicable for any East African safari including activities like gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and Congo and any other activities. These are, however, helpful for any other African safari.

6 Relevant things to know before traveling to East Africa

Tree Climbing Lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park

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