Frequently Asked Questions
Planning a luxury African safari is an exciting adventure, but we understand that you might have many questions as you prepare for this unforgettable experience. To help you feel confident and well-informed, we have compiled a comprehensive list of FAQs covering all aspects of your journey.
From planning and booking to health and safety, packing tips, and cultural considerations, our FAQs provide clear and concise answers to ensure you have all the information you need.
At the same time, you know you can always drop us an email, WhatsApp, or give us a ring to talk through any questions, clarifications or concerns you might have when traveling to Africa on your next extraordinary adventure.
CUSTOMISE YOUR JOURNEY.
Talk to us to customise your journey
Planning and Booking
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The best time varies by region. Some argue the best time is typically throughout the dry season (June to October), however this simply is not true. This time of the year may offer excellent game viewing given the dry, less dense vegetation. However, you have peak calving season in the Serengeti South throughout January to March which delivers some of the best predator action, including witnessing the incredible rejuvenation of life with new calves born and the land transforming into a lush green landscape. Botswana presents contrasting landscapes as rains move from Chobe North down into flooded landscapes across the Okavango Delta, with migratory birds moving in across November and December, including breeding, birthing, and predator action. These times present excellent photographic opportunities with exceptional green light, color, and subject matter. We can continue on and on. The short story, every time of the year presents an exceptional experience in some place or another throughout Central, Eastern or Southern Africa – and do not forget about the Indian ocean islands and beaches! Depending on the experience you are after and what your schedule allows, the team at NOMARA will make sure we get you to the best spots for any given time of the year. It also means you get to keep coming back to experience something different every time you journey to Africa. For many of our guests, it becomes a bit of an addiction.
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Depends on your schedule. Booking 6-12 months in advance for peak season is recommended. For most of our guests, this is never true, and people come to us anywhere from 6 weeks to 12 months in advance. Booking closer to the time often presents opportunities for combination discounts as we are constantly negotiating with our 270+ partner locations depending on availability and the time of the year. It is not unusual for some of our repeat clients to come to us and simple say, ‘I need to separate myself ASAP’ and they are taking in the African bush within 3 or 4 weeks. There really is no other experience that is so fully immersive as an African Bush experience, the energy your journey gives you is impossible to describe.
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Visa requirements vary by country. The NOMARA team can help you out here first to give you guidance to save you some time, depending on your nationality. We do always advise our clients to check with the embassy of the destination country well in advance. For most nationalities, and depending on the destination countries, visa requirements and administration are minimal.
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You need at least two blank passport pages for entry stamps per destination country. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your intended departure date from the country.
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All NOMARA safari itineraries include all accommodation, exceptional meals (and we mean exceptional, every one of our locations has top notch culinary experiences) drinks, game drives, walking safaris, transfers, and park fees. Additional activities not included are typically things like helicopter excursions, hot air balloon safaris, overnight treehouse stays, fly camping, or under the star sleepouts. Some of our locations include private guides and vehicles, for those shared, game vehicles have a maximum of 6 guests. We cover all your internal flights and transfers. These are not always included in the starting price references on our website as they vary based on the time of the year and many other circumstances given the remote locations. Therefore, we include these items in all final pricing in your customized itinerary buildout. You just get yourself onto the African continent, we take care of everything in Africa.
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Yes, all our itineraries are tailored and customized to your preferences, including activities, accommodation, and special requests. Sometimes we can surprise our guests with special experiences during their stays, we keep the surprises as a surprise!
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Yes, comprehensive travelinsurance, including medical evacuation, is a requirement and is essential for covering medical emergencies, cancellations, and other unforeseen events. We require confirmation of travel insurance with medical evacuation for all NOMARA guests prior to travelling.
Accommodation, Amenities and Experience
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NOMARA personally selects, curates and experiences all our locations. We specialize in customized luxury itineraries and experiences at 5-star lodges, tented camps, mobile camps, eco-lodges, treehouse and under the stars sleepouts, including the ultimate immersive fly camping experiences. NOMARA partner locations are chose for their exclusivity, with a small number of rooms or luxury tents per location in often private conservation areas, avoiding overcrowding, personal approach to guests, limited environmental impact and focused on supporting community and conservation within their area of operation. All include plush linens, often private verandas and terraces opening onto bush and river views with private plunge pools, immersive bush settings, and either soaking baths with views or indoor/outdoor safari rain showers. Many of our locations also include spa and wellness facilities. Depending on your desired experience and adventure, we will have you covered.
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Many luxury lodges offer Wi-Fi, but it may be limited or only available in shared areas. Some NOMARA locations have decided to specifically not have Wi-Fi to provide the ultimate disconnect, choosing to immerse you in a disconnected bush environment.
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Yes, all NOMARA experiences include all meals, often featuring gourmet cuisine with local and international options. Exceptions are in city locations where breakfast is included, with local world-class restaurants available within close proximity. We have loads of suggestions, no matter what your taste!
All our locations cater for any unique dietary requirements, always delivering world class alfresco culinary experiences.
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Inform NOMARA in advance, and we will be sure your accommodation will accommodate your dietary needs.
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Yes, most lodges and camps have charging facilities, but it is a good idea to bring a power bank and the appropriate adapters. Many of NOMARA partner locations are remote and run off a combination of solar, battery and generator backup.
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Tipping is customary. Guidelines vary, but typically $30-$40 per day for guides and $10-$15 per day for staff, depending on location and exclusivity of the lodge or camp. Check out our NOARA Stories article on gratuity guidelines for more information on this subject.
Health and Safety
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Vaccinations may be required depending on the destination. These may include Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hepatitis A and B, and routine vaccines. When contacting the embassy of the destination country, it is always good to check with them. Either go to your local travel clinic or healthcare provider to get the appropriate advice on your final vaccinations.
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Safaris are safe when following the guidelines provided by your guides and accommodations. NOMARA has hand-curated destinations where we have assessed their safety and guiding accreditations to be sure you are taken care of only by the best in the business.
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Most lodges have first aid facilities and arrangements with nearby medical services. Travel insurance with medical evacuation is a requirement for all our traveling guests. We require proof of insurance before departing on your journey. Safety comes first for NOMARA; travel insurance with medical evacuation is non-negotiable.
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Many safari destinations are in malaria zones. We can share guidance on malaria zones across NOMARA destinations. It is up to you and your healthcare provider to decide if you want to take preventive measures such as antimalarial medication. Preventative measures should be your primary focus. All our partner locations have mosquito nets and insect repellent. Modern insect repellent wrist bands are particularly good today as well. Combined with light clothing covering exposed skin and light colors, these items provide important preventive measures.
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Tsetse flies are found in certain areas and can cause painful bites. Wearing neutral-colored clothing and using insect repellent will help reduce the risk of bites. Always follow the advice of your guides regarding Tsetse fly areas. Wearing modern insect repellent wrist bands has proven a strong deterrent to Tsetse flies.
Safari Activities
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It really depends on you and your personal expectations. Many of our locations are chosen to support personalized safari activities. This often means personal game vehicles and guides. This means you decide when to leave, how long to be out, and what food to pack. In Tanzania, NOMARA partners provide day long experiences where you stop off for beautiful picnics in the heart of the Mara or Serengeti. Bush walking safaris are available at most NOMARA locations, each presenting a unique experience. We also have mobile walking safaris where you do some light bush walking from one location to the next, delivering a unique immersive adventure in the heart of the African wildlife. Some of our locations provide dedicated Photography safaris, which include vehicles equipped with charging stations, swivel seats, padded stands for equipment and lodge photography computers and printers. Treehouses and under the stars sleepouts are often our guest favorites for a night, with secret fly camping locations also available. Other activities include bird watching, cultural visits, hot air balloon safaris, tiger fishing, desert expeditions, boat and mokoro safaris, helicopter expeditions, camel, and horseback riding, or even going for a run in the wild with a Maasai Mara tribe member! Let us not forget all the safari culinary experiences, bush breakfasts, bush picnics and exclusive romantic private bush dinners.
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Game drives typically last 3-4 hours, with one in the early morning and another in the late afternoon. Some NOMARA locations have full day game drives, this is more popular in Serengeti, where you are fully taken care of with snacks, picnic lunches and your preferred drinks along the way.
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This can vary, depending on the time of day, length of the game drive and location. Shorter safari drives usually include light refreshments such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate (with Amarula or other liquor/liqueur of your preferences) water, and soft drinks, along with snacks like biscuits, nuts, and dried fruits, biltong (South African dried meat). Evening drives typically include sundowner cocktails with your preferred drink of choice (we share in advance) and snacks. Day long drives include gourmet picnic lunches. Evening bush dinners can be organized in advance depending on the location. Typically, in private conservations there is more leeway in the type of unique bush dining experiences that can be organized on your game drive. If you are looking to surprise your loved one with a romantic secluded dinner, chat to the NOMARA team in advance, we can make magic happen! Proposals or other surprise occasions are something we love to help with to make something unique and special, just let us know!
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Yes. We have handpicked lodges and camps that cater specifically for family-friendly safari experiences. This includes kids friendly game drives, dedicated kids camp activities, including nature walks, baking and cooking with camp chefs, spoor casting, arts and crafts, kids guiding certificates, tribesmen spear making, and many other fun activities. Family friendly safaris are important to us at NOMARA, tried and tested given our own young families! Of course, age restrictions may apply to certain activities.
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Each safari experience is unique. Certain locations may not have the full big 5. Rhino is often where there is an exception as may not be around a specific reserve and more elusive. While sightings are common, they are not guaranteed as wildlife is unpredictable. All NOMARA partner camp and lodge locations are in unique game rich areas, some with higher or lower concentrations of certain game, offering varied experiences.
Packing and Preparation
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Pack light, neutral-colored clothing (Khaki, green, beige, and neutral-colored clothes - no camouflage/ military-like clothes as often not allowed in many Africa locations), comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars, and a camera. Check out our detailed blog on Safari packing in NOMARA Stories.
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Yes. All NOMARA safari locations are remote exclusive lodges and camps. The vast majority of NOMARA locations require local safari flight transfers to small airstrips or helicopter transfers. Typically, a maximum combined total of 20kg per person is allowed (main and hand luggage). Your main bag should be around 15 kg (33 lbs.) in soft-sided duffle type bags – NO SUITCASES ALLOWD. As a reference, your bag should be about 25cm (10 inches) wide, 32cm (12 inches) high and 62cm (24 inches) long. We love to spoil our guests, so with every journey with NOMARA, we send a handmade NOMARA cotton canvas duffle bag to your home from South Africa!
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Binoculars and a good camera are highly recommended for wildlife viewing and photography.
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This varies by region. For Central, East and Southern Africa, having US dollar cash is necessary for additional small side payments and gratuities. For add-on activities, credit cards are accepted in most NOMARA partner locations. VISA and Mastercard are the most accepted cards. Alternatives like American Express and Diners often are not accepted by many providers in Africa. In South Africa, card is accepted throughout, having some Rand currency in cash is suggested, with most Safari locations accepting US dollar cash. Check out our NOMARA Stories article on approaching payments and currency across Africa and please ask the NOMARA team for any additional questions and support.
Cultural and Environmental Considerations
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Across the groups we partner with, together they contribute $10s of millions towards communities and conservation. This is truly special as every journey with NOMARA, and our partners directly contribute to the upliftment of communities and wildlife. Local communities often encourage visits and community engagement, proud to share their culture, customs, and celebrations with guests. Our advice is always to dress modestly, ask for permission before taking photos of people, and follow your guide’s advice on interactions. Together with respect, your cultural interactions will often be moving life-changing experiences.
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All the lodges and camps we partner with promote and implement eco-friendly practices, green energy, supporting local communities, and contributing to wildlife conservation efforts. All your conservation, reserve, park, and community fees are managed both by communities and private charities associated with our partner groups. This ensures thorough assessment of where and how funds get allocated across conservation and community upliftment. If you have any questions about the programs across our partners, feel free to reach out and we would be happy to share some of the contributing programs.
If you didn’t find the right answer, get in touch with us to take the conversation further.
Health and Safety.
Your safety is our priority. For many first-time travelers to Africa, questions around safety are completely natural. With NOMARA, your wellbeing is our highest priority.
Transportation.
Many of our luxury camps and lodges are in remote exclusive locations. Getting there is half the fun. Flying over the Okavango Delta is an experience in of itself!
Our Approach.
Customized & Crafted for you. Get inspired. Browse our website for ideas, dream big, and let the magic of Africa spark your imagination. We will help guide you.
