It is a common courtesy to tip your driver, guide, and porter when on safari. The following list is a guide - as always you should tip based on your satisfaction with service. All amounts per person, per day (per event):

Trip Valet: US$5 per day

Individual driver/guide: US$5-10 per day Porters/waiters: US$1-2

Packing: carryon bag

At least one major credit card (ATM cards will work in most cities - but it's easier if connect your VISA/MC to your bank account for use in the automatic teller machine

Money belt, or travel pouch (make sure the pouch hangs/clips inside your pants or shirt), do NOT use a fanny pack.

* Tickets, itinerary

Immunization records (International Travel Immunization Record - required for some countries)

* Passports/visas, plus copies of everything

* List of emergency contact numbers

* Sun Hat or cap, sunglasses, clip-ons for regular glasses. Extra set of eyeglasses or contacts

* Pick up many rolls of film before even getting to the airport, the price of film increases dramatically at the airports and overseas.

* Bird or mammal field guides, Africa travel book *Reading material

* Blow-up travel pillow (helps for sleeping during the flight)

* Earplugs & blinders (for sleeping on the overnight flights or anti-snoring during camping)

Packing: Medicine

* Basic stuff (band aids, gauze, tape, first-aid cream, Betadine, pick up a kit from EMS, LLBean, or wherever)

* Swiss army knife (do not take in carryon, it will be confiscated at airport security)

* Antibacterial hand gel (very useful when water is scarce)

* Personal prescription medications (whatever you need)

* Pepto-bismol tablets, chewable (important)

* Imodium A-D or other diarrhoea medicine

* If you wear contact lenses, bring eye medicine (Neosporin eye drops)

* Tylenol, aspirin, Advil or other painkiller Benadryl pills or other antihistamine

* Cold/flu medicine (important) Mosquito repellent (DEET 35% concentration - DeetPlus, Repel or Deep Woods, to spray on skin)

* Sunscreen, Aloe Vera gel Mount Climbing: Glucose tablets (critical for the final summit push on Kilimanjaro and Kenya) and recommended prescribed medicines: dysentery antibiotic pills (Cipro), altitude pills for Kilimanjaro (Diamox). Back | Next