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Safari Etiquette
Botswana offers a treasure of experiences, ecosystems, wildlife and cultures. Kalahari Skies encourages our guests to support our guides by learning and honoring their policies which helps preserve our precious environment. In order to promote responsible tourism, we ask that you join us in observing the following tips:
Whilst on a game-drive
Please do not interfere with animal behavior nor try to feed them
No more than 5 vehicles around any animal at one time (please accept the decision of your guide to leave an animal if he feels it is becoming overcrowded).
Driving off-road in the Parks is forbidden in Botswana so do not ask your guide to go closer to the animals as he is allowed to. Forcing him to do so may cost your guide his/her license.
Please do not get out of the vehicle without consulting your guide.
Please try to be as quiet as possible when viewing game close-up. Your guide will turn off the vehicle's engine whenever possible.
No speeding, the limit in the Parks is 40 km per hour.
Protect the environment
Please do not litter, not even cigarette butts. On a bush toilet stop, do not leave toilet paper or paper handkerchiefs behind.
Please do not collect any bones, teeth, horns, skins, stones, plants, seeds, etc., they are all part of the mini eco-systems.
Cultural exchange
Please do not take photographs of the local people without asking their permission before hand.
Please do not enter any plot our house/hut without asking permission first.
Please do not encourage trade or give personal items away to the local people (if we support begging, we promote begging).
Beware of anyone asking you for gifts or money, do not feel obliged to donate anything. If you have brought gifts for the local people, please ask your guide where and how to distribute the best.
Please report back to us if you are harassed.
General consideration
Please do not monopolize the guide or the best seats, take turns in front and back on road trips and game drives.
Please be aware of other people's viewing and photography field.
Please note that smoking in our vehicles is forbidden; please ask your guide for a brief smoke stop if necessary.
Please keep still when someone is taking a photo or is filming.
Television and music
Most places do not have either and playing music in the Parks is forbidden.
The sounds of the bush are so special, unique and memorable, we advise against either, but if you are a 'music addict', we suggest you bring your mp3 player and sufficient power supply.
We encourage positive and negative feedback on these issues and your experience in general.
Guide to tipping
Although tipping is a safari tradition, it is never compulsory and should only be done if you feel you have received good service. The staff would appreciate receiving a gratuity from you because it is a way of assuring them they are doing a good job.
Most lodges/hotels have a staff tip box located at reception or in a central location. These tips are divided amongst all staff . If you are particularly satisfied with assistance received from somebody, a personal tip is also acceptable. On safari your assistant/cook and your guide are tipped individually, we recommend 5 US dollars per client per day.
It is not acceptable for staff to ask you for a tip or a present for their family and we would appreciate it if you reported any behavior of this sort.
Health
As with travel in any part of the world it is advisable to know your blood type in case of an emergency.
There are no mandatory inoculations required for Botswana but we advise to take malaria prophylaxis, especially when visiting between November and April, our rainy season. There are no 100% effective solutions but there are a number of good prevention methods available, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The recommendations given below have been gathered from documented figures and our wide experience throughout Southern Africa and might vary from information given in your home country.
Avoiding the mosquito bite is the cornerstone of protection. The female malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquito usually feeds after dark, from about 21.00 until 06.00 hours and 80% of all bites occur around the ankles or below the knees.
Avoid the mosquito by using mosquito bed nets when not in a tent, keeping your tent always close and by wearing long clothing after dark (mosquitos are also more attracted by white clothing ). The use of repellent sprays or creams is advisable (you will find those on the little table in your tent)
Malarone should be taken a day before exposure, daily during exposure and a week daily after exposure. The drug is expensive and cannot be taken by pregnant or lactating women but is safe for children with a body weight above 11 kgs.
The alternative could be Doxycycline. Again, the drug should be taken a day before exposure, during and daily for 3 weeks after exposure. This drug is more affordable, cannot be taken by pregnant and lactating women or by children less than 12 years old.
Mefloquin (Lariam) is not advisable because of severe side effects and because efficacy is declining.
Remember whatever precaution you take you can still contract malaria. When getting flu-like symptoms, headaches, fevers, aching joints, consult your doctor and tell him/her you have visited a malaria area. Early diagnosis and treatment will result in effective cure.
Information kindly supplied by Mauro Saio M.D. (Turin), C. Specialista Trop Med ( Rome )
Passport/Visa
A passport valid until 6 months after date of departure is required and please note that at least one complete empty page must still be available in your passport (3 for South-Africa !).
European Union citizens do not require a visa for Botswana.
Tours going to Zambia: 50 US$ per entrance
Tours going to Zimbabwe: 30 US$ for all countries except for Citizens of the UK and Canada who are charged at 80 US$ per entrance.
Insurance
Visitors to Southern Africa are responsible for their own medical expenses. All clients are requested to fill in a information sheet before departure. It is also advisable to bring a copy of your airline ticket and passport.
For emergencies (only !) your guide has a satellite phone with.
Food & water
Although tap water is safe in Botswana we recommend you drink bottled water which is available on your safari.
Please note that no snacks or shopping facilities are available in the bush so if you require extra chocolate, nuts, etc. please inform your guide so this shopping can be done before you leave on safari.
Please advise Kalahari Skies of any allergies, likes or dislikes before you embark on your holiday
Photography
Visitors should respect the attitude of the local people towards photography and only use cameras if they have obtained permission from who they want to take a picture of. Never try to "steal" a picture against the will of the person concerned. It is advisable never to take pictures at border posts, from people in uniform and of course of military installations.
Your vehicle has a 12 V cigarette lighter socket for recharging batteries and during longer trips a 220 V inverter can also be used in the evenings.
Dangers and annoyances
Theft is limited in Botswana but take special care in all urban centers, do not leave any valuables unattended as we cannot take responsibility for them.
Please be aware that you will be in the wild and that many animals can be extremely dangerous, you are not visiting a zoo! Please pay attention to your guides guidelines and follow his/her instructions to assure your safety, never try to go that extra meter for a better picture!
Botswana offers a treasure of experiences, ecosystems, wildlife and cultures. Kalahari Skies encourages our guests to support our guides by learning and honoring their policies which helps preserve our precious environment. In order to promote responsible tourism, we ask that you join us in observing the following tips:
Whilst on a game-drive
Please do not interfere with animal behavior nor try to feed them
No more than 5 vehicles around any animal at one time (please accept the decision of your guide to leave an animal if he feels it is becoming overcrowded).
Driving off-road in the Parks is forbidden in Botswana so do not ask your guide to go closer to the animals as he is allowed to. Forcing him to do so may cost your guide his/her license.
Please do not get out of the vehicle without consulting your guide.
Please try to be as quiet as possible when viewing game close-up. Your guide will turn off the vehicle's engine whenever possible.
No speeding, the limit in the Parks is 40 km per hour.
Protect the environment
Please do not litter, not even cigarette butts. On a bush toilet stop, do not leave toilet paper or paper handkerchiefs behind.
Please do not collect any bones, teeth, horns, skins, stones, plants, seeds, etc., they are all part of the mini eco-systems.
Cultural exchange
Please do not take photographs of the local people without asking their permission before hand.
Please do not enter any plot our house/hut without asking permission first.
Please do not encourage trade or give personal items away to the local people (if we support begging, we promote begging).
Beware of anyone asking you for gifts or money, do not feel obliged to donate anything. If you have brought gifts for the local people, please ask your guide where and how to distribute the best.
Please report back to us if you are harassed.
General consideration
Please do not monopolize the guide or the best seats, take turns in front and back on road trips and game drives.
Please be aware of other people's viewing and photography field.
Please note that smoking in our vehicles is forbidden; please ask your guide for a brief smoke stop if necessary.
Please keep still when someone is taking a photo or is filming.
Television and music
Most places do not have either and playing music in the Parks is forbidden.
The sounds of the bush are so special, unique and memorable, we advise against either, but if you are a 'music addict', we suggest you bring your mp3 player and sufficient power supply.
We encourage positive and negative feedback on these issues and your experience in general.
Guide to tipping
Although tipping is a safari tradition, it is never compulsory and should only be done if you feel you have received good service. The staff would appreciate receiving a gratuity from you because it is a way of assuring them they are doing a good job.
Most lodges/hotels have a staff tip box located at reception or in a central location. These tips are divided amongst all staff . If you are particularly satisfied with assistance received from somebody, a personal tip is also acceptable. On safari your assistant/cook and your guide are tipped individually, we recommend 5 US dollars per client per day.
It is not acceptable for staff to ask you for a tip or a present for their family and we would appreciate it if you reported any behavior of this sort.
Health
As with travel in any part of the world it is advisable to know your blood type in case of an emergency.
There are no mandatory inoculations required for Botswana but we advise to take malaria prophylaxis, especially when visiting between November and April, our rainy season. There are no 100% effective solutions but there are a number of good prevention methods available, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The recommendations given below have been gathered from documented figures and our wide experience throughout Southern Africa and might vary from information given in your home country.
Avoiding the mosquito bite is the cornerstone of protection. The female malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquito usually feeds after dark, from about 21.00 until 06.00 hours and 80% of all bites occur around the ankles or below the knees.
Avoid the mosquito by using mosquito bed nets when not in a tent, keeping your tent always close and by wearing long clothing after dark (mosquitos are also more attracted by white clothing ). The use of repellent sprays or creams is advisable (you will find those on the little table in your tent)
Malarone should be taken a day before exposure, daily during exposure and a week daily after exposure. The drug is expensive and cannot be taken by pregnant or lactating women but is safe for children with a body weight above 11 kgs.
The alternative could be Doxycycline. Again, the drug should be taken a day before exposure, during and daily for 3 weeks after exposure. This drug is more affordable, cannot be taken by pregnant and lactating women or by children less than 12 years old.
Mefloquin (Lariam) is not advisable because of severe side effects and because efficacy is declining.
Remember whatever precaution you take you can still contract malaria. When getting flu-like symptoms, headaches, fevers, aching joints, consult your doctor and tell him/her you have visited a malaria area. Early diagnosis and treatment will result in effective cure.
Information kindly supplied by Mauro Saio M.D. (Turin), C. Specialista Trop Med ( Rome )
Passport/Visa
A passport valid until 6 months after date of departure is required and please note that at least one complete empty page must still be available in your passport (3 for South-Africa !).
European Union citizens do not require a visa for Botswana.
Tours going to Zambia: 50 US$ per entrance
Tours going to Zimbabwe: 30 US$ for all countries except for Citizens of the UK and Canada who are charged at 80 US$ per entrance.
Insurance
Visitors to Southern Africa are responsible for their own medical expenses. All clients are requested to fill in a information sheet before departure. It is also advisable to bring a copy of your airline ticket and passport.
For emergencies (only !) your guide has a satellite phone with.
Food & water
Although tap water is safe in Botswana we recommend you drink bottled water which is available on your safari.
Please note that no snacks or shopping facilities are available in the bush so if you require extra chocolate, nuts, etc. please inform your guide so this shopping can be done before you leave on safari.
Please advise Kalahari Skies of any allergies, likes or dislikes before you embark on your holiday
Photography
Visitors should respect the attitude of the local people towards photography and only use cameras if they have obtained permission from who they want to take a picture of. Never try to "steal" a picture against the will of the person concerned. It is advisable never to take pictures at border posts, from people in uniform and of course of military installations.
Your vehicle has a 12 V cigarette lighter socket for recharging batteries and during longer trips a 220 V inverter can also be used in the evenings.
Dangers and annoyances
Theft is limited in Botswana but take special care in all urban centers, do not leave any valuables unattended as we cannot take responsibility for them.
Please be aware that you will be in the wild and that many animals can be extremely dangerous, you are not visiting a zoo! Please pay attention to your guides guidelines and follow his/her instructions to assure your safety, never try to go that extra meter for a better picture!