Heath Considerations & Vaccinations

Q : Should I be worried about Ebola while traveling in Africa?

A : Capture Africa Tours, receives information and updates directly from the World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that is concerned with international public health.

WHO reports indicate that the most severely affected West African countries are Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Nigeria; all in West Africa. The US Department of State (DOS), the United Kingdom’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office (UK FCO), and other similar international bodies are NOT advising against travel to any Capture Africa Tours’ destinations; located in East and South Africa.

Your safety is always our number one concern and priority. We remain in constant contact with these organizations and our partners overseas to remain informed and updated so you can rest assured when you travel with Capture Africa Tours.

Q : What if I am diabetic or have medical problems?

A : Traveling with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is a common concern with many travelers. 

In general there is no reason why diabetics can’t safely travel on safari! Here are few travel tips to help ensure you have a successful safari experience.

Be sure to travel with a letter from your doctor stating which supplies you will be carrying (insulin, syringes, etc.) Having a copy of the actual prescription is a good idea too. Pack this, along with your prescription medication, in your carry – on luggage or keep it with your passport.

Insulin Dependent Considerations

If you are insulin – dependent:

• Bring along more than one bottle of insulin.
• If on a pump, bring plenty of extra pump supplies along with you including extra reservoirs and infusion sets (you can’t buy them locally).
• Bring extra syringes as a back-up method to deliver your insulin in case your pump malfunctions.
• Always pack the insulin and back-up syringes in your carry-on.
• Bring an extra battery for your pump.
• Don’t forget your blood sugar testing meter and plenty of testing strips.
• Bring an extra battery for your testing meter.

Protect Your Insulin

You’ll want to protect your insulin from getting too warm in the African sun, but please be careful about the electric “cool boxes” inside some of the vehicles; they cannot be trusted for insulin storage because they sometimes drop below freezing. This is also true for some of the coolers and “refrigerators” (run on generator) used at some of the lodges. We recommend bringing along a Frio cooling packet to protect your insulin from getting too warm during the day. The Frio cooler is small, lightweight, and easy to use because it is activated by water and will keep insulin cool for several hours.

See Life Solutions Plus for more information.

General Considerations

• Bring hard candy or glucose tablets along in your carry – on luggage.
• Always carry some hard candy or glucose tablets with you on game drives, hot air ballooning, and any other activities.

The meals you enjoy while on your tour will probably be a lot like you are used to eating at home – salad, soup, chicken or beef or pork, fruit, etc. Eating in the restaurants at the lodges is fairly easy, as there are always lots of items to choose from. 

When you are on game drives during the day, some days you might bring a picnic lunch with you; be aware there are usually a lot of high carb items like bread and fruit juice in the picnic boxes, but there are always other high – protein items too like hard boiled eggs and chicken. Just choose to eat the items that fit best within your diet regimen.

Q : What vaccinations do I need?

A : It is important to plan ahead and discuss what vaccinations you should have with your primary physician. Travel clinics are available in most areas as well. Vaccination recommendations to discuss with your doctor or travel clinic are:

• COVID-19 Vaccination & PCR Test
• Hepatitis A, B & C

• Yellow Fever
• As needed, booster doses for measle-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus- diphtheria-pertussis, varicella (chickenpox), polio, and yearly flu shot
• Antimalarial drugs
• Broad- spectrum antibiotics (i.e. Cipro)- be sure to know if any of your antibiotics will cause hypersensitivity to the sun.
• Diarrhea medicine, both over the counter (brand name Imodium) and prescription as per your doctor’s recommendations

For detailed health information for travelers to all African countries visit the CDC Website.

IMPORTANT: The Tanzanian and Rwandan governments have rules that require some individuals to receive a Yellow Fever Vaccination for entry. Those individuals (as described below) will need to show their Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate upon arrival. You will get this certificate from the travel clinic where you receive the Yellow Fever Vaccination. Those individuals that are required to show proof of the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate are as follows:

All travelers flying to Tanzania or Rwanda via or in transit through a Yellow Fever Infected Country (listed below) such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. For example, this would include those persons flying to Tanzania after staying in Kenya or Ethiopia.   Even if you do not leave the Nairobi or Addis Ababa Airport and remain in transit, you will still be required to show the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate upon arrival into Tanzania. For those clients affected, please make sure you have a Yellow Fever Vaccination to prove that vaccine was given. Please pack this certificate in your carry –on along with your passport.

Infant children and pregnant women require special consideration – consult your doctor.

When you pack, make certain that you have all your medications in your carry- on luggage.

Q : Is there anything else I need to know?

A : Suggested Healthy ‘To Do’s’:

• Wash hands often with soap and water
• Use hand wipes, waterless antibacterial gel frequently
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites and from sun burns
• To prevent fungal and parasitic infection, keep clean and dry, and do not go barefoot
• Drink plenty of bottled water to help prevent dehydration

Dehydration is one of the biggest causes of travel fatigue and jet lag. You should not drink any water (tap, etc) other than bottled water. You should not even brush your teeth with water from the tap. There is unlimited bottled water stocked in your private vehicle for your consumption and there are usually several free bottles of water in your room at each lodge and camp. Additionally, bottled water is available at all the lodges and camps for purchase.

Stomach upsets are the most common traveler’s complaint.

They range from mild discomfort to diarrhea. The vast majority are harmless and quickly pass. Some digestive upset is probably inevitable for most people. Simple things like a change of water, food or climate can all cause a minor discomfort. When diarrhea occurs, there are basically two things you can do, stop it with drugs or let it run its course. The most common over the counter drug is Imodium. Your doctor may prescribe another medication to help the symptoms.

Q : What other health concerns should I be aware of?

A : General Good Health

Participation on our tours require that you be in generally good health. All guests must understand that while a high level of fitness is not required, a measure of physical activity is involved in all tours to Africa. It is essential that persons with any medical problems and/ or related dietary restrictions make them known to us well before departure.

You must seek medical advice from your doctor or a travel clinic before you depart on your tour. 

Malaria

Malaria is one of the greatest potential health risks in Tanzania and antimalarial drugs are recommended. The antimalarial drug called Malarone may be best choice and it should be strongly considered as opposed to other types of antimalarial drugs – consult your doctor or travel clinic. Other antimalarial drugs include Larium and Doxycycline. For detailed discussion on malaria and other different antimalarial drugs available, visit this CDC Website.

Whether or not you are taking antimalarial drugs, it is important to protect yourself from mosquito bites from dusk till dawn. This is when the type of mosquito whose bite transmits malaria is active. Precautionary measures include using DEET based insect repellent, covering up before dusk and wearing long sleeved shirts, trousers, socks and shoes in the evening. You should certainly cover up and use insect repellent before going to dinner each evening. Pay particular attention to your ankles and legs as mosquitoes, if present tend to hover at ankle level.

Travelers should be informed that regardless of the methods employed (antimalarial pills, other protective measures, etc), malaria still might be contracted. The Northern Parks and Reserves of Tanzania are not particularly high risk areas, however, it certainly does exist. Malaria does not pose a significant risk above 5,900 feet. The Ngorongoro Crater (altitude of 7, 500 – 8,000 feet) is Malaria free and there are few mosquitoes in most regions of the Serengeti (altitude of 5,000 – 6,000 feet). There is a high risk of malaria on Zanzibar and other low – lying regions in Tanzania. Malaria symptoms can develop as early as about a week after initial exposure in a malaria – infested area and as long as 1 year after departure from an area, after preventative medication has been completed. Travelers should understand that malaria can be treated effectively early in the course of the disease, but delay of therapy can have serious or even fatal consequences. Individuals who have symptoms of malaria should seek prompt evaluation as soon as possible.