Safari travel insurance information
Useful Safari Information
We get a lot of questions regarding Safari travel insurance and although the experience of being on Safari is one that you'll never forget, reading the following information will help you on your journey as much as having your binoculars dangling from your neck waiting for a glimpse of some real natural beauty.
Common Safari Medical Conditions
MalariaMalaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. People with malaria often experience fever, chills, and flu-like illness. Left untreated, they may develop severe complications and die. In 2008, an estimated 190 - 311 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide and 708,000 - 1,003,000 people died, most of them young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is endemic in all the main Safari areas. Malaria cases diminish as the season get drier and cooler, but the risk is always there. By taking the following precautions you can drastically reduce the chances of having an issue with Malaria.
- Cover up; wear long trousers and long sleeves in the early evening and at night.
- Use 30% plus deet based repellents
- Use a Mosquito net
Diarrhoea
Travellers can minimize their risk for Diarrhoea by practicing the following effective preventive measures:
- Avoid eating foods or drinking beverages purchased from street vendors or other establishments where unhygienic conditions are present
- Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat and seafood
- Avoid eating raw fruits (e.g., oranges, bananas, avocados) and vegetables unless the traveller peels them.
Diarrhoea usually is a self-limited disorder and often resolves without specific treatment; however, oral rehydration is often beneficial to replace lost fluids.
Sunburn
The African sun even during our southern winter from May to July is fierce. Aside from the long term risks of skin cancer, a bad sunburn could spoil a safari. The greatest risk of serious sunburn is on the lower Zambezi canoe safaris, white water rafting at Victoria Falls and on walking safaris. There's no need to get extreme with precautions unless you're particularly sensitive to the sun. Be sure to bring a hat, long sleeves, strong sun barrier that suits your skin type and sunglasses. On canoe safaris a towel or "kikoi" covering the legs is essential.
Medical services
Most of the camps will have decent first aid equipment and a first aid practioner which will solve most minor needs for first aid. In the event of a serious accident, Johannesburg in South Africa is the only real option for immediate high care evacuation in Southern Africa. Ensure that you have adequate medical insurance - as a rule the remoter and less developed the destination, the more expensive the evacuation.
