top ten tips

1. Take a backup of everything you cannot live without.

2. Watch out for the sun, while it may not feel hot in transit walking about you can get burnt very quickly.

3. It’s cold at night, take a light jumper and trousers if you are going to do nighttime activities. Most places will have blankets in the room if you are just sitting out.

4. Get your jabs early just in case you react badly, organise your tablets as well.

5. Never sleep on travel between lodges – you never know what you might miss.

6. Take lots of small notes in the local currency or dollars for tips.

7. At home you should be drinking two litres of water a day, do exactly the same while on safari.

8. Don’t drink the tap water or brush your teeth with it. Use bottled water which every good lodge will leave in your room.

9. Take pens as kids need these for school and might be better than handing over cash which you never know where it will end up.

10. Get to know your driver/guide and don’t be afraid to ask them to stop if you want to see something or take a picture.