Africa 2019-21 Brochure

160 Somak Holidays 020 8423 3000 CHILDREN – Children are welcome on selected safaris. On road safaris, we recommend that families with children book their own safari vehicle, to avoid concerns about disturbing fellow passengers. Children under the age of seven are not permitted at some lodges. Please contact us regarding restrictions for children on safaris. WHAT TO TAKE ON SAFARI? A soft bag is best as there is limited space and luggage allowance is 15 kg. We recommend neutral colours, comfortable shoes, and warm clothing for early morning and evening game drives. Additional items to take include sunscreen, camera, binoculars, strong insect repellent and a hat. BALLOONING – Instead of an early morning game drive you can enjoy an optional hot-air balloon flight over the Masai Mara or the Serengeti. Please ensure that your holiday insurance covers activities such as ballooning as many insurance policies require the payment of an additional premium to cover ‘hazardous activities’. In the event of your ballooning being cancelled, we are unable to refund any such insurance premiums. Balloon flights will only operate in the event that your pilot judges the conditions to be safe and appropriate for your flight. Adverse weather conditions or other factors may lead to the cancellation of the balloon flight. As on any aircraft, the pilot reserves all rights in respect of the carriage of passengers and their luggage/equipment. A full refund of the cost of your balloon flight, if appropriate, will be provided in the event of cancellation as a result of matters beyond our control, but Somak will not pay any compensation for disappointment as a result of the cancellation of your balloon flight. Should an additional ballooning excursion be booked that coincides with a pre-arranged game drive or bush breakfast, no refund for either will be available. Height and age restrictions apply – children under the age of 7 are usually not allowed; the minimum height restriction is 1.2 metres. Prices displayed are only valid when pre- booked in the UK. SOMAK SAFARI LOUNGE – Guests can relax and recuperate in the comfortable Safari Lounge, the first one of its kind in East Africa. This is available to all Somak guests passing through Nairobi (time permitting), and is the perfect place to enjoy refreshments, an air- conditioned rest area and showers. Many guests consider this a huge benefit and comment on the welcome hot food and refreshing drinks. You can store your luggage here if you wish. GORILLA TREKKING Observing gorillas in the wild is a very special experience and it is important to preserve these fantastic, endangered animals, so only a limited number of permits are available in each park. Every visitor must obtain a permit before they can embark on a trek, so it is essential to book well in advance. Permits need to be paid for at the initial booking stage and are non- refundable. Anyone that embarks on a gorilla trek must be fit and in good health, as reaching the gorillas in their natural habitat can be tough, arduous and wet. To reach the gorillas requires trekking through thick forest at heights of up to 3,000m over sometimes difficult terrain. If on the day of your trek you are sick with a cold, flu or other contagious illness, visiting the gorillas will not be permitted and you may not be refunded the cost of the trek. It is generally quite cool, particularly in the evening, so warm clothing is advised. Recommended clothing is long trousers and shirts when in the forest to avoid nettle stings. Sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots are essential. It often rains so take waterproof clothing and protection for your cameras. Only one hour is allowed with the gorillas, at a distance of at least 7 metres. Flash photography is not allowed. Throughout the trek you will be accompanied by a ranger who will explain the rules and take you to the gorillas. Of course there is no guarantee of seeing a gorilla as they are in their natural habitat. South Africa Cape Town experiences hot, sunny and dry weather during November to March and is a great time for touring. April to August is cooler and can be rainy with the rainfall peaking in June and July however this is the best time to see the Southern Right Whales in breeding off the coast at Hermanus. September and October start to see the temperature getting warmer again with more sunshine. The area around Kruger National Park may experience rainfall from December to March, this is a popular time to visit if you want to see fewer tourists, but can be rather wet. In April and May the weather is becoming drier and night time temperatures begin to drop. June to August can see cooler temperatures and by September and October you will experience much hotter weather and see concentrations of animals around watering holes as the grasses recede. November is an unpredictable month with hot dry weather and maybe the first rains of the season. Flying time: Non-stop flights to Cape Town take approximately 12 hours and Johannesburg 11 hours. Time difference: South Africa is two hours ahead of GMT. Currency: South African Rand. Passports: Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 30 days from the date of exit from South Africa and have at least two blank pages. Visas: British passport holders do not currently require a visa for holidays up to 90 days. Other passport holders should check with the South Africa Embassy. Vaccinations: Vaccinations are recommended, please consult your doctor. Yellow fever: Visitors require a valid yellow fever certificate if coming from or transiting through a yellow fever risk area. For the latest information click on the ‘country information’ tab at http://www.somak.com/africa/southafrica Zambia Zambia has three different seasons: December to April which is warm and wet, May to August which is cool and dry and September to November which is hot and dry. The area around Victoria Falls is a year round destination. Between March and May you will see the towering spray as the mighty waters cascade over the basalt rock. During dry season it is possible to get closer to the Falls. When the water is at its highest, the clearest views are from the Zambian side as there is not as much spray. The lower levels during dry season change the views completely and at this time the Zimbabwean side offers better viewing as the gorges here take the majority of the flow. The remote parts of the South Luangwa are only accessible during the dry season from May to October and many properties offer the choice between walking safaris and game drives. From November to April the Lower Zambezi area is a better choice as you can do game viewing by boat. Flying time: Non-stop flights to Livingstone (Victoria Falls) take approximately 1 hours 45 minutes from Johannesburg. Time difference: Zambia is two hours ahead of GMT. Currency: Kwacha. Passports: Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Zambia and have at least two blank pages. Visas: British passport holders require a visa which can be obtained from Zambian High Commission in London before travel. Single and double entry visit visas are available at all ports of entry, but multi- entry visas are not. Carry the correct amount of cash as change may not be available. Other passport holders should check with the Zambian Embassy. Vaccinations: Vaccinations are recommended, please consult your doctor. Yellow fever: Visitors require a valid yellow fever certificate if coming from or transiting through a yellow fever risk area and/or if travelling between South Africa and Zambia (including transit passengers). For the latest information click on the ‘country information’ tab at http://www.somak.com/africa/zambia Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has a sub-tropical climate that is influenced by altitude. There are 4 distinct seasons – warm wet season from November to March; transitional season from April to May; cool dry winter from May to August; and a warm dry season from August to October. Rainfall is highest on the High Veld with an average of up to 1,020 mm while the Middle Veld receives 410 mm to 610 mm and the Low Veld receives less than 400 mm. Average temperature ranges in Harare are from 7 to 21ºc in June or July to 16 to 27ºc in November. Flying time: Non-stop flights to Victoria Falls take approximately 1 hour 40 minutes from Johannesburg. Time difference: Zimbabwe is two hours ahead of GMT. Currency: US Dollar and South African Rand. Country Guide CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Average Temperature (°C) Average Rainfall (mm) JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 26° 26° 25° 25° 19° 18° 17° 18° 18° 21° 23° 24° 0 0 25 51 76 76 76 76 51 25 25 25 LIVINGSTONE, Zambia – Average Temperature (°C) Average Rainfall (mm) JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 21° 21° 21° 21° 18° 17° 16° 18° 22° 24° 23° 22° 229 203 152 25 10 0 0 0 11 25 102 152