The best advice in preparing for a trip to Africa is to pack light. No one dresses up and lightweight, breathable clothing is best. Select natural fabrics and 100% cotton materials. It is also advisable to wear neutral tones for a safari, such as khaki and earth tones; bright colours and whites can attract insects and can also disturb game on during excursions. Pack a light fleece or long-sleeved shirt for the early morning game drives, as temperatures can be surprisingly chilly. These pieces can easily be layered over your daytime clothes and stowed away as the day heats up.

Passport, visa (if required), travel insurance, vaccination details, prescribed medication, driver's licence, credit cards, and some travel money. Bring your camera, binoculars, phone + charger, sunglasses, sunhat, and adapters. Comfortable walking shoes, sandals, a light rain jacket, a bandana or buff for dust and face protection .In southern Africa during the dry winter, a good puffer jacket or warm fleece is useful for early morning game drives. Don't forget sunblock, lip balm, insect repellent, basic meds, flashlight, swimwear, and toiletries (non-perfumed is best).

Comprehensive travel and medical insurance is strongly recommended. No mandatory vaccinations are required in, but recommended inoculations include:

• Hepatitis A and B
• Rabies
• Tetanus
• A Yellow Fever certificate is needed if travelling to or from Uganda. For updates, check the World Health Organization website.

Malaria is prevalent in many areas of Africa, particularly during the wet season. There are malaria free areas to visit in South Africa and many parts of Namibia. General precautions include:

• Using mosquito repellent with DEET or picaridin
• Sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets
• Wearing long sleeves and trousers in the evening

Consult your doctor before travelling for advice.

Liquid Giraffe accepts payments by both bank transfer and by credit card. Card payments are safe and secure and Liquid Giraffe charges a small admin fee for credit card transactions. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express. You can also pay with your card in your own currency if you prefer.

Botswana and South Africa still remain visa free for many nationalities. Visas tend to be done online (Kenya/Uganda/Zimbabwe to name three). Passports need to have at least 6 months to run at the time of travel and have a minimum of 2 blank pages remaining. Emergency travel documents are normally not accepted for holiday travel.

Liquid Giraffe prefers lodges which are independent or owner managed and where communities are an integral part of the lodge. The shift away from large corporate ownership of lodge portfolios is something we support. Independence enables owners/management teams to craft unique guest experiences without corporate constraints, respond more quickly to market changes, and build stronger personal relationships with guests. Operating independently often results in better alignment with local communities, and increased ability to showcase the lodge’s true character and story.

Be prepared to lose internet and phone connectivity for parts of your trip. Many lodges do have limited Wi-Fi which can allow messaging via WhatApp but not for serious browsing.

In most countries, Wi-Fi is limited to public areas of lodges. In remote areas, there is no cell phone coverage.