What kinds of preparations are needed before traveling to Africa?
Overview
Obtain travel insurance
My top travel advises, based on nearly ten years of full-time travel, is to never, ever, ever, ever go anywhere without travel insurance!
And if it's your first time traveling to Africa, that advise is x100!
Travel insurance can literally save you tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in the event of an accident, and it may even save your life. Typically, it costs between $2 and $5 each day.
You cannot afford to go if you cannot afford travel insurance. Until you can, put your goals on wait and save for a few more months.
When you get travel insurance, what happens?
Your travel insurance will either get you the best care available or transport you to a facility that can provide it if your bus crashes and you break a leg, break some ribs, go into a coma, or die. They will bring your body home for your family if you pass away. They will cover the cost if you crash into someone's pricey car while riding a bike. You will receive several thousand dollars to purchase clothing, shoes, and toiletries if your bag is lost. You won't have to pay $50,000 like other uninsured (and foolish) travelers do if you contract dengue or malaria and must stay in the hospital for a week. You won't have to pay anything.
The first thing you should do is purchase travel insurance before you even reserve your hotel or plane ticket. In this manner, if you must cancel, your vacation is covered! If you must cancel and then opt to purchase insurance, it is not covered.
Grab some fresh US dollar bills.
In Africa, the US dollar is commonly recognized, and many visas require payment in US dollars. As a result, it's wise to keep a healthy supply of fifties on hand in case the situation calls for them. In fact, some nations, such as Zimbabwe and Liberia, do daily commerce in US dollars.
If at all feasible, take huge banknotes that are no more than Series 2009. I brought numerous notes older than this one, along with some $5 and $1 notes, on my first trip to Africa, but I discovered that most money changers and tour companies will not take them. Souvenir vendors on the streets are your sole option for getting rid of these bills. Additionally, try to utilize ATMs whenever you can to avoid carrying huge quantities of cash; they are widely available and accept Plus and credit cards. You won't have to worry about holding big amounts of cash in your pockets thanks to this.
If you have a travel card, making an ATM withdrawal is simple and safe.
Consider a smartphone that has been unlocked.
Things have changed a lot since my first trip to Africa, when I just had a very old brick phone!
These days, cell phone providers are surprisingly good. 4G is now widely available and reasonably priced; for example, a month's worth of unlimited bandwidth may only cost $10.
Some people have been duped into believing that Africa is so archaic that letters are still sent via pigeon. Africa has completely changed because of the "Nokia revolution," and in many respects, they are ahead of the West. Even farmers who live in remote communities in tiny huts have cell phones, conduct business via WhatsApp, and get paid in mobile money.
When you are there, make sure to get a SIM card and bring an unlocked iPhone or Android device. Almost all the continent's nations have reasonably priced, good mobile and data networks. To use your phone, it must be unlocked. As an alternative, you may simply get a low-cost Huawei phone when you get there.
Awareness of Malaria
Malaria is a serious issue in Africa, where it claims millions of lives each year. But don't allow your trip to be ruined by your fear of this. Preventing malaria is simple, and you'll be okay if you take the right measures.
The two most widely used antimalarial medications are macaron and doxycycline. Macaroni has the fewest adverse effects but is the most costly alternative (about $7 each pill).
Additionally, malaria is not as serious of a problem as it once was because a medication was found in 2015. That doesn't mean you want to catch it, though!
Fortunately, malaria is difficult to contract since it is spread by a particular variety of mosquito that cannot survive at elevations higher than 1,500 meters. This implies that while you can unwind a bit in cities like Addis Ababa and Nairobi, coastal communities like Mombasa and Zanzibar demand greater attention. Using insect repellent if you're outside at night, in the bush, or anywhere mosquitoes might be present is the apparent preventative measure here. You're safe if you don't get bitten!
Take precautions against traveler's diarrhea!
One of my top suggestions for traveling to Africa is this. Traveler's diarrhea still occurs in Africa, despite the continent's generally high standards for food cleanliness, including hand washing, dishwashing, and thorough vegetable washing.
Their water supplies' portability is what disappoints them.
Westerners cannot safely consume most of the tap water in Africa. Fortunately, there is a method to safeguard yourself against contaminated water and digestive issues in general. I have visited some of the world's least developed nations and have avoided traveler's diarrhea for years.
What's the trick?
probiotics.
Your digestive system's gut flora, or probiotics, aid in strengthening your immune system and removing any bad bacteria from your stomach. According to studies, taking probiotics frequently while traveling significantly reduces the risk of traveler's diarrhea and is also very beneficial for your overall health. This probiotic, which has 50 billion organisms each tablet and functions wonderfully, is my favorite to take.
Anyone traveling to Africa for the first, second, or third time should read my comprehensive blog post on preventing traveler's diarrhea.
Always dress down!
Keep in mind that poverty is still a major issue in Africa, and you will see many individuals who face daily challenges, such as many homeless people and street children.
Even while they usually pose no threat, it's best to avoid drawing attention to yourself and showing off your pricey possessions. Try to keep as low key as you can because, assuming your face is not African, you will already attract notice in rural areas and frequently in cities as well. This includes refraining from donning gaudy necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and watches. Make use of inexpensive backpacks, shoes, and sunglasses. Much of Latin America and Southeast Asia can also benefit from this advise.
The culture is something else you should consider. In most of Africa, short shorts, low-cut blouses, and tank tops are not common, but they may be back home. That means no gaudy attire and minimal glitter. Try to keep as much of your body covered as you can, ladies.
Avoid wearing white clothing’s!
You'll observe that not all the streets and walkways in many African cities are paved. There is a lot of dust and dirt in the air because the walkways are sometimes made of gravel or dirt.
I never take white clothing, especially socks, because of this, they turn brown rapidly and, in some places, where washing machines are scarce outside of major cities you will have to wash them by hand. I brought a lot of white socks and t-shirts on the first trip to Africa but unfortunately by the time I returned home, they were all brownish and brown.
Additionally, bring sunglasses for when you're out and about. Your eyes will appreciate it.
Never take pictures of natives without their consent.
There will be some incredible photo chances where you can capture locals doing things you have never seen before. Even while it might be your first impulse to grab the camera and take a picture, try to avoid doing so because locals will frequently be offended if you do.
In fact, if they catch you, a lot of people will come up to you and ask for money.
There is a right technique to take pictures in Africa, however you can use your zoom and shoot pictures from a distance or just be discrete.
If they answer yes, you can proceed with taking it; if not, you simply say, "thank you" and move on. A lot of individuals will be okay with you taking their picture and will request to view it later. If they want a tip, don't panic; it's very usual and will help to maintain harmony if you give them a coin or tiny bill (no more than a few cents to a dollar). They will value your respect, and it will keep the peace.
Pick up some hand sanitizer
Local kids will be leaping all over you and you will undoubtedly be touching a lot of filthy items if you are planning some off-the-beaten-path excursions. It's vital to have a bottle of this on hand.
Take your own from home because it can be difficult to find in some places.
Use hustlers wisely.
You will receive some unwelcome attention when strolling the streets. To get a commission, guys would try to offer you crafts or entice you to visit souvenir shops. Working women will approach you if you're in bars and clubs late at night.
If you're interested, that's great, but most likely you're not. In any event, these individuals are harmless and merely a nuisance, so the key is to remain calm and collected rather than antagonistic.
Simply respond, "No, I come every year, my brother lives here," or something like, when they inquire whether this is your first visit.
They will probably chit-chat with you for ten more seconds after realizing you are not a naive tourist before going on to a more potential victim.
One year in Tanzania, I recall stepping off a bus and being greeted by a man who put his hand on my shoulder and yelled, "Taxi, my friend? My pal? "Taxi!"
He continued, "Your first time in Africa, my friend?" when I ignored him.
I gave a headshake. "This is where my family resides."
"Oh! Do you have a wife from Africa?
I turned to face him and gave him a solemn nod as I began to chuckle. "Kaka, ndiyo" (yes, my brother).
With that knowing smile in his eyes, he vanished so quickly that even I was taken aback. He was teasing someone else at the bus entrance when I turned my head to put him to sleep. Although it can be annoying at first, don't let this ruin your trip; it happens a lot. It just takes a little travel knowledge and is safe. Always be courteous, avoid mentioning that this is your first visit to the country, and if in doubt, keep your mouth shut! Simply grin and go on.
Bring a first aid kit.
In an area without hospital helicopters and few ambulances, a basic first aid kit can be helpful.
This includes sterilized needles (some hospitals do not have them), bandages, antiseptics, prescription antibiotics, painkillers, DEET, and a pocketknife.
Major African cities have many of these items, however they are primarily for peace of mind. In certain remote places, they are also difficult to locate.