Europesure Travel Insurance knows some of its clients love to follow the ‘Born Free’ dream, personified in the theme tune to the movie of the same name, sung by legend, Matt Monro, who passed away on February 7, 1985. But the safari lifestyle epitomised in Joy Adamson’s 1960 novel and the subsequent 1966 film has changed somewhat since her days of adopting Elsa. Safari options are not now just confined to the Serengeti and Maasai Mara. So what is available and what do you need to consider from a safari holiday travel insurance perspective?
Safari holidays appeal to nature lovers wanting to see wildlife in its native habitat, with a few romantic touches thrown in. That might be seeing dawn break over Kilimanjaro, or watching animals arrive at a waterhole by night. Whereas the ‘Big Five’ were once the creatures to observe in the wild, there are now many more delights to enjoy and more locations by far. Rwanda, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, not to mention South Africa, now firmly compete with Kenya and Tanzania for the safari holiday seeker’s attention.
But what are the attractions and, on the downside, the travel risks for each location and how do you cover a holiday that includes an element of beach relaxation or urban sightseeing, as well as the savanna? What is the situation with regard to other activities that might be bolted on to a safari experience? Europesure Travel Insurance will take you through various safari holiday travel insurance scenarios and locations.
Safari travel advice: the risks and health risks
African safari holidays are, undoubtedly, thrilling adventures but there are unique risks and considerations attached. The first relates to disease, with ‘tropical’ diseases such as malaria and yellow fever present in some locations.
Then, as you will be mingling with wildlife, there is always the risk of being injured through a wildlife encounter. This could be when you come face-to-face with a not-too-happy mother elephant, or a notoriously vicious hippo. The possibilities are numerous.
Safaris may also rely on you catching connecting flights to more remote areas. Here, you could suffer travel delays that impact your holiday plans. It also opens up the opportunity for baggage theft or loss. And delays may also relate to extreme weather incidents that can occur, whether that is a sudden storm or a bout of intense heat.
Heat itself can lead to medical issues, if you suffer dehydration or heatstroke. Altitude is another risk. The problem also is that many safari ‘hotspots’ can be in very remote locations, where medical facilities are sparse and connecting road infrastructure both poor and dangerous. Being air-lifted out of a location, and to medical care facilities some distance away, is always a possibility, so get good medical evacuation cover through your travel insurance.
Safari travel insurance and add-ons
The first step you should take, when planning a safari holiday, is to make sure you line up the vaccinations and anti-malarial treatments you will require. It could take a few weeks to get all of this in place and you will probably need to book into a travel clinic.
As soon as you book your safari trip, you should organise single trip or annual travel insurance for your safari holiday. With political instability a fairly common situation in Africa, you need to safeguard against both cancellation and possible holiday interruption and also consider a terrorism disruption add-on. Natural disasters are also not out of the question, so ensure you are covered.
You may well also be taking higher value items with you on a safari holiday, whether that is camera equipment or powerful binoculars. You should make sure that these are covered adequately, perhaps considering a gadget insurance add-on policy with Europesure.
It would also be wise to check that your policy will cover Covid-19 related disruption, as this is a threat that has not gone away.
South Africa
Here, you can get up close and personal with animals in the Kruger National Park but only travel in an organised group, with guides who understand the risks and how to handle them. Whilst self-drive tours are available, the roads can be poor and animals can easily cross your path, leaving you in a quandary as to how to act. Your travel insurance may well only cover you for organised, guided tours, so do check on this. An elephant trampled a tourist in late January 2025, so incidents can easily happen.
Malaria is found in the Kruger area, so have your antimalarial strategy in place, before you depart. Remember also that tick-bite fever can result from ticks found in game reserves. If you are combining a South African safari with an urban stay in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban, make sure that you have insurance cover for crime and carjacking scenarios.
Rwanda
In Rwanda, you will most probably be gorilla trekking – something covered by your Europesure travel insurance policy. The terrain in gorilla habitats can be steep and forested and you can also be caught out by sudden weather changes. If you are injured, or fall ill in one of the typical mountainous and remote locations, you may need to call on the vital emergency evacuation cover available through your Europesure travel insurance policy.
Malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases are prevalent and other things that could catch you out are food and waterborne illnesses. Check which areas of Rwanda are safe, as border areas, close to the Democratic Republic of Congo, may not be.
Namibia
Safaris in Namibia tend to see travellers heading to Etosha National Park and on the trail of endangered species, including rhino and big cats, but you might also have an itinerary that departs Windhoek and crosses the harsh desert lands of the Namib Desert or the Skeleton Coast. If so, you may be travelling for extensive periods in very remote areas where there is limited access to medical help. Self-drive safaris can be a no-no here, due to the state of Namibia’s gravel roads, and your insurance policy may only cover guided safaris. Be cautious and read your policy wording.
Zimbabwe
Here, as well as heading off on safari, you may well be tempted by some ‘extreme’ sporting activities, such as bungee jumping and white water rafting around Victoria Falls (also an option for those taking safaris in Zambia). If so, make sure your travel insurance policy will cover you, if you incur any sort of injury. Zimbabwe’s political system can always cause a few issues and other headaches could result from encounters with dangerous animals in the Hwange National Park and Mana Pools. Make sure your travel insurance policy could rescue you, should political unrest turn violent. Protect your cash and possessions, by getting good travel insurance protection in place
Botswana
Much of the wildlife spotting to be enjoyed in Botswana is from boats travelling down the Chobe River or around the Okavango Delta, but make sure you travel with expert guides who understand the dangers of hippos and crocs. You could also come face to face with lions and be very cautious in the undergrowth, remembering venomous black mambas and puff adders could inflict a bite. Waterways will be in very remote regions, so your medical evacuation cover can definitely be a lifesaver. Around the Okavango Delta, rainy season comes with a malaria risk but other diseases, including bilharzia, could also catch you out. If you are around the Okavango Delta in the dry season, you are more likely to experience dust storms, which might affect some pre-existing health conditions. Be cautious with your food and drink, to reduce the chances of gastrointestinal illnesses.
Kenya
The Maasai Mara is where you can truly live the Born Free dream, spotting the Big Five or witnessing the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra. This can be idyllic but do take care if walking or taking a night-time game drive and only do so with expert guides beside you and as part of an organised tour. Malaria is prevalent in coastal areas of Kenya and in the Maasai Mara but also be aware of a cholera risk and other waterborne diseases that could catch you out. There is also a terror risk to consider around Nairobi and the northern border region near Somalia. Europesure can provide a terrorism disruption add-on policy, which might provide a vital added layer of protection for you.
Tanzania
In Tanzania, the risk may be all about altitude sickness, with many travellers tackling acclaimed routes up Mount Kilimanjaro. If you are not on a charity mission or wanting to bag the ascent of Africa’s highest mountain, other risks could be through wildlife encounters in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater or the Selous Game Reserve. Here, malaria is again prevalent and typically found at lower altitudes and by the coast. There can also be cholera outbreaks in some regions. If combining a trip with a flight to Zanzibar, there could well be travel delays or cancellations that leave you out of pocket, so secure travel insurance that will protect you.
Final steps for planning a successful safari holiday
Planning is the key to enjoying a safari holiday and that planning should include the vaccinations and antimalarial treatments you will need and also a good examination of your travel insurance policy. Cheaper policies may not cover you for all that you need to protect against, or sports activities in which you may engage. It is also important to purchase a policy with a good level of emergency medical evacuation cover and medical expenses protection.
Do check Government websites before you depart, to ensure that political situations have not boiled over. If you don’t, you could be travelling against Government advice.
And also do your homework. The culture of the country in which you safari could be very different and come with its own set of rules. Do not cross any cultural boundaries, simply because you do not understand what is a no-no.
To buy your Europesure Travel Insurance policy and cover bases that will be important for your guided safari holiday’s enjoyment, head to https://www.europesuretravelinsurance.com
Lead image credit: diego-morales-NWwv0ETyzxc-unsplash.jpg
