TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is highly recommended that clients obtain comprehensive Travel Insurance cover. Please furnish Epic with a copy of your insurance policy prior to travel.
If you require assistance with travel insurance please click on the following link - Travel Insurance.
- Hospitalisation and Repatriation
- Cancellation and Missed flight connections
- Loss of baggage and loss/breakage of valuables en route
- Loss/breakage of valuables such as cameras
PHOTOGRAPHY
Digital cameras are the best for wildlife, with a good zoom up to 300mm or more. If you have an SLR it is a good idea to bring a point and shoot as back up. Remember to bring plenty of memory cards, spare batteries and battery chargers (Please check that you have all your chargers for cell phones, iPods, kindles, camera and video batteries).
If you need to or are interested in hiring a lense to take with you, here are a couple of websites for you to take a look at:
In the USA - https://www.lensrentals.com
In Australia - https://rentalens.com.au/index.php or http://www.camerahire.com.au/hire/digital-slr
GRATUITIES
Although tipping is not compulsory, if service expectations are exceeded, we recommend the following:
- Airport/Hotel Porters/Bag carriers: USD 2.00 per porter
- Transfer only guides: USD 5.00 per group per transfer.
- Private Safari vehicle Driver-Guide (Full day or multi day): Between USD 15.00 – USD25.00 per guest per day. Hand to the driver/guide directly at the end of the stay. For 4+ guests, a bit less per person is fine since the total adds up.
- Shared Safari Vehicle (game drives with camp guide): Between USD 10.00 – USD15.00 per guest per day. Hand to the driver/guide directly at the end of the stay.
- Local Tour Leaders/Professional Local guides: USD 40.00 per group per day, hand directly to the guide at the end of the trip.
- Butler (if you have one at the lodge): USD 15.00 per guest per day. Hand to the butler directly at the end of the stay.
- General Camp Staff: Between USD 10.00 – USD20.00 per guest per day. This can be placed in a communal tip box or hand to the camp manager at the end of the stay for the staff pool (housekeepers, waiters, back-of-house).
- Community Excursions: USD 10.00 per guest, to be given to the village leader for distribution.
- Kilimanjaro climbers 8 to 9 day - Luxury/VIP climbs: USD 400.00 per person. This covers all staff on the climb.
LANGUAGE
The national language is Kiswahili, with English also in everyday use. Phrasebooks are freely available.
POPULATION
The current population is estimated at 59 million.
RELIGION
Christian, Muslim, indigenous beliefs
RECOMMENDED READING
- Scramble for Africa -Thomas Pakenham
- The Shackled Continent -Robert Guest
- Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone - Martin Dugard
- Being Maasai - Edited by Thomas Spear & Richard Waller
- The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior: An Autobiography - Tepilit Ole Saitoti
- Safari – A Chronicle of Adventure - Bartle Bull
- The Tree Where Man was Born – Peter Matthiessen
- Lunatic Express – Charles Miller
- Barefoot over the Serengeti — David Read
- Africa Adorned - Angela Fisher Elephant
- Memories - Cynthia Moss
- Serengeti Shall not Die - Bernhard Grzimek
- Kingdom of the Lions - Jonathan Scott
- The Hadza - Hunter-Gatherers of Tanzania - Frank Marlowe
Animals - Conservation - Reference:
- Almost Human – Shirley Strom
- Elephant Memories – Cynthia Moss
- Natural Connections – Dr David Western
- Wildlife of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda – David Hosking
- Mammals of East Africa – Chris Stuart
- Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa – Stevenson & Fanshawe
- Behavior Guide to African Mammals – Richard Despard Estes
- Field Guide to the Reptiles of East Africa – Stephen Spawls
- Safari Companion, A Guide to Watching African Mammals - Richard Estes
Movies & Documentaries:
- The Ghost & the Darkness, 1966
- Echo and Other Elephants, 1966
- To Walk with Lions, 1999
- Nowhere in Africa, 2001
- The Constant Gardener, 2005
- Born Wild, 2011
- African Cats, 2011
- Planet Earth Live, 2012
Apps:
- eGuide to Birds of East Africa - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/eguide-to-birds-of-east-africa/id586867795
- Kingdon guide to African Mammals - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-kingdon-guide-to-african-mammals/id336901877
- Tracks of Central Africa - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tracks-of-central-africa/id516140448
- Trees of East Africa - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/useful-trees-of-east-africa/id981531635
- Swahili Phrasebook - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/swahili-phrasebook/id980990946
- Skyview - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.t11.skyviewfree&hl=en_ZA
- iTrack Africa - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/itrack-africa/id952350873
