Pre Study Trip Information

Baggage Allowances on Scheduled Flights

Scheduled airlines generally carry a weight restriction of 50lbs per economy class traveler in one suitcase / bag as well as one item of hand baggage (the total dimensions – height, width and length may not exceed 115cm or 45 inches).

Safari camps, lodges and hotels provide bathroom and toilet amenities

Laundry can be done on a daily basis where you will be residing. There is usually a small fee for this.

Mainly casual clothing is required

As no formal clothes are needed throughout most of southern Africa, we recommend that you limit your luggage to the basics.

LOST BAGGAGE

Luggage that goes missing on scheduled flights is beyond the control of CASA.The airport controls what happens to passengers’ luggage from when it is checked in until it is put on board the aircraft. We would like to suggest that you take the following precautionary action: Please pack a small bag with your essentials including any life sustaining medication, that can be carried with you as hand luggage, and pack a second bag containing non-essentials that can be loaded in the aircraft hold. If the second bag does not arrive, you will still have your essential items on hand to see you through the first couple of days while we try and recover your baggage.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation charges will be levied when guests cancel confirmed reservations. The costs of the cancellation fees will escalate the closer the guests cancel to their departure date. We are a long haul destination and most of our trips are booked between six months and four months before departure. We therefore do not sell many beds in the last two months or so. Thus, our penalties begin and escalate from 8 weeks before departure, by which time the safari must be paid for in full. If a booking has been made less than 8 weeks prior to departure, the cancellation policy still applies.

Our cancellation policy is as follows:

* If a cancellation is made more than 8 weeks before departure then the guest loses his 20% (non-refundable) deposit - which must be paid over to ourselves.

* If a cancellation is made between 4 weeks and 8 weeks, the guest loses his deposit plus 30% of the total price. (i.e. the guests loses 50% of the total safari price.)

* If a guest cancels less than four weeks prior to departure, the guest loses 100% of the study tour price.

We do recommend taking out travel insurance so that should you cancel a reservation you will be able to claim the cost back from the Insurance Company.

Health Information

There are a few basic health matters that require care and attention. We are obviously not medical practitioners and the following points are recommended guidelines only. Please consult your doctor and also check with your health department prior to departure for any changes in health regulations.

a) Malaria

Malaria within South Africa 's borders is only prevalent in a few areas. It is encountered mainly in northern and eastern Mpumalanga, northern Kwa-Zulu Natal, and the border areas of the Northern and North West Provinces. Malaria is also common in the lower lying areas of Swaziland . It can also be found throughout Mozambique and Zimbabwe , and much of Botswana . Northern Namibia is also a malarious area. Should you be visiting these areas malaria precautions are advised.

Malaria transmission is at its highest during the warmer and wetter months of November through to April. From May through to October the risks of acquiring malaria are reduced.

The malaria parasite requires a human host in order to complete its life cycle. In most cases, our camps are situated in remote, unpopulated areas, so the chances of contracting malaria are very slim. Nonetheless, it is worth taking preventative measures.

Both chloroquine-resistant and normal strains of malaria are prevalent in Africa. Malaria is transmitted by a very small percentage of female Anopheles mosquitoes. They are only active in the early evening and throughout the night, at the times when one is usually sleeping or sitting around the campfire.

MALARIA prophylactic recommendations for southern African travellers:

Expert opinion differs regarding the best approach to malaria prophylaxis. It is important to bear in mind that malaria may be contracted despite chemoprophylaxis, especially in areas where chloroquine resistance has been reported. Please remember that the best insurance is the preventative kind: avoid being bitten by using mosquito repellents liberally. Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers/slacks in the evenings. If staying in a bungalow or tent, spray with an insecticide like DOOM to kill any mosquitoes that may have flown into your room. Mosquito coils are effective.

If you become ill on your return, while still on prophylaxis or even once you have stopped taking them, ensure that your doctor does everything to establish that your illness is not malaria.

Malaria is not a serious problem if you are sensible and take basic precautions. There have been very few cases of our guests contracting malaria during our 19 years to date, of operation.

b) Water

It is very important that you drink plenty of water especially during the warmer months. It is generally recommended that guests drink at least 2 to 3 litres (4 to 6 pints) of water per day to limit the effects of dehydration. This excludes tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages, which act as diuretics and can actually contribute to dehydration.

Generally, water throughout Southern Africa is safe to drink directly from the tap. However, bottled water is readily available, so please do not allow yourself to become dehydrated.

c) Other Health Issues

There are no other health issues that one needs to be overly concerned with.

Money & Foreign Exchange

BANKS

Most banks are open Monday to Friday 09h00 to 15h30 and Saturday from 08h30 to 11h00.

The following banks offer foreign exchange services: First National, Nedbank, Standard Bank, and ABSA. Various teller machines (ATM's) are found in every large town. Several international banks have branches in the main cities.

The banks and the Bureau de change at most airports offer the best exchange rates, but it is also possible to change money at the hotel reception

CREDIT CARDS

Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted throughout the country. American Express and Diners are less widely accepted, however more acceptable in the main city centres. Please note Wilderness Safaris’ camps are unable to accept American Express cards.

CURRENCY

In line with the legislative changes in Europe, most establishments and banks will unfortunately not accept eurolegacy currency notes and coins as legal tender including Austrian Schilling, Belgian Franc, Deutsche Mark, Spanish Peseta, Finnish Mark, French Franc, Irish Punt, Italian Lira, Netherlands Guilder and Portuguese Escudo.

Payments

We accept the following major Credit Cards

VISA Mastercard

Alternatively you may do a direct telegraphic transfer into our bank account, details of which we shall give to you.

Upon confirmation of a study trip we require a 20% deposit in order to confirm and secure your trip for you. Balance of payment is then required 60 days before date of travel.

Travel Insurances

It is a condition of booking, that the sole responsibility lies with you, the guest, to ensure that you carry the correct comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover yourselves, as well as any dependants/travelling companions for the duration of your trip to Southern Africa. This insurance should include cover in respect of, but not limited to, the following eventualities: cancellation or curtailment of the safari, emergency evacuation expenses, medical expenses, repatriation expenses, damage/theft/loss of personal baggage, money and goods. CASA study tour, including their representatives, employees and agents will take no responsibility for any costs, losses incurred or suffered by the guest, or guest’s dependants or travelling companions, with regards to, but not limited to, any of the above mentioned eventualities. Guests will be charged directly by the relevant service providers for any emergency services they may require, and may find themselves in a position unable to access such services should they not be carrying the relevant insurance cover.

CASA study tour cannot be held responsible or liable for loss, damage, or theft of personal luggage and belongings, nor can we be held liable for personal injury, accident or illness. Please ensure that you and your belongings are adequately insured before your departure. Insurance is compulsory when participating in any of our trips. If you do not possess a policy, we can issue insurance at competitive rates. However, it is better to purchase a policy locally, as this will cover repatriation back to your home country. Please contact your broker or click on the link below.

http://insuremytrip.com

a) Health Insurance

It is compulsory to have full medical, emergency evacuation and repatriation cover for the period of time you are away.

b) Cancellation and Curtailment

You might have to cancel or curtail your journey due to unforeseen circumstances. If for any reason you cancel a trip close to departure date, you could lose the entire cost of your holiday. Should you have to leave before your holiday is finished, we cannot refund you the cost of the portion of the package you do not complete. In the eventuality of this happening, insurance may cover you, depending on the reason for cancellation and curtailment.

c) Baggage & Money Insurance

It is advisable to take out baggage and money insurance, especially if you are carrying a lot of cash or expensive and valuable camera equipment. You should always carry such equipment as "carry-on" luggage. Do not put anything of value in your checked-in baggage!

d) Claims

If you anticipate an insurance claim upon your return, be sure to document as accurately as possible any accident, injury or loss. Doctor’s notes and police reports will aid any claim.

Photography

The choice of the correct camera equipment and film will determine the quality of your photographs on the trip. For good photography of birds and animals, a good SLR camera and telephoto lens is necessary. A zoom lens can be extremely useful on safari and the minimum recommended size is 200mm. Consideration should be given before travelling with any lens bigger than 400 mm as most interesting shots are taken using hand held equipment. The new high-resolution digital cameras are outstanding and give great quality images, especially if you are using a digital camera body which takes normal camera lenses. Camera bodies like the Canon D60 and 1D are superb. The advantage of digital photography is that one can get instant feedback and adjustments can be made in the field to your techniques to ensure that your photographs are the quality that you would like. Color reversal film (slides) will give far better quality than prints.

Visa Requirements
International visitors require a valid passport together with onward travel documents.

All passport holders should verify with their travel agent or relevant consulate concerning visa entry requirements. If you are extending your journey to other countries, please establish entry requirements for those countries as well.

Please ensure that you have all the necessary visas prior to departure (unless available on entry). If you are unsure if you need a Visa or not you may look at the GSA website at www.the-gsa.co.za