OUR FAQ
Can I pay via credit card?
Yes, you can, Credit card payments are accepted via a secure link shared by our finance team. Please indicate that this is your preferred method of payment when making your booking.
What travel insurance do I need and Why?
All guests must take out travel insurance before a trip. The minimum cover should be covering the following three stipulations:
- Repatriation
- Medical Cover & Evacuation
- Travel Changes or Cancellation Cover
Wild Eye can assist with travel insurance quotes for South African Nationals; all other guests should use reputable insurance companies from within your own home country. Repatriation of you or your remains will depend on whom you have taken your travel Insurance out with.
Credit card providers will include travel insurance should you use your card to purchase the tour/safari. Please ensure that the values covered by them cover your trip and also include the three minimum requirements:
- Repatriation
- Medical Cover & Evacuation
- Travel Changes or Cancellation Cover
Can we book flights/ extra accommodation through you?
Yes. Our custom travel department is at your service, please email [email protected]
Why do you need a copy of my passport?
We keep a copy of your passport on file, it is proof of ID, it helps us with booking your internal flights on your trip, it will be copied and kept with your insurance documentation as a copy with our guide. Some hotels request your passport copy on check-in, and we will provide this so you will not have to part with your passport on arrival at these hotels.
What vaccinations do I require?
We suggest that you speak to your local travel clinic, but a good idea of vaccinations needed and suggested for African travel can be found here.
Compulsory Vaccination for Kenya and Uganda is a Yellow Fever inoculation.
Do I require a visa and can I do it online?
You may require a Visa, but this will be country specific. Please chat to your travel co-ordinator when planning your itinerary and they will be able to offer advice and guidance on Visa requirements which may be relevant for your specific itinerary.
Can we rent camera equipment?
Yes. We have a wide range of camera bodies and lenses available to rent and one of our expert guides can help you choose the right gear for your safari. Rentals are subject to availability, and we would need to carefully consider the logistics around getting the items to you for the start of your safari as our guides are limited in the amount of additional baggage they can carry.
When is the best time of year to go on Safari?
Country dependent, but most safaris are best enjoyed during the winter months, May through to October when water resources are limited, and wildlife tends to congregate around what little water is available. The vegetation and foliage is also less dense at this time of year providing greater visibility.
What is the best camera to take on Safari?
There is no simple answer for this but what we can say is that we don’t discriminate by camera brand, model, gear, experience or preference. Our tours are as much about the experience as they are about photography. That being said, we would be happy to connect with you and help ensure that you are adequately prepared for your time on safari with us.
When is rainy season? Safari Specific?
Country dependent, but most safaris are best enjoyed during the winter months, May through to October whilst the rains tend to fall between November and April. The rainy season is still a fantastic time to be on safari as thundershowers are usually restricted to the late afternoon and the vibrant colours of the green season make for very unique and vibrant images.
What clothes should I pack?
Each of our tours is accompanied by a suggested packing list but, in general, we would suggest:
- Lightweight trousers or shorts and t-shirts are ideal for the daytime
- A jacket and/or fleece for the early mornings and evenings.
- Please remember South African winters can be bitter, extra layers, warm socks and a woolly hat would be suggested for early morning and evening game drives
- Sturdy walking / hiking shoes, for on the vehicle
Other items we would suggest you bring along with you include:
- Sunscreen & hat
- Comfortable Shoes, Sandals
- Flip Flops are useful to wear during the day
- A Torch or headlamp
- Binoculars
- Please do not forget to pack your medication, and a spare set of spectacles or contact lenses if you wear these.
What are the baggage restrictions on the smaller aircrafts?
Typically, the weight restrictions on smaller aircraft used for internal flights between camps is set at a very strict limit of 20kg’s per person including any camera bags and hand luggage. In most cases Wild Eye has already purchased additional freight seats for our group departures which will provide guests with an additional weight allowance to cater for camera gear. The total amount of weight allowed per guests is itinerary specific and will be communicated to you by our safari logistics team well in advance. In addition to this there are a number of guidelines to keep in mind regarding the dimensions and structure of your luggage (no wheels, no hard cases etc etc). It is important that you are fully aware of the restrictions and limitations pertaining to internal flights in your safari itinerary and our team will share these with you in your detailed itinerary.
When is the best time to see the Victoria Falls?
If you are wanting to see the Victoria Falls in full flood, then we would recommend January through to April as the floodwaters and rainfall fill the mighty Zambezi. However, certain activities like visiting and swimming at the Devils pool (on the Zambian side of the falls) are best experienced in the drier season from July through to December.
When is the best time to see the Great Migration?
Typically, the peak of the migration in terms of witnessing the dramatic river crossings would run from the end of July, through August and September, and the beginning of October. Whilst we are unable to control and fully predict nature, we can take control over the 3 key variables which we believe give you the best possible chance of witnessing the great migration. These include the location of our camp (on the banks of the Mara River), the duration of your stay (6 nights and 7 days as a minimum on our set departures to the Wild Eye Mara Camp) and the flexibility to spend as much time out in the field as possible.
Do I need to travel with cash or are there credit card facilities?
Please carry cash for gratuities and for emergencies, please always keep these on you for safe keeping.
What does “Single Supplement” mean?
A single supplement is an additional charge applied by lodges and camps when a guest occupies a double/twin room on a single basis. This fee is usually 50% of the per person sharing nightly rate. Since most of our travellers are single guests wanting their own private room, we have costed the vast majority of our itineraries on a single basis and used our relationships with the various suppliers to waive and reduce the single supplement charged by the camps wherever possible.
What if my partner isn’t interested in photography?
This is no problem at all, and, in many instances, non-photographic partners enjoy the added benefits of being able to spend quality time in a sighting as much as the photographically inclined guests. At no stage would a non-photographic partner be made to feel uncomfortable or not a part of the group.
What is a private guided safari?
A private guided experience is cantered around you & your enjoyment. You’ll travel in the company of a professional Wild Eye guide for the entire duration of the tour. It’s private and exclusive and therefore offers you the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of being on safari to the fullest, all whilst being in the company of a guide and host whose sole purpose is to ensure that you are taken care of beyond your expectation, from start to finish.
Do I need to be a “Pro” to join you on safari?
Most definitely not. We set out to make photographic tours less intimidating and accommodate photographers of all skill levels. Our expert guides are able to help the more experienced try interesting and new compositions and techniques whilst simultaneously being able to help a beginner get to grips with the basics of aperture, shutter speed and ISO.
What vehicles do we use on safari?
This depends on the country we are visiting but options range from open top 10-seater game viewers to closed 6-seater Toyota Land Cruisers with pop-top roofs.
How do I secure my booking and how long can you hold it for?
Following receipt of an online booking form, we can hold space on a provisional basis for a maximum period of 14 days, after which the space will auto-release. A tour booking is confirmed only upon receipt of a 50% deposit payment.
How far in advance should I book my safari?
The sooner the better! Our most popular tours tend to sell out more than a year in advance and we encourage guests to secure their space on the tour of their choice as soon as possible.
Why do you need a copy of my e-ticket and reference number?
Our team in the office is on standby to assist with any flight related challenges, including delayed flights, missing luggage and early online check-ins. However, none of this can be amended or attended to without the booking reference and correct passenger details.
Why do you need a copy of my travel insurance certificate?
The lodges and establishments that you will be staying at whilst on safari with us require these details prior to your check in. Should an emergency arise, the team on the ground will be able to handle the situation more efficiently as well as saving precious time with all these details on hand. If you are visiting our Mara Camp, the office team will also take out an additional AMREF insurance to cover an air evacuation to Nairobi, however, without your insurance details we cannot submit all the details required and you may not have the full evacuation system as anticipated.
Will my own insurance not cover the evacuation in the Masai Mara?
Yes, they most likely will, but bearing in mind that in a high-pressured situation, time is of the essence. Utilizing this air evacuation will be able to get you into Nairobi without hesitation, at which stage your own travel insurance can take over with the relevant hospital admission and/or treatment.