BootsnAll Travel Community

I'm sure this will evolve for me...but most of what I'm curious about at this point are:

can I piece the airfair together as I go? (flight from New Orleans, LA to Cape Town, SA; Nairobi to Aswan; Israel to Delhi, India etc.) or do I need tickets for all to prove onward travel?

I'm planning to be in South Africa by late September--any advice on when to book a ticket? and who with?

how long before should I start worrying about visas or can I get them along the way? I'd get the S. Africa visa before I left.

What immunizations are necessary for that part of the world?

I'm sure I'll have more questions as soon as these get answered, feel free to check back frequently.

I'm not sure about your air... buying one way tickets may be a whole lot more expensive than some sort of circle trip with only a few odd add-ons. For me, when a safari includes South-, East- and North Africa, I try NW/KLM through Amsterdam because they have service into Cape Town, Nairobi and Cairo, and also have a code share agreement with Kenya Airways, who flies from Nairobi to Egypt. The sooner you book, the better, particularly for your flights in/out of East Africa. September/October are the peak season, primarily for Kenya due to the wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara.

As far as visas: US citizens do not need a visa for South Africa, but your passport must have two blank pages facing each other for entry/exit stamps. I don't know which route you'll be taking for your surface transportation to East Africa. US citicens can purchase visas upon entry to ALL safari countries (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, etc.) upon arrival at border crossings or international airports without photographs and without lengthy visa forms, but you have to pay for your visas in US$ CASH (no traveler's checks, no credit cards). The visa cost for US citizens is: Zambia $135, Tanzania $100, Kenya $50. So far, I have never had any immigration officer ask for my onward flight ticket, but I don't know what the official requirements are, and I always did have an onward ticket of some sort, so if someone else has concrete info about that, go by that advise.

There are no immunizations required to enter any of these African countries, with the exception of Tanzania - but only if you were entering from a country considered in the yellow-fever zone. None of the Southern African countries are in the yellow-fever zone, and as long as you are not going to Kenya first, you are ok. All of East-, Central- and some of West Africa is in the yellow-fever zone. However, I suggest anti-Malaria pills, not for Cape Town, but if you were going up to Kruger or Zululand (Kwa Zulu Natal) you should take it, as well as for Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Kenya. Stick to drinking bottled or filtered water, and you should be fine.