FAQs

Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions page! Please see below for answers to common questions we receive from clients. If you don’t see the answer to your question below, send our social media manager, Brittany, and email at brittany@hillsofafrica.com.

Family Safari Questions

What should travelers expect on a family safari?

Create memories your family will cherish for a lifetime with a family safari. Adventure into the bush to see The Big Five up close, explore golden beaches on horseback, enjoy a family dinner in the bush, and so much more.

Children-friendly camps offer activities for the entire family. Parents can relax while children participate in bush treasure hunts, bead-making classes, and listen to bedtime stories from traditional African storytellers.

I have a young child and two teen children who I want to take on a family safari. Is it a good idea to take them and would they enjoy it?

Although some accommodations do require children to be a minimum of 12 years old, others do not have this requirement, and offer activities for nearly every age. Whether you have younger children or late teens, the entire family can enjoy exciting experiences that range from adventurous safaris to Cape Town city tours, horse riding tours on the beach to cultural expeditions with the native Bushmen, and a trip to Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary to elephant back rides. Not to mention, visiting Africa as a family is one of the most rewarding and unforgettable ways to share the experiences of new cultures, fascinating history, and exciting adventures, as an entire family.

And for those families with younger children, children-friendly camps offer a variety of activities for the young ones who aren’t yet of age to participate on a game drive or safari tour. While the children are enjoying bush treasure hunts, bead-making classes, and bedtime stories from traditional African storytellers, parents can relax or partake in an adventurous safari tour.

One of our favorite children’s programs is at Olarro Lodge in Kenya, which offers children ages 6 and up the opportunity to take part in The Olarro Juniors Adventurers Club (OJAC). The club is ran by certified and highly qualified Maasai guides who introduce the kids to animal tracking techniques, survival techniques used in traditional Maasai culture, plant species used for medicinal purposes, and environmentally conscious practices. It’s truly a rewarding experience for all children who take part, and, parents can rest assured knowing that their little ones are in good hands, having fun, and discovering new and exciting things about the environment.

Honeymoon Safari Questions

We want our honeymoon to have some adventure and some romance and relaxation. Is Africa the right place for our honeymoon?

Africa is perfect for you! Many of our honeymoon clients prefer to have a nice mix of adventure, romance, and relaxation; therefore, we create an itinerary that incorporates all these elements–and some nice surprises! Africa not only has the best safari tours, but it also has a plethora of relaxing activities including wine tasting, horseback riding, spa treatments and more. Not to mention, Africa has some of the world’s most stunning beaches and coastline.

To learn more about what you can experience on a romantic African honeymoon, visit any of the links below:

What You Need to Know Before Booking a Luxury Honeymoon to Africa

Celebrate Your Romance at the Exclusive Beaches of Africa

Revitalize The Mind, Body, and Soul at Africa’s Premier Spas

Old-World Charm Meets Romance at The Victoria Falls Hotel

Top 3 Ways to Experience the Best of Cape Winelands

Safety Questions

Are safari tours safe for my family and loved ones?

When embarking on a family safari—or any type of safari for that matter—with a qualified and professional safari provider, you can rest assure knowing you and your loved ones are in excellent hands and completely safe.

Always taking rigorous safety precautions, each guide is armed, and equipped with handheld communication devices and extensive training in proper safety procedures and animal behavior. In fact, professional guides require a minimum of four years of training in the field before they can accompany safari goers on an outing.

Whether taking part in a canoe safari, walking safari, or game drive, professional guides know exactly where to go, what to do in case of any emergency, how far of a distance to keep from animals, and how to protect safari goers if an unexpected situation should arise. Each and every action a professional guide takes is always in the best interest of his or her safari participants.

When choosing a safari provider for your family, it’s important to ensure that the provider only employs guides who have the experience and training to handle any rare and unpredictable situations that could develop. A guide with experience can read a situation and avoid it before it even happens. A good guide develops a feel and instinct for the world around him or her, as they spend thousands of hours in the field.

Packing Questions

What should I pack on a trip to Africa?

For detailed tips on what to pack for your trip to Africa, visit our blog post, 8 Packing Tips for an African Safari Vacation.

Are there any items in particular that I should not take with me on a safari tour?

Yes. Some of the items not to take on a safari tour include:

• Bright colored clothing
• An over-sized bag
• Cell phone
• Expensive jewelry and clothing
• Food

For detailed tips on what not to bring on a safari tour, visit our blog post, 5 Items Not to Bring On a Safari Tour.

Are there any luggage weight regulations we need to know about prior to packing?

Yes. Check with your travel agent to verify any charter flights you will be embarking on and what the regulations for those charter flights are. Regulations also do vary from country to country within Africa.

Destination Questions

Culture and History Questions

What is it about Africa that really touches your soul? (Question featured on Hills of Africa’s guest post on Jungle of Life blog)

It’s pure energy.

Everything from the smell of the first rains to the melting sunsets, the bright colors to the strong aromas, and the magnetic wildlife to the genuine people, Africa is a place where you leave with a new outlook on life and on yourself.

To me, there is no other place on earth where you can sit for hours on end in complete silence as you watch the story of nature unfold before you. And the people are so genuine in their hospitality and joy that you cannot help but feel transformed by their energy.

Soul Safari Questions

Tell us a little about the Soul Safari trip you hosted in 2009:

Thank you! It is a truly amazing experience. We hosted a Soul Safari in 2009, which was a great success.

The best way to explain the Soul Safari trip is to first, imagine your life without fear or uncertainty and with the ability to control your own destiny. A life where you have the control to eradicate both subliminal and obvious fears, and as a result, you receive clarity on your life’s purpose.

We all have past-life fears that block and stall us in our lives, and many times, we are unaware of these fears.

This clarity of life is something that the Soul Safari Transformation with Ainslie MacLeod, a psychic and featured author on Oprah’s Soul Series, helped travelers to achieve. During the Soul Safari Transformation, participants discovered the simple, step-by-step system for understanding their souls’ purpose, while uncovering a sense of fulfillment and joy they’ve never known—all in just 9 days while they enjoyed exceptional African safari tours through some of southern Africa’s most wildlife-rich countries.

Some of the highlights experienced on the Soul Safari included several days of Transformation lessons and guidance by Ainslie MacLeod, all activities of a leisure trip to Zimbabwe, an external energetic boost of nature, and an internal energetic boost of game viewing.

In these coaching talks and Transformation lessons with Ainslie, participants learned how to identify past life fears and find a motivation that resulted in totally eradicating them. They received power in absolute clarity, and found the ability to embrace their authentic selves and finally love who they are. These participants discovered a freedom they never had before.