Travel Information
As the leading destination in Africa for wildlife safaris, Gamewatchers Safaris has been welcoming overseas visitors for many years.
Our travel information section aims to provide you with useful information and resources from planing to departing on your African safari.
Kenya Travel Information
Frequently Asked Questions
With such a bewildering array of information about safaris on websites, brochures and in the media, it can be quite difficult to find answers to what you would like to know. See our Frequently Asked Questions section for some of the more common queries we receive and our answers.
Travel Insurance
It is a requirement that all our clients travelling to Africa should have travel insurance which includes cover for medical treatment and emergency air evacuation.
We are pleased to offer the JWS Travel Policy through JW Seagon with whom we now have an arrangement to book this for our clients at competitive prices.
Free Safari-Planning Resources
Useful information and guides to help you plan the best possible safari and prepare for your trip by learning about the wildlife that you will see.
Security
We wish to ensure that you enjoy your stay in Kenya without any undue concerns about safety and security. The tourism industry in Kenya takes visitor safety very seriously and considers all aspects of the tourist’s stay in Kenya. For this reason, the industry created a Safety and Communication Centre under the auspices of the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), which is operated 24hrs a day to monitor visitor safety and to liaise closely with the security agencies in Kenya.
Our Difference
Gamewatchers excels in delivering unique experiences, advocating conservation, and connecting with local communities. Our adventures promise unforgettable memories and positive impact on wildlife and communities.
Safari Packing List
See our Packing List for a general guide on what to take on your safari. Where possible luggage should be kept to a minimum due to the space restrictions on light aircraft, but we are able to store excess baggage at our head office in Nairobi.
Health
There are no compulsory vaccinations required for entry to Kenya unless you are arriving from an area infected with Yellow Fever, in which case a Certificate of Inoculation against Yellow Fever is required from travellers older than one year. Visitors coming from other countries in Africa where Yellow Fever may occur, including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar, require a Yellow Fever certificate.
Visas
Visas are no longer are required for visitors to Kenya. Instead ALL visitors must apply for the Republic of Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA). This section gives further information on eTA and how to apply.
Special Offers
Our top recommended safari itineraries offering great value for an all inclusive safari experience
Airlines
You can easily search for the best airfares and availability of flights to Africa using our online booking facility.
Photography
As a basic guide we suggest that each person have their own camera, a 35mm or 5+ mega pixel digital camera. Interchangeable lenses are recommended, with a normal lens and a telephoto of at least 200 mm, although a 400 mm or more is preferable for close-ups and for photographing birds. Other lenses e.g. wide angle, macro etc., may be brought.
Recommended Reading List
To help prepare you for your safari adventure we’ve compiled a selection of our favourite books and guides.
Porini Safari Merchandise
For the first time ever, you can now own our quality merchandise worn by our guides in the field. This merchandise is inspired by the adventure-seeking style of an African Safari. Colors: distressed green with logo (name embroidery can be done upon request at extra charge.)
What Our Clients Say About Us...
In our commitment to excellence, we not only strive to exceed our clients’ expectations but also value their feedback. We are proud to present our latest clients’ feedback posted on Trip Advisor.
laurafrangi18 December 2024 Unforgettable safari week in Kenya From the booking process with Safari Consultant Wayne Hammond to the actual experience at Porini Amboseli Camp and Porini Mara Camp, it has been perfect at every step.There is nothing I would change, I cannot think of something to improve! We felt in good hands from A to Z. I'm a super happy customer and will recommend Gamewatchers / Porini camps 100%.Thank you for organizing this unforgettable trip for us. It feels like it was all a dream, we will cherish this memory forever! carobertson1 December 2024 Kenya Safari with Gamewatchers The entire experience was phenomenal. The communication from the first contact made to Gamewatchers ( Wayne Hammond was our liason) to the transfer to the hotel at the end of the trip was outstanding. All our questions were answered fully and in warp time. We were provided with all the information that we needed to create a safari experience that was 10/10. The hotel accomodations prior and post safari were more than comfortable with staff that were friendly and helpful. The hotel restaurants provided a good choice of food that was tasty and well prepared. The actual safari bested our expectations. The Porini staff at each of the 3 camps ( Rhino, Cheetah and Porini) we stayed at were excellent - they took great care of us, made sure that every need was met and were gracious and patient with our questions and requests. Every person greeted us with a smile and most called us by name. The game tours, the walking tours, and the night tour provided us the oppoturnity to not only see and hear the animals up close and perrsonal, but also to learn about the flora and fauna, the cultures of the people. Each tour gave us a greater appreciation of the land and its inhabitants. We left the bush with new friends and a greater respect for all things African. We saw so many animals and took + 1000 photos over the 10 days in the bush. It was the trip of a lifetime. Carolyn23 November 2024 WISHES AND DREAMS DO COME TRUE. Myself and my mate stayed in Nairobi for 2 nights. We were escorted, throughout our trip from landing at Nairobi Airport to our return to Nairobi Airport to go home. This gave us time to visit the Giraffe Centre, where we hand fed the Rothschild Giraffes, which are wild and free to roam in a huge conservancy. An Absolutely fantastic experience! We were then taken to various shopping centres where bead making jewellery, recycled items were created, wood carvings, artworks and so on was expertly made. We didn’t go to Karen Blixens’ house/museum, of “Out of Africa” fame, which we will visit next time we go, as we certainly will be revisiting!Day 3 was the start of our 1st camp Safari at Amboseli Camp, run by the wonderful Massai people. We were escorted in uncovered, massive Safari vehicles which comfortably seat 6 guests. Our Massai guide and spotter were so knowledgeable, about everything from fauna, birds, all the animals. We asked so many questions about their lives and they were so honest and so proud of their Country, which is spotless, clean and friendly. Our guides found every animal and bird that was in our book plus more. I could not believe how close we were to all the animals; LIONS, ELEPHANTS, GIRAFFES, BUFFALOES, CHEETAHS!!! We called it UCAP. Up Close And Personal!!! We had a days safari at Amboseli National Park too!Our next 3 day camp was Rhino Camp, which we flew to on a small aircraft. We booked this camp as we wanted to visit the last 2 Northern White Rhinos left in the world. As they are so rare, they are protected 24/7 365 days a year along with Baraka, the blind Rhino. We saw lots of animals along with lots of Rhinos. The experience with Nijad, the very friendly Northern White Rhino was so emotional, upsetting, happy etc., it was FANTASTIC!!! She was soooo friendly. We fed her, stroked her, tickled behind her ears and scratched her HUGE horn and she loved it and I love her!!! Just MARVELLOUS!!!Our next camp was Lion Camp. It did not disappoint. Again, saw all the big 5 plus lots of Hippos. Lost count of how many different Lions and Lionesses we got UCAP to!!! There was lots of drama with the Lion and his pride on our camp, where 3 other Males came to try and take our prides’ Lionesses!!! Thank god our pride hid well and the 3 Males returned to their own area!!!After 4 days in Lion Camp, we returned to Nairobi, in a more relaxing hotel, for 2 nights.On the 1st day, we visited the world famous SHELDRICK ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE, which must be booked 3 months prior to your visit. Another experience not to be missed. The babies are so beautiful where you can pat, stroke and scratch their bums!!! DELIGHTFUL!!!The only advice I can give is check that you REALLY need to take, a flask, body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, wet wipes!!! These were supplied at each camp/vehicles/bathrooms!!! These takes up so much room and weight in your 15K luggage that I could’ve taken more clothes!!!It is impossible to tell you how exhilarating and exciting this trip was in a few thousand words. The pictures and videos we’ve taken have shown our family and friends just how wonderful this trip of a lifetime was. The staff, the posh tents, the food, the itineraries were just excellent plus everything worked seamlessly.We will be coming back with GAMEWATCHERS SAFARIS.NOT ONCE DID WE FEEL THREATENED OR AFRAID!!! Even when the Lions walked past us, nonchalant, within 5 feet away!!!Having just watched Gary Barlow on his Safari in South Africa, I can honestly say that our Safari was a 1000% better.I would also add that Wayne Hammond, one of the advisors who helped me choose our trip, was also excellent. All my wishes and dreams were catered forHow he put up with my emails, I’ll never know!!! ipbchlvr20 November 2024 Can I give 9.99 stars out of 5? My husband was not at all interested in going but by day 2 he was in awe! Our consultant wayne arranged everything and it went amazingly smooth. I was so anxious because people kept telling me we were crazy not going on a “tour” with a tour company. Do not hesitate to book with gamewatchers. Amazing staff in the camps. Polite , nice, easy to talk to. Camp managers amazing. Accommodations clean, neat, plenty of food. Excellent spotters & driversEtson, Dixon, John, frank, Jackson and Edward stand outWe stayed 2 nights each at porini amboseli, porini rhino, porini rhino river, and porini cheetah campOh did I mention the amazing wildlife?Non stop, every turn held something new and fun. Saw the big 5 and so much moreEvery camp located in a different ecosystem but all were greatWe saw some other groups in closed vehicles. I was attracted to the open proper safari Land Cruiser-exciting!And I liked the conservancy ideaIt was my #1 bucket list item and I am in awe that it was beyond fabulous Gamewatchers delivers Vacation3675952353318 November 2024 Best time ever! My dream come true. Everything was exceptional from the camps, food, service and game drives. The people are lovely! I could not have asked for more. Marie-Annick G10 November 2024 Kenya: A dream come true I had high expectations for this safari and GameWatchers delivered. As a solo traveler, i felt that I was being taken care of from the moment I landed in Nairobi to being dropped off back at the airport 8 days later, I only have positive comments. On the twice-daily drives, the drivers and spotters were all very knowledgeable about our surroundings and the wildlife. I felt safe 100% of the time being escorted to/from my tent at night time. The accommodations are clean, comfortable and the food plentiful and delicious. I truly can’t come up with one negative point. I visited the Nairobi National Park, the Rhino camp and the Masai Mara and finished with a few hours visit in Nairobi before catching my flight back which included Karen Blixen’s property now a museum. I also booked a hot air balloon ride in the Mara: not to be missed! TwoTravelers218 November 2024 A View of the Local Culture, Wildlife and Geology of Madagascar We chose Gamewatchers for our trip to Madagascar having enjoyed our safaris in Uganda and Kenya two years ago. Our driver/guide, Franco, was outstanding by all accounts. How he managed to drive on those roads and keep us relatively comfortable and on time is beyond my understanding. The car was clean and comfortable, Franco knew when to talk and when to let us rest. He is knowledgeable, a fantastic driver, and very friendly. All of our area guides were excellent.Balita (Patrick) in Antananarivo was very knowledgeable and aware of our abilities vs. the time we had.Emil in Ranomafana NP with his knowledge of the wildlife and plants he enabled us to see much more than just the lemurs and chameleons. We also visited his vanilla plantation and loved that.Adrian in the Anja Reserve allowed us to find our own places from which to photograph the lemurs. Many guides just tell you what to do and we appreciated his understanding.Nirina at Isalo patiently helped us hike into the gorge and kept up a fascinating stream of conversation about the geology and the wildlife.We truly appreciated not feeling pressured to buy things from the gift shops.Madagascar tourism is not as mature as Kenya and South Africa which meant that Gamewatchers needed to be extra aware of time and needs. We thought they did a fabulous job finding activities that fit our desires to learn about the culture, wildlife, and geology in this truly remarkable country. Mike Q4 November 2024 19 Day trip to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Our trip to Africa was amazing! Truly a trip that will give us wonderful memories for a lifetime. We saw so many animals, it will take a week just to sort through the photos and videos. We loved the different accommodations, from the Elewana Tarangire Treetops and Serengeti Nimali Camps to the more rustic Porini Mara and Amboselli Camps. It was a very nice change of venue throughout the trip that made it interesting. All of the guides and camp personnel were very gracious, informative, and entertaining! We met many other travelers that we enjoyed and became friends with. I cant think of enough nice things to say about Gamewatchers. It started with the trip layout and suggestions that was made by Wayne Hammond, our representative. The other personnel at Gamewatchers kindly helped us with all our connection needs and even allowed us to rework our last day’s schedule to give us amazing views of the Rinos in Nairobi National Park. We love Gamewatechers and all their representatives and will recommend them for trips by our friends. Leigh M3 November 2024 GameWatchers is the best safari company GameWatchers safaris is the best operator to go with. The guides are very knowledgeable - other guides would stop and ask them questions. We were in a vehicle by ourselves, so we could easily see out and stop to take photos whenever we wanted. The food was excellent. Everything was well planned. We mostly stayed in conservancies, so many less vehicles. Karen R1 November 2024 Best Safari company ever! Best wildlife viewing ever! I can’t recommend Gamewatchers Safaris highly enough. Their model setting camps in conservancies allows for the most private and special of game viewing. Their staff is impeccable – everyone from top to bottom was friendly, polite, and so helpful. The views were absolutely incredible. Over the 10 day safari we saw all of the big five, many times over. We visited three camps and of those enjoyed the one at Olare Motorogi conservancy the best. It is adjacent to the Massai Mara and offers a wide range of wildlife, including leopards, cheetahs and crocodiles, something we did not see at the other camps. We have been to three countries in Africa, but Kenya and Gamewatchers is the best!