Safe Safari | Is Kenya Safe? | Safari Safety

A safe safari is our highest priority. Our guides have been trained in safari safety and they have carefully planned and researched our tours to ensure your security on safari. Our local knowledge and years of safari experiences enhances our ability to safeguard against possible contingencies. Odyssey Safaris takes a number of important steps to ensure your safety on safari and preempt any possible problems while providing additional measures in the event of an incident on your safari.
In order to demonstrate how Odyssey Safaris ensures your safari in Kenya or Tanzania is safe, we address all the areas of safari safety:

Safe Travel

Safe and secure travel on your safari is our highest priority. Our safaris have been carefully planned and researched by our local guides to safeguard against possible contingencies. Odyssey Safaris takes a number of important steps to preempt any possible problems and also provides additional measures in the event of an incident on your safari.

Flying Doctors

Odyssey Safaris provides complimentary enrollment in this emergency medical service at no extra charge.

The Flying Doctors Service operated by AMREF is one of the most comprehensive air ambulance services in Africa, evacuating approximately 600 people annually. Flying Doctors are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and their staff includes trauma doctors and nurses. The organization maintains 24-hour contact by direct radio, telephone, and fax between their radio room in Nairobi and 120 sites across East Africa. Flying Doctors has been operating for 40 years and owns and operates five aircraft.

Animal Knowledge

Odyssey Safaris guides are your personal naturalists, keeping you informed and entertained when sighting species, but also safe and secure. Africa's wildlife present a threat to humans only when provoked and our guides are experienced with every species you'll see on safari and understand how to view them safely while providing the most exciting safari experience possible. Our guides understanding of animal safety not only in the vehicle but at the campsite will ensure you a safe and enjoyable safari.

Reliable Vehicles

Odyssey Safaris provides 4x4 Toyota Safari Land Cruisers (all less than 2 years old) for all our safaris regardless of budget (no mini-buses). Our vehicles are rigorously maintained, inspected, cleaned, and tested before and after every safari. All vehicles are equipped with 2 spare tires, a 1st aid kit, and a radio to communicate with our main office, park rangers, base camp, Flying Doctors, and the Kenyan police. These are spacious, comfortable vehicles capable of challenging off road terrain while still large enough to guarantee our guests a window seat.

Hygienic Food Prep and Complimentary Bottled Water Daily

Waterborne diseases are the greatest source of discomfort to travelers on a Tanzania or Kenya safari. Odyssey Safaris provides complimentary bottled water for its guests and uses it for all food preparation. We also inspect the kitchens of the safari lodges and bush camps used by our guests to ensure the highest standards of food safety.

Mountain Safety

High altitude trekking in East Africa presents unique challenges to those who attempt to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro or Mt. Kenya. Odyssey Safaris mountain guides are all NOLS East Africa graduates with experience on both Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Their knowledge of these distinct mountain environments and the ever changing weather conditions is essential for a positive experience. Your mountain crew is equipped with radios and cell phones for communication amongst the group and with mountain rangers; they are all trained in 1st aid and carry a medical bag for emergencies.

Current Health Information

Prior to your departure you will receive Odyssey Safaris pre-departure welcome packet which includes information about health issues for your safari travel in East Africa. We provide health checklists and questions to ask your doctor should you wish to seek professional medical advice before arriving in Kenya or Tanzania. Odyssey Safaris also regularly updates information from Centers for Disease Control regarding safari travel in East Africa. Additionally, pre-departure briefings prepare you with safe practices that will maximize your safety and security. We give you detailed instructions on local laws, customs, and safari practices, so that you will know what to expect at all times. For added convenience, we give you phone and email contacts you can leave with friends and family at home to assure access if they need to reach you while you travel in Kenya or Tanzania.

Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend that you take out trip cancellation insurance to protect yourself. If it is necessary for you to cancel your trip within 50 days of your departure, or to discontinue your trip once it has begun, you will lose a significant portion of your investment. Travel insurance companies offer cancellation coverage, trip delay insurance, baggage loss and delay insurance, and additional health insurance. If you are interested in any of these products, we can certainly discuss with you a level of coverage you are comfortable with. Contact us today!

Is Tanzania Safe? Is it safe to travel to Tanzania?

Tanzania has managed to avoid the internal political upheaval that has plagued so many other African nations and is therefore one of the safest in Africa. Tribal conflict here simply does not exist, despite the fact that it is one of the most diverse nations in Africa, with more than 120 ethnic groups. Formerly named Tanganyika, Tanzania peacefully gained its independence from Britain in 1961. Its next door neighbor, Zanzibar, became independent in 1963, and a year later the two nations joined forces, becoming the United Republic of Tanzania. Today, it is often used by other nations as a neutral meeting ground, giving it the unofficial title, "Switzerland of Africa." On October 29, 1995, Tanzania held its first democratic elections. They were entirely peaceful.

Is Nairobi Safe?

Nairobi has a reputation for thievery that is mostly overblown and if travelers use commons sense they will find Nairobi a safe city. On our safari you will be escorted by your guide when traveling but while walking around please beware of snatch and grab, con artists, or groups of people following you. The best advice for a tourist is to stay in city centre, know where you are at all times, and pretend you know where you're going (even if you don't) and stay with your guide. Don't carry large quantities of money or passports on the street, and the general rule is that anyone trying to talk to you (there will be many) is up to no good. Scams abound. In recent years, crime has significantly reduced and touts are no longer allowed to solicit tourists on the street though one should still be wary. Apart from the inner city centre, Nairobi dies out at night. Streets are mostly empty. Do not walk alone after nightfall. Always use taxi or transport with your guide.

Is Kenya Safe to Visit? Is it safe to travel to Kenya?

Kenya is safe to visit for business and it is safe to travel to Kenya for those tourists exercising common sense in their travel decisions and especially those who are traveling with a local tour operator. The Kenyan government goes to great lengths to ensure the safety of international tourists because tourism is such a vital piece of the Kenyan economy. For this reason tourists are safer in Kenya than locals and Kenya aggressively pursues and criminal groups with the potential to take advantage of tourists. Your local tour operator also has intimate knowledge of conditions on the ground and can help avoid any issues should they arise.

Safety on Safari

One of the first questions that many people ask, when thinking of going on a safari for the first time, is "How do I ensure safety on safari?" We have all grown up with those wonderfully romantic images of the exciting, untamed African bush, with its multitude of dangerous and wild animals roaming around. The thought of then actually putting yourself amongst them (by choice!) can cause even the sanest person to think that perhaps they are going a bit mad. Simple Rules Firstly, safaris are overall exceptionally safe. As long as you abide by some simple and common sense rules, you should be able to relax and thoroughly enjoy the experience. The Animals are Used to Vehicles When you are with a trained guide, either in a private game reserve or on a guided safari trip, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Your guide is trained to understand the animal's behavior, and will not put his guests in any threatening situation. The animals are also fully accustomed to the sight and sound of a Land Rover. Indeed, many of the animals have been born in the National Parks or private game reserves, and have grown up knowing that this large, smelly machine is nothing to fear. On a Game Drive - Stay in your Car at All Times On a self-drive safari, it goes without saying that you will put yourself in danger if you get out of your car anywhere unless at a designated safe place. Although you may have carefully scanned the area, animals are a master at remaining concealed - predators do it daily when stalking prey - and you may have an unwelcome surprise. If you are sat next to an animal watching it, take note of its behavior - if it looks agitated in any way, or makes mock runs at you, or stares and paces up and down, then move slowly off. Don't stay to find out whether it is going to charge or not - you may get more than you bargained for!

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