Africa - Well And Truly Open For Business

Africa - Well And Truly Open For Business

The many rules, regulations and restrictions which have governed travel to Africa over the past two and a bit years are now slowly but surely being removed, leaving us in an undoubtedly better place in which to holiday.

We have journeyed from a time when it was illegal to even leave the UK, through watching the traffic lights change, wearing a mask on board and quarantining on arrival, to having to take a PCR test prior to check-in and proving our vaccination status, before now, finally, just having to make sure that we have the correct visas in our passport.

There have been airlines that have sadly disappeared, (goodbye old friend Comair), and others that have been re-born, (hello the new South African Airways), and whilst some hotels have shut their doors for good, (farewell to the likes of the Townhouse Hotel & La Petite Dauphine), others have spent the downtime renovating or re-furbishing. Many hotel staff, safari guides, restaurant waiters, coach drivers & cabin crew suffered greatly when Africa closed its doors to the world, with even the animals at risk due to reduced tourist revenues and anti-poaching levels. However we are now hopefully out of the tunnel and into the bright daylight - fresh staff are being sought, new flight schedules are being put into place, and brand new properties are opening right across the continent, (welcome to Royal Malewane’s Waterside Lodge).

All travellers are now able to visit both South Africa & Mauritius without the need to demonstrate their vaccination status or take any tests before their departure, whilst only the non-vaccinated now need to take a Covid test prior to visiting Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda & the Seychelles. In fact as things stand, our only destinations that still require all visitors to have a Covid test before they arrive are Rwanda & Madagascar, and hopefully both will drop this requirement soon.

It’s been a long time since many have managed to take a long-haul holiday, but with things getting easier every day and Africa now most definitely open for business, please do get it in touch with our experts and allow us to help plan your next African adventure.