General Information

Tanzania and Kenya are natural countries that are raw and wild.  This is part of the attraction, but there are certain concerns regarding vaccinations and health in Tanzania and Kenya that do not apply at home.  African standards of health and hygiene can often differ from those at home, so some people find travelling in these countries can be quite demanding.

Our trips take you to wild places that require an element of self-sufficiency.  There is not the same level of infrastructure and services to rely on, and to get the most out of your trip we recommend you are healthy.  It can be a good idea for peace of mind to have a health and dental check up before you travel, and to try and ensure you are fit and healthy before the trip.

There are useful government sources of travel and health advice for overseas travellers to be aware of.  The Department of Health produces a leaflet called 'Health advice for travellers' (www.dh.gov.uk), the NHS provides very detailed travel health information (www.nhs.uk/LiveWell), and the Foreign Office update travel advice and requirements for travellers regularly (www.fco.gov.uk).  All these references are reliable and important for travelling in these countries, highlighting specific concerns and areas that deserve your attention.

There are certain vaccinations that are required for visiting Tanzania and Kenya.  Your local doctor's surgery has access to the most recent travel health advice and will be able to tell you what you will need.  Usually these are tetanus, polio, typhoid, hepatitis A and yellow fever vaccinations, along with anti-malaria medication, to consider.

A small personal supply of paracetamol, ibuprofen and imodium along with a few plasters (including some blister plasters) is a good idea, as well as some ointment or cream such as Germolene.  Insect repellent and re-hydration salt solutions can also be good to carry.

The sun's ultra violet rays are a concern and should be taken into account with a high factor sun cream, sun hat and sun glasses.

Whilst on a trek or walk, it is important to be very hygiene conscious.  You will be in a foreign environment and passing hand-to-mouth germs and bacteria is the most common cause of stomach upsets and illness.  Being aware of this and remembering to wash your hands regularly is the best way to stop this.  The toilet facilities on trek are very basic, so again, regular handwashing is so important.

All drinking water on trek is treated and purified before use and so is safe to drink.  Be careful though in the lodges or hotels or mountain huts not to drink or use tap water - use only bottled or treated water.

Diamox is a drug that can be used to combat the symptoms and some of the effects of altitude.  Originally used to treat eye conditions (glaucoma), it has been found to help the body acclimatise better to reduced levels of oxygen at altitude.  Diamox helps to relieve the headaches often experienced at altitude and can prevent Acute Mountain Sickness.  Its side effects are most commonly a tingling sensation in hands and feet, though not everyone experiences this.  If your condition on the mountain requires it, whether you decide to try diamox is your choice, we believe it is only available in the UK on prescription - you could discuss this with your doctor, but some doctors will not prescribe it.

We do not offer any medical opinions or advice; your doctor should be able to advise you on the correct medical preparation for one of our trips, including the question of diamox.  It is your decision as to whether you take diamox; our guide will generally carry it and may have experience of other trekkers taking it.  If you start taking diamox from your own supply, please make sure you inform your guide straight away.