Travel Alert - Coronavirus

Coronavirus Travel Update for Africa

Option to Postpone your Safari up to December 2022*

Originally Posted: March 13, 2020
Last Updated: March 31, 2021 @ 11:50am

With the ongoing changes in travel due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) and the rapidness at which things are changing around us, we are continually adapting to serve the needs of our customers. Some countries in Africa have restricted foreign visitors, or now require additional screening/testing and quarantine periods or proof of vaccination as well as testing. The USA & Canada have also introduced testing requirements for travelers returning from international trips – Lion World Travel can assist with facilitating the testing within the destination. Additionally, airlines have reduced their number of departures.

Lion World Travel is monitoring news and guidelines coming from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and governmental departments in North America and Africa to ensure the safety of all of our guests.

Know that Lion World Travel is in constant contact with our suppliers throughout Africa. For concerned travelers, we are happy to say that for the majority of bookings, you now have the option to postpone travel to as late as December 9, 2022*. There are some exceptions, so please call us at 1 800 387 2706 to confirm what travel options you have if you want to change, postpone, or transfer your impacted trip with Lion World Travel.

Future Travel Credits: Should you be uncertain about new travel dates or other changes to your booked vacation, we will gladly issue a travel credit for any future travel with Lion World Travel. Credit for issued airline tickets as well as all booked accommodations would remain with the same suppliers. Our Africa Specialists will be able to give you information specific to your booking. In some cases partial credits can be moved to other TTC brands.

If restrictions are still in place when the time comes for your safari, we can work with you to adapt your plans as needed. If you prefer to travel elsewhere than Africa for the time being, Lion World Travel is part of The Travel Corporation family of brands, providing travel and tour options around the world.

We have added more departures on our Exclusive Vacation Packages for 2021, giving travelers more options to choose their new departure dates from. For the vast majority of 2021 re-bookings, we are able to get travelers on the exact same safari, without a price increase for travel within the same season. Selected safaris have 2022 dates available as well, some with no price increases. More packages for 2022 will be added, price increases could apply.

In addition to the information on this page, we encourage you to read "Your Well-being, Our Top Priority", which outlines some of the health, safety and well-being initiatives we have in place to safeguard all of our Lion World Travel guests. We want everyone who books with us to enjoy their dream trip to Africa! If you have any questions at all, and wish to postpone your safari, our Africa Specialists are here to answer your call.

See below for some important details before you consider re-booking your African safari.

* Important Notes:

If you choose to postpone travel to 2021: almost all Exclusive Vacation Packages can be re-booked on the same safari, during the same season, with no penalties or extra costs.
If you choose to postpone travel to 2022: please be aware that the itinerary and inclusions may change, and 2022 re-bookings might be subject to price increases. We will contact you with dates and prices for 2022 safaris as soon as they are available.
Provided that you talk to us at least 30 days before your originally booked departure, most of our Exclusive Vacation Packages can be re-scheduled to a future date of the same safari and season (for any departure up to December 9, 2022, based on availability.)
Requests to postpone an Exclusive Vacation Packages received less than 30 days to departure may be subject to change fees
If deciding to re-schedule your Exclusive Vacation Package, you have up to 60 days from the date you notified us of your intention to postpone your travel, to advise us what your new preferred date of travel is, or to advise us you will re-book to travel in 2022 when dates are available.
For postponing custom and private safari bookings, please contact us to review your options
Postponed trips may incur change or cancellation fees from airlines, and some of our accommodation suppliers in Africa
Standard cancellation penalties still apply to all bookings. You can view our booking terms and conditions here.
Future Travel Credits: Airfare portions of travel credits are valid until December 31, 2021 in most cases; while land travel portions of travel credits are valid until December 31, 2022.
If the newly chosen date is priced higher than the originally booked departure, travelers are responsible to pay the difference.
This offer is valid until further notice, and this policy may change at any time

Country-Specific Restrictions and Travel Alerts in Africa:

The information below, combined with our Sherpa - Travel Restrictions & E-Visa tool, are provided to help you determine what entry requirements and restrictions may be in place for your destination(s).

Note that country regulations are changing frequently. We have made efforts to keep these guidelines as up to date as possible, but there are sometimes communication delays from the authorities in Africa. Please note Sherpa uses the most recently updated information from countries across the world. You may find information supplied by different government sites may vary at times, so be sure to check for the most recent local updates too.

Botswana:

All visitors entering Botswana are required to have a negative PCR test within 72 hours of their departure for Botswana. If they do not meet this requirement upon entry, a rapid Covid Test is done at the Botswana Port of Entry. With a negative test, visitors are not required to quarantine.
If positive, travelers are liable for the cost of food and lodging during quarantine – please check your travel insurance policy as some providers plans will cover these costs. An additional COVID-19 test is required on day 10 of the quarantine period at the travelers expense.
All travelers exiting Botswana are required to present a PCR negative test result not older than 72 hours from the time of exit from Botswana. Some camps will arrange for this to be done in camp – additional costs will apply.

Egypt:

Commercial flights recommenced September 1^st 2020.
International arrivals from The USA and Canada (including Egyptian nationals) to any part of Egypt will be required to present a negative PCR test certificate conducted no more than 96 hours prior to arrival.
The medical certificate must be issued and stamped by an accredited laboratory, and indicate the type of sample taken for the swab, and must be written in Arabic or English – paper/hard copies of the test results are required, digital copies will not be accepted.
Foreign visitors arriving at the coastal governorates of the Red Sea (Hurghada and Marsa Alam), South Sinai (Sharm El-Sheikh) and Marsa Matrouh without a valid test result will undergo testing on arrival (at their own cost), and must self-isolate until results are received.
All arriving passengers will be subject to temperature checks, must fill out a Public Health Card, and must show proof of a valid health insurance policy. Find out if you require a visa and apply online via Egypt's Online Visa portal.

Jordan:

All travelers must fill in the travel declaration form for approval to travel, have proof of a negative PCR test done within 72 hours of their flight to Jordan, and pre-pay for a COVID-19 PCR test which will be conducted on arrival in Amman – currently the cost of the test is 28JD + 40USD.
Visitors can leave the airport once the PCR test is completed. However, you need to stay at your hotel until results are received. In case of positive result, visitors have to immediately go into quarantine and notify their Tour Operator / DMC who in return will advise the Ministry of Health. Visitors will have to follow their instructions.
Non-Jordanian nationals must provided proof of valid travel insurance for the entire duration of their trip.
You may still be asked to quarantine for 14 days even with a negative test. Those who test positive are subject to Government regulations for quarantine.
A curfew is in place from 12:00am to 6:00am for individuals, and 11:00pm to 6:00am for businesses – exempt are individuals going to the airport for a flight during the curfew hours – proof of this in the form of an air ticket is required.

Kenya:

International Air Travel resumed in October 2020.
All passengers on international flights must show a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate on arrival, obtained no later than 96 hours prior to departure from their home country.
All arriving passengers on international flights must have a body temperature that is NOT above 37.5° C (99.5°F); must NOT have a persistent cough, difficulty in breathing or other flu-like symptoms. If there is a reported case of COVID-19 on a flight or if any of the afore mentioned symptoms are detected, all passengers seated within two rows of the passenger with the symptoms will be quarantined for testing at designated airport hotels. If the test results are negative, they will be allowed to leave the facility.
It is mandatory for all passengers arriving in Kenya to complete the Travelers Health Surveillance Form by the Ministry of Health. The form is available here and must be completed online prior to embarkation.
Passengers will receive a QR code after completing the form and will be required to display it to a Port Health Official to proceed through immigration.
Strict infection prevention and control measures have to be followed: social distancing, good hand hygiene, and the wearing of masks remain mandatory.
There is a daily curfew from 8:00pm to 4:00am in Nairobi.
Fines may be imposed on those not adhering to the prevention measures.
Starting January 11, 2021, everyone departing Kenya must have a Trusted Travel (TT) code on their Covid-19 certificates if their next destinations require proof of a negative PCR test.
Effectively March 26, 2021 a lockdown is place for: Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu, and Nakuru. Movement by road, air or rail into and out of these five counties is suspended.

Mauritius:

Effective March 11th, 2021 the government of Mauritius implemented a sudden nationwide lockdown.
All borders are closed.
Passengers are not permitted to enter or transit through Mauritius.
All International and domestic inbound and outbound passenger flights have been suspended until March 25th.

Mozambique:

All arriving travellers are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, conducted in their country of origin within 72 hours of departure for Mozambique.
All travelers will undergo health screening and temperature testing. Mandatory quarantines are no longer required with proof of your negative PCR test. For travelers arriving for tourism purposes only, visas are once again available upon arrival with proof of a return ticket and hotel booking. Please be aware that U.S. citizens have been denied entry for not having obtained the proper type of visa in advance. Obtaining your visa in advance from the Mozambican Embassy in Washington, DC is strongly encouraged.
Masks, frequent hand washing and social distancing are expected in all public area.
For 21 days, starting January 15, 2021, restaurants and similar venues are operating on limited hours of 6:00am-8:00pm Monday-Friday, and 6:00am-3:00pm on weekends.

Namibia:

Entry is only permitted via the international airport in Windhoek.
All passengers arriving on international flights must present a negative PCR COVID-19 test result, from the country of departure, no older than 72 hours. The test is valid for 7 days.
All arriving travelers must submit their full itinerary on arrival. Health screening and temperature checks will be conducted upon arrival.
Any non-Namibian travelers who arrive with a negative test that is older than 72 hours will be placed in quarantine and tested for COVID-19 on the same day at their own cost and will only be released if the results of this test return negative. Travelers may be placed under mandatory Government quarantine at approved facilities at their own cost.
Correct wearing of face masks in public places, including vehicles, aircraft and other means of shared transport is compulsory.
There is a nationwide curfew between 10:00pm and 4:00am daily.
Restaurants may only sell alcohol between 9:00am and 8:00pm Monday to Saturday – no sale of alcohol is allowed on Sundays and Public Holidays.
Penalties for transgression of these protocols is a minimum of US$6,000 or detention.
Results for tests done in Namibia can take up to 48 hours to obtain.

Rwanda:

Kigali airport is open.
All travelers arriving in Rwanda must have a negative COVID-19 certificate. The only accepted test is a SARS-CoV 2 Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), performed within 72 hours of departure for Rwanda.
Prior to arrival, all travelers must complete the Passenger Locator Form and upload their COVID-19 test certificate via this online portal.
Travelers entering Rwanda, including U.S. and Canadian citizens, will be tested again at a cost of US$50 per person and must complete 24 hours of quarantine at one of the Government of Rwanda’s designated hotels while waiting for the results of their COVID-19 test.
Preventive measures must be followed while traveling in Rwanda: physical distancing where possible; the wearing of masks is mandatory; and temperature screenings before entering certain buildings are mandatory.
All travelers departing from Rwanda must test negative for COVID-19, with the RT-PCR test performed within 120 hours before departure, should their stay in Rwanda be shorter than 5 days i.e. they depart within 120 hours of their RT-PCR test done on arrival, they do not require another test.
There is a daily 9:00pm to 4:00am curfew in place.
Violation of Covid restrictions and protocols will incur fines or up to 5 days of detention by police.

Seychelles:

Visitors who have received a full course of Covid-19 vaccines can enter the country by submitting an authentic certificate from their national health authority as proof of COVID-19 vaccination. A negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate is also required, obtained less than 72 hours prior to travel. No quarantine is required upon arrival when providing this documentation.
There is a curfew between 8:00pm and 4:00am daily. Shops and stores close at 6:00pm on weekdays and 3:00pm on weekends.

South Africa:

International borders and airports are open to international travel subject to necessary health protocols listed below.
On arrival, travelers will need to present a negative COVID-19 CR test result not older than 72 hours from time of departure. Where a traveler has not done a COVID-19 PCR test prior to departure, they will be required to remain in mandatory quarantine at their own cost.
All travelers will be screened on arrival and those presenting with symptoms will be required to remain in quarantine until a repeat COVID-19 PCR test is conducted.
All travelers will be asked to install the COVID Alert South Africa mobile app. International travelers are required to have mandatory travel insurance, and must cover the cost of a COVID-19 PCR test (for those showing symptoms) and their own quarantine costs, if required.
If a flight arrives within the curfew hours, passengers will be able to show proof of their boarding passes or tickets for their flights if stopped by law enforcement en-route to the airport or hotel.
A curfew is in place from 11:00pm to 4:00am daily.
Restaurants must close by 10:00pm. Alcohol sales are only permitted from 10:00am - 6:00pm.
Wearing of masks are mandatory in public places (Fines and possible imprisonment up to 6 months for non-compliance), maintain a social distance of 2 meters where possible.
For returning travelers, note that if you are not a US citizen, you will not currently be permitted to enter the US after visiting South Africa.

Tanzania and Zanzibar:

Mainland Tanzania, and Zanzibar Island are open to tourism.
All travelers whose country of origin or whose airline requires a negative COVID-19 certificate as condition of travel, are required to produce the negative COVID-19 certificate upon arrival into Tanzania.
All other travelers do not require a negative COVID-19 certificate, although it is recommended that all travelers have the certificate as a precautionary measure as requirements can change quickly.
Arriving passengers showing any symptoms or signs of COVID-19 will be required to undergo enhanced health screening and may be tested for COVID-19, should the tests be positive, quarantine at the travelers own expense will be required.
While in Tanzania, visitors will be expected to adhere to full protective measures against the spread of COVID-19.

Uganda:

Arriving passengers must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from an accredited laboratory in their country of origin, issued within 120 hours of departure for Uganda.
All visitors will undergo temperature checks and health screening on arrival.
Visitors are expected to wear masks, maintain a social distance of 1.5 metres (5 feet) where possible, and practice good personal hygiene.
Passengers who exhibit signs and symptoms of an infectious disease will be transported to an isolation center for a COVID-19 test. Results will be available within 24 to 48 hours. If travelers test positive for COVID-19 and wish to be repatriated to another facility outside Uganda, they can do so at their own cost and according to COVID-19 medical evacuation protocols.
Departing passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least four hours before their scheduled flights and must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, issued within 120 hours of departing from Uganda. The test results must indicate that they are for the express purpose of travel with the annotation “TRAVEL” clearly marked.
Travelers will undergo temperature checks and health screening.
There is a daily curfew of 9:00pm to 6:00am in place.

Zambia:

International airports are open.
Visitor and Business Visas are being issued in advance, not upon arrival.
All arriving passengers must have a certificate of a negative PCR COVID-19 test that has been conducted within 7 days of arriving in Zambia however please be aware that the airline you fly on might have different requirements – in some cases the tests must be done within 72 hours of travel.
Visitors will be expected to adhere to COVID-19 regulations like physical distancing, wearing face masks, and personal hygiene.
They will also need to monitor themselves daily for 14 days post arrival for symptoms of the virus and report any occurrence to the nearest health facility.
All international visitors are subject to temperature and symptom screening on arrival. If you show any signs of COVID-19, you will have to quarantine for 14 days.
PCR testing can be done in Livingstone but must be sent to Lusaka for processing, express tests for results within 48 hours cost approximately US$150 per person

Zimbabwe including Victoria Falls:

Borders are open.
All travelers will be required to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test certificate, obtained from a recognized facility within 48 hours of departure for Zimbabwe.
All travelers will undergo health screening and temperature testing. Social distancing, hand sanitization and the wearing of masks are mandatory.
Quarantine is not required unless travelers show symptoms of the virus – they are then required to stay at a designated isolation facility for 7 days, then self- isolate for another 7 days.
A fee of $60 will be levied on travelers tested at ports of entry.
There is a curfew in effect from 6:00pm to 6:00am daily.

In addition to the above requirements, be aware that for returning travelers to the US and Canada, the following restriction are in place.

All travelers returning to the United States (ages two years and older) must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within 72 hours of travel. Alternatively, travelers to the US may provide documentation from a licensed health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel. Travelers returning to Canada will soon be required to take a Covid-19 molecular test and book a 3-night stay at a Government approved hotel at their own expense of roughly $2000.