What health brief should we send to incentive guests?

What we tell planners

Most northern Tanzania and Kenya safari circuits, Uganda forest approaches and coastal Zanzibar are malaria areas. We are not doctors; we tell guests to consult theirs, and we still put prophylaxis and bite-avoidance on the briefing PDF because the question will come. Mauritius and Seychelles are not typical safari-malaria destinations; Ethiopia’s highland circuit (Addis, Lalibela, Simien) is a different brief again. The document is per itinerary, not a generic East Africa flyer.

Yellow fever certificates are required upon arrival in Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Zanzibar. We collect vaccination notes with passports for every nationality on the rooming list. Zanzibar also requires all non-resident foreign visitors to buy mandatory inbound travel insurance issued exclusively by the Zanzibar Insurance Corporation (ZIC) at https://inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz/ before travel — including guests who only join for the island after a mainland safari. Ethiopia, Seychelles and Mauritius follow their own arrival rules; we still date the pack for the whole circuit.

Altitude is mild in Arusha and Nairobi, more present on crater rims and in the Virungas, and material in Ethiopia: Addis sits near 2,400 metres, Lalibela similar, Simien walking higher. We build a quiet first night in Addis, collect cardiac and fitness notes, and never trek Simien on landing day. Gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda needs a fitness honesty field on the form.

Every programme we operate — Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Seychelles and Mauritius — has a named medical plan: lodge or hotel first aid, flying-doctor or equivalent evacuation where that is the right tool, nearest suitable hospital, and a 24-hour operations number. Mauritius summer programmes include a cyclone clause. Seychelles and Zanzibar boat days include skipper and second-vessel notes. Incentive houses should expect to see all of that in the operations annex.