Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Your Planned Travel to Africa

Both Helen Broadus, President of VIP, and David J. Saunders, Chief Executive Officer of VIP, are seasoned travelers to the African Continent and have visited thirty-two African countries at least once over the past twenty years. Helen started taking groups to Africa more than twenty years ago and in 1997, along with her business partner, David, formed VIP out of a desire to focus their collective experience and expertise on the promotion of travel and tourism to the Continent of Africa.

VIP is a Washington, D.C.-based full-service international travel and tourism company that specializes in providing customized tours as well as tourism-related trade development and investment missions to the Continent of Africa.

VIP works very closely with African airlines, hoteliers and tour operators and has received numerous recognition awards and citations from African Ministers of Tourism and African Travel and Tourism Trade Associations for the provision of top quality travel and tourism services to individuals, families, groups and associations visiting Africa. For more information about the principals of VIP, please refer to their VIP Mini-Profile.

VIP specializes on travel and tourism opportunities to the African Continent and has the capacity, expertise and experience to offer customized group tours ranging from 7 days/6 nights up to 31 days/30 nights. In addition, VIP has access to affordable roundtrip airfare (direct from the USA to Africa) with all major airlines that service the African Continent. Moreover, VIP always provides relaxed customized sightseeing tours focusing on African history, traditions and cultures with personal guides who are certified and carefully selected based on the specific requirements of each client’s planned tour. And lastly, VIP is a recognized tour specialist for adventure, cultural and eco-tourism destinations on the African Continent.

No, the Deposit Payment is non-refundable as it will be used to purchase your roundtrip international airline ticket and to pay a deposit to reserve the booking package for your scheduled tour program to Africa.

All monies must be paid in full BY NO LATER THAN sixty (60) days prior to the actual departure date unless otherwise specified. There will be absolutely no exceptions to the deadline date.

YES. However, due to the large amount of the total payment VIP would be required to place a surcharge fee of between three percent and five percent if a credit card was used.

Please be advised that once full payment is received for your airline ticket it will be processed and is fully non-refundable. If you cancel your trip you will receive an airline certificate.

NO. Airline fuel surcharges have been included in the total cost of your ticket. However, airline ticket prices are subject to change without notice due to fluctuating oil prices and VIP reserves the right to amend the cost of the airline ticket in the event of an airline-imposed increase. Once your airline tickets are purchased, they will not be subject to any potential fuel surcharges but remain fully non-refundable.

Travel insurance regarding tour cancellation, health, accident and luggage is available and for most tours mandatory. Each tour participant’s travel insurance premium is related to their particular tour cost so there is no need to worry about being over-insured. VIP will recommend the most appropriate travel insurance coverage that you might require for your scheduled tour to Africa based on your particular needs (especially with regard to traveling with young children or elderly).

You must obtain a valid U.S. Passport in order to travel outside of the United States. If you already have a U.S. Passport please check to be sure that it has not expired (it must not be less than six months away from the expiration date) and that you have at least five blank pages. If you do not have a U.S. Passport as of yet, then please apply for a U.S. Passport as soon as possible in order to avoid any delays.

This depends on the current VISA requirement of each African country that you will visit during your scheduled tour. At the moment U.S. citizens are not required to obtain a VISA for the vast majority of African countries; however in some instances you will be required to obtain an entry VISA for an African country that you will visit during your scheduled tour. If applicable, VIP will notify you with regard to the specific details for processing any VISA.

There are many reasonable airline carriers to the African continent and VIP prefers to utilize those African airline carriers as much as possible as they are generally direct from the United States to an African destination. When you typically utilize an American or European airline carrier it will generally take longer since you will have a layover in a European international airport. For most VIP tours you will use the domestic gateway of Washington Dulles International (IAD) Airport or John F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport. Those African international airline carriers that VIP has contracts with include Royal Air Maroc, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, and South African Airways. In addition, VIP offers service on British Airways, KLM Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa Airlines, and Iberian Airlines as well as Emirates Airlines and Qatar Airlines.

The total flight time depends on the particular region of Africa that you are visiting. For instance if you were to travel to South Africa the total flight time (including refueling and change of flight crew in Dakar, Senegal) is approximately sixteen hours from Washington Dulles International Airport to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. Typically for North and Western Africa the flight time is between six and seven hours; for Eastern Africa the flight time is between ten and fourteen hours; and for Southern Africa the flight time is between twelve and eighteen hours.

We generally make arrangements for the participants of the scheduled tour to Africa to be seated together either with window/aisle on the outer section or four across in the mid-section of the airplane. We will also attempt to take into consideration special requests for seating assignments and/or any special dietary meal designation and will do our best to accommodate your request(s) – but each airline has overall decision about the designation of seating assignments and/or special dietary meal designations. Please inform Venue International Professionals, Inc. (VIP) in order to request your preference for airline seat and/or dietary meals.

That depends as your roundtrip ticket cost is based on a negotiated group tour rate and therefore in order to determine if you will be eligible for any frequent flyer miles, please provide Venue International Professionals, Inc. (VIP) with your current status as a frequent flyer member with any major airline to us when you make your initial deposit. VIP will check with the selected airline carrier in order to determine if any frequent flyer eligibility applies. Please be advised that we will not be responsible for any penalties incurred due to schedule and/or flight changes for any purchased airline ticket whether domestic or international that is not issued by VIP. It is also the passenger’s responsibility to know whether the airline carrier reserved on your behalf participates in the passenger’s frequent flyer program and to provide the information to VIP prior to the booking of your international airline ticket for the tour to Africa.

Pursuant to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Secure Flight requirements, all passengers are required to provide their passenger security information as it appears on their passport to include complete name, date of birth, gender, nationality, passport identification number and expiration date. Passengers must also ensure that their names are correctly listed on their airline e-ticket and related travel vouchers. VIP will not be responsible for any passenger that is denied boarding on an airline carrier by the Transportation Security Administration due to inaccurate and/or invalid information contained within their passport and any other required documentation necessary for international travel.

Any name change including minor spelling corrections may require an airline reservation to be cancelled and rebooked. Reservations are subject to change availability and pricing terms at the time of actual booking. Once a passenger’s airline tickets are processed, any subsequent name change/correction will be subject to an airline rebooking fee which may be as much as the full value of the airline ticket plus a $100.00 revision per change. VIP will not be held responsible for the denial of services by an airline carrier due to any name discrepancy. Name changes/corrections must be submitted in writing and forwarded to VIP’s attention.

You are allowed a combination of one carry-on piece of luggage and one check-in piece of luggage or two pieces of check-in luggage. Each piece of luggage typically cannot exceed 50 pounds (22 kilograms). Briefcases, ladies pocket bags, and camera cases that remain in your personal care are not included in this weight requirement. The maximum weight limit applies to single items of luggage and does not affect a passenger’s overall baggage allowance and excess luggage. If your luggage is more than 50 pounds (22 kilograms) you may be assessed an overweight charge by the international airline carrier. Please Note: If during the conduct of your particular scheduled African tour you will be utilizing charter flights you will need to be aware of additional weight limitations for luggage and undertake appropriate action for storage of excess luggage if applicable.

You are generally not accessed any additional fees for more than one piece of luggage if your final destination is an international location. However, this situation may vary from airline to airline but we will keep you apprised of any changes prior to the final departure date.

The local time depends on the specific region of Africa that you will visit based on their respective international time zone in relationship to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). You will need to be cognizant of Daylight Standard Time (DST) or Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the East Coast in the United States during the period when you will be traveling to Africa.

The climate will depend on the particular African countries that you will visit during your tour. Most African countries have a sub-tropical climate and are known for sunny days. It is also very important that you are cognizant of the geography of each African country that you will visit as about half of the African countries are located above the Equator and the other half are located below the Equator. If located below the Equator, the seasons are reverse of the United States. You must also compensate for the variations in the weather conditions and it is generally quite hot during the day and can sometimes get cool during the evenings. Overall, it is therefore very important that you drink as much bottled water as possible in order to prevent dehydration.

While in Africa it is recommended that you wear lightweight durable clothes. While out in the rural areas, it is recommended that you wear sturdy work clothes, comfortable walking shoes, a wide brim hat or sun visor and sunglasses for adequate protection from exposure to direct sunlight. It is also advisable to bring along a windbreaker type rain jacket for inclement weather and/or during the evenings when it gets cooler. In addition, it is suggested that you dress modestly in order to not offend any local community due to religious beliefs and/or social traditions.

Be sure to bring an adequate supply of medicines you are taking as well as extra prescriptions. It is also advisable to take an extra pair of eyeglasses if you wear them. It is also a good idea to bring protection against diarrhea and motion sickness as well as allergy pills and any other medication that you are required to take. While in the rural areas you will also need to have insect repellant – preferably DEET or CUTTER outdoorsman. It is recommended that you only drink bottled water unless the tour guide informs you that it is safe to drink the tap water. Your most likely health hazard is sunburn as visitors underestimate how dangerous the African sun can be! You should therefore use a high protection sunscreen, wear a sunhat and sunglasses, drink plenty of bottled water in order to avoid dehydration and avoid overexposure to the sun as much as possible.

PLEASE NOTE: Once you have made a commitment to participate in a scheduled tour to Africa you will need to schedule a visit to a medical facility in order to ensure that you have enough time to obtain all of the necessary medical immunization shots and prescriptions required for travel to the particular African countries that you will be visiting during your tour. Please consult with VIP for additional information.

You must have a Yellow Fever vaccination during your scheduled travel in Africa. You will also have to obtain an Anti-Malarial prescription for the duration of your visit to several African countries and VIP will advise you if this will be necessary. While you may be asked to have shots for other tropical diseases, you should always check with your personal physician for any other health related situations that may warrant medical attention. Please also make sure that if you have any children traveling with you that their immunization records are up-to-date.

You will be typically staying at international hotels/lodges where the cuisine (i.e. – American style, European style, Asian style or African style) is universally prepared by trained chefs. As specified in the published day-to-day itinerary, meals are based on the hotel/lodge’s or restaurant’s buffet or set menu conditions. In general, beverages are not included, unless specifically stated. While visiting the rural areas of an African country, you will experience a lesser quality of food selections as when in the more urban centers. Although we cannot make guarantees, every effort will be made to honor special dietary requests submitted in writing at least seventy-two hours before departure. However, if you have a certain allergy or cannot eat spicy foods, then please use moderation and caution when eating. It is also highly recommended that you use extreme precaution when eating any foods prepared by the local people in their traditional methods and always check for proper food safety and sanitation practices.

For the most part, all rooms are standard twin-bedded (two single beds) rooms with private bathroom facilities, unless you have specifically requested and paid for an upgraded room category (i.e. – family room). Special requests such as bed types, smoking preference and connecting rooms are subject to availability.

Room selection in all cases, unless otherwise reserved, is strictly at the discretion of the hotel’s management on a run-of-the-house basis. The number of persons accommodated does not dictate the room size. Although available at most four and five star hotels, use of air-conditioning abroad differs greatly from the United States. Many hotels in Africa were built before central air-conditioning was introduced. Air-conditioning is often shut down at night particularly during non-summer months.

In most African countries the electrical supply is 220/230 volts AC 50 HZ. With few exceptions, (in deep rural areas) electricity is almost available everywhere.

In most major cities and urban communities the telecommunications system is exceptionally well-developed. A number of mobile telephone service providers offer nationwide coverage and there are well-established landline telephone networks as well. Internet and Wi-Fi are easily available in most urban areas. However, while in rural areas, the telecommunications are less available and it is recommended that you utilize a rental mobile telephone. It is suggested that you do not need to bring your personal mobile telephone or laptop computer to Africa as these electronic devices can easily be rented for an affordable price.

VIP will advise you of the monetary unit for the African countries that you will visit during your tour. You should check for the most recent conversion rate prior to your departure as the currency exchange rate fluctuates regularly. We suggest that you utilize a combination of US currency, local African currency and debit/credit cards. You will also need to have some local small currency to pay for tips and gratuities as well as money for any meals that are not included within the published day-to-day itinerary. It is recommended that you use $20.00 US currency or higher as the local people will have difficulty converting smaller US currency denominations into their currency. While we cannot suggest a particular amount of cash to bring, because we do not know your particular spending habits, please use moderation as you can always obtain more cash from the local banks and ATMs.

YES. However, we recommend that you also notify your banking and/or credit card institutions about the fact that you will be traveling to each African country during the dates of travel so that they can be alerted about your credit card making international transactions and not cancel your access to funds.

Transfers are provided as indicated by car or minibus as stipulated within the published day-to-day itinerary. However, if you deviate from the arrival and/or departure dates as stated in the published day-to-day itinerary, you will be responsible for obtaining your own transportation services. Independent transfer costs and/or use of a private car for hire (i.e. – taxi, shuttle bus, etcetera) are not refundable and any additional expenses incurred will be at your own expense.

There may be optional tours that are offered during your visit to an African country however you are requested to discuss your interest with your local tour operator/vendor as VIP assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any escorted and/or guided tour that is paid for by a participant directly to any local tour operator.

While in Africa you are asked to follow the directions of the designated tour guides/drivers at all times. Also do not venture into unknown areas without a tour guide/driver who understands and speaks good English as well as the local language(s). We will also check-in with the U.S. Embassy in each African country that you will visit in order to advise them of your day-to-day itinerary in the event of a need to modify your scheduled mission program and/or evacuate from the country due to a health/safety concern and/or security alert for Americans.

YES. Once we have confirmed your tour booking, you will receive a Preliminary Briefing/ Information Package that contains your roundtrip airline e-tickets and travel vouchers as well as basic information about the tour program that answers similar questions like those above in more detail. You will also receive from time-to-time updated information about the scheduled program. Lastly, you will receive a Final Briefing/Information Package that will contain any additional background materials about the tour program approximately ten days before the scheduled date of departure.

Finally, you are also encouraged to contact our office number 301-856-9188 or e-mail address at vipinc@erols.com if you have a need for further clarification about any matter, issue or concern pertaining to any scheduled tour in an African country that you have selected.