Travel Information
As the leading destination in Africa for wildlife safaris, Gamewatchers Safaris has been welcoming overseas visitors for many years.Â
Our travel information section aims to provide you with useful information and resources from planing to departing on your African safari.
Kenya Travel Information
Frequently Asked Questions
With such a bewildering array of information about safaris on websites, brochures and in the media, it can be quite difficult to find answers to what you would like to know. See our Frequently Asked Questions section for some of the more common queries we receive and our answers.
Travel Insurance
It is a requirement that all our clients travelling to Africa should have travel insurance which includes cover for medical treatment and emergency air evacuation.
We are pleased to offer the JWS Travel Policy through JW Seagon with whom we now have an arrangement to book this for our clients at competitive prices.
Free Safari-Planning Resources
Useful information and guides to help you plan the best possible safari and prepare for your trip by learning about the wildlife that you will see.
Security
We wish to ensure that you enjoy your stay in Kenya without any undue concerns about safety and security. The tourism industry in Kenya takes visitor safety very seriously and considers all aspects of the tourist’s stay in Kenya. For this reason, the industry created a Safety and Communication Centre under the auspices of the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), which is operated 24hrs a day to monitor visitor safety and to liaise closely with the security agencies in Kenya.
Animal Trophies & Souvenirs
Our Difference
Gamewatchers excels in delivering unique experiences, advocating conservation, and connecting with local communities. Our adventures promise unforgettable memories and positive impact on wildlife and communities.
Safari Packing List
See our Packing List for a general guide on what to take on your safari. Where possible luggage should be kept to a minimum due to the space restrictions on light aircraft, but we are able to store excess baggage at our head office in Nairobi.
Health
There are no compulsory vaccinations required for entry to Kenya unless you are arriving from an area infected with Yellow Fever, in which case a Certificate of Inoculation against Yellow Fever is required from travellers older than one year. Visitors coming from other countries in Africa where Yellow Fever may occur, including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar, require a Yellow Fever certificate.
Visas
Visas are no longer are required for visitors to Kenya. Instead ALL visitors must apply for the Republic of Kenya Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA). This section gives further information on eTA and how to apply.
Special Offers
Our top recommended safari itineraries offering great value for an all inclusive safari experience
Airlines
You can easily search for the best airfares and availability of flights to Africa using our online booking facility.
Photography
As a basic guide we suggest that each person have their own camera, a 35mm or 5+ mega pixel digital camera. Interchangeable lenses are recommended, with a normal lens and a telephoto of at least 200 mm, although a 400 mm or more is preferable for close-ups and for photographing birds. Other lenses e.g. wide angle, macro etc., may be brought.
Recommended Reading List
To help prepare you for your safari adventure we’ve compiled a selection of our favourite books and guides.
Porini Safari Merchandise
For the first time ever, you can now own our quality merchandise worn by our guides in the field. This merchandise is inspired by the adventure-seeking style of an African Safari. Colors: distressed green with logo (name embroidery can be done upon request at extra charge.)
What Our Clients Say About Us...
In our commitment to excellence, we not only strive to exceed our clients’ expectations but also value their feedback. We are proud to present our latest clients’ feedback  posted on Trip Advisor.
Tim M26 March 2025Verified An epic vacation! Wow, what a trip! I lived in Africa for 8 years and have gone on many safaris in numerous African countries, but my recent trip with Gamewatchers to their Porini Camp in a conservancy outside the Masai Mara was by far the best. Great service, great animal watching, great facilities, and great staff. My family of four traveled with five other families- 18 of us in total- and had an absolutely incredible experience. I can not recommend Gamewatchers and Porini Camps more highly. Wendy H8 March 2025Verified Our experience - start to finish - far exceeded our expectations! We HIGHLY recommend Gamewatchers Safaris and their Porini Bush Camps.Our experience - start to finish - far exceeded our expectations. Our safari planning consultant, Wayne Hammond designed a safari itinerary based on what he heard about our individual desires (husband/wife and female friend). He was very attentive to answering our seemingly never-ending questions.From the moment a Gamewatchers representative met us at the airport at 1:30 am when our flight arrived, to the moment another representative dropped us off at our hotel after the safari, there wasn’t a single hiccup.We chose a fly-in safari staying at three different Gamewatchers’ Porini Bush Camps. Every single staff member was so welcoming and attentive, from the camp managers, guides, chefs and dining staff to everyone else who served us.The three sets of guides were just terrific - so knowledgeable, humorous, and willing to stop for as long as we wanted take pictures or enjoy a scene. The food was good and varied! We particularly enjoyed our bush breakfasts and lunches. The tents were very roomy and nicely appointed. We felt perfectly safe in our tents at night, even though we knew there were animals not too far away. The safari drives themselves were absolutely amazing. Two of us saw the "big five;" and the third saw four of the five. It was really a thrill to see three of the four prides in Olare Motorogi Conservancy, cheetahs on two occasions including right at the airstrip the day we flew out of Lion Camp, and not one but two leopards together (mom and juvenile cub). The guides were as enthusiastic about spotting a big herd of elephants as they were for a small bat-eared fox or dozens of colorful birds.We were drawn to Gamewatchers because of their commitment to conservation and to working with and supporting the Maasai people. Staying in conservancies meant fewer crowds and the flexibility to drive off-road, go on a night-safari and a walking safari if we chose. We very much enjoyed our visit to a local Maasai village and learning about their daily life and culture.We whole-heartedly give Gamewatchers and Porini Camps five stars!Bruce WynnKaren Rotko-WynnWendy Hatch Wanderer4538555 March 2025Verified "Celebrating 60" Wanted to celebrate "60" in a special way and booking a safari in Kenya was absolutely amazing! With the help of Wayne and all the staff at Gamewatchers who helped us along the way Asante sana! Returning home, people have asked what the highlight was, and my response is nature provided us a special day, each and every day. The camps, the food, staff and new friends we met along the way was incredible. We went into this experience thinking it was a "one and done" kind of trip but of course we caught the Safari bug! Highly recommend the Porini Camps and booking with Gamewatchers! LMaze28 February 2025Verified Beyond our wildest dreams! Everything was outstanding! Beyond our expectations! We thought this was once in a lifetime, but now we are hooked, and would not hesitate to do it again with Gamewatchers. From the building of the itinerary with Wayne, to the support in Kenya for transportation to/from the camps, the great food, the comfortable lodgings and the friendly and accommodating staff, the game drives with the incredible guides everything was seamless and . We never once felt nervous or concerned as 3 ladies travelling alone. We saw so much more than anticipated, including all of the Big 5. We stayed in Nairobi and 3 different Porini Camps, as well a trip to the beach in Diani. Each place was unique and all were equally great. The Porini experiences were extra special and we highly recommend Gamewatchers and Porini Camps. You will not be disappointed. Paul B16 February 2025Verified First class care - and a lifetime of memories Huge thanks for the excellent service from the Gamewatchers team during our recent visit to Kenya. The team in Nairobi were fantastic from the airport pick up, through to showing us various sites in the city.We were also extremely impressed with booking our safari through Gamewatchers. The team made excellent (and practical) suggestions for our trip, and were truly spoilt by an incredible time and safari at Ol Seki Hemingways. Asante sana to you all! Koen H14 February 2025Verified Prime Game Sightings! Our trip has been absolutely brilliant. The whole experience was top quality and very enriching. We had prime sightings of all kinds of animal behaviour and scenes. The Masai guides are extremely knowledgeable, friendly and fun. The staff in the camps are amazing, the level of hospitality is very high. And the meals are top cuisine!As you can read above, we have been treated so well and spoiled with a cherry on top :-)If we come back to Africa, we will definitely book with Game Watchers again.Congratulations to the whole team for making this an unforgettable experience for us RaS14 February 2025Verified Amazing 18 day private Safari in Kenya Rick McIntyre curated a wonderful 18 day Safari in Kenya (Amboseli, Lewa, Meru National Park, Ol Pejeta and Mara North) for my wife and I in January. The properties he selected were wonderful and the game drives were exceptional. Gamewatchers delivered above and beyond our expectations and everything from initial contact to final return went seamlessly. Gamewatchers service and support are simply amazing and we would not hesitate working with them on other African Safari's for us in the future. lovesthesun-713 February 2025Verified Wonderful Safari Experience - Book with Gamewatchers! Just recently returned from a 10 night safari booked with Gamewatchers (our contact Rick McIntyre). This was our 2nd trip to Kenya, but the first with Gamewatchers who were recommended to us by friends who did their first safari a year ago. We were absolutely delighted with this company from start to finish. Rick was easy to reach and always answered our questions in a timely manner. The care and service from the moment we arrived in Nairobi until we were delivered back to the international airport was stellar. Every detail taken care of, caring and helpful staff on the ground, all schedules met, etc. We stayed at 3 different camps (Rhino, Giraffe and Cheetah), and have written individual reviews for each of them. The camps were wonderful as were the staff and guides at each of them. We saw amazing animals - and although we had seen probably most of them 12 years ago, people are right when they say that each time you return you see different things, or behaviours, etc. Would absolutely recommend using Gamewatchers Safaris! davidandchristine76711 February 2025Verified Simply the best. Our fourth safari with Gamewatchers, and hopefully it will not be our last. We love the sheer professionalism of this company. Sooner or later something will go wrong on safari, when it does they sort it out calmly and efficiently. Mostly they operate in the Conservancies adjoining National Parks, which means you see far fewer other vehicles and often have the sights to yourselves.One of our favourite highlights is the bush breakfast, carried with the vehicle and often enjoyed whilst watching game having their own meals. We saw all the big 5, including leopard twice. We also saw hyenas steal a lion's kill, and a myriad of birds. Would we recommend Gamewatchers to others? Wholeheartedly, from the first enquiry to Wayne Hammond to the time they dropped us off at the airport for the journey home we were well looked-after, and could not have asked for better. Kristen Barnett2 February 2025Verified An exceptional African safari experience. I highly recommend Gamewathers Safaris for anyone seeking an exceptional African safari experience. Having recently utilized their company for a trip to Kenya, I can confidently say that they exceeded all my expectations. The accommdations and transportation arranged by them were topnotch ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable journey. I cannot wait to plan my next trip with them.