FAQ’s
Answers to frequently asked questionsShould I take Malaria tablets when travelling to southern Africa?
The Kruger National Park – Rhino Post Safari Lodge, Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris and Sleep-Outs – and the Zambezi National Park – Chundu Island – are all situated in malaria areas and we recommend guests err on the side of caution.
One of the best ways to avoid contracting malaria is not to be bitten, so use the insect repellents provided by the lodges, generously and often. Long sleeves and light colours are recommended for evening wear.
Please take the anti-malarial prophylactics recommended by your doctor.
What documents do you need for children when travelling in or out of South Africa?
Travelling with children to or from South Africa? Please refer to the link below.
National Parks
What is a private concession?
A private concession is an area within a national park which has been put out to tender to be developed and managed by a private enterprise for a specified period.
Rhino Post Safari Lodge and Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris in the Kruger National Park and Chundu Island in the Zambezi National Park are private concessions that operate within National Parks and pay a concession fee, which provides much-needed income for conservation.
Why do we have to pay Conservation Fees?
The national parks charge daily conservation fees to all people entering and staying in a national park – whether they are staying in a private concession or the national park’s accommodation. These fees go toward conservation and anti-poaching costs which are not covered by the accommodation rates.
Children and Seolo
What age restrictions apply at your lodges?
Rhino Post Safari Lodge
There is no age restriction on accommodation, but regrettably, children under the age of six (6) are not allowed on the game drives unless a private vehicle is booked. This is in the best interests of the child as animals react with curiosity toward small children, especially if they should cry out. This often means that at a potentially dangerous sighting, the vehicle is forced to leave the sighting for the safety of the child.
Babysitters/child-minders are available on request. Bookings for babysitters must be made with the management 24 hours in advance.
A morning babysitter will take care of your child/ren from 06h00 when the morning drive departs, until 13h30. An evening babysitter will be available from 14h30 until 22h00. The babysitting fee will be charged to your bill – please confirm this fee when arranging your babysitter. Fees are charged per shift, and per babysitter – not per child.
Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris
While bush-walks are a wonderful educational experience for children, the presence of big game in the Kruger National Park introduces an element of risk; and for this reason, we cannot accept bookings for children under the age of twelve (12) at Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris.
Chundu Island
Children aged six (6) and over are welcome, however, the canoeing and bush-walks are restricted to children of 16 and over both for safety reasons and in accordance with the Zambezi National Parks policy.
A maximum of 6 children under the age of 12 can be accommodated on the island at any one time. Two family units can each accommodate 2 children (aged 6 – 16) in the kids’ bedroom. An additional two roll-away beds are available for children 16 and younger to create a triple in either the family rooms or island suites.
Family groups booking out the whole lodge are welcome to bring younger children – activity age restrictions will still apply.
Management reserve the right to return disorderly and disruptive children during the cruise or drive if necessary before continuing.
My child's birthday is one month after our visit and he/she is very mature, surely an exception can be made to allow her/him to participate in safari walks?
Unfortunately not. Maturity levels are too hard to ascertain prior to arrival, and parents are often biased. We, therefore, keep our policy in line with SANParks and Zambezi National Parks legislation which does not allow children under the age of 12 (twelve) or 16 (sixteen) respectively to participate in walking trails. It is hard enough to get an adult to stand still in the face of a potentially threatening situation, we do not believe that it is fair or safe to test a child under these circumstances.
We want to book for Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris and my child is under the age of 12 (twelve), but he/she doesn’t have to go on walks with the rest of us, can’t they stay in camp?
Unfortunately not. When the walks go out, both guides and rifles go with and the three remaining staff members are busy cleaning rooms and preparing meals. We do not feel that this represents a safe enough environment for a child.
Is there any way that my child under the age of 12 (twelve) can go to Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris?
Yes, but only if you book the whole camp, and either only do game drives, or pay an additional guiding fee to have an armed guide take care of your child in the camp and take him/her/them on game drives while you participate in walks with the other two guides – this can make for a wonderful family holiday as the camp is small enough (only 8 beds) to occupy with a family group.
Is there any way that my child under the age of 12 (twelve) can go to Chundu Island?
Yes. In the event of your family or group booking out the whole lodge, no age restrictions will apply to accommodation, however, age restrictions for activities will remain in place.
Staying at our lodges
Is the tap water safe to drink?
The tap water is safe to drink at Rhino Post Safari Lodge and Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris in the Kruger National Park. The tap water at Chundu Island is not potable. Filtered water is freely available at all of our lodges, and while we do not encourage the excessive use of plastic, bottled water is also available.
In the interests of conservation, we are currently investigating how to move from plastic to glass.
What is the difference between your Kruger National Park lodges?
Our company name is Rhino Walking Safaris (Pty) Ltd – so named because of our vision of providing specialist walking safaris and authentic wilderness experiences, over and above the traditional game drive safari.
Rhino Post Safari Lodge provides game drive safaris. Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris and the Sleep-Out decks (branded as Rhino Walking Safaris) focus on walking trails. Many of our guests opt to enjoy all three experiences – game drives, walking safaris and the sleep-outs.
Do I need to bring my own adaptors?
Rhino Post Safari Lodge
International adaptors are available from the reception at Rhino Post. If you are at the beginning of your holiday in South Africa and may have further need of an adaptor after you leave us, you are welcome to purchase one. If you are at the end of your visit to the country, and will only need it for the duration of your stay with us, we will be happy to lend you one. In this case, a refundable deposit will be charged to your room; when you return the adaptor at the reception on check-out this will be refunded to your bill.
Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris
An international adaptor and charging station is available in the plug socket in the dining room. If you are at the beginning of your holiday in South Africa and may have further need of an adaptor after you leave us, you are welcome to purchase one from the curio shop at Rhino Post Safari Lodge when you check out.
Chundu Island
Each room on Chundu Island is fitted with a variety of adaptors, so there is no need to bring an adaptor with you.
Is tipping expected and how much should I give?
We are frequently asked to recommend a gratuity policy.
While gratuities for exceptional service are very gratefully received by our staff they are at your sole discretion. We do not wish to make a recommendation, because we feel that this places pressure on the guest to pay a specific gratuity; however, if it is of help to you:
At Rhino Walking Safaris and Rhino Post Safari Lodge – the average tips received are between R200 and R350 per room per night for the guides and the same again for the general staff.
At Chundu Island the average tips received are approximately $10 per room per night for the guides, which we allocate according to which activities you have partaken in, with which guide, and the same again for the general staff.
If you do wish to pay a gratuity, you may do so at the reception on checkout. This can be left in cash or credit card. The gratuities for the guides are usually given directly to the guide, and for the general staff to the manager at check out.
General staff gratuities are divided equally amongst all personnel other than the guides.
Can I go for a drive in my own car during the day?
From Rhino Post Safari Lodge, yes. You are welcome to drive on any of the tourist roads within the Kruger National Park between the normal gate opening and closing times. Please inform one of the staff if you intend going for a drive and do not plan to be back in time for the evening game drive. For your safety, and in order to keep the impact on the concession to a minimum, private vehicles may not travel on the concession other than the access road to Rhino Post Safari Lodge.
It is for this reason too that guests for Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris are collected from Rhino Post Safari Lodge and may not take their private vehicles through to the camp. We ask that guests at Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris respect this and understand that day trips in and out of Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris would be damaging to the roads, and should only be requested in case of emergency.
From Chundu Island guests who have arrived in their own vehicles are welcome to join the ferry across to the Zambezi National Park at set activity times, and may drive within the park using their own vehicles. We do request that guests doing so book their (complimentary) ferry crossings with the receptionist, and indicate what time they plan to return. Please note that there is no driving in the Zambezi National Park allowed after dark.
Can we walk at all of your lodges?
Guided safari walks are offered from Chundu Island in the Zambezi National Park, and Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris in the Kruger National Park. Rhino Post Safari Lodge offers safaris by open game drive vehicle – no walks.
DO YOUR SAFARI VEHICLES DRIVE OFF-ROAD?
Seolo Africa pride ourselves on our commitment to the environment and wildlife we are privileged to see. That means we are committed to maintaining our ‘No off-road Policy’ at all of our lodges and camps.
We are proud of the fact that we do not drive off-road. One reason is that we are contractually obliged by SANParks and Zambezi National Parks to do as little damage as possible to the area and to remain on demarcated roads. The other is that ethically we do not believe in excessive off-road driving. It is damaging to the environment, flora and fauna, and creates pressures on animals which cannot escape a vehicle that is intent on following them. We are happy to see the animals interacting in their natural environment without these pressures, and are very pleased to note that there is a move by conservation-conscious travellers towards responsible and sustainable eco-tourism.
What to pack for your trip
Summer (Sep – Mar)
- Comfortable casual, cool clothing
- Lightweight waterproof jacket
- Swimwear
- Hats
- Sandals/slops
Winter (Apr – Aug)
- Warm sleepwear
- Warm layers for game drives
The guides will have warm fleeces and waterproof ponchos available for the evening safaris/drives
Year-round
- Hats
- Scarves
- Warm jacket/windbreaker
- Long cotton pants
- Cotton socks
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Avoid white clothing where possible as this is particularly visible in the bush, neutral colours are best. Patterned clothing is not an issue.
- Long trousers/pants for all walking trails. We advise that you wear these to limit the number of ticks that you might pick up and to protect your legs from grass scratches.
Other/general
- Sunscreen
- Binoculars
- Cameras (and battery chargers)
- Spare batteries
- Lip balm
- Contact lens solution
- Spare glasses
- Sunglasses
- Reference books
- Hair ties (for those with long hair)
CAN’T I JUST POP OVER TO PLAINS CAMP @ RHINO WALKING SAFARIS FOR A SAFARI WALK?
Unfortunately not. Although Rhino Post Safari Lodge and Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris are situated on the same concession in the Kruger Park, the legal requirements are that no more than eight trailists may walk with two guides carrying two rifles. As Plains Camp sleeps eight people, it makes it impossible for Rhino Post Safari Lodge guests to join them.
There is so much walking at Rhino Walking Safaris. I did not know we would have to walk for more than 3 hours at a time.
Yes, there is a big difference between Rhino Post Safari Lodge and Rhino Walking Safaris (Plains Camp).
Rhino Post Safari Lodge
Offers 2 safari game drives per day, early morning and late evening. This is our predominant activity and is always a huge success with our guests. A private game drive must be booked when participating with children under the age of 6.
If you elect to participate in the Sleep-Out activity, you will be transferred there by vehicle from Rhino Post Safari Lodge.
Rhino Walking Safaris
At Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris our primary offering is guide-led walking safaris through the Kruger National Park. Typically 3 hours per walk, this activity is for healthy, able-bodied persons over the age of 12 years.
If you elect to participate in the Sleep-Out activity, you will walk there on foot from Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris.
We are proud of our partners and affiliates
