Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

(Do not hesitate to send us an email to ask any additional questions whatsoever)

What is a safari? What will we do on an Academy Safari?

Safari is a Kiswahili word meaning “to travel.” Originally the word safari was used by Westerners to describe an overland trip in Africa to hunt big game. Today we, more humanely, hunt wildlife with cameras.

Although the order of Academy Safari locales can vary, most Academy Safaris begin in Cape Town at 9AM at the Hotel Verde immediately adjacent to the Cape Town Airport. At the end of our first wonderful day of sightseeing and shopping in historic Cape Town we will check into our Villa overlooking False Bay.  We will always have visits to Table Mountain (weather permitting), the V&A Waterfront, Cape Point and the wine country towns of Franschhoek and Stellenbosch on our itinerary while in Cape Town. You might want to take these into consideration if you choose to arrive early to see more of South Africa before your safari. A detailed itinerary of our time in Cape Town to include specific restaurant reservations will be circulated about a month before departure.

Normally we fly from Cape Town to the wildlife oriented portions of the safari. Our time in the bush sometimes includes a stay at a private holding within the Sabi Sand Private Reserve. Sabi Sand is one of the premier private reserves along the border of Kruger National Park and there are no fences between it and Kruger. It is close to the Sabie and Sand Rivers which attract wildlife in profusion and makes for wonderful game drives.  Other times a visit to majestic Victoria Falls with dinner cruises on the Zambezi River replaces the Sabi Sand portion of our safari. Typically, we then go to a wonderful camp in the greater Kruger vicinity for the remainder of our time in the bush.

In the bush we will be going out on "game drives" with guides in an open Land Cruiser (or similar vehicle) for several hours each morning and again in the late afternoon hunting for the best animal sightings. Before your trip is over you will have many opportunities to observe elephant, giraffe, lion, buffalo, hippo and a wide variety of other African wildlife.  Be sure to bring along a good digital camera (high resolution, with good zoom and video capability) so you can to capture some of the amazing wildlife we will see. But also be sure to put the cameras aside from time to time to just soak in the experience. We never tire of seeing wildlife in the bush, but our goal is to have your appetite for game drives completely sated so you will be ready for other experiences if you decide to stay on in Africa after the safari.

Covid-19 has been the biggest issue affecting travel in the recent past. How is Covid-19 being addressed in South Africa and Zimbabwe?

As of January 2022, South African has no restrictions in place which will have any effect on us. In most places people mask, maintain personal distance and otherwise go with their lives just as in the US. South Africa is rolling out its vaccinations and. According to our safari camps and hosts, all staff with whom we may come into contact have been vaccinated. According to reports Zimbabwe has vaccinated nearly everyone in the town of Victoria Falls to hasten the comeback of tourism so critical to its economy.

To travel internationally a negative Covid test is required. In addition, we require that all safari participants be vaccinated. The protection provided by a vaccination is tremendous. In our estimation, the isolation and small bubble we will live in during a safari makes it safer than traveling within the US. 

Flights to and from Africa and between locales during the safari are not included. Must we must arrange our own.? What guidance can you give for arranging these flights?

On the first day of your safari the group will meet at 9AM at the Hotel Verde adjacent to the Cape Town Airport.  We recommend coming in to Cape Town at least a day early to get over jet lag and rest prior to beginning the safari. If you choose to come in only a day early, we suggest staying at the Hotel Verde which is in sight of the Cape Town Airport and the inception point of the safari (We are usually there, having come in at least day early as well).  Some safari trekkers choose to arrive even earlier to enjoy more of Cape Town, the wine country or even to travel the Garden Route along the coast.  There are a myriad of great places to stay should you decide to do so.

In any case, please arrange your flights to arrive in Cape Town well before 9AM on the first day of your safari. Covid considerations make it best for you to book a non-stop flight from the US to South Africa.

In order to insure the entire group stays together, we will book the flights within South Africa from Cape Town to our first bush location (and/or to and from Victoria Falls and then on to our bush location) and out of Hoedspruit at the end of the safari back to Johannesburg. We will invoice you for all internal flights we book on your behalf when your second half payment is due 60 days prior to arrival. These typically cost $350 US per person unless your safari goes to and from Victoria Falls. Those flights cost approximately $700 per person

Unless you are planning to stay in the Johannesburg vicinity, you can plan a departing flight from Johannesburg for the evening of the last day of the safari. You should make this for 7PM or later to accommodate the possibility that the flight from Hoedspruit is delayed (which happens). 

By using Orbitz, Kayak, Expedia and others, Camilla can currently make coach reservations for round trip flights from Seattle (where we live) for about $1000 - $1300. Round trip flights from major East Coast airports can be even less expensive. The total cost of your flights will include: 1. Your flight from the US to Cape Town and returning from Johannesburg; 2. The flights we will book separately for everyone from Capetown to Hoedspruit or Cape Town to Victoria Falls - back to Johannesburg and on to Hoedspruit (approx. $350 - $700) ; and 3. The final flight from Hoedspruit back to Johannesburg (approx. $150). 

To allow us to make the internal flight reservations for you we will need for you to email us your passport numbers and names (EXACTLY as they appear on your passports) and birth dates.

From the US there are many flights to South Africa. Some go directly to Cape Town, others route you through Johannesburg. We prefer flights that minimize our total travel time, including potential layovers to minimize jet lag. On occasion we have chosen to split our flight into two almost equal legs by stopping in London, Paris or Amsterdam, etc. Spending a few days soaking in one of these intermediate destinations is a nice option.

What is or is not included in an Academy Safari?

All meals, beer, wine and game drives at our bush locations are included. All automotive transport and parks fees and scheduled activities are included. All breakfasts and two catered dinner at our villa in Cape Town are included. All air transport, meals taken away from our lodgings, the cost of Covid tests and tips for guides and maids are not included.

Meals away from our lodgings and tips are not included. How much am I likely to spend on these meals and tips on an Academy Safari?

We will enjoy dining at some of the finest restaurants available in Cape Town. With lunches and dinners we will eat out a total of 6-7 meals at an average cost of approximately $30US per person per meal, wine and tips included. Meals are much less expensive in SA than in comparable restaurants in the US. For example, NOBU is a favorite stop. But in SA you will spend $50 per person not $250 as you would in London or NYC.  Tips for our staff, guides and trackers in the bush can also be significant. We personally choose to tip approximately $50 per day ($25 per person per day) we are in the bush to cover all of these. Of course, you contribute any amount you wish depending on the value you feel these folks contribute to your enjoyment. 

Do I need to get a visa or shots to enter South Africa (or Zimbabwe or Zambia if on a Victoria Falls safari?

US passport holders (and visitors from most modern western countries) get an automatic 90 day visa upon entry into South Africa. Note: Make sure your passport is current - has at least six months remaining before expiration from your date of departure from South Africa - and your passport will need at least two un-stamped pages for each potential border crossing on arrival (that can mean up to 10 un-stamped pages for a Victoria Falls safari that enters South Africa, leaves South Africa, visits two more countries and returns to South Africa.

There are no shot requirements for entry into South Africa or Zimbabwe, however the CDC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, cholera, yellow fever, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia and influenza. Many of these you probably already have, but you should consult your own physician concerning any shots that you may want to update and possible prophylactic measures to take for malaria (Health Information for Travelers to South Africa - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC). Be sure to consider all countries you may pass through or choose to visit when planning. Camilla and I took malaria pills on our first visit to South Africa's bush years ago but have not since because of side effects, but we are told in many more modern drugs these are minimal. You must make these medical decisions personally.

How can I stay in touch with family and friends in the US while on safari?

We will have wireless connectivity and access to the internet (there is a potential for downtime...) at each of our locations. All rooms at our Villa in Cape Town have connectivity. You must leave your chalet and go to a central lodge to access wireless connectivity to the internet at our bush locations. If you have an international calling plan you may be able to access the internet by smartphone wherever sufficient signal exists (it does over most of SA). GSM carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T typically have plans that include free SMS service and throttled internet access standard in SA. 

Alternatively, you could always acquire a SA sim card (for a GSM smartphone) or an entirely new SA phone at the Vodacom (or other phone company) shop at the airport on your way into the country.  

I see my deposit is not refundable if I commit and cannot come on safari for some reason and you cannot find a replacement. Why is this? How can I protect myself?

Academy safaris are small consisting of only 5 couples each. This makes them more intimate but also means failure by any single person to come is significant. We will do our best to find a replacement for anyone who drops out, but we may not be able to, especially as the departure date draws near.  So we encourage everyone to protect themselves against every eventuality by acquiring trip insurance for all aspects of their trip.  Here is a link to a list of providers: Frommers.com's Top 8 Travel Insurance Providers | Frommer's. In addition here are two links from Forbes Advisor addressing "Cancel for Any Reason" (CFAR) trip insurance and Medjets you may wish to consider. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/medjet/ and https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-cancel-for-any-reason-travel-insurance/

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It is a long trip to Africa, what do you recommend doing if I want to take advantage of being there by coming early or staying after the safari?

Whether you opt to arrive in Africa before the safari or stay after there are many wonderful things to do, limited only by how long you can stay, what you want to do and how you want to travel. Other people have come in early to Cape Town early to spend extra days in the wine country while recovering from the long flight over. One couple visited Madagascar after a safari and have already returned to experience more of Africa. Victoria Falls is certainly a destination many put on their list. The beaches, dive resorts and golf courses along the South Africa's warm Indian Ocean can provide a completely different kind of relaxation. For a really unique beach/dive experience one could easily engage a driver or rent a 4X4 to drive to the Mozambique coast. The almost totally unspoiled Mozambique coastline has a sprinkling of rustic beach/dive camps worth a visit. One could even add a relatively inexpensive volunteer visit to one of our daughter Kelcey's conservation projects (click on Volunteer in the main menu). A short flight to the Seychelles might also provide a wonderful, more upscale beach experience. We have yet to go to the Seychelles but it is definitely on our list.

If your appetite for wildlife hasn't been sated by our time in the bush, a flight into the Okavango Delta would provide a rich and different experience in lush riverine terrain. If time permits, the high, red dunes of Sossusvlei in Namibia are certainly worth the trip.

Give us an idea of what interests you and how long you can devote to seeing more of Southern Africa and we will be happy to advise you. We get excited just thinking about the possibilities.

What is Academy Safaris? How and why did you start doing these safaris?

We (Pete and Camilla Grimm - USMA 1969) first visited Africa in 1996 traveling on safari with our second daughter, Lisa,  who had taken a semester abroad in Kenya. Our older daughter Kelcey moved to South Africa in 2001 to commit her life to conservation and now owns the 25 square mile wildlife sanctuary called Lapolosa Wilderness in Mpumalanga. In addition to travels in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, we managed Lapolosa Wilderness for Kelcey for two years. We are also directors of the Wild Terra Foundation (previously the Lion Foundation), a 501(c)3 US non-profit founded in 2002. Enkosini Eco Experience, managed by Kelcey, is the arm of the Wild Terra Foundation that has placed over 10,000 volunteers in self-funding conservation projects all over South Africa, Namibia and Botswana since 2002.

Academy Safaris was born in 2013 when we decided to invite some American friends to come experience the Africa we had come to love. Each year thereafter we held a single safari for USMA grads and their wives. In 2016 demand from interested grads, their families and friends caused us to offer several more. We host each Academy Safari  personally.

Are your safaris only for Academy couples, or can I invite a non-grad friend to come along?

Grads are welcome to invite couples who are friends or relatives to accompany them and several have done so.

Academy Safaris are designed for 5 couples. Can a single person go on an Academy safari?

The safaris are designed for couples. A grad single or class widow is welcome to invite a friend or non grad to accompany them. If a last-minute opening were to occur, we might be able to accommodate a single or put two flexible single men or women together. A single would need to be able to decide to come with as little as a month’s notice. In the case of a single not-sharing there will be a single supplement of half the full rate. Please contact us by email at petegrimm3@gmail.com to go on the list of interested singles.

How do we secure our spots in an upcoming Academy safari?

Simply contact us by email at petegrimm3@gmail.com to state the safari you wish to join. Then send a deposit of half the cost per person (See the Schedule Page for costs) to Pete Grimm at 4111 East Madison Street, Ste 69, Seattle, WA 98112. The second half along with the invoice for the internal flight(s) we will make for you is payable 60 days before the safari begins.  We request payment by personal check. Alternatively, we can send routing info to accommodate a bank transfer.  

Are Academy Safaris always limited to 5 couples or could you accommodate a larger group for a mini-reunion of family holiday?

It is possible for us to custom tailor an Academy Safari for a mini-reunion, company-class reunion or family excursion. Contact us by email at petegrimm3@gmail.com if you have an interest in a custom-tailored safari.