Stay Safe On Safari
Top tips from Tropical Medical Bureau
Don't let your dream holiday become a nightmare. Follow these simple rules for a happy and healthy holiday.
- Remember you are the visitors - not the animals
- Early morning and late nights don't make good companions
- Carry a torch in case you need to wander at night!
- Have some plaster dressings and an antibiotic cream in case you get scratched
- Carry Tick tweezers to carefully remove any unwanted lodgers as soon as possible
- Wide brimmed hat to protect against sun exposure
- Drink plenty of fresh clear water
- Avoid getting too close to the animal's water holes
- Bring zoom lens for the camera and binoculars - safer than getting too close!
- Insect repellents will reduce the early morning attention of the mosquitoes
- Tsetse bites are painful and need extra attention to avoid Sleeping Sickness
- Don't paddle in the water holes - too many unfriendly creatures won't like you intruding on their home turf
- Don't feed to monkeys - small animals cause more problems that the bigger ones
- Any bite, lick or scratch by an animal may be a problem as rabies is definitely worth avoiding
- Don't leave food around your tent or camp site
- Watching the stars may be a fantastic experience but that is when the mosquitoes are more active
- Horse back riding in the Drakensburg is a great experience but don't ride through long grass or too close to bushes
- Leave the perfumes and aftershaves at the hotel as mosquitoes are attracted by strong odours
- Treat any cuts or scratches as soon as possible to reduce the risk of infections
- Bouncing around in a safari jeep for many hours is not a good experience for those with piles!
Tropical Medical Bureau have 23 clinics nationwide. For more information or to book your appointment please visit www.tmb.ie
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