Dorine Reinstein
On April 25, people across
the globe took part in a wide range of activities to mark World Malaria
Day. But without a doubt, the highlight of World Malaria Day was the publication
of a new report by the World Health Organization that indicated that South
Africa, Algeria, Botswana, Cape Verde, Comoros and Swaziland could be free of
the disease by 2020.
Until then, however,
international travelers should remember to take the necessary precautions when
traveling to malaria-prone areas in Africa. Prevention includes avoiding
mosquito bites through the use of repellents as well as specific medicines to
prevent malaria.
According to Wilderness
Safaris’ USA business unit manager, Simon
Stobbs, malaria has not been a great deterrent for travelers from the U.S.
He explained that travelers are increasingly seeking authentic safari
experiences, and demand for travel from the U.S. to both Southern and East
Africa remains strong.
Stobbs explained that malaria
tends to be an important consideration for first-time safari travelers to Southern
and East Africa. However, once armed with the correct information regarding
what precautionary measures to take, it is often a less-daunting decision to
make, he said.
“Although it is extremely important to get
professional advice pretravel, the incidences of malaria in safari travelers is
actually very low; taking the right prophylactics and precautionary measures
greatly reduces the risk,” said Stobbs, adding that the minimum recommended age
for travel to malaria areas is 6 years old.
Also Liesel van Zyl, Go2Africa
product manager, explained that although malaria is a consideration, it doesn’t
tend to be a make-or-break factor for families. The main reason is that
families generally travel at peak season when the risk is at its absolute
lowest (during the dry winter months of June to August).
The million-dollar question
for families who would rather not venture into malaria areas is whether these
game reserves offer the same experiences as other safaris in better-known areas
where malaria is prevalent.
Craig Beal, owner of Travel
Beyond, explains that for families
whose focus is safety and a choice of activities aimed specifically at children,
countries like South Africa offer some really great options that tick all these
boxes. He said: “There are also areas that remain authentic and more off the
beaten track that fall within malaria-free zones, so for those looking for a
little more adventure, there’s plenty on offer.”
According to van Zyl, the
malaria-free reserves offer fantastic safari experiences. She said: “American travelers have become far more aware of
malaria-free destinations and are choosing them because the destinations themselves
are so interesting and offer good value, not necessarily only because
they’re malaria-free.”
Van Zyl said Addo Elephant Park near
Port Elizabeth is popular because the self-driving is so easy and accessible
and the landscapes are so very different but equally beautiful. “Addo is a
great way to end a Garden Route holiday, where all members of the family can
enjoy swimming beaches, nature walks, forest ziplines and animal sanctuaries,”
she said.
Stobbs explained that South
Africa is definitely one of the most popular destinations for family travel,
and areas like Madikwe, the Waterberg and game reserves in the Eastern Cape are
popular malaria-free options that offer excellent experiences specifically
catered for family safaris.
Said Stobbs: “A good example
is Tswalu … the largest private game reserve in South Africa, offering pristine
wilderness and diverse habitats with the opportunity to see some elusive
species not regularly seen elsewhere, such as aardvark and pangolin.
He adds that Namibia’s remote
Kaokoveld offers a truly unique experience, from the vast expanse of pristine
wilderness to the exceptional game-viewing of desert-adapted wildlife, such as
lions, elephants, oryxs, giraffes and cheetahs.
Julien Perreard of Southern Africa
Travel explained that in the Eastern Cape, Shamwari is a fantastic choice. “A
true conservation success story, this privately owned reserve offers a choice
of small luxury lodges, and the game viewing is fantastic,” he said. He added
that Madikwe Game Reserve, vast and uncrowded, is also an excellent choice as
it gives travelers that feeling of being somewhere truly wild with few other
vehicles around.
However, tour operators admit
that some of the smaller malaria-free reserves
don’t have the same truly wild feeling as the more established parks.
Stobbs said that safaris are
comparatively different when taking into account the biomes and species
biodiversity unique to each destination. “There are a number of factors that
would rate one destination against another, including unique game experiences
and guests’ specialized interests,” he said. “We have seen an increasing demand
for multigenerational families who want to experience Africa’s true wilderness
areas, even with the knowledge that a number of camps operate within malaria
areas.”
Van Zyl agreed and said that
although there is very good game-viewing in
malaria-free destinations, the experience is “obviously” going to be different
to a premium Kruger, Okavango Delta or Masai Mara-Serengeti safari because the terrain
is so different.
“Malaria areas are wetter, and thus
the vegetation may be more plentiful, which will attract more grazers and
therefore more predators, increasing the likelihood of seeing a hunt or kill,”
she said.
If travel agents
aren’t sure what to recommend, they should engage the tour operator, said
Perreard.
“It’s our job to
chat to clients and find out more about their requirements: whether they’re
traveling with young kids, if they’re worried about malaria, if they prefer
driving to flying, whether they want to include a few days at the beach etc., then
recommend the best options for their needs,” he said.