Entry rules and access costs reshape East and Southern Africa bookings

Kenya's ETA portal now requires travel health insurance at $44, which brings the total to about $52 per traveler. There appears to be no option to upload foreign proof of cover. Update quotes and pre-trip messaging for every Kenya client, and decide how this fits your own insurance upsell.

In Uganda the position has become simpler. The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed in a notice dated Oct 2 that a yellow fever certificate is not a condition of entry. That removes a source of confusion, and a possible denied-boarding risk, for gorilla-trekking clients. Still check airline and transit-country rules, and the health advice, before you tell clients to skip the certificate.

The UK FCDO reports wildfires on Kilimanjaro as of Oct 6. Three major routes are closed: Rongai, Lemosho and Londorosi. Climbers are being redirected.

If you have clients climbing in the coming days or weeks, contact operators now about re-routing, itinerary changes and possible refunds. Ask what each operator will do if the closures last beyond the departure date.

Kapama, a major Greater Kruger lodge group, will sell directly to the trade from the end of February 2027. It is ending a 23-year representation with An African Anthology. Advisors who book Kapama through Anthology will need new contracting, commission and rate channels.

Anthology is pivoting to new Okavango Delta and South African lodges. Confirm how existing 2027 bookings will be handled and who holds the commission relationship after the switch.

Zimbabwe removed the zero rating on tourism services for foreign visitors from Jan 1 and raised VAT to 15.5%. Operators say demand has held, but the country is less price-competitive regionally. Check whether quotes for activities and transfers include VAT, especially on bookings made far in advance.

Rhino Africa reports Mana Pools bed nights down about 34% and booking value down about 37% from FY24 to FY26, while Hwange is up about 21%. The causes are charter and 4x4 access costs and logistics. Mana can work as an alternative when Victoria Falls is full, and prices may be better, though many camps close in the wet season.

Ndzhaka Manyeleti is a new unfenced 15-tent Greater Kruger camp. It offers agent-only 2027 opening rates from R6,250 per person sharing, all-inclusive with game drives. Children aged 6 and older are welcome and there are private heated pools. That makes it a lower-priced Greater Kruger option and a possible FAM opportunity.

In Kenya, SARV Management has opened Kinara inside the Maasai Mara reserve, with 21 tented suites with plunge pools and a signature villa. No pricing has been published. Request rates and the commission structure before you pitch it for the 2027 migration season.

Airlink's first domestic Lanseria route, to Cape Town, runs twice daily from Dec 4 on a 98-seat E190. It rises to four daily in March 2027. For Gauteng-bound clients it is an alternative to OR Tambo that may ease transfers and connections. Airlink also starts Lanseria–Harare on Nov 15.

South Africa recorded close to 7.5 million arrivals from January to August. The US (37,134 in August), UK and Germany led the overseas markets. Kruger-area provinces outperformed Gauteng, which supports strong demand and tight peak availability. Durban international flights fell 28.6%, so check KZN routing options early.

The Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation removed 76 large snares in a three-day patrol. It reports a sharp increase as vegetation dries after the floods. It is a pressure signal for Kruger-adjacent Limpopo, and a useful talking point for conservation-minded clients.

In Cape Town, roadworks on Victoria Road between Geneva Drive and Kloof Road run from Oct 9 to the end of November. Night lane closures follow after the first two weeks, which affects Atlantic Seaboard transfers. Authorities also enforced alcohol bylaws against 3,000–4,000 beachgoers on Oct 3 and are reviewing measures for matric and year-end events. Brief clients staying in Camps Bay and Clifton.