Travel during Covid

As travel restrictions are lifted to most East African countries and tourism resumes, entry is permitted with no quarantine for passengers from most countries around the world. For those who arrive without symptoms and present proof of a negative PCR-based COVID-19 test conducted within the required time before travel, you can continue on your safari safe in the knowledge that destinations are implementing the necessary protocols. Please check the requirements of your country of origin for re-entry requirements as well as those of your airline and any transit locations.

• Kenya
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Rwanda

Kenya

In addition to having a valid passport & visa which must be obtained online before arrival, the online Travelers Health Surveillance Form is to be completed prior to arrival, which requires that each traveller provides information about the status of their health. You will be emailed a QR code which you must present to the Port Health official upon arrival. Passengers will also be subjected to medical screening and exempt from quarantine, if on the approved list and meet the following criteria:

• The passenger does not have a body temperature above 37.5°C (99.5°F)
• The passenger does not have a persistent cough, difficulty breathing or other flu-like symptoms
• The passenger has a negative PCR-based COVID-19 test issued within 96 hours of departure from the country of origin.
  NOTE: The direct transit time to Kenya is not counted as part of the 96 hours.

The Kenya Ministry of Health has implemented an online trustworthy and safe systems for travellers across Africa through the deployment of technology called Trusted Travel to strengthen the Ministry’s ability to verify, authenticate and validate test results and vaccination certificates for diseases of International public health concern such as COVID-19. Passengers departing from Kenya, whose destination country or airline require it are advised to visit authorized laboratories to undergo a COVID-19 RT PCR test and be issued with Trusted Travel (TT) code that can be verified by airlines and Port Health Authorities. Many properties and destinations are facilitating testing to ensure that results are received in time for your departure (costs will be provided based on your location). The passenger will receive a text message (SMS) from panaBIOS and in addition, an email from the testing laboratory and/or admin@panabios.org with a link to guide the passenger to generate a travel code at trustedtravel.panabios.org.

Departing passengers can enter the TT code on their certificates online at www.africacdc.org/trusted-travel. If the test certificate is from a jurisdiction where TT isn’t available, they can use www.globalhaven.org or Global Haven via the trusted travel portal www.africacdc.org/trusted-travel to generate a travel stamp. Upon successful validation against destination country requirements, passengers are issued with a secondary travel stamp (TC code) by the system for exit approval for Kenya. Latest requirements for testing (e.g. COVID-19 test requirement must be less than 96 hours old before travel) can be obtained from www.xchange.panabios.org/countries/offers/. The Trusted Traveller Code is not required of passengers inbound to Kenya. 

Movement around Kenya is possible with limited curfew (22h00-04h00) and everyone in the country is expected to follow protocols which require that you wear a face covering in public, sanitise hands regularly with an approved sanitiser (min 70% alcohol) in the absence of running water and practise social distancing of 1.5m (approx arms length). Facilities and properties are following these guidelines and some do provide additional supplies. It is important that visitors check the latest health advice and preventative measures in place before departing for Kenya.

Tanzania

In addition to having a passport valid for 6 months & visa (apply online, at an Embassy or upon arrival), passengers will also be subjected to temperature screening and if they show any Covid symptoms, will be required to take a test. If you are tested for COVID-19 on arrival, you may be required to self-isolate for 14 days. All travellers whose countries or airlines require them to provide negative testing for COVID-19 as a condition for travelling will be required to present a certificate on arrival.  All passengers are required to fill in a Health Surveillance Form and submit it to health authorities upon arrival.

In order to be tested upon departure, a COVID-19 test is booked through the Tanzanian Ministry of Health website https://pimacovid.moh.go.tz/#/booking. Many properties and destinations are facilitating testing to ensure that results are received in time for your departure (costs will be provided based on your location).

Although protocols are not being enforced, it is recommended that you wear a face covering in public, sanitise hands regularly with an approved sanitiser (min 70% alcohol) in the absence of running water and practise social distancing of 1.5m (approx arms length). Many facilities and properties are following these guidelines and some do provide additional supplies. It is important that visitors check the latest health advice and preventative measures in place before departing for Tanzania.

Uganda

In addition to having a passport valid for 6 months & visa (apply online or at an Embassy), passengers will also be subjected to the following criteria:

• The passenger must wear a face mask correctly at all times upon entering the airport and will be subject to temperature screening
• Should a passenger exhibit any signs or symptoms of infectious disease, they will be transported by ambulance to an isolation unit and required to undergo a Covid test and await results (24-48hrs)
• The passenger has a negative PCR-based COVID-19 test conducted within 120 hours before their departure flight (ie. tested and received results no more than 5 days before you board the flight to Uganda)
• You are required to proceed directly to your place of stay and to not mix with Ugandans. 

A negative PCR-based COVID-18 test is mandatory for all departing passengers irrelevant of whether your destination country requires it. The test is to be done within 120 hours of departure and you will be subject to the same protocols upon arrival. all COVID-19 test certificates issued in Uganda must indicate the intended purpose of the test. Only test certificates which state travel as the intended purpose will be valid for departure from Uganda. Passengers are advised to arrive 4 hours prior to their departure time to allow for checks to be completed.

A COVID RDT Antigen test can be done next to the airport in Entebbe at the Kazuri Medical clinic. The antigen test takes 15 minutes and costs 50 USD, certified results are provided onsite. A number of health facilities in Kampala offer COVID-19 testing. For a full list of accredited laboratories and approved sample collection points, please visit the Ministry of Health’s website.  

Movement around Uganda is possible with limited curfew (21h00-06h00) and everyone in the country is expected to follow protocols which require that you wear a face covering in public, sanitise hands regularly with an approved sanitiser (min 70% alcohol) in the absence of running water and practise social distancing of 1.5m (approx arms length).

It is important that visitors check the latest health advice and preventative measures in place before departing for Uganda.

Rwanda

In addition to having a passport valid for 6 months & visa (apply online , at an Embassy or upon arrival for approved countries), passengers are required to provide a negative COVID-19 test completed no more than 72 hours before their date of arrival (ie. tested and received results no more than 3 days before your first flight). Passengers are to complete the Passenger Locator Form and upload the COVID-19 test certificate prior to your arrival. Upon arrival, all travellers will be screened upon entry and be given a second test to confirm the negative results of first test done prior to arrival whereafter you are required to complete 24hrs in a designated transit hotel while awaiting the results of the second test.

The Government of Rwanda has a zero-tolerance policy for exporting positive COVID-19 cases. If you test positive for COVID-19 upon arrival or during your time in Rwanda, the severity of your symptoms will determine whether you are isolated in a government-run treatment center or a hotel at your own cost. You will not be permitted to leave Rwanda until you receive a negative PCR test result, which could take several weeks from the first detection of your infection.

The Government of Rwanda has negotiated special rates at the designated hotels for the waiting period. Should a guest wish to remain in the hotel after receiving negative test results, they are welcome to extend their stay at the applicable hotel’s rates. The negotiated hotel rate is on a full board basis (inclusive of three meals, water or soft drinks) and any extras will be paid separately upon order.

PCR tests can be booked and paid online through Irembo (scroll down to Health) and cost $50. PCR test results are generally delivered within 48 hours via text message and through the RBC’s COVID-19 Test Results Portal. Passengers departing Rwanda are required to print out the travel certificate available through the COVID-19 Test Results Portal and hand carry them in order to enter the airport for departure.

RBC offers rapid antigen testing without appointment at 42 accredited private hospitals/clinics throughout Rwanda. Rapid antigen tests cost $10. A complete list of accredited private clinics offering this service is found here. Rapid antigen test results are available shortly after the sample is taken and are delivered in person. Many properties & destinations are facilitating this testing.

Everyone in the country is expected to follow protocols which require that you wear a face covering in public where social distancing is not possible, sanitise hands regularly with an approved sanitiser (min 70% alcohol) in the absence of running water and practise social distancing of 1.5m (approx arms length). Facilities and properties are following these guidelines and some do provide additional supplies. It is important that visitors check the latest health advice and preventative measures in place before departing for Rwanda.