As a mother to a toddler, I was extremely nervous to travel cross country in July this year. Travelling with a toddler is already nerve wrecking, but my main concern was covid pandemic and how safe it would be for us as a family to travel from Atlanta to Kenya. There was conflicting information on quarantine and restrictions and it was enough to turn me off the idea of travel altogether. We were feigning for travel after being locked up so long during the pandemic, so we were not deterred. In addition, there were so many amazing deals which are still ongoing for Africa, to not go. We selected Kenya as we could easily combine Safari and beach.
The day arrived and it was time to head to the airport. We all have our checklists on must haves and one new addition to my list was the covid test to rule out you are positive for the virus. You can get this done at any healthcare facility of your choice. We went to CVS pharmacy. It was free, fast and you could get your results within 24hours of testing. Bonus? You can do a drive through test. A key note is that you have to ensure that the test is valid for 72 hours from the time of testing to the time you enter the country that you are visiting. A note, children under 2 years old did not need the covid test.
I was pleasantly surprised at how busy the airport was and even more surprised at how full the flight was. It was clear that travel was back! It made me more comfortable about our journey ahead. There were clear protocols everywhere on social distance, sanitization, temperature checks and the wearing of masks.
Upon arrival in Kenya, everything worked like clockwork. We had to show our covid results and strictly adhere to covid guidelines, which were identical to what we had in the USA. After a few days of rest, it was time to embark on the Safari.
The feeling of being in the wide open space, nature and serenity never gets old. It was my first time being here with my child and his excitement added to the joy of the experience. As a result of covid, the Masai Mara has had time to recuperate from human touch, it felt like. There was so much wildlife! It literally felt like we saw every animal within an hour of being there! Can you imagine spotting the big five within minutes of each other! It was overwhelming. There were a lot of tourists during this high season, and it felt good to see the country back in its element of tourism. The camps we visited were all following the pandemic protocols. Our visit to the Kenyan coast was just as pleasant. The family had an amazing time, and most importantly, we felt safe.
As a travel agent my confidence in travel to Africa has been restored. It is time to create amazing memories for you and your family. International travel to Africa is safe.
