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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the time difference?

Botswana, South Africa and Namibia are 2 hours ahead of GMT.
Kenya is 3 hours ahead of GMT.

Do I need a visa to enter the country?

British passport holders do not require visas for South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. If you have any other passport please contact your local Embassy or Consulate. Your passport should have at least 2 unused pages and must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

If one parent wants to take a child to South Africa without the other parent, then a letter of consent must be written by the non travelling parent.

EU passport holders require a visa for entry into Kenya. An entry visa can be arranged either prior to travel or at the entry airport. We recommend getting your visa before entry into Kenya as this helps ease your passage through Arrivals at the airport. It can be expected that a prearranged visa will take between three and five working days to process and the cost is £30 per person for single entry. An application form can be downloaded from the Kenya High Commission www.kenyahighcommission.net . If you choose to obtain your visa on arrival in Kenya, a fee of US$50 per person is levied.

What is the currency in Africa?

The currency differs by destination. Most of our guests get a small amount of local currency and use their credit cards for the majority of the time.

South Africa - The South African Rand
Namibia - The Namibian Dollar
Kenya - The Kenya Shilling
Botswana - The Botswana Pula

What vaccinations are required when travelling to Africa?

South Africa and Botswana - Certificates of vaccination are not necessary for South Africa and Botswana, except for yellow fever, if arriving from an infected area. Malaria is prevalent in certain parts of South Africa and it is imperative that all visitors to these areas (Mpumalanga and northern Kwazulu-Natal) take anti-malaria tablets. It is recommended to check with your doctor regarding which anti-malarials suit you best and to the latest heath recommendations from www.fco.gov.uk.

Kenya - Vaccinations are recommended, but not legally required, for passengers travelling to Kenya. If you are travelling from a Yellow Fever area you will need the relevant vaccination and vaccination certificate. Malaria is prevalent in most areas of Kenya and it is imperative that visitors take anti-malaria tablets. Please contact your GP or health worker prior to departure. Further health recommendations can also be found on the website www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk and on the Foreign Office website www.fco.gov.uk

Namibia - Malaria is prevalent in Namibia and it is imperative that all visitors take anti-malaria tablets. It is recommended to check with your doctor regarding which anti-malarials suit you best and to the latest heath recommendations from http://www.fco.gov.uk/.

How is the wedding arranged?

All of the hotels and lodges have individual wedding packages. Weddings in South Africa are generally very good value and range between approximately £300-£2,000 depending upon the location and inclusions provided by the accommodation. For further details we suggest you contact our African Reservations Department. We have a Wedding co-ordinator in the Western Cape who can assist with weddings.

How much notice is required to organise a wedding?

Because we need time to get all your wedding paperwork together and sent off to the hotels we would say we need at least a month to organise it properly.

When do the weddings take place?

Weddings take place Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. Saturdays on request.

How long do we need to be in Africa before the ceremony?

We suggest that you are at your chosen venue for at least three days before your wedding date to ensure you do not feel stressed or rushed. If necessary special arrangements can be made if you can't be in the country 3 days prior.

What kind of wedding ceremony will we have?

Most of our weddings are civil ceremonies, we do have some religious ceremonies and some tribal ceremonies dependent on your chosen destination. If this is important to you please call and speak to Sam, Chris or Gary and they will be able to advise which location is best for you dependent on the ceremony you want!

Will the wedding ceremony be conducted in English?

All weddings will be conducted in English. If you would like the ceremony conducted in another language please let us know at time of booking and we will happily find out if this is possible.

Is our wedding legal in the UK?

Your wedding will be performed by a licensed marriage officer which ensures your wedding is completely legal and recognised by UK law.

What documentation do we need?

We require 2 copies of the following documents from you at least eight weeks before you depart the UK and please note, we'll need to plan in advance to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Copies of birth certificates
Copies of passports and entry stamp into the country
Decree absolute (if divorced)
Deed Poll (if name has changed)
Death Certificate and previous marriage certificate if widowed
Non English documentation must be translated into English and duly stamped.
One signed copy of the Beachcomber Wedding Application form which we will send out to you when you make a booking.

What happens if I have been divorced?

All we need is a copy of your decree absolute.

How do I transport my wedding dress?

Your wedding outfits take up part of your luggage allowance. The airlines unfortunately will not give you and extra allowance for wedding outfits. We, therefore, recommend that you have your dress professionally boxed and marked fragile if your wedding outfits are going into the hold of the plane.

What should we wear for our wedding?

The African climate varies by destination and time of year. A wedding abroad really is based around you and your personal preferences. You really can wear what you want from kilts to shorts, suits to a full morning suit, a full wedding dress to a casual sun dress, you could even wear a bikini if that is what you want - the choice is completely down to you!

Do we need witnesses?

Two witnesses over the age of 18 are required by law. Not to worry if you have decided on a quiet intimate wedding for just the two of you we will arrange the witnesses for you.

Can we invite guests to the wedding?

Yes you can invite as many guests as you like depending on availability at your chosen hotel we would recommend you get your guests to book at the same time as you to ensure availability.

As each property look after their own guests as a priority - if your guests do choose to stay at another hotel you will have to confirm whether they can attend the wedding at time of confirmation as this is down to the hotel and it’s occupancy over your wedding dates.

Can we have a same sex wedding in Africa?

South Africa have recently been granted legislation to allow same sex weddings and commitment ceremonies. Unfortunately no other African country has this legislation but we are sure this will change in the near future. For more information on same sex weddings in South Africa please call one of our friendly reservations team.

Are hair and beauty services available at the hotel/lodge?

Due to the remote location of many of our African properties hair and beauty services may prove extremely difficult. If this is important to you please talk to Sam, Chris or Gary and they will be able to help you make that all important decision based on your requirements.

Do we need Insurance?

We do not organise insurance for you although there are a number companies that specialise wedding and honeymoon insurance. We would also recommend your guests also take out travel insurance just in case anything has to be changed!

What is the temperature in Africa?

The climate differs depending on area you are travelling to. The climate for most destinations is generally warm all year round however some of the winter months can get pretty chilly. Here are a few temperature guides to give you an idea.