ONYX TRAVEL
e-mail us 0118 947 2830
Holiday Information
How to book
When you have decided on the accommodation you require, contact Onyx International Travel Services Ltd for a quotation. Then, complete and sign the booking form and return it to Onyx with the relevant deposit. Onyx will then check if the services requested are available and, if so, will make a reservation for you and issue a confirmation.
Passports/visas
Full British passports are required. They must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the end of your stay. At present a visa is required to enter Madagascar or Zimbabwe. Please note: It is your own responsibility to check with the relevant embassy that you meet all passport and visa requirements.
Health
Certificates of inoculation against Yellow Fever are required by travellers arriving from infected areas. No other vaccinations are compulsory; however, the following are recommended at the time of writing: Hepatitis A and B, Polio, Typhoid and Tetanus. Protection against Malaria is strongly recommended. As requirements may change at short notice, you are responsible for ensuring you take advice from your GP or specialist vaccination centres. Do not drink tap water in Madagascar. Drink only bottled mineral water which is available in most hotels and stores, but always check carefully that the cap is securely sealed before opening. In Zimbabwe and Botswana water in towns and hotels is generally from purified water supplies, but should be treated with caution. Bottled mineral water is available in most hotels and stores.
It is advisable not to swim in or drink from rivers or lakes as they may be infected with bilharzia.
Climate
Madagascar: The weather is hot sub-tropical, but cooler in the highlands. The hot rainy season is from November to March. It is very hot on the coast usually up to around 36°C and in some areas, like Berenty Private Reserve, up to 39°C. Up to 30°C is common in the highlands. The cyclone season is usually January-April with around 4-6 cyclones annually. The western and southern parts of the island are dry and hot whereas the east is hot and wet. The dry season is April-October except in the rain forest which is wet most of the time. Protection against the sun is strongly advised.
Zimbabwe: Temperatures can be hot in Summer, particularly September-December, and cold on Winter nights (May-August). The rainy season is November-March. Average maximum temperature in Victoria Falls is 25-29°C April-August and 30-34°C September-March. Temperatures are generally hotter at Kariba and cooler in the Eastern Highlands. The climate in the Chobe area of Botswana is similar to Victoria Falls. Protection against the sun is strongly advised.
Luggage
Baggage allowance can vary according to destination and airline. On internal flights the allowance is 20kgs in economy class. On light aircraft transfers only 10kgs of soft luggage is allowed.
Dress code
Lightweight casual clothes are recommended during the day with warmer clothing during the evenings and early mornings. Some hotels require smart casual clothes during the evenings (collar and long trousers for men), others require jacket and tie.
Children
Some hotels are obviously more suitable than others for families with young children. Some lodges in Zimbabwe and Botswana only accept children above a specified age. Details of age limits, facilities and prices on request.
Check-in/out times at hotels
Generally hotel rooms are made available between noon and 3pm and are to be vacated between 10am and noon. If you arrive at a hotel before the normal check-in time your room may not be ready.
Special requests
Please inform Onyx of special requests at the time of booking. Onyx cannot guarantee that special requests will be met and has no liability to you if they are not.
Water/Electricity
Water and electricity services sometimes have difficulty keeping up with demand. Power cuts, usually only for an hour or so, may occur.
Madagascar: Power supply is 220 volts with round two pin plugs.
Zimbabwe: Power supply is 220 volts, generally with square three-pin plugs. Some lodges operate on generator power only.
Driving
An International Driving Licence is required if you wish to hire a car in Zimbabwe. Driving is on the left as in the UK.
Game reserves and outdoor pursuits
Whilst every precaution is taken by game lodges and organisers to ensure the safety of their guests, it must be accepted that there can be a small risk of danger as you will be travelling through areas where wild animals wander freely. Most game lodges will require you to sign personal indemnity forms.
Park Fees
Most lodges in Zimbabwe do not include park fees in their rates. These are payable locally.
Bonding
Onyx International Travel Services Ltd is a bonded Tour Operator. We hold Air Travel Organiser’s Licence no. 3306, granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Payments for tours which exclude flights will be covered by an insurance policy.
All the flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our Booking Conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate.