YOUR WELL-BEING ON SAFARI Our Extensive COVID-19 Protocols
As a family business based in Africa for 60 years, we’ve been through dozens of crises both large and small, building resilience and experience along the way.
We’ve learned from such challenging incidents as embassy bombings, SARS, genocide, election disruptions, financial meltdowns and even Somali pirates on the high seas. And each incident has made us more adept at handling whatever crisis might come next. But let’s face it. It’s one thing to have a protocols such as those outlined here, but it’s a whole other order of magnitude to actually execute those protocols. And that’s where we excel. With offices in Africa and full-time staff there, Micato’s unique expertise ensures that safety protocols are followed to the letter.
During your safari, that responsibility falls principally on the shoulders of Micato’s expert Safari Directors—our highly-credentialed safari leaders who accompany you every step of the way. You’ll find our Safari Directors to be warm hearted, smart, and funny, too. But his job, beyond sharing his extensive wildlife knowledge and making certain you have a great time, is to ensure that safety protocols are followed in all locations and to safeguard your well-being. He’s also there to reinforce the notion that safety is a shared responsibility as indicated in the Micato Well-Being Pledge that we ask guests to take.
In addition, we’re pleased to advise that every Micato Safari Director, plus our 24/7 Micato Concierges and all other members of our safari team, have undergone CDC and WHO- approved certificate training courses on COVID-19 sanitation protocols, which include both academic and practical skills to ensure the highest level of care during your safari. And each destination carefully follows health and safety protocols approved by the World Travel & Tourism Council with the Safe Travel designation. In fact, Kenya leads the world in developing many of these standards that have since been adopted by other travel-minded nations.
The services of the famous Flying Doctors are also included in every East Africa safari as part of Micato’s comprehensive Passenger Protection Program. Micato is a member of the U.S. State Department’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), and we retain Controlled Risks, the world’s largest risk assessment organization, to advise us on safety and security measures.
We will update this page whenever we get new information from the CDC, WHO, local governments, and our Micato offices on the ground in Africa. We’ve also partnered with the leading adventure travel companies in the world to share best practices, which has given us valuable insights and enhanced our safety protocols. Suffice it to say, your safari will operate at the highest levels of sanitation, hygiene, comfort and, as always, excellence.
Prepare to be safe, but above all, prepare to be awed by the splendour of safari.
When You Land in Africa
The moment you arrive in Micato’s Africa, you will be in our hands.
We never dreamed we’d say this after 55 years of meeting guests at the airport: We won’t shake hands or hug. But Micato’s famous hospitality will not be pushed to the side! The welcoming smiles of our team may be hidden behind masks but their warmth and enthusiasm will not be contained!
Beyond the crisp khakis of different shades and easy-to-spot “Micato Team” safari hats, our team’s “new” uniforms now include masks and gloves—with ample supplies of both for guests— ensuring that your first contact with our team will be as contact-free as your last, with plenty of hand sanitizer in between.
Every precaution is also being taken to sanitize and safely handle all luggage upon arrival and at every camp and lodge with our own disinfectant fogger machines.
And your Micato Safari Director will be your primary point of contact and, if you wish, your one and only outside interaction.
Micato Safari Director
Your Chief Safety Officer and safari team leader
Every Micato safari is accompanied by one of our highly-credentialed Micato Safari Directors** who accompanies you exclusively in each country throughout your trip. This is very different from other companies who rely on a random assortment of shared drivers and guides, provided by camps and lodges.
Having a highly-trained leader for your safari, who in addition to monitoring COVID-19 compliance, gets to know your likes, dislikes, food preferences, dietary needs, what animals you’ve already seen, and what you especially want to see, makes a big difference.
** All of our South Africa safaris are overseen by a Micato Safari Director, but the degree to which the Safari Director accompanies travellers from location to location depends on your itinerary.
Game Drives
On every safari your team includes not only your Safari Director but an equally well-credentialed Driver Guide. Two dynamic experts, keeping you safe and delighting you every step of the way, versus the solitary guide most companies send along.
Safari Camps and Lodges
Since our first day on safari 55 years ago we’ve only used camps, lodges, and hotels that meet our high standards. And now, more than ever, we’re ensuring all the lodgings you visit during your safari not only meet and exceed government and industry standards, but demonstrate the very best practices in terms of social distancing and sanitization protocols.
Dining
Whether indulging in a private multi-course meal under the stars at camp or checking out a trendy neighborhood restaurant in the city, your Micato Safari Director will be on hand to ensure your dining experience is not just safe, but spectacular.
Your Comfort and Care
Cleanliness has long been an obsession for our team, especially given how many hours we spend out on the naturally dusty, sometimes muddy but always glorious savannahs. But these days, in addition to deep cleaning our vehicles, we have also developed the important habit of frequent hand sanitizer use, plus the spraying and wiping down of surfaces with sanitizer and sanitizing wipes—and we have plenty available for you, too! We also provide all guests with a personal Comfort & Care Kit of sanitizing supplies that we’ll be happy to replenish throughout the safari.
Always available on safari
All Micato field staff members have been vaccinated, are regularly tested before travel, and have their temperature taken daily.
In the field, our Safari Directors, Guides, Drivers, and Concierges are well trained and frequently wash their hands with soap and water, wear quality masks provided by Micato, carry personal hand sanitizer, and frequently sanitize their mobile devices and any other surfaces with which they come into contact.