Departure readiness for 54 countries

Africa Travel Preparation Checklist

Prepare for travel across Africa with passport, visa, vaccination, insurance, money, packing, transport, communication and emergency-planning guidance.

Build your personalized departure checklist

Passport nationality

African destination

Purpose

Departure date

Trip duration

Travel style

Travel party

Main transport

The preparation sequence

Complete the checks in the right order

Start with immigration and health requirements, then confirm bookings, payments, communications and emergency arrangements.

1. Entry documents

Confirm passport validity, visa or authorization, transit requirements, accommodation evidence and purpose-specific documents.

2. Health and insurance

Review vaccination rules, malaria advice, medicines, medical cover, evacuation limits and emergency contacts.

3. Operational readiness

Confirm flights, baggage, transfers, payments, connectivity, weather and current travel notices.

Master checklist

Documents, health, bookings and emergency readiness

Passport and copies
Visa, eVisa, ETA or permit
Onward or return ticket
Accommodation address
Invitation or business evidence
Yellow Card where required
Prescription medicine and letter
Travel insurance certificate
First-night transfer
Domestic transport confirmations
Local currency plan
Backup payment card
Emergency cash
Local SIM or roaming plan
Offline maps
Power bank and adapter
Embassy contacts
Insurance assistance number
Trusted contact at home
Digital and printed document copies

Specialist preparation

Guidance for different parts of the journey

Departure checklist

A timed sequence from early planning to the final passport check.

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Travel documents

Passports, visas, permits, tickets, invitations and child documents.

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Health preparation

Vaccines, malaria consultation, medicines and medical records.

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Travel insurance

Medical, evacuation, cancellation and activity exclusions.

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Money and payments

Currency, cards, ATMs, declarations and emergency funds.

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Packing guide

Safari, beach, city, business and trekking packing.

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Phones and connectivity

SIM registration, roaming, offline maps and power.

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Airport preparation

Check-in, transit, baggage and boarding documents.

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Accommodation checks

First-night address, deposits, hosts and late arrival.

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Transport bookings

Transfers, domestic flights, ferries, road travel and permits.

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Emergency planning

Embassies, insurance, police reports and lost documents.

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Family preparation

Child documents, medication, seating and consent.

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Business travel preparation

Invitations, correct permission, equipment and data security.

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Solo travel preparation

Arrival plans, check-ins and personal contingency planning.

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Accessible travel preparation

Mobility assistance, equipment, medication and confirmed access.

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All 54 countries

Country preparation directory

Country	Entry check	Health check	Money	Preparation note
Algeria	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Angola	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Benin	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Botswana	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Burkina Faso	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Burundi	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Cabo Verde	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Cameroon	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Central African Republic	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Chad	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Comoros	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Democratic Republic of the Congo	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Republic of the Congo	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Côte d'Ivoire	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Djibouti	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Egypt	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Equatorial Guinea	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Eritrea	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Eswatini	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Ethiopia	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Gabon	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
The Gambia	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Ghana	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Guinea	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Guinea-Bissau	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Kenya	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Lesotho	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Liberia	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Libya	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Madagascar	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Malawi	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Mali	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Mauritania	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Mauritius	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Morocco	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Mozambique	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Namibia	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Niger	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Nigeria	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Rwanda	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
São Tomé and Príncipe	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Senegal	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Seychelles	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Sierra Leone	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Somalia	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
South Africa	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
South Sudan	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Sudan	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Tanzania	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Togo	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Tunisia	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Uganda	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Zambia	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts
Zimbabwe	Verify passport and visa route	Review Yellow Fever and itinerary health advice	Confirm local currency and payment backup	Save offline maps, transfer details and emergency contacts

Final 72 hours

Reconfirm the details that can change

72 hours before

Recheck entry requirements, current notices, weather, flights, baggage and transfers.

24 hours before

Complete check-in, charge devices, organize medicine, separate emergency cash and download documents.

Before leaving home

Confirm passport, authorization, health certificates, wallet, phone, insurance and accommodation address.

FAQ

Africa travel preparation questions

When should I start preparing for an African trip?

Begin as soon as the destination and travel dates are known. Passport renewal, visas, vaccines, permits and specialist insurance can require significant lead time.

Does this checklist replace official visa advice?

No. Use the destination immigration authority and the AfricaTourVisa Visa Requirements section for current passport-specific rules.

Should I buy flights before receiving a visa?

Avoid non-refundable commitments where approval is uncertain. Follow the official application instructions and choose flexible bookings where practical.

Do all African countries require Yellow Fever proof?

No. Requirements depend on destination, origin, transit history and age. Review the dedicated Vaccination guide and official health sources.

How much cash should I carry?

Carry only a sensible emergency amount and use secure payment methods appropriate to the destination. Currency controls and card acceptance vary.

What should be stored offline?

Keep passport and visa copies, bookings, insurance details, medical information, emergency contacts and maps accessible without internet.

Is travel insurance mandatory?

Requirements vary, but comprehensive medical, evacuation and cancellation cover is strongly worth comparing for most trips.

Can tourist entry be used for business work?

Tourist permission generally does not authorize employment, paid consulting, technical installation or residence. Verify the correct purpose-specific permission.

What should families prepare for children?

Check separate passports, consent documentation, birth certificates where relevant, medication, seating needs and child-specific entry rules.

What should I reconfirm 72 hours before departure?

Recheck entry rules, current notices, flight times, baggage, weather, transfers, documents and health requirements.

Editorial and agency disclosure

Prepared by the AfricaTourVisa Travel Research Team. Last reviewed 5 August 2026.

AfricaTourVisa is an independent travel and visa-support agency. It is not an embassy, immigration authority, health ministry, airline, insurer or emergency service. Verify final requirements through the relevant official authority and service provider before departure.