Chapka provides travel insurance designed for international travelers. Their policies help protect you against unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations, lost baggage, and other travel disruptions, giving you extra peace of mind during your safari.

We recommend Chapka because it offers comprehensive coverage tailored to adventurous travel, including safaris, and provides 24/7 emergency assistance.

The Cap Explorer policy is well suited to safari travel, covering key areas such as medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage protection.

Travel insurance is not legally required for most African destinations, but it’s strongly recommended and, in some cases, required by your lodge or tour operator. Medical facilities in remote safari areas can be limited, and emergency evacuation costs can run into tens of thousands of euros or dollars. Without adequate insurance, these costs fall entirely on you.

We consider comprehensive travel insurance an essential part of any safari.

The Cap Explorer policy covers trips of up to 60 consecutive days. Cancellation coverage begins from the date you subscribe and ends at the moment of departure. All other coverage, medical, assistance, baggage, and liability, runs from your departure date until your return date as specified in your travel booking.

If you drive to the airport, assistance coverage also applies from up to 48 hours before the start of your trip.

Ideally, you should purchase your insurance on the same day you book your trip, or at the very latest before your tour operator’s first cancellation penalties apply. Crucially, the cancellation coverage only protects you from the date you subscribe, not from the date you booked. The sooner you take out the policy, the sooner you’re protected.

Note that for cancellation coverage to be valid, the policy must be taken out within 48 hours of making your first deposit payment. Chapka’s claims team will verify this based on the payment date shown on your invoice. Cover is also not available if your departure is less than 10 days away at the time of subscription.

If you booked your international flights separately before confirming your safari with us, those flights must be included in your Chapka policy within 48 hours of booking to be covered for cancellation. There is no exception to this rule. One practical solution is to take out two separate policies: one shortly after booking your flights and another shortly after confirming your safari. Each policy must be taken out within 48 hours of the relevant payment.

If you later add hotels, an extension or other trip components, you can contact Chapka directly by email or phone to adjust the insured amount accordingly.

If you’re unsure about your situation, contact our team, and we’ll help you figure out the best option.

The Chapka Cap Explorer policy is available to residents of the European Union, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Andorra, and Monaco. Residents of French Polynesia are not covered. As long as your permanent residence is in one of these countries, you can subscribe regardless of your nationality. If you’re unsure whether you’re eligible, feel free to contact Chapka or reach out to our team for guidance.

Chapka covers medical and surgical expenses resulting from a serious illness or injury that occurs during your trip. This includes:

• Doctor and specialist consultation fees;
• Prescribed medication costs;
• Nursing and hospital care;
• Emergency dental treatment up to 300 EUR (approximately 345 USD);
• Any other medically necessary treatment related to your condition.

If you become ill or are injured during your safari, Chapka can help cover the cost of medical treatment, hospital care, prescribed medication, and other necessary medical expenses. For trips to Africa, medical expenses are covered up to 200,000 EUR (approximately 230,000 USD per person). A 30 EUR (approximately 35 USD) excess applies per claim.

Yes. In-patient hospital treatment resulting from a serious illness or injury is covered within the medical expenses limits above.

If you’re hospitalized, you must notify the Chapka assistance team within 24 hours of admission. They can also arrange for a family member or close friend to travel to be with you if your hospitalization lasts more than three consecutive days.

Pre-existing conditions are generally excluded. However, if a pre-existing condition produces an unexpected and unforeseen acute complication or worsening during your trip, that episode can be covered under the medical expenses and assistance benefits.

For cancellation coverage, any illness or injury that was already the subject of a diagnosis, treatment, or hospitalization between your booking date and the date you subscribed to the policy is excluded. If you have concerns about a specific condition, check directly with Chapka before subscribing.

Coverage depends on the specific activity. Standard safari activities are generally covered under the Chapka Cap Explorer policy.

We recommend confirming coverage for specialized activities, such as walking safaris, domestic bush flights, and hot air balloon safaris, directly with Chapka before your departure, as these are not explicitly listed in the standard policy documentation.

Most standard adventure and leisure activities are covered under the sports and leisure third-party liability (up to 150,000 EUR, approximately 173,000 USD) per event.

Hunting, professional sports, and competition training are excluded. If you plan to take part in specialized high-risk activities outside a standard safari itinerary, we recommend checking the policy conditions before traveling.

Yes. The policy covers loss, theft, and damage to your personal belongings up to 2,000 EUR (approximately 2,300 USD) per person per trip. This includes valuable items often carried on safari, such as cameras, binoculars, laptops, photographic equipment, and mobile phones. A 30 EUR (approximately 35 USD) excess applies per claim.

Please note that theft from a vehicle is only covered if the vehicle was locked and secured, and the theft occurred between 7 am and 9 pm local time.

If your baggage is lost by the carrier or stolen, here’s what to do:

• Report the loss or theft to the relevant authority immediately: the carrier if your bags are lost, or local police within 24 hours if stolen. Only items listed in the police report will be considered for a theft claim;
• If your bags are delayed on arrival by more than 24 hours, Chapka will reimburse the cost of essential purchases (clothes, toiletries) up to 152 EUR (approximately 175 USD) per person;
• File your claim online at chapkadirect.com/sinistre within five business days of your return, with all original receipts and documentation.

Yes, cameras, photographic and recording equipment, laptops, mobile phones, and similar devices are classified as ‘valuables’ and are included in the 2,000 EUR (approximately 2,300 USD) baggage limit, with valuables covered up to 50% of that limit (1,000 EUR, approximately 1,150 USD).

Jewelry, watches, and precious stones are classified as ‘precious objects’ and are only covered against theft if you’re wearing them or they’re locked in your room safe or the hotel safe with a receipt.

Passports, credit cards, cash, and travel tickets are not covered under the baggage benefit.

For medical emergencies and assistance, always call +33 1 70 79 07 69 first. For all other claims, such as cancellation, baggage, flight delay, and liability, file online at chapkadirect.com/sinistre.

You’ll need to:

• Log in with your policy details;
• Describe the event and the claim;
• Upload all supporting documents and original receipts.

You can also reach the claims department by phone at +44 20 3808 7722.

The documents required depend on the type of claim, but generally you’ll need:

• Your policy number and insurance certificate;
• Original receipts for all costs claimed;
• For medical claims: prescriptions, medical certificates specifying the diagnosis, date, and nature of the illness or injury, and hospital admission certificates where applicable;
• For cancellation claims: a medical certificate from your doctor (for illness), plus proof of the cancellation fees charged by your travel agency;
• For baggage theft: a police report filed within 24 hours of the theft;
• For flight delays or cancellations: written confirmation from the carrier stating the reason and duration.

You must submit your claim within five business days of your trip’s end date, or your right to compensation may be lost. For cancellation claims, you must inform your travel agency as soon as the event preventing your departure occurs and then notify Chapka within five business days of that notification.

For baggage theft, the police report must be filed within 24 hours of the theft. The sooner you report, the smoother the process.

AXA Partners undertakes to acknowledge receipt of your claim within ten working days and to provide a full response within a maximum of two months. Complex claims may take longer.

Providing a complete set of documents from the start significantly speeds up the process. Incomplete files are the most common cause of delays.

For medical emergencies and urgent assistance during your trip, always contact Chapka directly at +33 1 70 79 07 69. They have the medical expertise and logistics to help immediately. For questions about your policy, coverage details, or how to file a claim, Chapka is also your first point of contact.

If you have questions about whether Chapka is the right policy for your specific trip or situation, feel free to reach out to us at Africa Safari Trips. We’re happy to point you in the right direction.