GUIDEBOOK : Camping Safaris in East Africa

Getting there: Round-trip air fare from New York City to Nairobi, Kenya, on Pan Am and British Airways costs about $2,953. (There is no direct service from Los Angeles.) Cheaper fares are available through tour operators as part of safari packages, and from European hubs such as London and Frankfurt.

Tours: Camping safaris booked through American tour operators are generally worry-free, providing all ground transportation, drivers, guides, game park and camping fees and camping equipment. Prices vary according to the services provided, but most camping safaris range from $75 to $180 a day, excluding air fare.

Many tour operators provide more luxurious safaris, but major organizers of the moderately priced, no-frills camping safaris include: Wilderness Travel, 801 Allston Way, Berkeley, Calif., 94710, (800) 247-6700; Adventure Center, 1311 63rd St., Suite 200, Emeryville, Calif., 94608, (800) 227-8747, and Forum Travel International, 91 Gregory Lane, Suite 21, Pleasant Hill, Calif. 94523, (415) 671-2900.

When to go: Year-round except for the rainy season, April to mid-June. December through March are the warm months, with daytime temperatures averaging in the 80s. June through August are coolest, in the 60s. Chilly evenings, with temperatures in the 50s, may occur throughout the year.

Precautions: The current U.S. State Department travel advisory for Kenya cautions against camping and traveling alone in the game parks, but notes that “security in the game parks has improved markedly” since 1989 due to vigorous new security measures by the government of Kenya, accompanied by a decline in poaching and a decrease in the price of ivory.

The advisory recommends travel with reputable firms and experienced guides. It also cautions against street crime in Nairobi, but adds that the crime is of the nonviolent, snatch-and-run variety. For State Department travel advisory updates, call (202) 647-5225.

Health: Visitors to Kenya from other nations in Africa are required to have proof of yellow fever vaccinations.

No vaccinations are required for visitors coming directly from the United States, but the U.S. Health Service recommends vaccinations for yellow fever, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A, and the use of anti-malarial pills. Further information is available from the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta--(404) 639-1610.

Photography: Bring plenty of film, especially high-speed film for early morning and late afternoon game drives.

If you don’t bring a 35-millimeter camera with at least one zoom lens in the range of 80 to 200 millimeters, you’ll be disappointed.

Visas: Valid passports and visas are required for U.S. citizens. Application forms and information are available at the Kenya Tourist Office, 9100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 111, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90212, (213) 274-6635.