A Complete Safari Packing List: What to Pack for Your Safari

Safari Packing List: African Safari Essentials

Whatever kind of African safari you’re planning—a rustic tent campout or a tailor-made retreat in a five-star resort—the items listed below will be more than plenty.

1. Luggage: For light aircraft flights – your luggage should be a soft bag and ideally with no hard frame or wheels.
2. Passport: Valid for at least 6 months from when you depart Africa.
3. Visas: If required – be sure to check whether you need to apply for visas in advance or if you can apply at the border on arrival.
4. Proof of your travel insurance: Policy number and 24-hour emergency contact.
5. Proof of vaccinations as required and/or anti-malaria medication (if taking).
6. Cash: US Dollars for most African countries or South African Rand for South Africa and Namibia.
7. T-shirts or long-sleeve T-shirts for the safari portion of your trip.
8. Shorts (plus longer loose trousers/leggings type if preferred) for safari.
9. A fleece or warm jumper for when it is a little colder in the early morning and evening.
10. Evenings in a safari camp are usually pretty casual, even at the luxury properties. No overly smart clothing is needed, as it’s very much an extension of the day. Some might want to dress up a bit (collared shirt or blouse), but this is entirely optional.
11. Underwear – enough sets to last the whole safari, unless you know for sure that in-room facilities for washing your underwear will be supplied.
12. Trainers or comfortable walking shoes.
13. Flip-flops for being around camp in the daytime. Sandals (or the same flip-flops) for the evening.
14. A broad-brimmed hat or cap.
15. Sunscreen – it gets hot and the African sun is strong, even in winter.
16. Lip balm or a mini-pot of Vaseline.
17. Hand sanitiser.
18. Sunglasses and normal glasses if you wear contact lenses – the dust can irritate your eyes.
19. Mosquito repellent.
20. A camera – photos are a major part of a day on safari, so spend the most you are prepared to pay on a decent camera (the longer the lens, the better!).
21. Binoculars – some of the lodges will have a spare pair, but we always suggest taking a pair with you. Even if you don’t think you will use them, spend the most you are prepared to pay as they will make a big difference to your game-viewing experience. Most people on safari will stick to a magnification of 7 or 8, which gives you a wide field of view and reacts less to any shaking. Higher magnifications are possible, and keen birdwatchers might choose a magnification of 10 or 12.
22. A good book.
23. Gardening gloves if you are going gorilla trekking, for protection against thorns etc.
24. A face covering for gorilla treks in Rwanda and Uganda.

Almost all safari camps and lodges provide towels, basic toiletries (shampoo, shower gel, and body lotion), and insect repellent, although of course you can bring your own. Avoid strongly perfumed toiletries, as these will attract more insects!

What to Pack for Your Safari – The Insider’s Guide

1. What clothes should I take on a safari?

Wearing earth tones or khaki, or other neutral colours, is always a good idea when going on safari. When going on a walking safari, this is crucial. To keep cool under the African sun, use cotton or linen. Stay away from bright colours; they stand out more than neutrals and can even attract insects. Wearing white makes filth and grime stand out more. You need to blend in with your environment, but don’t go overboard with the camouflage.

It is crucial to stay away from blue and dark colours in tsetse fly areas since they attract the insects. Rather than buying an entirely new set of clothes, all you need are a few neutral-colored T-shirts or shorts that you can mix and match with your current casual attire. Wear loose, comfortable clothing because you will be moving about a lot in the vehicle and/or under the blazing sun throughout your safari. You will be better protected from the sun, nighttime insects, and thorns if you wear long sleeves and trousers. Sun protection, in the form of a hat, is vital.

A wonderful alternative would be lightweight safari pants that zip down the leg to form shorts. Wearing a hat, gloves, and a fleece will keep you warm in the mornings and evenings, when temperatures can dip. Don’t forget your tube scarf. Keep in mind that locations at high altitudes, such as the Ngorongoro Crater, can experience cold temperatures during the night on the rim. Gorilla trekking also requires sturdy footwear and weatherproof clothing.

To make sure you’re well-prepared for the weather, consult your safari expert; it could change based on your destination and the time of year. Depending on the kind of activity you’re engaging in, such as walking or trekking, you could additionally require specialised gear.

2. How smartly should I dress?

In the end, it’s up to your safari lodge or hotel to decide. Evening attire is often informal in most camps; after all, these are safari lodges. Gather around the campfire for some beverages and some friendly banter! Putting on a jacket and tie is totally unnecessary. However, à la carte meals are prevalent at some of Africa’s greatest luxury lodges like Singita and &Beyond, therefore smart casual attire is advised. In any case, during those chilly mornings and evenings, long pants and a lightweight jacket or pullover are essential.

3. What footwear should I take?

If you aren’t planning on engaging in strenuous hiking or walking safaris while in Africa, a sturdy pair of trainers will suffice. Hiking or walking boots aren’t required.

With the exception of gorilla trekking, all terrains, including muddy, uneven, and occasionally steep, require robust, protective footwear. Waterproof hiking boots with supportive ankles and excellent traction are our top pick. Protect yourself from mud, wetness, and bugs with gaiters, which are optional but highly recommended.

You might want to bring a pair of sandals to wear about the resort during your downtime, in between game drives and safari activities.

4. Can I wash my clothes on safari?

You can do your laundry at most of the safari lodges and camps in Africa. This is something that some camps provide for free, while others charge extra for it (payable locally). In addition, not all camps offer it. In the ‘Includes’ part of your day-by-day itinerary, you will see whether the camps you will be staying at have complimentary laundry. Please keep in mind that laundry takes approximately 24 hours to complete before you vacate a unit. Cultural considerations dictate that undergarments are typically omitted. You will find washing powder in your bathroom for these items of personal care.

5. Is there a luggage limit?

This is a crucial one, and our clients must adhere strictly to the instructions. Before anything else, make sure you know how much baggage you can bring on any flights that involve light aircraft. In Southern Africa, it’s often 20 kilos, but most East African flights have a 15 kg limit for checked bags.

Light aircraft flights only allow soft luggage, such as duffel bags. A bag that is easy to shape by hand is a good rule of thumb in this case. Even while most airlines will let you have a stiff frame and little wheels on one side of your luggage, you still need to make sure that the entire bag, frame and wheels included, fits within the dimensions provided below. We do not accept hard-shell suitcases or bags with completely rigid frames. Check the baggage allowance part of your confirmed schedule to see if your airline has any restrictions regarding bags with a hard frame on one side. In some cases, these restrictions are absolute.

You can find a comprehensive list of countries’ baggage restrictions in this useful reference.

For game drives, seeing nearby villages, and visiting cultural sites, a lightweight daypack is a great idea.

6. What should I not pack for safari?

As part of their fight against plastic pollution, the African countries of Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Namibia have all enacted strict bans on single-use plastic. Plastic shopping bags are among the items that are no longer acceptable for import, export, or usage. In many places, even using a plastic bag can get you a huge fine or maybe jail time! Please refrain from bringing any plastic bags to these locations; it is strongly advised.