What to Pack for Your Africa Safari

We always recommend wearing neutral colors like earth tones or khaki while on safari. This is especially important if you are doing a walking safari! Choose cotton or linen materials to help you stay cool under the African sun, and try to avoid any bright colors, which are more visible and distracting to others than neutrals (and may also attract insects). White clothing is also more visible and will show dirt easily. The key is to try to blend in with the natural surroundings (while not wearing full camouflage!).

In areas where there are tsetse flies, it’s vital to avoid blue and dark colors, as this attracts them. You don’t need to buy a whole new wardrobe – just purchase a couple of neutral-coloured T-shirts or pairs of shorts, and mix and match these with your normal casual clothes. A lot of time on safari is spent bumping around in a vehicle and/or in the hot sun, so dress in loose, comfortable clothes. Long sleeves and pants will protect you more from the sun, insects at night, and thorns (if you are walking). A hat to protect you from the sun is hugely important.

Lightweight safari pants that unzip to become shorts are a great option. For early mornings and evenings, when temperatures may drop, we would suggest that you take a fleece with you and even gloves, a hat, or a ‘snood’ (tube scarf). Check the altitude of where you are staying – places like the Ngorongoro Crater can get chilly at night up on the rim. If you are gorilla trekking, you will also need to take raingear and good walking boots with you.

Weather conditions may vary depending on your destination and time of travel, so do ask your safari specialist for advice to ensure you’re fully prepared. You may also need some specialist items if you’re doing a particular activity like walking or trekking.

Ultimately, this depends on your hotel or safari lodge. In the evenings, the dress remains casual in the vast majority of camps – these are safari lodges, after all. You will be enjoying drinks and chatting around the campfire! There is certainly no need for a jacket and tie. However, at some of Africa’s top luxury lodges, such as Singita and &Beyond, à la carte dinners are common and dressing smart casual here is recommended. Either way, you will always want to have long pants and a light jacket or sweater for chilly mornings or evenings.

Unless you are doing some major hiking or walking safaris when you are in Africa, you will only need a good pair of sneakers – hiking or proper walking boots are unnecessary.

Gorilla trekking is the exception to this – you will need sturdy, protective footwear due to the rough, muddy, and sometimes steep terrain. We recommend waterproof hiking boots, which offer ankle support and good traction. Gaiters (optional but useful) will help protect against mud, water, and insects.

In between game drives and safari activities, you’ll be enjoying downtime, so it can be a good idea to bring a pair of sandals for relaxing around the lodge.

The majority of camps/lodges in Safari Africa provide laundry services. Some camps provide this for free and other camps offer it at an additional cost (payable locally). Moreover, some camps do not provide it at all. If complimentary laundry is included at the camps you will be staying at, it will be stated in your day-by-day itinerary in the ‘Includes’ section. Laundry takes about 24 hours, so bear this in mind if you need to get some done before you leave a property. For cultural reasons, it does not usually include underwear. Washing powder is provided in your bathroom for these personal items.

This is an important one, and it’s up to our clients to follow the guidance to the letter on this. First, you will need to check whether you are taking any light aircraft flights – and if you are, check what the luggage allowance is. It is usually 44 lbs in Southern Africa, with the majority of East Africa’s planes having a limit of 33 lbs including carry-on.

Only soft bags will be accepted on light aircraft flights (e.g. duffel bags). The rule of thumb for this is a bag soft enough for you to easily manipulate its shape. Most airlines will allow one side of the bag to have a rigid frame and small wheels, but the total dimension of the bag (including frame and wheels) must fit within the dimension given below. Hard-shell suitcases and luggage with full rigid frames will not be accepted. Some airlines do not allow bags with a rigid frame on one side at all (in which case it will be specified with the luggage allowance section on your confirmed itinerary).

For a full list by country, check out this helpful guide on luggage limitations.

It’s also a good idea to pack a lightweight daypack for when you’re on game drives, or exploring local villages and cultural sites.

Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Namibia have all implemented a strong ban on single-use plastic, in an effort to tackle plastic pollution. This includes plastic carrier bags, which can no longer be imported, exported, or used. In many destinations, offenders will be punished with a hefty fine or even prison time for simply using a plastic bag! We highly recommend that you do not pack any plastic bags when traveling to these destinations.

Whether it’s a back-to-basics camping trip or a bespoke stay at a luxury lodge, the essentials below will have you covered for your African safari.

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 pants/leggings type if preferred) for safari.
9. A fleece or warm sweater 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. Sneakers 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 sanitizer.
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!