Safari Packing List: What to Wear and What to Bring

Luggage: soft bags and weight limits

If your safari includes any small-plane flights, bring a soft duffel bag without wheels or a rigid frame. Light aircraft have small, oddly shaped holds, and pilots must manage total weight. Limits are commonly around 15–20 kg per person including hand luggage, but they vary, so confirm with your operator. Many operators can store extra city luggage for you until you return.

Clothing

Choose neutral, earthy colors — khaki, olive, tan, brown and gray. They show dust less and draw less attention from animals on walking safaris. Avoid bright white (it gets dirty instantly) and camouflage patterns, which can be illegal for civilians or cause problems in some African countries. In some areas, tsetse flies are attracted to dark blue and black, so limit those colors.

• 3–4 lightweight shirts, including at least two long-sleeved (sun and insect protection)
• 2–3 pairs of trousers or zip-off pants; shorts for camp
• A warm fleece or insulated jacket — open vehicles at dawn are cold, especially in Southern Africa from June to August
• A windproof, packable rain jacket
• A wide-brimmed hat that ties on, plus a buff or scarf for dust
• Comfortable closed walking shoes; sandals for camp; sturdy boots if walking or gorilla trekking
• Swimwear, sleepwear and enough underwear and socks for laundry cycles
• One smart-casual outfit if you will end your trip in a city or on the coast

Gear for wildlife viewing

• Binoculars: the single most important piece of kit. 8x42 or 10x42 models are a good balance of magnification, brightness and steadiness. One pair per person avoids passing them around at key moments.
• Camera: a zoom lens in the 100–400 mm range covers most wildlife. Phones work well for scenery and close sightings.
• Spare batteries and memory cards: charging may only be available at certain hours at off-grid camps.
• A bean bag or small cushion to steady a long lens on the vehicle frame.
• A dust-proof bag or dry bag for electronics.
• A headlamp or small flashlight for walking around camp at night (with an escort).

Health and comfort

• High-SPF sunscreen and SPF lip balm
• Insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or another ingredient recommended by health authorities
• Any prescription medicines in original packaging, plus copies of prescriptions
• Malaria prophylaxis if prescribed (see our Africa travel health guide)
• A small first-aid kit: plasters, blister care, rehydration salts, pain relief, antihistamines
• Hand sanitizer and wet wipes
• Spare glasses or contact lenses and eye drops (dust is hard on contacts)
• A refillable water bottle; many camps provide filtered water

Power and electronics

Bring a universal adapter and check the plug types for each country. South Africa mainly uses Type M and Type N sockets; Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda use mostly Type G (the British three-pin); Rwanda mostly uses Types C and J. Off-grid camps often run on solar power, so hair dryers and other high-wattage devices may not work. A power bank keeps your phone and camera going on long days.

Documents and money

• Passport valid for at least six months beyond your trip, with blank pages (South Africa, for example, requires unused pages)
• Visas or e-visas as required — check official government sources for each country
• Yellow fever certificate if your route requires one
• Travel insurance details, including medical evacuation cover
• Printed copies of bookings and emergency contacts
• Some small-denomination cash for tips, which are customary on safari; ask your operator about local norms

What not to pack

• Single-use plastic bags. Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda ban them, and bags may be confiscated at the airport. Use packing cubes or cloth bags instead.
• Camouflage clothing (see above).
• Drones, unless you have researched and obtained the required permissions; they are banned or restricted in many parks and countries.
• Too many clothes. Laundry is easy; extra weight on a bush plane is not.

Extras for specific trips

Gorilla trekking: gardening gloves, gaiters or long socks to tuck trousers into, and waterproof boots. See the gorilla trekking guide. Walking safaris: broken-in boots in muted colors. Winter in Southern Africa: a warm hat and gloves for morning drives.