I rarely obsess about what to pack for a trip. That is partly because I travel frequently enough that I don’t often fully unpack – I just refill the toiletries and leave them, along with my power adapter, rain coat, travel mirror and a few other things, in my favorite suitcase.
But the prospect of packing for a bucket list safari in Africa left me entirely verklempt. Here’s what I packed, what I wish I hadn’t, what I wish I had and a few tips for doing the whole thing better the next time.
What I Packed and Why
Normally, I am Team Carry-on. But I simply could not fit everything I thought I would need in one carry-on and small personal item. So the first thing you need is a larger suitcase like this one from Ricardo.
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Clothes for an African Safari
The note from our trip organizer offered this packing advice:
“Don’t wear red. It makes the lions mad. And don’t wear blue. It attracts the Tsetse flies.”
That posed a particular challenge for my brightly colored wardrobe. I needed some beige in my life. And I wanted quick-dry clothes that could be washed in the sink and hung up to dry overnight. Shirts with built-in sun protection offered bonus points.
Here are my favorite options:
Seamaid Women’s Quick Dry Pants
Pioneer Camp Women’s UV Sun Protection Shirt
MAGCOMSEN Women’s Short Sleeve Sun Protection Shirts
Other Things to Bring Along
A great sunhat is a must to give you some respite from the equatorial sun. And get one that ties below your chin. It might not be sexy, but it’s certainly practical when the winds blow across the savanna. If you get too hot wearing a hat, bring a sun visor.
Sturdy hiking shoes or boots aren’t critical unless you happen to be visiting when it rains, as I did. The mud, standing water and slippery stones made me happy to have my sturdy shoes. Others did just fine with their tennis shoes.
A puffy jacket that squishes down to pack easily is important for the early morning and late afternoon game drives when the air can be chilly.
I also picked up a safari vest. All of those pockets came in handy when I needed quick, easy access to my binoculars, sunscreen, bug spray or lip balm.
Do I Need Fancy Clothes?
Clearly, this is personal preference. Some of our fellow safari goers would return from the 4pm game drive and head back to their rooms to shower and dress for dinner. My group chose to wash our hands and head to the bar for a pre-dinner drink.
That meant the two skirts, tops and shoes I packed for evening wear were a waste of precious space in my suitcase.
Must-Have Safari Extras
Day pack. I used my personal carryon bag, but others opted for backpacks. Whatever works before for you to carry the things you’ll need during game drives.
Binoculars. The animals aren’t always courteous enough to hang out close to the road. Having a pair of binoculars meant we were able to see the elusive cheetahs and leopards in Kenya. I took these binoculars, which are compact and lightweight. If you want to be able to photograph what you see in the binoculars, try these, but note that they weigh more than two pounds.
Sunscreen. Bring the highest SPF you can and carry the bottle with you whenever you’re out and about so you can reapply regularly. I even did this on days we spent driving from one location to the next. The Toyota Land Cruisers we used on our Capture Kenya safari did not have air conditioning, so we drove with the windows open to let the air – and sun – stream in. This Neutrogena 70 SPF sunscreen comes in a TSA-friendly three ounces.
Bug spray. While it’s tempting to stick with natural products, this is the time for DEET. Bugs in Africa are serious business and carry serious disease. Don’t risk it. I bought this six-pack of TSA-friendly one-ounce Repel bug spray with DEET.
Hand wipes. We kept a pack in the Land Cruiser. It was nice after a particularly dusty drive to pull out the wipes and clean our hands and faces.
Face mask. See above, re: dusty drives. I kept my Covid mask close by so I could reach it easily any time a dust cloud blew up or we passed a particularly smelly truck belching black exhaust fumes.
Water bottle with a built-in Life Straw. My safari tour company gave each of us insulated refillable water bottles and our tour guides regularly filled them with bottled water they kept chilled in the coolers. If you won’t have that, buy one of these. You don’t want to risk getting sick on this bucket list trip!
Tide soap single packets. I used these TSA-friendly packets to wash out underwear, socks, pants and tops in the hotel room sinks. They easily dried overnight in the hot dry air.
Anti-Diarrheal. Fortunately, I didn’t need these, but others in our group did. Bring them with you – you won’t likely be close to a supermarket or drug store.
Malaria pills. These are a must. You’ll get them from your doctor and should start taking them before your trip, every day at breakfast through the safari and for several days after you get home.
Power adapter. Mine died on my last trip, so I bought this one. It worked fine. And I brought it with me every day to keep my phone charged up in the safari vehicle. Ask your safari tour company if the vehicles are equipped with power. If not, bring a portable power pack. It always surprises me how quickly my phone drains battery power when I’m taking so many photos and videos!
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Read More
- Tips for Making the Most of a Bucket List African Safari in Kenya
- Am I Too Old to Take an African Safari?
- The 5 ‘Fives’ of Africa – the Big, Ugly, Feathered, Special and Small Animals You’ll See in Kenya
- Capture Kenya: A Magical African Safari Filled with Wildlife Wonder that Also Uplifts Women and Girls
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