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African Safari Packing List
Soft bags, layers for cold dawns, and the paperwork and bug cover to sort early, sized for a 7 to 10 day trip.
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Soft bags, light loads. Small charter planes between camps enforce strict weight limits and often turn away hard cases. Chasing Hippoz gives 15 kg (33 lb) per person, carry-on included, as the standard. Lodges usually do laundry, so you can pack for fewer days than you are away, but underwear is generally not washed. This list assumes a driver-guided trip of 7 to 10 days in East or Southern Africa. It leaves out camera kit and any single operator's rules, so ask yours what it supplies.
Why these items are on the list
- Soft-sided duffel bag. Bush charter flights enforce weight and size limits. Hard-sided cases are refused on most.
- Weight within charter limit. Chasing Hippoz gives 15 kg (33 lb) per person, carry-on included, as the standard.
- Packable daypack. Dust flies on game drives. Carry sunscreen, sunglasses and snacks, and leave the nice handbag home.
- Passport valid 6+ months. Many African countries want six months beyond your return date, plus empty pages for visas.
- Visa or e-visa paperwork. Kenya requires an online eTA. Kelly Chen says apply up to three months ahead, and no later than 72 hours.
- Yellow fever vaccination card. Required for several African countries, so check your route and keep the card with your passport.
- Medications in carry-on. Keep them with you in case your checked bag is lost or delayed.
- Neutral safari pants. This Travel Tribe's host wore pants on every safari, warm or cold, for sun and bug protection.
- Neutral T-shirts. Earth tones. Chasing Hippoz avoids white and, in East and Central Africa, dark blue or black, which draw tsetse flies.
- Nothing camouflage. Camouflage clothing is illegal in several African countries. Even a camo cap can get you questioned.
- Lightweight long-sleeve shirt. Covers skin against mosquitoes, dust and sun without adding much bulk.
- Fleece or light sweater. Early drives can be cold, especially in the dry season.
- Packable insulated jacket. Compresses small for tight luggage limits, and winter dawns in Southern Africa are properly cold.
- Packable rain jacket. A late afternoon storm can roll in without warning.
- Beanie and thin gloves. For Southern Africa winter, when predawn drives are cold, not just cool.
- Wide-brim hat with strap. Game drive vehicles are open to the wind. Pick a snug fit or a stampede string.
- Sunglasses with UV protection. Choose UV-protective lenses. They live in the daypack with the sunscreen.
- Sneakers or light trail shoes. Kelly Chen wore sneakers and sat in a vehicle most of the time, happily. Ask your operator about walking safaris.
- Flip-flops or slides. For the room, the pool and around camp. Washable ones double as shower shoes.
- Long socks for drives. Chasing Hippoz packs 5 to 6 pairs, long enough to cover lower legs against mosquito bites.
- Underwear, enough spare pairs. Chasing Hippoz suggests at least 8 pairs, since lodges generally won't launder underwear.
- Pajamas, one set. One set was enough for This Travel Tribe, since laundry was done multiple times on the trip.
- DEET insect repellent. Dawn and dusk drives are peak mosquito hours. Chasing Hippoz says DEET is the active ingredient that works.
- Permethrin clothing spray. Spray clothes about a week before travel. It bonds to fabric and survives multiple washes.
- Sunscreen and lip balm. Goes in the daypack for drives, with sunglasses and a few snacks.
- Pair of binoculars. Ask your operator first, since some supply a shared pair. Bring your own to skip the wait.
- Type G plug adapter. Kenya needs Type G. Check each country. Kelly Chen and Brett shared one multi-device adapter.
- Portable charger. Solar-powered camps can have unreliable charging, and cameras drain batteries on long drives.
- Large trash bag for duffel. In very dusty Namibia, Chasing Hippoz regularly found bags caked in red dust. A bag costs no space.
Tick as you pack, then weigh the bag. Opinions vary; the airline scale doesn't.
When to use it
Use it when you book the safari, then again the week you weigh your bags.