Having been on a few African safaris, I’ve learned some lessons on how to pack for one:
- Although the various bush plane companies have different weight limits they impose, play it safe and go with the lowest weight allowance for all of your combined baggage. In most cases, the lowest weight allowance is 15kg or 33lbs per person including hand luggage.
- If your bag fits these dimensions, 24 inches (60cm) x 12 inches (30cm) x 10 inches (25cm), it will fit on 99% of the flights.
- Your luggage must be in soft bags (i.e. duffel bag). If you think you can beat the system with a soft sided duffle that has a pull-out handle and wheels, think again! It might fit going one way but likely will not fit on the return flight leaving Africa. (I’m speaking from experience!)
- Pack your bag – dump everything out – and cut it in half. You can do laundry for very little money at most camps and it’s sometimes complimentary at higher end lodges.
- Relish the freedom of not having to do your hair during your safari trip. Many of the remote camps can’t sustain the power drawn from flat irons, blow dryers, etc. This is where a safari or baseball cap comes in very handy!
- Pack a neck gaiter – helpful for bumpy, dusty Land Cruiser rides!
- Skinny down cosmetics and personal care items to a minimum. Many safari drives leave super early in the morning – who wants to get up even earlier to apply make-up? Sunscreen, bug spray, and hand sanitizer are more important!
- Bring tissues (if mother nature calls, sometime the “bush” bathroom is the only bathroom available) along with some plastic baggies for your tissues. Also – tipping is a huge part of the safari culture, and your safari guide typically gets paid on the last day. It’s nice to bring a few envelopes with you to put your tip in vs handing over a wad of cash. That way you can leave a nice little thank you note on the back of the envelope and maybe your address in the states also in case your guide ever decides to visit the US!
- Sporty clothing, layers (fleece for cool mornings/evenings), bathing suit, closed toe sneakers.
- Although your camera (or phone) will capture the memories, having good binoculars is key. Binoculars are marked with two numbers, for example 10×50. This means that the magnification is 10x greater than what your eye can see without the binoculars and 50mm is the diameter of the objective lens (the lens closest to the safari animal or bird you are trying to see). If you’ve packed smartly – go for the 10 x 50 – they may take up a bit more room in your pack, but you will not be disappointed with all you can see!
