Travel tips · 4 min read
What to Pack for an African Safari (and What to Leave)
Safari packing is mostly about weight, layers and neutral colour. Get those three right and the rest is detail.
Luggage limits are real
Light aircraft between camps typically allow around 15 to 20 kg per person in a soft-sided bag with no rigid frame or wheels. Hard suitcases are refused, not merely frowned upon. If your trip includes a bush flight, we confirm the exact limit with each operator and tell you before you pack.
Clothing
Neutral tones — khaki, olive, stone, brown. Avoid bright white, black and dark blue (the latter attracts tsetse fly in some regions). Most camps do a same-day laundry service, so three or four outfits are plenty for a week.
- A warm fleece or jacket and a beanie for winter morning drives
- Long sleeves and trousers for evenings, against mosquitoes
- A wide-brimmed hat, high-factor sunscreen and good sunglasses
- Closed walking shoes; smart-casual is as dressy as any lodge gets
Kit worth bringing
Binoculars transform a safari and most travellers underestimate this — 8x42 is the sweet spot. Bring more camera storage than you think, a universal adaptor (South Africa uses a three-round-pin plug), and a power bank for camps that run on generator hours.
Leave behind
Camouflage clothing is restricted or illegal for civilians in several Southern African countries. Drones are prohibited in most national parks and private reserves without a permit. And single-use plastic bags are banned or discouraged in parts of the region.