What to wear and pack for an African Safari

Deciding what to wear and pack for an African Safari can be the most stressful part of your trip! I created this post to help alleviate some of that by providing tips and a comprehensive packing list. It provides everything you need to be prepared for your African Safari. Enjoy!

What to wear:

Neutral colors and avoid black (tsetse flies are attracted to dark colors). I wore pants most of the days and we went in the end of Feb/early March when it wasn’t that hot. I recommend bringing a fleece because the mornings are chilly but the afternoons do warm up. Wearing a tank top or short sleeve shirt with something long sleeves over it is ideal. This way you can take off a layer as the day gets hotter. It was also nice to have something to cover up when we were in areas that were buggy. It also rained quite a bit (rainy season came a little early!) but the guides are usually able to provide ponchos and umbrellas.

I did most of my shopping at REI, but also found some cute things at Urban Outfitters and a couple of other stores that I will link throughout this post. I would also get a pair of boots to wear that you don’t mind getting dirty along with sandals for when it gets warmer. And lastly, most of the camps do wash so keep this in mind while packing!

What to pack:

When it comes to what to wear and pack for an African Safari it is important to keep in mind that you will most likely be flying on a small aircraft that has strict weight guidelines. SafariLink is the airline we used which had a weight limit of 15kgs (roughly 33 lbs.) And this includes hand luggage/carry-on items so be careful! My best recommendation is to use a large duffle bag. Check out the one I used here. Only soft bags will be accepted on most light aircrafts. The luggage compartments are quite small so you will want something that is flexible enough to fit in here. Suitcases with frames or rigid structures will likely not fit and a bag with wheels adds about 10 lbs to the weight! You can check out more detailed guidelines here. I also wore my heaviest items on the flights so that my bags were lighter. And FYI, they do not weigh your bags when leaving the camps (just incase you’re worried about buying souvenirs). It was only when we were at the Wilson airport in Nairobi that they weighed our bags. You also don’t have to worry about the strict weight requirements on the international flights. It is usually 50 lbs. on those.

The ultimate what to wear and pack for an African Safari packing list:

• A few short sleeve shirts and tank tops
• A few long sleeve shirts (preferably button downs)
• 1 or 2 pairs of shorts
• Long pants / jumpsuit
• Underwear
• PJs
• Belts
• Closed toe shoes (these boots or these)
• Sandals
• Flip flops
• Socks
• Swimsuits
• Cover up
• Fleece jacket along with a light rain jacket
• Vest
• Dress/resort wear for beach part of our trip. Vici always has the best!
• A few nice outfits to wear to dinner at the camps
• Hat (tight or with string – might blow away in the windy open trucks!)
• Sunglasses
• Scarf/headwrap
• Sunscreen (the sun is STRONG!)
• Bug spray (or this lotion)
• Band aids
• Anti itch cream
• Benadryl
• Malaria medicine! Get this from your doctor or passport health/Penn Travel medicine before hand (also see if you need any vaccines – we only needed yellow fever if we were going to South Africa from Kenya, but the South Africa part of our trip was cancelled)
• Tums
• Advil/Tylenol
• Prescription medicines
• Wet wipes
• Lotion
• Hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes
• Toothbrush/paste/floss/mouthwash
• Lip balm
• Makeup
• Face wash
• Razor
• Loofas
• Body wash
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Detangler
• Brush
• Contact lenses/glasses
• Masks
• Face moisturizer and other face products
• Ear plugs
• Deodorant
• Q-tips/cotton balls
• Dry shampoo
• NOTE: I try to get all travel size products from Target

• Camera and camera bag
• I used the Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera and I look camera lessons at Cardinal Camera in the King of Prussia Mall.
• Additional camera lenses/battery/memory cards
• I purchased Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 Lens. But I would want something more high tech for next time! I also bought additional memory cards and batteries from Cardinal Camera.
• Chargers
• Adapters (type G for Kenya)
• Power bank
• Head lamp (most guides have these though)

What to bring when traveling:

• Passport and copy of passports
• Negative Covid PCR test documentation (check CDC for guidelines, ours had to be taken 96 hours before departure time going there and 72 hours before coming back)
• Itinerary/accommodations
• Flight documentation
• E-Visa (get online up to 90 days prior to departure but no later than 2 weeks prior – can no longer purchase upon arrival) https://accounts.ecitizen.go.ke/register – go to EVisa Visitors and create account/fill out application. You will need a photo of yourself with a white background (similar to a passport photo).
• Health surveillance form QR code – when leaving for Kenya (during COVID)Health surveillance form when leaving to come home – they will provide this at airport/on plane (during COVID)
• Vaccine book if needed
• Money (they will accept US dollars at most places and for tips, card is accepted at most but would recommend cash for tipping at the camps – tip at the end. ATMs are also hard to find in remote safari areas but are accessible in Nairobi). And let your bank know you will be traveling!
• Travel insurance
• A Book to read on the plane

Tip Guidelines:

• Safari Guides $10 to $15 per guest, per day.
• Spotters $5 per guest per day
• The safari camp staff $10 per guest per day (usually put into communal tipping box at the end of stay)
• Massage therapists $5 to $10 per guest per day
• Butler where applicable $10 per guest per day
• Transfer drivers $3 per guest per trip
• City/beach guides $5 to $10 per guest, per day
• Porter $2 per guest per trip
• Restaurants 10% if satisfied. When eating at the camps/resorts – the tip was included in the general staff and/or butler tip provided at the end of each stay.