Safari Packing List
What to bring and what to leave at home
What to Pack for a Safari
Travel Documents
- Passport
- Copy of passport
- Proof of Covid-19 vaccination & booster (if required)
- Yellow Fever vaccination certificate (if required)
- Visa (if required)
- Travel insurance
- Travel itinerary & reservation confirmations
- Boarding passes
Health
- Face Mask
- Anti-malaria medication (if going to a malaria area)
- Approved Covid-19 At-Home Tests (if necessary for re-entry to your country of origin)
- Anti-diarrheal medication
- Prescription medications
- Insect repellent
- Ibuprofen
- Over the counter medicine for upset stomach
- Hand sanitizer
- Sanitizing wipes
- Bandaids
- Neosporin
- Allergy/itch relief medication
- Vitamins
Electronics/Gear
- Travel adapter(s)/converter
- Camera(s)
- Camera batteries/charger
- Memory cards
- Cleaning cloth for camera lens
- Binoculars
- Cell phone
- Cell phone charger
- Headphones
- Flashlight/torch/head lamp
Accessories
- Sunglasses (polarized)
Money
- Cash for tipping and emergencies
- Credit cards (preferably ones with no foreign transaction fees)
- Debit card
- RFID protective sleeves for your credit cards
- Money belt
Clothing
- NOTE: Many safari lodges/camps provide laundry service so you don't need to pack a lot of clothing.
- Layered clothing (neutral colors; avoid black and blue if traveling to Tanzania due to biting flies)
- Jacket (mornings and nights can be cold)
- Hoodie
- Hat
- Socks
- Undergarments
- Sports bra (roads can be bumpy on game drives)
- Pants
- Shorts
- Swimsuit
- Closed-toe shoes (while out in the bush)
- Sandals
- Scarf
- Beanie
- Rain jacket (if going in the wet season)
Personal Care
- Toiletries
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Hair ties
- Ear plugs
- Eye mask
Luggage
- Soft-sided luggage without wheels (if flying on small planes with strict weight restrictions)
- Packing cubes
Other
- Snacks for the airport/airplane
- Travel journal & pen
What NOT to Bring
- Camouflage clothing (illegal in many African countries)
- Plastic bags (banned in more and more African countries)
- Drones (not allowed in national parks and most game reserves)
Before You Travel
- Purchase Travel Insurance
- Contact your cell phone provider to understand what your plan offers and what charges may be incurred while using your phone in your destination country/countries.
- Order currency from your bank before you leave instead of exchanging money at the airport as their exchange rates are very high.
- Put travel notifications on your credit cards and notify your bank that you will be traveling out of the country.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) if you are traveling from the U.S.A.
- Give your travel itinerary to a family member or friend before you leave
- Save all contact information for your travel provider in your phone in addition to a printed copy (ex. airlines, lodging, travel consultant, etc.)
- Scan passport and other important documents and email them to yourself (in case you lose them).
- Make a copy of your passport and put it in your suitcase.
- Write down your name, address, and contact info and put it inside your suitcase where it will be easy to find if your bag is lost.
- Only bring carry-on luggage and do not check luggage, if possible. Every time I go to Africa, I see people whose bags do not arrive. It can take days for your bags to eventually get to you. Can you imagine being out in the bush without the contents of your luggage?