What to Pack for An African Safari? My Take After 5 Weeks in Africa

What to pack for an African Safari? I can’t tell you how many times I searched those terms in the months leading up to my big Africa trip that would take me across 6 countries. I searched on Google and YouTube, on Instagram and Tiktok. I searched by country. I searched specifically for women. I don’t think I’ve ever researched clothing so much in my life and while a lot of the information was helpful, I also got a lot of mixed reviews and contrasting feedback.

So here we are, I’m sitting in a café in Cape Town writing this on my final day of 5 weeks hopping across five different countries. I spent a week in Kenya doing back-to-back game drives. I did boat safaris and game drives in Zimbabwe as well as mokoro canoe, boat, and walking safaris in Botswana. So, at this point, I like to think I know what I’m talking about. I’ve learned a lot- packed a few things I didn’t need and made a couple of silly outfit choices. But lessons have been learned and, at the end of the day, it just means I can share with you.

For those wondering what to pack and what to wear for an African safari, then this post is for you. Here’s my take on what to wear on safari in Africa.

Do Colours Matter? 

The first and most popular question when it comes to what to wear on a safari is do the colours matter. Well, yes and no. It depends on a few things but before I get into that let me explain.

Bright Colours vs Earthy Tones

We are often told neutral earth tones for safari trips. However, there is also the argument that the Maasai People of Kenya are regularly seen wearing vivid colours, especially red. So, if they wear it…why can’t we?

Well, I visited a Maasai Tribe and asked that exact question: “Why red?” The answer that I got was multifaceted reflecting that red is a colour that they identify with as a tribe. However, I was also told that red is a bright colour that scares the wildlife. When they want to blend in, they remove their clothing and paint themselves with white chalk to resemble zebra stripes so they can move freely among animals safely, like elephants. However, if they want to avoid animal attention they wear red as they are more visible and wildlife will likely stay away from them.

Black/Blue and Bugs

Another frequent comment that comes up is black and blue, although this is in relation to bugs. I was told my many people, including my travel doctor, to avoid any shade of blue. Apparently the tsetse flies see it as a highlighter colour which means they will zoom in on you. Black, I was told, has similar problems.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t pack blue or black for these reasons but I also didn’t see proof of either being a problem. However, I also travelled during  the dry season (September/October in the places I visited) and, overall, there were very few bugs. Some of the places I visited were experiencing heat waves and drought so I barely even noticed mosquitos. I will say, the sun was incredibly hot so I can’t imagine wanting to wear black and being out all day. But I didn’t see or experience these colours being particularly attractive to bugs. On that same note, I didn’t see guides wearing these colours while on safari so I would suggest erring on the side of caution and avoiding blue and black colours just in case.

While blending in makes sense if you are on the ground, most of us do safari game drives in jeeps and it’s hard to hide a big noisy vehicle. Which brings me to my next point.  

What Type of Safari Are you Doing? 

As mentioned above, I did multiple types of safaris and game drives across Eastern and Southern Africa during my five weeks on the continent. Your wardrobe will depend on what type of safari you are doing.

Game Drives in Jeeps and Large Boats

For game drives, it really didn’t matter what you wear. You are in a big noisy vehicle that animals will see and hear coming. The same can be said for safari-type cruises in the large boats. Again, the wildlife will see and hear you coming. In these cases, it’s ok to wear what you want in terms of colour and outfit. During game drives I often opted for comfortable shorts and a tank top and even flipflops. After all, I was staying in the vehicle for the duration of the trip and wanted to be comfortable. Especially since I spent about 8+ hours a day on game drives in Kenya.

Walking and Mokoro Safaris

When I was in the Okavango Delta we did safaris in Mokoro canoes; small dugout style canoes that seat two people and the poler. We also did walking safaris. With these types of safaris, colours and outfits DO matter and you will be told what you can wear- and what you can’t. Earthy tones like greens, tans, and browns are ideal. Blacks and greys are ok (but again, keep in mind the sun). No white, no pinks or reds, yellows or oranges. You want shades that blend in with nature. If you have bright coloured hair, you will be asked to cover it. Otherwise, you risk being told to stay behind- your inability to follow the rules won’t be allowed to impact the other’s experience.

For this type of safari, it’s also recommended you wear long pants, high socks, long sleeves and closed-toe shoes. The shoes are because of the possibility of snakes and scorpions (so bring boots or runners). The long sleeves and pants are to avoid ‘African tattoos’- scrapes and cuts from the long branches and thorns. African bushes have some crazy big thorns.

What Time of Year Are You Visiting?

Safari seasons are divided into wet season and dry season. Both have their pros and cons for spotting wildlife, but for the purpose of this article, I’m sticking to packing.

I visited during the dry season and read a number of tips online telling me that it would be cold at night and in the mornings. Not only should I pack a warm sweater but I should also consider a toque (beanie for my non-Canadians) and mitts and maybe even a light puffer jacket and a windbreaker.

I never wore my sweater or windbreaker even once. Daily highs ranged from high 20s to low 40s (Celsius) and nights were 15 or higher and it got warm very quickly during the day. Now, I know I’m Canadian and more used to cooler temperatures than some others but I was annoyed I had brought cold weather clothing that just sat in my backpack for weeks on end. I would have loved another couple of tank tops since I spent most of my time sweating and did a ton of sink laundry because of it.

That being said, light gauzy, linen-blend type long sleeves were fantastic ( I LOVED the airy gauzy button up from encircled). They worked for layering when it was a bit cooler early in the morning but more importantly they protected my skin against the sun (and thorns). Kenya especially is right by the equator and the sun is STRONG.

What Type of Travel Are You Doing?

Another factor to consider is the type of travel you are doing. I did a mix. My Kenya trip was higher end with beautiful, upscale accommodations. My time in Zimbabwe was more laid back, mid-range accommodation. In the Okavango Delta of Botswana, I camped.

I mention that this matters because if you are staying in lodges and hotels you may want to pack a couple of extra outfits for the evening to change into after your game drives. When I say I got dusty, I mean it. Like I could see it coating my skin, my clothes, my sunglasses and camera. I could feel it in my hair. The water ran brown when I showered after my game drives. I was SO dirty after I showered that the last thing I wanted to put on was those dusty clothes again for dinner and was grateful to have a couple things I kept aside for that. 

Practicality Over Style

While I love social media for a million reasons, when it came to looking at packing lists for African Safaris I found it overall to be very unhelpful. People were more interested in looking cute for pictures than being realistic in what actually worked as an outfit. Here’s my take on a few popular Africa safari packing items.

Hiking boots: honestly, you don’t need them unless you are actually trekking. I wore running shoes when camping/walking safari which were much lighter and easier to pack.

Jumpsuits and utility style safari suits: Sure, they are cute, but definitely not fun when you have to pee in the middle of a game drive. I wore mine once and after navigating a squat toilet at a park I left it buried in the bottom of my bag. I can’t imagine having to yank that down completely to go ‘bushy bushy’ on the side of the road in Botswana where wildlife roams free. With that in mind, I’d stay away from any outfits with too many buttons.

Safari hats: The cute ones with the wide brims. They fly off really easily. Also, if they are thicker your head will get really hot really quickly under the sun. If you want a hat with a brim all around, choose something with a chin strap underneath or a ball cap, which is what I did. Even then I still nearly lost it a couple of times as we drove in the safari jeeps.  

My Safari Packing List

For those looking for something a little more in-depth than just suggestions, this is what I packed for my 5 weeks across Kenya, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe (plus a day trip to Zambia), Botswana, and South Africa.

Clothing

• Pair of linen pants (beige coloured)
• Pair of green cargo style pants
• 2 pairs of linen shorts
• 1 pair of sport shorts (I love the Track That shorts from Lululemon)
• 3 t-shirts
• 5 tank tops
• 3 bras (girls with big boobs, you want something supportive for those game drives! I’m loving Knix lately)
• 2 lightweight crinkle button-up tops, one tan and one green (Love the airy gauzy button up by encircled)
• Pjs
• 10 pairs of underwear
• 7 pairs of socks
• Flip flips
• Running shoes (I LOVE my vessis, they really are waterproof)
• 1 sweater (didn’t use)
• 1 windbreaker (didn’t use)
• 1 pair of sweatpants (didn’t use)
• 2 swimsuits (check my go-to brands here)
• 1 jumpsuit (don’t recommend- unless you want something for dinner/evening)
• 1 lightweight sundress
• 1 ballcap

Toiletries

• Shampoo bar and conditioner (I love Viori and use this container to drain them)
• Face wash and body wash
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Mascara (only makeup I brought and rarely used)
• Face moisturizer (used A LOT)
• Body lotion- taken from hotels (I wish I brought my own because its DRY)
• SPF lip balm and Vaseline lip balm
• Hydrating face sheet masks
• Face wipes (for camping)
• Tangle teezer hairbrush
• Deodorant
• Body Glide– my go to for chafing 
• Bug spray (I used this one, it’s not deet and was recommended by my travel doctor. Also not aerosol so safe to fly)
• Laundry detergent for sink laundry (these sheets were super handy)

Other

• 3 pairs of sunglasses (I broke one pair)
• Charging cords and adaptors (NOTE: Botswana and South Africa have different plugs that typically are not included on international adaptors)
• 2 power banks
• Extra battery and extra memory card for my camera
• E-reader
• Camera gear and laptop
• Travel Journal
• Headlamp (handy for camping)
• US dollars as backup. USD is commonly used in parts of Zanzibar and Zimbabwe especially. I suggest having smaller bills on hand.
• E-sim (some places it doesn’t work so well, but I found it handy to have. I recommend looking at both Airalo or Truly options).

Other Considerations

Camera gear: I use the Nikon Z50 and bought a 200-500 telephoto lens specifically for this trip. It was heavy and annoying to carry around, but I’m SO glad I did. I got some great shots. I also had an 18-250 lens but I rarely used it. I didn’t want to change lenses with all the dust. Instead, I toggled back and forth between my zoom lens and my iphone camera and it worked very well.

I also suggest investing in a good camera bag that can hold multiple lenses and makes it easy to access. I have a Lowpro bag which I bought for the trip and it was perfect. I did take it with me on game drives and stored my camera away when not in use to better protect it from the dust.

Luggage: Most trips to Africa will tell you that you need soft-sided luggage, not hard suitcases. This makes sense especially if you are travelling by safari jeep or even small bush planes. There’s NOT a lot of space and it’s much easier to squish soft bags than stack hard luggage. We were allowed soft bags with wheels but ask your tour provider ahead of time just in case.

Medication: A visit to your travel doctor is essential ahead of time. I needed yellowfever and polio booster vaccines to show at borders given my itinerary. There are also several suggested vaccines, including Malaria medicine, that I got to ensure I stayed as healthy as possible.

Aside from vaccines, I recommend bringing a little personal pharmacy of pain killers, stomach meds (antibiotics if you can get some in case), and medication for sinuses/allergies and sore throats. This is because of the dust. During my week of safaris in Kenya, we all developed a dry cough and congestion just from the dusty road conditions and being out in it all day every day.

Electrolytes: It is HOT and the sun is STRONG. Plus, a lot of people drink less water when out on safari because they don’t want to have to worry about needing the bathroom. I really recommend bringing electrolytes with you and just taking some every day to stay on top of things. Both dehydration and heat exhaustion were problems during my time here within my groups.  

Laundry: As I mentioned I was so dusty and so dirty and so were my clothes. I had read reviews online of some lodges and camps offering free laundry but I never experienced that. It was always paid. Some places much more expensive than others. I did a lot of sink laundry and was grateful I brought clothes that could dry quickly overnight. As I was there in the dry season, it was a hot, dry heat which helped but I still suggest quick-dry fabrics as much as possible. Also, keep your clothes inside when drying to avoid any unwanted bugs in them. 

Leaving things behind: I’m a big fan of slow fashion and tried to repurpose my wardrobe and buy things I would wear again when shopping for my Africa safari. That being said, I had a few things that had minor stains or holes and I knew I wouldn’t wear again at home, so I left them behind at the hotel to be donated. If you choose to do this, notify housekeeping or leave a note specifying that your left behind clothes are donation. Otherwise, they have to go to ‘lost and found’ and may not be used as you intended.

I hope you find this Africa safari packing list helpful!

Ready to Book Your Trip?

Don’t forget travel insurance!

Please do not travel without travel insurance! I’ve had to use it multiple times throughout my travels and it has saved me thousands of dollars. You can learn more about travel insurance here. If you are looking for a provider I love and recommend SafetyWing. For Canadian readers, take a look at SoNomad.

Book your accommodation

I love and recommend booking.com for accommodation. They have a range of hostels, guesthouses, hotels, and resorts. Plus, the platform has a great loyalty program that means the more you book, the more you can save. 

Book your tours

My go-to tour provider that I love to recommend is GetYourGuide. They have options all over the world and partner with local companies for everything from day trips to food experiences and even airport transfers. 

Get connected

If you want to have data while travelling for online maps or any other needs, an esim is one of the easiest solutions. I have used esims around the world from Brazil to Uzbekistan, Greece to the USA- they are super easy and you don’t risk losing your home sim! There are two brands I have used and recommend so I suggest comparing both. 

Airalo: download the app, pick what country you want an esim for, and after you purchase it follow the installation instructions. You can use promo code HANNAH3326 to save $3USD on your next esim purchase.

Truely: This one is easier in that it’s a one-time download instead of downloading an esim for each country. It also allows you to hotspot and tether- which not all esims do. Check out options here.

Not sure what to pack?

I have destination-specific guides for some countries but you can also check my travel essentials and camera gear if you are looking for some ideas. 

Looking for a travel buddy?

Check out my group trips!