Africa Packing List
If you're heading to Africa and wondering what to pack then take a look at our handy list to help you on your way.
Top Tips
Weight Limit: If you're taking internal flights in small, light aircraft remember to check the baggage weight limit (often 15 kg per person), so try and keep your packing to a minimum. Read about what it's like to fly in bush planes here.
Temperature: Africa is generally a very warm continent, but it can, and does, get cold, especially at night, so don't forget to pack some warm clothing too.
Soft Baggage: This is usually preferable to suitcases if you're flying on smaller aircraft between safari camps as it will pack more easily.
Hand luggage: Always pack some essentials like underwear, toothbrush etc in your hand luggage, in the rare event that your checked baggage is lost or delayed.
Africa Packing List
Clothing
- Sun hat, sun glasses
- Clothing in neutral colours if possible (avoid bright colours for better wildlife viewing, especially if you're doing a walking safari, and avoid dark colours which can attract the flies)
- Jacket/fleece for cooler evenings and early mornings
- Lightweight rain jacket if travelling during rainy season
- Comfortable short and long-sleeved shirts, t-shirts, tops
- Shorts and long trousers
- Sun dress
- Underwear (including a sports bra - ladies those African roads can be bumpy!)
- Sleepwear
- Swimwear, beachwear
- Flip flops or sandals
- Comfortable walking shoes
Gear
- Travel documents and emergency phone numbers
- Itinerary
- Passport and visas if applicable
- Copy of your passport (kept separately from your actual passport) - it's also a good idea to scan and email a copy to yourself so you have a copy online should you need it.
- Travel Insurance Policy (you can purchase travel insurance through our partners First Travel if you haven't already arranged it)
- Journal and pen if you'd like to record your adventure
- Vaccination certificates if applicable (e.g. a Yellow Fever Certificate if you're travelling from a country with Yellow Fever)
- Copy of marriage certificate (if recently married and need proof for a 'honeymoon' package)
- Birth certificates for children under 18 travelling to South Africa or Botswana.
- Currency
- Insect repellent
- Sun block, after sun
- Glasses/contact lenses
- Any medication you require
- Malaria tablets (if applicable and advised by your doctor)
- Toiletries/Wash bag
- Sanitary products (shops are rare and basic so take enough to last the trip)
- Lightweight travel towel
- Water bottle
- Wet wipes or antibacterial gel
- Plasters/Compede in case of blisters
- Painkillers
- Spare plastic bags for dirty clothes
- Washing powder (women's underwear often can't be laundered for cultural reasons so you may have to do it yourself)
- Playing cards
- Book/Kindle
- I-pod or similar
- Day bag or small rucksack to carry handy items on safari or whist walking through the bush.
- Guide book
- Binoculars
- Torch/headtorch
- Camera, spare memory cards, chargers (be aware that for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda there is a cost for taking 'commercial' camera equipment i.e. for TV, film and professional photographic purposes. You are also advised not to take tripods as these could seem 'threatening' to the gorillas).
- Waterproof bag to protect camera if travelling during the rainy season
- Mobile phone and charger
- Plug adapters (usually in Africa this is 3-prong square or round, but do check)
- Alarm clock (if you don't have one on your phone)
A note on Plastic Bags
Both Kenya and Rwanda have banned plastic bags so make sure you don't take any into the country.