Space will be at a premium on your international flight, light aircraft transfers and safari vehicle so with that in mind, the safari packing list below will help you to pack only the necessary and correct items.
It may look long at first glance but depending on your personal circumstances and the type of trip you are going on some of the items won't be applicable to you and you can safely ignore them.
The safari packing list is based on the advice and recommendations from all the trip reports over the year.
Safari Gear
- Safari Hats
- Clothing in neutral colours: khaki, light brown/green, tan. Avoid bright colours & white for improved game viewing.
- A safari jacket is a very handy accessory to take with on your trip.
- Comfortable non-synthetic short- and long sleeved safari shirts
- Comfortable non-synthetic shorts and long trousers
- Pyjamas
- Swimming costume
- Flip-flops or sport sandals
- Comfortable safari hiking/walking shoes (not white). These are very important on a walking safari.
- Pairs of socks
- Extra shoelace
Safari Supplies
Some of these supplies might be available in the first aid kit that every safari company should carry but make sure before leaving them off your safari packing list.
- Insect repellent/ Mosquito Coil (do not use coils in a tent)
- Sunblock and after sun lotion
- A travel towel is light and takes very little space
- Skin cream
- Malaria tablets (very important)
- Body soap/shower gel
- Sunglasses - make sure they have polarised lenses
- Biological Water Filtration Bottle or you can stick to the bottled water
- Wet wipes/hand sanitizer or no-water/antibacterial soap – very handy in the safari vehicle.
- Pocket Knife
- Small scissors
- Toothbrush/toothpaste/dental floss
- 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner
- Tweezers
- Lip balm
- Q-tips & cotton balls
- Razor & shaving cream/gel
- Sanitary requirements (shops are sometimes few and far between, and very basic)
- Contact lens solution & extra set of disposable lenses
- Band aids & moleskin
- Vitamins
- Painkiller
- Antiseptic cream
- Motion sickness tablets
- Anti-diarrhoea medicine
- Re-hydration salts
- Pen/pencil
- Small unbreakable mirror
- Plastic bags (wet washing/muddy shoes/organise clothes in suitcase)
- Deck of cards/travel size game
- Book to read between game viewing and other leisure time
- Cold/flu tablets
- Allergy remedy
- Some people take a basic antibiotic in case
- Prescribed medicine (enough to last your trip)
Safari Luggage
- The thing to remember when choosing safari luggage is mobility. You will probably be moving between several different modes of transport (airplanes, cars, light aircraft, trucks, boats) so plan accordingly.
- Suitcases with wheels don't work very well in the jungles but they are adequate if you don't mind carrying them. (A good safari company will probably have someone on hand to carry your luggage for you).
- A daypack is very handy to transport the items you need while driving around in the safari vehicle or walking through the bush.
Safari Equipment
- Safari Binoculars. Essential for a successful trip. No safari packing list is complete without them.
- Flashlight or headlamp.
- Cameras, Lenses, Memory Cards & Film (can be expensive and/or difficult to obtain) & extra flash batteries and lens cleaner.
- Small bean bag to substitute a tripod.
- Sleeping Bag if on a camping safari (may be supplied by safari company so check first).
- Travel pillow, or you can use your polar fleece/windbreaker.
- Small calculator (or if you're taking your mobile phone) for currency calculations.
- Money belt.
- Washing powder/travel soap for laundry.
- Plug adaptors.
- Lighter/waterproof matches.
- Travel alarm clock.
- Mini combination locks (keys get lost).
- Mini sewing kit.
Documents
- Passport & correct visas.
- Emergency phone numbers
- Travel insurance policy
- Guide books covering the area you're visiting – it should include animals/birds pages for easy identification.
- Your itinerary
- Addresses and mobile numbers (postcards/e-mails/texts).
- Any vaccinations certificates.
- Phone card and international access numbers.
- Extra passport photos.
- Copy of your passport, kept in a separate place than your passport.
- Copy of marriage certificate, if applicable especially if you recently tied the knot.
- Medical history.
- Copies of prescriptions.
- Small stickers to label your used films.
Follow this safari packing list and you will never have to worry about the frustration of leaving something behind or taking something that you won't need on your Jungle safari.
