Safari Kit List

Introduction

When planning a safari trip you'll have to prepare and pack with a little more thought than a regular holiday. Earthy tones are a must as brightly coloured clothes can be detrimental to your experience. Wearing socks with your sandals is also more than acceptable to help fend off biting and stinging insects.

Our kit list is not exhaustive but aims to give you an idea of what you should be thinking about and the reasoning behind our suggestions.

Colours on safari

Neutral earthy tones such as beige, brown and some greens are ideal for safari trips. They aren’t as bright as rainbow hues and will help you blend into your surroundings better and less obvious to the animals. While animals are often colour-blind, rainbow hues tend to be brighter than earthy tones making them more visible. If you’re heading for Africa, some regions have Tsetse flies which are attracted to darker colours such as blacks and deep blues. Whites are generally avoided simply due to the fact they are difficult to keep clean in such dusty environments.

Clothing for a safari

Clothing

Lightweight Long Sleeve Shirt

Often a key piece of your safari wardrobe and something you’ll likely wear every day. The fabric should be lightweight, durable and able to provide you with sun protection with an added bonus if it is insect repellent too. They usually come in the style of a classic collar and cuffs shirt. Sometimes with added features such as an extendable collar to protect your neck from the sun, roll-up sleeves with a tab to secure them and plenty of pockets to stash small essentials and camera equipment in. On longer trips you’ll want to wash it every now and then. This is where quick-drying, wrinkle-resistant fabric is fantastic. You can wash it through at the end of the day, hang it up to dry overnight and it’s wrinkle-free and ready to wear in the morning.

Lightweight Short sleeve shirt

This should be lightweight and able to wick sweat away as the temperatures will no doubt soar in the middle of the day. As with all safari clothing, sun protection and insect repellent is an added bonus.

Waterproof jacket

A light, breathable waterproof is always a good idea for added protection from the elements. This is particularly important if you are traveling during the rainy season. It should pack away small so as not to take up too much space and be easily accessible for when you need it.

Convertible trousers

They should be lightweight and able to wick sweat away effectively to keep you feeling comfortable in the heat. Trousers that can be easily turned into shorts by zipping off trouser leg sections are fantastically versatile and will allow you to switch between shorts and trousers easily and conveniently. Convertible trousers made with sun protection and insect repellent offer an advantage.

sarong

A highly versatile item for both men and women. It can be used as a cover-up, if required, to respect local cultures and can also be used to protect from the sun, dust, bugs and a cooling headscarf when soaked with water. Bandanas, cotton scarves and pashminas are all great alternatives, they are lightweight, versatile and easy to wash and dry.

Merino underwear

Comfort is a huge part of enjoying your trip and choosing the right underwear can contribute massively as you’ll be in a vehicle for many hours at a time. Merino is fantastic at regulating temperature and will wick away sweat to keep you feeling fresh for longer, they also happen to be extremely comfortable.

Footwear for a safari

Footwear

Walking shoes

Lightweight, breathable and supportive footwear should be sufficient unless your guide/travel company has specified otherwise. It’s also good to have some quality wicking socks that will help to keep your feet feeling dry and cool for longer. Read more about walking shoes in our buying guide.

Sandals

It’s worth taking a pair of simple sandals, flip-flops or slippers for evenings around the lodge or during transfers between National Parks; something comfortable that you can wear socks with will give you extra protection from biting and stinging insects and offer extra warmth should you need it.

Equipment & accessories for a safari

Equipment & accessories

Sunhat

A quality sunhat is a must for safari trips. Something with a wide brim all the way around to protect your face, ears, and neck from the sun is ideal. It will also help to keep dust and dirt out of your hair.

Suncream

Suncream is important when on safari as the African sun can be incredibly strong. Even when it’s cloudy, harmful rays can still be present and you can burn without some sort of effective protection. While it’s worth considering a higher SPF factor than you might normally use, the most important thing is that it works and you feel comfortable using it. If you don’t like it because it leaves you a greasy mess you are less likely to reapply appropriately.

Binoculars & camera

While you might get up close to the animals in some instances, they’ll largely be a good distance from you. There may be a couple of pairs of group binoculars to share but if you’d prefer to take your own it’s worth investing in the right pair. A mid-sized binocular, along the lines of 8 x 32 or 10 x 42, should offer a good balance between lens size, weight and magnification. Additional features such as shockproof, water resistant and dust proof would be beneficial but aren’t a must if your budget doesn’t allow. A camera with a decent zoom will also allow you to capture scenes to remember.

Insect repellent

There will be insects on your safari, some more irritating than others and some with the ability to cause harm. Using insect repellent will help to mask your presence but at their most active times, dawn and dusk, it's worth covering up with clothing. Securing cuffs, hems and collars will mean they can’t get inside your clothing to bite or sting.

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