Getting Ready to Go
There is a huge number of opinions on what a person needs to take on a safari and what you need to leave at home. I’m no expert here. I must admit, that having been a Girl Scout, I tend to ‘Come Prepared’ – maybe too prepared by some standards. In addition to the basics (and the numbers on these items depend on how long your trip is) I will also make some suggestions of a few items that may come in handy, which you might not think of.
Clothing
There is no need to purchase a whole new wardrobe to go on safari (unless you want to). When I read tips about heading to Africa, I heard “don’t wear any bright colors”. Depending on your type of safari, the majority of time you will be inside a vehicle. The animals will not care about the color of your clothing. What they see is a large moving object (the vehicle) with movement inside (and if the movement inside is flailing arms or loud voices, their behavior might be quite different). I think the reason that the suggestion to wear neutral colors like beige, olive green or kaki is more driven on what colors don’t show dirt. My typical shirts have been everything from coral to lime green to black and I’ve not had any issues. Wear what you are comfortable with. Having said that, if you are traveling where there are tse tse flies (such as Tarangire or the Serengeti) they seem to be drawn to the color navy blue. I tend to stay away from the darker colors because they can be a lot warmer in the hot sun. In the evenings, it is usually suggested to wear long sleeves and no dark colors because of the mosquitoes. I’ve traveled to Africa in the dry and rainy season and the mosquitoes have not been anywhere near as bad as they are right in my own back yard. When I dress for dinner at the end of a long day on safari, I’ve worn everything from black shirts to capris and never been bothered by the bugs. Everyone is different. Regarding shoes, unless you are planning on doing a lot of hiking, the majority of time you are in a vehicle. The furthest you might walk is from the vehicle to the lodge entrance and to your room as well as in and around the airport. For that purpose, I like a pair of light weight, closed toe shoes (some of the paths to your room may be dirt or uneven stone) as well as a pair of light weight sandals. Night shirt and swimsuit if you like. Underwear as you wish.
I used to carry a lot more clothes with me than I currently do. My most recent trips have included flying on the small bush planes within country. The luggage maximum weight on these planes is 15kg (about 33 pounds) in total (meaning your bag you typically check and a backpack you may carry camera gear in). Well, the camera gear is my highest priority. Many camps/lodges offer laundry service for a very reasonable fee which I take advantage of now as it lightens my bag weight.
Toiletries/Medications/General First Aid Items
- toothpaste and toothbrush (take 2 because you WILL accidentally stick your toothbrush under the faucet)
- small plastic cup (to put toothpaste and toothbrush in and drink bottled water from)
- case and solutions if you wear contacts
- lots of wet wipes (I take the individually packaged ones by Cottenelle)
- a few band aids (especially if you need latex free ones)
- Many of the lodges provide shampoo but I carry my own that has shampoo and cream rinse mixed together
- I carry a 1 quart zip lock that includes a few: antacids/Pepto, Tylenol, Benadryl, cold and sinus Advil, ibuprofen, vitamin C cough drops and antibiotic cream
- About razors – I have mixed feelings on this. Since you are advised to not drink anything but bottled water, I would not want to use tap water to shave with, creating the possibility of a cut. So I skip it while there. Personal preference. Similarly, that is why I carry my own plastic drinking cup and rinse it out with bottled water.
- Of course, you will also want to bring a supply of your prescribed medications and over the counter daily meds. I used to carry a small 7 day pill dispenser to keep a week’s supply in. Then I would carry another slightly larger 7 day pill dispenser to carry the extras in to refill the smaller one (because I travel for 2-3 weeks and take a couple of extra in case one goes down the drain). Now, I have switched over to the tiny plastic pill zip locks (found in the pharmacy area at places like Walgreens, etc.). You can fill a bag for each day, label it, and toss at the end of the day (or reuse for tiny items such as earings). Then I put all of the single bags in a 1 quart zip lock and carry it with my important items. Definitely less total weight.
Miscellaneous Items
- packet of something like dry Gatorade or another type of rehydration drinking solution with electrolytes
- eyeglasses and spare if you wear
- shower shoes like flip flops
- 1-2 plastic hangers for hanging laundry – you can toss before leaving
- tiny container (like an old film canister) of laundry soap
- ear plugs for odd night noises
- neck chiller – great if heat bothers you (it’s filled with crystals that absorb water and ties around your neck to keep you cooler)
Electronics
We all have our ‘musts’ and mine may be more extensive than others. In addition to my camera gear, with their corresponding chargers and batteries, I carry a small laptop. This lightweight laptop is my way to stay in communication with those at home as I don’t carry a cell phone with me. It is also the way I prefer to back up my photos. If affords me the opportunity to look at the photos in the evenings just in case I wish to make any exposure adjustments to future pictures. It also allows me a good way to show my guide a photo in case identification is desired.
When you travel in Africa, there will be times when you will not have power in your room. Frequently, the power supply runs off solar power. In order to conserve power, it can be switched off at night around 10pm, turned back on in the early morning hours (5am when you may be dressing to go out on a game drive) and then switched off again in the middle of the day (10am-3pm) when most people are out enjoying the scenery and wildlife. Even if you have power 24/7, if you have a ceiling fan, you may notice it speeding up and slowing down. That makes me a little nervous when it comes time to charge up my netbook. So for added safety, I also carry a travel adapter with surge protection. You can pick up a fairly small one at places such as Walmart. This is NOT a power converter but only an adapter and surge protector. I also carry a American Input to UK Grounded Adapter http://www.voltageconverters.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=PB12. My laptop is the only item that may potentially need this, but I have run into others on safari who wanted to charge their laptops and forgot that they needed the grounded adapter.
Money
This is another area where there is a variety of opinions. U.S. currency is accepted in Kenya and Tanzania. Forget the Traveler’s Checks. Most places either don’t accept them, or if they do, charge you a huge service fee for using them. Some people like to use credit cards for everything. I carry only one credit card with me (Visa or Mastercard). The only reason I carry it, is in case of medical emergency. If you need medical services, typically you will need to pay for services received there and be reimbursed by your insurance company. I prefer not to use a credit card for anything else as there can be service charges on the U.S. end and the African end, as well as poor rate conversions.
I’m not a huge shopper, but I do like to have some cash with me and you will need it for tips and miscellaneous items such as drinks and laundry. I have read that a lot of people get their cash (KES or TSH the local currency) on arrival either at an airport exchange, ATM machine or local bank. I prefer to not have to worry about the ATM being out of cash or standing in yet another line after a long flight. So I carry it with me. Now I can see your eyes widening….. is carrying a large amount of cash safe? First off, while on the plane and going through TSA, I keep the majority of cash on my person, in a waist pack, under clothing (one that has a plastic zipper to avoid metal detection). My favorite one is a Rick Steves Civita money belt which can be purchased through a variety of websites. I carry the larger bills in there (no larger than a $50, but mostly $20s and $10s). I also take a fair number of $1 because they come in handy for tipping servers, porters, bartenders, etc. MAKE SURE YOUR BILLS ARE NO OLDER THAN 5 YEARS. I put this in caps because it is important. Since single ($1.00) bills can be bulky, I just carry them in my purse. If you need to have your larger bills broken into smaller currency, best to do it at a bank or Bureau of Exchange.
There seems to be a variety of opinions on whether to convert currency to the local currency on arrival or just use U.S.D. Once, I made the mistake of ordering Kenyan Shillings in advance of my trip through my Credit Union. I figured I’d get whatever the current exchange rate was. Well I got that, and then a significant fee. So I won’t do that again. I’ve heard that if you leave a tip for your server in U.S.D., then they have to take it to the lodge desk and have it converted and they get a reduced amount. I don’t know if that is true or not. I will say, I’ve never had a porter, server or room attendant look unhappy about receiving U.S.D. If you go to curio shops along the road (and these are typically where you are taken for a rest room break when traveling between locations), if you ask a price, they will give you the price in the local currency. Of course, that quoted price is just a starting point, as they expect you to dicker with them (and as much as I hate to do it, I’ve gotten pretty good at getting items at about half of what they originally quote). I’ve found it extremely helpful to carry a small currency converter (which I laminate in advance) for quick reference. You can see the currently currency value . Ultimately, when paying for these treasurers, they will gladly accept U.S.D. I did however, on my last trip, convert some USD to KES at a bank in Nairobi thinking I’d use it along the way. I ended up using the majority of it at the Kazuri Bead Factory outside Nairobi (a wonderful place to purchase quality gifts for a good cause).
Most recently, upon arrival at the Nairobi airport, I’ve converted some USD to KES. After you pick up your baggage and exit the building, but still under the overhang, there are a number of currency exchange booths. I had my airport greeter take me (along with my luggage) to one of the booths. There is a currency conversion fee at the airport of 2.5%, which isn’t much and avoids the hassle of making yet another stop.
When in country, I still carry some of my cash in the money belt. In addition, I keep it divided up between my purse and maybe the bottom of my camera bag. One thing I really like to do, is carry a small amount of cash that I feel I might need for the day (tips, or small souvenirs) in a convenient pocket. That way I don’t have to be revealing where I may be carrying my other cash.
Favorite Items You May Not Have Thought About
A small amount of bubble wrap and some tape (wrapped around a small zip lock baggie). This can be extremely useful for wrapping up the delicate neck/legs of those cute carved giraffes that a lot of you will bring home. Also comes in handy for anything more delicate, like Kazuri beads. I’ve never had anyone bother with them going through TSA, but good to keep the tape handy in case they need rewrapping.
An inexpensive travel size pillow with an old pillowcase. African roads can be extremely bumpy. Some of you , including myself, may find the jarring to your back extremely uncomfortable. I use the travel pillow and case to sit on throughout the trip (actually last trip I had two). They tend to look like pancakes by the end of the trip, so I just toss them, along with the pillowcase, leaving extra room for those giraffes with the long necks.
Several zip lock bags of various sizes. These come in so handy for dirty shoes, wet swimsuits and tiny souvenirs (to keep from losing them). I also find, when moving from location to location frequently, that a 1 gallon baggie is good to put your commonly used toiletries (toothbrush, plastic cup, toothpaste, razor, floss, shampoo, etc.) in. That way they are all together so when you arrive tired at your next destination, you can easily grab them.
I always carry 2 or 3 partial rolls of toilet tissue from home. When the roll gets down to about 1/3, I save them. For some reason in Africa, the toilet paper rolls are quite small. Yes, the room attendants will bring you more, but it can be on “Africa time”. And the last thing I want to be tracking down is more tp when needed. I do make sure I tuck them back in my duffle when leaving the room, so the attendant doesn’t think I still have plenty.
Most people on safari think to pack some type of bug repellant. They do this with mosquitoes in mind. Some people even treat their clothing with permethrin spray. I prefer not to wear treated clothing. There is a wide variety of opinions regarding Deet, and what percentage is necessary. Most say no more than 30%. Even when on safari during the month of May, which is considered the rainy season, I’ve not been bothered with mosquitoes day or night. We have way more mosquitoes in Michigan than I’ve seen on all my trips to Africa put together. However, tsetse flies are a different issue. The only place I’ve encountered them is in the Serengeti and Tarangire. Deet does not seem to repel them. I have found something that was suggested to me by a prof at Michigan State University who regularly took students to East Africa. He suggested trying a few drops of liquid dish soap in water. I’ll bite…… On my 2012 trip, I actually tried it. Just 3-4 drops of inexpensive dish soap and a few drops of water, mix, and apply to my arms, legs and neck. I typically didn’t put it on my face because I wear contacts and didn’t want to rub it into my eyes. Whilst my guide and driver were busy swatting off the flies, none were bothering me. Hard to say if my skin color, hair color or any other factor had an influence but I was sure happy. On my 2014 trip, I forgot the dish soap. I did however, have some liquid laundry soap with me. No fly bites for me EXCEPT, until an afternoon game drive in Tarangire when I forgot to apply it. I got quite a few bites that afternoon that really swelled. All I can say is that laundry soap is cheap, give it a try.
Instead of a small flashlight (a lamp of some type is a must), I carry a very small, lightweight headlamp with extra batteries. I carry it in my purse because it is handy on the plane to find items in your bag. Once at your destination, it is better than a flashlight because it allows you to have 2 free hands. Many of the lodges and tented camps have power for lighting at only certain hours of the day. It can be VERY dark in your tent at 10pm. And you may be told that “the power is on until 10pm”. That might mean 9:45pm or 10:30pm. So I keep the headlight handy any time after the sun goes down and it is always by my bedside for those middle of the night trips to the bathroom. It is also very handy walking to and from dinner.
What Do You Pack It All In
Whether traveling with a group or traveling solo, the amount of space available for your gear may be limited, especially if flying on the small planes between locations. Soft sided bags, such as duffle bags, are strongly encouraged. Be sure to check with your specific airline and Trip Operator regarding size and weight limitations. I will say that my carry on bag is fairly ridged. I carry the largest, legal wheeled suitcase I can get by with (45 linear inches). The majority of this bag is taken up by camera gear, which is #1 priority to me. Within this bag, I carry a Kata DR 167 backpack which holds the majority of my camera equipment. I can also manage to fit in 1 complete change of clothes, medications, a few toiletries, travel journal and a couple of magazines to read on the way and recycle to other passengers.
In addition to this carry on, I travel with my LL Bean Rolling Adventure Duffle XL. I chose the cobalt blue aloha because when you get off a plane with 200+ other passengers, and it is rolling around the baggage carousel, I can guarantee that if it has arrived, you will SEE it. The bag has weight to it because of the heavy duty sled bottom and sturdy handle, but it has survived 3 trips to Africa with only a couple of dirt marks. It also comes in smaller sizes. Not only is it easy to spot on the baggage carousel, but it is easy to see that it is on board in your safari vehicle.
I cannot say enough good things about the Eagle Creek packing cubes. There are other brands of these. I use them for any kind of travel. However, they are particularly great for safari travel. They weigh next to nothing, and will keep everything organized in your bag, which is critical when moving from location to location and constantly repacking. The best thing is that if you are having to remove items from your bag in less than favorable lighting, you can see through the tops and everything doesn’t spill on the floor. They are also great when TSA decides to paw through your luggage. I have cubes of various sizes from XXL to one quarter cube size. I even use a quarter and half size cube in my purse for easy access to items I may need during flight. I tend to be a person who visualizes by color. So one of my cubes is red which is where I put all of those ‘important’ items – small scissors, extra batteries, quart baggie with miscellaneous over the counter medications, etc. Makes it easy to find in a hurry.
