Travel guide
What to pack for a safari
A short list that matters, and permission to leave most of the rest at home. Includes the luggage limit that catches people out.
The luggage limit is the real constraint
If your journey includes a light aircraft — any fly-in to the Serengeti or the southern parks — you are limited to roughly 15kg in a soft bag, and the soft part is not negotiable. There is no space in the hold for a wheeled suitcase with a rigid frame.
This surprises people more than anything else on this page. Pack for it from the start rather than repacking in an airport.
Clothing
Neutral colours — khaki, olive, stone. Not for camouflage, which is a myth in a vehicle, but because bright white shows every speck of dust and dark blue and black attract tsetse fly.
Layers matter more than warmth. A morning game drive on the crater rim is genuinely cold and the same day will reach the thirties.
- Two or three pairs of long trousers, one convertible if you like them
- Long-sleeved shirts — sun and insects both
- A fleece or light down layer for early mornings
- A windproof jacket; the crater rim and open vehicles are colder than the forecast
- Closed walking shoes, worn in, plus sandals for camp
- A wide-brimmed hat that stays on in a moving vehicle
- Swimwear — most lodges have a pool
The things people forget
- Binoculars, one pair per person — sharing is the single most common regret
- A spare camera battery and more memory than you think
- A universal adapter; Tanzania uses UK-style three-pin sockets
- Sunscreen and lip balm with sun protection
- Insect repellent containing DEET
- Any prescription medication in its original packaging, in your hand luggage
- A head torch for camps that run generators on a schedule
- Cash in small denominations for tips
What to leave behind
Camouflage-patterned clothing is restricted in Tanzania and is best avoided entirely. Single-use plastic bags are banned outright — do not pack them, and do not bring them through the airport.
Beyond that: most of it. Laundry is available at nearly every lodge, usually same-day and often included. Two changes of clothes and a laundry service beats a suitcase, and you will be glad of it on the aircraft.
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