The only safari packing list you need
If you’re here, you’re looking for what to pack for a safari specifically. We’re going to trust that you don’t need to be reminded to pack ‘X’ pairs of undies or your chronic medication, and you won’t find endless links to wide-brim safari hats or a list of generic toiletries here.
Instead, we’re sharing our own safari packing list, one that we’ve honed to perfection over years of heading to the bush in our 4x4 fully-equipped vehicle and won’t leave you high and dry on your upcoming trip.
Safari packing list: Clothing
Ok, repeat after me “I do not need an entire wardrobe from Khaki Fever that has me looking like Nigel Thornberry.”
No doubt every safari packing list you’ve seen has touted neutral clothing, functional pants with tons of pockets, and the classic explorer hat. None of these things are actually necessary and most of them will make you the butt of many tourist jokes among the locals.
Unless you’re going trekking, neutral colours are not a big deal. If you’re doing a couple of bush walks then ditch the colourful patterns in favour of more muted colours so that you blend in with the environment and can get closer to the animals.
If your plan is a self-drive safari, then there’s nothing wrong with those t-shirts you were thinking of packing. The game can’t see you through your windows.
Some things you do need:
A warm jacket or fleece is essential for early morning game drives on open vehicles. It’s chilly for the first few hours of the morning when you’re exposed
A beanie for the same reason, and for the winter evenings around the campfire
Long, light layers are the best way to protect yourself from the harsh sun and the mosquitoes
A hat for that brutal African sun we just mentioned
Closed shoes to walk around the camp at night—there are creepy crawlies around!
Sandals or flip flops (or Crocs, as Matt loves) for the warm days around camp or to use in the communal camp showers
**Bonus: Comfy slippers for those cold bush evenings and mornings and the ultimate comfort. It’s a little bit extra…but it’s the small things that put the cherry on the top.
Ultimately, prioritise comfy clothes. A safari holiday means a lot of time spent in a vehicle and jeans are not really a vibe.
Safari Packing List: Gear
If you’re self-driving (and we really think you should!) then you’re hopefully planning on renting a fully-kitted vehicle. Our Zulazula 4x4 rentals have everything you need, packed and ready to go.
We’ve built our vehicles to be your ultimate overlanding home, so we’ve thought of all the gear you need – you can literally just turn up with a pair of binoculars and your camera. Don’t believe us? Check out our full gear list here.
If you’re doing it DIY or visiting a lodge, don’t forget these essentials:
Binoculars are essential. While sharing a pair of binos will be okay, we’ve had a couple of high stress moments at an amazing sighting with only one pair of binoculars to go around.
A camera with a good lens is fantastic for birding and for capturing those special safari shots. The landscape and wildlife are a photographer's dream.
A good head torch to get around in the evening and to spot the nocturnal creatures in camp.
Travel plug adaptors to charge all of your electronics
Power bank for when you’re camping in a campsite with no power points or for the dreaded loadshedding days.
Bird watching at Mopani rest camp—eyes in binoculars for most of the day
Safari Packing List: Toiletries and medical supplies
I don’t think you need to be reminded to pack shampoo, and please pack your inhaler if you need one, please.
Your safari packing list for toiletries should be much the same as your normal holiday items (but leave the perfume behind unless you want to be a walking bug magnet). Plus, add a few extras:
Mosquito repellent is a must-have, especially if you’re camping.
Lip balm and body lotion is highly recommended for the dry season. Certain areas get VERY DRY and your skin will be too.
Saline nose spray and moisturizing eye drops is something I yearned for throughout our entire Namibia road trip. It was the dry winter season and my nose and eyes suffered from the lack of moisture. You won’t be sorry to have these on hand.
Antihistamine is a great addition to your standard medical kit. Whether it’s for the pollen-driven sniffles or those stubborn mosquito bites, you’ll be happy to have it when you need it!
Burn shield is another medical kit essential, especially if you’re camping. You’ll be doing a lot of cooking on the fire and nasty burns happen quickly
One of our favourite campsites in the world, Family Hideout in Namib Rand, and almost the exact moment on our Namibia trip that I added nose spray and eye drops to our future safari packing lists
Safari Packing List: General advice
Lastly, a couple of nice-to-haves:
Books/Kindles are great for those lulls in between game drives. Find yourself a shady spot to spend those midday hours relaxing with a book
A pack of cards is the ultimate camp entertainment
A bird book is great for those longer safari trips where you start to slow down and look beyond the Big 5. Birding is really like the bushveld version of Pokémon GO. Roberts is our favourite.
A park map is obviously non-negotiable when you’re self-driving and can be purchased at the entrance of most national parks. They’re usually full of cool info on the area and the local fauna and flora.
**Bonus: French cricket set. We went on a group safari trip to Kgalagadi National Park and spent tons of time in the amazing camps during the hottest part of the day. Who knew that Nossob campsite was such a good spot for a social game of French cricket? And no, the games don’t take five days.
6 safari packing essentials spotted in one image of Matt enjoying sunset at the Kalahari Tented Camp in Kgalagadi (7 if you count beer as an essential—we do)
What not to pack for your safari trip
Okay, you’ve got your pack and you’re ready to go. Now just one last check to chuck out the stuff you definitely don’t need and make space for some cool souvenirs.
Hair straighteners and curlers. Listen, you will absolutely see some tannies (Afrikaans: Aunties) in the communal camp ablutions with rollers in their hair before the 5am game drive. But you’re going to be sitting in an open-air car in your own 4x4 vehicle with the windows open and that fancy do won’t last long.
Drones are banned in national parks and protected conservation areas, unless you’re David Attenborough. With South Africa’s relaxed rules, people try to get away with it all the time and it just serves to piss off the other safari goers and disturb all of the wildlife that you’re trying to see. Leave it at home.
Perfumes are a mosquito and bug magnet. Swap out your Chanel No.5 for Peaceful Sleep and you’ll thank us later.
Let us take care of your safari packing list
We love a self-drive safari and camping holiday so much that we started a business helping others to do it. The freedom, the peace, the adventure. It’s like nothing else. But there’s a fine line between enjoying and toiling – your gear and your camp setup need to be dialed.
This safari packing list works for any safari trip, but we think the way to do it properly is in a fully-kitted 4x4. If you’re doing the DIY route, head over to our gear list to build your set-up. Or better yet, book a Zulazula fully-kitted 4x4, check out our 4x4 driving tips and just bring your binos and sense of adventure…and your undies.
