What Should You Pack For Your Next Photo Safari

What Should You Pack for Your Next Safari

One of the most significant issues you will face is the weight and size of your luggage. The small regional planes that fly in and out of your safari camps have strict weight limits. The planes need to be balanced out for safety, so even a passenger's weight is calculated.

Luckily most camps that you fly into will also offer laundry services as well as a full range of shampoo and soap. The key phrase here on safari is "dress-down" – a safari is also not a fancy affair by any means, and even the most luxurious camps will not expect you to dine in anything more elaborate than khaki pants and a shirt.

You can survive with enough clothes to last you three days and plan on getting your clothing laundered. Nearly every camp or lodge will offer same-day service… or you can even buy quick-dry clothes as I do. Baggage on safari should be carefully considered. One soft-sided bag and one camera bag per person is recommended, weighing not more than 20kg to 35kg depending on where you are going.

Days on safari are generally hot and call for shorts and a t-shirt. In the mornings and evenings, long-sleeved shirts and pants are better and will also protect you from mosquitoes and Tsetse flies. For those sensitive to the sun, a loose cotton shirt is a good bet during the day, as is sunscreen.

For colder mornings, layering clothing helps keep you warm and is a convenient way to ensure you're wearing what you need as the day heats up. Some lodges have a dress code, but this is quite liberal, with some restrictions on shorts and swimsuits in the evening.

Dull or neutral colors are suggested and suitable for safari; you want to blend in as much as possible with nature. The tsetse fly is attracted to bright colors, very dark colors, metallic fabric, and blue.

Here is a Safari Checklist

Sunblock, sunglasses, wide-brimmed hat, lip balm with a strong SPF.

Blouses/ shirts with long sleeves (even in summer, they will protect you from the sun and from tsetse flies) Khaki, green, beige and neutral colors T-shirts; shorts or a light skirt; cotton pants or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days

Fleece or sweater and a warm jacket for game drives (necessary, even in summer)

Sandals or rubber thongs (for showers and boats, not for general use in the bush as you're going to want to protect your feet from poisonous snakes, thorns and rocky terrain.

Jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days Comfortable hiking or walking shoes

A light, compact raincoat is a good idea for the summer

Swimsuit, as most hotels and lodges and high-end camps, have swimming pools

Binoculars

I Also Recommend The Following

Flashlight

Personal toiletries

Tissues (for when the dust gets up your nose on a game drive)

Insect repellent and malaria tablets, depending on where you're going

Credit and ATM cards

Check to see if your bank has international ATM locations to avoid high fees, and let your bank know you'll be traveling abroad before you leave.

Contact information

Driver's license and photocopies kept in a separate bag

Health-insurance card

Evacuation Traveller's insurance. I suggest Ripcord – CLICK HERE

Passports and photocopies of passports are kept in a separate bag or on your smartphone.

Photograph of luggage contents in case of loss and keep them on your phone

Printouts of reservations

Travel journal Inoculation certificate – remember, if traveling to Zambia or East Africa, you need to have a yellow fever inoculation (no less than 10 days prior to travel) and will need to have a certificate/card as proof when entering the country. Consult with your local travel clinic.

Camera Gear

You need a DSRL camera to take on safari in Africa, and a backup camera.

You need a good telephoto zoom lens with a reach of at least 400mm. I prefer a zoom lens over Prime lenses.

You need a wider lens for photographing landscapes, which are often just as interesting as the animals. I use 24-70mm as my main lens when we travel, also in Africa.

If you like really wide landscape pictures, you may want an even wider lens, like 16-35mm or 17-40mm. If you have a regular DSRL camera without the full-frame sensor, you'll probably need a lens of at least 18-55mm for regular landscape shots and one from 10-18mm for wide-angle photography.

You will need a tripod to photograph animals and landscapes in low-light conditions (morning or evening) at the waterholes if you are not in a vehicle.

Take more than enough batteries and memory cards when traveling to Africa – at least twice as much as for a regular trip. Charging batteries might not always be possible (certainly if you are camping), and you won't find many places selling batteries or memory cards. Generally, most camps I stay at have full charging at the camp. Either in the main area or in your tent. Even the safari vehicles might have charging capabilities.

I would also suggest an Anker power bank.

Ready, set, start looking for your next safari!

Before you go, why dont you check out my lineup of Safaris that I lead in Africa. Learn More>