Packing for a safari is not like packing for your standard tour. For a start, you’ll spend most of your days in a van bumping over harsh roads so you’ll want to be comfortable. You don’t want to scare off the wildlife and you want to make sure you’re protected from mosquitos or safari ants (depending on where you are) and that your clothes will survive the dusty African plains.

That’s some heavy-duty work your clothes are going to need to do!

Let’s start with colour. There’s a reason every African movie you’ve ever seen has the stars dressed in beige or khaki. And while you don’t need to look like you’ve just stepped off the set of Out of Africa, neutral colours will ensure you don’t scare off the wildlife while bright colours will help to keep the wildlife away. When it comes to safari and trying to spot the wildlife, anything that makes it easier should be welcomed. You also don’t want to wear anything too dark, as well as generally being hotter colours to wear, dark colours attract the mosquitoes and whether you’re in a malaria-prone area or not, you really want to try and keep the mosquitos away if you can.

While we’re on textures, loose-fitting is best, again it will keep you cooler and keep the mosquitos away from your skin. We’d recommend long loose-fitting pants and shirts to keep you covered if you’re planning a walk through the bush, particularly if you’re gorilla trekking. Long sleeves and pants will help to keep your arms and legs free from scratches.

Remember we mentioned those safari ants? If you’re going somewhere where they are present you’ll definitely want to wear long pants and thick socks that you can tuck your pants into. You don’t want to get bitten by a safari ant.

While it’s logical to assume that travelling to Africa means long hot days, the nights and mornings can get cool, so make sure you take a couple of jumpers and a lightweight jacket in case it rains. Trust us, it does rain here and when it does, it absolutely pours.

So before you head off, here’s our list of what to pack on an African safari:

(We’re going to assume you’ve got the basics, like underwear sorted)

• T-shirts
• Lightweight, long-sleeve shirt
• Jumper
• Lightweight, waterproof Jacket
• Long pants
• Thick socks
• Light socks for days in the van
• Thongs or sandals for around the hotel or campsite
• Closed-toe and sturdy walking shoes, especially if you’re going on a gorilla trek or long hike
• A cap or good hat that won’t blow off at the first sign of wind
• Sunglasses, of course, the African sun can be very bright.

Toiletries

As well as your standards make sure you take:

• Any medication you need as well as malaria tablets if in a malaria zone.
• Prescription glasses, even if you normally wear contact lenses you might find the dust will make wearing contacts uncomfortable.
• A good sunscreen
• Mosquito spray

Electronics

• A good camera – you don’t want to miss that lion in the distance, or the stunning vistas. Extra batteries and compact flash cards. There’ll be photo opportunities at every turn, you won’t want to miss any of them!
• Chargers for your phone, your camera and any other electrical device you’re travelling with. Take your chargers – or a power bank – out on safari with you too. You can be out on the plains all day and might need to charge your devices along the way.
• Headlamp or a good torch. You might be in tented accommodation or want to do a night walk (check with your guide first of course!).