Tropical hat, camera and a sand-colored jeep – then you’re ready to go! But what else to bring along on a safari? To answer that question, of course, you must know what a safari is all about!
Safaris are a great and rare way to get to know the flora and fauna of our planet in an extraordinary way. Ultimately, no safari is like any other and the equipment required depends heavily on the circumstances of the safari. We report from our experience of a safari through the northern national parks of Tanzania: the Serengeti, Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro.
What a safari is can be explained in quite simple terms. Most travelers choose a safari of at least three days, but even a week is not uncommon. During your safari, you spend a lot of time in the jeep. Because either you are on a game drive or you drive from one national park to another. The time in between, i.e. especially in the evening, you are on camping sites or in lodges to spend the night. Unless you have left some of your luggage at the lodge that you stay at before and after your safari, you will carry all of it with you in the jeep.
Temperatures and weather conditions during your safari depend heavily on the time of year and the time of day you are on the road. During the rainy season in Tanzania it is a bit cooler and, as expected, rainier than during the dry season. During this time, temperatures can drop to around 15 degrees Celsius early in the morning and rise to over 30 degrees during the day. During the dry season the temperatures are a few degrees higher. All in all, however, it is warm all year round with temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius.
The packing list below is suitable for safaris through Tanzania’s National Parks all year round. In any case, we recommend that you dress according to the “onion principle”, i.e. different layers of clothes you can easily put on or off. Thus, you can easily switch between warmer and lighter clothes. The packing list gives an example of clothing for a four-day safari. You can easily adjust the number of items according to the length of your safari. If you are looking for a packing list for an ascent of Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru, just have a look here.
The packing list is subdivided into five sections:
1) Clothing
- Sports socks (thin) | 4-5 pairs
Breathable, to avoid sweaty feet (cut short according to preference) - Underwear | As required
Classic, depending on the duration of the safari - Short-sleeved T-shirts | 3 x
Generally relevant; avoid cotton as it dries less easily - Long-sleeved T-shirts | 1-2 x
Occasionally relevant for protection against sunlight and mosquitoes; avoid cotton as it dries less easily - Fleece jacket / -vest | 1 x
Very much recommended to stay warm in the early morning or late evening hours - Down jacket (thin) / Softshell | 1 x
Comparable to fleece jacket / -vest, but offers more protection against moisture - Hiking / Trekking trousers (thin) | 1 x
If possible, quick-drying and with zipper for detaching the legs - Shorts | 2 x
Due to the temperatures most of the time relevant - Sweatpants (thin) | 1 x
In the evenings in the camps or lodges and to sleep if necessary - Rain cape or thin water-repellent clothing | 1 x
Mainly relevant during the rainy season - Hat / Cap | 1 x
Thin, with sun protection - Tennis or casual shoes | 1-2 pairs
Two pairs can make sense if you expect wet feet from rain or heavy sweating - Flipflops or sandals | 1 pair
Advisable to walk around in the camps or lodges - Swimwear | 1 x
Particularly relevant for lodges that are usually equipped with a pol
2) Safari gear
- Travel bag, rucksack or suitcase
Your choice, although we would recommend travel bags or backpacks due to their easier handling - Daypack
Size of your choice to transport smaller items when you are outside the jeep, camp or lodge - Raincover
For the daypack to protect against rain and dust, was part of our backpack (but not a “must”) - Linen sleeping bag
Thin sleeping bag suitable for higher temperatures. We have used it as the “inner part” of the provided sleeping bag (not a “must”; it is best to check with your operator if it is included by default) - Pillows (camping safaris only)
Highly recommended, as not all operators provide pillows and pillows made of clothes are only of limited use - Headlamp (camping safaris only)
For the time after sunset in the camps - (Small) Flashlight / Torch
For the time after sunset in the camps and possibly also relevant in the lodges for observing animals at night - Sunglasses
Should be of good quality - Alarm clock
For your daily routine, e.g. also as part of a smartphone - Binoculars
- Camera
Incl. enough memory for photos and videos - Batteries
As required for camera, headlamp etc. - Plastic bags / Garbage bags
For worn clothes and litter - Resealable bags / Sachets
For toiletries and other small items - Padlock
To secure bags / backpacks
3) First-aid kit
- Insect repellent spray
Against mosquitos or other insects; against insect bites you can use e.g. Soventol - Painkillers
Should be once with and once without antipyretic effect (e.g. paracetamol) - Antibiotics
Broadband if possible - Antiallergic
In any case advisable, if you, for instance, react allergic to food (e.g. Cetirizine) - Gastrointestinal tract
One product against stomach cramps (e.g. Buscopan) and one product against diarrhea (e.g. charcoal tablets) - Malaria pills
As standby medication to be taken orally if required (e.g. Malarone) - Band-aids for blisters
4) Cosmetics & toiletries
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Facial moisturizer
- Hand lotion
- Deodorant
- Razor
- Shampoo Shower Gel
- Wet wipes (especially for camping safaris)
- Disinfectant wipes (especially for camping safaris)
As required, can complement wet wipes and disinfectant gel - Disinfection gel for the hands
- Handkerchiefs
- Earplugs (especially for camping safaris)
- Sleeping mask (especially for camping safaris)
- Cotton buds
For example Q-Tips - Small and large towel
For drying the face, hands etc.; should be fast drying (large towel only for camping safaris) - Sunscreen
With high sun protection factor (sun blocker) - Lip balm with sun protection
If possible, with a high sun protection factor - Toiletries bag
Ideally with a noose to hang up
5) Documents
- Vaccination certificate
To present in case of asked for when entering Tanzania (we did not need it) - Passport
Absolutely! - Passport photos
You can take some to be on the safe side, but they are not required - Insurance certificate
Health insurance or other - Tickets
For flights, bookings etc. - Credit card
- Cash
At the beginning, we only had USD with us, and later withdrew Tanzanian Shillings at the ATMs; take sufficient cash for tips - Envelope
E.g. for safekeeping and distribution of tips - Visa
To be carried along in case you have organized it before departure (recommended); otherwise a visa application on-site is possible (visa on arrival) - Telephone numbers / addresses
Also numbers / contacts for emergencies
The packing list explicitly outlines the things you need for a safari in Tanzania. It can be supplemented with personal items and utensils as required (e.g. a travel diary, (card) games, headphones or whatever else you fancy). Things that you would carry with you during another type of trip and which are not specific safari (e.g. chargers for smartphones, laptops, diving goggles, etc.) should also be considered separately.
If you want to get a better idea of what a safari in Tanzania feels like and which things might be relevant for you personally, just have a look here. We have traveled through the national parks Serengeti, Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro and have summarized our experiences for you. If you would like to use the packing list directly for your safari preparation, you can simply download it here and print it if necessary. If you are looking for a packing list for an ascent of Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru, simply have a look here.