What to put in your suitcase for an African safari?

Your Safari is booked and you are all set for a wonderful experience immersed in the heart of African nature.

Everyone has dreamed of being able to see with their own eyes the fabulous landscapes of the "Lion King" as well as its wild animals. An African safari turns out to be such a special practice to be done at least once in a lifetime for those crazy about nature and especially wildlife.

Will you have the good fortune to meet the Big Five (elephants, lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos) during your African safari?

I wish you that because I personally had this chance and it is a surreal emotion to walk only a few meters from these grandiose wild beasts.

Bag or suitcase for an African safari?

Bag or suitcase? This is the first problem that we can ask ourselves. The solution depends on the type of African safari you have booked.

Going on a private African safari?

It all depends on the number of people, the number of days of your Africa safari and the

size of the car you will be traveling with. But you can just as easily choose a suitcase as a bag.

To give you an idea, in general the 4 × 4 will be filled with your bags or private suitcases but also food and water for the entire period of the safari in Africa.

Also, in case you have chosen an African safari while camping, your motor vehicle will carry most of the necessary camping equipment (tents, mattresses, duvets etc…).

Keep in mind that it is necessary to take what is strictly necessary because space is not without limit.

Note, however, that it is easier to walk around using a bag rather than a rolling suitcase because the majority of accesses are not always organized for the latter. In case you choose to bring a suitcase I advise you to take one with wheels strong enough to have the possibility of

drag it into the "dirt" just in case.

To name just a few, you could select this model of suitcase:

Or this kind of backpack:

Without forgetting to take a small light bag that you will keep with you all day long, in which you will have everything you need during the day (cameras, accessories, small sweater…).

small bag example

Going on an African safari shared with a group?

In this case, the space could be more limited

in the 4 × 4. It is therefore advisable to think of finding a

bag that will allow you to take the bare necessities for the period of your safari in Africa.

Africa safari vehicles allow you to take

between 6 and 20 passengers. As a result, everything will depend on the size of your group.

To give you an example, I went on a 5 day African safari camping trip with a group. There were 6 of us in the vehicle that could accommodate 7 people + the guide maximum. The vehicle was well filled. Knowing that we had a tarpaulin on the roof with

different camping bags and mattresses.

It is wiser to select a backpack rather than a suitcase

for this kind of safari in Africa.

I recommend a backpack like this:

As well as a small bag for the day for photographic equipment, a small sweater etc ... such as these two:

However, if you are continuing your stay in the country after your African safari and if you have the opportunity to leave a big bag in a trusted hotel, I suggest you take a plus

small backpack if your safari in Africa does not exceed 4 - 5 days. It will be much more convenient for you to move around.

A bag like this for example:

Once the bag has been selected, you wonder, what will I take in this suitcase for my safari in Africa?

What clothes to take for an African safari?

Contrary to what many people may think, during your safari in Africa you will have a

much of your time in the car.

It is therefore not necessary to bring an astronomical quantity of clothes. Of course, it all depends on the

duration of your safari in Africa, however the most important thing is to be

comfortable in his clothes.

The ups for an African safari

Regardless of when you are going on your African safari, it is

vital to have the following clothes:

T-shirts

At least a sweater: it can get cold during the day. You should know that during the day when you walk in the national parks you walk with the roof open and therefore there may be

quite a bit of wind.

A small down jacket / or a

windproof to keep you warm especially at dusk when temperatures drop. Temperatures drop all the more during periods of rain (March-June).

A k-way will remain important to have especially if you are going on safari in Africa during the rainy season.

Socks for an African safari

Shorts / dresses in summer for hot sunny days

At a minimum, pants since the weather can change quickly and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Tracksuit / leggings: in the evening the temperatures decrease and you are always more comfortable in a jogging.

What shoes for an African safari?

As I said before, on the Africa safari you will be spending a lot of the time in the vehicle so there is no

no need to bring big and heavy mountain boots.

On the other hand, I advise you to opt for

a pair of sneakers you are comfortable with like these for example:

SNEAKER EXAMPLE

You should also take

a pair of sandals that can be useful at night at the campsite or at the lodge or even during the day if the weather is hot.

EXAMPLE TONGS

Personally, I did the safari in Africa with a pair of sneakers and a pair of slides and it was optimal for me.

Should we bring a sleeping bag or not for an African safari?

Going on a camping safari in Africa and you haven't been told if you should bring a sleeping bag?

Well, there is no rule to answer this question.

It all depends on the agency with which you booked your African safari.

As an indication, I went on my safari in Africa with a little summer sleeping bag (15 degrees) in June, it was right because

in the evening the temperatures may drop

drastically.

The tourists with whom I made the safari in Africa did not have down and the organization had made the necessary for them so I advise you to contact the organization with which you are going before your departure.

You should know, however, that you are going to Africa where

hygiene can be poor so I strongly suggest you take

un

meat bag you will slip into before entering the sleeping bag that will be given to you.

Ex meat bag S

In case you prefer to have your own down, I suggest a

light and compact enough down like this for an African safari:

EX DOWN

The ideal toiletry bag for an African safari

The toiletry bag is an essential element when preparing to go on a safari in Africa.

Logically, I would not mention the accessories that seem essential to me such as the

toothbrush, toothpaste, brush etc….

I will focus on

very useful elements not to be neglected when going on safari in Africa:

Soap / shampoo: if you sleep at the campsite, these are elements that should not be neglected. Small specific message for people with long hair: I recommend that you bring a good shampoo /

detangling if you go on a long enough African safari because with the roof open, when you wander the “sand / dirt” roads in search of the Big 5, your hair will go to harvest a good part of the land of the savannah. And it's not always easy

to untangle hair full of dust ...

A good sunscreen: even if the sun can hide behind the clouds, it hits a lot !! Remember, you are on the African continent and the sun does not strike the same as it does at home.

So protect your skin!

Wipes: they happen to be always appreciable on vacation and even more so with all the dirt that you will collect on you.

Mosquito repellent: Camping, nature, savannah, exotic places rhyme with mosquitoes, right ?! I suggest you bring a mosquito repellant before starting the adventure.

A small first aid kit: so as to anticipate any small mishap.

What kind of camera, its lenses and accessories for an African safari?

There you go, a large part of your suitcase is ready, but you are still missing it

“The most important” I would say… Namely the essential photographic equipment for

immortalize

this incredible adventure that you are about to join.

What kind of camera should you take for an African safari?

I could not advise you better than to take a good quality camera to bring back lots of beautiful photos from your safari in Africa. But of course, the budget issue arises. We don't all have the same budget for a camera.

Nowadays most phones take great photos, so grab your cell phone and you'll already have great images.

However, the disadvantage of cell phones remains the zoom ... Which will be a great disadvantage all the more in safari in Africa, site on which we want to take pictures of wild animals at more or less distances.

less close.

I therefore advise you to select a

SLR or hybrid type camera with interchangeable lenses to be able to cover a maximum of photographic possibilities.

Personally I sold my reflex to orient myself towards a hybrid before my departure for the safari in Africa and I do not regret this selection.

Things even more essential than the camera are the lenses.

What lenses to buy for an African safari?

You can invest in the most expensive camera in the world though if you don't have the

Adjusted objectives for the African safari, that won't do you any good.

During the Safari you will have the opportunity to see animals less than a meter from you and others around 100 meters from you. It is therefore important to be prepared for any eventuality.

For goals, depending on how much space you have in your luggage, I recommend that you have

at least:

A 15-45mm type lens for most landscapes without the need for a big zoom.

A telephoto lens greater than 300 mm, or even 400 mm. This telephoto lens will allow you to take magnificent photographs of the animals of the savannah. The price is certainly high for this kind of telephoto lens

but do not forget that you have the possibility of renting such a telephoto lens in specialized stores before your departure.

What are the essential photographic accessories for an African safari?

Once the camera and lenses are selected, you still have all the

accessories necessary for the success of beautiful photos of safari in Africa.

A tripod, a monopod, a gorillapod or a bean bag: an essential element to help you stabilize in the motor vehicle. This accessory is even more useful when you have a heavy telephoto lens. This will keep you from moving and

to end up with blurry photographs.

Add photos of the 4 tripods

Sun visor and filters: depending on the season and the sun, a polarizing filter but also a sun visor can be very useful and above all it does not take up much space.

Camera cleaning equipment: I recommend at least rags, a brush and a blower

Spare batteries: I left with 3 batteries to be sure not to run out. We could recharge in the vehicle, but this is not the case in all 4 × 4.

Memory cards: nothing is more frustrating than finding yourself in the middle of the hunt and having no more room on your memory cards. I therefore recommend that you take enough to

not to feel this frustration on the spot.

An action camera: it doesn't have to be, but can be useful for making movies. I left with a GoPro as well, and I'm so glad I got it.

External / solar battery: in the campsites there are few or no outlets to charge your electrical devices so I recommend that you invest in an external battery, it will be useful to you

necessarily.

For my part I use this one and it corresponds totally to me.

Binoculars: in some cars pairs of binoculars are provided but in others it is not.

With all of this you find yourself ready to take some amazing photographs during your African safari.

What other accessories are essential for an African safari?

Above all, you should not omit these last few very useful things to pack in your luggage before the safari in Africa:

A pair of sunglasses

A cap or a

hat: to protect you from the sun which is omnipresent on this continent

A scarf: to protect you from wind or dust. Believe me this is something that I am very happy to have had during my safari in Africa.

A flashlight: to get around at night.

This is it, you happen to be

all ready to embark on this formidable adventure. So don't hesitate to

come back to the site right after your African safari for us

tell your experience!