My Safari Packing List: What I Actually Bring to East Africa
Every night in the field, after the last light has gone, I do the same thing. I clean my camera. I back up every photograph and every frame of video from the day. I charge everything that can be charged, check every connection, and pack the bag for the morning. By the time I sleep, nothing is left to chance.
This habit came from experience — specifically, from the kind of experience you only have once. The remote lodges of East Africa are extraordinary places. They are not, however, places where you can easily source a charging cable, a spare battery, or, as I discovered one year after a difficult bush walk, a plaster. It took three lodges to find one.
The lesson is simple: bring doubles of anything you cannot do without, and don't bring anything you can get at the lodge. Everything else is just packing well.
This is my list. It is not exhaustive, and it is not prescriptive. It is what I travel with after years of refining, discarding, and occasionally regretting.
Pack Less Than You Think You Need
The lodges across Kenya and Tanzania offer daily laundry. What you wear on a morning game drive is back in your wardrobe by evening. This changes everything about how you pack.
For a two-to-four week trip, I travel light. A single carry-on-sized bag and a camera bag. Moving between conservancies by light aircraft — which is often the only way in — means luggage limits are strict and excess weight is genuinely inconvenient. Beyond the practicality, there is something clarifying about having less. You spend no time deciding what to wear. You know exactly where everything is.
Neutral colours throughout. Khaki, olive, sand, warm grey. In East Africa, dark colours — black and navy especially — attract tsetse flies and absorb heat. Bright colours disturb animals on a game drive. Earth tones keep you cool, keep you unobtrusive, and look considered rather than effortful.
The best packing list is the one where nothing is missing and nothing is wasted.
Clothing: Dress for Two Climates in One Day
A single day on safari spans a remarkable temperature range. Pre-dawn game drives can be cold — genuinely cold, 10°C or below at altitude — and by midday the heat is serious. The answer is layers you can remove, in fabrics that breathe.
I pack for the day and the evening as two separate wardrobes. What I wear on a game drive — dusty, sun-faded, practical — is not what I wear at dinner. The lodges have a particular kind of evening atmosphere worth dressing for, and the distinction keeps things feeling civilised even in very remote places.
- 1
Lightweight trousers × 3 Linen or cotton. Neutral tones. These are your workhorse.
- 2
Long-sleeve shirts × 4 Natural fabrics. Sun protection without bulk.
- 3
T-shirts × 3 For layering under fleece on cold mornings.
- 4
Activewear / base layer × 1 For early drives when it's genuinely cold.
- 5
Evening wear × 2 Something considered for dinner. Lightweight, packable.
- 6
Light jacket For warm evenings and mild days.
- 7
Fleece or mid-layer Essential for pre-dawn drives, especially at elevation.
- 8
Rain jacket Compact, packable. Short rains can arrive without warning.
- 9
Swimsuit Most lodges have a pool. You will use it.
- 10
Two oversized scarves One light, one heavier. Dust, wind, cold mornings, improvised sun cover.
- 11
Hiking boots (high-top) × 1 pair For bush walks. Ankle support matters on uneven ground.
- 12
Trainers × 1 pair Game drives and around the lodge.
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Sandals or flip-flops × 1 pair Evenings and pool.
- 14
Safari hat Wide brim. Non-negotiable.
- 15
Warm beanie For cold morning drives — sounds absurd until you need it.
- 16
Hiking socks × 4 pairs Boody if possible. Worth the weight.
Laundry note Daily laundry service is standard at virtually all lodges. You can pack significantly less clothing than you think. If you're unsure, pack less and have things laundered on day one.
Photography Gear: What I Actually Travel With
I shoot Canon. I learned on Canon, I know Canon, and it is what I reach for without thinking — which matters when something is moving fast in low light and you have a fraction of a second. That said, I am not evangelical about it. Modern cameras across all the major manufacturers are exceptional.
Shoot with what you know.
I travel with my own primary lens and rent the same lens as a backup, plus a long lens, from a reputable hire company before I leave. Renting locally in East Africa is not straightforward — it is better to arrange this before you travel and carry everything you need.
For video and aerial work I use a GoPro and a DJI Osmo. Both are compact, robust, and handle dust and heat well.
Most modern camera bodies have built-in dust protection, which is reassuring when you are on a dirt road at speed with the windows open. Even so, I clean my sensor and lenses every evening without exception. Dust accumulates gradually and ruins photographs in ways you don't notice until you're back in the edit.
- 1
Primary camera body Canon. Bring what you know and shoot well.
- 2
Primary lens Your own. Know it before you travel.
- 3
Rental: backup lens Same as primary — arrange hire before departure. (lensrental.com)
- 4
Rental: long lens Essential for distant subjects. 500mm+ for serious wildlife work. (lensrental.com)
- 5
GoPro For vehicle shots, behind-the-scenes, immersive video.
- 6
DJI Osmo Stabilised video. Compact and reliable in the field.
- 7
Peak Design camera strap Carbon-neutral brand. Their straps are genuinely excellent.
- 8
Peak Design travel bag Carries camera gear and daily essentials. Well-designed for aircraft.
- 9
Peak Design backpack For bush walks when you need hands free.
- 10
Spare batteries × doubles Cannot be sourced easily at remote lodges. Bring twice what you think you need.
- 11
Charging cables × doubles Same rule. Every cable, duplicated.
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Portable power bank × 2 Vehicle charging is not always available on long drives.
- 13
Memory cards × several Back up every evening to a laptop or external drive.
- 14
Lens cloths and blower Clean every night. Don't wait until you see the dust in your shots.
- 15
Bean bag for vehicle window Steadier than a tripod on a game drive vehicle. Small, light, invaluable.
Peak Design: note Peak Design is a certified carbon-neutral company — worth knowing if sustainability matters in your purchasing decisions. Their travel gear is designed for photographers specifically and holds up extremely well in the field.
Doubles rule: Batteries and charging cables are the two things you cannot improvise. I have spent significant time and inconvenience at remote lodges because of a single failed cable. Bring doubles of both without exception.
What You Don't Need to Bring
This section is as useful as the packing list itself.
The lodges across Kenya and Tanzania — from the remote fly-in camps in Samburu to the larger properties in the Maasai Mara — consistently provide body soap, shampoo, conditioner, and hair dryers. There is no need to carry these. Use the weight allowance for something else.
Towels, robes, and basic sundries are universally provided. If a lodge is accessible by light aircraft, it is resourced enough to look after you properly.
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Heavy face moisturiser Non-negotiable. The air is dry and the sun is serious.
- 2
High-SPF sunblock Reapply throughout the day. This is not optional.
- 3
Conditioner Bring your own — lodge conditioner is often insufficient.
- 4
Lip balm with SPF Forgotten by most, missed immediately.
- 5
Body soap Use the lodge's.
- 6
Shampoo Use the lodge's.
- 7
Hair dryer Use the lodge's.
- 8
Anything else Bring what you genuinely cannot live without. Nothing more.
My approach: bring what I cannot live without and leave everything else behind. For me that is a good moisturiser, sunblock, and my own conditioner. Everything else the lodge handles. Also contact your lodges to verify what they provide.
