Are you planning to go on a safari in Serengeti National Park? Knowing what to pack is very important. You don’t want to bring excess items that you might end up not using or end up forgetting items that are very essential. While packing list will depend on season and the length of your safari in Serengeti, it is important to have an idea on what items to bring.
So, what should you pack when going on a safari to Serengeti National Park? Your Serengeti Safari Packing List should include comfortable and breathable clothing, luggage, personal hygiene products, travel documents, camera gear and electronics, and a first aid kit. Let’s look at each of them in details essential items in each category.
1. Luggage/ baggage
- Packing cubes to maximize on space
- Soft sided bag or duffel bags for carrying your cameras and personal items during the game drives
- Ziplock bags to pack your camera gear, toiletries and wet clothes
2. Clothing
You don’t need specific safari clothes. Regular casual clothes will do; they just need to be comfortable and lightweight. It is recommended to bring clothes made of breathable fabric, as it can get hot during game drives. While not mandatory, it is recommended to bring clothes with neutral colors such as khaki, green, brown, beige and olive, as the roads tend to be dusty. The number of clothing items can be adjusted depending on the length of safari and on one’s preference.
- Light fleece jacket/ warm sweater
- 2-3 T-shirts/ short-sleeved shirt
- 2-3 Long-sleeved shirts/ blouse
- 2-3 Shorts
- 1 Pair of comfortable walking shoe
- 1 Pair of sandals/flip-flops to wear around the lodge
- 2-3 Long pants
- 1 Swim suit if your lodge has a swimming pool
- 5 Pairs of Socks
- 5 Underwear
- 1 Hat
- 3-4 Sports bra
- Light scarf
- Pajamas
3. Personal Hygiene Products/ Personal Items
- Hand sanitizer/ wet wipes
- Sunscreen
- Toilet paper
- Lip balm
- Tooth brush
- Soap
- Tooth paste
- Shampoo
- Deodorant
- Comb
- Insect repellant
- Sun glasses
- Water bottle
*Most lodges provide toiletry
4. Camera Gear and Electronics
- Camera
- Extra memory card
- Extra batteries
- Travel adapters /chargers for your devices
- Binoculars
- Power bank
5. Travel Documents
- Valid passport
- Credit/debit cards
- A copy of your insurance
- Vaccination records
- Yellow fever vaccination card if you’re are coming from a country with yellow fever
- Cash (USD)
6. First Aid Kit
- Any prescription medicine you may have
- Pain killers
- Eye drops
- Antidiarrheal tablets
- Band aids
- Antihistamine
- Anti-Malaria Tablets
7. Miscellaneous
- Books/ magazines/ novel
- Snacks-sweets, nuts
- Pen
- Journal
What Not to Bring when Going to Serengeti
- Drones
- Avoid camouflage/ military clothing
- Avoid heels
- Single use plastic bags
- Expensive jewelry
Important Tipså
- Have a photocopy of your travel documents and, if possible, have a soft copy on Google drive/ Google docs
- Whenever possible, avoid carrying hard-sided luggage such as suitcases. Soft-sided bags are easier to pack on safari vehicles and smaller local aircraft.
- Pack light–most lodges offer daily laundry services
- If possible, mix both long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirts. Also, pack both long pants and shorts or bring convertible zip-off pants.
- Lodges/accommodations laundry don’t wash undergarments. You’ll need to wash them yourself.
- Carry clothes made from quick ring material
- If you’ll be flying to or from Serengeti National Park, there is a maximum weight limit of 15Kgs
Take away,
The above items are in no way mandatory but they are essential and will make your safari in Serengeti smooth an more enjoyable.
