Safari Packing List Tanzania & Giraffe Manor in Kenya

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Safari Packing List Tanzania: Luggage for Your Adventure

I’ve been to 34 countries and making my safari packing list for Tanzania was one of the most challenging ones to date! Here’s everything I packed for Tanzania, what I used and didn’t use, and a few things I forgot to pack for the unforgettable adventure of my Tanzania safari!

Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Pack

Duffel bags or soft sided bags are highly recommended as they are more suitable for the travel conditions encountered during a Tanzania safari, such as limited luggage space on smaller planes and the necessity for flexibility while loading a safari vehicle. Avoid hard suitcases and you’ll be glad you did. Knowing how to pack light is also key! As a bonus, this brightly colored bag is easy to spot at baggage claim! This bag may not work as carry on luggage for all flights so check with your airline to see if it will need to be checked luggage.

Small Crossbody Purse

This is where I kept all my documents and it served as my purse while in transit. It’s the three little bears of purses, not too big, not too small, just right!

Think Tank Photo 18 L Backlight Camera Backpack

If you’re carrying a camera, make sure it’s well padded and protected because the vehicles can be quite bumpy. This bag also served as my day pack and I was happy to have a green bag because dark-colored bags typically show dirt less. This bag doesn’t fit under the seat for many airlines, so check with your carrier to see if it qualifies as a personal item or carry on luggage. Remember to never put camera gear or electronics in checked luggage!

Compression Packing Cubes

I go back and forth on the benefits of packing cubes. I like them in theory as they can help you keep like items together. These compression cubes are great at smushing things down, but sometimes trying to puzzle the cubes into your luggage just doesn’t go well. I guess what I’m saying is that your mileage may vary.

Toiletry Bag

I downsized to this smaller toiletry bag for this trip and it worked well enough. But this hanging toiletry organizer is still my first love.

Reusable Ziplocks

In June 2019, Tanzania implemented a ban on single-use plastic bags. Ziplocks used to carry toiletries are permitted, but may not be disposed of while in Tanzania. These reusable ziptop bags are the perfect eco-friendly alternative for a Tanzania safari.

Packing List

When preparing for your trip, having a comprehensive safari packing list is crucial. A well-thought-out Tanzania safari packing list ensures you have all the essential items needed for a comfortable and enjoyable adventure. It also prevents you from overpacking, which is a trap I fell into on this trip!

Do your best to keep it minimal when packing for an African safari and consider using laundry service and/or sink laundry during your trip. Pick pieces that mix and match easily and don’t need to be ironed since they’ll be smushed into a duffel bag. You’ll be glad you did!

Essential Clothing

When planning for a Tanzania safari, it’s crucial to choose appropriate clothing that ensures comfort and safety. A good general rule of thumb is to avoid blacks and dark blues (which attract biting tsetse flies), white (it gets dirty easily and stands out, possibly alarming the animals), and denim (too dang hot). Stick to neutrals as bright colours that are not found in nature might scare the animals away.

Before my trip, I pre-treated all my clothing with Permethrin Clothing spray as an added level of protection against flies and mosquito bites.

Here’s what I packed:

• 3 pairs of pants (green, black, khaki)

• 2 pairs of shorts (green, khaki) – I would have been fine with one pair as I preferred pants for sun protection.

• 2 white tank tops for layering – I could have done without these since I found it too hot to layer.

• 1 gray t-shirt

• 3 button down long sleeve shirts (white, light green, dark green)

• 2 dresses (a knee-length blue and white striped dress and a black and white spaghetti strapped maxi dress similar)

• 1 jumper (orange) – This was for photos at Giraffe Manor and that was the only time I wore it, so it was a waste of space for the Tanzania safari portion of my trip. I knew this going into the trip and the photos are cute, so no regrets!

• 3 bras

• 5 pairs of underwear – Halfway through my trip I used laundry service at one of the tented camps. In the interim, I hand-washed things in the sink. ExOfficio underwear and bras are quick drying, which is useful when doing laundry on the go.

• 6 pairs of socks (1 pair of compression socks for the long flights)

• chub rub shorts go to under dresses

• 1 set of pjs

• one bathing suit

• one swim coverup

• one rashguard – I knew I was going snorkeling in Zanzibar and I am serious about my sun protection, so this was worth the extra weight to me

• one baseball cap – Oh, how I wish I could be a cute hat girl, but alas!

• one scarf that I ended up not using the entire trip

Shoes

I feel like I did a fantastic job with my shoe selection for this trip, bringing only two pairs. It’s important to bring hiking boots for activities like safaris, as they provide the necessary ankle support and comfort for outdoor adventures.

• Trail runners – I wore these on the plane so I didn’t have to pack them which helped with luggage weight restrictions. They’re comfortable walking shoes that are sturdy, have good ankle support, and are more water-resistant than tennis shoes. Hiking boots would have been a decent alternative, but I didn’t see the point in buying a pair when my trail runners were broken in and served the same purpose.

• Sandals – These worked equally well with the dresses I packed as they did with my bathing suit and cover up. Flip flops would have been a decent alternative, but comfortable shoes are king and I preferred these sandals with a little more arch support.

Outerwear

I spent a lot of time and careful consideration when packing outerwear. I traveled in July, which is typically the cool and dry season in the Serengeti. Temperatures range from 55 to 77 Fahrenheit and I know that I’m the type of person who is cold at 55, so I packed too much outerwear that was too warm.

• A fleece jacket with waterproof shell

• A wool puffer vest

• A cotton utility jacket

I could have gotten away with just the cotton utility jacket on my trip, but it was nice to have the fleece with the waterproof shell on the one rainy evening we had. For the summer months and rainy season, a light rain jacket should suffice. The wool puffer vest was unnecessary for July and stayed in my bag the entire time.

Toiletries

I don’t typically wear a lot of makeup and this trip was no exception. I kept my toiletries light, choosing things that did double duty whenever possible. You won’t find hair dryers at most of the accommodations, but I’d suggest not packing one if you can avoid it. You’re going to have a lot of early morning wake up calls, so I suggest showering at night and doing an abbreviated getting ready process to start the day.

• 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner

• moisturizer

• face sunscreen

• body sunscreen

• insect repellent

• saline nasal spray – it can get dusty when you’re driving with the roof open

• eye drops – good for dealing with dust and dry eyes on flights

• toothbrush

• toothpaste

• comb and brush

• deodorant

• soap sheets

• tampons

• hair ties

• antibacterial wet wipes

• nail clipper and file – Am I the only one who ends up with super jagged broken nails when I travel?

Medicine

• The two prescriptions I regularly take in their original bottles – I packed several extra days in case I encountered travel delays

• Prescribed Malaria Pills

• Prescribed Antibiotics – My travel doctor prescribed a Z-pack to take in case I got ill during the trip. Thankfully I didn’t end up needing them!

• First Aid Kit

• Advil

• Pepto

• Tums

• Immodium

• Lactaid – I love dairy, it doesn’t love me

• Dramamine – I’d read that some people get motion sick on safari vehicles, thankfully I didn’t have a problem

• Sudafed

• Zyrtec

• A Covid test and 2 masks

Travel Documents

Be sure to pack these essential documents!

• Passport

• Visas

• Vaccine card – because I was going back and forth between Kenya and Tanzania, I needed a yellow fever certificate

• Driver’s License

• Cash – I brought both USD and Kenyan shillings I was able to get from my bank. I changed USD for Tanzanian shillings when I landed in Tanzania. Be sure to bring cash, especially small denominations of USD as it’s preferred by many in Tanzania.

• Credit cards – I brought three, making sure to have both a Visa, a Mastercard, and an American Express. I also made sure they had no foreign transaction fees and were from different banks in case one bank got fussy about the international charges.

• Debit card – Again, look for one with no foreign transaction fees like the Schwab debit card.

• Travel insurance documents

• Emergency contacts

• Printed copies of all confirmations – Nothing’s worse than needing travel information from your phone and not having good service

Miscellaneous

Your mileage may vary on some of these, but I brought and used all of them.

• A filtered water bottle

• electrolytes – I get dehydrated easily, so I always bring these when traveling to warm climates

• a pen

• pocket notebook

• waterproof phone case

• snorkel mask – My vision is atrocious so I have a prescription snorkel mask that I travel with

• sunglasses

• mini laundry detergent packs
  

• foldable tote bag – You never know when an extra little bag will come in handy! This was great for the beach and snorkel boat.

• case for my glasses – To put my glasses in while sleeping on the flight or while snorkeling so they don’t get lost or broken on the boat

Camera Equipment and Electronics

Electronics and camera equipment are pretty personal choices: Apple or Samsung? Canon or Nikon? This is what I brought, you can of course bring your brand of choice equivalents.

• Phone and charger

• Backup battery for phone

• Kindle and charger

• Apple watch and charger – I love this charger which allows you to charge your phone, watch, and AirPods all with one plug

• Type G power adaptor – this one is great because it has multiple plugs and USB ports

• USB to 3 types of plugs cable

• GoPro and mounts

• Canon R6 Camera Body

• Canon RF 16mm/2.8 lens – didn’t pull it out of my bag once

• Canon RF 24-105mm/2.8 lens

• Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.L lens – I rented this and it was on my camera 98% of the trip

• Solar power bank – this came in very handy as not all of the tented camps I stayed at had 24/7 power

• Camera batteries and battery charger

• Memory cards for my camera and GoPro

• Lens cloth

• Note: I did not pack binoculars because they were provided by my Tanzania safari tour operator
  

Things I Wish I Had Packed

• Anti-itch cream – While I didn’t get a lot of mosquito bites, it would have been nice to have this for the few I did get.

Proper preparation for a Tanzania safari trip is essential to ensure a comfortable and memorable adventure.

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