Packing for an African safari can be a daunting task and knowing what not to pack can be as essential as knowing what you should carry with you. In this article I will break down 10 things you should avoid wearing on an African safari and the reasons why they are not good packing options.
I have lived in Kenya all my life and visited a number of safari destinations in East Africa. This list is based on my personal experiences and research.
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Learn MoreThe things you should not wear on an African safari
Below are the 10 things you should refrain from wearing when going on an African safari in East Africa.
1. Camo or military style clothing
African Governments treat people dressed in military clothing with a lot of suspicion. You are likely to get in trouble with the law of you wear any Camo clothing or anything that makes you look like military.
The Kenyan government recently warned that it would arrest anyone wearing military clothing.
2. Expensive Jewellery
Wearing something very precious on your African Safari is unwise and you’re asking for trouble.
To begin with, you will either have to carry it on your person everywhere you go or else will have to request your hotel or camp to keep it in safe storage.
On top of this, if you will be walking in any urban areas, you risk loosing your watch, earrings or necklace to the snatch and grab pickpockets who will be drawn to you since you are a foreigner.
To make matters worse, wearing expensive jewellery will be announcing to people around you that you have money and this is not a wise thing to do in a foreign country.
I don’t mean to scare you by the above. My intention is to help you avoid small errors that may ruin your holiday. This is not to say that all tourists face such risks or that you will be mugged if you wear expensive jewellery.
3. White Clothes
White Clothes are impractical on an African Safari. This is because of the large amounts of dust in many Safari destinations in Africa.
The fine dust itself comes from red volcanic soil and it has a really effective way of staining white clothes. Keeping any clothing white is a tough task and you will be well advised to stay away from it.
4. Dark blue or black clothes
If you will be visiting the Masai Mara or Serengeti, you will need to deal with tsetse flies. As I wrote in the article on how to deal with tsetse flies the Maasai Mara, these insects are attracted to dark blue and black colours. This means that you will be more susceptible to getting bitten than when you wear neutral colours like brown.
5. Bright colors like Yellow, and Red
When out on a safari drive your main goal will be to blend in with the environment to allow you to observe the wildlife’s normal behaviour in their natural habitat. Very bright colors like yellow and red draw the attention of animals easily and maybe disruptive when you approach and try to photograph wildlife on your safari drive.
6. Very warm underclothes
Temperatures in many of the African safari destinations can range from 16°C to 28°C. To ensure that you keep warm in the mornings when it’s very cold and keep cool during the day when it gets hot, it is important that you layer your clothes with light undergarments and warmer outer garment.
This will ensure that when he gets very hot, your last layer of clothes will not be too hot to make you uncomfortable.
7. Heels
Heels are both impractical and uncomfortable as a shoe for your Safari. Most safari destinations do not have evenly paved paths that will allow you to work comfortably in heels. This means that you will have to walk extremely carefully if you’re going to be wearing heels on the African Safari.
The other reason why heels are a bad choice for your African safari is that you will be seated for long periods and heels may not be very comfortable in this scenario.
8. Non absorbent clothing
As I’ve mentioned earlier temperatures in most safari destinations in Africa can go as high as 28°C. This means that you are likely to sweat a lot and the kinds of clothes you wear will help to manage this.
You should have void wearing clothing with non-absorbent fabric like nylon.
9. Skirts or dresses
Skirts and dresses are appropriate for your African safari but may not be very convenient or comfortable. A number of tour vehicles are high and you may feel uncomfortable getting on and off the vehicle if you’re wearing a dress or skirt.
10. Very revealing clothing
As I mentioned in the post about whether shorts are appropriate in Kenya, very revealing clothes are deemed inappropriate by many African cultures. You are likely to offend the local communities of the places you’ll be visiting if you wear very revealing clothes. This will especially be the case if you will be interacting with a lot of local residents.
What are the best shoes for an African Safari
The best shoes when going for an African safari should be lightweight breathable flat and easy to clean. A normal pair of sneakers that breathe well would be appropriate especially if you’re not going to be doing a lot of hiking.
You can also plan to get a pair of sandals that you will use on some of the hot days when travelling.
I have written an extensive article on the best shoes for an African safari and you can check it out to see the best options for different genders and the best shoes for kids going to an African safari.
Comprehensive packing list for an East African Safari.
When preparing for an African safari you need to think carefully about what you will carry since there are baggage limits and you also want to dress appropriately for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. I prepared an extensive packing list for your African Safari and also created a downloadable PDF. You can check out the packing list with the downloadable PDF here
A Final Word
As you prepare for your trip to Africa, I would like to recommend a few products that would help make your life easier.
- Information About Africa: I have created a YouTube channel that focuses on things about traveling to Africa that only Africans can tell you about. Check out the channel for insights about African culture and things you can do as a traveler to optimize your trip. You should also visit TripAdvisor forum posts (Here is the Kenya Forum) and ask questions about your particular situation. There are a lot of people who are happy to help you out.
- Choosing a Safari Company: I have written an extensive article on how to choose a safari Company. You can. Check it out before starting the process of searching for a safari company.
- Safari Planning Services: If you’d rather leave the planning to an expert, I offer personalized safari planning services. I handle everything from helping you choose the right safari company, creating your custom itinerary, managing bookings, and even providing a packing list and reminders for important trip details. It’s like having a personal assistant dedicated to your trip, ensuring that everything runs smoothly, so you can focus on enjoying the adventure. Learn More in this article
