An African Safari is one of those things that is in many peoples bucket list. Kenya, being one of the most popular safari destinations, may be the destination you have settled on for your African safari and you may be asking yourself what you should take with you.
Having lived in Kenya all my life and visited all of the most popular national parks in Kenya, I thought it would be helpful to write a comprehensive Kenya Safari Packing list that has packing suggestions broken down by month. This guide will help you plan what you should carry when coming to Kenya for your Safari.
In addition to this, I have also prepared a free printable packing list in a PDF with all of the items I have indicated below. Download it for FREE below
Outline
This post is long so here is a summary to help you jump to the parts of the article that interest you:
Clothing
General Clothes for Adults
Beachwear
Shoes
Clothing Tips
Gadgets
Gadget Tips
Accessories & Miscellaneous items
Toiletries
Packing Suggestions Month By Month
Plastic Bags are Banned
Clothing
General Clothes for Adults
Pants (4 pieces )
Your best option when choosing trousers for your Kenya Safari is either brown, green or grey khaki pants. The reason why these colors are the best because they are neutral and do not attract animals attention.
Avoid black, and blue trousers. They attract tsetse flies and also can easily draw the attention of the wild animals you will be viewing.
You can reduce your load if find pants whose legs can be unzipped into a short.
Shorts (3 pieces)
You are likely to visit the beach as you conclude your safari and Mombasa is unbearably hot and humid for most of the year. Shorts will help you stay cool there. Please read about some of the places that it’s inappropriate to wear shorts in Kenya in this article I wrote.
Underwear (Enough for the length of your Stay)
Kenyan laundry services do not wash underwear. It’s actually a cultural taboo to wash someone else’s undergarments. You will either have to wash it yourself or have enough to last you the entirety of your safari in Kenya.
Your underwear needs to be light and be able to breathe in hot and humid environments. They also need to absorb sweat well since you will be in the sun and hot environments for most of your day.
Sports Bras: Kenyan roads can get really bumpy and these will help you stay comfortable. All the roads on Kenyan Game parks are dirt roads and many get potholes in the rainy season.
Polo Shirts/ Tshirts (8 Pieces)
These need to be light and sweat absorbent due to the heat. You will also need to avoid choosing bright shouting colors like red, blue and black and white. Go for neutral colors that blend in with the environment you will be in. Those are Forest green, Gray, brown, etc.
Avoid wearing camouflage or military fatigue-like clothing. It might get you in trouble with the authorities. African governments have a phobia for anything that looks military being worn by the general public. To avoid getting harassed by the Kenyan Police, stay clear of any camo clothes
Socks (7 Pairs)
Get a good comfortable pair that you would wear during the summer. They need to breathe and absorb sweat well.
Fleece Jacket (1 Piece)
This will come in handy in the cold evenings and early mornings. With morning and night temperatures reaching in the 59°F range, you will need to keep warm for those few hours. The heat picks up quickly so make sure the jacket is light enough to carry around when you have removed it.
Shawl
Instead of a jacket, the ladies can carry a shawl. It will be useful on many other occasions other than the cold mornings so this is the better option for the ladies.
Long Sleeve shirt/ blouse
This will be useful in the evenings when you are outside. Mosquito bites are really itchy and you can protect your arms by putting on a long sleeve shirt in the evenings.
Beachwear
Kenyans are generally more liberal than those of some of our neighbors like Tanzania but we still hold very conservative views towards dressing. You can wear your regular swimsuit to the beach but keep in mind that topless swimming is not allowed in any of the beaches in Kenya. So in choosing your beachwear, you will want to carry the following:
- Your swimsuit
- Towel
- Swimwear coverup
- Flipflops that you’re ok with getting wet
Comfortable shoes (not Boots) plus Sandals (one pair of each)
Don’t carry Boots
You will spend a lot of time seated. Either in the car or at the hotel. You will occasionally be standing in your car to view the animals but the rest of the time will be spent on your seat. Therefore, when choosing your footwear, you will need to pick a comfortable flat pair of shoes.
Avoid carrying hiking boots unless you are going to be doing some outdoor adventure stuff like hiking in Hells Gate or climbing up Kilimanjaro. Its overkill and you will be really uncomfortable if this is the only pair of shoes you carried.
Pick a sturdy pair
One thing you will need to pay attention to is how well built your shoe is. When out on safari, the nearest place you can buy a quality pair of shoes if the ones you were wearing get torn may be several hundred miles away. You need to have a shoe that will be strong enough to endure several hard trippings on a rock.
Pair of sandals or flipflops
These will come in handy if your hotel or camp doesn’t provide any. You will need them when going to shower. Some camps have showers that separate from where you will be sleeping and it would not be advisable to go there barefoot.
Waterproof raincoat or umbrella
This can be a light jacket to cover you up on the off chance you might be caught in the rain. You might have to walk from your car to the hotel building with the rain pouring hard and you will want to keep yourself and your equipment dry.
Clothing Tips
Safari clothes
- Choose neutral colors that blend in with the bush environment. This will allow you to come up close to the wild animals without spooking them.
- Wear full-length pants on a safari drive. This will help you keep mosquitoes and other bugs from biting your legs when out on a game drive.
- Temperatures change within minutes in the morning and evenings. Layer up your clothes to keep warm in the morning but stay cool when it gets hot.
Avoid revealing clothing
Kenyans are pretty liberal when it comes to dressing. However, these are usually city dwellers and you will find that the people in the villages are more conservative with what they wear. I would advise you to pack clothes that are not very revealing when going for your safari. It would also be a good idea for the ladies to pack one set of clothes that cover up your knees, shoulders, and torso for when you will be out and about in busy markets and the streets.
Laundry services in Kenya
- Leave an allowance: Most laundry in Kenya is sun-dried and so you need to have an allowance of extra clothes just in case the load you gave takes time to dry. This can happen in the colder months of June and July.
- Kenyan Laundry doesn’t wash underwear: Most of the hotel staff dealing with laundry are male and it’s considered a cultural taboo for a man to wash ladies undergarments. For this reason, almost all the hotels you will visit in Kenya do not wash undergarments.
Gadgets
Camera with Zoom Lens
Your camera needs to zoom in to animals that may be at a distance. Some animals are either shy or rare you may not be able to get a good shot if you have the regular kit lens. Shop around for a good lens for the safari.
Extra Memory cards
If you are anything like me, you get trigger happy with your camera when you see something you like. To make sure that you don’t run out of memory space, have a number of extra memory cards for your camera. Expect to take about 1000 photos per day if you are very trigger happy and this can add up if you are shooting at high resolutions.
Cell Phone
If you decide to carry your cellphone with you, make sure it’s unlocked for international use. When you arrive in Kenya, you can get a Kenyan sim card and get connected.
The challenge with carrying your phone with you is that you will have signal issues when out in the bush and the phone might not serve its purpose.
Chargers
This is one of the things that can easily get forgotten if you are carrying a large number of devices. One trick that I saw is plugging in all your chargers into an extension cable and packing the extension cable into your luggage. When charging your devices, you will just need to plug in that one extension cable and it will charge all your devices.
Power Adapter
Kenya uses 220-240 Volts electricity and this is different from the USA which uses 110V electricity. To ensure that you do not damage your devices, you need to use a power Adapter that converts the power to a voltage that is compatible with your devices.
Extension cable
Useful when you have a number of devices that need charging all together but only one power outlet.
Safety bag
When you have a number of devices, you may need to leave your things for safekeeping at the hotel reception. Having a lockable safety bag will help keep your things safe.
Gadget Tips
Carry old devices except camera
To reduce the risk of losing a new device that you paid heftily for, carry an older phone and tablet. You will feel less afraid of losing your gadgets and
The phone needs to be unlocked
If you intend to use your phone or tablet to make a call or receive messages from home, you need to ensure that your phone is unlocked to be used internationally.
Accessories & Miscellaneous items
Sunglasses
Bright sunny days can be a bit too much on your eyes and a good pair of sunglasses come in handy then. Sunglasses will especially be useful on the beach.
Notebook and pen
When going through immigration, you will need to write a number of things down and having your pen beats asking a fellow traveler for one. You may also occasionally need to write something like directions down and the notebook will help here.
Wide-brimmed Hat
You will, on several occasions, be out in the sun and there is no greater reprieve than getting your hat out. It will get really hot at midday and your hat will prove invaluable at that time.
Beanbag Cushion
As I mentioned earlier, the roads in the National Parks are not paved and are very bumpy. To get that crisp shot and reduce blurry photos, a beanbag will be of great use in keeping your camera steady.
First Aid Kit
You hope for the best but plan for the worst. Have a small first aid kit that has all the items that can help you in case of an incident when you’re out on safari.
Flashlight
Try to find a flashlight that you can strap on your head. You will find it useful when walking in the dark as you often will especially if you are in a camp that does not have indoor plumbing within your tent.
Portable Powerbank
When out on Safari, You will spend many hours away from a charging station and your power bank will be useful when you’re trying to keep that gadget running and you don’t have an immediate source of electricity.
Toiletries
Portable Packs Wet Wipes (1 for every day)
Sanitation is, at times is not taken as seriously as it should in some places in Kenya. You will need to take charge of your own hygiene by carrying a pack of kleenex that you will use whenever you are about to eat anything and after you leave a toilet.
You will find that some places do not have access to running water and this makes the hygiene issue much bigger.
Sun Screen
You will be out in the sun a lot and you need to use a good sunscreen to keep you from getting sunburnt. I found the following article by WebMD on how to find a good brand of sunscreen. You might want to read it before making your purchase.
Bug Repellent
Africa has a lot of bugs. Some look scary and others are so small you might fail to notice them. The one insect you need to worry about is the Mosquito since it can give you malaria. Their bite is also really itchy and can a rash when scratched for long. Use bug repellent on your hands, feet and other exposed parts of your body when going outside at night and on your game drives.
Your full Prescription
If you are on any prescription medicine, make sure you carry enough to last you the entirety of your stay and a few additional days in case you have delays when going back home. I would also advisable for you to carry a written prescription from your doctor so that you can buy your medicine here in Kenya if you run out.
Toothbrush & toothpaste
Your hotel will not be providing these and you might not find your favorite brand if you plan on buying these over here. In addition to this, you might be several hours away from the nearest convenient shop when you are out on safari. For this reason, you will want to come prepared with everything you will need for the entirety of your stay.
Soap, Shampoo & conditioner
Your hotel will provide you with this but the brand and quality of soap may not be what you are used to.
Packing Suggestions Month By Month
The packing list I have described above would work for all parts of the year. However, below are suggestions of what you should pack if you are coming on any of the following months:
Kenya Safari Packing List January
January is sometimes a rainy month. If you will be coming in this month, carry a raincoat and a few sets of warm clothing in addition to the packing list I have described above. The shawl or fleece jacket will be important as well. Especially for the cold evenings. It doesn’t get very cold in the evenings so your fleece need not be very heavy.
Kenya Safari Packing List February
February is usually a dry month with hardly any rainfall in the whole month. The temperatures are usually high during the day and it will get slightly chilly in the evenings but not so so much that you would need a heavy fleece. You can probably survive on just a shirt in the evenings this month.
Kenya Safari Packing List March
The end of March is when the rains start in Kenya. This is the month you need a small portable umbrella and a raincoat. It does not get very cold during the day and the nights are also not very chilly. You will be ok if you carry a light fleece or shawl for the evenings but you may not need it since even the evenings are not very cold.
Kenya Safari Packing List April
This month is a lot like March in terms of rainfall. However, it starts getting colder in the evenings and this means that your shawl or fleece will be more important in this month. At the same time, mosquito populations are at their peak due to the puddles made by all the rain and the thick bushes where mosquito love to hide. Carry a lot of long-sleeved shirts and pants to keep your hands and feet from being bitten by the mosquitoes. Also, remember to carry your bug spray and ensure you have taken your anti-malarial medication before you come here.
Kenya Safari Packing List May
The month of experiences lower levels of rainfall compared to the previous months but the temperatures are now dropping. Your shawl and fleece will help with this. At the same time, there will be a lot of bugs, especially at night. If you can carry a can of bug spray, it will help clear them from your room. Sometimes, bugs enter your room if you leave the lights on in the evening and they can be difficult to remove if you don’t have bug spray.
The rainfall will not be high so you may not need to carry your umbrella if it’s too heavy but carry a light raincoat just in case it rains.
Kenya Safari Packing List June
June is the start of the cold season that lasts two months. You will typically need to wear something warm in most parts of the country both in the mornings and at night. The days are not typically sunny but the temperatures normally rise enough for you to be ok without a shawl or jacket.
In the month of June, you want to wear warm clothing in layers that you can take off as it gets warmer.
Kenya Safari Packing List July
July is the coldest month in Kenya. With temperatures going as low as 63 °F, you will need to carry heavier clothing and plan to dress in layers to allow you to shed off some of the clothing if it gets a bit warm. At the same time, have a fleece jacket or shawl for extra warmth in case it gets colder than you anticipated.
It does not usually rain but you can expect a drizzle that can get you wet if you are in it for a while. An umbrella will help with this.
Kenya Safari Packing List August
The month of August warms up and it gets dryer. Expect a lot of sun and mild to warm temperatures. You will not need to carry warm clothing but you can throw in a fleece jacket or shawl for the evenings and cold mornings that can get a bit chilly.
Kenya Safari Packing List September
September is also not a cold month. Apart from the evenings, and early mornings, you will be ok wearing light clothing. The day may get hot so carry light clothing so that you don’t get uncomfortable in the heat.
Kenya Safari Packing List October
We normally experience the short rainy season starting in the month of October. Carry something to protect you and your equipment from the rain like a light raincoat or small portable umbrella.
The rains are not accompanied by very low temperatures so all you need to keep you warm is your fleece jacket or shawl.
Kenya Safari Packing List November
The short rains end in November and the conditions are similar to those of October. Have your umbrella handy and your jacket or shawl to keep you warm in the evenings.
Kenya Safari Packing List December
We sometimes experience a few showers and thunderstorms in December so carrying your umbrella may be a good idea.
The nights will be chilly and there will be mosquito so plan to have something warm to cover yourself and pack some long sleeve shirts and pants to reduce the severity of the mosquito bites.
Plastic bags are banned
As a final word for this article, remember that plastic bags are illegal in Kenya and you will not be allowed to bring them with you on your safari. These include plastic zip-lock bags that might use to pack some of your toiletries. Use a different type of packagings like a cloth bag or plastic containers to avoid frustration at the airport.
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