What should I pack for a Tanzania safari?
Pack light, in a soft bag: light-aircraft flights between parks usually limit luggage to around 15 kg per person, so confirm the limit with your airline. Bring clothes in neutral colours such as khaki, olive and grey, and avoid dark blue and black in tsetse areas. Add warm layers for cold early drives and Ngorongoro Crater rim mornings, a sun hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and any medication in your hand luggage.
Start with the bag, not the clothes
If your safari includes a light-aircraft flight between parks or out to Zanzibar, the bag matters more than anything inside it. Small planes have small holds. Luggage limits are usually around 15 kg per person, and that figure often includes hand luggage and camera gear. Limits vary by airline and route, so confirm yours with the airline before you pack.
Soft bags fit. Hard suitcases often don't. A duffel or soft holdall without a rigid frame is the safest choice, and it's easier to load into a safari vehicle on a drive-only trip too.
Arriving with more than you need on safari, perhaps for a beach stay or a business trip? Ask your arrival hotel whether it can store a bag until you come back through.
Colours that work on safari
Choose neutral colours: khaki, olive, tan, stone and soft grey. They hide dust and don't stand out.
Two colours to avoid. Dark blue and black attract tsetse flies, which are common in Tarangire and parts of the Serengeti, and their bite is sharp. Bright white turns a dusty orange within a day.
Save bright prints for evenings in camp and for Zanzibar.
Layers for cold mornings and warm afternoons
The temperature can swing a long way in a single day. Early game drives start around dawn with the roof open, and the wind in a moving vehicle is chilly. On the Ngorongoro Crater rim, which sits above 2,200 metres, mornings and evenings can be properly cold, especially from June to August.
By midday you'll want a T-shirt. Layers solve both problems:
- a fleece or warm mid-layer
- a light down or windproof jacket
- a warm hat for crater rim mornings
- two or three pairs of long trousers, plus shorts if you like them
- long-sleeved shirts for sun and for mosquitoes at dusk
- a few T-shirts
- something warm and comfortable for evenings by the fire
- a light rain jacket from November to May
Shoes
You'll spend most of your safari in a vehicle, so comfortable closed shoes or trainers are enough for most people. Bring light walking boots if a guided walk is part of your plan. Sandals are handy in camp.
Sun, dust and insects
- a wide-brimmed hat with a chin strap (the wind catches hats when the roof is up)
- sunglasses
- high-factor sunscreen and lip balm
- insect repellent (ask your travel health clinic which type to use)
- a light scarf or neck tube for dusty roads
- wet wipes and hand sanitiser
Health and personal kit
Keep prescription medicines in your hand luggage, with a copy of the prescription. If you need malaria prevention, follow the advice of a travel health clinic and start it when they tell you to. A small first-aid kit with plasters, rehydration sachets and your usual painkillers is worth the space. Contact lens wearers should pack glasses as well, because dust can make lenses uncomfortable.
Cameras, binoculars and charging
Binoculars make more difference to a safari than almost any other item. One pair each is ideal, so nobody waits their turn while the leopard walks off.
For photography, a zoom lens covers most situations. Bring spare batteries and memory cards, and a cloth or dry bag to keep dust off your kit. A small beanbag helps steady a long lens on the vehicle roof or window frame.
Charging varies. Many vehicles and camps have charging points, but some camps run on solar power with limited sockets or set charging hours. Bring a power bank, and a plug adapter for Tanzania's Type G sockets.
Documents and money
- passport, and any visa or entry documents that apply to you
- travel insurance details, including the emergency number
- printed copies of key documents, stored separately from the originals
- a bank card, plus some cash in recent, undamaged US dollar notes
Entry rules change, so check them with official sources before you travel. Our Tanzania safari FAQs and travel information page explain where to look.
What to leave at home
Plastic carrier bags. Tanzania banned plastic carrier bags in 2019, and bags can be taken from you on arrival. Use fabric pouches or packing cubes instead.
Drones. Flying a drone in Tanzania's national parks needs special permission. Unless you've arranged that well in advance, leave it behind.
Too many clothes. Many lodges and camps offer laundry, so a few days' clothing is usually enough. Ask about it when you plan.
Extras for Zanzibar or Kilimanjaro
Going on to the coast? Add swimwear, a cover-up for Stone Town and village walks (shoulders and knees covered), reef-safe sunscreen and water shoes for the tidal flats on the east coast. Our guide to Zanzibar after a safari covers more.
Climbing Kilimanjaro needs a separate, much warmer kit list, and it won't fit inside a 15 kg bag alongside your safari clothes. See combining Kilimanjaro with a safari for how to handle the two.
Families have a few extra items to think about, from snacks to children's binoculars. Our family safari tips cover them. When your list is done, the Plan your safari page is the next step.