The complete list, refined over a decade of watching what people actually use — and what they carry across three countries untouched.
After a decade of watching what people actually use, the pattern is consistent: everyone brings too many clothes and not enough of the two or three things that genuinely matter.
Here is the list we send to our own travellers.
Clothing
Neutral colours — khaki, olive, beige, brown. This is not a dress code, it is practical: bright colours are visible to animals at distance, and white shows dust within an hour.
Avoid blue and black specifically. Tsetse flies are drawn to both, and their bite is genuinely unpleasant.
- 2–3 pairs of lightweight long trousers
- 2–3 short-sleeved shirts, 1–2 long-sleeved for sun and evening insects
- A warm fleece or jacket — dawn game drives are cold, often single digits
- A wide-brimmed hat that will not blow off in an open vehicle
- Comfortable closed shoes; proper boots only if you are trekking
- Swimwear — most camps and lodges have a pool
Most camps do same-day laundry, usually cheaply or free. Pack for four days, not fourteen.
The things people forget
- Binoculars — the single biggest upgrade to your experience. 8x42 is the sweet spot
- Sunscreen at higher factor than you think; the equatorial sun is fierce even when overcast
- Insect repellent containing DEET
- A head torch for camps running on generator or solar power
- A dust-proof bag or cover for camera gear
- Spare batteries and far more memory than you expect to need
If you bring one thing off this list, make it the binoculars. Sharing a single pair between two people is the most common regret we hear.
Documents and health
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel date
- Kenya eTA, applied for online before you fly
- Yellow fever certificate if arriving from a country with transmission risk
- Travel insurance including medical evacuation
- Antimalarials — speak to a travel clinic about six weeks before departure
Luggage
If any part of your trip involves a light aircraft between parks, you are limited to roughly 15kg in a soft-sided bag. This is strictly enforced and hard-shell suitcases are refused. Check before you pack, not at the airstrip.
What to leave at home
Camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in Kenya and Tanzania and will be confiscated. Drones require permits that are difficult to obtain and are banned in national parks. Single-use plastic bags are banned in Kenya outright.
And leave the third pair of shoes. Nobody has ever needed them.
