Gold Offers Group

• You will need a smaller safari bag to take with you on all safari activities - whether a few hours or a few days - including game drive safaris, walking safaris, horse riding safaris, mountain biking safaris, boating safaris, fishing safaris, canoeing safaris, and mekoro (dugout) safaris.
• Into this smaller safari bag will go any number of safari essentials such as sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent, binoculars, waterproof jacket (assuming you are wearing your warm-layer safari jacket or fleece), a safari beanie, any books you want to take on safari with you, water bottle, perhaps your passport if you prefer to keep it with you - and any other personal effects you want to take with you on safari.
• The nature of your safari will determine which bag - or bags - you decide to take with you on your safari. For example, if you are only planning on going on game drives, then you will be fine to take any safari satchel, safari backpack, safari tote, or over-the-shoulder safari bag as you will just be walking with it from your room to the safari 4x4 and then placing it on the seat next to you. If you also want to do walks from the lodge (recommended), then you would need a safari satchel or safari backpack and, if you are on a proper walking safari, then you would need a safari satchel or safari backpack which you are happy to have over the shoulder or on your back for many kilometres or miles of walking.
• Your choice of smaller safari bag (or bags) could and should also double as your safari carry-on bag for flights to and from Africa. If you prefer a larger carry-on to carry some clothes, then take this bag in addition to your carry-on. Some brands of holdall/duffel luggage - such as the Mara&Meru™ Voyager range - also allow you to zip and lock the ideal safari satchel-backpack combination bag as an end pocket on to your main safari bag, which means that you simply unzip it when you get to your safari to use it as your smaller safari bag. That way you are able to check it into the aircraft hold for your international flight to Africa.

Number of smaller safari bags to pack for your safari:
1 x smaller safari bag per person.

The advice below is a summary. If you are looking for more information & expert advice then please click here for our full safari shirt advice section

• It is important that you pack safari-suitable shirts for your children on safari which also offer maximum protection from the elements and defence from most biting insects.
• Pack children's safari shirts in neutral, natural tones such as shades of khaki, brown, and green.
• We recommend long-sleeved safari shirts for children with roll-up sleeve tabs over short-sleeved shirts. These enable boys and girls to roll their sleeves up and down to stay cool, keep warm, or to avoid sunburn on their arms. It also increases defence from most biting insects when sleeves are rolled down, which is further increased when the fabric is treated with insect repellent.
• Kids' safari shirts with a collar also give your kids added protection from sunburn - and, again, from insect bites.
• Look for children's safari shirts which have the following key characteristics: the ability to wick moisture to keep them cool, high level of sun protection (SPF50+ is best), and an anti-insect fabric finish assists in reducing bites from most flying and biting insects.
• Pack more children's safari shirts made from man-made fibres (polyamide) than natural fibres (such as cotton). Man-made fibres are better at wicking moisture from the skin - and it is this movement of moisture which will keep them cool.

Number of children's safari shirts to pack for their safari:
Up to 4-day safari: x 2; Up to 8-day safari: x 4; Up to 12-day safari: x 6

• When packing safari trousers for your children, pack children's safari pants made from safari-suitable colours (shades of green, khaki, and brown) and lightweight, strong fabric. Nothing beats the feeling they will get when they wear safari trousers worthy of a great conservationist or early explorer.
• Children's safari zip-off/convertible trousers are the simplest safari trousers to pack for children as they allow for maximum versatility. By removing or adding the legs, you are able to convert them from trousers when cool to shorts when hot. Children's convertible zip-off safari pants also save on valuable packing space by being two garments in one. The legs on the children's safari convertible pants also give added protection from the sun and defence from most biting insects - even more so when their safari trousers are treated with built-in sun protection and anti-insect treatment.
• The ideal children's safari trousers and safari shorts should offer the perfect blend of the following functionality: lightweight with built-in ripstop for added strength, a high level of built-in sun protection (SPF50+ is best), and an anti-insect finish.
• Children's safari trousers which are made from man-made fibres (such as polyamide) are preferred over those made from natural fibres (such as cotton) to keep your children cool while on safari. These fabrics also allow your child to dry off faster should their safari trousers get wet from a rain shower or from mucking about in a stream (a crocodile- and hippo-free stream of course).
• What is more, you will be able to wash and dry your kid's safari trousers much faster when made from man-made fibres such as polyamide.

Number of children's safari trousers to pack for your safari:
Up to 4-day safari: x 2; Up to 8-day safari: x 3; Up to 12-day safari: x 4

• Children feel the cold faster than adults and so it is important when going on safari to pack a children's safari fleece to keep them warm and snug on early morning and evening game drives and through the African winter.
• Pack a kid's safari fleece which is made from safari-friendly colours such as brown, greens, and khaki.
• Pack a safari-coloured waterproof layer for each child if you are travelling over the rainy season for your safari.
• Having lived in Africa through the rains we are also able to advise that the daytime temperature goes from very hot before the rains start, to much cooler once the rains have settled in. The difference may be as much as 10 to 15 degrees celsius below the average temperatures and so again we advise that a fleece or jacket is packed to keep you warm.

Number of boys' and girls' safari jackets or safari fleeces to pack for your safari:
1 x safari fleece or jacket; 1 x waterproof safari jacket should you be travelling over the rainy season.

• If you are going on a classic game drive type of safari, then pack comfortable women's safari shoes to wear on game drive but which are able to double as good walking shoes for a walk in the bush - an activity we highly recommend. Note that if you do not have walking shoes with you on game drive then your guide may decide against a quick impromptu walk in the bush
• Also take a pair of women's safari shoes to wear around the camp. These may be the same pair as your select for the above, but it may also be a pair of cooler sandals, pumps, or similar.
• For full-on walking safaris make sure you take women's safari shoes which are made for longer hikes - and ensure that you walk them in properly before you go on safari. You may prefer low rise canvas trail shoes or leather higher rise boots - the preference is purely personal.
• If you are going on a walking safari in sandy areas (check with the walking safari company you have booked with) then we suggest that you pack higher rise boots with a built in tongue - such as our Rufiji™ APU Safari Combat Boots - as this will minimise the amount of sand which goes into the shoe which will cause discomfort.
• We would still take a a pair of cooler women's shoes or sandals for before and after walks when around the camp.
• Safari tip: always check your shoes for small snakes, scorpions, spiders and insects before putting them on.

Number of women's safari shoes to pack for your safari:
Up to 4-day safari: x 2 (1+1); Up to 8-day safari: x 2 (1+1); Up to 12-day safari: x 2 (1+1)
*"(1+1)" explained: Walking shoes + shoes to wear around camp.

The advice below is a summary. If you are looking for more information & expert advice then please click here for our full safari hat advice guide.

• For the best protection from the strength of the midday sun in Africa - for your neck and face - pack a wide-brimmed women's safari hat.
• With mean high temperatures reaching mid-20 to mid-30 degrees Celsius on most safaris and with safari areas in Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, and Zambia high above sea level, the effects of the sun will be pronounced and the risk of being burnt by the sun will be high. A wide-brimmed women's safari hat is literally your first line of defence against sunburn.
• Wide-brimmed women's safari hats also provide shelter when it rains. We find that a wide-brimmed safari hat definitely makes it more comfortable when you are caught out on a walk or game drive by a sudden thunderstorm or tropical shower, as at least your face remains dry and fewer drops go into your eyes.
• Colour is key when choosing a women's safari hat - with neutral shades such as khaki, green, or brown the best. Your safari hat will often be the most conspicuous part of you while viewing wildlife on a walking safari.
• Pack a women's safari hat which suits your safari style. Fortunately, there are more styles available for women today which range from leather hats to classically-styled indie and panama-shaped hats.
• Modern wide-brimmed women's safari hats are also conveniently packable and are easy manipulate back into shape. A note though: not all hats are packable and should be carried with your carry-on luggage - and, even when a hat is packable, never crush your safari hat under a hard object - such as shoes or binoculars - when packing.

Number of wide-brimmed women's safari hats to pack for your safari:
1 x wide-brimmed safari hat per person.
*Pack a warm and cosy safari beanie for cold mornings and the African winter too.

• For your main large safari duffel or safari holdall, choose safari luggage which is soft and squashable and which has no frame. This is especially true for safari travel to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, and Kenya and the reason for this is rather a practical one. The majority of safari lodges and camps within these countries are accessible only by light aircraft. As a result, in order for your pilot to fit your luggage into the small, cramped hold, your luggage must not have hard sides, nor rigid frames or structure, and should rather be soft-sided so that the pilot is able to fit (squash) your bag into the plane. The same is true for some overland and expedition-style safaris where there will be limited space for luggage in the safari 4x4.
• Please check with the safari company you have booked with about luggage limitations for the internal flights on your safari, as the requirements may vary from safari to safari. Where luggage weight limitations are specified please note that - as the maximum take-off weight in any aircraft has to be strictly adhered to by pilots to maximise your safety on each flight - you may find that your pilot will not be able to take any luggage over the maximum allowed weight per passenger. In this instance, you may have to pay for your luggage to be flown separately.
• Use a travel trolley to carry your main safari duffel or safari holdall as you are not meant to take safari luggage with a frame. Simply remove the travel trolley from your safari luggage when you do not need to wheel your safari luggage, collapse it, and either stow it in the hold or take it with you into the cabin. Your safari pilot will be able to advise which option he or she prefers.

Number of large, soft-sided safari bags to pack for your safari:
1 x large safari duffel or holdall bag per person.

• Pack a multi-functional Head&Neck scarf for just about all outdoor adventures, including safari. Head&Neck Scarves keep your neck and head out of the sun when it is hot, and provide an element of warmth too when it starts to get cold. They offer maximum versatility.
• It can and does get cold on safari. See our Womens Safari Jackets and Fleeces page for more information on why this is the case.
• Pack women's garments and accessories for your safari which keep you warm. Women's safari scarves, safari beanies, and safari gloves should be considered a packing essential over the African winter - and may also be required for some mornings on summer safaris too.
• At the very least, we recommend packing a safari beanie on any safari as they are so small and light to carry in your luggage, yet have a big effect on how warm you are should you get cold. Keep your safari beanie in the bag you take on game drives. You may well get some envious stares from others who have not had the foresight to pack a safari beanie.
• Further to the point above, for the African summer, pack a women's safari beanie just in case. For the most part, your women's wide-brimmed safari hat should keep you warm enough, but why take the risk? Please also take note of the altitude of the area in which you are going on safari. The Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, as an example, is over 2000 metres above sea level and most camps are on the rim of the crater and so may have cold temperatures (morning and evenings in particular) and precipitation throughout the year, so we would recommend taking warmer safari accessories just in case.
• Pack safari scarves, safari beanies, and safari gloves in safari colours.

Number of women's safari scarves, safari beanies, and safari gloves to pack for your safari:
1 x women's safari scarf; 1 x women's safari beanie; 1 x women's safari gloves - although you should be fine tucking your hands into your women's safari jacket or fleece to keep them warm.

Number of bottles of safari insect repellent to pack:
Up to 4-day safari: 1 x bottle per person; Up to 8-day safari: 2 x bottles per person; Up to 12-day safari: 3 x bottles per person

• Walking in the bush while on safari is the quintessential experience. We recommend it to all who go to Africa.
• Whether you go for a short nature walk with your guide or a multi-day walking safari, please ensure that you pack safari-coloured safari socks which offer a double layer for blister protection. Bad blisters ruin good walks.
• Ankle gaiters are ideal for walking in the bush as they offer both your ankles and socks more protection from thorns, wet grass, grass seeds, and anything scurrying around at ankle level. A must-have for longer walking safaris, but useful on any bush walk.

Number of blister-proof socks to pack for your safari:
Up to 4-day safari: x 2; Up to 8-day safari: x 3; Up to 12-day safari: x 4.

Number of Ankle Gaiters to pack for your safari:
Pack 1 x Pair per person.

• While safari-coloured clothing is ideal to wear when you travel to your safari and to relax in around camp, sometimes nothing beats a crisp white shirt to wear around camp - or to dinner at night.
• When our founder, Steve, worked as a safari guide, this is exactly what the guiding team used to do for dinner. After a long hot day in the sun, take a long bath or refreshing shower and put on a crisp white shirt or a stylish blue travel shirt for the evening to look and feel great.
• Packing extra safari shirts will of course depend on how much space you have left in your safari luggage once you have packed the essential safari clothing and gear.
• If space is limited only take an extra shirt which is not safari-coloured and wear the shirt with your safari trousers or shorts.

• Most safari luggage does not have a built in area for a safari washbag - mind you, not many bags do - and so you should keep your toiletries separate to your clothes by using a safari washbag.
• If you prefer to travel with your own soap, then please select one of our washbags which comes with a wooden soap box so that you don't get soap on your toothbrush.

Number of safari washbags to pack for your safari:
1 x safari washbag per person.

• These weekender and carry-on bags are ideal for short trips away and for use every day. They may also be used for very short safaris and adventure travel.
• If you are looking for a bag which is suitable for both short and long trips then please look no further than our Voyager range. These bags all adjust from weekender sized bags to large duffels - simply by zipping on end pockets. You get to decide which version of the bag to take on your next adventure.
• A soft and squashable bag is a safari packing essential.

Number of weekender bags to pack for your short trips and safaris: x1