How to choose the best travel clothes for your safari

If you are going on safari, luggage limitations mean you will probably have to pack light - and smart.

You will find your duffel bag fills up fast while you work out what to pack for a safari. Give some thought to these principles and select the best travel clothes and pack efficiently at the same time. From what you wear on the plane to what you wear on game drives, we’ve got you covered.

1. Mix and match

The challenge is to make a range of outfits from a few key garments. Thankfully, safari colours are always in vogue, which means your ‘bush clothes’ are easily accessorised for fashionable outfits you can wear for dinner, on game drives, and as you travel. Shop women's and men's safari clothes.

2. Colours count

Whether you are going on a self-drive safari, luxury safari, or full-blown walking safari, colour counts. If there is any chance that you will get out of the vehicle and stretch your legs, you’ll want to be wearing safari-appropriate neutral colours of khaki, beige, and green to blend in with your surroundings. You don’t want to miss out on Africa’s exciting experiences because of a wardrobe problem. Use our free safari packing list for guidance.

3. Fabrics matter

Whatever your ultimate clothing combination ends up being, safari clothing in technical fabrics are always at the top of our list. They are great for insect defence, sun protection, and moisture wicking on safari and for adventure travels. They are also ultra-lightweight. When it comes to travel clothing, they also release wrinkles quickly, so you can unpack and go. On the back of game-viewers or exploring the dunes, your clothing can get dusty quite fast. Technical fabrics are easy to wash and quick to dry.

4. Hot or not?

If you’ve read our safari clothing advice page, layering is our safari packing top tip. Many destinations in Africa can have scorching midday temperatures, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get uncomfortably cold. That’s why we list a warm layer ( safari fleeces and knitwear) as a safari essential and recommend packing a waterproof jacket for seasonal thunderstorms. A number of factors influence the weather in Africa including altitude and season. As a general rule, you will be looking for wildlife during the coolest parts of the day – around sunrise and sunset and, occasionally, after dark – and the temperatures often drop at these times too.

5. Safari style

Going on safari doesn’t mean you need to pack a pith helmet to be stylish. One of the great things about well-made safari clothing is that it looks stylish everywhere you go. If you have space in your bag, you can always tuck in a safari dress, outdoor and travel shirts, or a smart white shirt for classic safari style.

6. Super comfy safari clothing

Comfort rules on safari – and that’s precisely what we had in mind when we conceptualised our new range of Mara&Meru™ clothing. From being active to game drives and small plane transfers, these safari clothes were made to be ultra-comfortable on every leg of your travels.