In 6 days I leave for 3 weeks on an African safari. My one and only life-long dream is coming true!
I’m anxious, antsy, excited and a bit freaked out. I’ve been watching youtube videos about what to pack and what to wear/bring but I’m sure I’m forgetting things.
How much money should I bring?
Well, it’s summer there now, but I’d still take a jacket for early morning or evening game drives. Also, insects are more active in those hours, so a long-sleeved shirt may be desirable. I always got by on the usual jeans/shorts and tees. A hat for sun would be good, and of course some shades. As for money, you want enough cash to tip your guides. Dollars work as well as anything else. Otherwise, unless you’re out in the boonies, a credit card works fine. Deet for skeeters, of course, and probably sun screen. If you’re planning to do any walking tours, take boots.
A little more information would help. Where exactly are you going, and what will you be doing?
In light of the recent “ran out of underwear” thread, I highly recommend one or two pairs of those travel underwear that you can easily hand wash before bed and have them dry by morning. I bought two pairs for my Africa trip three years ago.
You don’t say what part of Africa you’re going to (maybe you said it in another thread). But I found Uganda to be a bit chilly in spite of being near the Equator due to the elevation. Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania was downright cold (but thankfully the guides were aware of this and provided extra blankets there). So I second the recommendation of bringing at least some warmer clothing.
I wouldn’t worry too much about bring a lot of cash with you. Unless you’re way out in the boonies, they’ve got ATMs just like anywhere else.
Good binoculars are a must.
D’oh! I forgot about long-sleeved shirts and so have added it to my shopping list. I do have some walking tours but I have a very good pair of hiking shoes that I’m taking. I was thinking of taking about $500 US. Will that be enough for tips and things I’ll need to buy like bottled water/tea/snacks?
East Africa, specifically Kenya and Tanzania for a private safari.
I have good binoculars because half of the tour is bird-watching. Yes, we are going down into Ngorongro Crater so I’ll remember to dress warm that day. I’m taking 4 pairs of underwear with the assumption that I’ll be handwashing them during the trip.
We’ll mostly be staying in tented camps - what about evening wear? There are fire pits that people sit around at night. Is it ok to be sitting there in flannel pajama pants and a sweater?
Make sure you get all the recommended vaccinations.
In terms of cash be sure to bring plenty of smaller denominations–not just larger ones.
Some travel tips for an African safari:
for example:
Plug adapter added to list. Vaccinations all done.
Might want to pack a travel umbrella.
I’ll look to see if I can find a cheap mini-umbrella. Might actually be a good idea. Though packing space is at a premium because I’m only taking carry-on.
As has been said, a good hat and some shades. I recommend a Tilly hat. and Maui Jim sunglasses. You don’t have much time, so get what you can. And what I recommended is gonna be expensive.
I also agree that nylon or whatever undies is very nice. Rinse them out and your good to go.
I would emphasize the importance of bringing plenty of high SPF sun block. Those not accustomed to the tropics may not realize how blasting the sun can be, even with just a half hour of exposure. A bandanna is also handy to protect the back of the neck, and can also be used to protect the mouth and nose against dust on a game drive.
You’ll want a strong headlamp for night time game drives, which will keep your hands free so you can use binoculars easily. You probably want a small flashlight as a spare as well. Tent camps may provide them, but if you have your own you don’t have to worry about it. And spare batteries of appropriate size.
You need an adapter for the electricity mainly for appliances with motors like hair dryers or electric shavers. To recharge a phone or laptop you can just plug it in, although you need to have the right plug type.
When in cities you can use ATMs to get local currency, but make sure to give a travel notice to your bank (which you can usually do on line) so they don’t put a hold on your card for suspicious activity. As has been said, it’s important to have small denomination bills for tips and small sundries, since in developing countries no one can ever make change.
Although I’ve never been on a commercial safari, I doubt that there will be a formal dress code in a tent camp. 
Another consideration that is easy to overlook in the tropics is to be sure to stay hydrated. In dry climates sweat can evaporate so fast that you hardly are aware of how much water you are losing. Drink plenty of water or other fluids. It’s also important to maintain electrolytes. On expeditions we generally use instant Gatorade or similar drinks to ensure this. You may find yourself salting your food more than you usually do.
Do not bring jeans- you want things that dry quickly. Everywhere we went (these were 2nd or 3rd tier safari lodgings) had laundry service. Drop it by 5.pm and receive it back 9-10.am (36 hours later). It was outsourced to local women in the community. It came back clean, but will have a smoke overtone smell! I took 4 shirts/2 pants/1 shorts for 3 weeks and had a completely unworn (and unwashed) shirt and pants for the flight home. You can always buy more clothes there- take as little as possible! It will make your trip better. My hiking boots (lightweight and small) could be worn everywhere we went without a second look glance. If/when I go back, the only change I would make is to bring and wear 2 or 3 lightweight hooded shirts. The hoods were great for neck sun protection and gave a little warmth when the sun went down. We camped in tents and were never even chilly- they’ll give you blankets in vehicles and whenever needed so don’t overpack for warmth. I just packed a down puffy vest and my wife a lightweight down jacket, and while nice to have, we didn’t need them.
A light stocking cap is nice in the mornings until the coffee kicks in (or the hoodie!)
Bring more cash than you can possibly imagine. I don’t know how much you have prepaid, but there are often power and internet outages and then even some places won’t take a card. $100 and $50s are in most cases the only legal tender. This might not be true in the more touristy Kenya and Tanzania, but in more off-the-beaten track Africa, $20s and smaller are not wanted and viewed automatically as counterfeit. I would personally bring $1500-2000, expect to bring most of it home, and scatter it thoughout my luggage. That being said, crime at tourist places is very very low. One bad report/incident and the place/company loses all future revenue. So we have found almost no issues with theft, etc.
Camping on the rim of Ngorongro Crater was the coldest night of my trip without a doubt. Honestly I was probably a bit under prepared for the cold and ended up walking around camp with a blanket wrapped around myself like a robe. Obviously near the fire you’ll be fine, but you might want something a bit warmer for the evening before the fire’s going.
Oh, and this was probably recommended along with your vaccinations, but bring an anti-diarrhea medication like Imodium – and pack it in your carry on. I was running to the toilet on my flight home (likely due to some sub-par fish I ate on my last night in Zanzibar). While I had packed Imodium on the trip, I unthinkingly packed it in my checked bag so I didn’t have access to it when I actually needed it!
Duplicate.
Funnily enough I actually got a US $2 bill as change at a touristy shop in Tanzania.
I’m not sure the umbrella thing was a serious post. I took it as a reference to the “rains down in Africa” line from that song.
But more seriously I think a raincoat or poncho is better for camping than an umbrella.
My experience is of South Africa, so I’ll stick to general issues, there’s a couple of things that haven’t been mentioned yet.
Malaria. Modern meds have few side effects for most people, so you should take them if there’s any significant risk. CDC on Kenya:
Atovaquone-proguanil is the generic name for Malarone. Usually the best option, one pill daily, insurance won’t pay for it but it’s only a few dollars a day, find a coupon online.
If you’re a birder you’re probably all over this already, but check to see if there’s a good bird guide phone app (the one for S Africa is Roberts). It’s fantastic to have recordings of songs to hand, both for identification and because birds will respond and sing back at you.
I don’t agree with this. I’d take a small light headlamp for general use at night around camp, but for night drives no headlamp is powerful enough, and you want hand-held control to move the beam around to search and to focus on things. I bought the latest LED tech, a Fenix LR40R for my last trip to South Africa, and all the guides wanted to borrow it - it’s just ridiculously bright, far better even than the searchlights on the safari trucks. It’s obviously expensive for a flashlight, but in the context of the overall expense of such a trip, I would strongly recommend it.
I don’t agree at all. An umbrella can improve your quality of life dramatically in thundershowers. I often take one even when backpacking if the forecast is poor. This:
Not so compact as mini fold-up, but far stronger, and very light. And the silver material makes it a good sunshade too.
I’ll take your word for it if that’s your experience in Africa, but mine is exactly the opposite. In Panama, people are much more reluctant to take $50s and $100s because those are the denominations most commonly counterfeited, and in any case unless you are buying something close to that amount often no one will have change for more than $5.