The Ultimate Women's Safari Packing List

Last Updated on October 27, 2022 by Rose Morah

When packing for a Safari, knowing what to pack will determine how your entire Safari trip will turn out, especially if it is your very first time.

I have done different amazing Safaris, but an African safari is like no other!

Before embarking on a safari, there are several things to consider in your packing list. But first, the type of bag to take on the trip will also matter.

What is the best bag for a Safari?

A soft duffle bag or a backpack is the best travel bag for an African safari because it is easier to fit in a small plane compartment or a limited space of a safari tour vehicle. Additionally, it is easier to move around with a duffle bag or a backpack since most of your time is spent outdoors and in the vehicle.

A safari trip will involve walking and spending most of the time in the vehicle. A suitcase is hence not the best travel bag for a safari trip.

And again, if you are going to take short flights within the conservatives, it would be best to have a lightweight travel bag.

This means you will need to pack light and only carry what you will need for the trip.

Lastly, I recommend you carry a day bag or a side hip pack for the daily short trips within the park, where you can put your snacks, water, camera, phone, sanitizer, etc.

What I also love about the day bag/side hip bag is that it makes sure your gears (camera, phone, etc.) are padded to protect them during bumpy rides.

TIP
Avoid colored/bright bags because they easily get dirty.
You may have to put the bags on the vehicle floor, which is usually dirty because of the kind of environment you are in.

In this article, we will be discussing the ultimate women’s safari packing list.

1. Pack all-weather clothes

When going on any safari trip, no matter the season, always carry all-weather clothes. Even if you are traveling during the hot season, it is not always hot.

There will be cold nights, especially if you are doing an evening dinner outside or in the bush. There are chilly mornings, and sometimes there can be short rains during the day, though on rare occasions.

Therefore, you should include the following set of clothes in your packing list;

Short sleeve shirts.
Long sleeve shirts.
Light long sleeve shirt.
Khaki shirts.
Sports bra,
Shorts.
Khaki shirts.
Long pants.
Panties.
Warm sweater.
Sleeping pants and shirts.
Rain jacket.
Hat – to protect you from the hot sun.

Sports bras are great because of the bumpy rides!
Light long pants. They will cover and protect your skin when walking in long grass, especially when getting on a hot air balloon.
Khaki shirts. They are lightweight. They quickly get dry when washed, and you can wear them on chilly mornings and then fold the arms when it gets hot during the day.
Romper is great during the day. They also make great beautiful pictures.

NOTE: You do not have to buy a whole new wardrobe when going on a Safari.

You may also like Best Packable Women’s Sun Hats.

Clothes to avoid on your safari

Don’t pack tight clothes. They can be very uncomfortable, especially in hot weather.

To protect yourself from the sun, don’t carry a baseball hut. It will not cover your head entirely. Instead, go for a round hut.

Do not pack jeans or heavy fabrics for your day trips. It can get very uncomfortable and would take longer to dry when washed.

Don’t pack black or navy blue clothes if you are going to be in an open vehicle during your safari trip. These colors attract tsetse flies which causes sleeping sickness. However, these types of open vehicles are not very common on African Safaris. Otherwise, if these are your favorite colors, try them out!

Don’t wear very short dresses, especially if you will be moving around with a land cruiser. Climbing up and getting off the vehicle may get a little bit uncomfortable because of the short dress.

2. Pack the right shoes

Carry running or light hiking shoes and sandals. When going on an African safari, sometimes, it gets scorching hot making your feet sweat when wearing other types of shoes.

You can wear sandals while inside the vehicle. And you can easily take them off to stand on the seats when trying to get a clear view of the wild animals.

When going on an African Safari, don’t carry shoes with white soles. They turn red or get stained because of the type of soil- red soil.

3. Carry a water bottle

You will need to stay hydrated throughout the day. Therefore, a water bottle will come in handy.

If you are worried about how clean the water is, be sure to invest in a water bottle that has a bacterial, and viral filter. It filters 99% of the germs/bacteria in water.

Additionally, to save on space, you can carry collapsible water bottles. Once you are done, you only need to fold them to save space.

Avoid wide mouthpiece water bottles. Due to the bumpy rides, drinking your water can get hard. Therefore, get a water bottle with a smaller mouthpiece.

4. Carry sanitizers and wet wipes

You will most be doing day picnics at the park. Sanitizers and wet wipes will come in handy.

And additionally, they will help you wipe off the dust on your devices.

5. Carry a power bank

If you are going to very remote areas, a bank power bank will be helpful. And since you will be taking a lot of pics and recording videos on your safari, I bet this will be a must!

6. Carry sunglasses

You will need them for sunny days.

7. Binoculars

Binoculars are a must-have to enable you to spot some specific animals, such as the big 5 from far.

8. Carry cash in loose change

Most Safari destinations prefer receiving payments in USD when buying their local stuff. However, if you decide to pay with whatever currency, ensure that you break them into small bills.

In some places, it gets hard for them when they want to give you the balance after paying for something.

9. Carry travel toiletry

I recommend carrying a separate toiletry bag that will fit all your toiletries for your trip for the duration of your Safari trip.

What’s the best toiletry bag?

It should be a good travel-size toiletry bag, waterproof, with a handle, and a hook to hang on a rack.

What to pack in your toiletry bag when going on a Safari

Shampoo/Conditioner.
Dry shampoo
Hair detangler spray
Hair spray
Volumizing powder
Deodorant
Face wash
Face wipes
Makeup remover
Sunscreen
Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Lip balm
Nail polish
Wrinkle release spray for your wrinkled clothes
Eye drops
Nail clippers
Bobby pins
Feminine hygiene products
Hand/body lotion
Laundry stain stick. Gets rid of stains just in case food spills on you.

Dry shampoo is great, especially if you will be traveling for long hours or in between showers. It helps keep the hair clean.
Detangler hair spray helps detangle your tangled hair.
Volumizing hair powder helps give your hair more volume, especially if you have thin or no hair.

All these make me feel good as a woman when I am traveling.

If you plan to take professional photos on your safari or videos for your youtube channel, then here’s what to pack for a photo safari;

What to pack for a photo safari

1. Binoculars

A good binocular is 10 by 42mm. This means you will be able to view objects or wild animals 10 times bigger than how you see them with your naked eyes.

The 42mm means that the objective lens of the front of the binoculars opens up to 42mm wide, therefore, gathering more light. This means on your evening/night trips, you see more light than with your naked eyes.

2. Carry extra memory cards

Always carry more than one memory card on your safari because you will take many photos on this trip. And if you are going to be taking professional photos, carry even more memory cards.

But remember, the memory cards need to have a good amount of storage.

3. Carry power strips and adapter

Most of the time, when going on an African safari, you will find that the tents and camps, or rather the mobile remote spots, only have one charging point available. Power strips will allow you to plug in more devices.

The adapter is for plugging in the wall.

4. Carry a flash

A flash will be great when taking pictures when there is mediocre lighting, for instance, if the animal is on a tree. Or when taking photos in the evening.

5. Carry an extra camera

If you are doing this professionally or want to capture every moment in your safari, then carrying an extra camera may turn out helpful.

You will be twice as ready to take pictures. And in other words, you won’t have to change lenses to get a better shot.

Additionally, anything can happen. One camera may fall, get stolen, or be misplaced. Therefore, having two gives you peace of mind.

6. Polarizing filters

Make sure they fit the diameter of your lens well. It would be best if you also packed them in a filter wallet to protect them from dirt.

7. Cleaning kit

When going on an African Safari, be sure to carry a cleaning kit because of the dust.

A cleaning kit should have the following:

Blowerbob – But don’t use it when there’s a lot of dirt, like in the tour vehicles. Otherwise, you may end up blowing dust in the camera.
Magnifying loupe
Sensor cleaning solution – If you have never used this before, consider practicing how to use the solution before traveling.

8. Carry extra camera batteries

In conclusion, when packing for a Safari, the secret lies in packing light and smart!

The Ultimate Women’s Safari Packing List