Post updated after Safari; please read to the bottom for all tips!
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I have dreamt of this moment for years! Not the packing part, but going on a journey in Africa? Yes!

Most people plan months or even years in advance for this type of trip. However, mine came together in under a month, and I had about three weeks to get all my gear in order!

I had so many questions and worries, and I panicked a bit because I needed many new things as Safari is a different animal altogether. Pun intended. So, this post is to help my fellow travelers and hopefully take some stress out of the planning.

For reference, I’ll be on Safari for ten days, during Spring, and visiting Kenya and Tanzania.

Bags
Soft-sided, no wheels, easy to carry
There is a 33lb max limit including hand luggage and camera gear on smaller bush planes.
I’m already a light packer, but this was still a challenge!
Main Carry-on Pack: Sky Train Backpack Hybrid from Red Oxx – you can carry it as a duffle or backpack, and the straps are nicely padded. The only caveat is that it weighs 4lbs before packing.
Smaller Personal Carry-on: LeSportsac Medium Weekender – it’s lightweight, the zippers lock, it packs down, and holds lots of stuff!
Day bag: Baggalini Cross Body – Lays flat in my main bag and is lightweight.

Vaccines
Yellow Fever is mandatory.
I also got Hepatitis A & B and Typhoid.
Passport Health clinics are great for travelers. Check if one exists in your area!
I also got Malarone (anti-malaria pills) and Cipro (for an upset tummy.)

Clothes
Bring as little as possible!
Colors: Neutral earth tones – olive, khaki, brown
I packed two lighter colored tops, and I’ll report back if they stay clean or if I need to leave them in Africa.
My beloved black will need to sit this trip out since darker colors attract mosquitos and other buggies.
If you are a mosquito magnet, you might want to invest in Insect Repellant clothing.
Here’s what I packed:
3 Pants – two pants/1 Jean (not for Safari)
2 Long-sleeve shirts – one has Insect Shield
3 T-shirts/tops – one convertible shirt, one linen, and one cotton.
2 Bras – bralettes
3 Socks
8 Pairs Underwear
1 Pajama set + long sleeve top
1 Hipknotie – a convertible scarf/skirt/top
2 Buff Headbands
1 Swimsuit
1 Ultra Light Down Jacket
2 Flip-Flop/Slippers – I packed one crystal flip-flop as my “sandal” and one sturdy flip-flop with durable sole

On the plane, I’ll be wearing a sports bra, tank top, long-sleeve top, pants, waterproof hiking shoes, wool ankle socks, and a sweater/fleece.

Toiletries
5 – 1oz Nalgene leakproof containers and filled them with hair product, sunscreen, and other necessities
2 – 2oz containers for body cream (I’ll be in many dry locations.)
2 – 10ml Roll-on SkeeterBeater Insect Gel (all natural, no DEET)
Toothpaste, Face Cream, Face Serum, Lavender Oil, Clear Nail Polish

For Cleaning Up
Lavender Wipes
Face/Eye Cleansing Wipes

Electronics
Superzoom Camera
Binoculars
OlloClip 4-in-1 Lens for iPhone
Mophie Powerstation
2-Outlet International Travel Adapter

How I packed: I rolled my clothes in tissue paper and put them in Gallon-size Ziploc bags. I compressed all the air out the bags and placed the sealed bags into Eagle Creek Compression bags to keep everything organized. All my loose and smaller items are in smaller Ziploc bags, and I did the same – squeeze all the air out and place them in Eagle Creek packing cubes. I used Think Tank Photo Cable Management cases to organize my electronic gear.

I will let you know how it all goes and what worked and what I could’ve left behind!

‘Til next time, thanks for reading and Happy Travels!

***UPDATE***
January 5th, 2017
I have completed my Safari travels and have news and tips to share!

What you read online about packing for Safari in soft-sided bags without wheels – all lies!!! Many people had hard cases with wheels. 15kgs is preferred but if you go over, you pay a fee. I swapped my backpack/duffle for a carry-on spinner in Nairobi.

Here’s what I didn’t need, or use:
– Gloves
– Binoculars ~ every camp I visited had binoculars I could use on the Game Drives.
– Go Girl pee cup ~ the freedom to squat and pee in random isolated locations was exhilarating! I felt one with the land and animals!
– Emergency Poncho ~ it didn’t rain enough to warrant protection.
– Waterproof hiking shoes and wool socks ~ it was HOT during the day, and my shoes with wool socks were too much. Regular, simple sneakers or durable, sturdy flip-flops would have sufficed for game drives.

Here’s what I wish I brought:
– More dress clothes/relaxation clothes ~ I had enough clothes for Safari, but in the evenings, it would have been nice to change into something a little more formal – like dress slacks and a cute top. I also could have brought jewelry and a nice pair of sandals.

Reviews for everything else:

Vaccines
My International Health Card was requested at the entry point to Tanzania.
Even though I brought Malarone (anti-malaria pills), my body did not respond well to it, two days in, and I stopped taking them so I could enjoy my trip. I’d recommend to either take them with a BIG meal or not at all. Cipro did come in handy, and I wish I brought it on all my game drives!

Clothes
Colors: Neutral earth tones – olive, khaki, brown – YES!
I packed two lighter colored tops, and with laundry in the camps, all the dust came out in the wash!
If you are a mosquito magnet, wear long sleeves. You don’t need Insect Repellant specific clothing.
I wore everything noted above in my packing list, except the swimsuit. I didn’t have much downtime to warrant a swim in any of the pools.

Toiletries
SkeeterBeater Insect Gel (all natural, no DEET) – GOOD – I used one roll-on during the trip.

For Cleaning Up
Lavender Wipes – YES! These came in handy!

Electronics
Superzoom Camera – Excellent for Safari! So HAPPY with this purchase!
Mophie Powerstation – I didn’t need this. The camps and game drive vehicles had outlets. 
2-Outlet International Travel Adapter – I liked this. It came in handy.

I also liked that all my clothes were in Ziploc bags, and no matter where I traveled, my clothes stayed dry and dust-free!

Overall, the Safari was great, and I can’t wait to do it again!

If you have any questions about my packing list, please leave a comment below!

Would you like me to plan your Safari trip? I visited Kenya & Tanzania and stayed in comfortable four and five-star Glamping resorts. I’d be happy to discuss it with you when you are ready!