A short, honest list — and the things you can safely leave at home.
Packing for a safari is mostly about restraint. Light aircraft transfers cap luggage at 15kg in a soft bag, laundry is available at almost every camp, and nobody on your vehicle is looking at your outfit.
Stick to neutral colours: khaki, olive, beige, stone. Avoid bright white, which shows dust, and dark blue or black, which attract tsetse flies in bush areas. Pack layers rather than heavy items: mornings on the crater rim are cold, midday on the plains is hot.
- Three or four pairs of lightweight trousers and shirts, long sleeves for sun and insects
- A warm fleece or down layer for early drives
- A wide-brimmed hat, good sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen
- Comfortable closed shoes plus sandals for camp
- A soft duffel bag, not a hard case, for light-aircraft flights
Binoculars you actually enjoy using make more difference than an extra lens. Bring spare camera batteries and a power bank: vehicle charging exists but is shared. A head torch is useful in tented camps, and a small dry bag protects gear from dust.
Bring your prescriptions in original packaging, a basic first-aid kit, insect repellent with DEET, and a copy of your travel insurance. A yellow fever certificate is required only if you are arriving from a country with risk of transmission.
Drones are illegal in Tanzanian national parks without a permit, and plastic carrier bags are banned nationwide. Camouflage-print clothing is restricted to military use and should not be worn.
