Kenya is an incredible country with diverse landscapes, weather, and vibrant cultures, ranging from the savannah to the sea and the mountains. Knowing what to pack and how to dress can be challenging, with everything from local customs to climate and trip activities to consider. This guide offers comprehensive advice on what to wear in Kenya to ensure you are comfortable, respectful, and prepared for any adventure.
Respecting Local Culture
Kenya is diverse in cultural and religious customs, which includes clothing. That’s why there is no strict or homogenous dress code. If you want to do your best to respect local culture, just opt for more conservative clothing in rural areas and religious sites. This is particularly true in predominantly Muslim regions like Mombasa and Lamu.
The general guideline is to wear long, loose-fitting clothing that covers your shoulders, knees, midriff, chest, and back. While long clothing might sound extra hot, it’s actually more comfortable as it protects you from the sun and insects like mosquitoes.
Clothing Recommendations:
- Women: Long, loose shirts that cover the shoulders, chest, midriff and back, and long-loose skirts, dresses or trousers that cover the knees. Avoid wearing tank tops, shorts, crop tops, short skirts or anything too form-fitting.
- Men: Long trousers and t-shirts or button-down shirts with long sleeves that cover at least your shoulders. You should also aim to dress more modestly at religious sites, including long trousers and shirts.
Safari Attire
Planning a trip to the Kenyan bush? You’ll soon discover that the question of what to wear on safari in Kenya requires some consideration. According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, at safaris neutral-colored and lightweight clothing is best to blend in with the surroundings and avoid attracting insects. Avoid bright colors, which can disturb wildlife, and dark blue or black, as these attract tsetse flies. If you’re going on safari in Kenya, forget the clichés like safari helmets and full-on khaki. It’s recommended to wear lightweight layers in neutral colours to blend in with the bush and improve your chances of wildlife sightings.
Avoid bright colours like white and red and dark colours like black and blue as this can attract Tsetse flies. Varying climates and activities as well as cultural norms and etiquettes call for a range of basics. Irrespective of the season, temperatures can shift dramatically throughout the day. Especially in higher-altitude areas like the Maasai Mara or Laikipia.
Read also: What to Wear: Morocco Edition
Most safaris start the day with early-morning game drives and end it with another outing in the late afternoon or early evening. In order to be prepared for both cold and hot temperatures, layering is key: start with a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt for protection from the sun and insects, and top it with a warm fleece or jacket. Avoid synthetic or heavy fabrics that don’t breathe well, and bright colours that will disturb the wildlife.
Lightweight, moisture-wicking fabrics will keep you cool, especially in the heat of the day, while neutral colours make sure you blend in. You don’t need professional safari clothing - a simple cotton T-shirt or linen shirt works just as well.
Recommended Safari Clothing:
- Earth-toned colors - Tan, brown, green, beige, etc. to blend in with the landscape
- Light, breathable fabrics - it can get scorching hot, so make sure to bring light and breathable clothes.
- Casual clothes - Even if you are staying at a luxury lodge, you won't need to pack formal attire.
Avoid:
- Bright colors - as it can scare the animals away.
- Black and blue colors - Tsetse Flies love these colors, unless you want their nasty bites, avoid at all cost.
- White color - there’s nothing against wearing white, but keep in mind that white will soon turn yellow/brown from all the dust.
- Camouflage pattern - camouflage is usually associated with the military, and it's illegal to wear in some countries.
What You Should Pack for Safari
Beach Wear
Kenya has some gorgeous beaches that are perfect for swimming, snorkelling or simply lounging on the sand. While it’s fine to wear your swimsuit at the beach, you should always cover up before you leave the beach and never walk around in swimwear.
Footwear
You’ll need a comfortable pair of walking shoes or runners. If you plan to go hiking in Kenya’s beautiful mountains, bring a sturdy pair of hiking boots and thick socks. On safari, the right footwear is as important as the right choice of clothing. High heels or fancy pumps are totally out of place in the bush.
Read also: Discover Essaouira, Morocco
While flip flops are not advisable for daytime activities, they are ideal around the lodge or camp. Most guests prefer long trousers for bush walks. Pack footwear best suited for the purpose of your trip. A smart traveler travels light, so it’s vital to pack multi-purpose clothing and footwear is no exception.
Ideally, they should be lightweight with at least ankle support, which will perfect for the bush since the terrain can be uneven and rocky. Make sure you wear the boots a couple of times before you travel to break them in. Pack a casual pair of shoes for city strolls or night dates.
Weather Considerations
You also need to consider the weather and your activities when thinking about what to wear in Kenya. It’ll likely be hot, although it can get quite chilly in the early mornings and evenings on safari game drives and in the mountains, so bring versatile layers that you can peel on and off. A scarf is a handy item, as you can use it to stay warm or for extra modesty. You can also dip it in water and wrap around your neck to cool down in the heat.
Kenya typically has a dry and rainy season. The country also experiences short rains from time to time. During the dry season, lightweight layers are ideal as they allow you to adjust to temperature changes throughout the day. When it comes to what to wear on safari in Kenya in the wet season, be aware it is characterised by short-lived yet heavy downpours - if you don’t want to get soaked, waterproof clothing is a must.
Footwear can easily get soaked, so it’s advisable to bring an extra pair of socks and sturdy shoes for muddy tracks. Layers, layers, and more layers. Most decent game-drive vehicles have blankets, so you can usually get away with wearing shorts, but combat or wide-leg trousers work just as well. Evenings on Kenya safaris are a fairly casual affair, there’s certainly no need for formal safari clothes.
Read also: Morocco Time Information
Other Essential Items
Here's a list of other essential items to consider packing for your trip to Kenya:
| Category | Items |
|---|---|
| Toiletries | Reusable travel bottles, bar shampoos and soaps |
| Medical Kit | Strong insect repellent, hand sanitiser, painkillers, electrolytes, antiseptic ointment and bandaids, travel sickness tablets, eye drops, personal medications |
| Electronics | Smartphone, camera, extra memory cards, batteries and chargers, e-reader or headphones, portable charger and a power strip |
| Cash and Cards | Local cash (Kenyan shilling), US dollars or UK pounds |
| Accessories | Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat |
| Other | Binoculars, flashlight, wet wipes and sanitizers |
Additional Tips:
- All kinds of plastic bags are banned in Kenya. Do not bring them into Kenya or purchase them while in the country as there are heavy fines. These include plastic grocery bags, plastic packaging and plastic ziploc bags.
- You should avoid wearing camo or military-style clothing anywhere in Africa, as you may be questioned about your intentions and why you look like you’re posing as a military officer.
- Don’t bring anything you couldn’t bear to lose! While it’s handy to bring some local cash, you don’t need to bring enough for your whole trip and risk losing it.
Popular articles:
tags: #Kenya
