Planning a safari is an exciting endeavor, and one of the key aspects is deciding what to wear. This guide will help you navigate the essentials of safari wear, ensuring you are comfortable, protected, and appropriately dressed for your adventure. Remember, the right clothing enhances your experience, allowing you to blend in with the environment and focus on the incredible wildlife around you.
Understanding the Safari Environment
The type of clothing to take on your safari holiday will depend on the time of year and what type of safari you are going on. Most likely you will start your day with a morning game drive at around 6 am and then return a few hours later for breakfast. After that, you will enjoy downtime where you get to relax and have lunch. At around 4 pm you go for your second game drive and return around sunset time. Temperatures can be cool on morning game drives, hot in the afternoon and cold at night. Layers allow you to remove clothing to make yourself comfortable as temperatures fluctuate. With temperatures fluctuating dramatically, you will need layers, including warm layers. This is more the case in Southern Africa in winter. Don’t think Africa will only be hot. This is why understanding the environment is key to packing appropriately.
“Safari colors” is not just a fashion thing. There's a logical explanation behind the color palette. It isn's by chance that animals such as impala and Thompson's gazelle have white rumps to make following one another through the bush easier to do - white really stands out. You spend a good amount of money going on safari not to watch animals watching you and reacting to you, but rather to view animals behaving - well - as naturally as animals should do. The aim of any safari is therefore to blend in as much as possible so that you do not disturb the wildlife you are viewing. This ensures that you are able to watch animals behaving naturally and not reacting to you, running away, or charging towards you.
Essential Safari Clothing Items
But with that in mind, you don't need special safari clothing and most likely what you have in your closet will do. If you don't, you can easily pick the safari color palette at any clothing store - sometimes they would come out with a Safari Collection and have all the tan, brown, beige, and green outfit you’ll need. Also, pick a fabric that is breathable like cotton, rayon, or linen.
What to Wear on Safari: Essential Clothing Explained | Altezza Travel
Clothing
- Earth-toned colors: Tan, brown, green, beige, etc. to blend in with the landscape. For South Africa, khaki is the recommended colour.
- Light, breathable fabrics: Pack lightweight and breathable clothing for the hot afternoons. It can get scorching hot, so make sure to bring light and breathable clothes. Pick a fabric that is breathable like cotton, rayon, or linen.
- Long-sleeved shirts: Airy, long-sleeved shirts with a collar will keep the sun off your arms and neck. A lightweight long-sleeved shirt is a cornerstone of your African safari outfits; either cotton or linen work well.
- Casual clothes: Even if you are staying at a luxury lodge, you won't need to pack formal attire. Bring a smart, clean outfit to wear to dinner, but there is no need to go too formal.
- Combat trousers: Combat trousers are perfect with plenty of pockets to store your camera, sunscreen, and binoculars.
- Shorts: Because it was so hot in the afternoons, I was grateful I packed shorts. Comfort is crucial on safari - you will sit for long periods in a jeep.
- One-Piece Romper: A one-piece romper equals easy safari style on a hot day.
- Jumpsuit: I love a nice jumpsuit! For those days when you don’t want to overthink about your outfit - like when you are getting ready at 5 am - just wear a jumpsuit. I lived in them on my safari trip. At night, I pair it with a scarf to dress it up a bit.
- Layers: Layers are a great way to pack light but stay warm. Morning and nights can get a bit chilly, and you will want to wear a jacket on your early game drives.
- Light jacket or fleece: A light jacket or fleece is great for an extra layer of warmth in case you need it. Fleece is great because it dries quickly too.
- Rain Jacket: I’d say a rain jacket is not entirely necessary; safari lodges will have ponchos as mentioned. That said, I was happy that I brought one.
- Swimsuit: Don’t forget to bring a swimsuit if your lodge has a pool. If your lodge has a pool, bring your swimsuit! Get a refreshing splash during your downtime in between game drives.
Footwear
- Comfortable trainers: Comfortable trainers are suitable for most safaris, even walking safaris. You can expect to be climbing in and out of the safari vehicle frequently and some light walking around the bush.
- Boots: Unless you are doing a bush walk, you don't necessarily need a pair of boots and any close-toed shoes will do. But I found it convenient to wear a pair of boots as I ended up walking on gravel and dirt roads. They also protected my ankles - where most insects like to bite. And it matches all my outfits.
- Flats: Bring a pair of nicer flats that you can wear around the lodge. Although you may walk around in flip-flops, flats will be nice when you want to dress up a little.
- Flip-flops: I always pack a pair of flip-flops wherever I travel as I use them to walk around the room or by the pool.
Accessories
- Hats: Hats are a fantastic way to protect your head and face from the sun in an open-top safari vehicle and they have the added benefit of reducing glare for better game viewing.
- Sunglasses: Sunglasses should be worn to block out harmful rays and polarised glasses will cut through the glare to make sure you don’t miss a thing.
- Scarf: I brought a nice scarf and used it on top of my outfit to add an elegant touch, but other than that, I dressed very casually. For when it gets cold at night or when you would like to look more put together for dinner.
- Day bag: You will need a day bag to bring all your essentials on your game drives.
What NOT to Wear on Safari
Choosing the right clothing also means knowing what to avoid. Certain colors and patterns can be disruptive to wildlife or attract unwanted attention.
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- Bright colors: Avoid bright colors - as it can scare the animals away. This will draw attention to you and scare off the wildlife.
- Black and blue colors: Black and blue colors - Tsetse Flies love these colors, unless you want their nasty bites, avoid at all cost. Dark colours attract Tsetse flies, so stay away from dark blue or black clothing - they have a painful bite!
- White color: White color - there’s nothing against wearing white, but keep in mind that white will soon turn yellow/brown from all the dust. White coloured clothing will quickly show dirt and dust, so try to go neutral instead.
- Camouflage pattern: Camouflage pattern - camouflage is usually associated with the military, and it's illegal to wear in some countries. Avoid camouflage clothing as some African countries reserve this pattern for military personnel only.
- Formal wear: Formal wear is not necessary as most lodges and camps have a relaxed dress code.
- Heavy hiking boots: Heavy hiking boots take up too much room in your suitcase and aren’t necessary for most safaris unless you have been told that your itinerary includes walking through the rainforest or harsh terrain.
Additional Safari Essentials
Beyond clothing, there are several other items you should consider packing to ensure a comfortable and safe safari experience.
- Medicine kit: I always travel with a medicine kit that I've put together because you never know what can happen. My medicine kit includes: Ibuprofen, Band-Aid, Neosporin, Antihistamine, Antiacid, Laxative, Malaria Pills.
- Insect repellent: Whether you are taking the malaria pills or got vaccinated, is never too safe to bring an insect repellent.
- Sunscreen: Oh, don't be fooled into thinking that you will be in a car and not get any sun exposure. The sun is strong, so make sure to pack a good sunscreen! Also keep a stick sunscreen with you to re-apply.
- Camera: Don't forget to pack your camera! If you want to capture amazing photos, your phone won't cut it, so you may have to up your game with a Mirrorless camera or DSLR.
- Binoculars: You may get lucky if you get close to some animals, but most likely a few of them will be far away. Bring a binocular to spot them!
The standard voltage in the US is 120 V, that means that you will need a converter/adapter for your appliances. Some electronics may be compatible if it's labeled 'INPUT: 100-240V, 50/60 Hz'.
Packing Tips
Now that you know what to wear, make sure you know how to pack. Most safari operators will ask that you only bring one suitcase, one overnight duffle bag, and one day pack. You might think you need more, but you won’t. Less is more on safari and you won’t even feel like you are roughing it - you will be well looked after at your lodge. If you are on a fly-in safari, you must pack in a soft-sided bag. Large, rigid suitcases don’t easily fit on the light aircraft, which means that your luggage could be refused or delayed. Limit the risk of your luggage going missing by packing essentials and one safari outfit into your daypack, which you can bring as hand luggage on the flight or ground transfer to your safari lodge or camp.
Luggage Restrictions
Packing the correct safari clothing has become increasingly important in Africa due to the strict implementation of luggage weight restrictions on internal flights - usually 12 to 15 kilograms per person. This applies in particular to travel to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and all other countries where access to safari camps and lodges is by scheduled charter or light aircraft. You will be able to find out the luggage weight limitations for your safari by discussing this with the company who have arranged your safari. The clothing stocked is all lightweight and packs and unpacks with minimum fuss or creasing.
Soft-Sided Bags
Pack your safari clothing and gear into a bag which is soft and squashable. This is especially true for safari travel to Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, and Kenya. The reason for this is rather a practical one. The majority of safari lodges and camps within these countries are accessible only by light aircraft and, in order for your pilot to fit your luggage into the small, cramped hold, your luggage must not have hard sides and should rather be soft-sided so that the pilot is able to fit (squash) your bag into the plane. The same is true for some overland and expedition-style safaris where there will be limited space for luggage in the safari 4x4.
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Capsule Wardrobe
In the past, I’ve traveled light by creating capsule wardrobes - picking clothes in colors that mix and match to create many outfits, but fit in a small bag. I decided to use the same approach for my African safari attire to create simple safari style. My safari was a 6-day adventure in Botswana and I visited in March, toward the end of the Southern Africa summer, also known as green season. At this time of year, the nights weren’t as cold as during winter, but still chilly. And daytime temps went as high as 100 Fahrenheit! So I had to dress for both hot and chilly temps. So I chose a palette of neutrals - green, tan, beige and brown. That simplified getting dressed because everything worked with everything else. My only patterned piece was a scarf.
Safari Clothing Tips
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when selecting your safari wardrobe:
- Dress in layers: This is crucial as temperatures can fluctuate significantly throughout the day.
- Choose neutral colors: Earth tones blend in with the environment and are less likely to disturb wildlife.
- Pack light: Laundry services are often available at lodges, so you don't need to overpack.
- Consider the climate: Research the weather conditions for your specific destination and time of year.
Enjoying Your Safari
With the right clothing and gear, you’ll be well-prepared to enjoy the incredible experience of an African safari. Remember to prioritize comfort, protection, and practicality, and you’ll be able to focus on the breathtaking landscapes and amazing wildlife that await you.
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