Packing Lists
- Guide Packing
- Reviewed 28 July 2026
- Length 2 min read
Last reviewed 28 July 2026
A packing list written for a continent is useless. What you carry for six days on safari and what you carry for six days in Accra have almost nothing in common, and the useful question is which kind of trip you are taking.
So this is organised by trip type, and by the decisions that matter rather than by a count of shirts. For which bag it all goes in, and the weight limits that decide how much you can bring, see Packing for Africa.
Start from laundry, not from days
Almost everywhere you will be able to have clothes washed, often within a day and cheaply. Packing for four or five days and washing twice is lighter, cheaper on internal flights with tight baggage limits, and less to carry through an airport at five in the morning.
The exception is a trip with several one-night stops, where nothing has time to dry.
Safari and bush
- Layers — early game drives are genuinely cold, and midday is not
- Muted colours, because bright ones are conspicuous and dark blue and black attract tsetse flies
- Sun protection you will actually reapply: hat, high-factor cream, sunglasses
- A soft-sided bag if you have light aircraft in the itinerary, where rigid cases are often refused
- Binoculars — one pair per person, not one shared pair, which becomes a queue
Cities and heritage sites
- Shoes for uneven ground — historic sites are cobbles, sand and stairs, not pavement
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees, which some sites and places of worship require
- A day bag that closes properly and sits in front of you in a crowd
- Small notes in local currency for site fees, guides and transport
Coast and river
- Quick-drying clothing, and a second pair of shoes so one can dry
- Reef-safe sunscreen where you will be in the water
- A dry bag for boats, which is the difference between a wet phone and a dry one
- Modest cover-up for walking between the beach and anywhere that is not the beach
Dress and local norms
Expectations differ sharply between and within countries, and between a city street, a rural village and a place of worship. Ask your host, guide or accommodation what is appropriate where you are going rather than assuming a continental standard — the question is welcome, and getting it wrong is noticed.
Medication and health
This is the one category where guessing has real consequences, and the rules are specific to the country and to the drug. Check, do not assume.
- Everything prescribed, in original labelled packaging
- A copy of the prescription, in case you are asked or need a replacement
- Enough for the trip plus several spare days for delays
- Confirmation from the destination authority that what you carry may be brought in — some common medicines are controlled in some countries
What to leave behind
The formal outfit for the evening you have not booked. The third camera body. Anything you would be distressed to lose. And the impulse to bring gifts to hand out — it puts recipients in an awkward position and is better directed at a school, clinic or project through someone who knows what is actually needed.
This guide is general orientation, not legal, medical or governmental advice. Entry, health and safety requirements change frequently and depend on your nationality, your route and your dates. Always confirm with the official source for your destination and with your own government before you travel.