Clothing
- Soft broad-brimmed sun hat
- Headscarf / Bandana / Beanie for keeping hair off your face / sun or cold wind off your neck / dust off your camera.
- Golf-shirts and / or T-shirts – preferably with a sleeve to protect your shoulders from the sun
- Long-sleeved cotton shirts –helps keep the sun off your arms
- Shorts and /or skirts – really short skirts are not practical for getting in and out of game drive vehicles
- Long trousers (winter) – zip-off longs are ideal for summer as you need both
- Track suit
- Sleep ware – lightweight for summer & warm / thermal for winter
- Underwear – on game drives the roads can be bumpy & uneven so a suitable bra may be required
- Socks – thermal options are recommended for the winter months
- Good closed walking shoes (running / tennis shoes are fine)
- Sandals – preferably low heeled or flat if you are going on safari
- Swimming costume / sarong
- Light rain jacket for the summer months
- A lightweight, windproof jersey or fleece – early mornings on open vehicles can be chilly, even in the heat of summer; winter nights can be cold
- Warm jersey, hoodie or fleece plus anorak or warm jacket as well as a scarf, gloves & fleece beanie for winter months
- A shawl / wrap / pashmina/ light jacket is useful to throw over your shoulders at night especially if you are in an air-conditioned restaurant. It also can be used for extra protection against the sun/heat/cold/wind.
- More formal attire / jacket and tie for your stay at prestigious city hotels or on one of the luxury trains
Equipment
- Good quality sunglasses, UV protected, preferably polarised & a protective case.
- If you wear contact lenses, we recommend that you also bring a pair of glasses in case of dust irritation
- A spare pair of glasses & contact lenses would be a good idea
- Travel size personal toiletries (basic amenities are supplied by most establishments)
- Moisturising cream & suntan lotion – SPF 30 or higher recommended
- Insect repellent for body application e.g Tabard, Peaceful Sleep. If you have sensitive skin or are allergic to normal products, please bring a product suitable for you.
- Basic medical kit (aspirins, plasters, Imodium, antiseptic cream, antihistamine, personal medication etc.)
- Tissues / wet wipes / lip balm
- Malaria tablets (if applicable)
- Antihistamine tablets for allergy sufferers / anti-nausea tablets or bands for motion sickness sufferers. Ginger sweets are good.
- Torch (with spare batteries)
- Southern Africa bird guide if you are a keen birder e.g. Newman’s or Sasol
- Camera equipment including spare batteries, chargers, film, flash cards, memory sticks etc.
- Cellphone & charger
- Laptop / iPad & charger
- Travel adapter/s
- Reading material, pen / paper etc.
- Waterproof / dustproof bag or cover for your camera
- Binoculars for viewing wildlife & birds. Recommend general purpose specifications are 8×40 or 10×42
- Luggage locks especially for security at airports and hotels
- Inflatable travel pillow
- If you’re travelling with children it’s a good idea to bring some of their favourite toys to keep them entertained on the flight/s.
Please note: Kenya and Rwanda are polythene-free countries. Plastic bags including plastic “duty-free” bags have been banned and are illegal. Visitors breaking the law could be penalized. Please do not take in plastic bags into these countries. Avoid putting plastic bags into your luggage. For liquids in hand luggage, it is recommended to use transparent toiletry bags. Travellers arriving in Kenya / Rwanda with duty free bags will be required to leave them at the airport.
Important Documents
- A valid passport, valid for a minimum of 6 months after departure from your country of origin. Please ensure a minimum of 2 blank pages, we recommend at least 4 especially if travelling to multiple countries.
- It is a good idea to carry a photocopy of the “Photo Page” and the “Entry Stamp” page of your passport as an additional piece of identification, separate to originals
- Visa/s if required (keep a separate copy)
- Tickets / booking confirmation and reference numbers
- Itinerary for flights, accommodation, transfers, car hire, tours with contact and reference numbers.
- Leave a copy of your itinerary at home for friends / family in case of emergency.
- Leave expensive jewellery or items of value at home
- Travel insurance documents with reference number, name of insurer, name of person’s covered and contact numbers in case of emergency
- If you have a medical condition, copy of prescription and contact number of your doctor.
- Letter from your doctor to advise that you have to brings in the medication into the country
- Credit cards, foreign currency. Keep a photocopy in case you lose them
- Recommended inoculations / vaccination certificates
- Driver’s license with English translation (if you are on a self-drive). An International License is recommended
Light aircraft luggage restrictions
Light Aircraft companies place restrictions on the size, weight and type of luggage passengers can travel with. Because of the size of the aircraft, and the luggage stowage area, only soft bags (i.e. no rigid sides or wheels) can be accommodated and your entire luggage complement (including carry-on and camera equipment, etc.) should weigh no more than between 12 – 20 kilograms (26.7lbs – 44.1lbs). Please check the exact weight restrictions and purchasing or storing of additional luggage allowance with your private Travel Consultant.
Re-confirmation of schedule flights
Please re-confirm / check-in flights at least 24 hours before departure. Please also check that there are no schedule time changes. This is solely the client’s responsibility, Africa Exclusively will not accept responsibility in this regard.
Baggage restrictions depend on the airline with which you are flying. Please check your allowance quota as additional luggage can be expensive