Packing for a Safari: Luggage Limits and What to Bring

Last checked 15 October 2026.

The one rule that catches out more travellers than any other is the luggage limit on the light aircraft that link safari camps. These small planes have strict weight limits and little space, so packing well is less about what to bring than about what to leave behind.

Light aircraft luggage limits

Limits are set by each airline and include your hand luggage, which is carried on your lap as there are no overhead lockers.

Kenya, mainland Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda: usually 15 kg per person, including hand luggage, on the main scheduled safari airlines. Some Tanzanian carriers allow 20 to 23 kg.
Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia: usually 20 kg per person, including hand luggage. Proflight in Zambia allows 23 kg plus 5 kg of hand luggage.
South Africa: Federal Air, which serves the private reserves near Kruger, allows 20 kg plus 5 kg of hand luggage.

Soft bags only. Bags must be soft and squashable, without a rigid frame and ideally without wheels, so they fit the small cargo holds. A typical maximum size is around 70 by 35 by 30 cm. A soft duffel is ideal.

If you need more. Some airlines sell a second seat or a premium seat with a higher allowance, and a private charter removes the limit altogether. Excess luggage can usually be stored at your hotel in Nairobi, Arusha or Johannesburg and collected on your way home. Let us know when planning, and we will arrange it.

What to wear

Neutral colours: khaki, olive, stone and brown blend into the landscape and show the dust less. Dark blue and black are best avoided, as they attract tsetse flies in some areas.
Layers: early morning and evening game drives can be cold, even in summer, so bring a fleece and a light, warm jacket.
Long sleeves and trousers for the evenings, which also help to protect against mosquitoes.
Comfortable closed shoes, and sturdy walking boots for walking safaris and trekking.
A wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and high-factor sun cream.
Swimwear, as many camps have a pool.

Most camps offer a laundry service, so a few days’ clothing is enough for a long journey.

By type of journey

Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking. Waterproof jacket, long trousers tucked into socks, sturdy waterproof boots, and gardening-style gloves for gripping vegetation and nettles. A porter can carry your daypack.

Beach extensions. Light clothing, reef-safe sun cream, and a modest cover-up for towns such as Stone Town in Zanzibar.

The Amazon and the Andes. For the Amazon, light long-sleeved clothing, insect repellent and a waterproof. For the Andes, warm layers for cold nights at altitude.

Useful extras

Binoculars, one pair per person if possible.
A camera with a zoom lens, spare batteries, memory cards and a power bank.
Insect repellent containing DEET, and any personal medicines in your hand luggage.
Copies of your passport, visas, yellow fever certificate and insurance documents, on paper and on your phone.
A head torch for walking around camp after dark.

What not to pack

Plastic carrier bags. Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda ban single-use plastic carrier bags, and bags may be confiscated on arrival. Use packing cubes or cloth bags instead, including for duty-free purchases.

Drones. Most national parks and many countries prohibit drones without a permit, so please ask us before bringing one.

For visas, yellow fever and everything else to arrange before you travel, see Before You Travel. If you are planning a journey, we would be pleased to begin with a conversation.

Sources

Airline limits can change, and the pilot has the final say on weight. We confirm the exact allowance for every flight on your itinerary.