Are you packing for African overland safari? I worked as a tour leader for many years and found certain items especially useful on trip. You won’t want to pack too much so it’s best to ensure these items are both small and practical. But what essential items do I suggest that you may not own already? Here’s a list of my favorite items to pack for an African overland safari.
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7 Things to Pack for an African Overland Safari
1. Thermarest Pillow
I go hiking and camping a lot. This is why I already owned a Thermarest and carry this small pillow on my travels. You might also consider buying a pillow case for an extra layer of softness! Anyway, it’s such an upgrade to have your own pillow when packing for African overland safari. You can also use this pillow for taking naps as you travel between destinations and the pillow case you can easily handwash from time to time. I suggest the thermarest because it actually feels somewhat like a real pillow (unlike most camping pillows) but feel free to carry whatever type of pillow you prefer!
2. Thermolite Reactor
You need to carry your own sleeping bag on an African overland tour but it will be difficult finding time to get it washed during the trip. This is because you are always moving on an overland tour in Africa and a sleeping bag takes so long to dry! Sleeping bag liners not only add an extra layer of warmth to your bag, they are easy to wash and dry. You can also use a sleeping bag liner on sweaty nights when it’s too warm to stay inside the sleeping bag. The Reactor model below is extremely popular among hikers because it strikes the right balance between warmth, quality and weight.
3. Crocs
I’m not a fan of wearing jandals/flip-flops in terms of packing for an African overland safari because they leave your feet rather exposed. It’s easy to stub your toes on campsites etc and crocs are more durable in general. I suggest carrying these because there are often times when your shoes will get wet and you will want something else to wear until they dry. Crocs also allow you to air your feet which will perhaps help keep your feet fresh and free of odors that your travel mates won’t want to know about!
4. Portable Tent Light
You should absolutely include a head torch on your African overland safari packing list. This is necessary for times when you need to be hands-free such as putting up or taking down the tent. I also suggest carrying a small lamp that you can clip inside the tent at night. This will be useful for when you are packing a bag or getting dressed in the tent and it will save you searching for your head lamp in the dark when you wake up.
5. Anker Powerbank
Most African overland safari trucks provide access to powerpoints. However, there is no such thing inside your tent and sometimes the vehicle will be without power. You will never have to think about how to charge your phone etc on trip with a decent powerbank. I usually recharge this powerbank on the campsite and use this bank as back up power for the rest of the week. Anker produce the best powerbanks that I have used and you can choose a medium or large size.
6. Zip Off Pants
I use zip-off pants on all of my hiking trips because they save you from having to carry a separate pair of pants. You will need long pants because mosquitos are common on an African overland tour and sometimes it gets cold too. Zip off pants are so handy because you might be sitting next to a campfire one evening and rather than having to go change some place, all you need to do is take out the small extensions that turn your shorts into long pants. Very practical item to pack!!
7. Travel Insurance for African Overland Safari
You need your own personal travel insurance to join an overland tour. This is a specialized type of insurance that will actually cover the things that can sometimes happen on a trip to Africa. But insurance is often expensive or without good customer service which is why I always use World Nomads for my trips. I suggest you at least know the cost of this insurance by getting a quote because this is something you will certainly need to have before starting the trip. It also takes just a few seconds to get a quote on the link below…
