So, baby boomer travelers, what clothes do you bring on a safari? That was the question I asked last fall before our November trip to Lion Sands and Madikwe Hills in South Africa. Alan and I are lucky to have a travel agent, Ngaire Keene, who spelled it all out for us. Explicit instructions, down to how many shirts and pants to bring for a six-day safari, were included in our travel documents, plus tips for packing light since luggage size was limited on the small charter flights to the camps.
Of course the smart way to travel is to plan ahead, know what fits best and order from the catalogs. But I’m too busy traveling and writing to be that organized. By the time I thought about packing for our safari, it was too late to order by mail so I had to shop the stores hoping to find summer-type safari clothes when retail stores in Arizona had already switched to winter apparel.
I found everything Alan needed at Sportsman’s Warehouse. Two light-weight, long-sleeved shirts that could be rolled up, with 30+ sun protection built into the material. One was the house brand and the other from ExOfficio
My luck wasn’t as good. While I found one ExOfficio
I completed my packing with two short-sleeved t-shirts by Chico’s and a zip-up sweatshirt with hood. Alan brought old t-shirts and didn’t worry about a sweatshirt, after all, we were there in late spring for the southern hemisphere. We both included one extra outfit to change into for dinner. Tennis shoes were our only shoes.
Were we prepared? Yes. Although it rained, our light-weight clothes dried quickly plus we used rain gear provided by the safari lodges. What will we be doing differently for our next safari? We’ll bring one more pair of pants. Although both camps provided laundry service, changing camps meant we lost a laundry day. We were ready for clean clothes after wearing the same pants and shirt in the hot weather for three safari sessions.
And what about cooler weather safaris? My baby boomer travel friends advise bringing lots of layers plus earmuffs and gloves.
Have you been on safari? What did you pack? Post a comment to tell me. OK, I admit it, I’m a bit of a princess when it comes to travel. I’ll read your advice to clean up my act!
Disclosure: The Amazon links to safari clothes listed in this post are for your convenience. However My Itchy Travel Feet does receive a small percentage for purchases made at Amazon.com.
