Tanzania Packing List Tips by toonsarah

Packing for safari and Zanzibar

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Pack lightweight clothing, ideally cotton, for the heat, but remember that it could be cooler when on early morning game drives and after the sun goes down, so bring a fleece or jumper too. This is especially true if you’re planning to visit Ngorongoro – the crater’s rim is high and it can even get frosty there at night. Long sleeves and trousers will give you more protection from insect bites and light-colour fabrics are said to help discourage biting insects; lighter colours are cooler too because they reflect the sun’s rays. But if you prefer to wear shorts that’s fine, for women as well as men, but it’s best not to wear them too short, especially in Zanzibar which is mainly Muslim. And remember to bring a hat to protect you from the sun.

You’ll need comfortable flat shoes for climbing in and out of safari vehicles, and for the uneven streets of Stone Town if going to Zanzibar. You’ll also want sandals and/or flip-flops there, for the beach and hotel pools.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Sunscreen with a high SPF is a must, and insect repellent too. You’ll also need malaria protection and of course any of your usual prescription drugs and a good supply of anything else that you might need (headache pills, Imodium etc) – on safari you’ll be away from any towns for several days at a time so won’t be able to just pop out for anything you’ve forgotten or run out of.

Photo Equipment: Take plenty of memory cards and/or film, especially for the game drives. Animals don’t always pose just how you’d like them to, so you’ll probably take plenty of shots looking for the one that’s just right. A zoom lens is a must, the longer the better. Most of our photos on these pages were taken with a zoom of a maximum 200 mm, which was fine for most shots but occasionally not long enough. We used 35 mm slide film as our trip was some years ago, before the age of digital photography; I gather that nowadays safari vehicles have connections for recharging camera batteries but you should probably bring some spares just in case. And make sure you have a dust-proof bag for all your equipment, and one of those puffer brushes to get rid of any dust that gathers on the camera each day.

Miscellaneous: It would be a good idea to include a torch for evenings spent in camps and for the back-streets of Stone Town. Binoculars too, for game viewing, and maybe a book about the various animals (although your guide will be able to tell you most of what you want to know).