Travel Tips

Safaris are a photographer’s delight – see my other tips about photography. You will want to take a camera with zoom lens (at least 300mm for animals and 500mm for birds); spare batteries and a battery charger (possibly even an adaptor to be able to charge your batteries from the car cigarette lighter), an electrical adaptor plug. This site is invaluable for checking the types of plugs used in various countries throughout the world: Kropla. Take plenty more memory cards than you think you will need; although I did see them for sale in the park services, they were horrendously expensive. Take a blower brush to clean off the dust and a plastic bag to keep the camera in to keep it free from dust. Binoculars are very useful, although we were actually provided with them as part of our safari package. You may also want to take an MP3 player.

For many, many years I have been making a note of the photographs I have taken. It all started after a trip to the Holy Land in 1984 when I spent so much time after the holiday trying to figure out where the photos were from, that I decided to write it down at the time. You may find that particularly useful with the animals. OK, so I think most of us are able to identify the elephant and a giraffe, but how many of you can tell the difference between a Grant’s Gazelle and an Impala? Also with the birds of course, as you may not know your plover from your wimbrel. I really like to compile a list of the animals we have seen to look at on the last day of the safari – we easily forget just HOW many different animals we have come across during those hot and heady days – one day blurs into the next……..

I keep a separate list of the serial number of my camera equipment, just in case there is a problem. I have this emailed to my Hotmail Account.

Take a torch with spare batteries and bulbs. I take a head torch when camping, as it leaves my hands free for eating, writing or searching in my bag for something in my tent. Be aware that lights attract insects, and sometimes a head torch can be a real nuisance. We have not found this is East Africa however, but I don’t know whether that was because it isn’t a problem here or the time of year we have travelled here. A torch is also useful even if you are staying in lodges, as the power supply isn’t always reliable. Some lodges also have long walks from the room to the main areas, and often the lighting is inadequate. I keep my torch on a clip attached to the top of my bag, so that I can access it easily in total darkness.

These tips are assuming that you are spending some time in a tent of course. You may want to check with the safari operator regarding what’s included in the package. Usually they will provide the tent and a mattress. The mattress is usually a 2 inch thick foam type mattress. I find this a little too soft, so I usually take my own self-inflatable mattress too, such as the Thermarest. Some of these also convert to a chair, although I am not sure how comfortable they would be. Chairs are another thing I have mentioned elsewhere in my tips: I have a back problem, so I cannot spend any time sitting on the ground, it is therefore important to me to have a camping chair. If the safari operator does not provide them (most do), there are some very lightweight, foldable ones you can pack and take with you. I have done this quite successfully in the past.

You will want to take your own pillow, although you may just need to take a pillow case and stuff it with a jumper or some other clothing. I usually take an inflatable one as well as a nice squashable foam one – the two makes my head just at the right level (with my spinal injury, this is important to me).

Sleeping bags are usually not provided, so you will want to take your own. Although, having said that, Calabash provided us with blankets, so theoretically we would not necessarily have needed sleeping bags. The weather was warm enough during the night to have used just the blanket. If that is the case, you would probably want to take a sleeping sheet. There are two main different types: cotton and silk. They are really down to preference, although some people swear by the silk bags. I haven’t yet made my mind up; I have both and can’t really say that one is considerably better than the other. When choosing a sleeping bag, pick one that suits the climate – they come in various seasons and are guided by night time temperature. Having one that is too hot is as bad as having one that is too cold.

These tips are assuming that you are spending some time in a tent of course. You may want to check with the safari operator regarding what’s included in the package. Usually they will provide the tent and a mattress. The mattress is usually a 2 inch thick foam type mattress. I find this a little too soft, so I usually take my own self-inflatable mattress too, such as the Thermarest. Some of these also convert to a chair, although I am not sure how comfortable they would be. Chairs are another thing I have mentioned elsewhere in my tips: I have a back problem, so I cannot spend any time sitting on the ground, it is therefore important to me to have a camping chair. If the safari operator does not provide them (most do), there are some very lightweight, foldable ones you can pack and take with you. I have done this quite successfully in the past.

You will want to take your own pillow, although you may just need to take a pillow case and stuff it with a jumper or some other clothing. I usually take an inflatable one as well as a nice squashable foam one – the two makes my head just at the right level (with my spinal injury, this is important to me).

Sleeping bags are usually not provided, so you will want to take your own. Although, having said that, Calabash provided us with blankets, so theoretically we would not necessarily have needed sleeping bags. The weather was warm enough during the night to have used just the blanket. If that is the case, you would probably want to take a sleeping sheet. There are two main different types: cotton and silk. They are really down to preference, although some people swear by the silk bags. I haven’t yet made my mind up; I have both and can’t really say that one is considerably better than the other. When choosing a sleeping bag, pick one that suits the climate – they come in various seasons and are guided by night time temperature. Having one that is too hot is as bad as having one that is too cold.

You may wish to take a guide book with you, although I don’t think a guide book is as useful for a safari as it is on other types of trips. Instead of a guide book you may wish to take a bird identification book (although our vehicle had two very good books on this subject) and/or a mammal/snakes/lizards identification book. A phrase book may be useful, and I have a really good little book which has pictures of various items that you can point to – a sort of phrase book for every language. I always like to take a map, as I love to see where we are going. There are some very nice maps available in the park HQ shops in Tanzania.

Always take a photocopy of your passport and it is a good idea to carry this with you at all times. Keep your passport and tickets somewhere safe, such as a money belt under your clothes, and only carry the copy. Also make a note of your credit card numbers and the telephone number to ring to report them lost or stolen as well as the emergency number for your travel insurance. I e-mail this information to my Hotmail account so that I can access it anywhere in the case of absolutely everything being stolen. I carry a paper list of this in my money belt, and on the same list is the name and address of my next of kin.

It might seem very obvious and trivial, but make sure you have a pen with you and that it is handy. Most places you go you need to fill in an entry card, and a registration card in the lodge. Not to mention those post cards you wish to write and all the notes for your VT tips!

Take some small snacks for the early morning game drives or long days when the time between meals makes your stomach think your throat has been cut. Dried fruit and cereal bars are very useful for this. You may also want to take some sweets or something to keep your mouth from drying out completely with all the dust.