What to Pack for a Kruger Safari
Updated 6 min read
Pack light, pack neutral, pack layers. The full breakdown — including the small things first-timers always forget.
Clothing — Colours and Layers
Stick to neutral, earthy tones: khaki, olive, beige, brown. Avoid bright colours (they spook game), white (shows dust in 10 minutes) and dark blue or black (attract tsetse flies in some areas).
- Two pairs of long trousers (mornings are cold, evenings have mosquitoes)
- Three short-sleeve and one long-sleeve neutral shirt
- A warm fleece — game drives in winter start at 4°C
- A wind/rain shell — open vehicles are exposed
- Closed walking shoes plus sandals for camp
- Wide-brim hat and Buff/scarf for dust
Photography Gear
- 300mm minimum zoom — 400-600mm preferred for cats and birds
- Bean bag or window mount (tripods are useless on game drives)
- Twice as many memory cards and batteries as you think you need
- Lens cloth — dust gets into everything
- Binoculars (8x42 is the safari sweet spot)
Health & Safety
- Malaria prophylaxis (Malarone) — start before arrival, ask your GP
- Insect repellent with DEET
- High-SPF sunscreen and lip balm
- Basic first-aid kit and any personal medications
- Yellow fever certificate only if arriving from a yellow-fever country
Luggage Rules
If you're flying onward to a Sabi Sands airstrip, soft duffel bags only — hard suitcases don't fit charter aircraft. The standard limit is 20 kg total including camera gear. Airlink allows 23 kg checked + 7 kg cabin on commercial flights to KMIA.