Packing for a trip with three climates
· 1 min read · Hardo
Safari mornings are cold, afternoons are hot, and Zanzibar is humid. One bag, no drama.
Bush-and-beach itineraries defeat most packing systems, because you are dressing for 6°C at dawn on the crater rim and 32°C on the coast four days later.
Layers, not garments. A merino base layer, a fleece and a windproof shell will carry you through a cold game drive at altitude and then pack down to nothing. Anything bulky is dead weight for the rest of the trip.
Colours matter more than you think. Neutral greens, browns and khaki. Avoid blue and black entirely — tsetse flies are drawn to both, and they bite hard.
The light-aircraft limit is real. Internal flights between camps usually cap you at 15kg in a soft bag. Not 15kg plus a carry-on. A hard-shell case will be refused at the airstrip, and there is nowhere to leave it.
For the coast. Bring more sun protection than you think, and a rash vest if you plan to snorkel for more than an hour. Zanzibar is 6 degrees south of the equator.
Leave behind. Hairdryers, more than one pair of shoes beyond boots and sandals, and any expectation of laundry between camps.
