Packing before a trip is a tricky business. The situation gets much more complicated when it comes to preparing for a trip to Botswana. Where you anticipate spending a lot of time seeing lots of animals.
The thought of what to wear on a Safari in Botswana can be a bit overwhelming. That’s why we made this packing list for Botswana safari guide for you.
For that ultimate safari experience that has been on your bucket list for a while, you need the right gear, and the right clothes worn in Botswana.
Click here for the best safari lodges in Botswana and their prices. Here is your detailed packing list for Botswana safari to guide you.
Weather in Botswana
Botswana’s climate is a transition between semi-arid and subtropical depending on where in Botswana you are visiting. Like many African countries, Botswana experiences a dry and a wet season as opposed to four seasons (summer, fall, winter, and spring) as seen in colder climates.
The dry season between April and November experiences minimal rainfall, pleasant daytime temperatures, and cold nights. The rainy season is known for high levels of humidity, temperatures above 30 degrees, and afternoon showers.
The Central Kalahari and Southern Botswana regions are drier compared to the northern region. The climate in the north is closer to subtropical.
Packing List for Botswana Safari
You have decided to travel to Botswana and now you ask yourself: what must I pack for my Botswana wildlife safari?
Luggage space is limited on safari, so you want to make sure you have brought all the essentials and at the same time, you don’t want to carry something with you halfway across the world only to not need it while you are on your travels.
We want to provide you with the best advice on what to bring to Botswana, to make packing for your safari as easy and uncomplicated as possible.
Type of travel bag to use: always opt for softshell bags
There isn’t much luggage space in a safari vehicle and even less in the small charter aircrafts used on a fly-in safari. Therefore, you should pack your luggage in a softshell bag and avoid any hard-shell suitcases or trolley bags. Many charter airlines in fact, do not allow hard-shell suitcases.
In addition to your main softshell bag, it is always handy to have a small handheld bag with you too. This you can keep with you in the front of the safari vehicle or take with you on hikes or walks; this way you always have your most important items nearby.
If possible, try to make sure that your bags are waterproof. This will give you greater ease of mind when you go on a mokoro excursion or any water activity in general.
The waterproof cover will also help against the considerable amount of dust which your bag can get exposed to on a safari.
The weight of your main luggage must not exceed 15 kg and your hand luggage 5 kg. Your safari packing list for Botswana shouldn’t be too long.
Packing light is the name of the game here – hence why we provide you with a useful safari packing list Botswana.
What to wear on safari in Botswana
Clothes
As far as packing for Botswana camping is concerned, it is not advisable to wear bright-colored clothes that will draw unnecessary attention from the animals.
Dark colors absorb sunlight, which will make you feel more uncomfortable in the heat. For protection from sunlight, dust, and insects, it is advisable to cover your legs and arms with long-sleeved shirts preferably cotton shirts.
If you are going on evening game drives, you should remember to pack warm jackets and clothes because the weather will get cold at night, especially during the dry season.
See Also: Clothes to Wear in Tanzania Safari [+ Infographic]
Pieces that can easily be layered will help you get the most out of your packed clothes. The goal of this guide is to help you pack the best lightweight safari clothing for your time in Botswana.
For early morning safaris, the best option is to wear multiple layers of clothes so that you can easily take off layers as the temperature goes up after the sunrise.
Don’t forget about packing sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats as these are essential for protection from sunlight and dust.
Avoid packing heavy clothing and rather opt for lightweight clothing which can be worn in layers. Safari zip-off trousers for example are very practical because they can both be worn as long trousers and as shorts.
Avoid camouflage, or generally clothes with military design, should not be worn as they can lead to trouble with the local authorities.
You will spend most of your time outdoors on safari, but you might want to also pack some normal casual wear for when you are at lodge restaurants or in towns.
Shoes
For protection from insects and rocks, your best option is to pack closed-toe and comfortable hiking/walking shoes. Appropriate shoes are a must especially if you plan on joining walking safaris in Botswana. On the other hand, wearing sandals or flip flops is more advisable for boat excursions.
A list of clothes which you should pack:
- Warm jacket, warm jumper
- Wind jacket or rain jacket
- Sweatshirt or light jersey
- Short-sleeved shirts, T-shirts
- Long trousers and shorts
- Underwear
- Swimming costume
- Comfortable shoes (light trekking shoes, trainers, trekking sandals)
- Sandals or flipflops
- Sun hat
- Scarf
- Beanie
- Gloves
Toiletries and medicine
Fortunately, almost all the camps and lodges will supply you with shower gel (or soap) and shampoo. Sometimes you may also receive body lotion and conditioner at the lodge too.
This means you can leave the big shampoo bottles at home and only need to bring the essentials such as:
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Hand sanitizer
- Wet wipes and
- Some lip balm
If you are taking medication, particularly prescription medication then you must make sure you have more than enough with you to last you on your entire trip.
Should you wear contact lenses then taking extra lens fluid with you is important. You might want to consider rather wearing glasses for your time in Botswana, as the dust and sometimes dry heat can make wearing contact lenses uncomfortable.
If you do wear glasses, best to add a second pair to your safari packing list Botswana – just in case. A small medical bag, filled with the following items can also make a big difference:
- Plasters
- Antiseptic cream
- Antihistamine tablets or cream
- Sunburn relief
- Anti-diarrhoea medicine
- Pain relief medicine
- Nausea medicine
- Eye drops and
- Motion sickness tablets
See Also: Top 10 Botswana National Parks to Visit This Year
Further items to take with are:
- Sunscreen with high sun protection factor
- Mosquito repellent
- Malaria prophylaxis (after consultation with your doctor or tropical institute)
- First aid kit
- A towel
Safari Accessories to Take With on Safari in Bostwana
Safari accessories are the items and gadgets which you do not want to forget at home when you are about to go on a Botswana wildlife safari.
First and foremost, a good photo camera. Even though it is possible to take great photos these days with one’s phone’s built-in camera, a real camera with a good lens will still take the best pictures.
The best lenses generally for a wildlife safari are wide angle zoom lenses. A headtorch is another very handy tool to bring along and you should definitely pack a headtorch if you are on a Botswana camping safari.
The campsites can get very dark at night, so it is always great when you have some light to see where you are going. A normal torch or flashlight would also work fine, but the advantage of the headtorch is that your hands remain free.
A good pair of binoculars is another safari essential. They enable you to spot animals which would sometimes have been difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye and can provide a great close-up view of animals which are not too far away.
Try to bring a pair of binoculars which are not big and bulky, but at the same time still provide you with excellent optics.
Further safari accessories which are useful on a Botswana safari
- UV protected sunglasses
- Adapter (most commonly the South African Type M is used – three round pins, however there are differences between the lodges so a universal adapter will also be handy)
- Bird and mammal book for Southern Africa (or as an app on your phone)
- Older cell phone (sim cards can be purchased on site)
- Reusable water bottle (to lessen plastic consumption)
- A neck pouch, money belt or hip bag (for money, documents, passport, vaccination card)
Documents to bring along to Botswana
Most importantly, you need a passport which is valid for at least six months and contains at least three blank pages.
There are many countries whose citizens do not require a holiday visa for Botswana for up to 90 days, including most European countries, the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
But regulations can change, so we urge you to contact the Botswana embassy in your home country regarding current requirements.
You will also require a valid return ticket or other onward travel documents for your return travel.
If you do not have this, you must provide proof that you have sufficient funds (such as on your credit card) to purchase a return ticket.
A good tip is to make photocopies of all your important travel documents including your passport, international driver’s license (if you are on a self-drive tour) and your return ticket. Remember to store these separately from your original documents.
If you (and spouse) are travelling with your under-18 child, then you will need to provide an unabridged birth certificate and a valid passport for the child.
If it’s you are the only one travelling with the child, then you need to provide an affidavit of consent, court order or death certificate to indicate that your spouse has given their necessary permission that the child may travel.
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