Packing for a safari to Tanzania is exciting but at the same time hard because it is hard to know what you will need, what needs to be left behind and whether whatever you have carried will be accepted. The packing list ranges from clothes, documents and other personal things although the main focus for most tourists is what they will put on when they get to Tanzania. The Tanzania packing list is however bigger than the clothes and shoes that you need, however there are documents that you will need in order for you to have a lovely safari with little hindrance.
As you plan your packing safari list, note that they do not allow any form of plastic bags that is Duty free bags, Ziploc baggies, grocery bags and garbage bags in the country and if you are found with any, there are heavy fines that will be levied against you. You will have to get other means of packing the extra things that you need while on your safari. Avoid carrying jewels while heading out for a safari and any other thing that you consider valuables.
Summary of a packing safari list to Tanzania
Documents
Passport
Printed travel itinerary
Yellow health card
USD that were printed after 2006
Tourism visa
Safari clothing
Layered clothes
Sports bra
Long sleeved t-shirts
Comfortable pants
Fitting underwear
Socks
A hat for the sun
Casual wear
Essentials
Medical kit
Toiletries
Insect repellent
Duffel bag
Sunscreen
Photo equipment
Camera
An extra SD card
Lens cleaner
Extra batteries
Travel documents
You need to prepare your documents so that they are put in order especially the passport. If you plan on travelling to Tanzania, you will need to have a passport that is valid for six more months beyond your safari travelling dates. Check your passport to find out if it is viable especially when it comes to the number of consecutive blank pages you have.
The tourist visa is the other document you need to make sure is in order. The Tanzania tourist visa is given to you the moment you land in the country but you will be sent an electronic copy for confirmation that it is ready. The visa is paid in cash ($100) and the notes you bring with you must have been printed after the year 2006. Old money notes with tears and those that are written on will not be allowed. You can still however pay for the visa using your visa card. Make sure that the tour operator sends you an email with your itinerary which you need to print so that you keep time and you do not mess up your day of arrival into the country.
You will also need a yellow health card which is recognized by the world health organization. Tanzania like most countries in Africa require that you get special vaccines before you land and the yellow health card will be your ticket since it shows that you have gotten all the needed vaccines needed for your safari in Tanzania.
Safari clothing
Comfortable shoes, There will be a lot of walking and hiking while on your safari to Tanzania which means that you will need to carry comfortable shoes. For those that are interested in hiking, it is better if you carry hiking boots so that you do not slip and bring a pair of heavy socks to wear with the boots so that you do not get blisters on yours feet. If you are planning on relaxing while at the beach, then simple flip-flops and sandals will be good.
Clothes, packing for a safari to Tanzania is harder than when packing for trip anywhere else in the world especially if it happens to be your first time. There are restrictions when it comes to the weight of your luggage but the main challenge comes with what to actually pack when it comes to clothes you need while on a safari. Tanzania experiences two seasons which are the dry and rainy season and these are high determinants of what will be packed while on the safari. You need to keep casual all throughout your safari because your formal clothes are not really needed unless if you have been invited for a party while on your safari.
While packing clothes for your Tanzania safari, remember the weight limit and some of the clothes that you should pack include layered clothes for the rainy season, long sleeves shirts and trousers, loose comfortable pants, a sports bra, beach dresses, a hat, scarfs, jacket for when it gets cold, underwear and pajamas. Since there are laundry services provided at your cost, you can just carry a few clothes and use the services.
Essentials
The essentials needed on a safari are some of the personal things that you need in order to keep healthy. Although a medical kit is provided while on a safari, it is better to carry an extra personal kit for emergencies and it should have some diarrhea tabs and any other personal medication recommended by your doctor if possible. Your toiletries’ bag should have lotions, sunscreen, insect repellent, underwear, deodorants and for the ladies, it should have enough sanitary towels, pant liners as these will help keep off the urine from your underwear after a short call in the bush. Do not forget all the items needed to keep a personal hygiene like toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper, a n eye mask for when it comes to sleeping and tooth brushes.
Besides your heavy safari bag which you might leave in your room, you will need a lighter bag to carry along the game drives where you can keep your phone, water and any other personal thing you might want to carry. Do not carry a heavy bag because you will get too tired before the drive is over.
Gadgets
You cannot plan your safari without a camera because you will need to document your whole stay in Tanzania for the memories and to show your family back home. Some of the photo equipment that you will need while on a safari include a mirror less camera, lens cleaning cloth, extra batteries and an extra SD card and not forgetting a bag where you will carry all these.
Besides cameras, you will also need binoculars for those that love birding so that you are able to see clearly both birds and animals that are far away. The binoculars help with bringing the wildlife closer to you and therefore should not be left behind.
You need to also carry a travel adapter plug for charging all your gadgets while on a safari. Most accommodation facilities in the wilderness do not use electricity and therefore you will need a power bank for such times. Tanzania has two plug types that is plug G which has two parallel flat pins and a grounding pin and plug D which has three pins in a triangular form which are parallel. Keep the plug types in mind so that you carry the necessary charging gadgets. If possible carry an extension so that you get to charge all your gadgets at the same time. Do not forget the electricity converter, get a local phone card if you can, a calculator so that you are not cheated when changing currencies and video cameras.