Other things you will need - a good pair of binoculars, a camera with the best lens you can afford (I use 300mm), lots of memory cards, spare batteries (you quite often can't buy these at the lodges), chargers, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, sun cream. If you have long journeys, an ipod or similar is useful. Only drink bottled water & avoid ice in drinks. Don't forget your malaria pills and any jabs you may need.

Hope this helps - enjoy!

A good round up of helpful advice! Could I just add - please also have consideration for the others in your safari jeep: if you have the best view of whatever animal or bird people are taking a photo of, move out of the way when you have taken your shots so others can get a look in! Also, in your excitement please keep quiet (whisper or talk in a very low voice if you need to say something) so you don't frighten the wildlife away - I've been furious with some people who have squealed (repeatedly) with excitement or shouted to others in the group and consequently the wildlife have bolted. Common sense really, but as they say, it's not really very common!!

All the best,

Bob

Good post, Don't forget to take wet wipes, handy packs of tissues, hand cleansing gel,any and all malaria things and antihistamine tablets, if like me you get bitten alive.

Cindy

Hi Hils,

A good round up of helpful advice! Could I just add - please also have consideration for the others in your safari jeep: if you have the best view of whatever animal or bird people are taking a photo of, move out of the way when you have taken your shots so others can get a look in! Also, in your excitement please keep quiet (whisper or talk in a very low voice if you need to say something) so you don't frighten the wildlife away - I've been furious with some people who have squealed (repeatedly) with excitement or shouted to others in the group and consequently the wildlife have bolted. Common sense really, but as they say, it's not really very common!!

All the best,

Bob

Hi Bob,

I totally agree! Having had screaming teenage girls on a boat safari in Botswana (not JY customers I hasten to add!), I'm surprised we saw anything! In the end we had to tell them to be quiet as politely as possible!!

Cheers,

Hils

The usual outdoor shops still seem to stock ski and snow equipment, but I will have a look at the suggested items soon. Any advise on footwear? I guess hiking shoes are the way forward there?

And how much luggage would be advisable/could one get away with?

Cheers,

larmen

I am not sure which tour your on but if Kenya one, it was very hot and humid so you really need clean clothes every day, you could (well I didn't ) recycle them through the holiday.I went Sept..October time.

Others from other safari might say different..

Cindy

Thanks for the tips, very much appreciated. After all, it is only 5 months away for me.

The usual outdoor shops still seem to stock ski and snow equipment, but I will have a look at the suggested items soon. Any advise on footwear? I guess hiking shoes are the way forward there?

And how much luggage would be advisable/could one get away with?

Cheers,

larmen

Hi there's no need for special footwear, folks just wear whatever they would normally on holiday - sandals, trainers and so on. I would however wear old clothes, as safaris are dusty experiences. Also be careful getting on and off the jeeps - it can be tricky and get a hand if need be. Some of the jeeps can have sharp metal edges - I ripped my shorts getting off a jeep in Ranthambore!

Cheers,

Bob

Thanks for the tips, very much appreciated. After all, it is only 5 months away for me.

The usual outdoor shops still seem to stock ski and snow equipment, but I will have a look at the suggested items soon. Any advise on footwear? I guess hiking shoes are the way forward there?

And how much luggage would be advisable/could one get away with?

Cheers,

larmen

Hi larmen,

I buy most of my outdoor gear online - try www.craghoppers.co.uk for insect repellent shirts and trousers (Nosilife) or Rohan gear www.rohan.co.uk. Game drives are not clean affairs (!) so you need to have shirts etc. that you can wash and they dry overnight. Re footwear - I use trekking sandals mostly. Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Hils

www.trekwear.co.uk are another briliiant website and have some very good offers at the moment!!

PaulineD

Having done a few safaris now, I feel as though I can give some advice on the "do's" and "dont's"! Firstly clothing - do NOT wear the following colours when you are on a game drive - Blue, black (both attract tsetse flies), white (gets filthy) and absolutely no bright colours! Best colours to wear are khaki, brown, tan etc. i.e. muted colours that blend with the bush. No heavyweight jeans (take too long to dry). Pack a couple of long sleeved shirts that can be rolled up (Craghoppers have insect repellent in the cloth), zipped-off trousers are good, and you may need a fleece for the early morning game drives.

Other things you will need - a good pair of binoculars, a camera with the best lens you can afford (I use 300mm), lots of memory cards, spare batteries (you quite often can't buy these at the lodges), chargers, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, insect repellent, sun cream. If you have long journeys, an ipod or similar is useful. Only drink bottled water & avoid ice in drinks. Don't forget your malaria pills and any jabs you may need.

Hope this helps - enjoy!

Hi thanks for the advice, would it be advisable not to use highly perfumed deodarants, body sprays etc., whilst on safari, or does it not really matter?

Keep it simple on the aroma front, leave the strong perfumes etc for after showering in the evening...

Cindy

I wouldn't use any strong perfumes at all - fragrance-free deodorants if possible. Those mossies like nice smells!

Hils

Very true! Nothing beats the aroma of DEET on those long haul tours to exotic places!

Cheers,

Bob

BTW I have been bitten loads again In Florida it makes no difference to me, the little buXXXRs get me every time

Cindy

Perhaps you have got very 'sweet' blood which the mossies like!

Jaya

I am just wondering about the 2 cases/bags you need to take with you for 1 going with you on safari and the other going to the beach hotel. What do you do with the toiletries that you need to take on safari in terms of hand luggage liquids being less than 100ml each? I was just thinking of putting them in my main luggage and then transferring them over at the other end?

The way I read this is that there are 2 pieces of hold luggage, not one plus 1 hand luggage. Can somebody who has been there clarify on that?

I don't think I get 1 week worth of 'Safari gear' plus anything I usually take as hand luggage into 1 bag that is allowed as such.

I think I must have, they sure had a meal on me, was so nice o soak in the bath last night and treat them all...someone told me to out toothpaste in them ??? Might be an old wives tale but did calm them down while away...

How's things going with you?

Cindy

Hi all, I am just reading the thread which is really useful information thanks. I am on the Kenya holiday in Sept...I am just wondering about the 2 cases/bags you need to take with you for 1 going with you on safari and the other going to the beach hotel. What do you do with the toiletries that you need to take on safari in terms of hand luggage liquids being less than 100ml each? I was just thinking of putting them in my main luggage and then transferring them over at the other end? - I just wasnt that keen on having to open my main suit case in the airport. Any other suggestions? Much appreciated Angela :-)

Hello

When I went on the safari tour ..it was a few years ago so might of changed...BOTH the bags went in the aircraft hold...but I did just take travel size toiletries in the safari case as its only a few days and took the large ones in the main case...check with the girls at head office and see if both bags go in the hold...if NOT then leave them in a small bag to retrieve at destination airport you will have time, as the main case goes to 2nd hotel ...so that takes time to sort all the cases out.....

You only need to take what you REALLY need in the soft hold-all...as there is not much room in the jeeps that collect you from the airport, OK. If I can help with anything else just ask

Cindy

Hopefully you will recover fully from the mossie bites. Hope none of them are infected. All is well with me though I managed to catch a very nasty cold and cough soon after the stem cell harvest. I was presrcribed antibiotics, but still am not 100%. Went to Mount Vernon today for a final check up and discharge as I will now transfer to UCLH, London for the final leg of my treatment. Hopefully this will start sometime next week. It is going to be a tough journey as the very strong chemo I will be given over the first six days is going to cause some problems, but I am sure I will cope with them. Very positive that all will go well with the transplant and I should be back home within 4-5 weeks. Can't wait for it to be all over....

Jaya