What to Pack & Clothing

The climate you are packing for

Tanzania is tropical, but altitude changes everything. On the plains and the coast, days are usually 25 to 31°C. In the highlands around Ngorongoro, Arusha and Mount Meru, mornings and evenings can drop to around 10°C, especially from June to August. Early game drives in open vehicles can be chilly.

Clothing for safari

• lightweight cotton or quick-dry shirts, with some long sleeves for sun and mosquitoes;
• comfortable trousers and shorts or skirts;
• a warm fleece or soft jacket, and a light waterproof jacket in the rainy months;
• a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and a buff or scarf for dust;
• comfortable closed walking shoes and a pair of sandals;
• swimwear: many lodges have pools.

Choose neutral colours such as khaki, beige, olive and brown: they show less dust and blend in on walking safaris. Avoid dark blue and black, which can attract tsetse flies in some areas, and avoid camouflage prints, which are reserved for the military.

Essentials

• passport, visas, yellow fever certificate, insurance details and copies of each;
• binoculars: one pair per person if you can;
• camera, spare batteries and memory cards, and a dust-proof bag;
• insect repellent, sunscreen and lip balm;
• personal medicines and a small first-aid kit;
• a reusable water bottle;
• a UK-type plug adaptor and a power bank (see our electricity guide).

Luggage and light aircraft

If your safari includes domestic or bush flights, luggage is usually limited to about 15 kg per person, including hand luggage, packed in a soft-sided bag without wheels or a rigid frame so it fits in the small aircraft. We can store extra luggage in Arusha while you are on safari.

No plastic bags

Tanzania, Kenya and Zanzibar ban plastic carrier bags. Pack in fabric or paper bags and leave plastic shopping bags at home, as they can be confiscated on arrival.

Zanzibar and the coast

Zanzibar is a largely Muslim island with a conservative dress code. Beachwear is fine at your hotel and on the beach. In Stone Town and villages, cover your shoulders and knees: light trousers, long skirts and loose shirts are comfortable and respectful.

Climbing Kilimanjaro

Climbing needs a full layering system, warm sleeping gear and broken-in boots. Use the interactive packing list on our Kilimanjaro page.