Planning a first safari in Tanzania? This list follows the published Operation Kilimanjaro safari packing guide: breathable clothing, sturdy shoes, documents, and a soft bag that fits in the vehicle. If you forget toiletries or small outdoor items, most can be bought in town before you leave.
Visa rules, vaccination requirements, and health advice change. This page does not repeat old fees or medical recommendations from the previous website. Check the current official Tanzania entry guidance, and ask a clinician about travel health before you go. This is not medical advice.
Travel documents
Keep the originals with you and a copy in a separate place. Confirm the current visa and vaccination-certificate rules with the official source before you travel. The older page listed specific visa prices and a cash-only rule; those figures are not republished here.
- Valid passport
- Current visa, arranged the way the official guidance requires for your nationality
- Vaccination certificates only if the current official rules require them for your route into Tanzania
- Copy of your flight itinerary
- Copy of travel insurance and any medical-evacuation cover
- Personal insurance cards you already hold
- A card you have confirmed will work, plus some cash split across your carry-on rather than kept in one place
Clothing
The published list says a safari is practical rather than formal. Neutral colours such as khaki and beige are preferred. Avoid bright colours. Dress in layers because the temperature changes, including cold early starts.
The same list says to avoid dark blue and black clothing in tsetse areas. If a balloon flight is part of a trip you have already confirmed, bring warm clothes for the early start.
- Sweater or fleece
- Sturdy boots or sandals
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- T-shirts or polo shirts, about two to five depending on how often you want to change
- Light long-sleeve shirts
- Shorts and long trousers
- Underwear, socks, and sleepwear
- Travel towel
- Thermal underwear, gloves, and a warm hat for the cooler months, May to September on the old list
- Rain jacket and rain trousers for the rainy seasons the old list named as March to May and October to December
Useful equipment
Bring personal medication you already use. Do not treat this list as a prescription. The older page named malaria tablets and specific creams; those medical recommendations are not repeated here.
- Camera, memory cards, chargers, and spare batteries
- Binoculars
- Sunscreen
- Hand sanitizer and wet wipes
- Insect repellent
- Personal toiletries
- A basic first-aid kit you already know how to use
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Power adapter for a UK-style socket
How to pack
Most everyday toiletries and small outdoor items can be bought in town before the safari if you forget them. Leave hair dryers, expensive jewellery, and bulky toiletries behind.
- Use a soft bag, such as a duffel, hiking pack, or sports bag. The published list says hard suitcases are harder to fit in the vehicle.
- Keep passport, money, camera, and medication in a small backpack that stays with you. Put a change of clothes in hand luggage in case the main bag is delayed.
- Leave a little space for souvenirs. Shipping parcels home is possible and can be expensive.
