Clothing
Depending on the time of year you visit you might be very cold or very hot or both in one day! July here in the Kafue can get down to low single digits (Celsius) and the wind chill on an open vehicle or boat can make this a lot colder still. If you are coming in the winter months then gloves, scarf (silk or similar) and a woolly hat are pretty much essential. Worth considering is one of the soft-shell type jackets which give the warmth of a fleece but are far more wind resistant. Dress and think in layers – while it might be freezing when you set off, coming back you might be starting to get quite hot, so it is better to be in multiple layers that can be taken off to regulate temperatures. In the hot months shorts are tempting, but just remember that the best protection from Tsetse flies is the physical barriers from fabric, not bare skin!
Footwear is often overdone; you don’t need heavy boots. Decent walking shoes or trainers are enough, or lightweight walking boots – like for European or US summer hiking. In the evening you might want to change into some lightweight sandals and let your feet also take a rest.
You don’t have to be clad in head-to-toe khaki, but muted tones are best – and essential if walking in the bush.
In the summer months a warm outer shell is often still needed on boats and vehicles in the early mornings, but the gloves and all that can be left at home. Loose fitting summer clothing is essential. Temperatures during the day can reach mid to high 30s and so think of it as like say the height of an Spanish summer. In other words, hot!
Either winter or summer please bring a hat. A wide brimmed one works well against the sun, and if it has a cord so it doesn’t blow into the river and disappear towards lake Itezhi Tezhi then that is a bonus.
Sunglasses are another obvious but totally vital essential.
If you are coming in the wetter months – which are stunningly beautiful – then bring a lightweight poncho type raincoat, which is a fantastic invention! They will cover you and your gear and you can even put it over the seat back in an open vehicle or boat so the rain doesn’t run down and soak your behind.
A pair of lightweight waterproof hiking boots and quick drying trousers makes sense. Poly cotton or manmade fabrics will dry much faster than cotton. A waterproof bag for valuable equipment or stuff that doesn’t like getting wet is a good plan too
Personal Amenities
Moisturising cream is essential – any time of year. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended. If you are here for a matter of weeks, then why take the risk! Every safari camp worthy of the name will have a fairly comprehensive medical kit but do remember that if you are carrying essential medication then pack it in your hand luggage. We have had cases of guests with bags going astray and then trying to source medication on arrival. You do not need this added stress. Sun cream is essential at any time of year. Remember that exposure to the sun is not helped by the wind in open vehicles which makes you feel colder than you would when standing still so sunburn can really creep up on you.
Binoculars
Do yourself a big favour and skip the little ones with 25mm objectives. When the light fades they fade too, and the field of view makes it difficult to pick things up. They have their uses (e.g. walking when weight is paramount), but on Safari you generally don’t have to worry about that. You don’t have to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on top end German glass. Companies like Nikon, Bushnell etc have lower end ranges that you can find online for bargain prices and optically they are very, very good. A pair of 8×32, 8×40 or 10×40 will be the best. Don’t be fooled by higher magnification, which end up being very difficult to see due to slight movement and tremors being also magnified. One very important point is that you must have a pair for everyone in your party. Having to share binoculars on a sighting is incredibly frustrating. Bring a pair each. And don’t assume that you can borrow from the lodge or from your guide.
A Camera
Some people will show up with 500mm lenses that cost the price of a small car. That is great and fantastic if your hobby or profession demands it, and you can spend that much on a lens. But at the other extreme, let’s face it, the cell phone that you break out at family gatherings to take snaps with is going to be a big disappointment. The lion that is 80m from the vehicle will be a tiny dot when you finally look at your pictures. The Pied Kingfisher on the river may as well be a mosquito! Increasingly most people travel with just a phone which is fine so long as you realise that even with the latest and greatest iPhone, long distance wildlife is just not going to work. Sure, for a snapshot of animals right next to the vehicle it will be fine.
So called ‘bridge cameras’ however offer decent focal length in a small and relatively cheap package. A model that has just been replaced by the latest greatest can often be picked up at relatively bargain prices. And the results these cameras can produce can be really excellent. Bring a couple of batteries and the charger and plenty of memory. Cleaning wipes are also a great idea. If you are a keen photographer and using a DSLR or mirrorless then you are going to need a 400mm lens (focal length on a full frame sensor). Kafue wildlife demands a longer focal length. The most flexible is something like a 100-400 or 200-600 and bring a standard zoom (24-105 is our recommendation). Keep it simple and leave the flashes and ultrawide angles at home.
A Torch Or Flashlight
This is often overlooked but is an essential. You wake up in the night on your first night in a strange room… instead of fumbling around grab your light of the bedside table and voila – light! Or the circuit breaker under your tent trips because it is raining. A small single or double AA powered LED light with different power levels would be a good choice. Try Fenix as a brand that take some beating for the price. Torches taking 3 x AAA cells are also widely available and used, LED Lenser and Maglight produce popular ones. Headlights are also good, navigating a lodge deck in the early morning darkness can be much easier. Petzl would be our choice. And a pack of lithium (energiser) batteries should do the job for the duration of your holiday. We wouldn’t recommend relying on the torch in your phone – something that can project more light makes sense.
A Water Bottle
Most camps have water filters, and there is nothing worse than dealing with sacks of plastic bottles. Do yourself and the environment a favour and get a decent bottle. Don’t forget that you will dehydrate here much, much quicker than back home. It doesn’t matter how fit or athletic you are – the body takes several days (up to 14 even) to acclimatise to much different temperatures and water loss. We have seen guests suffer serious dehydration and even heat stroke. It is not pleasant, and it wrecks at least a day (if not more) of your holiday. Rule of thumb: if your pee is yellow then you are not drinking enough water. Luckily public loos (termite mounds and riverbanks) are literally everywhere. Don’t be embarrassed to ask your guide for a ‘comfort break’. If he or she looks blank, then just say you want to “mark your territory” and they will instantly understand. It sounds a bit odd but having your own bottle that you carry around will encourage you to drink more water.
Other Tips & Tricks
For phones and tablets and e-readers we would strongly recommend bringing a powerful powerbank. Many lodges have AC power only in the main area (and sometimes only at certain times). A bigger sized powerbank can be left charging up while you are out on activity and then when you get back you just charge up in your room. This way you won’t be caught short by having to leave your phone on charge while you head out.
Please don’t bring small dollar bills because you read somewhere that it is good for tips. It isn’t. Banks in Zambia can be a long way away from where camp staff live. And small bills get terrible FX rates. Go to the ATM on your way in (e.g. at the airport) and draw some Kwacha. It will be much more appreciated.
Wifi is not a given in the bush. Many camps do not make it available to guests for very good reasons. Satellite connectivity is extremely expensive for very limited bandwidth and lots of users on at the same time simply overwhelm systems. Be mindful of this, and even if Wifi is available then please remember it is not like back home. Youtube and uploading pictures is not going to be a good idea. Why not take the safari as a time for a digital detox?
Packing
If you are flying in, then you will be very limited in terms of what you can bring. Normally it is around 15kgs in a soft bag. There are no exceptions here, light aircraft simply don’t have the storage capacity and are very weight constrained. Even if you are driving in then don’t over pack – most lodges offer laundry facilities with same day turnaround, so there is no need to bring loads. If you are bringing lots of camera gear, then check in advance – you might be required to even pay for an extra seat on the plane if you are flying in.