Safari clothing, please help me pack!

[LazySusan11]

I need some neutral cargo type trousers for safari, something flattering and comfortable. So far I can't find any that don't have zips to remove legs and make into shorts. I do not want zippy trousers!

Also I need non clingy tops for layering, I'm trying to avoid the hiking boot crocodile Dundee look, I am fairly big of nork and really want to look proportionate not like a lollipop in khaki, if anyone has any advice or suggestions I'd be very grateful.

Gap for trousers. I wore beige/neutral chinos from Gap on safari and on a recent jungle trip. Added lots of thin t shirts in neutral colours from a variety of shops (Uniqlo, Jigsaw, M&S etc), and a light weight Paramore jacket (lots of sports shops sell this brand). Don't forget a hat!

Where are you going? There is a reason for khaki if you are doing animal tracking you don't want the animals to see you, also hiking boots and zip off trousers are sensible as there are often ticks so you want the trousers on/off between getting in and out of the Landrover. Hiking boots and comfy sandals like tevas are the way to go, unless you are off somewhere cool for this time of year I would avoid anything layered as you might be hot and opt for loose long sleeved cotton shirts to protect from ticks and the sun. I grew up in the bush in Southern Africa and fashion isn't a requirement it's all about practicality although dark forest green is good, also get a good hat and some sunnies. Lots of pockets are handy for keeping your camera, insect repellant, sunscreen, tissues. Take a cardigan for the evening though it's often cooler than you expect. Also black is hot in the sun and white makes you stand out hence khaki.

Thank you, we're going in July so I'm aware it's going to be cold at certain times. Want to avoid dark colours as I'm paranoid about tsetse flies! Also what about a handbag, should I get a simple cross body bag?

Sorry Mrs you asked where not when! We are going to Madikwe and Zambia. Need to sort vaccinations too

We went last August to Madikwe. If you are by any chance staying at Royal Madikwe you are in for a treat :) I didn't bother with updating jabs for SA (my second visit) but I would for Zambia.

The sun is still pretty strong for the afternoon drives. Get yourself a broad brim hat that can be secured under the chin as it'll fly off when the driver picks up pace to catch up with a sighting. Sunscreen and sunglasses very necessary.

I have Craghopper Kiwi trousers which are slightly stretchy, not convertible and flattering as far as hiking trousers go. You do get very dusty as it's dry season. I would take hiking shoes/boots as my Nike trainers were full of red dust and sand after a few days & have never been the same!

I wore loose collared cotton/linen shirts on top, again, very dusty but useful to pop the collar against the sun.

Once the sun goes down it gets very cold very quickly. A good warm jumper and jacket are very necessary, a beanie may come in handy for the morning drives. I wore a padded Barbour style jacket.

To clarify - you will start/end your morning/afternoon drives in the dark and it is absolutely freezing. There are blankets on the land rovers but it's still really cold, so be prepared for that!

We took padded down filets, woolly hats and gloves for the early morning/ evening drives, and were glad of them on some days, even with the big fleece ponchos which were provided. Middle of the day the kids were in shorts! But yes practicality is key. Jeans were fine too - unless foot safari/tracking you don't need to go for the full Out of Africa...

Gilets not filets!

Thank you, ruby we are staying at the Sanctuary Makanyane, very excited. I have a pair of trainers I'm happy to ditch afterwards as they will need replacing anyway so guess they will be ok? I'm overly invested in the bug repellent socks..I really have no clue!

Your trainers will be absolutely fine, sounds like a great idea.

We didn't need any insect repellent last August. There's very few flies or bugs around that time of year, just the normal (not tetse) flies that hang around food at the table but otherwise don't bother you. I'd throw a can into your bag but don't worry too much! I'd be more worried about sunscreen and a warm jumper.

You'll have such a great time - we managed to see everything including wild dogs. Madikwe has quite a few lions so you're nearly guaranteed a sighting. Very jealous of you :)

We did a safari in Kenya in June a while ago and did it in beige linen trousers and shorts with a range of Tshirts. We were advised to go for more muted colours for walking safaris, but I don't think it mattered much for the bus/jeep. Most people took a capsule wardrobe of neutrals which made packing lighter as space in the jeep for storage was minimal.

I took a dark coloured scarf, big enough to use as a sarong, which was great for the beach part of our holiday, but it was worth its weight in gold on the safari - I used it as a pillow, cover up, head scarf and as a sun shade to cover the windows of the jeep when the sun was super hot.

We then had a medium sized back pack between us for money and water.
Sunglasses are essential as are hats which tie under the chin - our safari driver wouldn't allow any hats on board that wouldn't secure under the chin. One couple with us had their baseball caps confiscated.

A pair of good walking shoes if you're doing any walking safaris but we did it in a sturdy pair of trainers.

I went on a safari holiday in Kenya several years ago so can't help with specific brands now. But in general I wore cotton or linen cargo trousers or shorts and lightweight cotton T-shirts. A loose cotton shirt was also handy for covering up from hot sun, bugs or when it turned a bit cooler. I also took a couple of warm zip up tops for early morning or early evening trips.

As a fellow possessor of large norks, I thoroughly recommend taking a good sports bra. The roads were really bumpy in places and several hours jiggling about would have been hardgoing in a normal bra!

Good advice above, it will be quite cold, as a child I was always having to lend my warm things to english visitors who came in winter. Don't worry to much about the tsetse flies, it's a great time of year with dry sunny days and not too many bugs I'm taking my children out in the May/June half term.

New Look khaki chinos are pretty decent value, comfy and cool. Last time we did safari I layered lightweight breezy shirts with vest tops and chinos mostly. Light grey, beige, dark green, khaki mainly. Zippy fleece for cold mornings/evenings.
Have a lovely time - am very jealous!

Hey Susan, glad it is all booked!

As a PP said, GAP is perfect for safari. A couple of pairs of chinos, one pair of jeans, couple of neutral coloured vests and then a white cotton shirt over the top was my go to safari outfit. Trainers are perfectly fine if in a neutral colour.

Layers will be your best friend - I had a couple of cashmere hoodies and then a wool-lined khaki parka with a big fur hood.

It does get warm in the sun so maybe a pair of shorts will come in handy. It will be freezing but most vehicles have blankets, ponchos and hot water bottles. The wind is icy!

Suncream and sunglasses essential. I've never had vaccinations for Southern Africa - NHS wouldn't give me yellow fever for example, but check if it is a malaria area because prophylaxis are definitely needed.

We went on safari in Kenya in July and I was really surprised by how cold it got depending on where we were. I also found the jeep quite cold when we were travelling between parks and definitely wished I'd brought a few extra layers.

I mostly wore cropped trousers from Gap, H&M and New Look with light t-shirts and a jumper in the morning/evening. We were amazed at how dusty everything got, so I was glad we went for low maintenance fabrics that were easily washed

Have the best time. It was, without question, my best holiday and I can't wait to go back with my children when they are older.

So so jealous!! Went to Kafunte in Zambia a few years ago - the most amazing place! That was November, very warm. Lots of neutral colours, nothing bright that makes you stand out. Layers are good as the temp can change a lot during the hours you are out driving. No idea of brands as it was years ago. See the doc about injections/tablets. Best advice - enjoy it and take lots of photos!

The safari store.com are good for neutral clothing. They also do RID repellent and binocular hire.