Safari Packing List for Children

What to pack for safari is a question our Travel Experts get asked often. With family safaris being a popular travel trend, we thought it would be useful to put together a general guide to packing for children on safari. The following list is meant to give parents or guardians some ideas of what to pack for their children before heading off on their safari adventure, but your list will vary depending on the length of your trip, the season you're travelling in and personal needs.

The most common trend we see when it comes to packing for safari is the temptation to overpack. Remember- most lodges and resorts will offer laundry services (the majority are free or inexpensive) and we recommend using these as it is invaluable to be able to move around different stops with fresh, clean clothes.

Safari clothes for children

We recommend packing the following clothes for your kid’s safari outfit.

• Two pairs safari trousers (ones that can zip-off into shorts are best).
• Jeans (option for colder nights)
• Two long-sleeve shirts (that dry fast)
• Two short-sleeve shirts (again, that dry fast)
• Closed-toe, thick sole sandals
• One smart casual outfit (optional)
• Walking shoes (optional)
• Five pairs of underwear
• Three pairs socks (if you're bringing walking shoes)
• Sun hat (we recommend a wide brim kids safari hat)
• If your lodge or any follow-up resorts have a swimming pool remember a swimsuit and any other swimming gear your child usually uses.

Other safari essentials for children

• Toothbrushes/toothpaste
• Plug converter (generally 220/240v)
• Any books or electronics your children use during down time and long car rides
• Headphones for electronics
• Chargers for all electronics
• Broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF50+
• Children friendly bug spray
• Hair brush
• Hair accessories for tying back long hair
• Baby wipes (useful while on the move)
• Hand sanitiser
• Small LED torch
• Binoculars (optional, but fun for children)
• Sharpie (great for labelling water bottles)
• Visas or eVisas for each country (if visas aren't available upon arrival)
• Passports
• Full birth certificates for all your children (if required for destination countries)
• Recommended medication and medical evidence for the country you're visiting (e.g Yellow Fever vaccination cards, Malaria medication, Children friendly anti-diarrhea and pain medication etc.)
• Plasters/band-aids and antiseptic cream

There are many reasons to go on a family safari and while packing for a safari with kids can be a stressful process, we hope our guide has given you a good starting point on figuring out what to pack. We have also created a list of additional things to consider when planning a safari for your family which could also be helpful.