Women on safari

The timing of your African trip depends on your expectations. Each season offers distinct advantages for the discerning traveller seeking unique experiences.

Dry-season drama (May to mid-November): The classic safari season when wildlife congregates around permanent water sources, and predators are in action. Vegetation is sparse, making game viewing exceptional, and the weather is most comfortable for extended outdoor activities. The later in the dry season, the better the wildlife encounters will be, but be aware that temperatures can be very high in October and November.

Migration magic (specific timing varies by region): The great wildebeest migrations in East Africa and Zambia's Liuwa Plain offer once-in-a-lifetime spectacles, as do the zebra migrations in Botswana and bat migration in Zambia's Kasanka, but timing is crucial and advance booking is essential for prime locations.

Green-season tranquillity (November to April): Often overlooked by conventional tourism, this period offers dramatic skies, newborn animals, resident predators, and spectacular birdlife, with the landscape transforming into an emerald paradise. Expect lower prices and fewer tourists.

Photographic considerations: Each season offers unique lighting and compositional opportunities. Dry-season dust and smoke, and wet-season clear skies transform your photo into works of art.

Each safari day follows the rhythms of the bush:

Dawn awakening (5:30-6:00 AM): Soft wake-up calls with steaming coffee or tea and freshly-baked biscuits delivered to your private deck. The African dawn is a sacred time – when the golden light begins to paint the landscape and nocturnal creatures make way for the day shift.

Morning game drive (6:00-10:00 AM): The prime wildlife hours when predators are active and the light is a photographer's gold. Your expert guide will navigate you through landscapes where every turn might reveal leopards draped in fever trees or elephants emerging from morning mist.

Midday sanctuary (10:00 AM-4:00 PM): Return to your lodge for an elaborate breakfast on your private deck. The midday hours are for restoration – perhaps a massage, a swim, or simply absorbing the sounds of the bush from your shaded veranda. Some camps offer cultural visits to local communities or guided walks.

Afternoon departure (4:00-4:30 PM): Tea and homemade treats before your evening game drive. This is when the African light begins its legendary transformation toward the golden hour.

Evening game drive & sundowners (4:30-7:30 PM): As shadows lengthen, the bush awakens. Your drive may extend into darkness with spotlights revealing the nocturnal world - a privilege available only in private reserves.

Night's embrace (7:30 PM onward): Multi-course dinners under star-scattered skies, often around the campfire where stories are shared and the sounds of the African night provide an ever-changing soundtrack.

Read more here and download our packing list.

The art of safari packing lies in thoughtful curation rather than excess, and in comfortable, casual clothes. Most lodges offer daily laundry services, so pack lightly.

Muted colours and neutral tones such as beige, khaki and green are recommended for game viewing.

Game drives are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon, which can be very cold – especially in winter – so pack clothes you can peel off as the day warms up.

What should I wear on safari?

• Shirts with long sleeves (even in summer for protection from the sun and insects)

• T-shirts and cotton blouses

• Long socks as bug protection

• Light scarf or buff to guard against dust and sun protection

• Hat, cap or beanie to protect against both the sun and wind chill 

• Shorts or a light skirt (short skirts aren’t practical)

• Jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days

• Jackets, sweaters, a scarf and gloves are recommended for early morning and evening game drives during winter

• Lightweight waterproof jacket

• Swim – and beach-wear

• Underwear – roads can be bumpy, so suitable women’s attire is suggested

• Formal attire if you are staying at a prestigious hotel/luxury train

• Comfortable walking shoes and sandals (heels aren’t recommended)

Avoid: Bright colours like red, yellow, purple and white, synthetic fabrics that don't breathe, and anything that feels uncomfortable. 

Wellness & comfort:

• Sunscreen (SPF 50+) and after-sun care

• If you wear contact lenses, we recommend you bring a pair of glasses along, should your eyes get irritated by dust

• Insect repellent with natural ingredients

• Personal medical kit with anti-malarial prophylactics

• Hydrating skincare for dry climates

• Quality lip balm with SPF

• Nice to have: Electrolyte supplements for active days

Practical luxuries:

• Insulated water bottle (stainless steel or premium materials)

• Quality headlamp 

• A portable phone charger or a power bank

• Waterproof document pouch filled with copies of your passport, visas and other key documents

• Cash in small denominations for meaningful tips (and envelopes for distribution)

• Notebook and pencil

• Relevant bird book or app – ask us for recommendations

• Favourite entertainment to relax – sketch book, colouring-in books, Kindle, books or magazines

• Lightweight backpack to carry essentials on walking safaris

• Tote bag/waist bag

• Sweat/gym towel

• Tissues/hand wipes/sanitiser. Pack a spare toilet roll, just in case

• Padlocks/cable ties to lock your luggage

• Ziplock bags of various sizes

• Ear plugs

• Travel pillow

• Country-specific plugs and adaptors

Photography & observation:

• Professional or high-end mirrorless camera with versatile zoom lens (24-200mm minimum)

• Quality binoculars (8x42 or 10x42

• Nice to have: Stabilising bean bag or lightweight tripod

• Weather-sealed camera bag

• Extra batteries and high-capacity memory cards

Hand luggage

Remember to pack a water bottle, basic toiletries, medication, toothbrush and paste, and snacks in your hand luggage to cover airport and road transfer time and unexpected travel delays.

Although international flights may permit hard suitcases and higher luggage weight allowances, the small planes that fly into remote bushveld locations don’t. The luggage holds require soft luggage and cannot carry as much weight. So it’s essential to plan your luggage and wardrobe and to pack wisely.

For example, you will only need three pairs of shoes - a smart pair for travelling and hotels, supportive walking shoes for activities and sandals for poolside and lodge time. Remember to leave room for the spoils of your shopping while on safari - all those gifts and curios. Your packed luggage should be light enough for you to carry, even though there are usually drivers/guides and lodge staff members who will do that for you. Ask your safari consultant for these details about your chosen safari.

The lodges that we support will have all the amenities you have at home.

However, you should know that some remote seasonal bush camps offer more rustic facilities. By ‘rustic’, we mean there is a shower but no bath. The shower is sometimes a ‘bucket/safari shower’ - a canvas or tin bucket with a tap filled with warm or cold water (your choice) on request. The water is heated over a fire or a wood-fueled stove. Typically, a bucket shower will hold about 15 litres of water - enough to feel fresh and clean after a long day out. Ask for a refill if required. 

Most bush/fly camps provide the usual throne toilet with flushing water, but some offer ‘long-drop/pit toilets’ with the usual throne, where no flushing water is involved.  

The shower and toilet area for bush/fly camps is usually enclosed by reeds or canvas for privacy and is usually en-suite to your tent/chalet. 

What about going to the loo during game drives? If you need to go, don’t be shy - ask your guide to stop for a toilet break. You are probably not alone - others will be feeling the same need or are keen to grab the opportunity to stretch their legs. Your guide will stop the vehicle in a suitable area, check for dangerous wildlife, and point you toward a private bush. Boys on one side of the vehicle and girls on the other. There will be a loo roll stashed away in the vehicle.

All lodges offer a daily laundry service, so you can easily cut down on that safari wardrobe.

Be aware, though, that washing is usually done by hand and drying is by the sun - so don’t pack delicate items as they may be damaged. Speaking of delicates, you must wash your undies - for cultural reasons; camp staff are not expected to perform that chore. You will find washing powder in your tent/chalet for this purpose.

Spa treatments

Increasingly, lodges and camps offer spa treatments. Many have spa centres, and others have mobile spa equipment and staff who visit you in your room. Ask your safari consultant for these details about your chosen safari. 

Retail therapy

Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of retail therapy while on holiday? Not all camps/lodges have a shop, and many airport shops are over-priced or only offer mass-produced curios. Ask your safari consultant about shopping opportunities at your chosen lodges, and consider visiting a local village, city market or shopping centre during your safari. 

1. Our safaris typically cost from US$700 per person, per night, depending on the accommodation comfort level and activities. This price usually includes accommodation, all meals, game drives, experienced guides, airport transfers, and 24/7 support from our team, but excludes a private vehicle and other exclusive services.

2. You only make your first payment when you book your holiday. Your second (last) payment is about 90 days before you travel.

3. Peak season bookings require 12–18 months of advance planning. Trips outside of peak season can be arranged 6–9 months ahead, with better rates and availability.