What to Bring?
Here's what we suggest you bring:
Photography equipment
First and foremost, photography equipment.
You will certainly benefit from a reasonable telephoto lens, preferably 300mm or more. A 100-400mm zoom gives you added flexibility, and a shorter wide-angle lens is handy for landscapes. If you have additional equipment (e.g. a macro lens, a spare body, etc.), bring them along, but again, keep in mind the weight limit on the charter plane.
The following is a list of useful, but by no means essential, photography items.
Camera bag: A sturdy, soft backpack is ideal for these types of trips. Pelican cases are also good as long as they don't take you over the baggage weight limits. Whatever your choice, be prepared for plenty of dust, so make sure your bag can suitably protect your equipment.
Memory cards and film: You can never have too many memory cards or films. If you're shooting digitally and have a multimedia photo viewer, then this can act as a backup for your memory cards and a useful editing tool in the field.
Lens cleaning kit: Gitzo or other types of air blowers and cloth with solution are highly recommended, as you'll no doubt need them at some point during your adventure.
Spare battery and charger: There is an inverter in the safari vehicle, but to be on the safe side, we advise that you bring enough battery power to get you through the safari.
Tripod: Very handy if you're keen on landscapes or shooting the night sky.
Filters: Generally, a polarizer will be your most useful filter. UV filters are also useful for protecting your lenses. If you're serious about landscapes, then a neutral density filter can help darken skies resulting in uniform exposure.
Flash: An external flash can often help "fill" shadows during the day and allow you to shoot in more overcast conditions.
Binoculars: We recommend one pair of binoculars per person.
Clothing Applicable to Every Season
Tip: pack your personal items in soft-sided bags. Large, rigid suitcases do not easily fit on smaller aircraft. This may cause your luggage to be refused or delayed. You can also bring hand luggage to pack some of your essential items.
So, what should you wear?
The best way to get close to wildlife and not attract attention is to blend in with the surroundings as much as possible by wearing neutral colors, such as greens, browns, and khaki.
Lightweight, breathable fabrics minimize noise and are comfortable during the hotter months. Layers are a great way to pack light but stay warm. Temperatures can be cool on morning game drives, hot in the afternoon, and cold at night. Layers allow you to remove clothing to make yourself comfortable as the temperature fluctuates, especially during the winter season.
You can also save space with convertible clothing like zip-off trousers that turn into shorts or zip-off fleeces that turn into vests. Make sure you bring long pants.
Airy, long-sleeved shirts with a collar will keep the sun off your arms and neck. And multi-pocketed or "cargo" trousers are perfect for storing camera batteries and sunscreen.
Sun protection safari clothing is also good. It's usually lightweight and has an SPF fabric. Plus, It's available in multiple styles of men and women's safari shirts, hats, trousers, and shorts.
What's not recommended . . .
Avoid camouflage clothing, as this is reserved for the military. Don't wear bright-colored clothes like red, pink, yellow, or orange.
Season Specific Clothing
The Dry Season (May until November):
Bring warm layers, including a jacket, a beanie hat, gloves, and warm socks during the months of May to August, as these are the winter months. This is important for morning and evening game drives as you'll be riding in an open vehicle like the one pictured earlier. Don't forget a good pair of sunglasses.
The months of September to November are Spring in Botswana. It's till the dry season, but it's not as cold as during the winter, so heavy, warm layers are not needed.
Shoes. We recommend trail shoes as these are usually lightweight. Make sure they're comfortable and breathable, and suitable for outdoor activities.
The Rainy Season/Green Season:
Below are descriptions of different months of the rainy season. In general, you should bring the same type of clothing as during the dry season, but depending on the month of your safari, you won't need heavy layers to stay warm. So, if your safari is in December, you should bring a few warmer items, but if it's in February, then there's less need.
It's also wise to bring a raincoat and a waterproof camera during this time of year.
December to February:
December is the beginning of the rainy season. There's new grass, but it's not tall. January and February are the peaks of the rainy season. Almost everything looks greener, and the grass is taller. Rain may interrupt the safari. Ponchos will be provided, but again, it's wise to bring your own gear.
March and April:
These months are the end of the rainy season and more like a transitional period from the rainy season to the dry season. The grass starts drying off and begins to lay flat against the ground. The temperature starts to get warm, so lots of warm layers are not needed.
Additional Items
Here's a list of additional items we recommend you bring:
- Small Backpack
- Mammal and Bird book
- Wide-brimmed hat
- Sunglasses
- Extra batteries
- Sunscreen (SPF30+)
- Insect repellant
- Body soap
- Shampoo
- Personal medications (if applicable)
- Spending money (we recommend USD)
- Torch/headlamp with chargeable batteries and charger