What to Pack for Tanzania

Packing lists for safari, Kilimanjaro, waterfalls and Zanzibar — what is essential, what is optional, and what you can hire here instead of flying with it.

What to actually bring, by the kind of trip you are doing. Items marked essential cause real problems when forgotten — the rest make the trip better without ruining it if they stay at home.

Most Kilimanjaro equipment can be hired in Moshi or Arusha for a fraction of what it costs to buy, and considerably less than an extra checked bag. Tell us what you need and we will arrange it before you arrive.

Safari & game drives

Vehicle-based days, early starts, and a lot of sitting still in strong light.

  • Neutral colours — khaki, olive, brownessential Bright white and black both stand out; black and dark blue also attract tsetse flies, which bite.
  • Long sleeves and long trousersessential Sun in the middle of the day, mosquitoes at dawn and dusk. Lightweight, not heavy.
  • Fleece or warm layeressential Morning game drives leave before sunrise and the Ngorongoro rim drops to 8–12°C even in July. This is the thing people most often leave behind.
  • Wide-brimmed hatessential A cap leaves your neck and ears exposed through the roof hatch.
  • Sunglasses and high-factor sunscreenessential You are at altitude and near the equator.
  • Binoculars 8x42 is the useful compromise. One pair per person, not per vehicle — sharing ruins it.
  • Camera with a long lens 200mm is a realistic minimum. A phone will not reach a leopard in a tree.
  • Dust protection for equipment A dry bag or even a plastic bag. Dust gets into everything on the Serengeti roads.
  • Small daypack For what you want beside you in the vehicle rather than in the back.

Kilimanjaro & Meru

Five climate zones in a week, from rainforest to arctic summit. Most of this can be hired in Moshi or Arusha if you would rather not fly with it.

  • Broken-in hiking bootsessential New boots on Kilimanjaro is the single most common avoidable mistake. Wear them for weeks first.
  • Insulated jacket rated to −10°Cessential Summit night is routinely below −10°C with wind on top of that.
  • Waterproof jacket and trousersessential The rainforest section is wet at any time of year.
  • Thermal base layersessential Two sets. One stays dry for sleeping.
  • Four-season sleeping bagessential Rentable in Moshi. Check the comfort rating, not the extreme rating.
  • Headtorch with spare batteriesessential Summit night starts at midnight. Cold drains batteries fast.
  • Walking poles Your knees will thank you on the descent more than the ascent.
  • Two litres of water capacityessential Bladder or bottles. Bladders can freeze on summit night — carry at least one bottle.
  • Sunscreen and lip balm with SPFessential Sun at 5,000m burns faster than anyone expects.
  • Duffel under 15kgessential Porter weight limits are enforced at the gate and exist to protect the porters.

Waterfalls, springs & day trips

Short days close to town — Materuni, Chemka, Napuru, Lake Chala.

  • Swimwear and a towelessential Every one of these has water you will want to get into.
  • Shoes with grip that can get wetessential Trails are muddy in the wet months and involve stream crossings.
  • Change of clothes You will be wet on the drive back otherwise.
  • Dry bag or a plastic bag Spray at Materuni and Napuru is not a fine mist.
  • Cash in small notesessential Village fees, coffee, lunch. Nowhere on these routes takes card.
  • Insect repellent Forest sections, particularly late afternoon.

Zanzibar & the coast

Hot, humid, and a predominantly Muslim island — dress matters here in a way it does not on safari.

  • Shoulders and knees covered in Stone Townessential Not a rule imposed on you, simply the local norm. Swimwear is for the beach and hotel only.
  • Reef-safe sunscreenessential Ordinary sunscreen damages the coral you came to see.
  • Water shoes Sea urchins and sharp coral at low tide.
  • Light long sleeves for evening Mosquitoes are more of an issue on the coast than inland.
  • Cash in small notesessential Card acceptance outside hotels is limited.

Everyone, every trip

The things that cause real problems when forgotten.

  • Passport valid 6+ months with a blank pageessential Checked at immigration. A passport expiring within six months can be refused.
  • Yellow fever certificateessential Required if you are arriving from or transiting a country with risk of transmission. Checked at the border.
  • Travel insurance including evacuationessential Standard policies often exclude trekking above a set altitude. Kilimanjaro is 5,895m — check the number, not the brochure.
  • Malaria prophylaxisessential Speak to a doctor. Risk is low in Arusha at 1,400m and real in the parks and on the coast.
  • UK-style three-pin adapter, 230Vessential Type G. Not the same as most of Europe.
  • US dollars dated 2009 or lateressential Older or torn notes are routinely refused. This catches people out constantly.
  • Copies of passport and insurance Photograph them and email them to yourself.
  • Basic first aid and any prescriptionsessential Bring enough for the whole trip in original packaging.

Not sure for your trip? Ask on WhatsApp — tell us where you are going and when.

Planning a trip to Tanzania?

We are a licensed Tanzanian guide in Arusha. Day trips, safaris and Kilimanjaro, planned around you — no fixed packages.

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