K&T - December 2017 - What to pack? (Jackets needed?)

michaeltobey

Hello Tauck friends! Looking for some advice on packing for the Kenya and Tanzania for the December 22 trip. My family and I are beginning to prep the clothes (i.e., breathable materials, pants, long sleeves, neutral tones, etc.) and curious about how cold it will be during our trip. Do we need puff jackets? How often would we be wearing them? Given the packing restrictions we want to pack smartly and curious if going with a puffer vest and layers would serve the need, or if we would wish we had a jacket for those early mornings, and/or balloon ride. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! It's a trip of a lifetime and we want to be able to enjoy it all and be dressed appropriately.

AlanS

We traveled in June but the weather (temps) doesn't change much seasonally. Look where you are- almost right on the equator, in fact the equator goes right through the courtyard of the Mount Kenya Safari Club! Also, you will be on high plains (around 5000+' altitude) most of the time. It can be cool, not cold in the early morning (balloon ride) and evenings (night time game drive). Depending on your tolerance to temperature all you should need is a safari jacket, lightweight fleece or down vest, and a long sleeve shirt at those times. The key is to dress in layers so you can add or subtract during a game drive.

Did you read the Before You Go> Preparing to Go> Weather information on the tour page. It will give you temps and description of the weather:

"Kenya and Tanzania are truly year-round destinations, as the climate frequently features warm, bright days and cool, crisp nights. Daytime temperatures throughout the year typically range from 60 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, or 15.5 to 35 degrees Celsius; evening temperatures can be cooler, ranging from 50 to 60 F, or 10 to 15.5 C."

Cadoge

Agree with Alan. Layer, layer, layer. And it really does depend on your personal tolerance for cold .

We went in July and my wife and 3 others found Ngorongoro so uncomfortably cold during the evenings that they could not stay in the rooms but needed to go to the bar and stand around the one of two fires in the lodge. (It was an unseasonable cold snap that week and the evening temperatures got down to the lower 40s - maybe even upper 30s.) The heaters in the room were next to non-functioning and did nothing to warm the room. They do put hot water bottles in the bed to warm it up (a real surprise if you're not expecting it). I know British forsakes bed time wear (TMI), but others in our group were pretty miserable - and most had read the "before you go" and thought they had packed accordingly. The problem for them was that once their core temperature got cold, it was next to impossible for them to again get warm. They all bought additional fleecy jackets when we reached the Four Seasons and all of the affected people admitted to having a sensitivity to cold. The rest of us tolerated it, but it was still cool. for most of us.

Trip of a lifetime. Enjoy.

governors4

AlanS wrote:

We traveled in June but the weather (temps) doesn't change much seasonally. Look where you are- almost right on the equator, in fact the equator goes right through the courtyard of the Mount Kenya Safari Club! Also, you will be on high plains (around 5000+' altitude) most of the time. It can be cool, not cold in the early morning (balloon ride) and evenings (night time game drive). Depending on your tolerance to temperature all you should need is a safari jacket, lightweight fleece or down vest, and a long sleeve shirt at those times. The key is to dress in layers so you can add or subtract during a game drive.

Did you read the Before You Go> Preparing to Go> Weather information on the tour page. It will give you temps and description of the weather:

"Kenya and Tanzania are truly year-round destinations, as the climate frequently features warm, bright days and cool, crisp nights. Daytime temperatures throughout the year typically range from 60 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, or 15.5 to 35 degrees Celsius; evening temperatures can be cooler, ranging from 50 to 60 F, or 10 to 15.5 C."

I am interested in hearing what teenagers were wearing in June both for the game drives and evening meals. Taking my 15 year old granddaughter in June 2018.