Necessary or recommended shoes for safari’s ?
Hi all, and thanks in advance for your input. Are over the ankle hiking boots really necessary? I’m trying to find a comfortable pair, but I’ve had multiple foot surgeries, so it’s tough. Would a high quality trail/ running shoe (ie Hoka’s) be adequate ? Or do they really need to cover the ankle ? Again, many thanks !
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There is very little walking on Safari. This tour is culture and Safari. If the tour still has the walking with rhinos that’s a bit of walking, otherwise you are in a safari vehicle and can’t even stand up while you are in it. The visits in Cape Town and Johannesburg are like any other Western style city tour.
Thanks British, for releasing me from an expensive and difficult chore !
You absolutely do not need nor would you want to have over the ankle hiking boots for a Tauck safari vacation. You’re in a jeep most if the time. Tennis shoes are perfect. They will definitely get dusty and dirty so bring a very old pair. In fact, once I left my shoes there because I did not want them in my suitcase coming home. I made sure they were not expensive ones I wore on the game drives. Neutral color socks would be good to pack too. I also brought a pair of comfy sandals (Ecco’s) for Capetown, and lightweight flats for the nicer dinners. You’ll have a great time.
I brought a comfortable pair of Timberland hiking boots on our safari tours, and I wore them in my shoe rotation. They weren't necessary, but they were still comfortable. Your shoes do get dirty, and you may walk in some mud. It is nice to have a pair that our water resistant on those occasions. I brought a couple pairs of comfortable Sketchers that worked out well. Some of the women who were shorter liked to have shoes that slipped on easily, so they could take them off to stand on the seats for a better view. The men typically did not need to stand on seats, because they could easily see and take pictures just standing on the floor of the vehicles. For the gorilla trek, hiking boots were a better option. You are walking through mud, and over rocks and tree roots. You need something sturdy with good ankle support. I think your feet might get wet from the mud in Hoka's or running shoes on the gorilla trek.
We returned a month ago from our back-to-back safari tours. We went to Namibia and I purchased inexpensive sneakers and they worked great especially for the two days at the sand dunes in Sossusvlei. My sneakers turned red and I left them at the lodge with a housekeeper who was very happy to have them.
Then the next one was "South Africa: An Elegant Adventure" and we spent just four nights on safari. I had my Hoka's which were very comfortable and we were not allowed to stand up in the safari vehicle. This was our fifth trip to Africa as it is my favorite place in the world. We had no rain on our trip except one late afternoon in Cape Town. I would recommend this trip if it is your first time visiting Africa.
Enjoy!