Packing Tips for Botswana, South Africa, & Zambia
We are starting to pack for our trip coming up in September. Since we have the weight limits for our luggage, does anyone who has been on this trip or other African safaris have any packing suggestions or hints to share? I started laying out clothes today and I thought, oh my gosh, this will never work? Also, any specific things we must definitely not leave at home. I have read Tauck's suggested list, but the advice of someone who has traveled on the Tauck tours to Africa would be most helpful.
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Susan
Mr B. Has strict rules about shopping, not the spending money, but the time taken away from site seeing. Fortunately I make decisions about what to buy very quickly. Our best opportunity to buy is going to be in CapeTown, there is a craft center, but I believe we are being taken to a market this time. I also found the gift shop at Kirstenbosch Gardens very good last time. I am not sure how much more African jewelery I need! Well that will be Mr. B's comment. Last time I bought two ostrich eggs, one painted, one plain. I bought art too. I think I will get another egg, it will be fun to show my little grandchildren and be a reserve in case my grandson does again what he did recently, pick up an ostrich egg ---Er sweetheart, give that to grandma and I'll tell you all about ostriches, just give it to grandma gently! phew! Of course, Cape Town was at the start of the tour for Elegant SA, so I was landed with two ostrich eggs in my hand carry for the entire trip, and when we got to Zimbabwee security, they were not happy I had ostrich eggs, but with a smile they let me keep them! Mr B, well put it this way, he always says, you buy it, you deal with the consequences of carrying it, because isn't it always the case, the first day of the trip, you see something and have to have it, then you are so glad because you see nothing as nice for the rest of the tour, but you have to carry it around for two weeks. Ah, those River cruises will be a doddle!
Agree with other advice given (maybe here, but certainly elsewhere)... long sleeves and long pants... in very lightweight materials (like fishing or safari type clothing)... helps with sun, bugs, staying clean and scrapes from brush.
I had three "safari" outfits and thought that worked great... when I got to the next camp I gave two to the laundry and had one to wear... doing the dame thing every two days at a new camp.
With the heat and near zero humidity, when I did launder things - big and small - they dried very quickly!
Most of our gang (of 18) stayed in the day's safari outfit for dinner. With the exception of the Royal Livingstone at the start and The One and Only at the end, it was super casual. Dinner on safari was open air every night - one way or another.
Most, but not all, wore typical "safari" clothes... that seems like the way to go... but to each his own.
Don't forget, the photos you plan to post here can not be wider than 640 pixels. First, I make copies then reduce the size of ones I want to upload and post because I don't want to mess with my originals since I use them for slide shows, canvas prints, or coffee table books.
I can't wait to see your photos!
I am hoping that Tauck starts to do tours to Namibia again in the future, otherwise we would definitely take this tour again at another time of year and also go back to Tanzania, I do wish I could figure out doing some charity work there.
Our interests lie in healthcare, which is why we support the Fame clinic in Arusha Tanzania. We have met the founders in the US twice when on their fundraiser tours and are so impressed by what they have been able to achieve. When we went on the Tauck tour of Tanzania, our tour guide took the group to visit the clinic as it is just down the road from the school that Tauck supports. They are both making a tremendous difference to the local population. Indeed, on our Zambia, Botswana and SA tour, we discovered that our tour director's baby was born there, so I joked that I probably helped pay for the birth. Our special interest is Women's health. We met both a trainee midwife and a Neurologist in the US who volunteer there. The facility continues to expand, when we were there, they were just about to open the maternity wing and they have since saved the lives of a growing number of Moms and babies who would have died without the expertise offered from the clinic from both volunteers and the Tanzanian Drs and Nurses that they mentor and train. I know that a large proportion of the money we are able to donate to them goes to where it was intended. Yes, I am plugging Fame again! If we could physically help there, it would be such a dream, but we are so humbled by the high quality of care they are able to give. My skills seem so out of date.
In Rwanda, we spent time visiting the people our loans are helping, visited their shops, farms etc. and hear first hand how OI has completely changed their lives, awesome organization, which we love to support. I have another one for you to google, this one my husband has personally been involved with and it is AWSOME!!! Mission of Hope Bolivia, it's a non profit hospital, founded by a very dear friend of ours. It allows people of Bolivia to receive medical care free of charge, it is funded solely by private donations. We have several teams from our local hospital go and serve from time to time. I have been and its amazing to see the grateful people who have come from miles away to be treated. Google It!!!! this one may be more appealing to you
In reading the itinerary, we see a "civilized" hotel in Livingstone (Zambia) and in Capetown (South Africa) with tented camps in between. Will our full-sized luggage travel with us to Moremi, Eagle Island and the Kalahari?
Like you learned during K&T, living out of duffels for a few days is not a problem. Actually, my wife and I shared just one duffel during K&T, so using both for B,SA,Z would be even easier!
Also, soft-sided packing cubes can be used effectively with the duffels, too. They go a long way helping to keep everything organized.
Also, soft-sided packing cubes can be used effectively with the duffels, too. They go a long way helping to keep everything organized.
That's a novel suggestion! Thank you.
We also wondered how dressy the game drive taken on the train in Zambia might be. If it is also the Tauck Welcome Dinner, were the gentlemen in jackets and the ladies in their finery?
Can you share with me where to purchase proper clothing? I have looked at several sights... but am having a hard time finding what i am looking for.
I can pack for the days at the beginning and end and send those things in the suitcase on to Cape Town...and i understand that we need safari clothing for the remainder of the times. I am not a shorts person...I mostly wear dresses...so this will already be a stretch for me. But if i could find cargo type pants with an elastic waist i would be extremely happy...and i am a flip flop wearer so enclosing my feet at all times...does not sound too pleasing...lol I am looking at sketchers slip on shoes in taupe color? Does this sound like a good choice?
anyway...any help is greatly appreciated