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Duffel bags for K&T
We have been wondering which duffels we would get for K&T this year. The answer has arrived. We just got our Ogio Big Dome duffels. They are one or two liters smaller than the old Eagle Creek duffels, which we have many, so we are debating which bags we will use. The Ogio bags are really quite nice, but we use the duffels as primary luggage. We check one with the liquids, and use a rollaboard as wheels for the other duffel as carry-on.
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Cool Sealord.
What color?
They are green and black …. the same shade of green as the old Eagle Creek bags. But, the ‘Tauck’ on these bags is embroidered, not stenciled on like our last Eagle Creek bags.
It just occurred to me that the ‘packing cube’ mystery might simply be a bit of compensation to people who have never received other Tauck ‘luggage’. How many out there have received duffel bags ‘and’ packing cubes?
@Sealord - having not taken any African trips with Tauck before, do you think these will be the duffels that are used for all of 2024 African trips that use a duffle? I ask as my wife is very curious about the sizes of our duffels for the Tanzania Bridges Tour for obvious packing reasons.
Thanks for posting the photo of the bag, I assume it is the one we will get.
Happy travels!
Sealord - I received a duffel for my Peru and Bolivia tour several years ago, and have received 2 sets of packing cubes and a hanging toiletry holder (the last of which I doubt I will ever use).
So much for the ‘cubes’ theory. dogdoctor: These duffels are not ‘intended’ as primary luggage. We use them that way ‘sort of’, with the addition of a roll-aboard for a little extra stuff and a ‘cart’. The duffels are intended for use on the ‘small plane’ trips. On some of the trips, people have gotten a larger wheeled duffel to use as primary and ‘only’ luggage plus a back pack. You are allowed to have a normal suit case on other trips as primary luggage, but then you pack the duffel in your suitcase. We carry-on everything we ‘need’, because people often arrive without their checked luggage.
@Sealord I got the distinct impression from the travel notes of the Tanzania Bridges Tour, as well as call to Tauck directly, that the duffel was intended to be used as the primary luggage due to the on tour flights restrictions. Having larger not-compatible bags, was not advised as they indicated it creates issues the with storage and safety your personal effects that cannot accompany you through the trip. Are you saying that is not in fact the case and they can/will store/porter larger bags for a guest?
"Special Luggage Restrictions for this Tour:
To help in your packing, we will provide each guest with a duffel bag. The duffel bag has been specially designed to provide more than adequate space for essential items needed while on safari.
Strict limitations on our on-tour flights require that each guest take only one piece of soft-sided luggage (the duffel bag) weighing no more than 33 lbs (14.97 kg). This weight limit includes all camera equipment. Soft-sided luggage is required to ensure your piece fits into irregularly shaped luggage compartments.
In addition, guests are limited to one soft-sided, carry-on bag per person not to exceed 15 lbs (6.8 kg), and no larger than an average knapsack. Children should bring their complimentary Tauck Bridges knapsack on safari!"
Apples and oranges dogdoctor. On the K&T tour (not talking about the Bridges Tanzania Tour). they do exactly what you said. They porter and store your primary luggage, and you take only your duffel and backpack on certain days of the tour. What they. expect is that you will put your duffel in your primary luggage and check it. They do not want people showing up with a full suitcase and a full duffel. You can do this trip (K&T) with as little as three sets of safari clothes and ‘accessories’. We are about to do our fourth K&T, and we will bring more than that, but we will each have at least three sets of safari clothes with us on the airplane in the cabin. If the ‘Bridges’ says use only the duffel, I suspect it is the larger wheeled duffel, not the ‘K&T’ duffel. I would still have safari clothes in my backpack.
Totally agree with everything SeaLord has described except we have always taken more sets of safari clothes. I interpreted what you posted dogdoctor as taking a large suitcase which will be stored until returning to Arusha. We have never had to just take a duffel on Tauck safari, although the newer Botswana tour does only want you to take a larger wheeled duffel that Tauck supplies. We took a provided wheeled duffel on a non Tauck safari years ago and it was adequate for everything , except they were very poor quality and most people had holes in the bottom by the end of the trip.
Dogdoctor, maybe you can call Tauck and ask since you are going before others who have posted here, to clarify and let us know. Thank you
The pictured duffel that Sealord posted is the only piece of "luggage" allowed on Namibia trip other then a soft sided back pack. I can do this!
We took our first Namibia tour with the duffels that got holes in them..
Have fun Sealord !!!!
Stellie: Sorry. I’ve got good news. I had to research that one. The Namibia tour gets the ‘large rolling duffel’, and it may not weigh more than 44 pounds. The Namibia trip does not use the duffel I pictured above.
Sealord, Tauck sent me the one you pictured. It's no longer a Roller! That's what they are using for Namibia. They changed course.
I'll make do.
Stellie,HI.
Are you going to take only the duffel to Namibia or a suitcase and the duffel? I will take a suitcase and use the duffel as we go to the 3 lodges.- I'm going to have to pack only undies...and my toothbrush. that duffel, it's too small.
Mil Tauck said we could only take the duffel and a back pack on The Cesna planes and I'm away for 3 1/2 weeks! ( Elegant Adventure first) then Namibia! I'm thinking 3 safari outfits (pants/tops) /swim suit/ Puffy coat for cold Safari mornings in Krugar National Park/ 2 pair shoes/ 4 pair underwear/gloves/ hat toothbrush and Deet mosquito spray . I'll just keep getting it all laundered! And laundered and laundered.
It's small but hopefully doable.
Mil, as I understand it, you can’t take a suitcase to Namibia, just the duffel. It is a huge country with mostly gravel roads. I assume it would cost a fortune to move the suitcases. When we went in 2018, the bag we got was similar size to the one SeaLord shows.
Stellie, I’m pretty sure Tauck has never used a wheeled duffel for Elegant SA, just a duffel without wheels similar to the one SeaLord shows
We can leave bags/suitcases in Windhoek on Day 2 and then reclaim them on Day 9 or 10. It is a system similar to what Tauck used on the Elegant South Africa tour when we left bags/suitcases at JNB to fly to Vic Falls. The duffel Tauck provided us is more than adequate for a 10 day trip to Namibia.
OK. @Sealord you are correct. I spoke to Tauck this morning. We are permitted to take 1 suitcase per person (no more than 44lbs) + the duffel. The duffel is intended to be used as we board the smaller plane and head to the Serengeti and we will the meet back up with our suitcase back in Arusha. And she confirmed the small duffel for us on the Family Bridges tour as well @British.
They probably need to update their website. It clearly states that Namibia gets the large rolling duffel.
dogdoctor Hi!
Thanks for clarifying what has always been the norm on any African Safari trip.- the duffels are to be use when traveling on the Cessnas.
Suitcases are taken by ground in Vans to the closest destination...
Now, some people prefer a duffel bag as luggage all the way roundtrip. I rather take a suitcase with the duffel inside till I have to use it, a backpack too, plus my camera bag.
With this itinerary, we will take the Duffels as we fly from Windhoek. to Kwessi Dunes, suitcase will go by ground to the Strand hotel in
Swakopmund, and then we'll probably see them again @ the Omaanda Lodge, which is near the airport and our last stop.
Well, Namibia has started! How exciting!!!! hopefully we'll get to hear about it.
Good night!
mil, thank you for that nugget of information. I wasn't aware that you could carry a separate camera bag, at least one of any size. I am still a little unclear as to the amount/weight of luggage we will be able to carry in Tanzania, especially during the flight to Zanzibar. I have been considering reducing the camera backpack that I usually carry at home to just two lenses, the body and a tripod (never leave home without a tripod), maybe 7-10lbs total.
Hulka, you might want to reconsider your decision to take a tripod, unless it is mini-pod or mono-pod. You will be in a safari vehicle on a game drive most of the time you want to take photos. There is no place- no space and no time, to set up a tripod in a safari vehicle. You almost never get out of the vehicle on a game drive- exception, to check the spare tire.
Also, remember, that you may be in very dusty conditions, bouncing along on bumpy heavily rutted dirt 'roads' where it can be very dangerous to change lenses. If you are a DSLR or mirror-less camera user, a good camera body with one good zoom (e.g. 24 - 300) lens is all you need.
Hulka: Alan S is spot on and correct. Plus you’re camera bag might be counted as a third item.
Hulka HI. just FYI, you will not be able to use the Tripod. you will be in a Jeep, that will stop and go as animal sightings occur.
Unless you are planning on staying xtra time after the group safari and will have the time to tell the driver to set up a portable photography tent for you... you will REGRET! ! taking all that equipment, the weight and space. and truly you'll be missing the chance to enjoy animal action on the spot.
Now, after 4 Safaris I take my camera with 1 versatile lens and my cell phone.
Way easier.
As a follow-up to my previous post and what others have said, before our second safari I got a spare body so I could have two complete set-ups and not need to swap lenses. However, the more and more I thought about the bulk and weight, I realized just one camera/lens combo was the best way to go, so I left the second body/lens home. Great decision.
Except to shoot videos where small size and weight were essential- ATV ride on the Pan (Botswana tour) I used my DSLR for videos. I will not take my GoPro again unless I go on a tour that includes SCUBA/ snorkeling like Peru & Galapagos, or parasailing,etc.
OMG!!!!!!!! Latest from TAUCK!!! I just called-
Namibia passengers will be able to take ONLY! 1 duffel bag- The big ones- Eagle Creek ones- and the weight is limited to 44pounds.
in addition, you may take a carryon and also a small backpack.
NOTHING ELSE! - no undies!
.
mil, thanks again. I should have clarified, and apologies for misleading everyone. The comment about the tripod is for the Zanzibar portion of the trip. I have heard about the fast pace of the jeep portion of the safari, but I wanted to get some unique shots of Stone Town at night, necessitating a tripod. If any of you have words of wisdom on my plan, please feel free to let me know as I have never done one of these before. To be clear, I never intended to use the tripod on the "Safari" portion of the trip, just stone town...and maybe in camp??? Or should I give up on the idea of a tripod altogether? It wouldn't break my heart to ditch it, it's a pain lugging it around all over the world. One last point. I don't have anything greater than a 70-300 lens...thoughts? Should I rent a larger lens, or stay with what I have? I appreciate all the pearls of wisdom.
Does that mean suits only? (of the 'birthday' variety)?
Hulka, 70 - 300 should be just fine. You rarely need anything above or below that. Longer lenses and doublers are just too hard to hold still. If the animal is far enough away for a 400 or 600mm it probably isn't worth photographing, except for the rare leopard which seems to be the most illusive on these safaris. Personally, I would leave the tripod behind. With Africa trips, this won't be your last so you can always take it on your next Africa tour.
Hulka, no problem. I love photography and do carry a lot of weight with all the gadgets
you have no idea..... 
I'm just letting you know how difficult will be to use the tripod at least during the Safari. But I also understand that having it if you run into a perfect opportunity shot and missed because you left the tripod will be regrated the decision.
So, ultimately, it's up to you... .
Good luck.