Packing lists

What to pack for a safari in Kenya in August

August is the heart of the Great Migration season in the Masai Mara, and the dry season makes animals easier to spot. It is also cooler than people expect. The Mara sits at around 5,000 feet, so early morning game drives in an open vehicle are cold, and the afternoons are warm and sunny.

So the list is built from layers in muted, earthy colors, which blend into the landscape and hide the dust. Small bush planes between camps have strict weight limits and only take soft bags, so pack light. Most camps do laundry, so a few pieces go a long way.

Checked

The weather

Daytime high
77°F
25°C in the Masai Mara. Warm and sunny.
Overnight low
54°F
12°C. Dawn game drives are colder with the wind.
Wet days
~4
The dry season. Occasional afternoon showers.
Daylight
12 h
Sunrise around 6:30am, when the best drives begin.

The capsule

Ten days, one traveler, Woodland palette. Olive and chocolate that blend into the bush and hide the dust. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.

Woodland palette · 10 pieces · 18 outfits

Layers

  • Field jacketField jacket
  • Fleece, for dawn drivesFleece, for dawn drives

Tops

  • Linen shirtLinen shirt
  • Long-sleeve teeLong-sleeve tee
  • Cotton teeCotton tee

Bottoms

  • Quick-dry pantsQuick-dry pants
  • Utility pantsUtility pants
  • Shorts, for the campShorts, for the camp

Shoes

  • Trail runnersTrail runners
  • Sandals, for the campSandals, for the camp

Three days from this capsule

Dawn game drive
Masai Mara midday
Campfire at the lodge

Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.

The full list

Clothes

  • Three or four tops in khaki, olive, tan or brown
  • Two long-sleeve shirts for sun and mosquitoes
  • Two pairs of lightweight pants
  • Shorts, for the camp
  • Fleece or warm jacket for morning drives
  • Light rain jacket
  • Swimsuit, if your camp has a pool
  • Warm sleepwear

Shoes

  • Comfortable closed shoes or trail runners
  • Sandals for the camp

Safari kit

  • Binoculars, one pair each if possible
  • Wide-brimmed hat
  • Sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen
  • Insect repellent with DEET or picaridin
  • Headlamp
  • Scarf or buff for dust
  • Soft duffel bag, within the bush flight weight limit

Documents and tech

  • Passport, valid for six months with blank pages
  • Electronic travel authorization, arranged ahead
  • Yellow fever certificate, if you are arriving from a risk country
  • Travel insurance that includes medical evacuation
  • US dollars in small notes for tips
  • Type G plug adapter (240V)
  • Power bank, camera batteries and memory cards

Health and toiletries

  • Antimalarial medication, as prescribed
  • Stomach remedies
  • Eye drops for the dust
  • Any prescriptions, in your carry-on

Gear worth the space

  • Good binoculars

    An 8x42 or 10x42 pair is bright enough for dawn and dusk. It is the most important thing you will pack.

  • A soft duffel bag

    Required on most bush planes, and easier to squeeze into the back of a safari vehicle.

  • A fleece jacket

    Warm for the cold mornings, and quick to take off when the sun is up.

  • A wide-brimmed hat with a strap

    The sun is strong at the equator, and an open vehicle at speed takes loose hats with it.

Bush flights often allow about 33 pounds, in a soft bag. Packlier fits your safari capsule to it.

Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.

One email at launch, nothing else.