What to wear into the bush: Safari basics

So now you’ve booked your safari excursion. I imagine you’re probably pretty excited at this point, and you very well should be!

While planning out the safari experience can sometimes prove a proper logistical slog, you probably also need to pack once you’ve sorted your itinerary. This in itself could prove to be quite daunting if you have never gone before or are not particularly outdoorsy.

Don’t fall off your chairs, but this image was not taken by me.

Going out into the bush is an incredible experience. However, it is not unimportant to be comfortable on your trip and dressing properly goes a long way in achieving this.

While Louis Vuitton (and Bono) will have you believe that carrying many of their handbags and a guitar case while wearing lace, skirts and shorts is definitely your beast shout for the barefoot bush walk, I’d have to politely disagree.

Layers

I cannot stress this enough. Layers will save your comfort on a safari experience, regardless of how you get around.

The typical safari experience goes from before sunrise and usually well into after sunset. This is because the best time to see animals is in the mornings and evenings as that is when they hunt and move around. During the midday animals hide away and rest due to the heat and the fact that they’ve spent the morning hunting (successfully or not).

Because of this, chances are that you will be out in the bush the entire day and will not have any chance to change your wear. Besides, even if you did, do you really want to spend half of your time finding a spot where you can change and miss chances to see the animals.

The safari temperatures vary greatly from morning to midday to night. Midday, it will likely be pretty hot and maybe even steamy, time of year depending. However, morning and night will prove chillier, with temperatures dropping pretty fast when the sun is not out. Additionally, the open vehicles will provide plenty of wind chill, especially since you will not be slowing down on your way to or from the park and that will take place during the coldest times of the day.

So, do yourself a favor and dress in layers. It also helps to have a backpack with you where you can put the layers you shed throughout the day. Any clothes that you can roll up and roll back down to adjust according the the weather is also a great help.

When picking out clothing, the materials they are made of do matter quite a bit. You want your clothing to breathe, be light and also not take up much space, but still provide you with enough warmth when needed. Also do yourself a favor and pick clothing that is quick-dry, and stay well away from cotton. You will probably end up being sweaty throughout the day and there’s a good chance you might get some rain here or there. Quick dry materials will keep you comfortable.

Stay away from shorts. Long trousers that you can roll up or convert into shorts can be a great option, but when picking between the two - pick the trousers. Same goes for shirts - the shirt with half sleeve is better than just a short sleeve. There are literally things called “safari shirts” that are really good for a hot day out in the bush, but bring a sweatshirt as well as safari shirts breathe very well and thus tend to provide little warmth when the sun goes away.

natural colors

While this is not always vitally important when you are in the car, sticking to natural colors can really go a long way. Animals do get spooked by bright colors and if you want to see animals and in their natural habitat you can maximize this by trying to blend in with the surroundings as much as possible.

This note becomes essential if you go out for a bush walk. While you are in a vehicle, it is not as important as when you get out and start walking on the amina’s turf. The bright colors attract their attention and could cause them to hunt you or be more aggressive around you because the bright colors alarm them. These are things you do not want, of course, so do wear natural, dull colors for the bush walk. You do not want the attention of animals, especially when you’re on foot.

Shoes

Even if you are doing a game drive every day, shoes are very important on your trip to the safari. The best choice for shoes will certainly need to be something sturdy, comfortable and would provide coverage for the entire foot. Ideally, these shoes would also provide support for your ankle. A lighter pair of hiking shoes would be a great choice for this. I myself have opted out for some light-weight breathable trainers.

While this was really comfortable, quite a bit of dust did make it through my shoe, so for next time I would go for a steadier pair that would protect against the elements better, especially if it would have rained. I got pretty lucky with this, because the shoes I picked would have left me with soggy feet for the whole day if it had rained. Even if you are planning to spend most of your time driving, comfortable shoes will make your trips much more enjoyable, and will make the climbing in and out and around the jeep a lot easier.

Do not underestimate how much you will be on your feet even if you do drive. This is not your average road trip!

Morning drive to the bush walk

Accessories

COMMEMORATIVE capture of the first and last time my hair was in order on this safari. I recommend a hat and many, many hair ties.

Other things to keep in mind to bring would be a hat with a bill, to keep the sun and wind off your face. For ladies, this will also help keep your hair in place with all of the wind that passes through the car as you drive. This was a huge help to me on the drive to and from the parks. No ponytail can contain your hair with that amount of wind flying past your face. With this in mind, do bring hair ties as well.

The sun is pretty strong out there, so do grab some sunscreen (SPF50 or higher) for your trip and make sure to have it with you so you can reapply throughout the day. Chapstick for your lips will also help you a great deal, especially if it has some SFP in it as well.

Another helpful thing to have with you is insect repellent. When picking one up, do grab the one with deet. I know many of you may not prefer this, but realistically this is pretty much the only thing that will really keep the insects at bay.

Sunglasses are a life saver on these trips as well. Not only is it windy and dusty, but you do spend the whole day staring out into the distance, over the sunny safari plane. Having a pair of sunglasses really takes some of that strain off your eyes. However, do leave your designer pairs at home. This is not a resort in the Maldives, leave your big branded fashion eyewear at home. I personally love my classic RayBans for this, or you can go with some outdoor glasses. Wouldn’t bring anything too pricey.

Backpack - bring a light backpack and fill it with things like water bottles, snacks and some spending cash. While you will likely stop for food in the middle of your day, it helps to have some power bars and water in your bag. Another note - do leave any flashy jewelry or clothings at home.

While Louis Vuitton may not agree - on a safari, it is best to stick to the basics. I promise you, no zebra will care about how cute your jewelry is and you will look just look very silly and awkwardly out of place. Stay comfortable and enjoy the thing you went out there to do - seeing the wildlife and the beautiful outdoors!