A good safari starts with good packing. Of course you will bring your passport, camera, mosquito repellent with Deet and sunscreen. And indeed, you should take all of those! However, here are some other items we think you should consider taking on your trip that may not appear on usual packing lists. If you have any other questions regarding packing for your trip, feel free to contact us!
1. Notebook
Super handy to write down names and numbers of people you meet (phone doesn’t always have battery, see 10) and places that you visited so you can return there or recommend them to friends. And yes, you will forget the names after some time, because there’s so much more to remember than that excellent restaurant. But apart from that, your notebook is a nice place to keep thoughts and impressions. It’s awesome how many more stories you can take home if you simply write down some small details during your journey. To protect your memories safe from dust, dirt and water you can keep your notebook in a zip-lock bag.
2. Two pairs of sunglasses.
Uganda is a country where you will be very close to the equator. Moreover, you will probably stand on it at some point! In other words: apart from sunscreen, you will also appreciate sunglasses. It’s very easy to lose them, forget them or sit on them and they don’t take up too much space.
3. Polaroid camera.
This is really something to consider when you plan to do some community visits in the rural areas. People usually love your visit as much as you do. Of course you can show people the photo that you just took on the screen of your camera, but leaving a photo behind that they can put on their wall enables them to remember your lovely moments as well.
4. Earplugs
Of course we know the best places to sleep that are as quiet as possible, but keep in mind that anything can happen in Africa and people may spontaneously throw a party. 🙂 Not too nice when you need to wake up for your game drive at 5 in the morning. Additionally, the cities can be quite noisy so if you spend the night there on your way to the next destination, earplugs can be of great help. But the real adventure comes in when you sleep inside the park. Animals may pass by in the night, and they make noise, too.
5. ‘Smart’ clothes
Have you ever heard a Ugandan say ‘you look smart’? Paradoxically, it doesn’t mean you have a good brain, it means that he or she likes your neat clothes. (Ugandan ‘smart’ is what the Dutch would call ‘netjes’.) This ‘smart’ dresscode is appreciated when you have an appointment with someone in the public or visit people in their homes. What does this have to do with your safari trip? Well, if you are the type that likes meeting new people in different cultures on your way, this one may come in handy. Chances are that people will invite you for a meeting or dinner during your stay, especially when you do community visits. It’s understandable that you like shorts when you are spotting animals in the hot weather, but you may want to wear something else for your visits. Girls may consider taking a long (below the knee) skirt.
6. Selfie-stick.
When a lion is only a few meters from the car, of course you want a great picture of that. As you are struggling to take it from the right angle while standing through the roof, putting on a nice smile AND trying not to lose your camera to the lion at the same time, there’s also the simple thing that human arms can be too short to capture your amazing moment. The selfie-stick is the answer. It’s also great for taking pictures with all of your travel buddies on it, instead of a vague selfie with two friends, one nose, three eyes and a small part of a tree.
Good news: ReMikable Adventures has a selfie-stick in the car for you! So even if you don’t own one, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
7. Spare memory card.
You’ll probably be taking thousands of photos as you will see great things! You won’t want to forget about the beautiful sunsets, sceneries and animals you’ll see. Would be too bad to have no space left on your camera on the last days, which are usually the most memorable ones. Therefore, make sure you can take loads of pictures and delete the bad ones later.
8. Hiking shoes, but don’t forget flipflops.
Good shoes for hiking are a must, especially when you plan to do some nature walks or mountain hikes. However, after a long day you may want to give your feet some air. 🙂
9. Wet wipes
Uganda can be quite hot and dusty, not the best combination. It’s always nice to be able to refresh yourself when you’re halfway a long exciting day but you have no shower around.
10. Batteries and a power bank.
Electricity is not a guarantee in Uganda. You may wake up with your phone plugged in, but without battery because power was off during the night. Therefore, a power bank is good to have when you go on a long trip. The good thing is, if you travel with ReMikable Adventures, you can always use chargers in the car for iPhone and Android phones (USB-based chargers).
