Kenya Packing List

The quick answer

Layers, because a single day runs from cold to hot and back. Neutral colors for game drives. A soft bag rather than a hard case if any part of your trip involves a light aircraft. Sun protection that works at altitude. Modest clothing for towns and for the coast. Everything else is negotiable.

Clothing

Layers, seriously

A pre-dawn game drive in the highlands is cold and the same day will be hot by mid-morning. A fleece or light insulated jacket, a windproof outer layer, and short sleeves underneath will cover almost every situation on a standard itinerary. The jacket comes off within two hours and goes back on at sunset.

Neutral colors

Khaki, olive, tan and gray. This is not a costume convention: strong colors and white are more visible to wildlife, and dark blue and black are best avoided in some areas because they attract tsetse flies. Camouflage patterns should not be worn — military-style clothing is restricted for civilians in a number of East African countries, and it is a needless thing to be questioned about.

For towns and the coast

Kenya is generally conservative in dress outside resorts, and the Swahili coast is predominantly Muslim. Covered shoulders and knees are appropriate in towns, at Lamu and Mombasa, and at religious sites. Beachwear belongs on the beach.

The luggage limit that catches people out

If your itinerary includes a flight to a bush airstrip, you will be on a light aircraft with a strict weight allowance and a requirement for soft-sided bags that can be packed into an irregular hold. A hard suitcase can be refused. The allowance is lower than a commercial checked bag and it includes your hand luggage. Confirm the specific figure with your operator before you pack, because it varies between carriers and it is enforced.

Most camps offer laundry, which is the reason you can pack for a few days rather than for the whole trip.

Sun, dust and insects

Equatorial sun at altitude burns faster than the temperature suggests. A brimmed hat that will survive a moving vehicle, high-factor sunscreen and real sunglasses are all doing work. Dust is constant in the dry season: a scarf or buff, a case for anything with a lens, and a spare pair of glasses if you wear contacts.

For insect protection and any question of vaccination or malaria prevention, consult the CDC guidance for Kenya and a travel health professional well before departure. Requirements and recommendations depend on where you are going, when, and where you have traveled before, so this page does not attempt to summarize them.

Things worth their weight

• Binoculars, one pair per person. Sharing a pair is the most common regret we hear.
• A power bank, and a plug adapter for the British-style three-pin socket Kenya uses.
• More camera storage than you expect to need.
• A soft daypack for the vehicle.
• Any prescription medication in its original packaging, with enough for the whole trip.

Things that are not worth their weight

• Formal clothing. Camps are relaxed; Nairobi restaurants are smart-casual at most.
• A heavy coat. Layers do the job at a fraction of the space.
• Large quantities of cash, for the reasons in our money guide.
• Single-use plastic bags, which are restricted in Kenya.

Common questions

Do I need hiking boots?

Not for a game-drive itinerary; comfortable closed shoes are enough. For Mount Kenya or serious walking, yes, and that is a different packing list.

Can I do laundry?

At most camps and lodges. Some do not launder underwear, for cultural reasons, so bring enough.

What about a drone?

Do not bring one casually. Drone use in Kenya is regulated and requires authorization, and national parks have their own rules. Assume no unless you have arranged otherwise in advance.

Seeing it on a LABUSA Travel journey

We send a packing note specific to your itinerary before you travel, including the exact luggage allowance for any light aircraft you are booked on, because the general advice above is no substitute for the number your carrier will actually enforce.