Zambia Packing List

Start here: two things that are specific to this trip

1. Do not pack camouflage clothing

Camouflage-patterned clothing is restricted for civilians in Zambia, as it is in several neighboring countries, because it is associated with the military. This applies to adults and children, and to a camouflage daypack or hat as much as to a jacket. It is an easy mistake for a visitor who thinks of camouflage as safari wear, and an awkward one to resolve at a border.

Neutral colors are what you actually want anyway: khaki, olive, stone, brown, gray.

2. Check your baggage limit before you buy a bag

Reaching South Luangwa or the Lower Zambezi usually involves a light aircraft, and light aircraft have strict limits — commonly around 15 kg in a soft-sided bag, because a rigid suitcase will not fit the hold. Your operator will confirm the exact figure for your aircraft; the shape of the bag is as important as the weight.

Camps almost all offer laundry, which is the real answer to a small allowance. Pack for three or four days and wash.

Clothing

• Layers. Dry-season mornings are cold and afternoons are warm. A fleece or insulated jacket is essential from May to August — dawn in the valleys can approach freezing, and an open vehicle makes it colder.
• Neutral, muted colors for game viewing. Bright white and black stand out, and dark blue is best avoided in tsetse country because it attracts them.
• Long sleeves and long trousers for early morning and evening, against both cold and mosquitoes.
• Closed walking shoes with grip. Walking safaris are a Zambian specialty and they are real walks, on uneven ground.
• A wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Altitude plus clear skies is stronger sun than people expect.
• A rain shell in every month — for the falls if not for the sky.
• Swimwear, for lodge pools and, if it is running and you have booked it, Devil’s Pool.

Health and insects

• Insect repellent. Malaria is present year-round in most of the country; see our Zambia travel safety guide and talk to a travel clinic well before departure.
• Any prescription medication in its original labeled packaging, in carry-on, in enough quantity for the whole trip and a few days more. Remote camps have first-aid kits, not pharmacies.
• Sunscreen and lip balm with high protection.
• A small personal first-aid kit: blister plasters, rehydration salts, antihistamine.

Kit that earns its weight

• A headlamp or small torch. Many camps run generators or solar on a schedule and go dark at night. This is the item guests most often wish they had brought.
• Binoculars. One pair per person, not one to share — the difference between a good sighting and a shared squint.
• A dry bag for cameras and phones at the falls and on boat activities.
• A universal adapter and a power bank. Charging may be limited to certain hours, and often in a central area rather than your room.
• A refillable water bottle. Most camps provide filtered water and would rather you did not use single-use plastic.

What to leave behind

Camouflage, as above. Drones, unless you have specific written permission — they are restricted around parks, and around the falls and border areas in particular. Hard-shell suitcases if you are flying light aircraft. And most of the clothes you were going to bring: nobody in the history of safari has regretted packing less.

Planning with LABUSA Travel

We send a packing note tailored to your actual routing — the aircraft you are on, the months you are traveling and whether your itinerary includes walking, canoeing or the falls in high water.