A woman at an animal sanctuary feeds a giraffe
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The exact packing list you need to travel to Namibia

BySamantha

When I was packing for my trip to Zimbabwe and Namibia, I found myself running around in circles trying to decide how on earth I was going to balance the different temperatures, environments and activities that we had planned. What do you wear for 48°C (118°F) days in the desert with 10°C (50°F) nights camping? What shoes can you wear for nice dinners but also hiking through the African bush? Are tsetse flies actually attracted to blue?  What needs to be on my packing list?

If this sounds familiar, don’t worry. Here’s some guidelines to help you decide what to pack for your self-drive trip in Namibia.

(And the tsetse fly thing is only something to worry if your trip takes you to the Caprivi strip but it did send me on a spiral for a moment there).

What we’re covering

The itinerary I packed for

It’s probably helpful to look at the activities I was trying to balance before we get into what I packed. Your trip will look different but might have some of the same pieces to consider and this insight might help you understand what I packed and why.

Victoria Falls – 4 Days

We were busy while we were there with activities that ranged from walking safaris in the busy to helicopter rides to dangling over the edge of the Falls. A quick recap of activities includes:

  • Devil’s Pool 
  • Walking rhino safari
  • Victoria Falls park walk
  • Bar and pub dinners
  • Boma Dinner

This means I need a bathing suit, clothing to comfortably hike in the bush in (no shorts), clothes to hang out in (yes shorts), comfortable walking shoes, and stuff to keep the sun from scorching me into oblivion.

If you’re heading to Victoria Falls, here’s some suggestions for awesome things to do in Victoria Falls. And some great restaurants to check out while you’re there too.

A man and woman stand in front of a rhino resting in a shady thicket in Zamibia. The woman wears sunglasses on her head, a long sleeve, sun shirt in a rusty brown colour and green pants. The man wears a ball cap, a tan button up long sleeve shirt and pants. They smile at the camera a good distance away from the slumbering animal.
Walking safari fashion show
(jk, the rhino is the star)

Harare/surrounding area – 4 days

Our trip to the capital and the surrounding area was mostly social. We were visiting friends before their wedding (the dates couldn’t work out to attend which was sad but also made packing just that little bit easier lol). But some of the things we needed to pack for included:

  • Bar hangs with friends – it’s a pretty casual place but still need a level nicer than shower flip flops and workout tops
  • Lounging by the pool
  • Nicer clothes for pre-wedding celebrations that were taking place outside in farmland just outside the city
  • Wild is Life – an animal sanctuary with a more elevated tea/cocktail experience included
A woman wearing a long sleeve linen button down shirt feeds a giraffe at the animal rescue Wild is Life in the capital of Zimbabwe, Harare. Behind the giraffe, bright purple trees bloom. She's wearing a linen shirt, a staple for hot temperatures and good to add to your packing list
Feeding a giraffe at the animal sanctuary Wild is Life

Namibia – 16 days

This was the real meat of the trip. It was a self-drive around the country with most nights planned at campsites. We visited in October, the dry season, so we needed to ensure we were being smart about covering up from the sun but also about bringing clothing to stay warm at night. Some of the activities I needed to pack for included. Remember to check the seasonal trends as you’re planning as well as the forecast just before you go to help you plan your trip.

  • Self-drive road trip- comfy, easy to drive in
  • Extremely hot days – flowy linens/light long sleeves/tees and tanks
  • Cooler nights camping
  • Desert climates for day and night(Kalahari and Namib)
  • Seaside climates (Swakopmund/Walvis Bay which were significantly colder than everywhere else)
  • Walking days
  • Safari days (and night drives)
  • The odd nicer dinner spot (in Swakopmund and at some of the places we stayed)

My exact packing list for Zimbabwe and Namibia

  • 1 long sleeve linen shirt
  • 1 long sleeve hiking sun shirt (I have an older version of this one in a rusty brown colour)
  • 1 pair of leggings
  • 1 pair of linen pants
  • 1 pair of lightweight cargo pants with SPF
  • 3 linen shorts
  • 1 quick drying jogging type short
  • 1 pair sweatpants
  • 1 polar fleece sweater for cold nights
  • 1 mid-weight windbreaker jacket
  • 2 “nicer” tank tops
  • 2 t shirts
  • 2 workout style tank tops that were quick dry
  • Bathing suit
  • 1 pair of running shoes 
  • 1 pair of shower flip flops
  • 1 pair of nicer flat sandals for dinners/hang outs
  • 2 sports bras (you will want to wear them on the roads in Namibia ladies lol)
  • 1 underwire bra
  • Underwear
  • Socks
  • Hat
  • Polarized sunglasses

So uh, that’s definitely not enough clothing for 24 days of travel?

You’re correct. But I promise I wasn’t smelly!

Here’s some tips to keep laundry fresh while travelling

  • Do some laundry on the road
    I like to pack detergent sheets to give a quick wash to things where I can
  • Pack more underwear than you think you need
    Memes about pooping yourself every day on a trip aside, if you’re feeling a little gross, changing your underwear can do wonders for your mood without adding much to the laundry pile. Also, ya know, UTIs are a mood killer.
  • Check your accommodations service list
    Some places offer laundry service which is such a godsend. But make sure you plan ahead, there’s a cut off time for dropping it off if you want it done by a certain time before you leave.

A reminder if you’re doing a fly in safari

A fly in safari likely means much stricter luggage weight and size restrictions. Triple check and weigh your bags before you go to make sure you’re not left broken hearted or naked.

You should also make sure you have the right kind of luggage. Many won’t allow hard sizes cases, another things to know before you go.

What to wear on safari in Namibia

I’ll leave FASHION to the FASHION girlies (although you can definitely look cute on safari). But from a practical standpoint there’s a few things to keep in mind as you pack so here’s some do’s and don’t on what to wear on safari

SAFARI CLOTHING DO’S

  • Wear natural colours that blend with the environment to avoid scaring animals off
    • Think: tan, olive green, light browns etc.,
  • Dress in layers
    • Bring something warm!
    • Safari drives often start very early when it’s still cold or go after sunset when the temperature drops which can mean going from rather cold to very hot. Layers let you adjust as needed (and I promise you, it is surprisingly cold at 4:30am on safari)
  • Bring a hat
  • Bring sunglasses (polarized is best)
  • Bring rain gear IF you’re there in rainy season or the forecast calls for it
  • If you’re doing any sort of walking you should wear pants to help protect you from the bush

SAFARI CLOTHING DON’TS

  • Wear blue (or black), it can attract the tse tse fly in certain regions
  • Wear camo patterned clothing
    • Natural colours are great but in some countries in Africa camo patterned clothing is illegal.
  • Forget sun covers ups
    • Sunscreen is half the battle, but covering up in light layers can protect you from the very harsh sun.
    • There’s shirts that offer SPF protection built in and they can save the day

A few extras I’m glad I packed

Clothing aside, I packed a few extra things that were super helpful

  • Hydration tablets
    • Look I do my best to drink water but on the road sometimes it slips your mind. These little things were extremely helpful, especially in the Namib Desert.
  • A day bag
    • I packed a backpack in a backpack so for hiking or even going to a nicer restaurant I could easily carry what I needed
  • Protein bars
    • I always carry a few just to stave off the “hangry”. Very helpful on days when you’re up at 4am and on the road without time (or appetite) for breakfast right from the jump
  • Headlamps that have both white and red light
    • White light is great for visibility but can also attract bugs.
    • Red light gives you decent visibility but doesn’t attract bugs, plus it keeps your eyes better acclimatised to the dark
  • Chapstick. Oh my gosh bring chapstick your lips will be so grateful.
A man wearing a headlamp with red light sits at a table at night. He is surrounded by darkness otherwise. He is eating his dinner.
Romantic dinner lighting while camping in the Kalahari

What to pack in your camera bag for Namibia?

Oh, I’m so glad you asked. I’ve got a few blogs on this topic that can help get you started.

If you’re new to photography and are wondering what camera is right for you, check out: How to pick the best type of camera for safari as a beginner.

If you wanna see the exact packing list of things I packed in my camera bag for this trip, check out: What’s in my bag for safari in Namibia.

So, what’s in your bag?

Let me know what you’re packing for your trip in the comments!

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