What to Pack for a Kenya Safari (And What to Leave)

Pack less than you think. Most camps launder clothes, and 4x4s have limited space.

Clothing: lightweight long sleeves in olive, khaki, rust and stone. A fleece or light down for dawn drives (the Mara sits at 1,500–1,800 m and can be 10°C at 6 a.m.). A compact rain jacket in April, May and November. One smarter shirt for lodge dinners. A swimming costume.

Footwear: broken-in closed shoes and simple sandals for camp. Leave the new white trainers at home — red laterite dust is undefeated.

Kit: binoculars (8x32 or 10x42), a headlamp, sunscreen, after-bite, any personal medication, universal adaptor (Kenya uses type G), and a dry bag for dust. Photographers should bring more memory than batteries — charging is easy, dust is not.

Do not pack: drones (illegal in Kenyan parks without permits), plastic bags in some jurisdictions, camouflage military print, and hard suitcases if you are taking a bush flight — soft bags, 15 kg limit is typical.

We send every Nayora guest a personalised packing note with their invoice.