• Regional flights usually limit weights to just over 30 pounds.
• Talk to your PH or booking agent about what works best…he may suggest you forego an extra large wheeled duffel and take a medium and large sized bag instead as they are easier to store in the bush plane.

• Pack in clear plastic bags with zippers and label all of them so you can find everything easily.
• If you plan to leave clothing behind in Africa pack them using vacuum bags so you can carry more over.
• Remember to roll your clothing and stuff any empty space with socks or underwear.
• Travel with as much gear as possible on your person…sunglasses, your hat, boots, etc as that frees up valuable space/weight in your luggage and may be the difference between having versus wishing for the gear you need.
• If forced to prioritize between clothing and gear, go a bit lighter on the clothing, especially if your accommodations include daily laundry service.

• Passport-check expiration date and make a copy of it. (Travel to South Africa requires 4 empty pages)
• Itinerary and plane tickets (make an extra copy of them)
• Medical/Shot Records
• Insurance information for trip
• Emergency Evacuation Information
• Hunt Contract
• Customs form 4457 for firearms (check that serial number match again)
• Customs Broker/Taxidermy Tags

• Procure cash and travelers checks
• Pictures of all luggage/belongings-opened and closed.
• Extra copies of itinerary, PH contact information and all other paperwork left at home and office.
• Call your credit card company and let them know where you will be and for how long so they do not shut off your cards

• Once you know your destination, make an appointment with a Doctor who specializes in Tropical diseases so you can get all the immunizations, malaria drugs and other medications required. Some of these medicines take time to become effective, so do not wait until the last minute.
• While it may not be as convenient as going to your regular Doctor, if you pick up something up in Africa you will probably need to see a specialist anyway so you might as well establish that relationship in advance. On a related note, depending on where you are hunting, you may want to make an appointment with that same Doctor soon after you return so you can get in quickly if you are ailing. If you feel fine, you can always cancel your appointment in plenty of time for them to fill that time slot.
• Prescription medicines-get your Dr to write you two prescriptions, each one for at least what you will need while over there and keep them in the original containers. Put one in your luggage and one in your carry-on pack
• If you are not accustomed to taking pills or need to take certain ones more than once a day, buy a pill organizer at your local drug store that you can fill upon arrival in camp so you make sure you do not miss a dose.

• You will probably not need it, but buy Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage. If you get into trouble, it could make all the difference in the world. We recommend Med Jet Assist
• While the PH will probably have a first aid kit, do not leave that to chance. We strongly recommend you bring your own.
• If you are blood thinning medication like Coumadin, take some QuikClot to stop bleeding from the cuts one acquires on safari.
• Blister Kits-Bring them as we had one customer who missed half his safari and spent several thousand dollars for want of this $21 item.
• Bring a Leatherman Micra as it has a set of tweezers, spring action scissors and a host of other personal care accessories that will come in handy.

• A week prior to your departure, we suggest you treat your shoes, pants and shirts using the 24 oz Permithren spray bottle. Permithren loses all effect if used on your skin, but kills bugs on contact if you treat your clothes prior to departure. One application lasts for 45 days or 6 washings-whichever comes first.
• Time Release DEET Lotion is the only one of its kind that reduces DEET absorption through the skin by up to 67%. Use it in advance of departure to make sure you do not have an allergic reaction to the DEET. Please note that one kit is enough for one person for ten days.
• We recommend SPF 30 sunscreen with DEET-FREE bug repellent for use on your face.
• We recommend AfterBite for relief from bug bites. Please note there are two types; One for mosquitos and one for flies/bees.

• We recommend impact resistant Wiley X sunglasses that have a removable membrane to keep dust out of your eyes-great when you are on the back of a safari vehicle as contacts do not work well in dusty areas.
• Eye drops to flush your eyes out just in case
• Safari hat with a chin strap so it does not blow off while driving
• We recommend SPF 30 sunscreen with DEET-FREE bug repellent for use on your face as the most popular anti-malarial medication makes your more prone to sunburn.
• Chapstick

Snake Protection
We recommend Turtleskin snake gaiters. They are approved for protection against all South African snakes and are very soft, lightweight, waterproof and breathable. They give you added peace of mind when hunting in thick bush or just walking on the path back to your tent after dinner where Puff Adders absorb the warmth the ground still holds and wait for their evening meal.

If you want protection from your hands against thorns, we also offer Turtleskin puncture proof gloves.

Flashlights and Headlamps

• We suggest a Streamlight flashlight that you leave in your tent
• A Streamlight headlamp that you keep in your pack in case you have to navigate out in the bush after dark. It is important to keep both of your hands free to keep your balance and push obstacles out of your way. Order the Trident Green Night Vision if you do not want to spook animals and want to preserve your night vision.

• Call your cell phone provider and see if they can add the international access needed to your existing phone. If that is not feasible consider renting a satellite phone so you can stay connected. In either case, make sure you take instructions on how to make a call with you.
• Scan and e-mail all essential documents to both yourself and the PH. This will make sure you are covered two ways in case you lose them.
• Set up another e-mail account you can use from any computer to use during your trip.
• Bring extra batteries for flashlights, cameras, etc.
• Bring a 220 to 110 volt converter for charging video cameras, phones, etc.

• We recommend the iconic Selous Safari Boot from the Courteney Boot Company. This is an extremely tough boot that will serve you well for many years. Since this is a heavy-duty boot, we suggest you purchase them at least three months in advance so you can break them in and wear them while you get in shape for your safari.
• If you are hunting in the wet season (February - April) bring two pairs of boots so you can wear one while the other dries.
• Nothing will make your feet more prone to blistering than getting them wet. For that reason we suggest you include an extra pair of socks in your pack so you have a dry pair just in case.
• If your feet do get wet, take your boots off one at a time, take your sock off, wring it out, wad them up and then stuff them into the front of the boot and step on that area with your booted foot to remove some of the excess moisture in the leather. Wring out the sock, put it back on and then do the other one.
• For the above reason we suggest you bring a few pairs of thicker Rohner cushioned socks for comfort while walking long distances and a few pairs of thinner socks to compensate for the leather shrinking a bit (if you get your boots wet) as they dry.
• We also recommend Gaiters; Turtleskin if you want protection from snakes and Courteney Leather or Texas Hunt Co nylon gaiters if you want the best ankle models on the market.

• Safari Jacket
• Two Long Sleeve shirts with fasteners to keep rolled up sleeves in place
• Two Safari Pants (with zip off legs if space is an issue)
• Two Safari Shorts if space is not an issue
• Warm jacket (rain/wind proof) and heavy sweater for morning/evening wear
• Gloves and wool cap for cold mornings on the back of the truck
• Extra pair of camp shoes

• We suggest you bring a soft case to protect your firearms from dust and damage when it is traveling on the back of the safari vehicle. This is one of the reasons why we recommend TUFFPAK hard cases as your guns travel in the soft cases you will need on safari.
• We recommend our leather culling belts for dangerous game hunts. The extra thick, bull hide belts must be relatively stiff to give you enough rigidity to extract big bore cartridges. Wear them during your range practice to break-in both the belt and the bullet loops. If the loops are a bit tight storing some shells in them will loosen them up and if they are too big rubbing a bit of water on them with your hands and then putting them out in the sun or in front of a heat source (never above 100 degrees) will tighten them up.
• Slings make a heavy rifle much easier to carry and we recommend our Padded Elephant or Zebra Inlay Sling.

• We recommend our Nylon Cordura Scope Case to protect/carry a detachable scope as in some situations you may want to take follow-up shots with open sights.
• We recommend our Safari Bino Sling so you can slide them behind out of the way when you get ready to shoot or when crawling. You can not do this with the harnesses that are fixed to your chest.

• Even if you keep your gun cased it will become dirty and dusty. We recommend you bring a Safari Cleaning Kit. This small kit is caliber specific and includes everything you need to keep your Big Bore clean.
• Your optics/glasses will get dusty. We recommend the Otis Lens Cleaning Kit for use on glasses, binoculars and scopes. They will not scratch the lenses when used properly.
• Leather Safari Binocular Sling so you can slide them out of the way when walking, crawling or shooting.