best safari bean bag

7 Best Bean Bags for Safari Photography

As a Safari photographer, are you looking for the best bean bags for Safari photography for your projection as you explore your photography? Do not fret; all are covered in this post.

Table of Contents

7 Top Bean Bags for Safari Photography

In a hurry to check the details? Here are my 5 best bean bags to check and buy.

But first, some may wonder what a beanbag is. Well, a beanbag is a camera accessory used to support the camera and lens system. It usually comes without beans or stuffing, with only an empty bag would be delivered. You can fill it with rice, corn, or polystyrene beans.

Now, let’s take a deep dive into the details of the best bean bags for Safari photography.

Movo Camera Lens Bean Bag

CHECK PRICE

• Integrated detachable metal mounting plate with 3/8″ thread to mount gimbals & ball heads
• For Irregular Surfaces such as Car Windows or Branches
• “Deep Woods” Pattern; With Dimensions (LxWxH): 8.5″ x 6.5″ x 8″
• Water-Resistant
• Very simple to take along anywhere you go to
• Excellent bag for taking camera shots from the car.
• This bean bag will hold any super-telephoto lens when filled, Monster!
• The straps and internal mount plate are great additions that increase the versatility.
•  Stitching coming loose within two months and very few uses (Not all cases)
• Fabric is light

Specifications:

• Product Dimensions: 8.98 x 7.95 x 2.28 inches
• Item Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Item model number: THB01
• Manufacturer: Movo

The Movo-Photo Camera beanbag is a handy holder to carry anywhere for your camera or camcorder. Our advanced camouflage pattern makes this bag perfect for finding a stable base when you’re out in the wild.

Designed for use with or without a built-in 3/8 “tripod or head mount. The Puf Movo Photo THB03 is designed for digital SLR cameras with lenses less than 800mm.

The unique U shape makes it precise for mounting on narrow or round surfaces like a car door, fence, or tree branch. The “U” interior is made with a high-grip surface that helps you maintain stability no matter where you set up.

The pouf has easy access, and a protected zipper removes the liner material in any situation. The bag’s interior is reinforced with a high-quality aluminum plate measuring 1/2 “, 3/8” screws – 16.

The plate is removable, enabling you to use the pouf as a traditional pouf and smooth bag holder.

Find out now on Amazon.

Rolanpro Pillow Photographic Bean Bag

• Aerial photogrammetry Bean Bag
• Windows with a telephoto lens pillow gun
• This empty bag is open with a zipper
• Nylon material
• Light enough to carry when filled
• Excellent finish and very well made.
• The materials are environmentally pleasant and have no smell.
• Very easy to put on the lens, plus it grips the lens very well.
• Heavy enough to stay on the door
• Zipper malfunction.
• Brand: Rolanpro
• Manufacturer: Rolanpro
• Model: BB01
• Has Package Dimensions of 22.1 x 11.18 x 4.32 cm; 100 Grams
• Use: Lensx2, Lensx3, LENS
• Origin: CN(Origin)
• Style: Triangle package
• Type: Waterproof Bag
• Model Number: WP
• Material: Cotton Yarn

Pistol window for telephoto / aerial photogrammetry cushion Powder bag This empty bag is open in a zipper. In a way, the open position is hidden, and the zipper is covered with a protective pouch, preventing the zipper’s accidental opening.

Also, due to the larger size of full bags, and the stuffing can sometimes be considered a hint of contraband, empty bags are more suitable for overseas travel.

Check out now on Amazon .

LensCoat Camera Bean Bag Support

• Heavy-duty water-resistant Codura
• Detachable lightweight aircraft-grade aluminum mounting plate with 3/8″ -16 mounting screw for a gimbal or ball head
• Non-slip grip fabric on the bottom (in the “U”)
• 2 locking zippers for simple filling and emptying
• Proudly made in the USA
• Works well and easily mounts while photographing from a car.
• Great size and quality
• About 5lbs of Buckwheat Hulls pack it nicely
• Package Dimensions: 7.5 x 6.5 x 7 inches
• Item Weight: 9 ounces
• Manufacturer: LensCoat

LensSack Pro Jr series, our U-shaped lens bag is with removable mounting plate. The mounting plate is made of a lightweight aluminum aircraft with a 3/8″ -16 mounting bolt that allows you to mount the PTO or ball joint.

The mounting plate can be removed, allowing LensSack Pro Jr. to use as a standard camera/lens platform for carrying bags. LensSack Pro Jr. offers outstanding stability for cameras with lenses up to 500mm.

Whether you’re shooting from the ground, fences, car doors, slippery surfaces, or safari vehicles, the LensSack Pro Jr. will provide a stable and reliable platform.

Our lens bags are made from the same heavyweight, waterproof Codura as our long bags and hood extension bags. The Lens Sack Pro detaches, and its two high-quality YKK zippers prevent leakage and allow you to add loads of your choice easily.

Check out on Amazon

The Pod Red Bean Bag for Compact Cameras

•  Beanbag pole for compact cameras, advanced point and shoot cameras, camcorders, microphones, DSLRs with a short focal length lens, etc
• Built-in 1/4″ camera mount
• An excellent idea for you, well-made yet straightforward, and elementary to use and carry.
• It’s also suitable for small camera video cameras, i.e., ideal for mobile phones.
• It has a stable tripod you can pack and use anywhere.
• Great for full-size cameras too.
• A little on the small size for the lenses you want to use it with
• The disadvantage of its tripod over a regular one is you can’t angle your camera for vertical photos.
• Quite expensive
• Package Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.9 x 1.9 inches
• Item Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Item model number: Camera Platform
• Manufacturer: The POD

Red Pod from Pod is an ottoman that serves as a camera platform for DSLR cameras with zoom lenses up to 200mm long. The red pod is made of strong nylon and filled with plastic bullets, removed and added to adapt the capsule to your camera/lens and a particular shot’s requirements.

The stable camera platform is excellent for shooting outdoors from unpredictable surfaces. The red floor has a 1/4 “-20 screw-on edge, which allows you to mount the camera with a zoom lens. The included adjustable strap can be threaded through the buckles on the capsule to secure the lens.

The 0.75kg bag is small and easy to carry with your daily gear, ready for any occasion to keep the camera in. The red capsule is closed with a strong Velcro closure that can be opened and closed as many times as needed.

You can replace the plastic granules with any other filling. With a green vinyl with a waterproof nylon bottom and cover, the Red Pod is suitable for use in rainy conditions and is strong enough that an adult can walk on it without causing harm.

NatureScapes SkimmerSackII Bean Bag

•  Beanbag support for DSLR and video cameras
• Constructed of tough 500-denier Cordura nylon fabric
• Inside fabric is made from rubber-like Toughtek.
• Double-stitched seams for durability
• Two-year warranty against flaws in materials and workmanship
• Excellently stable for automobile-based Safari photography
• Lightweight and perfect for shooting from a car.
• It’s small but has excellent support for cameras.
• The package comes with no filler
• Package Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Item Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Item model number: 3216621696
• Manufacturer: NatureScapes.Net

This SkimmerSack II is a stable “grain bag” holder for DSLRs and video cameras. It can be placed on a door, window, or top of a vehicle or simply placed on any stable surface.

It is as well explicitly designed to be used in conjunction with the Skimmer II ground module. Visit our website for usage photos and more information. Features SkimmerSack II has a compartment that is made of strong 500 denier Cordura nylon fabric.

The interior material is Toughtek, similar to rubber. The seams are double for added strength with nylon thread. On one end, there is a zipper opening, including a protective cover (so that the zipper doesn’t scratch your camera or vehicle).

There is a wrist strap at each end of the bag. The round tip is designed to hold the Skimmer II ground pod with a camera and lens on top. At the bottom of the bag, a pair of straps are attached to the door handles or a luggage rack in the vehicle.

Specifications Dimensions filled: 26 “high x 17 x 20 cm (10.25” x 6.7 “x 8”) Blank weight: 139 g (4.9 oz) Weight with polyethylene filling (includes bag weight ) 5.2 kg (11 lb 8 oz) Weight of stuffed buckwheat carcasses (includes bag weight): 1.3 kg (2 lb 13 oz)

Find out now on Amazon .

Kinesis SafariSack 4.2 (Khaki/No Fill)

• You are offered a choice of fill. Polyethylene beads are the most stable but more decadent than the buckwheat hulls. For lenses up to 200mm, the buckwheat is adequate.
• The 4.2 features a side gusset, enabling a thicker volume of filler when in half saddlebag style.
• The ends are slightly rounded for easier handling.
• D-rings on the extremes for carrying over the shoulder with a shoulder strap (# Y215 is alterable, unpadded & 1″ / 25 mm wide).
• With the sewn-in strap, it can be securely attached to the rack on the top of a Land Rover, which is regular on safari… or your mini-van or SUV! If you want a lengthier strap, get the # Y208.
• You can add sand, water, or pebbles to use as a ballast to uphold a tripod or light stand in the wind. We recommend using an optional liner for sand (R107) or choosing the R425 SafariSack II for a more straightforward, less expensive ballast bag; use the R106 water bladder with it.
• It works exceptionally and can handle uneven surfaces, and doesn’t take up a tripod’s space.
• Build quality is good.
• Ideal for those places where tripods are inappropriate.
• It is one of the most functional pieces of photographic accessories you can purchase.
• It’s a cheaper alternative.
• It provides good stability.
• Product Dimensions: 14 x 11.5 x 0.5 inches
• Item Weight: 3.98 ounces
• Department: unisex-adult (luggage only)
• Manufacturer: Kinesis Photo Gear

Are we speaking of its design? This sturdy bean bag is used to hold a DSLR camera, mirror, or video camera in the vehicle, car window, chair, table, tree branch, fence post, or ground. It is swifter to use than a tripod.

The bag has a zipped compartment; fillers can be added, such as polyethylene balls, buckwheat husks, rice, beans, etc. no shirt is needed. *** Safari bags with polyethylene filling are HEAVY. Polyphill 4.2 weighs almost 6 kilograms, and 1.4 weighs 2 kilograms. Order buckwheat for a lighter bag.

It can be made use of in two ways: 1) camera mount or 2) ballast mode – hang on a tripod or light to stabilize it against the wind or use super-telephoto lenses. The support of the crowd is also within reach.

It is made with a combination of durable 400 and 420 denier ripstop nylon fabrics. Additionally, the bottom has a rubberized fabric that keeps the bag in place when placed on a vehicle or other slippery surface. It is double stitched and reinforced at the belt attachment points.

When traveling overseas, take the blank version and fill it locally with rice, beans, or birdseed. Then after check-in, empty the contents and go home with an empty compact bag.

Find out now on Amazon

Grizzly Camera Bean Bag

• Large-Black and Large Poly Bead Fill
• Photography Bean Bag
• African Safari
• Video Bean Bag, Camera Support
• Camera Sandbag
• Photography Tours.
• It’s a fantastic product: high quality and just the right size for you.
• The material is so sturdy for use on areas such as windows frame, tree branch, etc.
• Easy to fill
• Not At All Flexible; And You Still Have To Purchase The Beads
• Tear Along Seem after 2 Weeks
• Product Dimensions: 6 x1 x 8 inches
• Item Weight: 5 ounces
• ASIN: B08NLZZ9V2
• Manufacturer: Wild Grizzly Products LLC

It’s a high-quality bean bag that’s empty, by the way! You need to buy 4 pounds of pinto beans and put them inside, which should work well.

You could put many suggestions inside, but we recommend pinto beans, aquarium pebbles, or any other type of packaging, like peanut packaging. Keep in mind that anything you put in the camera in the bag will affect its performance.

However, I still put this to the test when I think the investment is worth it. Highly recommend choosing this if you’re a serious photographer on the go and can’t always bring a tripod or take the time to set it up.

Why you need a bean bag for Safari photography

You might wonder why you need a beanbag to photograph wildlife. Under certain conditions, we may not be able to use a tripod, so I prepared my Top Bean bag with the Safari photographer in mind. The bag is a handy accessory in such conditions.

Wildlife photography in Safari Vehicle

If you are photographing wildlife in a safari vehicle, you will not be able to place a tripod in the vehicle. You can set the tripod head on the vehicle grilles. But it would not be easy to move your head. Here, an ottoman is the best choice for a photographer.

Traveling Abroad for Wildlife Safari

When you go abroad to photograph wildlife, it is best to bring a bean bag with you. It is the best replacement for a tripod in this situation. By carrying an empty bean bag, you can also save a certain amount of luggage. You can later fill it with rice or any grain and turn the grains on your return.

Compared to tripods, a bean bag is a cost-effective and economical solution. You’ll get a good bean bag for $ 30 to $ 50. Quality tripods are expensive; tripod feet and heads will need to be purchased separately.

Better Picture Quality in Low Light Conditions

It has the same purpose as a tripod and ensures the camera and lens system’s stability. In this way, you can get better image sharpness compared to manual shooting. You can shoot blur-free images in low light.

Many companies produce bean bags. It is, therefore, a challenging job to choose the best among them. I will list things to check before buying and choosing a bean bag for wildlife photography.

Best Bean Bag for Safari Photography: Buyer’s Guide

This is an essential factor. Don’t buy shoddy products. Check what fabric the bag is made of. You should have a slight catch. Otherwise, your lens would slip out of position. If you buy cheap, you might end up repairing or changing it regularly. Make sure the zippers and velcro are of good quality.

Since you are buying it for wildlife or bird photography, make sure you buy it in soft colors like black, dull green, or brown. The best color option would be camouflage. I prefer camouflage paint because I use a camouflage lens layer on the camera lens. So it fits my team well.

Waterproofing

It would be nice if the fabric were waterproof. I would keep it on the vehicle door. Thus, when it rains or it is dewy, the bag is wet if it is not waterproof. Later, because of the humidity, it may start to stink.

If stored with a camera, it can even cause fungal growth inside the camera and lens. Cleaning the cameras and lenses affected by fungus is an expensive operation that also affects the lens’s quality.

Weight balance

Don’t buy where you need to stuff a lot of beans or rice. It’s good for stability. However, it can be a burden to transport and install. You will also need more beans for the filling.

So, choose one that won’t get heavy or bulky. That way, it would be easy to use in the field. Never buy an ultralight; it will never serve a real purpose. Do not fill it with light materials. It will affect the stability of the camera and the lens system.

Pouf with mounting plate

There are premium ottomans that come with mounting plates. You can place the PTO head on this plate and attach the camera and photo lens. This will make it easier to move the camera system.

In my opinion, I do not recommend this option because it makes it more expensive and more complex. Could you keep it simple? Concentrate on image composition and photography.

The dimension of the flat top surface

The dimension of the flat surface at the top should be large enough to hold the larger lens. Some companies produce smaller lightweight bean bags for use with zoom telephoto lens holders. Therefore, always make sure that the flat surface is large enough.

Check online reviews

Before buying an ottoman, it is good to check out the online reviews of that model. This will give you a better idea. Sometimes the cheaper ones would be better than the high-quality ones.

So if you haven’t tried it yet, start using an ottoman for wildlife photography. You can see some differences in your photos. I have been using it for two years. Now, I prefer a beanbag for photographing wild animals from a vehicle. This is a big plus for my photographic trips.

Many companies produce personalized bean bags. So, if you are looking for the best-personalized gifts for a photographer, this is a good option.

Final thoughts

The camera bean bag is perhaps one of the cheapest and most valuable camera equipment you need for better Safari photos.

On any surface, the camera’s grain bags provide support and reduce camera shake. This allows you to use longer lenses and long exposures without a tripod.

LIVING THE DREAM

Don’t Take a Tripod on Safari – Take a Bean Bag Instead

Published by Jeremy . Last Updated on March 9, 2023.

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Before heading out on safari in Tanzania, I upgraded my camera gear to include a new telephoto lens ( 150-600mm ) to get the best animal photos possible. As I quickly realized after a few days of testing, when wielding a big lens like this, stability becomes a problem as any minor camera movement can result in huge swings of what you see on screen- especially at the 600mm focal length.

As such, when shooting on lenses like these, you'll often see photographers using a tripod- not to stabilize the camera, but to stabilize the lens first and foremost. So, naturally, I immediately upgraded my tripod as my former one was not rated for the ~10-pound weight of my new setup. 

I thought I was ready to go to Africa, but then I talked to travel photography friends like Green Global Travel and Finding the Universe .

In these discussions, it was  very strongly recommended not to bother taking a tripod to Africa but instead take a camera bean bag. These simple devices latch onto any surface that a strap can wrap around, such as a metal frame at the top of a safari vehicle. Your camera lens can rest on the bag, providing stability, while not being fully locked down to allow for quick movement as needed.

After buying one, and taking both it and my tripod to Africa, I can safely say that I never used my tripod once (except for one instance where I used the monopod detachment). As such, I thought it would be good to share why a bean bag was such an important purchase for this trip!

Camera Bean Bags Are More Flexible Than Tripods

Camera bean bags are a lot like what you would expect from the name- bags, filled with beans or other bean-like material, that can be strapped down to a surface like a metal railing. While some companies can go crazy with the design, particularly with built-in contours for your camera lens, most just tend to be form-fitting bags outright. 

The reason these work on safari better than a tripod is simply because to get a good photo, sometimes you have to act fast.

Animals, as we all know, are often not stationary. They could be on the move slowly, or they could be on the move quickly. Even sleeping lions may pop their heads up and look right at you for only a fraction of a second. Or your vehicle may be on the go on a fast pursuit of a hunt. Therein lies the problem(s). 

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In a somewhat cramped space, to capture these with your camera on a tripod you would have set the tripod up, adjust the horizontal angle, adjust the vertical angle, lock it all down, and then start working on your camera settings to capture the scene. Ignoring that there is barely any room for the three legs of a tripod to be stable in a safari vehicle outright (I can't fathom a tripod working at all, to be honest), adjusting all these settings via a tripod would take so much time that you may lose most quick scenes outright.

A bean bag, on the other hand, simply has to be strapped down to a surface, and the added stability allows you to gracefully move your camera as needed. Want to pan up? The bag will adjust its contour as you move the camera. Want to pan horizontally? The same applies. You are ready to take a photo as fast as it takes to rest the lens on the bean bag- no other setting changes necessary.

The only real downside is picking the side of your vehicle to latch the bean bag onto outright (if you travel with only one bag). I always had my bag attached to one side of our vehicle as a default and then would survey vehicles we were approaching to see what direction passengers were looking at to decide if I wanted to switch sides. In many cases, I had the bag set up and ready to go well before we could even spot any animals with this method- insofar as our driver parked at the same angle as everyone else at least.

Still, swapping a bean bag from one side of the car to the other is a much easier experience than dealing with a tripod, and allowed me to get some truly epic wildlife shots with ease!

• Note : Even with a bean bag I always had my camera strap attached and around my neck as a safety net when moving my camera. This worked out a bit easier with my Black Rapid strap over more conventional options.

A Monopod May Be a Compromise for Some

Ultimately, while I took my tripod with me just in case (primarily for astrophotography that never quite panned out due to clouds), I did end up using my tripod's detachable monopod on one occasion and think it could be an alternative for those who do not want to buy a bean bag.

For me, the only instance that the monopod was even remotely more useful than a bean bag was on a night safari. This was because you have to be so fast in snapping a photo of an animal before it runs away that you wouldn't even have time to move the bean bag at all. The amount of time from your spotter finding an animal to it running out of view can be seconds at best, and you will likely have no advanced warning in the form of other cars nearby to give you a heads up something is coming in the event you need to switch sides.

So, at best, a single bean bag would only work well here insofar as you had it on the correct side of the car by chance. As it were, I simply never used mine in this outing. 

When using my monopod on the night safari, instead of adjusting horizontal and vertical settings on the tripod itself, I simply leaned it in the direction I needed. It wasn't great , and only worked because our vehicle was fairly empty and I had an entire row of seats to myself. But even with that, I only got about five or six good photos from that setup. Short of having two bean bags and  the entire row to myself, this was a suitable compromise. 

For daytime shots, a monopod could solve the space issues for setting up as the three legs of a tripod likely won't be able to spread out enough to provide that great of stability on the vehicle's floor. That being said, monopods are also significantly less stable, so you could be introducing more movement into your lens over what a bean bag would provide, too. 

I won't go as far as saying that I recommend a monopod for a safari in the slightest, but I will say it may be better than nothing. I still go back to the bean bags as the best option 99% of the time- with a night safari outing maybe being the only caveat.

Tips for Using a Camera Bean Bag

Before ending this one, we would be remiss if we didn't discuss a few more tips on buying and using a camera bean bag.

First , and perhaps most importantly, most bean bags you buy are delivered empty and without beans. Some producers will sell polystyrene beads that you can use to fill the bean bags and those who want to fill yours for cheaper may simply use dried beans or even old clothes like socks if only because the polystyrene beads marketed for this use are absurdly expensive.

I purchased the recommended polystyrene beads just to see how they work. While they were indeed quite functional for the bean bag, especially for allowing contour of the camera, it is worth noting that the polystyrene beads pick up a lot of static charge in their original packaging. So when you open them do not, under any circumstance , open the bag entirely. Simply cut open a small corner (~1-2″), and use that as a spout to pour the beads into your bag- otherwise, you may have a fairly big mess on your hands as they can fly all over the place. (Read some of the reviews on Amazon , trust me.)

If I were to do it over again, I would probably test the bag with old socks first and see if that would be good enough.

Second , I found that I liked to have my bag filled almost as stuffed as it could go. Originally I had thought a partial fill (~80%) would give more flexibility in locking onto surfaces on our safari vehicle. But in practice, I found I liked the bag almost full (~95%) as the beads do seem to get compressed a bit after repeated use. So in a pinch, I shoved a few more socks in the bag mid-safari to plump it back up. When in doubt, I'd fill closer to the full side assuming the one you buy has a long enough strap.

You may have to adjust this one after your first day or two on safari (or a solid test before you travel), as ensuring a good strap onto your vehicle will depend on several factors. You may want to plump yours up or make it less full based on your preference. 

Finally , while these are somewhat easy to hook onto railings on a safari vehicle, it still takes time to move the bags (think seconds not minutes). You may not be able to move it to the opposite side of your vehicle in the event of, say, a lion running across the road. For those who are extremely into photography and have enough space in a private safari vehicle, having two could allow for a bean bag to be permanently attached to each side of your vehicle on daily outings, but even for me this would have been simply a slight convenience as opposed to being necessary. I could probably count on one hand the number of shots I missed because of having to change sides.

Overall, I am elated to have purchased a camera bean bag before heading out on safari. This simple tool worked wonders in helping me get some great photographs on my monster telephoto lens and ensured I never touched my tripod for the entire trip.

So while I would still likely always pack my tripod just in case , I really found I never used it at all- especially on game drives. Don't leave home without a bean bag (or two)!

To pick up a camera bean bag before your next trip, click here .

About Jeremy

About the Author: Jeremy is a full-time travel writer based in Pittsburgh and primary author of this site. He has been to 70+ countries on five continents and seeks out new food, adventure activities, and off-the-beaten-path experiences wherever he travels.

3 thoughts on “Don’t Take a Tripod on Safari – Take a Bean Bag Instead”

Hi Jeremy, When using a beanbag what do you set your image stabillisation to? Wout

I generally turn off internal stabilization just like I would if I was shooting on a tripod. However, I do think it is best to test this at home first so you aren’t testing it in the middle of a safari with an animal nearby. I wouldn’t be surprised if some cameras behave differently with this combo.

Thanks Jeremy!!

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Finding the Universe

Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

What to Pack for Safari – A Detailed Safari Packing List

Last updated: February 14, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 4 Comments

So you’re going on safari. Awesome! We love safaris, and Jess and I have been lucky enough to take many safaris together. But now you might be wondering what to actually pack for safari.

Well, we’re here to help. We’ve taken safaris on a number of occasions in a variety of countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. From those trips, we’ve learned what items are essential for your safari packing list, and what you probably won’t need.

We’ll also share some tips on what to consider when packing and a detailed safari packing checklist for your reference.

What to Consider when Packing for Safari

Before you start putting your safari packing list together, you are going to need to know the answers to a few questions. These questions will help inform you as to what you need to pack.

There are many different types of safari across a range of destinations and accommodation types, so there is no “one size fits all” safari packing list.

Here are some questions that we think will help you figure out more clearly what you need to bring.

Where are you going?

The first question of course is where you are going on safari. Whilst many people will instantly think of the African continent when thinking of a safari trip, you can take a safari in destinations around the world.

Once you know where you are going, then you can start to research the answers to some of the other questions that are important to your safari trip planning.

What will the weather be like during your safari?

When it comes to packing clothes and travel gear, having an idea of the weather is definitely going to make a big difference. Whilst we often think of safaris as taking place in hot and dry places, this is certainly not always the case.

If you are visiting Africa, this is obviously a huge continent, with very variable weather. If you are visiting the more southern countries like South Africa, these have a weather pattern similar to Europe or the USA, with cool winters and hot summers. Although of course being in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed.

If you are visiting countries closer to the equator, like Kenya or Tanzania, then their proximity to the equator means that they tend to be quite warm year-round, and their seasons are instead divided into dry seasons and wet seasons.

The wet season, as the name suggests, is when you are more likely to get a lot more rain, whilst the dry season will be, well, drier. Of course, rain is theoretically possible at any time, but it is much less common in the dry season.

In some areas, it can get pretty cold, especially at higher elevations or when next to water. For example, if you are visiting Tanzania to hike Kilimanjaro , then even if it is hot in the plains, it is likely to be very cold near the summit.

So be sure to check into that, especially if you are visiting during the winter season of that country. You may be surprised to know you might need to bring a coat, gloves, hats, etc.

So take a look at the average temperatures, humidity, and rainfall in the places you plan to go at the time of the year you plan to visit. Also note that some countries may have very different climates across regions so be sure to take that into account as well.

One good website for checking average temperatures, precipitation, and humidity for the destinations on your trip is the “Climate (averages)” section of timeanddate.com . It allows for you to check the historical averages by month as well as the current weather.

How long is your safari?

The duration of your safari will definitely make an impact on how much you pack.

If you are traveling for a few days, then you will likely need fewer items of clothing compared to a safari lasting for a few weeks or even months. For longer safaris, you’ll want to consider how to handle laundry, which we cover in a different section.

What types of transport will you be using?

It’s important to have an understanding of the transport you will be using when you are on safari, as this will often make a big difference in terms of what you can bring with you, and also the sort of luggage you can bring.

For example, if you are going on safari in an African country, many airlines flying to and from these destinations will have very generous luggage allowances, so it can be tempting to pack a lot in a big suitcase just in case.

However, once you are actually in the country, your local transport might not have quite so much room. If you are taking a group safari especially, with multiple people, there will be limited space available for each person.

Another big restricting factor is if you are taking any domestic flights on smaller aircraft. These are often used in-country to get to and from safari parks, and can skip long drives.

Smaller aircraft tend to be particularly restrictive when it comes to luggage allowances, both in terms of weight and also volume. The small holds mean they can only carry so much, and larger hard sided luggage for example might not even fit through the hatch. So many don’t allow you to bring any kind of hard-sided luggage.

If you are doing a multi-day hike, such as up Mt. Kilimanjaro or Mt. Kenya, your trekking guide and company will generally set size and weight restrictions on what can be carried.

Generally, you are allowed one duffel bag (carried by a porter) and then one personal backpack that you have on you at all times. Most companies (or hotels if staying at the same one before and after) will have somewhere you can store additional luggage before your hike if needed but you will need to check and make arrangements.

You will definitely want to talk to your safari organizer prior to packing. They should be able to give you clear instructions regarding luggage limits and restrictions. If you are flying on smaller aircraft, you will generally find that soft luggage is going to be preferable.

What activities will you be doing on your safari trip?

Every safari is different, and it’s important that you pack according to what you will be doing.

For example, a safari where you are going to spend the majority of your time in a vehicle looking at wildlife in game reserves will probably pack a bit differently than someone going on a safari which includes gorilla trekking , long hikes, climbing a mountain, fishing, cycling, camping, or spending a lot of time birdwatching on foot in swampy areas.

So it is good to have an idea of those activities. How much time will be spent in vehicles, walking, hiking, boating, biking, etc.? Will you be spending any time in cities doing activities like visiting museums, shopping, visiting restaurants, etc. Will you be going to a beach or spending a bit of time in swimming pools?

You should have a full itinerary for your safari so you should know what to bring, and a good tour operator should also give some suggestions as to essential items to bring.

What sort of accommodation will you be staying in during your safari?

Safari accommodation varies wildly, from very simple budget camping options through to high end 5-star luxury lodges.

Whilst the majority of accommodation options that we have stayed at on safari have a fairly relaxed dress code, even at the luxury end, it is worth checking to see what the dress code is, if any. Sometimes evening attire might require a button up shirt for men for example or close toed shoes.

On the other end of the scale, if you are staying in a tent then you might need to consider things like shower shoes or nightwear that is suitable for midnight bathroom breaks at shared toilet blocks.

General Tips when Packing for Safari

Before we go through the packing list, we wanted to share some tips to help you pick what to bring with you on safari.

Clothing Color for Safari

Perhaps one of the more important things to consider when packing for safari is the color of the clothes you bring with you.

Generally, brown and green colors, or variants thereof, are regarded as the best. They generally blend into the surroundings, and have the bonus that they don’t show dirt quite as well, which is a benefit on dusty drives.

Bright primary colors are discouraged as they make you stand out more.

Blue, dark purple, and black colors should also be avoided. These colors are known to attract Tsetse flies, which have a very nasty bite and which can carry disease.

How Easy is it to Wash?

When putting your clothing list together, especially on a trip longer than a week or so, you will want to think about how easy each item of clothing is to wash. You might also want to consider how long it might take to dry.

A safari can be both a dusty and sweaty environment, meaning that unless you want to carry a lot of clothes, you will have to plan to do some laundry as you go on a longer trip. Most lodges will likely offer laundry, or you can do your own hand laundry easily enough.

With this in mind, high-end clothing which requires dry-cleaning or a careful delicate cycle might be best left at home if you don’t want it ruined. We’d suggest sticking to clothes that wash easily in hot or cold water, and which air-dry quickly (the majority of locations we’ve visited do not have electric driers).

Versatility

When it comes to choosing clothing and putting outfits together, we’d suggest giving priority to clothing that can be worn in multiple situations or in multiple outfits, to avoid having to bring too much clothing.

So a top that works as well on a safari as at an evening meal would definitely be a better choice if possible, compared to bringing multiple options for different occasions.

Safari Packing List

We’ll now go through a guide to what we think are essentials for safari, which is based on multiple safaris we have taken, some of which have been over quite prolonged multi-week trips.

Of course, there is no definitive list, and you should adjust this list based on what you feel you need to take with you. But this should give you a good starting point.

Shirts for Safari

Wherever you are going on safari, and whatever the weather, you will need a number of shirts or tops. We usually travel with a number of layers, because even in hot countries our experience is that it can be cooler at night.

So for us, we normally pack a bunch of t-shirts, some long sleeve button-up safari style shirts, and a couple of fleece outer layers.

For t-shirts, we prefer these made of wicking material, which is cool and fast drying. So something like this for Laurence and these for Jess . We also travel with a few cotton t-shirts as well, but note that these tend to hold sweat and not dry as fast.

Next, we also like to travel with button-up shirts that are specifically designed for safari, and for that we like the Craghoppers brand of clothing. We mostly wear long-sleeved ones as these protect against both the sun and insect bites.

Craghoppers make a whole range of clothes which are excellent for all sorts of outdoor activities, but we think they are particularly suited to safari. If you spend time on safari, you’ll likely recognize that this is probably the most common brand worn by more experienced travelers, especially those from Europe.

Their clothes are fast drying, very lightweight, durable, usually have multiple handy pockets, and many of them have built-in insect repellent as well!

For shirts, we both like the Craghoppers Adventure II style, available for men here and for women here . We’ve worn them on safari all across East Africa and they have proven to be very capable items of clothing.

Of course, there are many more options out there, and you can see a range of moisture-wicking fast-drying button up shirts on Amazon here .

Finally, when it comes to general top layers, we usually also pack at least one warmer top which can go over everything else. This can be handy for those cooler early morning safaris or evenings in the camp, when temperatures can drop, especially if you are at higher elevations.

Generally, we prefer a top with a full zip down the front as it allows us to control our temperatures a bit more by zipping or unzipping the front, but this is a personal choice.

For tops, we love clothes from Patagonia . Their sustainable ethos and approach to rewearability is something we really appreciate, plus their clothing happens to be fantastic quality. It is definitely a little on the more expensive side, but it should last you a long time!

Jess in particular really likes her Patagonia full-zip better sweater , and there’s a men’s version as well . We’ve also had good experiences with the North Face range of fleeces, which is my current fleece, and you can see a full range of those here .

If you are on a budget, we have had good luck getting secondhand high quality fleeces and pullovers secondhand from thrift stores or online secondhand clothing websites.

Trousers / Pants / Dresses for Safari

Generally we both prefer to wear long pants for safari, even on hotter days. We like lightweight hiking style pants that offer good sun protection, as well as some protection from biting insects and branches. Jeans generally are a bit too heavy and hot in our experience.

When it comes to specific brands, we again like Craghoppers for their range of pants. Their Insect Shield technology helps keep biting insects away and they have a range of hiking pants with this technology built in. Their products are also very lightweight and fast drying.

When it comes to specific products that we have used, Laurence likes these more baggy cargo style trousers , whilst Jess prefers these slightly more fitted pants .

Again, there are multiple brands offering high quality pants, including these options from Patagonia , and this extensive selection on Amazon .

Jess also likes to travel with some easy wear lightweight dresses which are good for wearing in the evening for dinner and non-safari days.

Shoes for Safari

Choosing the right footwear for safari will of course depend on the kind of activities you are going to be doing.

If you will be doing any hiking, including game walks, chimpanzee trekking or gorilla trekking , then we highly recommend a good pair of waterproof hiking boots.

We both have a pair of Scarpa hiking boots , Laurence has these ones and Jess has these .

Of course, there are lot of other great brands . We’ve had various pairs, Jess in particular liked her Merrell hiking boots and she hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro in those.

If your trip doesn’t involve a lot of hiking, then you can probably skip proper hiking boots. They are quite heavy and take up a fair bit of space, so will save you some luggage space if not required.

We just recommend you bring one good pair of comfortable closed-toed shoes. A pair of lightweight flip flops or sandals is also likely a good idea if you plan to spend time relaxing at the pool, resort, or going to the beach.

For more tips on shoes for travel, see our guide to the best travel shoes for men , and the best travel shoes for women .

Hats for Safari

Many safari destinations tend to be quite hot and sunny, and you’re going to be spending a lot of time outdoors. So a good hat is going to be essential for your trip. You just want to make sure that the hat you choose has a wide enough brim to shade your entire face. Some may also want one with a neck flap.

We personally love our Tilley hats . They are well constructed, easy to pack, lightweight, machine washable, and come with a very solid guarantee. For safari, we’d recommend the LTM6 Airflo hat , which is what Laurence uses, or for even more cooling, the LTM8 Airflo hat .

We have also had other hats of course. In addition to a Tilley Airflo hat, Jess also has a hat with a foldable neck flap like this one , which keeps the sun off her neck as well as her head. My parents both took hats with sunflaps with them on safari to be able to protect their necks. So that is also a great option.

Swimwear for Safari

Whilst you are unlikely to be going for a swim whilst out on safari, what with the risk of crocodiles and hippos, that doesn’t mean you should leave your swimwear at home.

Many safari lodges and camps have absolutely wonderful pool areas, and if you have downtime between game drives on a hot day, then a dip in the pool can be a wonderful way to relax and cool down. Many safaris might also include some relaxation time on a beach or island.

We always pack swimwear when we go on safari for just this reason, and we’ve had some lovely swimming experiences as a result.

You can search for swimwear for men on Amazon here , and for women here .

Socks and Underwear for Safari

This one will be a brief entry. Obviously, you’re going to need undergarments and socks for safari!

Our main tips are to be sure to pack enough to last either your trip (if a week or less) or the longest stretch of your trip you plan to go without doing laundry. Ideally pick lightweight and quick-drying underwear and socks that can be easily washed on the go. We tended to handwash these types of items every 4-5 days so we never ran out of them.

If you are looking for a brand, ExOfficio (nylon) or Smartwool (merino wool) are a couple of brands you might check out for travel-friendly quick-drying undergarments.

If hiking or planning to do a lot of walking, be sure to bring good quality hiking socks along. You want good socks that will provide a bit of cushion, wick away moisture, and help prevent blisters. A few brands we like are Smartwool , Darn Tough , and Farm to Feet .

Also, for women, it is a good idea to bring along a supportive sports bra or two. Jess says these are a must-have for bumpy roads and climbing.

Raingear for Safari

Whatever time of year you are planning on going on safari, and whatever activities you will be doing, we still recommend packing some sort of raingear just in case.

This might be a lightweight breathable rain jacket that you can wear over your clothes, or a pack away rain poncho . Just make sure whatever you bring has a hood.

We always travel with rain protection of some kind, just in case.

Camera Gear for Safari

I’ve already written a very comprehensive guide to the best camera for safari , as well as the best bean bag for safari , so I would definitely recommend reading those if you want to get some great images on your trip.

In summary though, if you want to get great images of wildlife, you will need a couple of things. First, a camera with a good zoom lens. Second, a bean bag to stabilize your gear.

When it comes to specific camera suggestions, many folks find that a bridge camera like the Sony RX10 IV  is a good option. At the higher end of the budget and size spectrum, you’ll want a high end dedicated mirrorless camera with at least a 400mm zoom lens.

A camera can be a huge investment, so we also suggest renting as an option to consider. A company like  Lens Rentals will allow you to rent a lens and a camera body at a much lower cost than buying it outright.

They also give you the option to purchase the gear rather than return it, so if you love the experience then you can invest having tested the gear out.

If you decide to rent through Lens Rentals , you can save 15% on any rental by using our discount code, LAURENCE15. Just enter it at checkout.

We also highly recommend a photography bean bag if you will mainly be shooting from inside vehicle. We use these extensively on safari trips, and they are really an invaluable item.

We have a guide to some of the best options photography bean bags here , but recommend checking out either the  Kinesis SafariSack 4.2  or  LensCoat LensSack Pro Jr  as a starting point.

Finally, don’t forget a good camera bag to keep your gear safe, lots of spare batteries , memory cards , your chargers, and ideally a waterproof camera cover to protect your gear in case it rains.

Binoculars for Safari

We can highly recommend taking a good pair of binoculars with you when on safari. Not every bird or animal is going to conveniently place itself within easy viewing range, and a pair of binoculars will let you get a much better view of the wildlife.

You don’t need to spend a massive amount to get a reasonable pair of binoculars, but we’d suggest setting a minimum budget of around $80 USD. Below this price point build and image quality will likely suffer.

We’d suggest looking for a pair with around an 8x to 10x magnification.

Some recommended options include:

• Vanguard Vesta 8×25 . a great entry level option if don’t want to spend a fortune. They are very light and offer both waterproofing and fogproofing. These are a great value option, plus you can save 20% on the price by using our exclusive discount code FindingTheUniverse at checkout on the Vanguard store.
• Celestron Nature DX 8×42 . This is a well-regarded and popular budget option. Fog and waterproof with a tough construction.
• Vanguard VEO HD2 8×42 binoculars – an excellent, well priced and still reasonably compact pair of binoculars featuring extra low dispersion glass carbon-composite construction, waterproofing and fogproofing. We use a pair like this.
• Nikon 8×42 Monarch M5 – lightweight, durable, waterproof and fogproof. Nikon make quite a few binoculars, and these are a popular mid-range option.
• Swarokvski 8.5×42 – we had a pair of Swarovski binoculars loaned to us for several months, and they are magnificent, with wonderful bright and sharp images. This pair offers excellent performance, but are definitely at the premium end of the price spectrum!

As you can see, there’s no shortage of choice across a range of price points. If you are interested in bird watching on safari, or getting into birding, see our beginners’ guide to birdwatching for some tips.

Electronics for Safari

You don’t really need a lot of electronics for safari, however there are a few things you might find useful.

First, a USB battery pack . These will let you charge your phone on the go, as well as any other device that uses USB.

Whilst the majority of accommodation options we’ve stayed at on safari have had had power, even the most remote, this isn’t always guaranteed. So a USB battery pack is a great fallback option.

The second thing we recommend, if your camera has removable batteries, is to see if you can get a USB powered battery charger for it.

This is because sometimes, more remote lodges don’t have regular plug sockets. However, they do often have USB outputs. While some cameras support direct charging by USB, this is by no means the standard.

We personally travel with a USB charger which is compatible with our DSLR and mirrorless Canon cameras, which both use the same type of battery. You will need to search for a USB battery charger that is compatible with the batteries your camera uses.

You can see some examples for a range of brands on Amazon here .

Insect Repellent for Safari

One slightly less exciting aspect of safari is the potential for biting insects. Mosquitoes are the obvious one, but there are a range of other insects that can bite you.

Ideally, you want to avoid being bitten if you can help it. Many insects carry various diseases, including malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, and so on. Whilst you can take medication or vaccines to help prevent some of these diseases like malaria (definitely recommend considering taking antimalarials), prevention is also a really important step.

With this in mind, a good insect repellent like this is a must for safari. Most experts recommend products with DEET in, which are generally regarded as the most effective against most biting insects, including mosquitoes. However, there are also some DEET free options out there for those who want to avoid it, just note they may not be as effective.

Also for those planning to do much trekking, hiking, or walking, depending on your destination, you will also want to think more about crawling insects like safari ants, leeches, stinging caterpillars, ticks, etc.  Generally insect repellent along with long sleeves, long pants, and pulling hiking socks up over your pants are fine to avoid these for most people.

Those going to wetter areas and jungles might also want to consider leech socks or gaiters for those going into wetter areas like jungles where leeches are common.

We own these leech socks and they work great, but they are probably overkill for most people on safari trips. But if you have gaiters for hiking anyway to keep out dirt and stones, these can generally also work to help guard against leeches and ticks.

Toiletries / Medicines for Safari

You will want to bring a range of toiletries and medicines with you, some of which should be fairly obvious, and some which may be less obvious.

Falling into the latter camp, we always travel with and recommend rehydration salts . Dehydration is no joke, and drinking plenty of water is really important. However, as you sweat you can lose salt, and rehydration salts can help replace what you lose.

It’s also important to remember that you may be in some pretty remote places and it is good to be prepared to be able to tend to minor health issues such as cuts, scrapes, blisters, bug bites, headache, common stomach complaints, etc.

Here’s a quick list of things to think about packing in your toiletry / medicine kit for safari:

• High SPF (30+) sun cream or sunscreen
• Lip-balm with SPF
• Rehydration salts
• Basic meds like pain relievers, anti-diarrheal tablets , and antacids
• Mini first aid kit with bandages, blister covers, antiseptic wipes, etc.
• Toothpaste / toothbrush
• Sanitary items (in our experience tampons are not always available in country, depending on where you are going)
• Anti-malarial / other required medication
• Razor / spare blades
• Ear plugs / eye mask
• Hand sanitizer
• Moisturizer / lotion

Of course, your list may vary somewhat but we think the above should be a good starting point.

Laundry on Safari

Depending on how long your safari trip is, it’s possible that you might need to do a little laundry as you travel. We’ve done a couple of five-week safari trips, and we had to do laundry a few times on both of those trips.

Whilst many lodges and hotels will do your laundry for you if you stay more than 1 night, you can also normally just handwash a few items yourself, which is what we often end up doing. In hot countries it can often dry in an afternoon.

The main things you will need are going to be some form of travel wash, a sink stopper, and a portable clothesline to hang your clothes.

For laundry wash in a travel sized bottle or tube we like the Dr. Beckmanns travel wash , Sink Suds , or the Sea to Summit Wash , all of which we have used to do laundry whilst traveling all around the world. Or just put your favorite liquid laundry detergent in a reusable plastic or silicone bottle and pack it along.

For a clothesline, there are lots of portable clotheslines on Amazon . We particularly like this one as it packs away small and you don’t need to pack pegs. For a sink stopper, Jess has been using this one for over 10 years.

For more tips on laundry, see our complete guide to laundry when you travel .

Luggage for Safari

When it comes to choosing what to pack all your belongings into for your safari trip, a lot will come down to the type of trip you are taking, especially around the transport.

If you’re going to be using small planes for example, this will have a big impact, and you will like find a sturdy duffle travel bag like this might be the best option.

You might be wondering if wheeled luggage makes sense for safari. In our experience, the majority of accommodation options don’t really suit wheeled luggage as the ground is simply too rough. So whilst it will be nice at the airport, beyond that you’re likely going to have to carry the bag (or rely on the enthusiastic hotel staff).

However, if you already have wheeled luggage and won’t be taking small planes, then by all means don’t feel you need to purchase new bags. We’ve taken a number of safaris with hard sided wheeled luggage and it worked out great.

As well as larger luggage, we highly recommend bringing a small backpack or shoulder bag that you can use on a day-to-day basis. This can be used to carry things like your water bottle, battery charger, guide books, suncream and insect repellent, for example.

We use a small Osprey day pack as well as a larger Vanguard camera bag for our camera gear on a day-to-day basis.

If you’re looking for a new bag anyway, we have no hesitation recommending Eagle Creek or  Osprey specifically for safari.

For hard sided luggage with wheels, we use and can recommend Level8 or Delsey , both of which we have used on trips around the world including safaris (without domestic flights).

For camera gear, we use Vanguard for our camera bags, they offer a great mix of high quality and great value. Laurence has been a Vanguard ambassador since 2014 and is always happy to recommend their gear.

Books for Safari

When you go on safari you are going to be seeing a lot of new animals and birds.

Your guide will normally be very knowledgeable to help you identify what you are seeing, but it is also nice to be able to develop your own recognition skills.

We’d also often see birds or animals around our hotel when we were not with our guide and want to know what they were.

For this reason, we recommend bringing along a guidebook or two to the likely animals and birds you might see. Whilst your guide will probably have a giant and super comprehensive book, we suggest that a smaller book that covers the most common animals and birds will be more practical for packing.

We particularly like the Pocket Guide books, which we have used on various trips. For example, there’s the Pocket Guide to the Birds of East Africa , the Pocket Guide to the Mammals of East Africa , and the Pocket Guide to the Mammals of Southern Africa .

We have found that having a small reference guide can definitely make the safari experience a lot more fun and hands on, and well worth the small investment.

Reusable Water Bottle / Water Filter

You will definitely need to drink a lot of water on safari. Unfortunately, most safari destinations do not have safe drinking water, meaning you need to either drink bottled water, or figure out a way to purify it yourself.

We prefer the latter option as it means we can cut down on plastic waste. Depending on your safari operator, they may also purchase a large refillable water bottle that you can refill your own bottle from. Some hotels also filter their own water on site.

In either case, we highly recommend travelling with at least one refillable water bottle per person on your trip. Just make sure to get one with a lid that seals and doesn’t drip and one that will fit into a standard cup holder or can be placed in the back of a vehicle seat pouch.

For water bottles, we use and love the Klean Kanteen range , and they have a range of bottles to choose from. Jess uses the classic , whilst Laurence likes the wide mouth version .

If you decide to go down the route of filtering your own water, we recommend reading our guide to safe drinking water when travelling , as well as the best water filters for travel , which contain lots of useful advice and information to help you pick the right product for your trip.

If you have questions or want advice based on our experience, just ask in the comments section of this post or in either of those water related articles.

Entertainment Items

Whilst a safari is very entertaining in of itself, there will be periods of downtime, such as long drives between game reserves, flights, or afternoon and evening periods between game drives.

For these periods, you may want to bring some entertainment. We always like to travel with a pack of playing cards for example, as well as some books to read.

Many hotels and safari lodges will have a small book swap service, so you can often swap books as you go. A Kindle or similar eBook reader can also be a good investment if you read a lot.

Another thing we love to do when we travel is to keep a travel journal. On safari this can serve as a reminder of what we have seen and done each day, and it makes for a lovely keepsake.

See our guide to the best travel journals for some of our favourites.

Safari Packing Checklist

Here’s a full safari packing checklist to help you remember what to bring on your trip for reference.

• T-shirts / tops
• Button down shirts
• Sweater / fleeces for layering
• Trousers / Pants / Shorts
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Hiking boots (if needed)
• Sandals (if needed)
• Nicer outfit for evening wear if required
• Wide-brimmed hat
• Raincoat or poncho
• Coat (if needed)
• Hat / gloves (if needed)
• Reusable water bottle / water filter
• Skincare items (cleansers/soap/creams etc.)
• Chapstick with SPF
• Sun cream / Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
• Insect repellent
• Basic Medications and first aid items (incl. anti-malarials and prescriptions)
• Hygiene Products
• Hair care items (shampoo/comb/hair ties, etc.)
• Razor / tweezers / nail clippers
• Eye mask / ear plugs
• Other __________________
• Camera and lenses
• Photography bean bag
• Memory cards
• Spare batteries / chargers
• Camera accessories
• Headphones / ear buds
• Portable power pack
• Travel adaptor
• Cables / chargers
• hiking day bag, duffel bag (if needed for porter), gaiters or leech socks / hiking poles / hiking clothing, reusable water bottle or hydration pack (like Camelbak), head lamp or flashlight, any camping gear like sleeping bag etc. (if not provided), Other
• Checked bag
• Carry-on bag
• Visa / proof of onward travel etc (if required)
• Vaccination records
• Jewelry / watch
• Laundry supplies
• Travel journal
• Mini sewing kit
• Reading materials
• Cards / games / puzzle books
• Other ___________________

Further Reading

That’s it for our guide to what to pack on safari! We hope you found it useful. We do have some more content that we also think you might find handy when planning your safari.

• Our guide to getting better photos on safari , as well as choosing the best camera for safari
• We also have a guide to the best photography bean bags for safari
• If you are keen on seeing primates, we have a guide to gorilla trekking as well as a guide to chimpanzee trekking
• We have a guide to  getting online when travelling , to help you stay connected on the go
• You’re going to need to power all your devices when you travel – see our guide to the  best travel adapters so you can choose the right one for your trip

And that’s it! As always, we are happy to try to answer any questions you may have about planning your own safari. Just pop them in the comments below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Or if you have been on safari and want to share your own experiences or advice about packing for a safari, feel free to share it below!

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25th March 2024 at 12:26 pm

Hello there, I am wondering about packing jackets or coats for an upcoming safari trip to South Africa? It will be myself, a friend, and my teenage daughter. We have never been and will be visiting during the country’s winter season (July). We’ll be in both north and south parts of the country and we’ve been told to prepare for cool weather and rain, as well as warm sunny weather, but not too much else. Going on a 10 day planned safari tour and need to keep our packing to a minimum as I think there are size/weight requirements for parts of the journey. Wondering how you would decide about what to bring for warmth and rain given the time of year?

Also, if the 3 of us share a photo beanbag, which one might you suggest for someone who has little space?

Appreciative of any advice you can share with me and thanks for such a great article on packing for a safari – it has been a great help for us as we come up with what we need to buy for our trip to South Africa!

Laurence Norah says

25th March 2024 at 6:41 pm

Sounds like you have a wonderful trip coming up!

Having visited South Africa in July I can confirm that it definitely gets pretty cold, especially at higher elevations. In July in Johannesburg it’s not unusual to have temperatures close to freezing for example. So you are definitely going to want warm clothes for your trip.

I would recommend packing a number of layers so you can take them on and off as the day warms and cools, and you can also then mix and match to suit. If you are particularly sensitive to the cold you might consider thermal baselayers, but the challenge with those is that as it gets warmer you will likely find they are too hot and removing a base layer in the middle of a safari is going to be more challenging.

So a good warm coat as your outer layer is probably going to be your best bet, and then a long sleeve mid-layer fleece followed by a baselayer. You might also appreciate a warm hat and gloves. A lot of safari time takes place early in the morning and in the evening, when temperatures are going to be lower. I would personally bring a lightweight rain jacket or poncho and a warmer jacket. Then if it’s warmer in the day and raining I can still wear the rain jacket, rather than having a heavy waterproof jacket that might be too warm.

A good down (or down style) jacket will be fairly lightweight and still warm, so that might be the best option. Fleece is also a light material.

For a photo bean bag I’d probably recommend the smaller Kinesis Safari Sack 1.4 which is pretty small. If you get buckwheat that is very light, or you can buy something like kidney beans when you arrive in country. If you have larger camera gear then the Kinesis 4.2 is also a great pick, I own of these and it works great. It’s also worth noting that most bean bags are very light and small when empty, they only start to take up weight and space when they’re full.

I hope this helps, have an amazing time on safari and let me know if you have any more questions!

Glenn M. says

9th September 2023 at 6:32 pm

Just wanted to stop by and say that this is such a wonderful post for anyone packing for a safari for the first time (or second time!). We have been lucky to do a couple of African safaris in our life and it was fun to read over this and remember them even if our safari days have probably come to an end. Definitely second the recommendations for Craghoppers (if you know, you know!) and for bringing soft sided luggage, hard wearing clothes, comfortable high-top hiking shoes/boots, lots of sun cream & insect repellent, a hat, earbuds, and some physical things to do (books, cards, journals, etc.) in the evenings and on long driving days.

Also woudl add for those who wear glasses like myself, those eye glass things that attach to your glasses with a cord and keep your glasses from coming off. Can also be useful for sunglasses as my wife and son wore them as well. They saved my glasses a couple of times and they are very cheap to buy. Maybe somethign to add to your otherwise great safari packing list here?

Also my wife always brought a few little souvenirs or useful items from home for our main driver and guide on the trips to give them as a small token of our appreication.

10th September 2023 at 2:57 pm

Thanks so much! Your tip on a sunglasses holder is a good one, Jess does actually normally travel with one and also finds it invaluable. I will definitely add that to our post. I also like your idea of bringing things from home as gifts for your guide, that’s a lovely idea.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! I’m actually hiking in Wales in my Craghoppers at the moment. Such great pants 🙂

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How to prepare for a safari or wildlife photography trip

From the Kalahari and the Kruger to the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti, the Big Five demand more than just a zoom lens

Are you ready for your once-in-a-lifetime safari? From photographing the Big Five – that's lion, leopard, rhinoceros elephant, and Cape buffalo – to the equally fabulous cheetah, zebra and hippopotamus, venturing into rural Africa brings some environmental challenges that you’d do well to prepare for. 

Plenty of spare batteries and high-capacity SD cards aside, when you’re after that killer photo of Africa’s apex predators, you'd better be on your game. Here's what you need to know.

What's the best kind of lens for safari trips?

Do you need a zoom lens on a safari? If you don't want to miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime, absolutely. 

The focal length you're going to need if you want close-up photographs is something in the 300mm region (or the equivalent if you're not using a full-frame system). Many professionals will use much longer lenses, but something that can reach 300mm provides a good balance between suitability, affordability and practicality. Besides, a good safari guide will get you surprisingly close to your targets, particularly in private game reserves. 

You do still need significant magnification in national parks because they often restrict or exclude off-road driving. If you're planning to take photographs of birds, such as fish-eagles, Kingfishers and owls, then all of this is moot; the longer your zoom lens, the better.

• See also Best camera for wildlife

Do I need a wide-angle lens for safari?

Your priority is likely to be a close-up shot of one of the big five, and that's understandable, but don't forget that some animals comes very close, and also that you'll be travelling through some wonderful natural environments. 

From the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania to Kenya's Maasai Mara, the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Namibia’s rugged Damaraland, where there is big game there are always big opportunities for dramatic landscape photography. So pack a reasonably wide-angle lens as well as a zoom lens, which will allow you to capture both animals and big landscapes. 

If you’re really tight on space, consider packing a compact camera or a pocket-sized action camera for wide-angle snapshots. 

Should I pack a tripod?

What kind of landscape or nature photographer leaves home without a tripod? Although you should definitely take some kind of support with you, it's unlikely you'll use it very much while out in national parks and game reserves because you're likely to be inside a vehicle most of the time. 

Does that sound restrictive? In lots of ways it is. Drivers are often busy plotting where to go next, and how to extract their vehicle from a traffic jam, and setting one up inside a vehicle is either impossible or just impractical.

So, instead of packing a regular tripod, consider taking a malleable tripod like the Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom or Shoot Flexible Sponge Tripod Stand for DSLR , which you can attach to the safety bars along safari vehicles, or at least use them to stabilise your camera. A monopod may also be used where a tripod wouldn't be realistic.

Also pack a wired or wireless camera remote shutter release, which you can use to help you reduce judder and camera shake when taking shots with the zoom full extended. Every little helps. 

What about a bean-bag support?

On a guided safari you won't be let out of the vehicle at any time. So arguably more useful than a tripod is a basic bean-bag support . These can travel with you completely empty; all you have to do is find some rice, or sand, and it becomes a handy support for your camera's long lens.

These are practical for general wildlife photography, but if you're on a self-drive safari, getting out of your car is not only potentially dangerous, but also counterproductive because animals will notice you immediately and scarper. 

Instead, treat your car like bird hide by winding down the window and rest your lens on a U-shaped bean-bag like the Stealth Gear Ultimate Freedom Double Fox or the Grappler , which both hook over a car door. A more lo-fi approach is to turn your wound-down window into a safe-zone for your camera by adapting a simple swimming pool noodle to fit over it. 

If you’ve got a few walking safaris planned, consider a harness or sling like the Joby UltraFit Sling Strap or Lowepro Topload Chest Harness , which can make a quick-draw easier.  

How to protect your camera

Dust and sand gets everywhere when you're on a safari, and that can spell trouble for your camera. It depends on exactly where you're going, of course, but expect that your camera will get filthy every day. 

Firstly, get some protective filters for your lenses (as well as some polarising filters). You can then protect your camera bodies from both dust and from bashed or dropped by using something like the easyCover , a silicone rubber case that includes an LCD screen cover, and which is available for most models of DSLR camera. 

Just as important is to use a camera bag you know well and have used many times before; there's nothing more annoying that grabbling a new camera bag only for your camera to fall out because you've forgotten to zip it up properly.

Of course, your camera is most at risk when you're changing lenses. The best advice is not to change lenses in dusty or sandy locations, which will limit how much dust and grime gets on your camera's sensor. However, that could mean bringing two bodies, which may not be practical. 

However, even when you're back at camp or in your safari tent, a simple air-blower like the Giottos GTAA1900 Rocket Air Blower or Ultra-Power Hurricane Air Blower is really useful for making sure your camera is dust-free before swapping lenses. Lastly, make sure you had double protection for your memory cards; something like the Beeway or Kupton K020 cases make sense.

What to wear in the bush

This might seem like a strange thing to think about when you're on a photography trip, but what you wear can drastically affect what kind of photographs you get. 

Neutral colours are always better than anything remotely brightly coloured. Anything that makes you stand out from the background will make you easily noticeable by wild animals, who will likely either back away or run away very quickly. That's no good for close-up photography; the answer is to wear something in safari-favourite khaki, though olive-green, grey or brown works just as well.

There are a few other clothing considerations to take into account. You're likely to be sitting on the back of an open vehicle in early morning, which can be quite cold, at least for an hour or two. So bring a beanie hat, a light jacket or hoodie, and a scarf or Buff to keep warm. Something you can stash in your camera bag is perfect. Either way, long sleeve shirts and trousers are essential in the bush, where mosquitoes and biting tsetse are a constant nuisance. Hiking boots and a wide-brimmed hat are also advisable.

How to travel light

Be very careful about hard-sided luggage. It's likely that you keep a soft camera bag near you, but don't be tempted to take rolling luggage without first checking your itinerary. 

Read more: The 8 best camera backpacks for photographers

If you'll be traveling in light aircraft, expect there to be tight restrictions on weight. For photographers, that can be tricky, but packing your clothes and non-photographic gear in a duffel bags is a wise move. 

Firstly, know the rules and restrictions on all of your flights – including scenic flights – before you leave home. Secondly, know exactly what you have by using something like the Beurer Travelmeister LS-50 , a digital luggage scale that also has an integrated LED torch and 5,000mAh portable charger.

That may sound like a lot to pack, but don't overdo the non-essentials. Going on a safari is often about extracting as much as you can from a well-planned and well-packed camera bag. 

Read more: The best travel cameras right now

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Jamie has been writing about all aspects of technology for over 14 years, producing content for sites like TechRadar, T3, Forbes, Mashable, MSN, South China Morning Post , and BBC Wildlife , BBC Focus and BBC Sky At Night magazines. 

As the editor for www.WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com, he has a wealth of enthusiasm and expertise for all things astrophotography, from capturing the Perseid Meteor Shower, lunar eclipses and ring of fire eclipses, photographing the moon and blood moon and more.

He also brings a great deal of knowledge on action cameras, 360 cameras, AI cameras, camera backpacks, telescopes, gimbals, tripods and all manner of photography equipment. 

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15 Best Safari Bags for your Next Adventure

Traveling on safari brings with it countless obstacles and situations that you need to be prepared for and having the right safari bags with you can help you to be ready, and to best enjoy your trip.

Safaris in Africa, Asia, or anywhere else in the world where you may choose to head off into the wilderness in search of wildlife, will ensure that you are encountering extreme weather conditions, be it rain, dust, mud, heat and cold, potentially all within the same day, so it’s imperative to choose safari bags that are able to withstand the worst that will be thrown at them.

There’s a lot more to reflect on too, and you’ll need to consider your style of travel, be it luxury safaris or budget safaris, expeditions, overland travel or charter plane flights.

Luckily, there are a lot of great safari bags out there to meet almost any requirements, and to help you decide what exactly you need, here’s our guide to buying the best products on the market.

Top 5 Best Safari Bags

Table of Contents

Quick Answer: Best Safari Bags

• Best OverAll Safari Bag: North Face Base Camp Duffel
• Best Budget Safari Bag: Osprey Packs Trilium 65 Duffel Bag
• Best Safari Bag for Women: Osprey Packs Fairview 70 Women’s Travel Backpack
• Best Safari Bag for Men: Osprey Packs Farpoint 70 Men’s Travel Backpack
• Best Woman’s Safari Bag for Hiking: Osprey Fairview 40  
• Best Men’s Safari Bag for Hiking: Osprey Farpoint 40
• Best Safari Duffel Bag: North Face Base Camp Duffel
• Best Safari Duffel/Backpack Bag: RAB Expedition Kitbag 80L Duffel Bag Blue 80L
• Best Safari Day Bag: Osprey Porter 46  
• Best Malti-Day Safari Bag: Osprey Packs Farpoint 70 Travel Backpack 
• Best Wheeled Safari Bag: Eddie Bauer Unisex-Adult Expedition Drop-Bottom Rolling Duffel
• Best Lightweight Safari Bag: Gonex 80L Packable Travel Duffle Bag
• Best Waterproof/Dustproof Safari Bag: North Face Base Camp Duffel
• Best Leather Safari Bag:   Komal’s Passion Leather 24 Inch Square Duffel Travel Safari Leather Bag
• Best Canvas Safari Bag:   Filson Medium Duffle – Waxed canvas
• Best Soft Side Safari Bag: Mountain Warehouse 90 Cargo Bag – 3 Ways to Carry All-Season Backpack Black
• Best Packable Safari Bag: Gonex 80L Packable Travel Duffle Bag

What Type of Safari are You going on?

The first thing to think about when you begin delving into the vast world of safari bags is what type of safari you are actually going to be going on. Different types of bags will be more suited for different types of safari, and the season you will be traveling.

If you are traveling across Africa in the rainy season, you will want to make waterproofing a priority. If you are a wildlife photographer and have a lot of equipment, you will want to ensure that your safari bags will provide adequate protection against dust and the elements.

Luxury travelers may want to ensure they have a fashionable yet durable bag that looks the part at their remote bush camp, while backpackers opting for cheaper safaris may want to have a more practical hiking or duffel bag to cope with the stress of long-distance, overland travel.

Practicality vs Style

Practicality vs style then is another important consideration to make. There are a lot of classic, leather-bound carry bags on the market that wouldn’t look out of place in the late Victorian era, and while they might look stylish, you might want to determine if it is the best fit for you.

Some of the most practical bags, however, won’t look the most stylish, but you can find some quality safari bags produced by outdoor companies as kit bags, that are suitable for almost anything.

Colour and aesthetics, while they may seem trivial, can be an important part of the buying process. Many bags that are specifically aimed at safari-goers may be brown, beige or green in color, to almost blend in with the classic safari environment.

Some travelers though, find it is more practical to have a brightly colored bag that they can actually find quickly amongst piles of other luggage when traveling by bus or plane.

Size Considerations

The size of your chosen safari bags will come down to a number of factors, but the most important thing to note is that your luggage needs to be suitable for air travel.

Likely, you will arrive at your destination via air, and if you are planning on visiting remote, luxury camps in the African savannah, then getting there will generally involve flying in small, charter aircraft that are very restricted by weight and size requirements.

Don’t overpack, and make sure your luggage fits the airline requirements. If you travel light and hand luggage only, then ensure your backpack or duffel is in line with ever-changing airline restrictions.

If you are planning on traveling overland as part of your safari, or are planning it as part of a wider trip, then you may want to choose a bag that is easy to carry around, that can fit in luggage compartments, or that you can easily walk around with.

Again, the size will depend on your individual requirements, but just remember, when you are on safari, it’s always best to pack light.

Material and Durability

The material that your safari bags are constructed from can make the difference between a terrible bag and a bag that will last you a lifetime of traveling.

You may want to invest in a waterproof bag , or at the very least be able to attach a rain cover to the outside, particularly if it is a backpack that you might be walking around with.

Luxury travelers may want to invest in specialized leather or canvas bags that not only look the part at your safari lodge in the wilderness but that will also be water-resistant and durable.

In the long run, unless this is a one-off trip, you will be better off investing money into quality products that will last. You don’t want your bag falling apart mid-flight, or on the taxi ride out of the airport, after all, you want it to last a lifetime.

Bag straps are another important aspect that you don’t want to overlook. If you are just traveling from one point to the next then you might be fine with just a holdall that you can pick up with one handle.

If you are hiking, backpacking or walking around a lot, then you’ll want to make sure your safari bags have adequate support, be it comfortable back straps, or even waist or chest straps to take the weight off your shoulders.

Many kit bags now come with a versatile number of straps, allowing you to instantly transform your handheld duffel bag into a backpack or a single strap, shoulder-worn bag.

You will also want to look at the number of pockets and different compartments that your bag has. If you purchase a basic duffel or kit bag, then the number of compartments is usually restricted to one open space, which can be fine if you aren’t too fussy.

If you want to separate your dirty laundry and your wet towels from your fresh, clean clothes, then this isn’t going to be an ideal situation.

As well as separate compartments you may also want safari bags that allow you space and different pockets for being organized. For instance, you may want pockets for toiletries, for your chargers and batteries, for your passport, or for your socks. The opportunities are quite endless really.

Best Types of Safari Bags and Product Recommendations

There is a great selection of safari bags out on the market right now, catering to all budgets, styles, designs, and needs. Here are a few of the most versatile types of bags to think about selecting for your trip, and a few specific product recommendations too.

Duffel Bags

Duffel bags and kit bags are great all-rounders that are perfect for the frugal traveler on a budget , making multiple, and varied trips each year. Modern kit bags can be incredibly versatile, with waterproofing, different outside straps that can be arranged to carry the bag how you feel is best or most appropriate for the situation, and a high level of resilience. 

Some of the best are made by outdoor companies and can come in many different capacities, from 40 liters up to 120 liters. The North Face makes excellent, quality, and great value kit bags, as do Rab , Mountain Warehouse and increasingly, many more well known outdoor brands too.

The Top Five Best Safari Duffel Bags:

• North Face Base Camp Duffel
• RAB Expedition Kitbag 80L Duffel Bag Blue 80L
• Mountain Warehouse 90 Cargo Bag – 3 Ways to Carry All-Season Backpack Black
• Osprey Packs Transporter 65 Expedition Duffel/Backpack
• Osprey Packs Trilium 65 Duffel Bag

Hiking Bags

Hiking bags are another fantastic, versatile choice that has long been the favored luggage-style of backpackers across the world. They can make for perfect safari bags, particularly if you are planning on hiking, or have an extended trip that will also take you on other adventures too.

Hiking bags come in many different sizes, with large capacities suitable for remote expeditions and small capacities which can make for perfect day hiking bags and carry-ons when flying.

Hiking bags have the added bonus of being designed for the outdoors, and if you pick a quality brand, you can also get lifetime warranties on your kit.

Osprey is a favorite amongst travelers, and they offer not only excellent hiking bags but also hybrid bags that cater to backpackers. Great examples are the Osprey Farpoint or the Osprey Transporter .

While you can get incredibly cheap hiking bags from sports outlets, it’s also best to invest in a quality product, with guarantees and reputation if you want it to last.

The Best Safari Hiking Bags:

• Osprey Farpoint 40  –  Men’s Best Safari Bag For Hiking
• Osprey Fairview 40  –  Women’s Best Safari Bag For Hiking
• Osprey Porter 46

Vintage Bags

Some of the most popular safari bags amongst luxury travelers or short terms holidaymakers are vintage bags. Not only do they look the part, but the best ones are made of quality leather or canvas, that is rugged, durable and able to stand up to the harsh requirements of the savannah while also looking great in the city.

Classic style safari bags are not for everyone, however, and they will be limited as to the variety and diversity of travel situations that they are handy in, but if you want a fashionable way to carry your luggage, then these are the bags for your safari.

Great vintage options include the excellent leather duffel bag by Komal , which retails at an incredibly affordable price, upwards to the canvas, bespoke designs from the likes of Ralph Lauren.

The Top Five Best Safari Vintage Bags:

• Travel Duffel Bag Waterproof Canvas or Leather  
• Filson Medium Duffle – Waxed canvas
• DRAKENSBERG Kimberley Long Weekender, canvas, buffalo leather
• Komal’s Passion Leather 24 Inch Square Duffel Travel Safari Leather Bag
• Komal’s Passion Leather 24 Inch Duffel Travel Gym Sports Overnight Weekend Leather Bag

Other Safari Items We Can Not Live Without?

Camera Gear: 

• Canon 6d DSLR Body
• Canon 100-400mm L Lens
• Canon ET-83C Lens Hood
• Canon 2x Extender
• OptiTech Sling Comfort Strap
• Rain Cover Coat Dust Proof Camera Protector (THIS IS A MUST)

Camera Bag:   Vanguard Alta Sky 45D .

Monopod: VEO2 AM-234 or the VEO CM-264 Carbon Fiber

Binoculars: Nikon Monarch 7   ( If you want to be able to spot and identify wildlife and birds then a good pair of safari binoculars are a must-have.)

• Cell Phone Binocular Adapter Mount (So you can take photos through your binoculars)

Safari Hat:  Panama Jack Men’s Mesh Safari Hat 

• Woman’s Safari Packable Khaki Summer Hat

Buff Headwear: BUFF Unisex Lightweight Merino Wool, Forest Night or  BUFF Unisex UV Multifunctional Headwear

Travel Insurance: Things can happen before your safari, while on your safari and after your safari while traveling home. Why not be protected with Travel Insurance? We have used Allianz Travel Insurance since our first trip together back in 2003. Simply use this link to get their travel insurance.

Not finding what you are looking for? Check out our favorite places to go shopping for travel gear.

• Shop Columbia – The industry leader in outdoor apparel and products; You can find anything from great jackets, gloves, hats, shirts, and travel pants.
• Shop REI – They offer some of the best outdoor gear around. We love REI since they have a year Love it or hate it no questions guarantee.
• Shop Moosejaw – Has a huge selection of outdoor gear at killer prices.

More on Travel Gear:

• 85 Best Travel Gifts for Travelers
• Best Sleeping Bag for Cold Weather – From Africa to Greenland
• Best Sleeping Bag Liners
• Best Drones For Travel From A Real Drone User
• Ultimate Travel Photography Gear List 
• Photography Gear Every Adventure Traveler Should Carry
• The Best GoPro Accessories for Adventure Travel
• 30 Best Travel Movies that Inspire Travel
• Best Travel Rain Jacket to Stay Dry on the Go
• A Man’s Travel Clothing Essential- Bluff Works Pants
• How To Wear A Buff Headwear – It’s Easy!
• Best Hiking Backpack for your Next Adventure
• Best Compact Binoculars for Outdoors & Travel
• Best Carry on Backpacks for Travel

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Travel planning resources, about david stock.

I have always been an outdoorsman so becoming an adventure traveler was just the next natural step. I love nature, I love to get off the beaten path and I like to explore. I enjoy scuba diving and cars. And yes, Lina and I have a naked dog.

2 thoughts on “15 Best Safari Bags for your Next Adventure”

Very informative article and i get to know about types of safari bags. Thanks for sharing.

Glad you found it useful, good luck in your search for a new bag!

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The Best Safari Luggage

By Mara Balagtas and Lale Arikoglu

Choosing the right luggage for a safari can make or break the trip: One day, you might be rumbling along Botswana’s lush delta with nothing to protect your camera, and the next, you're boarding a tiny domestic aircraft that prohibits all suitcases with wheels. You'll need to pack light to adhere to strict weight limits, but still invest in something that can hold enough layers for warm days and cool nights, as well as a bag to hold all your gear while actually out on a game drive. Here, our picks of the best luggage to take on safari—from camera bags and dopp kits to backpacks and duffels.

All products featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

A backpack is going to be your best friend when you're out on a game drive all day. Choose one with plenty of pockets and compartments to hold everything from a change of clothes, to camera batteries, to sunscreen, and if you can, go for a roll top version that can be stashed away in your larger duffle when you don't need it.

Tumi Alpha Bravo Tyndall backpack ($495, saksfifthavenue.com ); Hobo River backpack ($298, hobobags.com ); Marni backpack ($1,090, eastdane.com ); Fjallraven Split Pack weekender bag ($175, backcountry.cocom ); Oakley roll top backpack ($93, amazon.com ); Herschel Supply Co. Heritage backpack ($65, herschel.com ).

Classic Duffel Bags

"You're usually on rough terrain once outside of the international airport, so wheels are not that helpful on safari," says West Coast editor Rebecca Misner. And given that most safari camps are only accessible by small propeller planes, hard-sided luggage is a no-go. Instead, invest in a soft-sided duffle that's roomy enough to hold everything you need for the week, but still meets all the requirements of your jumper plane.

Paravel Grand Tour ($365, tourparavel.com ); Anya Hindmarch Bespoke Walton suitcase ($1,550, anyahindmarch.com ); Wool & Oak Duffel Suitcase ($425, woolandoak.com ); Hobo Zeppelin Duffel ($598, hobobags.com ); Filson Large Rugged Twill duffel bag ($425, filson.com ); Ghurka Cavalier canvas duffel bag ($1,295, ghurka.com ).

While you still need all your beauty essentials (there's cocktail hour back at camp, after all), you don't want a dopp kit that takes up too much space. Opt for a soft one that can be squeezed easily down the side of a bag.

Prada cosmetic pouch ($525, prada.com ); Hobo cosmetic pouch ($78, hobobags.com ); Dolce & Gabbana Necessaire nylon case ($415, us.dolcegabbana.com ); Louis Vuitton Toiletry Bag 25 ($745, us.louisvuitton.com ); Bottega Veneta Intrecciato beauty case ($580, bottegaveneta.com ); Filson wash bag ($125, filson.com ).

Technical Duffel Bags

On safari, you never know what the day will bring. Find a bag that has a water-repellant shell and detachable straps that allow you to sling it over your shoulder—or even transform it into a backpack—at a moment's notice.

Patagonia duffel ($129, patagonia.com ); Best Made Co. SWS 100L roll top duffle ($198, bestmadeco.com ); Herschel Supply Co. Outfitter luggage ($140, herschel.com ); Cotopaxi Chumpi travel duffel ($110, cotopaxi.com ); Burton Backhill duffel ($109, amazon.com ); Eastpak Perce duffel ($77, selfridges.com ).

Alex Erdekian

CNT Editors

Jesse Ashlock

Charlie Hobbs

Fanny Packs

Given that you've traveled thousands of miles to catch a glimpse of wildlife roaming free, you'll want your hands free to grab your camera at any given moment. Luckily, fanny packs are in vogue again—perfect for holding all your essentials.

VereVerto Convertible Mini Mox bag ($295, shopbop.com ); Patagonia Ultralight hip pack ($29, patagonia.com ); Clare V. belt bag ($345, nordstrom.com ); Marc Jacobs belt bag ($315, marcjacobs.com ); Paravel belt bag ($35, tourparavel.com ); Herschel Supply Co. 17 hip pack ($45, herschel.com ).

Camera Bags

You'll want a compact, sturdy bag to protect that new camera you splurged on. We love the Palma camera bag from ONA, which comes with a handy compartment to store your spare memory cards or lenses in.

Madewell camera cross body bag ($128, madewell.com ); Lo & Sons Claremont leather camera bag ($368, loandsons.com ); Ganni tech bag ($135, ganni.com ); Yeezy Season 6 crossbody bag ($119, endclothing.com ); ONA The Palma camera bag ($329, amazon.com ); Tumi Luanda Flight bag ($295, tumi.com ).

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

What to Pack for An African Safari, According to Trip Organizers

Packing is hard. Especially when the destination might involve giant mosquitoes or Instagram-worthy hiking trails. What do frequent travelers to these spots — the ones who best know how to prepare for the conditions — put in their suitcases ? We’ll be tackling this in our series “ The Trip List .”

Going on an African safari and spotting animals like lions and zebras in their natural habitat is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Since it’s not something most people do very often, it’s also not the easiest trip to pack for. For those lucky enough to have a safari in their future, we’ve rounded up a group of experienced tour guides and travel planners (with hundreds of safaris collectively under their belts) to help you out.

“People always overpack. I think that’s the biggest mistake,” says Deborah Calmeyer, founder and CEO of the safari trip organizer Roar Africa . She explains that, in terms of clothing, you generally just need a few casual pieces, as there aren’t many occasions to dress up on safari. Most lodges also offer laundry service with a quick turnaround time, so there’s no need to pack a new outfit for each day of your trip. Instead of prioritizing style, safari experts say to focus on layering , as you’ll spend most of your time outdoors on game drives in open-air vehicles. It might be chilly when you leave your lodge in the early morning but heat up quickly when the sun comes out. “If you’re out after sunset when the temperature drops, those layers will come in handy again,” says Calmeyer.

Before you start packing, learn the luggage requirements of your particular trip, which will determine how much you can bring. Even if you fly to Africa on a major international airline, once you’re in the bush, you’ll travel from site to site on small aircrafts with limited space. “The portal leading into the luggage compartments is quite small, and the bags have to be smushed and manipulated into these little cargo areas,” explains Kota Tabuchi, the managing director for African travel at the trip-planning consultancy Travel Beyond . Depending on your destination, weight limits can range from roughly 33 to 42 pounds, with lower limits more common in East Africa and higher maximums generally seen in South Africa. Choose a soft duffel bag (check your airline’s rules to confirm whether wheeled bags are allowed), as you can’t bring hard-sided luggage on many small planes.

You’re likely going on safari to encounter wild animals (especially the big five: lions, leopards, rhinoceroses, elephants, and buffalo), so don’t scrimp on binoculars and cameras that will help you get the best view and capture the best memories of your sightings. Below, our experts share their top picks for the gear that’ll make your trip comfortable and memorable, plus everything else you’ll need for a perfect safari.

As stated above, a soft-sided duffel bag is your best bet for traveling on safari. Tabuchi has owned this North Face bag for more than 15 years now and has brought it on multiple safaris each year. He calls it “absolutely bombproof.” The lightweight and roomy duffel should hold everything you need, and it is compliant with most African airline requirements. If you want another option, Tabuchi also likes the very similar Patagonia Black Hole bag (a longtime Strategist favorite ).

At under $100, this bag is an affordable pick that was mentioned by several safari pros, including Ina Steinhilber, president of tour operator Thomson Safaris . It’s lightweight, too, clocking in at just over two pounds, leaving plenty of room under the weight allowance for your stuff.

If you’re allowed to bring a soft duffel with wheels, this Osprey bag gets rave reviews from Wil Smith, founder and director of travel organizer Deeper Africa . “Make sure the bag is water resistant and has a storm flap over the zipper,” he says. “On a safari, you’re out on bumpy roads, and you never know if your bag’s going to end up out in the rain, dust, or dirt. It probably won’t, but you want to prepare for anything.” He says this bag checks all his boxes and even has lockable zippers.

“These are a must for finding clothing easily in the soft-sided duffel,” says Kristina Jackson, a senior safari and Kilimanjaro travel consultant at Thomson Safaris. Many frequent travelers have recommended packing cubes to us in the past (including the eBags set) because they compress your gear to save space — even more crucial when you have a tight luggage allotment. “After safari, you may find yourself using them more often,” says Jackson. “They make traveling so easy.”

According to Joel Cody, sales and marketing director at Thomson Safaris, you’ll also want a backpack for your daily game drives to carry things like extra layers, bug spray , and binoculars. Because it folds down into a compact pouch, he suggests this Paravel backpack, as you can easily fit it into your larger luggage.

“Layers are the most practical way to cope with fluctuating daytime and nighttime temperatures,” says Sherwin Banda, president of the safari trip operator African Travel , and pretty much all of our experts agree. A basic tee is a good first layer, and in the summer you might not need more than a long-sleeved shirt on top for the chilly morning and evenings. “We all have one of these,” says Ali Riley, art director of Thomson Safaris, of this polyester button-up. She likes that it’s comfortable, moisture-wicking, and offers UPF 40 protection from the sun.

If you prefer natural fibers, Cody recommends these linen long-sleeved shirts from Uniqlo. “They’re lightweight and comfortable, and you can wear a T-shirt or tank underneath for layering,” he says. “They look good after they’re washed and are available at an excellent price point.”

Patagonia pieces came up a lot among our experts, who like how they’re made sustainably and designed for travel and adventure. For a slightly warmer second layer, Cody likes this half-zip, which is made from a moisture-wicking fabric and locks in body heat. He tells us it “provides warmth without bulk, and doesn’t take up much room in a backpack.”

An even warmer jacket is a good option to have with you even in the summer. Elizabeth Gordon, co-founder and CEO of the safari company Extraordinary Journeys , explains that many popular safari locations, such as Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, are located at high altitudes and may be chilly year-round. For cold nights and mornings, she loves Patagonia’s Nano Puff jackets. “They weigh practically nothing and somehow always keep me at the right temperature,” she says. For a less-expensive option, Gordon also likes ultralight down jackets from Uniqlo, available for both men and women .

“A light rain jacket can double as a windbreaker, so it’s good to bring no matter the time of year, [especially] with the changing rain patterns,” says Gordon. She says spring and fall are typically the rainy seasons in East Africa, but climate change has made the weather less predictable. To make sure you’ll have coverage in the event of an unexpected storm, she recommends this packable, lightweight Patagonia jacket.

There’s no need to go out and buy special pants for your safari — chinos , leggings , and shorts are all generally fine (though some experts advise against jeans because they’re heavy to pack). If you want to really get in the spirit, however, Riley suggests these convertible pants from Eddie Bauer. You can wear them as long pants in the morning and then roll them up into capris when the weather heats up. “They’re extremely comfortable, if not overly stylish,” she says. Here’s a similar style for men that unzips into shorts. Even if it’s warm out, our experts like having the option of long pants in the evenings when mosquitos are out.

Leggings and yoga pants are especially popular on safari because they’re lightweight and comfortable, especially if you’re going to be sitting in a Jeep all day. If you anticipate being cold, a fleece-lined pair is good to have too. “In case you get a cold night in Ngorongoro, these are great to sleep in, are inexpensive, and don’t take up a lot of room,” says Cody.

Although most lodges have laundry services — often complimentary for guests — many won’t wash women’s underwear because of cultural norms in certain countries. Since you may have to wash your own underwear in your bathroom sink, go with pairs made for exercise or travel that are designed to be fast-drying. “Ideally you want clothing that is easy to wash and dry,” says Smith. He includes underwear in this category, especially for women. Ex Officio (which makes some of our favorite men’s and women’s underwear) specializes in quick-drying materials that’ll make it easy for you to do your own wash.

Gordon points out that most lodges have pools, and getting in an afternoon dip is a great way to cool down after a long day out in the bush. Obviously, go with whatever swimsuit you love, but if you want some Strategist-approved picks, check out out recommendations for men and women (plus bikinis ). Here are two crowd-pleasers that earned our seal of approval.

Unless you’re trekking through the mountains to see gorillas, safaris are mostly sedentary experiences spent on Jeeps or Land Rovers driving through wildlife preserves to catch a glimpse of the big five. Our experts say there’s no need to waste precious luggage space on heavy hiking boots , as you’ll likely be doing only a bit of walking outside the vehicle. Jackson suggests wearing Toms. “They’re perfect to slip on and off while in the vehicle throughout the day and are also very lightweight.” Similarly, her colleague Cody swears by Vans, telling us, “They’re so easy to take off and on and are washable. I wore these all the time.”

If you do anticipate doing more active walking on your trip, both Smith and Tabuchi recommend trail-running shoes. They’re not as bulky as hiking boots (which our experts say aren’t necessary for most safari terrain) but still offer stability and traction. “They’re very sturdy,” says Smith. “You want good traction because if you get out of the car and it has been raining, the ground may be a little slippery.” Tabuchi says any trail runners with a solid rubber sole should do the trick. The lightweight Hoka One One Torrent is popular among trail runners and should be rugged enough to get you through your safari adventure.

Although our experts recommend closed-toe shoes while you’re out on game drives, they say to also bring a pair of flip-flops or sandals for when you’re relaxing back at your home base. “It’s great to have some comfortable flip flops for your tent or your lodge or around the campfire,” says Smith. You’ll also want to wear your flip-flops at the pool if your lodge has one. Brazilian-made Havaianas are an affordable yet stylish option that we’ve written about before .

Accessories

In the past, we’ve covered how merino-wool socks are ideal for all types of activities including running , biking , and hiking . Their temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking properties also make them perfect for safari. Steinhilber says Smartwool socks will “keep your feet warm on cool nights” and, given their lightness, will also be comfortable on daytime game drives.

Calmeyer says a shawl or pashmina will “never go to waste on safari” because it’s an all-in-one piece that you can use to stay warm, block out the sun, or even zhuzh up your casual clothes for a candlelit dinner back at the lodge. Gordon agrees, telling us she always brings a scarf “to dress everything up, or protect from dust.” Nicole Scherr, a former marketing project manager at Thomson Safaris, likes this specific shawl because it’s lightweight, quick-drying, and has UPF sun protection. “It’s great for the plane because it becomes a small blanket, and it’s also light enough to drape over yourself in the vehicle to protect from getting a burn,” she says.

If you’re not into shawls, a bandana or multipurpose gaiter can help with sun protection and keeping dust off your face. These two are favorites of the Thomson Safaris team. The UV-protective Buff also has built-in insect repellent, which you’ll appreciate when the mosquitoes come out.

Since you’ll be out in the sun for most of the day, all of our experts recommend a hat — both to prevent burning and to keep the sun out of your eyes so you can focus on the wildebeest migration or whatever amazing sight you’ve come across on your drive. Tabuchi recommends “a baseball cap at the very minimum,” but if you want even more coverage, several of our experts suggested a wide-brimmed hat like this one from Tilley, which is a top choice among Thomson Safari guides. It’ll cover the front and back of your neck, and it’s also packable, so you can cram it into your luggage and it will retain its shape when you take it out.

While the classic safari hat above is practical, Gordon admits it’s not the most stylish; she prefers a Panama hat like this one. You’ll get nearly as much sun protection in a bit more fashionable of a package.

Binoculars and cameras

“You can’t go on safari without these,” says Steinhilber, and nearly all of our experts agree that a good pair of binoculars will enhance your trip. How close you’re able to get to animals will depend on where exactly you’re going on safari, but Tabuchi explains that in many national parks and game reserves, vehicles are restricted to the road networks, so your driver won’t be able to go off-road to follow a pride of lions or elephants bathing in a river. That’s when binoculars will really come in handy. Although some lodges and game drives provide loaner pairs, Calmeyer says you’ll often end up having to share these with other guests, so it’s worth bringing your own. Gordon adds that “not having binoculars holds you back.”

All binoculars are labeled with two numbers. The first represents the magnification power (for example, “10” means objects will appear ten times bigger than they actually are), and the second is the lens diameter, which determines the field of vision. Binoculars can range in price from under $100 to well into the four figures for a Swarovski pair that Smith calls “the envy of every safari guide and bird enthusiast.” For a safari, Smith says to look for a pair with minimum specs of 8x42, like this mid-range model from Zeiss. With these, Smith says you’ll be able to zoom in on incredible sights like a rhinoceros 1,000 yards away.

If you’re willing to make more of an investment, the Vortex Viper 10x42 are Smith’s personal favorite binoculars. “Those are really good binoculars at a very reasonable price,” he says. “I think the glass is good; it’s stable. I’ve had people compare them with much more expensive binoculars.”

Smartphone cameras are so high-quality these days that experts say you’ll be able to get a lot of great shots with your iPhone — but on safari there are occasions when you’ll want a traditional camera. Like binoculars, a camera will be useful when your drive can’t get close to an animal and your phone camera’s zoom isn’t strong enough to shoot a clear picture from 50 yards away. Tabuchi adds that there are some areas where smartphone photography is banned to protect rhinoceroses, as poachers have used geotagged photos to track down the animals. And, as Gordon points out, if there’s any occasion to break out your fancy cameras and lenses, it’s Africa. Experts say you’ll want a minimum of 300-400mm zoom lenses for shooting at typical safari distances.

This Sony is a favorite of both Smith’s and Tabuchi’s. A bridge between an entry-level point-and-shoot and a high-end DSLR, it has an adjustable telescopic lens that zooms out to 600mm, more than enough to capture lion paws or the eyes of an elephant from a distance. Compared to a DSLR camera with multiple lenses, this one “takes up less space,” Smith says, “and you don’t have to mess around changing lenses.” Tabuchi calls it “stellar,” telling us “it’s got the functionality and zoom capabilities of a DSLR but has enough automatic features in there for dummies like myself.” (If you do choose to go the DSLR route, Tabuchi recommends renting additional lenses from Lensrentals.com to save money on expensive kits you might not use after your safari.)

Here’s a more affordable bridge camera that made Calmeyer’s list of recommended models for Roar Africa safari guests. She admits it won’t be as powerful as a DSLR, but for the price it’s a solid option for capturing both close-ups of animals and sweeping landscape shots.

Even pre-pandemic, experts recommended packing hand sanitizer, since you might be eating lunch straight off a game drive or need to take a bathroom break out in the bush and far from running water. Of course, by now we all have our own sanitizer preferences, but Steinhilber especially likes this lavender one because she says it “doesn’t have that terrible antiseptic odor.” (Interestingly, it’s also Sarah Michelle Gellar’s favorite .)

“The African sun is brutal,” says Calmeyer, and a good sunscreen is an absolute must. Any type you prefer will work as long as it has a high SPF, but if you want a safari-approved pick, Jackson says Badger is a solid “all-natural brand to use all day long.”

Don’t forget lip protection. Steinhilber says any lip balm you choose must have a strong SPF. She uses this one from Dermatone.

Mosquitos, tsetse flies, chiggers, and other critters are often unavoidable on safari, but a good bug spray can reduce your chances of getting bitten. Now’s not the time for organic essential-oil-based repellents that experts say won’t be up to the task. Instead, you’ve got to bring in the DEET. Brittany Silva, a safari trip manager at Thomson Safaris, says this 30 percent DEET spray is one of the best. Another good option is to wait until you land, so that you can buy bug spray from an African company and feel confident that it’s designed to repel the local insects. Calmeyer suggests the brands Peaceful Sleep and Tabard . “They work better than anything I’ve ever got from anywhere else,” she says. Gordon agrees, calling Peaceful Sleep “magical.”

If you’ve read our coverage of the best tick repellents , you know we’re already big fans of this permethrin spray, which can be used to treat clothing and gear. Smith, along with the team at Thomson Safaris, also uses it and likes the extra protection it provides. You can spray it on your shoes, your hat, and anything else you might be wearing to keep bugs at bay.

If you really don’t want to use DEET (which can be smelly and irritate skin), Smith suggests the non-toxic ingredient picaridin as an alternative. “It comes in nice, soft lotions that smell good,” he says, “and it’s just as effective as high-concentration DEET.” He says this Sawyer lotion feels gentle and non-greasy on your skin.

Even if your lodge has a laundry service, if you’re moving between places quickly and won’t be at a specific lodge for more than one night, Smith recommends packing soap for washing your own clothes. He says, “You can just wash your stuff and hang it up to dry while you’re sleeping, so you always have something clean.” Also, bringing your own soap is a must if your lodge won’t wash your underwear. Jackson recommends this eco-friendly, biodegradable soap for easy cleaning.

Additional gear

“On glamping safaris to the Serengeti, charging opportunities are generally limited to the vehicles and central lounge areas,” says Andrew Doherty, manager of special-interest travel at Thomson Safaris. Since you might not have a personal charging station in your tent or lodge, he recommends bringing a power bank that you can charge up when you’re near an outlet and then use to keep your phone and other gadgets running when you’re out of reach. “That way, you can continue to scan through selfies and edit safari shots on your phone while lying in bed listening to lions roaring in the distance.”

“There are three different plugs in Africa,” says Gordon. “A universal adapter is good to have because if you’re entering different countries, you’re just going to want to have all three in one.” This adapter will work in popular safari countries like South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.

Similarly, not all tents and lodges will have lights and electricity at all times. “A lot of places are on generators or solar panels that aren’t going to be on all day or all night,” says Gordon. “The lights are getting better, but they’re not super-strong.” While she used to bring a flashlight on safari, she says she now just uses the one on her phone, but still packs a book light for reading at night. A headlamp works too, if you prefer, and we’ve recommended our favorite one here .

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The Best Photography Bean Bags for Safari + What to Look For

If you’re planning a safari, the possibilities are good that you’re fascinated with taking a bigger digital camera and lens with you. These can produce fantastic wildlife pictures, however additionally they include a draw back, which is that they are often heavy and laborious to carry for extended durations of time.

Usually the answer to a heavy lens and digital camera is a tripod or monopod. Nonetheless, most safaris have you ever observing wildlife from inside a automobile, the place it’s typically not doable to simply arrange and use both a tripod or monopod. That is particularly the case when there are a number of folks within the automobile vying for viewing area!

Nonetheless, you don’t need to miss a terrific shot of a lion or an elephant as a result of your arms are drained from holding your gear up. As a substitute, you must think about investing in a pictures bean bag.

On this article, I’ll inform you how they work, why you may want one, necessary options to search for in a pictures bean bag, and provides some suggestions on a few of the finest pictures bean luggage for safari.

I like to recommend studying this submit together with my information to  getting great photos on safari , in addition to my information to the best safari camera and lenses , so that you’re totally ready in your journey.

We even have a complete safari packing list for all the pieces else you would possibly want.

Causes to Use a Images Bean Bag

A pictures bean bag, because the identify suggests, is a bag full of beans (or comparable materials) which is used to help a digital camera when taking footage.

These will be positioned both over a window body or on the highest of the automobile if you’re standing up and looking of a pop-up high, and can permit you to hold your digital camera pointing in the precise path with out tiring your arms out.

It can additionally permit you to use slower shutter speeds if required, relying on the out there gentle and the way a lot your topic is shifting.

Basically a pictures bean bag affords comparable advantages to a tripod or monopod, however in a smaller and extra versatile bundle. Some key advantages of a pictures bean bag embody:

• You don’t have to carry up your lens and digital camera
• It supplies a spot to relaxation and regular longer lenses or recognizing scope
• They shield your gear from having to relaxation on the customarily soiled and uneven surfaces of the edges of the automobile
• It may well additionally shield your gear and provides stabilization if capturing from the bottom
• It’s extra versatile to be used in lots of conditions in comparison with a tripod or monopod

In fact, these pictures bean luggage will not be simply helpful for safari however for all kinds of nature and outside associated pictures eventualities. So it’s nice if you will get a bag that additionally, you will be capable of use elsewhere.

Listed below are a few pictures of me on safari with and with no bean bag to offer you an thought of the distinction. I’ve used a variety of these bean luggage on varied safaris throughout a variety of African international locations.

What to Search for in a Images Bean Bag for Safari

Earlier than offering some prompt bean luggage, I needed to share my solutions for what to search for in a bean bag for safari pictures. It will enable you to to determine which bean bag goes to be finest for you.

The very first thing it would be best to take into consideration is the form of the bean bag. Images bean luggage are typically not simply shapeless spherical blobs, they have an inclination to have a selected kind which permits them to work extra successfully.

There are three major shapes of pictures bean luggage. First, there’s a cushion-like flatter form which is the best possibility. Then, there’s the double cushion, which is successfully two cushions sewn collectively.

Lastly, there’s a model which appears to be like a bit like a decrease case “n” (or an inverted “u”). This form has two “legs” with a cushion half on the high. It’s successfully a saddlebag form, and is the most well-liked possibility.

Under are some pictures displaying a few of these completely different designs.

Which form will give you the results you want will rely a bit on the place you might be prone to be capturing. I discover the saddlebag model affords a superb little bit of versatility as it may be tailored to suit a wide range of places, from capturing over a window body to balancing on the sting of a automobile roof when capturing by a pop-up high.

It additionally has the benefit you could invert it when capturing on a flatter floor to offer a form of cradle in your digital camera.

The easy flatter cushion-like form can show to be fairly versatile, particularly when capturing on the roof of a automobile or from the ground. Personally I discover it a bit much less sensible for safari use because it doesn’t mildew to a automobile window or door space in addition to the opposite choices.

Measurement

Images bean luggage are available in a wide range of sizes. The principle factor is to make sure that the bean bag you select is massive sufficient so your digital camera and lens will comfortably match on it, while not being so huge that it’s impractical to make use of and carry.

Filler Sort

Many bean luggage include the choice to buy them with a filling or with out. We typically discover it’s simpler to journey with an empty bean bag after which fill it with an acceptable filling at your vacation spot, corresponding to buckwheat (hulls), chook seed, or dried beans. This reduces the journey weight and bulk of the bean bag.

Nonetheless, you too can choose to buy a bean bag with a filling, which is usually one thing like polystyrene balls to maintain transport weight down. This could positively work and offers you a light-weight possibility, though it gained’t be as steady as a heavier possibility.

Word that many kinds of uncooked and dried beans will be toxic to wildlife so if you happen to use them to fill your bag you’ll need to take further care to maintain your bag away from animals and hold them secured contained in the automobile whenever you depart it.

We’ve had monkeys, notably baboons, attempt to snatch the baggage from the automobiles, as they’ve learnt that the fillings typically comprise tasty treats!

While the fabric the pictures bean bag is manufactured from can have some affect on its weight, the principle factor that impacts its weight is what it’s full of.

If it’s full of a light-weight materials like polystyrene balls for instance, then it is going to be very gentle. If it’s full of dried beans or seeds, then it would naturally be heavier. The bigger the bean bag, the heavier it is going to be.

We’d typically advocate utilizing a heavier filling like beans or seeds because the bag will hold its form higher when arrange and supply a extra steady base. Nonetheless, we’ve additionally used a pictures bean bag full of polystyrene balls with good outcomes.

On our final journey, we stuffed our bag with a mixture of dried beans and a few pillow stuffing which was a superb combine .

A safari will be fairly a difficult setting, with a variety of bumpy roads in addition to automobiles containing laborious edges.

It’s necessary that you just use a pictures bean bag which goes to face up to the rigours of this setting. You positively don’t need to be in a state of affairs the place the bean bag develops a gap and bursts open half method by your journey!

A well-made bean bag that has good stitching and which is constructed from a sturdy materials corresponding to canvas or one other thick hard-wearing materials could be finest. Evaluating the 2 pictures under, the bean bag on the precise is made out of a more durable canvas like materials which can probably last more.

On safari you typically need pretty impartial colours that don’t stand out. You additionally need to keep away from blues and blacks which may entice tsetse flies.

Most pictures bean luggage we’re conscious of are available in shades of inexperienced or beige, or are in a form of camouflage sample of greens and beige colours, which works effectively.

Refillable?

One of many extra necessary options of a pictures bean bag is whether or not or not it may be refilled. I’d argue that having the ability to empty and fill your bean bag is admittedly necessary.

That is so you may change the contents to fit your wants. For instance, if you’re travelling gentle or need to scale back bulk, you would possibly need to empty out your bean bag and fold it up. Then, whenever you arrive in your vacation spot you may pop to a market and purchase some dried beans, rice, or buckwheat to fill it with.

Most pictures bean luggage are refillable. Some open with a zipper while others open with velcro. I’d personally advocate a system that closes with a zipper as it’s far safer and there’s much less danger of it coming open by mistake.

You’ll after all need to take into consideration value when buying a pictures bean bag. The excellent news is that almost all bean luggage are effectively priced, typically coming in at round $25 – $85 USD.

In fact, you may pay extra (and fewer!), however in comparison with the value of many pictures equipment available on the market right this moment we predict that is positively one of many extra reasonably priced choices you should purchase to enhance your pictures and make your pictures expertise simpler whereas on safari.

Different Options

In addition to the above options, some pictures bean luggage produce other options you would possibly discover helpful. These embody straps or pockets, or issues like being water-proof.

A strap or wire can positively be helpful as you need to use it to safe the bean bag when in use. Water proofing may also be useful if you happen to assume you may be capturing in moist environments.

Some have shoulder straps to make them simpler to hold if capturing on foot – these straps may also be used to safe to the automotive. As well as, a few of the flat luggage may also be used as ballasts in your tripod.

Talking of tripods, some pictures bean luggage even have the choice to connect a ball or pan head to the bean bag, supplying you with a better of each worlds possibility.

The Greatest Images Bean Baggage for Safari

I’m now going to undergo what I feel are a few of the finest choices for pictures bean luggage for safari. These are ordered by value, though pricing can differ so do verify.

You’ll discover this isn’t an enormous listing. That’s as a result of there are just a few manufacturers who deal with this form of product. Nonetheless, these manufacturers do know what they’re doing and the result’s a strong product.

Moreover, with Kinesis and LensCoat, they provide a spread of choices at completely different sizes and value factors to swimsuit most digital camera setups.

Personally, from the listing under I’d advocate both the Kinesis SafariSack 4.2 or the LensCoat LensSack Pro Jr as my favorite choices to be used on safari.

Kinesis SafariSack 1.4

Kinesis have been making pictures bean luggage for safari for a few years, designing their bean bag merchandise particularly for photographers heading on safari in Africa. What we like about them is that clearly Kinesis have put some thought into what’s necessary for this form of product.

They’ve a spread of safari bean luggage, however we propose trying out the SafariSack 1.4 as a superb possibility if you happen to would like a flatter bean bag possibility.

This bag is made out of rip-stop 400-dernier nylon. It has a zippered compartment so you may simply fill and empty it. It has D-rings on the ends so you may match a strap, and there’s additionally a small sewn-in strap which can be utilized to safe it to a automobile.

It will work for smaller and bigger cameras alike. When you’ve got a smaller setup particularly then this generally is a nice possibility.

Verify value on Amazon here and on B&H Photo here .

Kinesis SafariSack 4.2

My favorite possibility from Kinesis is the SafariSack 4.2, which is designed for these of you with bigger lenses and cameras.

The SafariSack 4.2 is double-stitched for sturdiness and constructed from powerful rip-stop Nylon. You get a rubberized backside to stop it from slipping, and there’s an optionally available shoulder strap in addition to a hand strap.

Maybe the very best characteristic although is the 2 built-in quick-release straps. These enable the SafariSack for use in two major modes when on safari. With the straps undone, you need to use it as a flat sack, which is extra suited to use when capturing on the highest of a automobile or different flatter floor.

You possibly can alternatively join the straps to create the traditional saddlebag form, permitting it for use over a window. Basically you get the very best of each worlds, making this a contender for the very best pictures bean bag available on the market.

The bag is accessible with or with no fill, and there’s even a alternative of filler materials.

NatureScapes SkimmerSack II Mini Beanbag

The NatureScapes SkimmerSack II beanbag was developed by a full-time nature photographer who needed a bean bag that might meet his wants. The excellent news is that this has resulted in a beautiful product that’s excellent for safari pictures.

The SkimmerSack II is made out of powerful 500 dernier nylon cordura, with a non-slip rubbererized coating beneath to assist stop it from shifting round when in place.

The inside is constructed from a rubber-like materials, giving it some water-resistance. It’s double-stitched for power and has a zipper opening for including your personal fill. There’s additionally a hand-grab loop strap on every finish of the bag, and there are a pair of straps on the base to permit you to safe it to a door deal with or roof rack for security.

LensCoat LensSack Pro Jr

One other well-known model within the pictures bean bag world is LensCoat , who make a spread of bean luggage that may accommodate a variety of lenses. They’re additionally out there in a number of colours.

We’d advocate having a look on the LensCoat LensSack Pro Jr. This saddlebag formed bag can deal with lenses as much as 500mm in size (variations are additionally out there with help as much as 800mm).

There’s a non-slip coating and it’s made out of sturdy waterproof Cordura with strengthened seams. It additionally has two storage pockets, MOLLE webbing straps, and two locking YKK zips that make it simple to fill and empty.

Maybe probably the most attention-grabbing characteristic of this bean bag although is the truth that it comes with a detachable mounting plate with a 3/8″-16 thread. This can be utilized to connect a gimbal or ball head, which means you may probably use it along with your present tripod head. This provides you the very best of each worlds – the compact and transportable advantages of a bean bag, with the pliability of a head, making it simpler to trace shifting topics with out having to regulate the bean bag.

Verify value on Amazon here , on B&H Photo here and direct f rom LensCoat here .

Make Your Personal Images Bean Bag

Resulting from a last-minute baggage mix-up previous to a latest African safari, I used to be left with out my pictures bean bag simply earlier than the journey began. Fortunately, my mum is an skilled with a stitching machine and she or he occurred to have some good high quality thick materials available.

Between us we got here up with a design for a u-shaped bean bag with a zipper. My mum made it with a heavy calico material and a zipper. We then dyed it inexperienced. As soon as in Uganda, we stuffed it with dried beans and a few pillow stuffing.

It labored nice, and goes to indicate that if you’re a bit inventive, you may positively make your personal bean bag answer.  Nonetheless, this selection might be finest for these with a stitching machine and a few fundamental stitching expertise!

Suggestions for Utilizing a Images Bean Bag

Now that you’ve got chosen your pictures bean bag, I needed to share a number of tricks to get probably the most out of it, based mostly on my experiences.

• Invert your tripod collar. When you’ve got a digital camera with a tripod collar, rotate this so it’s on the high of the digital camera moderately than the underside, as in any other case it’s going to get in the way in which of the digital camera resting totally on the bean bag
• Fill it in vacation spot. If you’re touring, as you probably might be for safari, it can save you your baggage area by filling the bag in vacation spot moderately than travelling with an already full bag
• Select your filling properly. There are a number of choices for a filling. I discover buckwheat, sunflower seeds, or bigger dried beans works effectively. The form of rice means that’s can compact a bit an excessive amount of and means you may lose a few of the versatile form advantages of a bean bag. Polystyrene balls can work however I discover them to be a bit too gentle and noisy, to not point out environmentally unfriendly.
• If you’re utilizing an natural product to fill your bean bag it would be best to take care that it doesn’t get moist, and bear in mind that it’d should be changed occasionally.

Additional Studying

That’s it for my information to the very best bean bag for safari pictures. If you happen to discovered this handy, you would possibly take pleasure in a few of my different pictures content material. Listed below are some articles to get you began.

• I’ve an in depth information filled with  safari photography tips  that can assist you get nice pictures no matter your digital camera is
• We even have a information to the best cameras and lenses for safari , that can assist you determine what digital camera gear to take in your journey of a lifetime. We even have an in depth information to what to pack for safari .
• I’ve a information to my favorite  photo editing applications , in addition to the very best  alternatives to Lightroom
• When you’ve taken all of your pictures you don’t need to lose them! Learn our information to  backing up your photos  for an thought of the way to hold all of them protected.
• Wildlife pictures can usually end in noisy pictures. See my information to the  best noise reduction software  for some concepts on the way to get the very best out of your pictures even after they is perhaps a bit noisy
• We’ve a information to  how to use a compact camera ,  how to use a DSLR camera , and  how to use a mirrorless camera . We even have a information to  how a DSLR works
• Realizing the way to compose a terrific photograph is a key pictures ability. See our information to  composition in photography  for many tips about this topic
• We’ve a information to what  depth of field  is and whenever you would need to use it.
• We’re huge followers of getting probably the most out of your digital photograph information, and do to that you’ll want to shoot in RAW. See our information to  RAW in photography  to grasp what RAW is, and why you must change to RAW as quickly as you may in case your digital camera helps it.
• You’re going to wish one thing to run your photograph modifying software program on. See our information to the very best  laptops for photo editing  for some tips about what to search for.
• If you happen to’re on the lookout for extra recommendation on particular suggestions for various eventualities, we additionally have you ever coated. See our information to  Northern Lights photography ,  long exposure photography ,  fireworks photography ,  tips for taking photos of stars , and  cold weather photography .
• Coloration accuracy is necessary for pictures – see our information to  monitor calibration  to make sure your display screen is about up appropriately.
• If you happen to’re on the lookout for a terrific present for a pictures loving pal or member of the family (or your self!), check out our  photography gift guide ,
• If you happen to’re out there for a brand new digital camera, we’ve an in depth information to the  best travel cameras , in addition to particular guides for the  best cameras for hiking and backpacking , the  best compact camera ,  best bridge camera ,  best mirrorless camera  and  best DSLR camera . We even have a information to the  best camera lenses .
• If you would like a digital camera or lens, however the costs are a bit excessive, see our information to  where to buy used cameras and camera gear  for some funds financial savings choices.
• We’ve a information to  why you need a tripod , a information to  choosing a travel tripod , and a round-up of our  favourite travel tripods

Seeking to Enhance Your Images?

If you happen to discovered this submit useful, and also you need to enhance your pictures total, you would possibly need to take a look at my  online travel photography course .

Since launching the course in 2016, I’ve already helped over 2,000 college students learn to take higher pictures. The course covers just about all the pieces it’s worthwhile to know, from the fundamentals of how a digital camera works, by to composition, gentle, and photograph modifying.

It additionally covers extra superior subjects, together with astrophotography, lengthy publicity pictures, flash pictures, and HDR pictures.

You get suggestions from me as you progress, entry to webinars, interviews and movies, in addition to unique membership of a Fb group the place you will get suggestions in your work and participate in common challenges.

It’s out there for an incredible one-off value for lifetime entry, and I feel you must test it out. Which you are able to do by  clicking here .

And that’s it! I’d love to listen to about your ideas on wildlife pictures on safari, and am blissful to reply any questions you may have. Simply pop them within the feedback under and I’ll get again to you as quickly as I can.

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Best Photography Bean Bag – Apex Bean Bag Review

After many reviews and videos I finally ordered the Apex Bean Bag from Essential Photo Gear .  As you can see from the photos this unit can be used as the standard wildlife photography bean bag or you can mount your tripod head with the included mounting plate to turn it into stable base from which to mount your big glass.  I had visions of using it from my car with a Wimberley style head attached so I could pan with my Nikon 600mm lens from my car. When it arrived I promptly filled it up with sunflower seeds, mounted my Jobu BWG Pro head, slapped on the 600m and ran out to the car to give it a try.

Verdict: This redesigned Low Profile version combined with exceptional customer service makes it the best photography bean bag I have used and earns it a COOL Wildlife Photography two paws up.

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How to Use a Photography Bean Bag, and What Is the Best Bean Bag Fill?

I wanted to write this post because it’s something I wish I’d read myself a few years ago when I started getting into wildlife photography. The answer to the question “What is the best photography bean bag fill?” seems obvious to me now with experience, but I was getting it all wrong for a while! In this post, we will discuss the various fill types that can be used in a photography bean bag, and as a bonus, I’ll also tell you which are my favourite bean bags to put the fill in.

Table of Contents

What is a photography bean bag for.

• Pro Tip: Turn Off Full-Time Manual Focus Override

Types of Photography Bean Bag

• The Best Photography Bean Bag Fill

What Is the Best Photography Bean Bag?

Let’s start with the basics. A bean bag is the simplest form of lens support and can create a safe, soft resting place for a telephoto lens. Wildlife photographers find bean bags especially useful as they can hold heavy lenses while waiting for wildlife to appear. When the animals appear, a bean bag can help you get sharper images by cradling the lens and removing the wobble and vibration you would have if the lens were resting directly on a thinner, sharper-edged surface like a car door. For those who want to maintain the most resale value in their gear, a bean bag protects the lens from abrasive surfaces or sharp edges.

Pro Tip: Turn Off Full-Time Manual Focus Override!

If you’re resting your telephoto lens directly on a bean bag, you must be aware that you are likely resting it right on the focus ring. If you have your camera set up for full-time manual focus, i.e., when you move the focus ring, the lens’ focus changes, even if you are in autofocus mode, you should disable this. Failing to do so will result in occasional out-of-focus images, as the focus ring will get moved accidentally as you reposition the camera angle.

Suppose you still want the ability to tweak focus manually occasionally. In that case, the best solution is to assign full-time manual focus to the custom button on the side of the lens. This is possible with Canon, Nikon, and Sony, although the exact naming of the focus modes is slightly different in all three. Once this has been set, manual focus override will only work when holding the custom function button on the lens.

Bean bags for photography come in two main forms. The first is a u-shaped bag that sits over your car door when the window is down. It provides a partly mouldable platform to rest your camera and lens. Usually, this kind of setup is used for wildlife photography , so the bags are generally quite large to accommodate lenses like a 500mm or a 600mm. Sometimes these u-shaped bags have a metal plate on top with a 3/8″ 16 threaded stud so that a ball head or gimbal can be attached.

The second type of photography bean bag is smaller and flatter. With care, they can still be used on a car window, but their more mouldable shape also makes them great for supporting your camera while lying on the ground or resting on the hood of a car. This type of bean bag often includes a strap that allows you to hang it beneath a tripod or attach it to a light stand for added stability.

The Best Fill for Your Photography Bean Bag

When I got my first u-shaped photography bean bag, I filled it with rice, which was a mistake. Rice is far too dense and heavy. In a pinch, it works, but it’s not easy to adjust the bag’s shape to conform with your lens or the shape of the object you are resting on. If you are traveling on safari with a bean bag, you’ll remove the fill before you travel and purchase something on location. Rice might be your only option in certain places, but hopefully, you can find something else. I do still use rice in my smaller bags that are designed for weighing down light stands, where the weight does makes sense!

In my main wildlife photography bean bag, I now use buckwheat hulls for the fill. This is substantially lighter than rice, and its more irregular shape prevents the bean bag from hardening and becoming too hard to conform to differently shaped surfaces. I can’t tell you just how much better this setup is to use than when I was using rice! I feel like an idiot for persevering with the rice for so long, so I’m writing this post hoping people don’t make the same mistake I did.

Another option is to use styrofoam balls, although this has some environmental concerns that I’m not comfortable with myself. On the more natural side, sunflower seeds (bird feed) are also popular. They sit somewhere between the rice and buckwheat hulls in terms of weight and density. If you don’t plan to move your bean bag around too much – many people leave them in their car – this is another option. That said, seeds are a rodent attractant, so I still far prefer the buckwheat hull option.

I got my buckwheat hulls in a 2 lb bag from Amazon , and it was enough to fill a small-medium-sized u-shaped bag. There are many different sizes of a bean bag though, with many different volumes. Some, like the larger LensCoat LensSack Pro, will likely require more than 2 lbs. Thankfully, you can get anything up to a 10 lb bag from Amazon.

In the last ten years, I have used a range of bean bags for my wildlife photography. These three are the best options on the market right now, and the only ones that remain in my gear closet today.

LensCoat LensSack Pro

The LensSack Pro provides a stable platform for the largest super telephoto lenses such as a 400mm f/2.8, 500mm, 600mm, 800mm or 1200mm. The LensSack Pro can be configured with the included metal 3/8″ 16 studded plate should you wish to use a gimbal or a ball head on the bean bag.

LensCoat LensSack Pro Price Check:

LensCoat LensSack Pro Jr.

As the name suggests, the LensSack Pro Jr. is simply a smaller version of the regular LensSack Pro. The Jr. size is best suited to smaller telephoto lenses, such as 300mm f/2.8, 100-400mm, 100-500mm, 200-600mm, 400mm f/4.5, or a 400mm f/4.

LensCoat LensSack Pro Jr. Price Check:

Gura Gear Anansi Sack

I recommend the Gura Gear Anansi if you want a small, highly portable photography bean bag. I have had my Anansi sack for over ten years, and it is still going strong! Like my larger u-shaped bean bag, I keep the Anansi in my car and use it for all sorts of things, like adding stability to my tripod or supporting my camera on the ground when I’m not carrying my ground pod . The Anansi sack is much smaller than my larger LensCoat LensSacks, so that you can get much closer to the ground.

Gura Gear has offered Shutter Muse readers a 10% discount on anything purchased in their online store. Just use the discount code SHUTTERMUSE10 after clicking here to access their store.

Gura Gear Anansi Price Check:

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21 thoughts on “How to Use a Photography Bean Bag, and What Is the Best Bean Bag Fill?”

Thanks for the info on rice. I was considering between rice and buckwheat in a newly purchased Skimmer Sack Mini for a trip to the Galapagos but was undecided. I was not sure how much to buy of the buckwheat.

No problem! Glad it helped 🙂

Hey Dan, I live in Thornhill Ontario. I use light nuts in their shell – pistachios, small peanuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, small Iranian almonds. And best you can enjoy them when hungry. I also found chopped Vetiver Grass – highly fragrant and cooling – a good material. And I made a DIY 9 inch Triangle Bean Bag with a removable Mounting Plate for my camera for INR 350 (CAD 7). Waterproof fabric used – sandwich between vinyl foam / rexine & flannel cotton. The flannel goes inside.

PS: How do I become a member?

Hi Bipin! Greetings from the Canadian West. Thanks for sharing your setup. I like the idea of having a snack haha! At the moment, you can sign up to our monthly newsletter here: https://shuttermuse.com/newsletter You’ll get one or two emails a month with the latest top stuff from the site, and occasional special things for newsletter members. Deals from partners etc. Cheers!

…and reward some of the more timid wildlife. 😁

I’m leaning toward sunflower seeds but concerned about customs declarations crossing from US into Canada – any experience on that?

Interesting! Actually I don’t have any experience with that, or maybe I’ve never paid it a second thought. Is there something specific about sunflower seeds and border crossings?

It is generally a god idea NOT to transport biological material across borders. The US- officers Can be rather mean. And so the Australian and canadian. Use an empty Bean bag and fil it locally. It should be safe. By the Way: WHy do you Think it is Called a ‘bean’ bag?

Easier to spell than buckwheat hull bag!

And actually – lentils (whatever color) is a perfect filling material – they pack perfect because of their lense-shape. They are ‘heavy’ which can be an advantage (and the opposite) – use as a weight for stabilizing the tripod. And after use – make a nice dahl and enjoy your meal

Haha they do make a good dahl, you’re not wrong there!

Yes and maybe pulses too.

I’ll probably raid the pantry for chickpeas, soy or kidney beans.

How much fill do you use. Seems like my Len pro isn’t quite full enough. TIA

I don’t recall exactly, but it’s pretty full.

Hi, I don’t know how old this article is, but I came across it in search for the perfect bean bag filling.

– Preferrably I don’t want it to be food – Nor do I want it to be plastic in case of leaks and accidents – It needs to as perfectly formfitting as possible, not too soft, not too hard – And I taking into account it may get wet

I’ve seen several suggestions, but I think few from people with hands-on experiences. I like how you don’t recommend rice (in Dutch the name for the bean bag is rice bag), but I suspect your buckwheat hulls have similar problems to rice when it comes to getting wet.

So any recommendations for wet circumstances?

Some of the suggestions I’m researching are gravel for aquariums, (biodegradable) airsoft pellets, kinetic sand, and hydrogranules. If all else fails I may try buckwheat hulls in a ziplock bag.

How would small plastic pellet be for this.

They would be heavier. And let’s not encourage more use of plastic where easy alternatives are available.

Thank you for the ideas for filler. I used sunflower seeds, which was a mistake. I left it in my car because that is where I’d use it, and when I picked it up to use it it left a trail of seeds from the hole that a mouse made to get a free lunch. I would avoid food products if you leave it in a vehicle. For now I have it in a popcorn tin because they ate through the plastic bin I had been using before. Weighted beads are too heavy, so I’m leaning towards switching to buckwheat hulls.

That’s unfortunate, but a good tip!

I fill mine with the small pillows offered on international flights. Pretty useful when I travel to safari locations. The bean bag doubles as a neck pillow during the flight 🙂 I first tried rice and it spilled + wasn’t good to mold to the lenses, as you said. Lentils in a ziploc could help if you’re buying stuff locally.

Hah! In-flight pillows are a great tip. I have a flight tomorrow, so I might give this one a go. I have never heard of this before. Thanks for sharing.

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Best Safari Beanbag

We love the ease of using a beanbag when photographing from a vehicle. You just slap it onto the vehicle window frame and you're ready to shoot!

If you are travelling on a plane you empty it out and fill it will rice, seeds or beans when you arrive at your destination - no weight issues.

In our quest to find the best safari beanbag we tried most types of bean bags from the simple bank bag filled with beans to the more modern Kinesis safari sack that can be folded and has non-slip rubber on the bottom.

After the Kinesis I progressed to the Badger bean bag and then to the molar bag.

The molar was my best safari bean bag but it sometimes slipped forward or backwards on the window as it did not have non-slip rubber on the U-shaped part. The other problem was that I could not leave my camera-lens-panning-plate setup mounted on the molar bag while driving.

And a further problem was that I could not shoot long exposures as the camera and lens has to be perfectly still for up to a second or two and this was not possible with just a panning plate.

Gimbal Heads

Gimbal heads are a must for big lenses. They enable you to effortlessly track moving subjects but to use them in a vehicle you need a window pod / window bracket. I started with the Kirk window mount and also used the Groofwin pod, Badger and the Camstedi window mounts.

The biggest plus was that I could mount my gimbal or ball heads and so leave my lens in position for long periods of time.

The biggest problem was that most of these window pods simply rested on the window and were not stable when driving. I preferred the Kirk as it clamped onto the window and was therefore safer, allowing me to drive with my camera and lens mounted and ready to shoot but it still was not the ideal solution.

The Kirk, however, had the problem of being designed with a 'Z' shape so the head is mounted lower that where it clamps onto the window. Some people didn't like this low position so they, like I, inserted a metal or wood block between the head and the bracket.

A ballhead works fine with it but the version two Wimberly or Benro gimbal heads produced a problem - the pan locking knob sticks out and if you turn the head too far the knob may hit your window.

If only there was something that combined the pros of the molar bag and a gimbal head to provide a best safari beanbag / perfect window mount...

Enter the Apex beanbag - the best safari beanbag for self-drive safaris...

In January 2011 I saw an advert for the Apex bean bag so I ordered one and it does provide the best advantages of both bean bags and gimbal heads/window-pods.

The Apex Bean Bag comes with an aluminum plate that can be inserted into the top pocket of the bag as a tripod head for you to mount your gimbal head.

This is when you would need to use a Remote Cord in order to ensure sharp photographs and to not move the lens off the subject!

The aluminum plate can be removed when desired to use the Apex as a regular beanbag...

The U shaped portion is covered in a high-tack material so no more slipping bag!

The attachment loop provides a convenient place to add pouches and bags - no more fumbling for my accessories like tele-converters, flash, extra batteries and flash cards. It also has a large side pocket that provides additional storage capacity for items.

The new Apex Bean Bag solves a lot of the problems we mentioned at the beginning and I especially enjoy the fact that I can now leave my lens in position for long periods of time.

The only potential issue is that when the gimbal head is mounted the camera is raised a bit higher than normal - this is good for subjects that are high (in trees, on hills etc.) but not good if you want to shoot a subject lower than you.

This problem isn't unique to the Apex as the molar and badger bags have a similar issue. All I do is take the camera off the molar bag and rest it on the window frame for low shots.

EP Gear, who make the Apex, realised that all vehicles have different size windows and that people are different heights so they now make the Apex in three sizes.

The normal Apex...

a Low-profile Apex that is four inches shorter...

Overall I really like the Apex and think it currently is the best safari beanbag for self-drive safaris due its three different sizes and ability to add gimbal and ball-heads.

For guided safaris we would suggest using any simple beanbag as each vehicle has a different layout so you never know whether you will get high/low sides, a bar in front of you etc. Generally we use the Badger beanbag for guided safaris but you could also use the Apex mini.

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Best safari luggage – Duffel bags & backpacks for African travels

The best African safari luggage is completely different to the necessary luggage for a city trip or backpacking expedition.

There are some very unique conditions that make it important to choose specific safari luggage. This includes the dusty savanna, cramped buses, and a jam-packed Land Cruiser bouncing into the wilderness.

The single most important part of African travel is having a suitable bag . Everything else you can work out after you have arrived.

But what is the best luggage for an African safari? Is it a duffel bag or backpack? And if so, what are the best safari bags for your trip?

In this guide, we’ll detail everything you need to know .

Best Luggage for Travel to Africa: The Basics

An elephant does not care what you look like. Neither does a lion or even a safari guide .

So put the fancy clothes away and get practical . The wilderness simply isn’t a place for frivolities, and that starts with your safari luggage.

First, take a look at our detailed guide on what to pack for an African safari. In short – pack light and keep it simple .

Why? Well, however you plan to travel in Africa, it’s going to be full, and there isn’t enough space for big safari luggage.

• Light aircraft safari flights have strict 15 kg baggage weight limits.
• Safari vehicles are generally designed for off-roading and don’t have much space for luggage.
• Travel on public transport, and you must be comfortable carrying your own luggage, including walking with it for more than a kilometer.

On an African adventure, you will be moving from place to place. On many safaris, you go to a different camp every day.

So there isn’t even time to unpack everything. Just take the basics and stay practical – this isn’t a fashion statement!

It doesn’t help if you are a wizard at folding safari clothing into crease-free, super-flat, super-organized piles. If your safari luggage is a complete dinosaur, it’s going to be disastrous.

And all the skillful arrangement adds up to nothing if your bag weighs more than King Kong with the Empire State Building in his left hand and a distressed blonde in his right!

What is the Best Luggage for Safari?

It is important to choose the right luggage for your African safari. This way, you can ensure the safety of all your belongings , whether on the plane, bus, or the savanna.

As mentioned above, you will need to pack light. And in addition to sticking to the strict weight limits, the bag should be able to hold all your clothing and gear .

Chances are you’ll need to pack several layers for those warm days and cold nights. You may also need space for your camera equipment .

Luckily, there are many lightweight duffel bags and backpacks that fit the bill. Below is a breakdown of the best safari duffel bags, backpacks, and travel bags for your next African adventure.

Best duffel bag for safari

Soft-sided luggage for safari is a must , and there are many duffel bags that offer exactly that. They are also spacious enough to store up to a week’s worth of clothing and toiletries, along with your other safari gear.

Depending on which African safari you’re visiting, it may help to look for a technical duffel bag .

These travel bags have unique features that can help a ton when out in the wilderness. Common features include a water-repellent shell and detachable straps .

But what is the best duffel bag for an African safari? Top brands to look out for include The North Face, Travelpro, and Red Oxx .

Best backpack for safari

While duffel bags are the preferred pick, backpacks are good too – especially if you’re going on a walking safari through Mana Pools National Park or elsewhere in Africa.

Like duffel bags, backpacks for safari need to be light , durable , and compressible . They also need to have enough pockets and compartments to store your belongings securely.

Backpacks also make for a good secondary bag. As such, opt for a roll-top as these can easily fit into your larger duffel bag during your flight and transfer. This way, you’re getting the best of both worlds.

What is the best safari backpack? Recommended picks include the Saddleback Leather backpack and the Targus Drifter.

Other safari travel bags

In addition to your safari duffel bag or backpack, there are a few other luggage items you may want to bring along.

These items are fanny packs , dopp kits , and camera bags . Each of these can easily fit into a larger bag and can come in hand when on a safari.

Remember to only bring these along if necessary as you might need the extra space.

How to Pick the Best Luggage for African Safari

Let’s recap on the conditions, especially if you haven’t been on a safari in Africa.

On an African safari, you will be driving off-road , often on arid landscapes shrouded in dust. If it’s not dusty, it will probably be muddy.

Take a holiday at an all-inclusive beach resort, and you only use your luggage once – to get from your home to the resort.

In Africa, you will be on the move .

Whether public or private transport, flights or local buses, all that moving means things will spill, and your safari luggage is going to get dirty .

There are usually two options when it comes to what to wear on holiday. Change your clothes every day, or change your destination every day instead.

As you regularly move between destinations, you won’t need lots of luggage . And don’t worry if your clothes are a little sweaty or dust-stained. You will look more out of place in incredibly clean clothes.

It’s going to be hot, probably very hot. You will be battling against humidity. If it’s the rainy season, you and your luggage will get drenched.

These can be tough conditions, so the fundamental principle of all safari luggage is to make it easier for yourself .

In addition to knowing what the best bags for exploring in the wild are, here is how to choose safari luggage . These are sure to make your African adventure easier and packing less challenging.

1. You need quality luggage for safari (but not designer or expensive)

The eternal conundrum is whether to head for an exclusive luggage shop or select the cheapest , most rubbish piece of safari baggage available at a local supermarket.

Airline baggage controllers do not distinguish between designer labels and care not for price tags. Your bags get completely stuffed up, whether you paid a small fortune or got them in the bargain bin.

Your bag will be treated like a bag of potatoes by the majority of the people who handle it, from baggage controllers to local bus boys squashing your carefully labeled luggage next to some chickens and maize sacks.

Be warned – fragile stickers don’t work , especially not when you are on safari.

Spending hundreds or thousands on Louis Vuitton’s finest or the very latest Antler miracle is not a wise thing. And the cheapest safari luggage won’t live up to the demands of traveling in Africa.

So go for a good , middle-of-the-road bag – the “iSpot” duffel bag range from Travelite is a recommended choice. They are durable and inexpensive.

iSpots are soft , relatively light, and have a built-in wheely handle so you can pull them along the road and runway when necessary.

iSpots have concealed zips , which all have locking facilities on them (so many lightweight safari bags only have locking docks on their main zips and not on side pockets).

They are hard-wearing , rugged , and spacious enough for two-week trips in Africa. The seams won’t rip and dispose of half your belongings onto a buffalo -covered savanna.

2. Safari travel bags should be soft

In Africa, there is plenty of space for elephants to charge around. But there is not enough space for luggage.

Keeping your weight below 15 kg is important. Your safari luggage needs to mold and squeeze into any available space.

Solid-state suitcases may be good for European city trips, but they are completely impractical for Africa .

These massive, stainless steel megalodons are too bulky, do not stack neatly, and take up too much unnecessary room.

African safaris require soft , squishy bags that can squeeze into small spaces. As previously mentioned, duffel bags are perfect for this.

Backpacks are also a good choice, provided they don’t have a protruding and inflexible frame.

So let’s recap. The perfect safari luggage is light , squishy , hard-wearing , rugged enough for the dusty African savanna , and spacious enough for the safari essentials.

3. Reduce the volume of your safari bag

That aside, you should also take the volume of your bag into account. A 70-liter capacity is around average.

There are some excellent duffels out there , especially those designed for diving or adventure pursuits, which offer more space.

Coming in at $14.95, you get what you pay for with a duffel bag like this. It may last one trip if you are lucky!

But remember that a tightly packed soft bag is better than a loosely packed one because it keeps your belongings from rolling around and getting damaged.

It also prevents your cosmetics bag from getting a bang and leaking its contents all over your clothes.

Some duffel bags have straps that can compress the contents inside. These are ideal, as you can start light and still compress. Then you can expand it if you end up purchasing half a bag of souvenirs.

4. Other key considerations for the best luggage for safari travel

A wet bag is a great idea for cosmetics. Don’t buy an expensive one. You can use a run-of-the-mill high-street supermarket bag and tie the handles up tight to prevent unwanted spillages.

Consider decanting things like shampoo and moisturizer into small containers, or buy them in small bottles, to begin with.

The Body Shop , for example, has some great small bottles of products that are ideal for traveling. This reduces volume.

Your choice of safari luggage is peculiar to you and your needs , what you want to put in it and where you are going.

Whether you spend a lot of money on it or not, just make sure that it is secure with decent locks or, failing that, cable ties.

When flying, never put anything of value in it (jewelry, cameras, computers, cell phones, etc.).

And if it gets damaged by an airline’s baggage handler, make sure you stand up for your rights and get it either repaired or replaced.

Where to Take Your Safari Luggage

Having the right safari luggage can make or break your trip. But with this guide, you now know what to take and how to take it. So all that’s left is to go out and explore !

There are endless opportunities for a wild adventure in different locations – South Africa , Botswana , Namibia , Zambia , Zimbabwe , Tanzania , Kenya , Uganda , and gorilla trekking in Rwanda .

Hopefully, your safari luggage will keep you returning to Africa and experience as many incredible safaris as possible.

About The Author

Editorial Team

Related posts.

African safari packing list – What to bring on a trip to Africa

Best safari clothing: brands, clothes & tips for African safaris

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• First Year Products

The best baby bean bags 2023

rucomfy Beanbags Gaga Baby Bean Bag

mama baba baby bean bag snuggle bed

Personalised Baby Bean Bag Gift Pack

BANBALOO – Newborn baby cushion

Baby bean bag chair

Snug Oat Gaga Baby Bean Bag

GaGa Luxury Cuddlesoft Pre-Filled Washable Baby Bean Bag - Safari

For babies that can't get comfy in traditional bouncers and rockers, a baby bean bag could be the perfect solution. Comfy and supportive, they provide the perfect place to lay your little one down safely and securely.

Not only are they great for posture and supporting your baby, but they're also easily portable which is great for travel and moving from room to room. They're also easier to clean as you can often pop the cover in the washing machine for a good thorough wash, unlike some baby bouncers and rockers which can be trickier to clean.

Best baby bean bags shortlist

• Best baby bean bag for warmth: Snug Oat Gaga Baby Bean Bag – Buy now at Amazon • Best for soothing colic and acid reflux: rucomfy Beanbags Gaga Baby Bean Bag – Buy now at Amazon • Best personalised baby bean bag: Personalised Baby Bean Bag Gift Pack – Buy now at Etsy

A baby bean bag is often filled with dried beans or polystyrene balls. They mould to your baby's shape and size, making them feel comforted and snug. Some newborn bean bags also come with an adjustable safety harness - ideal for when they start to wriggle about!

The best baby bean bags for your nursery

1. rucomfy beanbags gaga baby bean bag, best for soothing colic and acid reflux.

Also available in pink and grey, this adorable star patterned baby bean bag from rucomfy is perfect for newborns aged 0-6 months. Designed with a concealed zip, it's made from 100 per cent polyester and can be easily removed and washed, so you can keep your little ones beanbag clean and fresh. The beads are designed to mould around your baby to help prevent flat head syndrome .

Review: "Helped so much, gone from a crying and screaming baby (also used a warm wheat bag) - within 20 minutes he was burping (huge burps) to a happy kicking baby - which then resulted with huge trumps - a settled baby 🥳🥳🥳 and a relived mum"

• Good for acid reflux and colic
• Comfortable cosy soft material
• Some parents were concerned about the bag tilting

2. mama baba baby bean bag snuggle bed

Most durable.

This pre-filled bean bag is made from a cosy soft velvet and the base is made from a PVC coated waterproof polyester which is strong and durable and very importantly wipe clean. Measuring 73cm (L) x 55cm (W) x 40cm (H) approx. It can be used from birth up to 9 months to give your new baby a comfy, cosy place to rest, secured in a harness.

The baby bean bag comes with a unique safety feature, where the zipper tag has been removed to prevent your child from accessing the filling material to prevent choking. A paper clip (provided) is required to release the zipper lock for opening the bean bag for grown-ups. It also features a double stitched seam for durability and to avoid spillages of beans.

Grandparent review: "Ordered the baby bean bag bed for newborn. It's perfect! Our grandson is so relaxed on it. Had one before for granddaughter. They wash fabulous and keep their shape well worth the money."

• Safety features
• Limited choice of designs

3. Personalised Baby Bean Bag Gift Pack

Best personalised baby bean bag.

www.etsy.com

A beautiful and unique gift for any new baby, this gift pack comprises a lovely soft bean bag with two washable covers, one with 3 point safety harness for babies up to 1 year old, and the other for when baby becomes a toddler. These covers can be personalised to match a selection of accessories including a rounded bib, comforter, hat, bandana, and cute booties. The seat material is luxuriously soft with velvet while the base material is a PVC coated polyester that's waterproof, strong, durable, and wipe clean.

**Review: "**Lovely gift for new baby, arrived quickly considering it was personalised. Parents were very grateful as she wouldn’t sleep in the day but as soon as she lay on this was fast asleep. So soft and good quality"

• Can be personalised
• Makes a lovely gift
• Limited colour choice

4. BANBALOO – Newborn baby cushion

Best for multi-use.

This is more of a stylish cushion rather than a bean bag, but it serves a similar purpose and would look great for baby photoshoots. If you do go for this option be aware that it doesn't include a harness so should only be used when the baby is under supervision. Available in yellow and grey, it's a great multi-use option, perfect for play, picnics, crawling, tummy time and lounging.

Review: "My daughter is now 8 weeks old and I honestly wish I bought it sooner. Not only does it make reading and singing to her easier but she's also settling in it by herself (she doesn't usually settle unless someone is holding her, she's a fussy baby 😅). I also really like how soft it is, and how easy it is to fasten and tighten. Definitely recommend if you have a baby that doesn't like being put down like mine. Life saver"

• Hypoallergenic
• Easy to transport
• Not very firm

5. Baby bean bag chair

Best for growing with your baby.

www.wayfair.co.uk

Let your little bundle of joy lie comfortably with this cute baby bean bag lounger. This bean bag includes an adjustable 3-point safety strap to keep your baby safe and secure and a reversible washable zip-off cover which can then be removed making the bean bag suitable for toddlers. Ideal for baby's who suffer with baby reflux, it's a firm cushion that supports their posture as they grow.

Review: "The bean bag was a present for our new great grandchild due in October. The delivery was so quick and our granddaughter is so pleased with it, as she nor us had seen one before."

• Easy to wash
• Lightweight
• Doesn't last very long past the newborn stage

6. Snug Oat Gaga Baby Bean Bag

Best baby bean bag for warmth.

We love the super cosy design of this beanbag and think it would look super stylish in every home. These bean bags fully support your baby’s body, ensuring they are comfortable and content whilst resting. The bean bag is made in the UK with an adjustable safety harness to keep baby secure. The machine washable cover is great for cleaning any accidents with ease and it's suitable for newborns up to 6 months. The soft fleece adds extra warmth and comfort making it ideal for winter. Mum review: "Super cosy and comfy! Can’t wait to have my little one in this! Great quality of material, will definitely be buying from here again!"

• Warm and cosy design
• Not ideal for bigger babies

7. GaGa Luxury Cuddlesoft Pre-Filled Washable Baby Bean Bag - Safari

Best safari themed bean bag.

www.rucomfybeanbags.co.uk

With a bold pattern of jungle leaves, trees and safari animals, this colourful Safari Gaga+ will look great in any home or safari-themed bedroom or nursery.

Filled with thousands of beans, this beanbag will mould to the shape of your newborn and the harness will keep them securely in place. Once your little one reaches toddler age, you can detach the harness, giving this bean bag great longevity as bean bag they can use for years. The Safari Gaga is covered in snuggly white cuddle soft fabric, with a water resistant layer, protecting the beanbag from any little accidents. The cover of this bean bag is machine washable for easy cleaning and you can even personalise your bean bag for an extra £5 if you wish.

Review: "Really pleased with this bean bag which is for my second grandchild due shortly. Fast delivery and excellent customer service."

• Limited designs

Are baby bean bags safe?

As long as you purchase a bean bag that is specifically designed for babies, they are perfectly safe to use. Baby bean bags are firmer than normal bean bags, with a flatter surface area, so there is little risk of your child rolling over and struggling to breathe. Having said this, you should never leave baby unattended in a baby bean bag.

Baby bean bags also feature adjustable straps or a harness, helping to keep your baby in place, but you should never lift or move the bean bag with the baby inside.

It is important that you do not leave your baby unattended in the bean bag - it is a handy and comfortable place to pop them while you're busy in the same room, or for them to relax and watch TV but they are not designed for sleep. Baby bean bags are suitable for short, supervised times during the day and are not designed for sleeping or lounging in for long periods, similar to a baby sleep nest .

The benefits of baby bean bags

Support   and comfort:  Anyone who has sat in a bean bag knows how comfy they are, and how they mould to fit the body. They're soft as well as supportive, providing that perfect middle ground. They also help keep your baby upright and can prevent flat head and acid reflux.

Portable:  Let's face it, a lot of baby bouncers can be a pain to carry and move around the home. Bean bags are light, easy to transport, and you don't have to worry about damaging your walls when you're trying to manoeuvre them up the stairs.

Easy to clean:  Lots of baby bean bags have wipe-clean surfaces or removable outer layers that can go straight in the wash when your baby creates a mess.

Multi-functional and stylish:  Another downside of bouncers is that when your baby grows out of them, that's it - another bulky item to go up in the loft or to try to sell on eBay so you can clear the clutter and actually move in your own house again. But bean bags have a much longer shelf life than a lot of newborn nursery products. Often the straps are removable, so your child can continue to use their bean bag as they grow, as a comfy reading chair in their room, or perhaps a snuggly spot to store some of their favourite teddies. They're a useful spot for adults to perch too, and could even be used as a footrest! Available in a range of patterns, you're sure to find one that suits your home and your child's nursery decor.

About the author

Lorna White is the Senior Digital Writer at Mother&Baby . After running the Yours magazine website, specialising in content about caring for kids and grandchildren, she has now brought her expertise to the UK's #1 leading pregnancy and parenting website. After graduating with a First Class Degree in Journalism, Lorna enjoys writing about a huge range of topics to help parents and babies. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two young sisters, dog walking and enjoying the outdoors with her family.

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Featured Reviews for Landscapers & Landscaping Companies in Elektrostal'

• Reach out to the pro(s) you want, then share your vision to get the ball rolling.
• Request and compare quotes, then hire the Landscape Contractor that perfectly fits your project and budget limits.

Landscapers are professionals who provide a range of services to enhance and maintain outdoor spaces. They may collaborate with landscape architects or designers who handle the initial conceptualization and detailed planning of landscape projects. Here is an overview of what landscapers can do for you in Elektrostal':

• Designing outdoor spaces to enhance their appearance and functionality.
• Choosing and planting various plants, trees, and flowers.
• Building pathways, patios, walls, and fences.
• Creating and installing water features like fountains, ponds, or waterfalls.
• Designing and installing irrigation systems for efficient watering.
• Adding lights to improve the aesthetics and safety at night.
• Maintaining lawns through mowing, fertilizing, and weed control.
• Decorating outdoor spaces with seasonal plants and decorations.
• Upgrading and improving existing landscapes.

Tipping your landscaper is a thoughtful way to appreciate their hard work. While not mandatory, it fosters a positive relationship. The recommended tip ranges from $15 to $50 per person, depending on the size of work and service quality. Consider your budget, job complexity, and any company tipping policies. For the usual amount in Elektrostal' in your neighborhood, you could ask neighbors or the company representatives.

What does an Elektrostal' landscape contractor do?

Questions to ask a prospective exterior landscaping companies in elektrostal', moscow oblast, russia:.

If you search for Landscape Contractors near me you'll be sure to find a business that knows all about the latest trends and styles for outdoor spaces, ensuring garden aesthetics, human enjoyment, safety, and ecosystem-plant community sustainability.

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