Tickets are booked and the outfits are ready – the international trip of your dreams is all set to be a reality. But if there’s anything that gives most travelers a headache, it has to be packing suitcases and readying luggage. Packing for an international trip is often stress-inducing,
What if you forget to pack a certain item?
What if you forget to stuff that favorite dress of yours?
Where’s the toiletries bag? Did you pack it?
Worry not friends, team unstumbled, as always, is here to your rescue! If you’re planning a trip to Kenya, let us help you out by giving you a complete packing list! The question: “What to pack for Kenya?” is about to get an answer, so sit back and keep reading!
What To Pack For Kenya? A Complete Guide For Travelers Visiting Kenya
Before we deep dive into the packing list, we advise you to take a note of the season you’ll visit Kenya in. Kenya, unlike India, has its summers from December to March. From March to June, the country experiences what it calls the long rains’. After the rain precedes, the cool, ideal season to explore Kenya begins and lasts till about September. Then, rains arrive again for a brief period of time, hardly until October – Kenyans call it the ‘short rains’.
We recommend you visit Kenya between June and September. This is when the weather is sunny and pleasant but not too hot or dry. You have a great chance of encountering a variety of wildlife too during this season. Plus, with no rainfall or extreme heat/cold, this season is perfect for exploring Kenya without worrying about the moody weather.
Packing List For Kenya: Clothing, Documents, Electronic Devices, And More
Clothing
- Pack light, mostly cotton clothes. Carry a woollen/fleece jacket or scarf to protect yourself from the cold, but don’t pack too many bulky pieces of clothing.
- Avoid bright colors on days you’re planning to go for safari rides. Bright colors usually distract the wildlife, as a result, you’ll not be able to view them in their natural habitat.
- Based on the number of days you intend to spend in Kenya, pack your daily clothes. To save space, go for versatile mix-and-match pieces of clothing and use packing cubes or vacuum sealed bags.
- Carry a cap or a hat without fail to protect yourself from the harsh sun and your hair from dust. Also, carry a mask to protect your face from dust, especially when on a safari ride.
Shoes
- Carry two pairs of shoes – a heavy-duty one for your outdoor activities and a pair of flip flops or any other comfortable footwear.
- On your safari days or days when you’ll engage in more physically strenuous activities, we recommend going for the heavy-duty shoes.
- On more casual days like a beach day or strolling through the markets, flip flops and other comfortable footwear can do the job.
Toiletries And Medicine
- Carry all your toiletries in a small pouch or bag. Instead of carrying entire bottles of toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, etc, go for compact, travel-sized bottles.
- If you or someone in your family is on medication, carry all the necessary medicine that will be sufficient for the number of days you’re visiting Kenya. Properly label the medicine and carry it all in a small pouch or box instead of just shoving individual medicine packets/pouches in your bags. Also, keep your medicine pouch in the carry-on/shoulder bag for added convenience.
- Here’s a handy checklist for your toiletries:
- Shampoo and conditioner.
- Body cream and shower gel.
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss.
- Skincare essentials like toner, moisturizer, make-up remover, exfoliating lotion, and a high SPF sunscreen.
- Menstrual hygiene products like sanitary pads, menstrual cups, and tampons.
Electronic Gadgets And Other Devices
Packing electronic gadgets can be tricky – forget one small component of a device and you’re in an instant dilemma. But worry not, here is a handy checklist for you to make sure that you do not make such silly mistakes!
- Camera equipment: Camera, additional lenses, tripod, batteries, memory cards, travel adapter (if any).
- Power bank and charging cables compatible with your phone model.
- A universal travel adapter.
- Headphones – after all, how can you miss out on good music by your side?
- Flashlight or headlight.
- Good-quality binoculars.
Essential Documents
Carry original documents as well as photocopies of documents like your Yellow Fever certificate and identification documents. Carry all documents neatly in a file and try to keep the file handy. Here are all the documents you must pack without fail:
- Valid passport.
- Electronic travel authorization (keep a printed copy as well as an electronic copy).
- Yellow Fever certificate.
- Travel insurance documents (not mandatory but highly recommended).
Summing Up
If you were confused about what to pack for Kenya, we hope our handy little guide helps you out! Keep a checklist by your side while packing and tick off things in the list as you pack it in your luggage. That way, you’ll be less likely to miss out on something essential during your trip.
