Botswana safari packing: prepare for your actual itinerary

A practical list for Chobe boats, safari vehicles, mokoro walks and onward transfers.

Pack for the booked activity

A day in a safari vehicle, a river cruise and a mokoro walk use different equipment. Start with the provider’s requirements and your participation conditions. Bring only what you can carry and protect during that experience. This guide is a planning aid: it does not replace the operator’s briefing or advice tailored to an individual traveller.

Clothing and footwear

Pack comfortable closed shoes for the walking portions and a sun hat that stays in place. Lightweight clothing and a warmer layer help with changing temperatures between an early pickup and an afternoon outing. Add weather protection suited to your dates. Avoid treating an open-vehicle safari as a climate-controlled transfer. Confirm any specific clothing requirements before you leave.

Documents and local payments

Keep identification and the booking confirmation accessible, with an offline copy of pickup instructions. Check entry requirements through Botswana’s official immigration sources for your nationality and itinerary. A tour starting in Kasane does not automatically include border crossings from Zimbabwe or Zambia. Confirm the amount, accepted currency and method for excluded park charges; a supplier’s dollar equivalent is not a universal government tariff.

Water, sun and personal essentials

Carry water according to the provider’s instructions even when bottled water is listed as included. Plan sun protection and insect protection appropriate to your own circumstances, and keep personal medication available. For health questions and individual precautions, obtain qualified travel-health advice. Do not assume that an activity includes medical cover or that buying a tour replaces travel insurance.

Camera and water protection

A protective bag helps shield a camera or phone from dust, spray and rain. Keep straps secure and avoid loose equipment around a small canoe. A power bank can be useful for a long day, provided it can be carried under your transport rules. Do not pack a drone on the assumption that it is allowed: the selected mokoro and Moremi suppliers prohibit it.

Luggage and final checks

Day trips usually call for a compact bag; the selected Moremi offer prohibits large luggage. Camps reached by light aircraft may have different baggage limits and soft-bag requirements, which must be checked with the actual carrier. Before departure, confirm pickup, included food, dietary needs and the return connection. Follow the guide’s instructions and keep a respectful distance from wildlife.

Sources checked on 13 October 2026

UNESCO — Okavango Delta · Botswana Tourism Organisation · GetYourGuide 604726 · GetYourGuide 853304