momofmany

We leave for our A&K safari on Oct3rd. Just received word that the 21lbs weigh limit for luggage has been upped to 44lbs. Unfortunately, they are adamant about it including all photographic equipment. I have read here that most "Fodorites" wear their binocs/cameras/extra batteries/etc. for weigh in. Will they 'check your pockets?' I got my husband a great vest(not the famed Rocco vest but close), his small laptop even fits in the back pocket. Do you think we can get away with doing this?

22 days and counting....(FYI this is our first safari, camps are Eagle Island, Chobe Chilwero and Victoria falls hotel, then off to a bus. meeting in CapeTown)

Love this forum!

momofmany

sandi

Can't comment on the weight change for once in Africa, but as far as putting stuff in your pockets... check with your Int'l carrier, as most aren't allowing pax to board with anything in their pockets.

Bill_H

Momo, for large planes we've had no problems carrying cameras around our necks and stuffing lenses and cameras in photo vest pockets to avoid the weight limit. This is a well-known loophole.

For small planes this won't work, they'll weigh everything carefully since the margin for error is much less. We've faced this many times in Alaska and central America.

As for Sandi's comment about carrying nothing in your pockets, this seems to be true for England but not elsewhere and hopefully it's short term for England.

Bill

santharamhari

Hi! I'm sure these camps you mentioned has a daily laundry service so, you dont need to carry too much

Hari

cindysafari

I'm confused...we were told there was a 30 lb luggage weight limit, per person, not including our camera gear. Isn't this accurate? I'm counting on that..
Cindy

matnikstym

I've never had my backpack weighed on any of the small flights in Zambia, and they only weighed the duffels once for the first flight. Stakerk just wrote in his report his carryons were never weighed either while in Kenya.

sandi

cindy -

First of all momofmany is going to Southern Africa and these change may pertain to their particular itinerary. Assume they're arriving JNB. From JNB to VFA is in a big plane; from VFA to Chilwero likely to be a road transfer... it's only 1/hr to the Botswana border and then about 30-min drive to Chilwero. Not sure about the transfer to Eagle Island.

So, for you Cindy, to East Africa - 33/lbs. Your bags will be weighed at point of your first flight where if combined main bag and carryon are over the 33/lbs they may ask for an additional fee. They'll often weight all the bags for those in the party, so if one of you is heavier than the other, the one with less will be to your advantage. Your camera equipment, isn't weighed and should go with you in the cabin.