afrigalah

To help ID my bag years ago, I spray painted a motif on it with auto duco. I've used the same bag for nearly every safari and it's still going strong. No extra straps needed and absolutely no chance of another bag bearing identical markings.

John

HariS

good idea, john....

QueenofDaNile

We flew Moremi last May and the weight limit was 12kg (26.4 lbs) and that's what their web site still says. We used various sizes & brightly colored, monogramed LL Bean adventure duffles-no wheels needed. Don't use locks as they could be broken off by security as our were when we got separated from our bags between Maun, Jburg & JFK. TSA locks are good primarily in US & UK. Use cable ties that can be cut off by security if necessary and by the passenger with small, file free nail clippers.

Ericka

Our LLBean duffle bags worked great. We bought them specifically for safari but we loved them so much that we use them for all our trips now. The bright colors make them super easy to spot! And they are really durable.

HariS

Thanks, yes....12kgs, it was....not 10kgs!!!

jh6000

Moremiles (or anyone else using REI or Eddie Bauer duffel bags),

I bought a couple of 30" and 24" REI duffel bags yesterday. The prices were good: 30" is just under $30, the 24" is just under $25.00. However, the metal zippers aren't as "solid" as I'd like/would have thought. And, while the material seems adequate, it is (to my memory) perhaps not as thick as the Eddie Bauer duffel (which I will check out today, and which is more expensive). Any feedback from people who have used the REI duffel bags would be appreciated:

Are they more durable than they might appear at first? Or, would you spend the extra money and choose the Eddie Bauer duffel? [I was a little concerned that the exterior zippered pouches on the 30" Eddie Bauer bags might cause them too wide for the small transport planes].


On a related item (day packs):
We found some great day/back packs at The North Face today (they have an Outlet in Berkeley, CA; web site is www.thenorthface.com). Their "Strker" model really appealed to us for the way it keeps weight off the back. Check it out. At the outlet, it was selling for $40 (vs. $60 in stores), and was marked an additional 25% off.

Thanks.

John H.

moremiles

Hi jh6000-we haven't used our REI duffels yet but they seem sufficient for our needs but we don't check them on the int'l flts, just have them folded up in our larger suitcase. For our Botswana trip 4yrs ago, we did the same(different duffels) since we combine some city time with a safari and like to have a big suitcase for bringing back stuff and locking up our laptop. We won't be using the REI duffels until Nov.

jh6000

Thanks for your note, moremiles. We are flying in to Cape Town and doing the safari after that and flying back out from Johannesburg. So, I wasn't thinking we'd have any suitcases at all (just a duffel bag each and a day pack and camera carry-on). Because of that (and mainly because of the limitation on liquids/gels), I have been thinking we'd have to check a bag and the duffel bag would be the item we check. So, that is the main reason I asked. I guess I could see if there's a luggage storage facility in Jo'burg; that would enable me to bring a suitcase for Cape Town that I could check internationally on my flight over. Since we have to lay over in Jo'burg to catch our safari flight, if they have storage facilities I could check the suitcase at Jo'burg's airport and swicth to a duffel for the safari. I could get the suitcase on my way back home while transitting through Jo'burg). I'd rather just have a duffel bag that I knew would survive the trip well, but it is an option.

Thanks.

John

moremiles

Yes, there is a storage facility at JNB and we stored our suitcases/laptop there for 10days while we were on the safari portion of our trip. When we flew back into JNB from V.Falls, we repacked right there at the airport prior to checking in for our int'l trip home. It all worked very well for us. This next trip we'll be doing a similar packing plan but instead leaving a large suitcase in Nairobi to be picked up on our return from Rwanda-we'll again re-pack(this time at a NBO hotel)for our return int'l flt.

ShayTay

For those of you flying between camps in Botswana, be aware that Sefofane and Moremi usually use the 6-seat Cessna 206. The luggage pod underneath the body of the plane is quite small and the opening is only 9.5" by 27". If you plan to take a 30" duffel bag, it will have to be empty enough to be squeezed into the 27" opening.

I use Rick Steves' convertible carry-on bag without the wheels, as the wheels add about 5 lbs. It's the carry-on size of 22 * 14 * 9, which has worked well for me on all my African safaris. On my trip in June, I'll be going to the Swiss Alps, then be on safari for 2 weeks, and finally end up on a beach on Zanzibar, all with this bag and my camera bag. Yes, ladies, it's possible!

jh6000

Hi, ShayTay,

Would your comment apply to camps in the Moremi region or does "Moremi" refer to a charter company? If the latter, would you know if that charter company would serve as Wilderness Safari transport into or out of the Moremi region camps?

Thanks.

John H.

Thanks.

John H.

hills27

John, my TA expressly warned me not to use the storage facilities at JNB. Apparently, they are known for theft problems. However, had we gone back through JNB before our safari, he would have arranged for their local staff to store our luggage for us and bring it back to us before our international flight. You may want to talk to your TA about that option.

Moremiles, really happy to hear you didn't lose that laptop.

jh6000

Thanks for the feedback, mormiles and hills27 -- just more to think about, lol.

John H.

MoiraS

Hi! The North Face outlet is great if you live in the Bay Area. There's also a Travel Smith outlet near there.

We ordered some large custom colored Adventure Duffles from LL Bean...they are HUGE! We won't be able to fill them all the way because of the luggage restrictions but I doubt we'll need to. I am the Queen of Over Packing and I don't think I can fill this bag!!!

Moira

rockabelle

Anybody any suggestions as to where I could buy bags in the UK? (We don't have REI etc).
I'm planning on using a rucksack (the kind you see gap year students etc with), which will hopefully be ok, as it's soft on all the sides, but I need to find a bag for my parents. If anyone has any ideas (of resonably priced bags) I'd be very grateful

ShayTay

Hi John H,

I meant Moremi Air...sorry about that! WS usually uses Sefofane, although we flew Moremi Air to Chitabe last year. I think it's just a matter of scheduling. They both seem to be equally professional outfits. With both companies, we were in the small 6-seat Cessna aircraft.

It would be helpful if WS and the other camps using these planes to transport their guests would not only list the weight limits, but also the measurements of that pod door. I've seen so many people here talking about taking 30" duffels. If they're full, they won't fit and it won't matter how heavy or light they are.

MoiraS

Hi! I saw something about this (can't remember where)...the pod door is only 10 inches tall but inside the pod it's 12 inches.

Moira

mistadobalina

Has anyone tried out some of the hunting/fishing duffel bags? I've never used one, but whenever I see them on TV or in person they seem to have a ton of little compartments for everything (lures/hooks/ammo/who knows). It seems like they might be good for keeping things separate on a safari as well.

Anyone?

ShayTay

Hi Moira,

Yes, the pod is larger inside than the door. You just have to be able to squeeze your bag through the opening. You can see the plane and its specs at:
http://www.sefofane.com/cessna_206.html

emerald013

When we went to Africa on safari (3 weeks: Joburg first, then Botswana, finish off in Capetown), we each had a soft Patagonia backpack/shoulder bag. I believe it was about 20inches; either way, everything fit and was lightweight enough to go on those tiny 4-person planes. Between that and the smaller version of the same bag as a carry-on, we were good to go and carried on all our luggage for our flights. Patagonia makes truly amazing luggage and has a lifetime warranty; it gets broken or mucked up, they replace it for free. Great investments, and functional, especially for safari travel.