Packing help - Namibia and Zambia
Apr 14th, 2006, 10:23 AM
#1
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Packing help - Namibia and Zambia
I've been reading the great post from the people who will be leaving for Africa in 6 weeks and just realized that I will be leaving in 8 1/2 weeks (which sounds MUCH closer than June 18 - eeck!). I wondered if anyone had specific tips for Namibia and Victoria Falls at that time of year? I've taken copious notes from various posts, and, based on those, I've made piles of things that I think I need - periodically I stuff them in my duffle and take it to my in-laws' house to weigh, then either add or take away from the piles once I get them home and separated again. Only problem is, my piles are in my oldest son's room and he's coming home for April break tomorrow - so I've got to get my stuff out of his room. One thing, we're Floridians and I think 75 is pretty chily, so I'm worrried about the cold weather. Also, it sounds like Zambia will be much warmer - is that true?
Apr 14th, 2006, 11:21 AM
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Livingstone should be very chilly at night in mid June. It is in the far southern part of Zambia, while someplace like South Luangwa is 1,000 miles north. Go up 1,000 miles from where you live and use mid-December weather for this application, and it will show you the potential difference in weather.
Apr 16th, 2006, 04:20 PM
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Isn't that the truth? We went to Lake Konstanz 3 (?) years ago at the beginning of that awful heat wave. I had mainly packed light weight long pants and long sleeved stuff (we were going from there to a transatlantic crossing - where I did need it), but thank goodness stuck in a pair of shorts and 2 short sleeved shirts at the last minute. I washed them every night - and thanked God that everyone dressed caually. I never imagined I would walk through the Alps and be that unbearably hot!
Apr 22nd, 2006, 07:38 PM
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Here are my tips (I'm also going in June to Namibia and Botswana -where will you be in Namibia?).
Take seriously the recommendations for bringing warm sweaters and winter parkas. We thought layers would do the trick, but we froze (July 2004 and 2005), in spite of wearing everything plus the ponchos provided in the vehicles. (Some ponchos are heavy and flannel-lined but others are flimsy windbreakers, so don’t count on them.) Remember there is absolutely no heat in the tents, so it will be freezing when you wake up. Pack a knit hat to wear in bed. Take warm gloves. For men, a balaclava such as those found in ski shops is nice (it covers your neck and lower face). Bring flannel pajamas or better, a sweat suit to sleep in, plus socks to keep in your bed so they don’t get dirty. We hoped to find a warm fleece or sweatshirt to buy but didn’t find any until the last camp. Make sure your clothes protect your face too; otherwise bring a scarf because there is a cold bitter breeze when driving in the early morning and after sunset. Having said all that, it gets nice and hot about an hour after sunrise, so you'll soon be peeling off those clothes.
--Although it is true that you can get by with a pair of gym shoes as recommended on many web sites, my strong recommendation is BRING THOSE HIKING SHOES. Not only are they warmer, but far more practical. In our group, gym shoes melted in the camp fires, an acacia thorn pierced right through the sole of my daughter’s shoe, and the gym shoes became so filthy with dust and dung that they were thrown out at the end of the trip. My hikers looked good with all the dirt! That’s what they’re made for. --Bring crew socks rather than the fashionable no-shows. Burrs, insect bites and the cold are all worse if ankles are bare.
--Burrs: Grass burrs will get all over everything, especially knits and micro-fleece. The best pants are heavy cotton canvas, which is what the guides wear. Heavy polyesters and jeans are also OK. The convertible pants that zip off to form shorts are practical, but make sure they’re not too thin. Do not wear nylon pants if doing a walking safari because perspiration will become very uncomfortable and can cause a rash on your thighs. Also don’t bring tight-fitting pants because you will gain weight from all the delicious food.
--No one dresses for dinner and it’s common to wear your coat while you eat.
MY CURRENT PACKING LIST
**2 heavy duty pants, comfortable and loose
**2 warm shirts such as a turtleneck and a long-sleeved microfleece shirt
**1 pair of capris or shorts
**3 pairs long sturdy socks
**Flannel pjs or a sweat suit for bed
**1 very warm sweater/hooded sweatshirt
**Winter coat
**Gloves
**Knit hat
**Sun hat w/long visor/brim - needed for early morning and late afternoon drives when sun is in your eyes
**Teva-type sandals. Sandals will get instantly dusty so don’t bring nice ones.
**Hiking boots
**Good polarized sunglasses and neck strap, since you will be jerking them off and on to take pictures.
**Ponytail holders
**LOTS of Chapstick and moisturizing eye drops
**An old watch impervious to repellant and dust
**Prescription glasses. Your contacts will cause you lots of trouble due to dust.
**Nail brush - amazing how filthy your nails get.
**If you have thick or problem hair, the shampoo and conditioner supplied will not be sufficient. They are of low quality. Personally, I’d bring my own conditioner.
**Your own small but powerful flashlight. You are usually given a torch (large flashlight) to take back to your room after dinner but these are powered by the generators and often cast only weak light and burned out quickly. If you use the toilet at night or need to access your pack for anything like medicines, you’ll need a good light to keep beside your bed.
**Small mesh sponge for bath. Easy to dry out and bring along. Some camps did not supply washcloths.
**Sunscreen.
**Binoculars
**Cards or a book for down time. Some people wrote a lot in journals.
**Your favorite treatment for the common cold such as decongestant and cough medicine, as well as a pain reliever. If the plane ride doesn’t get you, the cold weather will!
**Anti-itch, anti-bacterial, anti-histamine creams for bites, cuts and sores.
**Eye drops if you tend to get dry eyes or if dust bothers you
**Bring a waterproof camera for the falls
THINGS I WOULD LEAVE HOME NEXT TIME:
--Swimsuit. No way! Frigid water.
--Travel alarm. The staff will wake you.
--Water treatment tablets. The water was fine.
--Hair gels and styling products.
--Make-up - forget it!
--Repellent was always supplied in the tent and on the vehicles. I did like mine though because I brought small one-use packets which were easy to carry around and no spraying involved.
Take seriously the recommendations for bringing warm sweaters and winter parkas. We thought layers would do the trick, but we froze (July 2004 and 2005), in spite of wearing everything plus the ponchos provided in the vehicles. (Some ponchos are heavy and flannel-lined but others are flimsy windbreakers, so don’t count on them.) Remember there is absolutely no heat in the tents, so it will be freezing when you wake up. Pack a knit hat to wear in bed. Take warm gloves. For men, a balaclava such as those found in ski shops is nice (it covers your neck and lower face). Bring flannel pajamas or better, a sweat suit to sleep in, plus socks to keep in your bed so they don’t get dirty. We hoped to find a warm fleece or sweatshirt to buy but didn’t find any until the last camp. Make sure your clothes protect your face too; otherwise bring a scarf because there is a cold bitter breeze when driving in the early morning and after sunset. Having said all that, it gets nice and hot about an hour after sunrise, so you'll soon be peeling off those clothes.
--Although it is true that you can get by with a pair of gym shoes as recommended on many web sites, my strong recommendation is BRING THOSE HIKING SHOES. Not only are they warmer, but far more practical. In our group, gym shoes melted in the camp fires, an acacia thorn pierced right through the sole of my daughter’s shoe, and the gym shoes became so filthy with dust and dung that they were thrown out at the end of the trip. My hikers looked good with all the dirt! That’s what they’re made for. --Bring crew socks rather than the fashionable no-shows. Burrs, insect bites and the cold are all worse if ankles are bare.
--Burrs: Grass burrs will get all over everything, especially knits and micro-fleece. The best pants are heavy cotton canvas, which is what the guides wear. Heavy polyesters and jeans are also OK. The convertible pants that zip off to form shorts are practical, but make sure they’re not too thin. Do not wear nylon pants if doing a walking safari because perspiration will become very uncomfortable and can cause a rash on your thighs. Also don’t bring tight-fitting pants because you will gain weight from all the delicious food.
--No one dresses for dinner and it’s common to wear your coat while you eat.
MY CURRENT PACKING LIST
**2 heavy duty pants, comfortable and loose
**2 warm shirts such as a turtleneck and a long-sleeved microfleece shirt
**1 pair of capris or shorts
**3 pairs long sturdy socks
**Flannel pjs or a sweat suit for bed
**1 very warm sweater/hooded sweatshirt
**Winter coat
**Gloves
**Knit hat
**Sun hat w/long visor/brim - needed for early morning and late afternoon drives when sun is in your eyes
**Teva-type sandals. Sandals will get instantly dusty so don’t bring nice ones.
**Hiking boots
**Good polarized sunglasses and neck strap, since you will be jerking them off and on to take pictures.
**Ponytail holders
**LOTS of Chapstick and moisturizing eye drops
**An old watch impervious to repellant and dust
**Prescription glasses. Your contacts will cause you lots of trouble due to dust.
**Nail brush - amazing how filthy your nails get.
**If you have thick or problem hair, the shampoo and conditioner supplied will not be sufficient. They are of low quality. Personally, I’d bring my own conditioner.
**Your own small but powerful flashlight. You are usually given a torch (large flashlight) to take back to your room after dinner but these are powered by the generators and often cast only weak light and burned out quickly. If you use the toilet at night or need to access your pack for anything like medicines, you’ll need a good light to keep beside your bed.
**Small mesh sponge for bath. Easy to dry out and bring along. Some camps did not supply washcloths.
**Sunscreen.
**Binoculars
**Cards or a book for down time. Some people wrote a lot in journals.
**Your favorite treatment for the common cold such as decongestant and cough medicine, as well as a pain reliever. If the plane ride doesn’t get you, the cold weather will!
**Anti-itch, anti-bacterial, anti-histamine creams for bites, cuts and sores.
**Eye drops if you tend to get dry eyes or if dust bothers you
**Bring a waterproof camera for the falls
THINGS I WOULD LEAVE HOME NEXT TIME:
--Swimsuit. No way! Frigid water.
--Travel alarm. The staff will wake you.
--Water treatment tablets. The water was fine.
--Hair gels and styling products.
--Make-up - forget it!
--Repellent was always supplied in the tent and on the vehicles. I did like mine though because I brought small one-use packets which were easy to carry around and no spraying involved.
May 8th, 2006, 06:32 AM
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adeewebstr
I just noticed the last sentence of your post, and YES it was much warmer in Zambia! I should have said so. We could finally sleep in very lightweight p.j.'s. I still wore my winter coat during the early and late portions of the game drives but all in all it was much warmer.
I just noticed the last sentence of your post, and YES it was much warmer in Zambia! I should have said so. We could finally sleep in very lightweight p.j.'s. I still wore my winter coat during the early and late portions of the game drives but all in all it was much warmer.
May 8th, 2006, 02:21 PM
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Lin - absolutely agree with you list of what not to bring.
Bring nose spray if you have allergies or asthma - couldn't find it anywhere in Namibia and it made it difficult. Also did not need bug spray.
Bring one or two pairs of warm socks and sweats to wear at night.
Bring rope and soap for laundry. Hand-washing dries within hours because it is so dry (unless along coast).
Bring layers and one nice warm fleece. Lots of sunscreen. My arms burned through the car window!
Don't forget binoculars. No makeup or hair products - just a comb.
Bring nose spray if you have allergies or asthma - couldn't find it anywhere in Namibia and it made it difficult. Also did not need bug spray.
Bring one or two pairs of warm socks and sweats to wear at night.
Bring rope and soap for laundry. Hand-washing dries within hours because it is so dry (unless along coast).
Bring layers and one nice warm fleece. Lots of sunscreen. My arms burned through the car window!
Don't forget binoculars. No makeup or hair products - just a comb.
