Packing for any vacation can be stressful. But packing for the Mara needn't be. Here are a few things I've learned over the years to make things simpler. First, you need much less clothing than you think. Most camps have complimentary daily laundry, so think mix and match and pack light. You do NOT need special safari clothes or hiking boots. Save your money. Having purchased a full wardrobe of camping/safari clothing, I can tell you that I use none of these today. Comfortable is the only criteria. Anything you normally wear will do just fine. For men, light-weight pants and shorts, flip-flops and a pair of closed-toe shoes like sneakers are great. For women, the same, or you can bring leggings in place of pants. At home I love wearing leggings, cotton work-out tops, slip-on sneakers, flip-flops, and hoodies. This is my wardrobe in the Mara too, with the addition of a rain coat, neck scarf, and a warm jacket. Days in the Mara are comfortably warm.
Nights and early mornings can be a bit chilly, thus extra layers are the perfect solution. I pack a few lightweight, oversized scarves for sun protection on my shoulders and a warm poncho or wrap as an extra layer in the mornings and evenings. I would also pack an assortment of over the counter remedies like powdered electrolytes, antidiarrheal tablets, pain reliever, topical anti-itch cream, Benadryl or allergy medication, and aloe vera gel in case you forget to wear your sunscreen. You will probably need to use none of these, but it's comforting to have them on hand just in case. Add in pajamas, slippers for chilly mornings, a hat for the sun, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, your medications, and you are good to go. At Mara Napa we have universal electrical plugs, so adapters are unnecessary, but pick yourself up a few universal adapters in case your camp is not fitted with them. Voila! No more packing stress. See you in the Mara!
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