“The weight of luggage is very limited on the small aircrafts that fly in Africa: 44 pounds per person in soft duffels for Southern Africa, 33 pounds per checked bag, per person, for East Africa. The most important thing is to forgo wheels on your luggage as they add about eight to 12 pounds, where if you have a lightweight duffel without wheels, you have so much more weight for clothing and shoes.”—Nina Wennersten, co-owner of Hippo Creek Safaris

“Your [carry-on] should contain medications and necessary items in the event your checked bag is lost or delayed. A backpack is recommended for gorilla tracking.”—Linda Friedman, CEO of Custom Safaris

For more luggage tips, check out our round-up of the The Best Safari Luggage.

“Pack very minimal and lightweight, earth-toned clothing. Since most camps provide laundry services, packing light should be easy (think three to four outfits). It’s always good to pack a windbreaker or fleece, as the night game drives can be cool.”—Sarah Taylor, special projects coordinator at Africa Adventure Company

“Khaki and tan are the preferred colors when going on a game walk, but most of the time in East Africa, you are in a safari vehicle and can wear jeans/shorts with T-shirts in almost all colors. However, avoid shirts that are purple, red or royal blue—bright colors seem to make the animals shy away. Biting insects like tse-tse flies are attracted to striped patterns of royal blue and black, so don’t wear this combination if possible.”—N.W.

“[Bring] a bandana, which, when dipped in water, is very refreshing around your neck when it’s warm out. When chilly, definitely bring a hat, warm scarf or pashmina, and gloves or mittens.”—Phoebe Weinberg, president of Greatways Travel, Inc