You’ve been imagining your dream wedding, and honeymoon to Africa ever since you were a little girl. Every detail from the dress to the cake design, reception colors to the music, and invitations to then parting gifts are decided. But when it comes time to do the actual planning, it can seem a bit overwhelming – especially when you have to prepare for your honeymoon to Africa on top of preparations for the big wedding day.
But preparing for a honeymoon to Africa should be exciting, not stressful. So how can you avoid the stress of packing that seems nearly impossible to eliminate?
With the right packing tips (and breathing rituals) the only emotion you’ll feel prior to your honeymoon to Africa is sheer excitement! Rest assured that with the below packing tips, you’ll be relaxed and ready for your trip of a lifetime in the few weeks leading up to your departure.
Packing tips:
- Clothing: Whether you plan on partaking in walking safaris, canoe safaris, or game drives during your stay in Africa,
long-sleeve shirts and pants are essential to prevent bugs, small scratches (walking safaris), and sunburns. If you are traveling to Africa in the summer months, a rule of thumb is to bring light-cotton clothing, and if you’re traveling
to Africa in the winter, bring heavier items in addition to a few lighter items so that you can remove layers if necessary.For each item you choose to put in your suitcase, ask yourself: Is it comfortable and semi-casual/casual? Is it a neutral color? (Bright colors and white alert the animals; therefore, stick to basic colors such as khaki, tan, brown, off-white, forest green, etc). - Toiletries: No need to worry about packing bulky sunscreen or bug spraymost luxury accommodations offer guests these toiletries as well as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and body lotion. But some things you want to make sure not to forget include the following: Toothbrush/tooth paste, Deodorant, Hairbrushes, Hair ties, Disposable shavers, Tweezers.
- Documents: If you’re a U.S. citizen, South Africa doesn’t require you to have a visa. It’s crucial for you to have at least two blank pages per entry into South Africa for entry stamping. It’s also a requirement that your passport be valid for 6 months after date of travel. Before you leave for your trip to Africa, make two copies of your passport and driver’s license. Take your original documents and a copy of your passport & driver’s license and give the other copy of these items to a responsible and readily available individual at home. Also leave a copy of your itinerary with this person so that they can contact you if an emergency should arise.
- Money: Most establishments accept international credit cards as a standard form of payment. Major international credit cards such as VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club are accepted throughout the region, with VISA being the most widely used. In addition, ATMs are easily accessible in all major cities. The U.S. dollar is accepted at many safari accommodations.
- Medications: If you are in a malaria-prone region, be sure to bring necessary antibiotics / medications to prevent against the disease. Your doctor can advise you on / prescribe you with malaria prevention medications and any other vaccinations you might need—depending on the country you are visiting. Notify your doctor in advance of countries you will be traveling to before making an appointment to get vaccinations. This will ensure that you only need to make one trip to the doctor’s office prior to departure.
Now you can get back to planning your wedding!
Sandy Salle is a native of Zimbabwe and was born and raised in Southern Africa. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Hills of Africa, a top provider of customized, luxury safari vacations, and is passionate about using her first-hand knowledge of Africa to create the trip of a lifetime for her clients. Sandy travels home to Africa several times a year and believes that the next best thing to living in Africa is sharing it with others.
