We went on our first African safari. Our trip would’ve been better if we’d known these 5 things before we left.

• Bringing a day bag with a portable charger and sunscreen would’ve made our game drives better.
• I wished I’d packed extra clothes in my carry-on bag and planned my layover better.

Several basic items could’ve made the long game rides way more comfortable.

We wanted to change our layover plan and find a nearby hotel or sightseeing excursion instead, but we decided against it after learning Kenya was experiencing a yellow-fever endemic.

Although the potentially fatal disease is preventable by a vaccine, this was one of the few vaccines we didn’t get before our trip because we hadn’t planned on leaving the airport.

If we had, we would’ve seen more of Kenya. Instead, we sat in uncomfortable chairs under bright light for hours.

I wish we hadn’t crammed so much into one week.

We tried to see a lot on our trip, but I wish we’d taken our time and stayed two to three days at each property.

I especially regret spending only one night in the Ngorongoro Crater because we didn’t get to see its famous packs of lions. Animals are on their own schedule, and you can’t control when they will be visible — all you can do is wait.

I also recommend having downtime between each stop to avoid safari burnout. Fortunately, many lodges have pools or relaxing activities like yoga classes.

This story was originally published on September 19, 2024, and most recently updated on July 13, 2026.