Safari Approved Bags

Choosing what type of bag to take on your safari can depend on where you are going, what you are doing (climbing Kilimanjaro or flying in small bush planes) and how long you are staying. Different regions have different luggage requirements and restrictions depending on what type of air transport is being used. Recently rolling duffel bags with a hard bottom frame and wheels have become quite popular. Now while this sort of bag is fine for many safaris, it won't work on most safaris in Botswana and Zambia where the hard frame and wheels can't be squeezed into the tiny luggage compartment in the belly of the Cessna. A traditional duffel bag or a completely soft-sided bag with wheels is appropriate in these situations (see the Swissgear bag below).

On recent Africa trips, we tested three new bags. In addition to two old ones (a true duffel for Kent climbing Kilimanjaro and an old 2nd hand Eddie Bauer duffel). We tested bags from the high, medium and low price ranges. All of these bags qualify as carry-ons and are about the right size for keeping within the strict weight limits of most small plane flights in Africa (33 or 44 pounds per person and a maximum size of 10 inches wide, 12 inches high and 24 inches long).

• Eagle Creek 22-inch Hovercraft model, purchased from Magellen’s via the link on our website’s Safari Shop. It cost $224 plus shipping and weighs 7 lb 6 oz with 2900 cubic inches of storage. We also bought the slightly less expensive 22-inch Load Warrior but returned it because we liked the Hovercraft’s pockets better. Note: This bag is not approved for flying safaris in Botswana or Zambia.

• The Swissgear Zurich 22 inch wheeled duffel. It has a 10-year warranty and was purchased from Target for $89. This is a true rolling duffel in that is can be packed down - there's no frame so this bag is ideal for flying safaris in Southern Africa. We don’t know the total capacity and can’t find it anywhere on the internet, but it looks about the same as the others.

• A Samsonite 22-inch wheeled duffel. This bag looks cheap and only cost $49 from a variety of sources. We didn't have high hopes for this one, but we took the chance incase we were pleasantly surprised. It has a 3-year warranty and weighs just 3.5 lbs with 3100 cubic inches of storage.

The Eagle Creek bag performed well and met the requirements for most East African and South African driving safaris or safaris with regularly scheduled flights (not bush planes). The Samsonite bag did meet the requirements for small aircraft transfers, but it was cheaply made and cumbersome to use. Finally, the Swissgear wheeled duffel mets most luggage requirements on safari, is made well and a great value. The bag is ideal for flying safaris, especially where you have access to laundry service. Be sure to check with us about specific requirements for your safari before purchasing your bag. Also, check out our packing list so you know you're not overpacking or forgetting something! Safari Njema!