Ultimate Travel Checklist for Shaba National Reserve
🧾 Travel Documents
- Valid passport (with at least 6 months before expiry)
- Kenya visa (eVisa for most nationalities – apply online in advance)
- Yellow fever certificate (required if coming from or transiting through risk areas)
- Park entry receipt or proof of payment (if pre-arranged)
- Printed booking confirmations for camps/lodges and transfers
- Driver’s license + international permit (if self-driving)
- Travel insurance policy (printed and digital copy)
- Emergency contacts and embassy details
💵 Money Matters
- Cash in Kenyan Shillings (small denominations preferred)
- Credit/Debit card (Visa and MasterCard widely accepted in towns/lodges)
- MPESA mobile money account (useful for local payments)
- Hidden pouch or secure wallet
🧳 Clothing & Footwear
- Lightweight long-sleeved shirts (for sun & insect protection)
- Quick-dry safari trousers or zip-off pants
- 1–2 warm layers for mornings (fleece, hoodie, or sweater)
- Waterproof jacket or poncho (April–May, Nov recommended)
- Casual evening clothes for lodges
- Comfortable walking shoes or trail shoes
- Flip-flops or sandals (for camp/lodge)
- Wide-brim hat or cap
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Light scarf or buff (helps with dust and sun)
- Swimsuit (for lodge pools)
🧴 Toiletries & Personal Care
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, biodegradable soap/shampoo
- Insect repellent (DEET or natural alternative)
- Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
- Lip balm with SPF
- Moisturizer (dry air in the reserve)
- Hand sanitizer and wet wipes
- Tissues or biodegradable toilet paper
- Personal medications + copies of prescriptions
- First aid kit (band-aids, antiseptic, painkillers, etc.)
📸 Electronics & Safari Gear
- Camera with extra batteries and memory cards
- Binoculars (at least 8×42 recommended)
- Flashlight or headlamp + spare batteries
- Power bank and charging cables
- Universal power adapter
- Smartphone with offline maps and apps
- Solar charger (especially for campers)
- Notebook and pen for wildlife sightings
🏕️ Camping Gear (if applicable)
- Tent with flysheet and groundsheet
- Sleeping bag (lightweight or 3-season)
- Sleeping mat or air mattress
- Pillow or travel pillow
- Portable stove or charcoal jiko
- Cooking utensils, pots, and mess kit
- Water jugs and purification tablets
- Cooler box or dry bag for food
- Camping chairs and foldable table
- Garbage bags (pack out everything!)
- Firewood or charcoal (must be brought in)
🥪 Food & Snacks
- Dry snacks: nuts, granola, dried fruit
- Instant coffee/tea, powdered milk
- Meals for camping: pasta, canned beans, rice, sauces
- Bottled water (or bring jerrycans for refilling)
- Electrolyte packets or sports drinks
- Reusable utensils and cups
📚 Optional but Useful
- Field guide (birds, mammals, trees of East Africa)
- Swahili phrasebook
- Lightweight daypack
- Compact binocular harness or chest pack
- Small sewing kit
- Ziplock bags or drybags for organizing gear
- Gifts for local community visits (books, pens—not candy)
