Safari Medical Kit: 12 Items Every Traveller Should Pack

Africa Calling’s camps carry a comprehensive first-aid kit and maintain emergency evacuation protocols with Flying Doctors East Africa [1]. But everyday medical issues — a blister, a headache, a mild stomach upset — are best handled from your own kit. Here are the twelve items that earn their weight on every safari.

1. Antimalarial prophylaxis

Prescribed by your doctor before departure [2]. Non-negotiable for most Kenya itineraries. Keep in original packaging with your prescription.

2. Oral rehydration salts

Heat, a busy travel day and an unfamiliar diet can combine to leave you significantly dehydrated. ORS sachets (e.g., Dioralyte, as per WHO formula) are compact and effective [3]. Take three or four sachets.

3. High-SPF sunscreen (SPF 50)

The African equatorial sun at altitude is more intense than most Europeans or North Americans are accustomed to [4]. One 200 ml bottle per person per week of open-vehicle game drives.

4. DEET repellent (30–50%)

Applied to exposed skin from 4:00 p.m. Daily application dramatically reduces mosquito exposure [5]. Avoid spraying directly onto synthetic fabrics — DEET degrades certain materials.

5. Antidiarrhoeal medication

Loperamide (Imodium) for symptomatic relief [6]. Use to manage, not suppress — do not take it if you have a fever, which may indicate a more serious infection requiring different treatment.

6. Antihistamine

Cetirizine or loratadine for allergic reactions to insect bites, dust or new foods [7]. Also doubles as mild sleep support on the first night of a new time zone.

7. Broad-spectrum antibiotic

Prescribed by your doctor for use only if you develop fever, severe diarrhoea or a wound infection in a remote area where medical access is delayed. Azithromycin or ciprofloxacin are commonly prescribed [8]. Do not use without medical guidance if you can reach a doctor.

8. Blister plasters

Walking safari clients cover significant ground. Compeed-style hydrocolloid plasters applied before a blister develops, not after [9].

9. Lip balm with SPF

Severely chapped lips from wind and sun are a genuine quality-of-life issue on day two of a safari. SPF 30 minimum.

10. Tweezers and sterile needle

For thorn removal. The East African bush is full of thorned acacia. A splinter left in place in a warm environment can infect rapidly [10].

11. Alcohol hand gel

Game drive stops do not always have running water. Consistent hand hygiene before eating significantly reduces gastrointestinal illness risk [11].

12. Personal prescription medications

Pack double the required quantity in your carry-on luggage — not in checked baggage. Include a copy of each prescription and a brief medical summary in English [12]. Medical facilities in Nairobi are good; rural dispensaries are not equipped to substitute specialist medications.

Africa Calling provides guests with a pre-departure health briefing document specific to their itinerary. Get in touch to start planning.

About the Authors

Prof. Giorgi Pkhakadze, MD MPH PhD

Medical Reviewer & Co-Author

Professor of Public Health at David Tvildiani Medical University, Tbilisi. Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia. WHO Consultant, Health & Migration. Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal. Former principal public health adviser to the Prime Minister of Georgia (COVID-19 pandemic, 2020–2022).

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Ⓐ ORCID 0000-0001-7609-4515

Nikos Pocock

Managing Director, Africa Calling Safaris

With over two decades of experience planning private safaris across Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, Nikos has guided guests from more than 40 countries through East Africa’s wilderness. He brings on-the-ground expertise to the Africa Calling Safari News health series, produced in partnership with the Georgian Medical Journal.

References

1. AMREF Flying Doctors. Emergency Medical Evacuation Services. Nairobi: AMREF; 2023. Available from: https://www.flyingdoctors.org
2. World Health Organization. International Travel and Health. Geneva: WHO; 2023. Available from: https://www.who.int/ith/en/
3. World Health Organization. ORS: Oral Rehydration Salts. WHO/UNICEF Joint Statement. Geneva: WHO; 2006. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-FCH-CAH-06.1
4. World Health Organization. Global Solar UV Index: A Practical Guide. Geneva: WHO; 2002. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9241590076
5. Goodyer L, Croft AM, Frances SP, et al. Expert review of the evidence base for arthropod bite avoidance. J Travel Med. 2010;17(3):182–192. doi:10.1111/j.1708-8305.2010.00411.x
6. DuPont HL. Bacterial diarrhea. N Engl J Med. 2009;361(16):1560–1569. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp0904162
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8. Tribble DR. Travelers’ diarrhea. J Travel Med. 2017;24(suppl 1):S57–S64. doi:10.1093/jtm/taw062
9. Knapik JJ, Reynolds KL, Duplantis KL, et al. Friction blisters: pathophysiology, prevention and treatment. Sports Med. 1995;20(3):136–147. doi:10.2165/00007256-199520030-00002
10. Edlich RF, Winters KL, Britt LD, Long WB. Bacterial diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and flies. J Long Term Eff Med Implants. 2005;15(3):233–240.
11. World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. Geneva: WHO; 2009. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241597906
12. International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT). Travel with Medications. Hamilton: IAMAT; 2023. Available from: https://www.iamat.org