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What Colour should you wear on safari?

What colour should you wear on safari? We recommend neutral safari clothing for your African travels. This includes shades of khaki, brown, beige/tan, and green. These colours blend in well with the bush and are best-suited to safari travel for a few important reasons.



When going on safari in 2026, the best colors to wear are muted earth tones such as khaki, olive green, beige, and tan. These colors serve two critical purposes: they help you blend into the savanna or bush environment, making you less conspicuous to wildlife, and they are practical for hiding the pervasive dust of the African landscape. You should avoid bright colors like red or yellow, as these can startle or distract animals, and avoid white, which gets dirty instantly and can act as a "flag" to predators or prey. Most importantly, avoid dark blue and black in regions with tsetse flies (common in parts of East Africa), as these insects are highly attracted to dark colors and have a painful bite. Additionally, camouflage patterns are strictly discouraged and often illegal for civilians in many African countries, as they are reserved for military and anti-poaching units. In 2026, the ideal safari wardrobe consists of lightweight, breathable layers in neutral greens and browns, paired with a wide-brimmed hat in a similar earthy shade for sun protection.

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We've put together a short guideline on dressing for the best safari experience. This is pretty straight forward. Khaki, olive, tan, brown and earthy greens tend to be your best bets. The idea is to blend into the bush so that wildlife is undisturbed, and you can view them in their natural habitat.

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Always wear natural and pale-colored clothing on African safaris. Avoid white or any brightly colored fabric, including patterned or striped material. Black is also not good because it's not suitable for hot, sunny days. Neutral tones, such as brown, beige, pale blue, or green are the best.

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Camouflage clothing is illegal in some African countries and bright colours, black, and white should be avoided unless around the lodge. Dark colours also tend to be more attractive to insects. Technical fabrics are also preferable over natural fibres for their comfort and performance in hot climates.

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Here are some of our real-life tips and things to remember when packing: The best colours to wear are the dominant colours found in nature such as khaki, beige, light brown and olive green.

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The best safari clothing colours are therefore shades of khaki, greens, and browns as these are the colours most prevalent in the wilds, wilderness, and back-country of Africa.

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You should pack a pair of comfortable closed shoes. The African bush has a lot of rugged terrain, so you need sensible, worn-in shoes that are suitable for walking around in dusty, muddy, or rocky places. After a long day in your safari boots, you'll also need a pair of sandals or slip-on shoes to wear around the camp.

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Safari clothing should be comfortable and casual—suffice it to say, any fine jewellery should be left at home.

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There's no need to go out and buy special pants for your safari — chinos, leggings, and shorts are all generally fine (though some experts advise against jeans because they're heavy to pack).

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Safaris are casual, so bringing fancy items to wear to dinner is unnecessary. Still, I like to change into something a little nicer for the evening. Because it was chilly and I was trying to avoid bug bites, I always wore long pants in the evening, typically pairing those with a long-sleeved shirt and my sweater wrap.

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The ideal women's safari trousers and shorts should offer you a good level of style with a feminine cut. They should also be lightweight, strong, provide a high level of sun protection (SPF50+ is best), and have an anti-insect finish.

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You don't need to bring a large variety of shoes on your safari in Africa. Just a pair of casual dress shoes and a pair of hiking boots will do. To give your feet a respite from the boots, add a pair of sandals.

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Wearing specific colours on a game drive safari is a bit of a myth, except when you go on bush walks when khaki colours may be more appropriate. Otherwise you can wear any colours.

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