What to wear – Summer months – October to April
Lightweight, neutral coloured (khaki) clothing, ideally cotton – synthetic clothing generally becomes quite uncomfortable and promotes sweating
A mixture of long and short pants/trousers. Those with extra pockets by the thigh are very useful on safari
A mixture of long and short sleeved shirts
One warm top in case there is a cool spell one evening
Lightweight cotton socks
Comfortable closed shoes for walking. Note: these don’t have to be large heavy hiking boots
Sandals/Flip-flops for in and around camp
A wide-brimmed hat or baseball cap.
Sunglasses
Colours to avoid are blacks, for the sunlight, blues for the insects, and bright colours. On safari, the more you blend in, the less likely animals are to be distracted by you, and thus the better chance of a good sighting.

What to wear – Winter months – May to September
As above but with:
Warm sweater/top
Warm Jacket
Gloves
Warm Hat and/or Scarf
It does get very cold in the winter months in the early mornings and it has been known to drop below freezing in some extreme cases, however it always warms up as the day progresses with the beautiful African Sun.

Medical
A Basic First Aid kit with travelling essentials such as:
Headache/pain relief tablets
Anti-diarrhoea medicine
Plasters
Antiseptic cream
Rehydration/Electrolyte sachets
Broad-spectrum anti-biotics
Non-drowsy allergy medicine
Suncreen protection – Factor 30 should be the minimum used
Although Malaria is not rife in Botswana, it is highly recommended to bring anti-malarial prophylaxis, especially if your safari starts or finishes in the Chobe, Linyanti, Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Zambezi areas.

For Safari
Binoculars – A good guide would be to use binoculars in the 8 x 30 to 10 x 50 bracket, the smaller number being the magnification, the larger being the depth of field. Many manufacturers produce a standard 10 x 42 which are dimensions used by many safari professionals.
Camera – For the enthusiast, a good lens of around 200mm upwards would be recommended. For the amateur, a mini SLR is fine.
Extra memory for digital cameras – you will take a lot of photos!
Torch with spare batteries and bulbs
Utility knife/penknife
Water Bottle – although there will always be bottled drinking water available everywhere you go
Insect repellent
Lip balm ideally with UVA/UVB protection
Field Guide books (see recommended reading) – the basics for safari are a good bird book and mammal book.
Map – The very best maps of Botswana are locally produced in Botswana by Shell and are easily obtained once in the country, either from the airport upon arrival or lodges/camps.