Sarah and I are spending four months in South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagascar, and the Yukon.
With help from a world weather guide: Weather to Travel, we have loosely planned our itinerary around weather.
April to June should be sunny and dry in southern Africa. June to August should be warm with lots of daylight in North America. Good weather means less bulky clothes to pack—and less weight to carry around.
Our goal was to bring only carry-on bags (and hope Delta doesn’t get fussy about one carry-on bag and one personal item).
As a general packing rule, we have found that less is almost always better. Although we try to live this principle, we inevitably pack stuff that goes unused. This trip, I think I overpacked underwear. The TSA agent, after seeing Sarah’s medicine bag, said “they have pharmacies in Africa, you know.”
Sterling’s packing list:
Luggage
– 1 four-wheel rolling bag (carrying a heavy backpack around the world is overrated)
– 1 daypack (same one I have been using since high school)
Clothes
– 1 zip-off pants (pants and shorts!)
– 1 elastic belt
– 1 gym shorts (doubles as swim suit)
– 3 t-shirts (planning to buy more as souvenirs)
– 2 sweaters
– 1 plastic poncho
– 1 baseball cap (with my name on it)
The iPhone 4 is pretty bad for selfies
– 11 underwear
– 1 wool hat (too American/self-conscious to say toque)
– 1 gloves (super thin kind)
– 7 pairs socks (including two pairs light hiking socks)
– 1 light hiking shoes
– 1 sunglasses
– 1 bottle of Permethrin (soaked into our clothes but felt important to mention)
Medicine kit:
– 1 toiletry bag
– 1 bottle ibuprofen
– 1 bottle mixed with antihistamines, decongestants, and antacids
– 1 bottle malaria pills
– 1 bottle Cipro (antibiotic for travel diarrhea)
– 1 nasal spray (I hate pollen)
– 1 box bandages
– 1 antiseptic cream
– 1 toothbrush
– 1 toothpaste
– 2 packages floss
– 1 razor
– 1 jar Vaseline
– 1 lip balm
– 1 deodorant
– 1 mouth guard and case
– 1 nail clippers
Miscellaneous
– 1 towel (small quick-drying travel towel)
– 1 Lonely Planet guide to Southern Africa (a 2007 version we found in a Little Free Library)
– 1 Bradt guide to Madagascar (typically we like Lonely Planet, but this had great reviews).
– 1 wedding ring (silicone ring that is super comfortable)
– 1 mesh bag (for dirty clothes)
Documents
– 1 wallet
– 2 passports (USA + Canada)
– 1 copy of Sarah’s passport (we exchanged copies in case either of our bags is stolen)
– 1 driver’s license
– 1 international driver’s license (no idea if I’ll need this)
– 4 credit cards (collect all the air miles!)
– 2 debit cards (USA + Canada)
– 7 business cards (for meeting friends on the road)
– 1 copy of flight/hotel/rental car information
– $180 cash (for emergency)
Electronics
– 1 Surface Pro 4 and charger
– 1 iPhone 4 and charger (temporarily giving up my Motorola Razr)
– 1 GoPro and charger
– 1 headphones
– 1 international outlet adapter
Camping gear
– 1 tent (lightweight two-person tent)
Surprisingly cold in the mountains at night
– 1 sleeping bag
– 1 large stuff sack
– 1 compression stuff sack (didn’t love spending $25 on a sack, but needed the space)
– 1 headlamp
– 1 pillow (reversible neck pillow)
Sarah’s packing list:
Luggage
– 1 hiking pack
Clothes
– 1 zip-off pants
– 2 yoga pants (one is three-quarter length)
– 3 t-shirts (one I reserve as my “always clean shirt,” used only for sleeping).
– 4 tank tops
– 1 light wool long sleeve (fabulous for hiking, protecting from sun, and providing warmth)
– 1 light jacket
– 1 plastic poncho
– 1 baseball cap
– 1 wool hat
– 1 gloves
– 15 pair underwear
– 5 bras (mix of bralettes, “regular,” and sport. Bralettes and sport bras condense down well for packing)
– 8 pairs socks (includes one pair of fuzzy socks which I use strictly for lounging inside)
– 1 pair tennis shoes
– 1 pair river/hiking sandals
– 1 swim suit
– 1 sundress
– 1 sunglasses
Medicine kit:
– 1 mesh toiletry bag
– 1 bottle ibuprofen (liquid gels work best for migraines)
– 1 bottle mixed with antihistamines, Tylenol, and antacids
– 2 bottles prescription meds
– 1 bottle malaria pills
– 1 bottle Cipro
– 3 bottles of contact solution
– 4 pairs of extra contacts
– 1 contact case
– 2 pairs ear plugs
– 1 roll medical tape
– 1 package Dayquil/Nyquil
– 1 bottle StingEze for bug bites
– 1/2 roll Moleskin (for blisters)
– 1 toothbrush
– 1 package Fresh Care cloths
– 1 lip balm
– 1 deodorant
– 2 travel bottles insect repellent with DEET
– 1 travel hand sanitizer
– 1 Neti Pot and 30 rinse packets
– 5 packets Alka-Seltzer
– 1 sunscreen separated into 3 small bottles
Beauty
– 1 carrying case
– 1 exfoliator
– 4 hair ties
– 1 shampoo
– 1 conditioner
– 15 bobbi pins
– 1 razor
– 1 nail file
– 1 nail clippers
– 1 tweezers (I’m putting these under beauty, but tweezers have many uses, such as prying leeches from under Sterling’s blisters during a back-county canoe trip in Manitoba)
Sterling and Sarah after the Manitoba leech incident
– 1 tiny scissors
– 1 lip gloss
– 1 foundation
– 50 Q-tips + travel container
– 1 necklace
– 3 pairs earrings
– 1 bracelet
Miscellaneous
– 1 eye glasses + case
– 1 mechanical pencil + 1 pen
– 1 travel calendar
– 1 travel towel
– 1 small purse (easily hides inside coat)
– 3 small charms (they live on or inside my backpack pouch to remind me of my family)
– 1 wedding ring
Documents
– 1 passport (USA)
– 1 copy of Sterling’s passport
– 1 driver’s license
– 3 credit cards
– 1 debit card
– 1 Priority Pass (for airport lounge access through the Chase Reserve credit card)
Electronics
– 1 Surface Pro 4 and charger
– 1 iPhone 5 and charger
– 1 headphones
– 1 set of CamKix lenses (telephoto, macro, wide angle, and fish eye lenses for iPhone 5s)
Testing out the iPhone telephoto lens at St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland
Camping gear
– 1 head lamp
– 1 sleeping bag
– 1 large stuff sack
– 1 compression stuff sack
We hope this satisfies some curiosity and may help you plan your own adventure!
Note that this guide contains affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something through the links, you are supporting us in the costs of running Two Fish Traveling. All the products that we discuss are ones that we use and love—like bug proofing our clothes with Permethrin. We earn a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to the purchaser. We will never link to products that we do not wholeheartedly recommend to our readers and have found useful ourselves.
The following two tabs change content below.
I am Sterling, one of the Two Fish Traveling. I love to travel and live in Polson, Montana with my wife Sarah.
Latest posts by Sterling Laudon (see all)
- How to Hike the Top of the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness - March 28, 2023
- All of the bad things that happen when you travel - October 14, 2019
- Favorite countries of long-term travelers - August 8, 2019
Underwear addicts! I have 7 pairs for 4 months in Europe and a year in Cairo. ☺ I want to hear more about the Manitoba leech incident. How are you guys traveling around? I can imagine the terrain being a bit tough for a wheeling suitcase. But then again, I have never used a four wheeled one. Sterling, why don’t you have a beauty category? Not trying to be pretty for Sarah on the honeymoon? Also “a jar of Vaseline?” Are you sure you don’t mean… a tub of Vaseline? Because that is what I associate you with. Looking forward… Read more »
I am definitely hauling around extra underwear. I think you should bring about the same number of socks and underwear since they run out about the same time, so you have to do laundry anyway. Have you figured out anything you overpacked on your Europe trip so far? The suitcase is so much better (especially if you have back problems). We have mostly had a rental car so it mostly is in the car. A suit case is easier to access than a backpack and we are rarely away from pavement. Any hiking, we bring a day bag and bring… Read more »
Loved the overview and pics, especially the comment about the pharmacy! What a wonderful journey you are on. Can’t wait to hear all about your adventures in person. Love to you both!!
Hi Kathy! Thank you for reading. Can’t wait to see you along the journey!