The following West Africa packing list was written by Vanessa Jones. See all packing list posts here.
West Africa is an amazing place to travel and live. I loved my time in Africa and will return again and again.
Some special consideration should be noted for travel in primarily Muslim countries, in particular those that are more conservative/traditional (e.g. Mauritania). I urge all to be considerate of cultural standards and maintain coverage out of respect for the culture, but also to minimize any potential harassment due to “inappropriate” dress. Even in less conservative or non-Muslim countries, from the knees/thighs to the waist is considered private and not shown freely.
Clothing
If you are staying in one place for a week or more you have the option on buying bright, patterned fabrics and having a tailor make you a few skirts (shirts,dresses or pants).
* indicates quick-dry or fabrics that dry quickly are best for the humidity; not a must but it will make the trip easier
3-5 pairs underwear*
1-2 bras (if you desire you can go bra-less)
2-3 long skirts (flowy and loose are most comfortable, they could also be mid-calf to just below knee length if you don’t mind showing your legs and are in a less conservative country)
1-2 pairs pants/capris*
5-7 short-sleeved or tank tops*
1 long-sleeved cover-up (think loose, flowy beach coverup, good for the beach, when walking around or protection from mosquitos)
****3-5 long summer dresses in place of skirt/top combo, in place of pants if you are not trekking/hiking and are more comfortable in dresses when hot.
1 nicer dress and sandals for evenings out in bigger cities (Senegal, Marrakech, etc)
1 swimsuit
1 pair of shorts for the beach/pool
1 pair sturdy flip-flops for bathing
1 pair Chaco/Teva type sandal for walking around (keeps your feet a little cleaner than flip-flops in the dirt/mud you will inevitably walk in)
1 pair hiking shoes if you are trekking/hiking and 2-4 pairs associated socks*
1 wide-brimmed hat
Sunglasses
Lightweight scarf (if you get cold or to cover your head)
Toiletries
Sunscreen (the higher the SPF the better)
Bug repellant (the higher Deet percentages work best, like Off for the Deep woods types)
Itch relief cream
Antihistamines (I am quite allergic to mosquito bites and would miserable without this)
Toilet paper (quality tp is hard to find and many in W. Africa use water rather than tp)
Hand sanitizer (washing hands with soap can be difficult, the cleanliness of water is not guaranteed)
Soap
Shampoo/conditioner
Razor (if you must but hair helps deter mosquitos)
Diva cup/tampons (may not be available in country)
Hair ties
Misc
Unless you buy exclusively bottled water (not guaranteed to be available in smaller villages) you’ll need a water filter or water purifying tabs
Nalgene type bottle
E-reader/books
iPod/iPhone/laptop if you must keep in touch via wifi
Chargers
Adapter/converter
>> You might also be interested in our East Africa packing list, or a post on traveling in Southern Africa.
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About the Author: Vanessa Jones is on sabbatical from her profession as a Social Worker in California. She is currently traveling in S America for 3 months. She has lived in The Gambia, West Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer and traveled to several countries in East and West Africa, Mexico, DR and Spain.
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Great list! this is exactly what I needed 🙂 Where did you go exactly? Also, what did you do in the way of malaria prevention, I really don’t want to take the medication and mozzies (yes I’m an aussie :P) rarely ever bite me so I’m thinking just use repellent and sleep in my (amazing) silk sleep sheet 🙂 any thoughts… thanks 🙂
So, so late responding, sorry! I was in The Gambia… Tiny country. A lot of people don’t take anything for malaria prevention… I took Doxycycline and Mefloquine when I was there, but for visits Malarium works too. I’m not a fan of Mefloquine… Too many side effects for me. Might be too hot for a silk sleep sheet, but a portable mosquito net would work!
And baby powder!! It is so important to use lots of baby powder in hot / humid climates to minamize heat rash issues. It can be bought there.
I thought silk was meant to keep you cool in the heat and warm in the cold. It worked well in tropical places I’ve been and it’ll be cold(ish) at night anyway as I’m hoping to be doing a lot of desert camping in Morocco 🙂 Thank for getting back to me 🙂
Steff,
I just back from a mission trip to Burkina Faso, and for malaria we took Malarone while we were there (I have a few doses left). From what I understand you don’t have to take it as long as Doxycycline. There were some side effects, mostly uncomfortable stomach, but when taken on a decently full stomach (does better the more fat you eat) it does fine. I’m glad to have taken it for the peace of mind, personally, but the mosquito net at night was also effective.