Safari Packing and Insurance Checklist: What to Confirm Before You Fly

The five-minute check people skip

Most of the effort in preparing for a safari goes into gear and logistics. The insurance side often gets a single click at booking and no second look before departure — which is a problem if your itinerary changed at all since you bought the policy, or if you simply forgot what it actually covers.

Before you fly

1. Re-read your policy's activity list against your final itinerary — confirm anything added since booking (an extra trek, a balloon safari, a dive add-on) is actually included

2. Save your policy number and 24-hour assistance line somewhere accessible offline, not just in an app that needs signal

3. Photograph your gear, especially camera equipment, with serial numbers visible — a simple pre-trip inventory that makes any later claim faster

4. Confirm your evacuation limit and permit protection one more time if your trip includes gorilla trekking or high-altitude activities

5. Check entry vaccination requirements for every country on your route, separately from your insurance policy

Why offline access matters specifically here

Many safari camps, particularly in the Okavango Delta and other remote regions, have limited or no data connectivity. An assistance number saved only in an app you can't load, or a policy document only accessible via email, isn't useful during an actual emergency. Save what you need before you leave connectivity behind, not once you notice you need it.

A short pre-flight checklist

• Policy documents saved offline (PDF, not just a bookmarked page)

• 24-hour assistance line saved in your phone and written down as backup

• Gear photographed with serial numbers, before departure

• Final activity list checked against policy coverage

• Entry vaccination requirements confirmed for each country on the route