Packing for a Jungle Safari Vacation Road Trip with Kids

After months of lockdown, we took the first ever vacation with our kids. And we chose the safest one! We took a road trip to a National Park and stayed in a resort away from the crowds. Here’s a list of essentials to pack when going on a road trip and for a Wildlife Safari with kids.

You can check out the full video here of how I pack. The video is mostly in Hindi.

 

Packing for the jungle is different than packing for any other vacation. Unlike other vacations, you don’t have different places to visit. Your main visit is the wildlife safari. Other than that, you will lounge around in your resort and maybe, take a tour to a nearby village. It is therefore important for your clothes to be forest-friendly.

Clothes / Outfits

1. 1-2 outfits per day depending upon your itinerary. If you will take early morning safaris, you will need another change of clothes for the remainder of the day.
2. Pack neutral/earthy colored outfits for each wildlife safari that you intend to take. Bright colors can frighten animals and you will have any good sightings. Some good color choices are greens (except fluorescent), beiges, browns and camouflage prints.
3. Swimwear to enjoy the swimming pool at your jungle resort.
4. Add-ons and Accessories for each outfit – undergarments, socks, hair accessories for girls, masks during pandemic times etc.
5. Shoes and Clogs – to enjoy walks in the natural setting of your resort.
6. Hoodies/Warm Weather Wear – early mornings in the jungle are very cold

The National Park we visited is the same one which inspired Rudyard Kipling’s “Jungle Book”. My son is posing here with ‘Mowgli’. We packed earthy colors for everyone and I found the perfect outfit for him at Angel and Rocket. Yes, the British luxury kidswear brand is now in India and they have a lovely collection, cute to look at, comfortable to wear and rugged enough for my active kids! Sammy is wearing the Bobby Print Camo Tee and Chuck Cargo Trousers.

Our outfits for the day of the Jungle safari were a mix of camouflage prints and earthy colors. The idea is to blend in with nature and not stand out too much. Check out our Safari Video here. My Tee is from a brand called Yoloclan. I found it on Amazon but I can only see the Wild Soul tee in black now. But they have plenty of tees in their collection with earthy colors and some really nice, outdoorsy messages.

Add-Ons

Other than the clothes, a jungle trip requires some other essentials:

1. Hats
2. Sunglasses
3. Binoculars
4. Camera(s)
5. Mosquito Repellant – Patches for Kids, Spray/Cream

It is easy to spot animals. But the jungle also has so many beautiful birds that are difficult to spot without binoculars. Especially the owls, that only our guides manage to see LOL! Always pack a pair of good quality binoculars to enjoy what the forest has to offer.

While the early mornings in the jungle are extremely cold, as the sun comes up, the temperatures in most parts of India begin to rise and the jungle is no exception. Hats are a must for all ages!

Essentials

1. Medicines, Daily Vitamins and First Aid – for both kids and grown ups
2. Emergency sewing kit
3. Toiletries – Toothbrush, toothpaste
4. Personal care products – Deo, Talc
5. Sanitary Napkins, Diapers for babies

For the Road Trip

When we are taking a family road trip, I try to be prepared for emergencies o the road. Kids can feel motion sick, spoil their clothes due to some reason, need to pee where there are no toilets available etc. I pack the following in a separate bag that is inside the car with us at all times.

1. Sick bag
2. Candy to suck on if feeling motion sick
3. Lozenges
4. A change of outfit for the kids (a simple one that doesn’t take up much space)
5. Female urination device like Funnels
6. Hand sanitizer

A wildlife safari, paired with a good resort to stay at, makes for a great vacation with the family. There is so much to bond over. Packing well makes it hassle-free to dress up the entire family and leaves you with more time to enjoy the trip!