A very commonly asked question
You are probably flying thousands of miles to get here… and like most holidays you are trying not to bring half the contents of your home with you…
To “help” you make your choice of what to pack, we do have fairly strict luggage restrictions here… and for good reason.
A fair majority of our safaris take some form of charter aircraft, usually into and out of our lodges here, but also sometimes as your first flight into a mobile tented campsite for one of Mobile Tented Safaris. These flights are a blessing as they form part of a “bush” or scenic flight, and make getting to very remote areas a bit of an adventure.
As you can imagine, our bush airstrips are nothing like Los Angeles International… here they are cut right out of the Okavango Delta etc, to give you access to your lodges. Although perfectly safe, they do require specialist aircraft which are small, many of which only have 5 seats… It is for this reason that the professional charter aircraft companies here have to be careful of weights and also the type of bag they carry.
Please take careful note that 20kg luggage is the total weight for both luggage and hand luggage/camera equipment. Guests are reminded that complimentary laundry services are offered in all camps and lodges which restrict the need to pack excess clothing for their visit.
The bags which guests can bring have to be small, flexible and soft-sided. As pictured
Unfortunately large suitcases and rigid, inflexible luggage cannot be transported in our aircraft. Luggage with “pull along” handle frames and 2 small wheels ARE ACCEPTABLE as long as they have soft sides and tops, and fit within the dimensions below.
All luggage has to be packed in the belly pods of the aircraft due to safety regulations. Suitcases and luggage with rigid wheel frames and hard sides/top do not fit and as a result cause delays and inconvenience for other travellers.
SIZE: Dictated by the door size of the luggage compartment and you should look to bring bags at a maximum size of 62cm long and 30cm wide and 25cm high.
Should guests be travelling with larger bags and require assistance with storage (which we offer at no additional cost) or transportation to their point of departure from the destination (a service offered at cost of transportation of the bags), this can be done with ease. We do however need to be notified of these arrangements prior to arrival in Botswana, preferably at the time of final booking confirmation.
Guests arriving in Botswana, who have not adhered to the luggage guidelines as per above, will NOT be able to depart on the scheduled charter. New CAAB (Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana) regulations are very strict with regards to flight plans, departure timing and aircraft load sheets which have to be logged according to a prescribed timeline for each and every scheduled departure.
Guests who arrive with incorrect flights luggage will be given the option to book a private charter to their destination (at additional costs to be paid directly before departure) AND subject to the availability of aircraft at the time of booking these.
Examples of GOOD bags
Examples of BAD bags
TOP TIPS
- Hand Luggage is useful, the 20kg does include hand luggage but generally hand luggage may not be weighed unless it looks very heavy
- Try and spread the load. You will be travelling with at least one large case each so try and spread the load between them so that both bags can come in under 20kg
- You really don’t need to pack too much, you need a lot less clothing than you think. Lodges generally all have laundry services so take advantage of this.
- Camera equipment is an issue… but be creative, as its similar to any international flight. If you hang a very weighty camera and lens around your neck, that doesn’t constitute as baggage weight.
- Bring only essentials
