Best Africa Safari Gadgets

Binoculars Best Africa Safari gadgets

Good binoculars or a monocular can be expensive, and you absolutely need one per person – sharing quickly becomes tiresome when you only have a few seconds to catch a glimpse of a vanishing Leopard.  Some of the top-end Lodges supply guests with good binoculars but you will probably need to bring your own.

Gadget Specifications are all important when looking out for good binoculars; each pair will have two (02) numbers in their description, for example, 8X30, 10X40 and so on.  The first number refers to the degree of magnification they offer while the second number indicates the amount of light they let in.

For African safari purposes, you need a magnification factor between 7 and 10 and the second number should be at least 30.  If you have narrowed the search down to two models, always choose the pair with the Widest Field of View (FOV).

Some people prefer a monocular or spotting scope, especially for bird watching; generally, the same Magnification Versus Field of Vision rules apply when you are making your choice.  If you click on the image above you will see what is currently on sale on Amazon.  (Unfortunately, Amazon only ships electronics within the USA but you can get an idea of what to look for).

Monoculars

Photo Camera

The type of camera you choose to bring on your African safari will depend on your passion for photography.  For us, the African safari experience is more about looking at the animals – observing their behavior, and getting a few mood-setting photos to for my memory when back home.

For this reason, our Best recommendation for a camera to bring to Africa on Safari is the lightweight 16.1 Megapixel Canon SXHS Powershot Sx60; it has a wonderful 65X Zoom, captures great videos as well as great still shots, all in automatic mode – meaning you won’t need camera lessons before coming on Safari. The other thing is that this lightweight camera can fit into a small size bag – This fairly inexpensive camera is your Best Africa Safari gadget (especially for Amateur photographers!) wanting to bring back great pictures from an African Holiday.

If you prefer to try out Award-winning photography while On your African Safari, then you have got to consider upping your Camera budget to cater for a host of professional Photography equipment out there on the market.

Recommendations: Follow this link to browse for a fairly-priced camera for the keen photographer, or this link if you are the type looking at professional Photography that might win space in a NatGeo Magazine.

Extra Batteries and Memory Cards

Regardless of the level of sophistication of the camera you choose to bring, there is almost nothing you Can do with the camera if you run out of either or both batteries and memory chips -stick while on safari.  Make sure to bring some extra Batteries an and a couple of extra memory cards – they fill up very quickly on an African Safari especially if you take a lot of videos.

Backup portable charger

A good BackUp Portable charger – sometimes referred to as “power bank” is a brilliant Gadget to bring On your African Safari. Many of the places you will stay at are remotely located and with little or totally no access to electricity. The few that have electricity only offer it to clients for a few hours a day and it may be difficult to charge all your electronics at ago.  This little extra gadget will make a difference, better still, you can carry it with you on all your game drives.

Camera Bean-Bag and Dust Covers

You will find a small bean-bag invaluable for steadying your camera in the vehicle or on a boat (wherever movement may be a problem) and it could take the place of a tripod if you are short of space. If weight is a problem you can travel with an empty bag and fill it with whatever you find at your destination – rice, dried beans or even sand will do the trick.

 Dust covers are also really essential in the bush – you just can’t avoid dust on game drives and it tends to penetrate everywhere, so keep your camera and binoculars covered when you are not using them.

Torch – Flashlight / Headlamp

Africa is generally Darker than the rest of the world by Night. No Street lights especially in the places you will be visiting while On Safari. Because Of this, you need a good strong torch (or headlight / Flashlight) while on safari.  The torch does come in extremely handy while at your Lodge/camp and occasionally whilst on night drives. This, on the other hand, becomes a MUST have if you intend to do an African Camping Safari.

Bring Protective Sun Glasses 

Your eyes just like any other part of your body need protection. Protect your eyes from the dust and harsh sunshine using a good pair of really protective sunglasses.

Wrap around (covering your eye area and with no escape space around the eyes) Polarized lenses with label UV400 remain one Of our most recommended protection against the scorching sun of Africa. However, we also understand that the choice of protective Sunglasses you choose to bring largely depends on you – your budget and Fashion style –

Our Recommendation: Hard-wearing, unbreakable – Plastic sports glasses are probably the best Africa Safari Gadget for your eyes while on Safari in Africa.

Smartphone Best Africa Safari Gadgets

No one in the present day travels anywhere in the world without their Smartphone (just remember to have it on silent during game drives!) and these days there are dozens of Applications – APPS you can download that will enhance your African safari experience.  Amateur Astronomers should make sure to have a star-gazing App – the Milky Way is simply brilliant out in the African bush where the skies are only lit by stars and Not street lights.

Another useful App is Africa: LiveApp, which is an amazing real-time maps app, showing you where you are at all times and also records the position of recent game sightings in your area – it’s a first in Africa and more fun than a compass or GPS.  (Of course, you do need signal and internet data to run these Apps….)  If your Smartphone is a good one ……iPhone or greater!, You may also use your Smartphone to take photos and videos, with or without a Spotting Telescope attachment.