Question about luggage?

I know for some of the safari days, we can only carry the Tauck provided duffel bag. But what about the rest of the trip? What size suitcase should we bring- is there a limit- for an individual would you bring a 28" or 24"- what is the standard. 2 weeks is a long time, even with laundry. Thanks!!

Comments

  • Hi Lexipupny,

    Here are the policies about luggage restrictions for this tour, taken from the "Luggage Handling and Restrictions" section of the "Before You Go", found here.

    I hope this helps answer your question!
    -Tim

    Special Luggage Restrictions for this Tour

    To help in your packing, Tauck will provide each guest with a duffel bag. The duffel bag has been specially designed to provide more than adequate space for essential items needed while on safari on days 4-5 and 10-12. Please pack light and bring ONLY the Tauck-issued duffel bag with you on safari.

    Strict limitations on our on-tour flights require that each guest take only one piece of soft-sided luggage (the duffel bag) weighing no more than 33 pounds, or 14.97 kilograms. This weight limit includes all camera equipment. Soft-sided luggage is required to ensure your piece fits into irregularly shaped luggage compartments.

    In addition, guests are limited to one soft-sided, carry-on bag per person not to exceed 15 lbs. or 6.8 kg, and no larger than an average knapsack. You will have time to pack your duffel during the first two days of the safari. All your luggage will follow the tour via a luggage van until Day 4. On the morning of Day 4, your large luggage will return to Arusha for storage and you will continue on safari with only your Tauck issued duffel bags for days 4 and 5. You will be reunited with all your luggage on Day 6 in Arusha and will stay with you until the morning of Day 11. However, you will then use the duffels while you are in Masai Mara on safari Days 11-12, while your large luggage will be delivered and stored at the Nairobi Serena Hotel, awaiting your arrival on Day 13.
    If you reside in the United States, the duffel bag will be sent to your home and should arrive approximately two weeks prior to your departure for Africa. Guests residing outside of the U.S. will receive their duffel bags upon arrival in Arusha due to customs regulations that prohibit the easy delivery of the duffel bags in advance.

    Checked Luggage – General
    Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

    Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

    Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.
    Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!

    Carry-on Luggage - General

    Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for safari vehicle travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern safari vehicles offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

    For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, valuables, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the seat must be stored in the luggage truck, and will be inaccessible during daytime travel.
  • I am sorry- still not totally clear-
    So we have 3 bags- please confirm?
    1. a carry on/day bag (like a knapsack)
    2. The Tauck supplied duffel bag for the safari days that is 33 pounds
    3. Large checked luggage which is 62" dimensions?
  • Yes, that is correct!

    -Tim
  • edited March 2014
    Lexipupny wrote:
    I am sorry- still not totally clear-
    So we have 3 bags- please confirm?
    1. a carry on/day bag (like a knapsack)
    2. The Tauck supplied duffel bag for the safari days that is 33 pounds
    3. Large checked luggage which is 62" dimensions?

    Tim or a past traveler will hopefully further clarify this, but I read the Tauck baggage guidelines to mean they recommend you take (1) a soft-sided day bag / backpack (for wipes, TP, camera, binoculars, etc.) and (2) one ("large") suitcase that will contain your (empty) Tauck duffel to Africa. Prior to day 4-5 and 10-12 you will have time to transfer whatever clothes you think you will need for those specific safari days from your suitcase into your Tauck duffel, which is the only luggage other than your day bag/backpack that will be allowed on the on-tour flights.

    As to whether you can pack and take a "full" Tauck duffel (or rolling carry-on, etc.) to Africa in a addition to a full "large suitcase", that will be up to the airlines and probably needs further clarification from Tim. I know on our last trip to England, Tauck recommended we take only a handbag and one suitcase each. In addition to their hand bags and large suitcases, our friends took at least one additional rolling carry-on suitcase. While Tauck loaded their rolling carry-on onto the bus each morning, I got the impression they considered it excess baggage. Unlike their main bags which were picked up from their room on travel days, most of the time our friends had to shlepp their rolling carry-on(s) to and from the bus.

    Bottom line, and I may be wrong, but due to baggage handler and time considerations, I don't think Tauck wants you to bring more than one piece of luggage that must be handled on most tours.

    That being said, most people find that a hand bag or backpack and one piece of large luggage per person is more than enough for this tour where clothing is extremely casual. If you go through clothes quickly, I suggest getting some Travex garments from Eddie Bauer. They are light weight, easy to wash, and dry extremely quickly.
  • We took this trip in October 2013 and were very mindful of luggage limitations. While we flew business, which allows more leniency in luggage, we stuck to the Tauck suggested limitations. Tauck will send you your duffle, a VERY nice Eagle Creek one, by the way, 3-4 weeks prior to departure. Do not consider this an "extra" piece of luggage on your way TO the tour! My husband and I each used a 25 or 26 inch piece of luggage for our checked baggage. We use the packing envelopes to utilize space within the luggage and packed our duffle bags in our suitcases. Each suitcase was under 50 pounds. We both took one piece of carry on (me, a shoulder bag and my husband a backpack). We used these carry on pieces as our "day bags" while on safari. On the return trip, we used one of the duffles as additional carry on to hold some of the "treasures" we acquired on the trip. The second one got packed on one of the bags.
    Clothing takes careful planning. This was our twelfth Tauck trip, and the clothing we needed was different from any other trip we had taken. We were careful about the clothes we brought. We preferred to shower and change into non-safari clothes for dinner, and we were able to include them without adding too much weight. If you want some suggestions, you can email me at joyce_sw@att.net.
  • Like Joyce, we have taken many Tauck tours including the Kenya and Tanzania tour about 2007
    We recently returned from the India tour where we had a Tauck duffel provided for part of the trip. It is indeed a very nice $79 eagle Creek bag that is provided in a carry case about the side of a house brick
    When leaving home you take a reasonably sized suitcase of measurements that Tauck states, you pack the empty duffel inside your suitcase. You also take with you a small backpack -type bag with you--- I have a Vera Bradley medium size Backpack I take, it's enough to carry a complete change of clothing, a pair of shoes, medicines, Book and mini iPad and other sundries. I also take a small handbag
    Do not worry, the provided duffel is absolutely big enough for anything you might want to take for the several days you will be without your big suitcase, even a change of clothes for every day, a spare set, a swimsuit, camera, toiletries and so on.
    On return from our recent India trip we used one of our duffels to stuff most of our laundry into it, then we had no concerns that our suitcases were over weight or over full. For the first time ever we just about threw everything into the suitcases with gay abandon and would have been extremely embarrassed if any security guy had opened them they were such a jumble. My husband had originally wanted to throw the duffels away when we left India, but no of course I could not do that, they are good duffels and when we got home I washed them both and they are good to go.
    The duffels are different than when we originally did our Kenya and T tour, those ones were the same size and had an end that zipped off and was a separate backpack, it was an awesome design but of a canvas material. We used them for several none Tauck chill out vacations and they were all we used for a week long trip until the 3 ounce fluids carry on took effect and then our ample supplies of sunscreen had to be checked, so no more duffel.
    Once again, amply big enough, this is a very casual, amazing experience vacation, no dress- up, enjoy! We take the Tanzania Zanzibar trip later this year.
  • Hey AlanS,

    Your initial description, "take (1) a soft-sided day bag / backpack (for wipes, TP, camera, binoculars, etc.) and (2) one ("large") suitcase that will contain your (empty) Tauck duffel to Africa. Prior to day 4-5 and 10-12 you will have time to transfer whatever clothes you think you will need for those specific safari days from your suitcase into your Tauck duffel, which is the only luggage other than your day bag/backpack that will be allowed on the on-tour flights," is exactly correct. That is what I meant, thank you. :) You can also have, in addition to that, one small carryon, as it says in my original post, here: "In addition, guests are limited to one soft-sided, carry-on bag per person not to exceed 15 lbs. or 6.8 kg, and no larger than an average knapsack."

    Thanks for the additional info, everybody!

    I hope this helps,
    Tim
  • Thanks to all for the help!
  • Hello,

    Gathering all this wonderful information for about a year now. Our trip is coming up in July.
    I am confused as to why you wouldn't use the duffel provided by Tauck as a carry on piece for the flight?

    I would also like to know about the electrical outlets. On our previous travels (Europe, SE Asia) a basic plug adaptor was all we needed to charge iPads, phones and cameras. Will this suffice for Africa? The voltage is the same as for the other foreign countries we visited, but I have read somewhere that there is a need for a converter as well. I also read on the Forum that it is a good idea to bring an extension cord (240 V) with several ports on it as there are minimal outlets available at some of the hotels.
    Thank you all.
  • edited March 2014
    Hi Francesca,
    There is no reason that you cannot use the duffle for flight carryon luggage. For me, it was a bit big for that, even though it has buckles and straps to reduce/increase size. My flight carryon bag (the only thing I carry...never use a handbag on flights and you certainly do not need one at all in Africa) is also the daybag I used on safari. Your daybag, while in the trucks, contains camera(s) equipment, binoculars, sunblock, insect repellent, tissues, sweater or anything else you might shed or need during the day, etc., etc. . You cannot use the duffle as a day bag because it is too large for the vehicles AND there are a few times you will not have access to it as it becomes your main luggage and travels ahead to the next destination. Most people used some sort of a backpack or satchel type bag.
    As far as electrical...there is a thread running now about power on the Africa forum. Yes, all you will need is an adaptor as long as your appliances/electronics are dual voltage, and most new ones are. This is no different from Europe or SE Asia. I think the adaptor I used was a "C", but best to double check that. The "Travel to Go" power strip (lightweight, plugs into itself for compact travel, and contains 4 outlets) is pictured on that thread. I got mine at Fry's Electronics (in California), but Alan found his on Amazon. It is by "Monster" and was the best fifteen bucks I've ever spent! You only need one hotel outlet and one adaptor! As an added bonus, the main plug generates a dim blue light, I guess to ensure the user the electricity is working. For us, that was a double bonus as it served as a small nightlight. Many of the hotel rooms are VERY dark!
  • Joycesw,

    Thanks for the advice. After thinking about it, I think the duffel would be too heavy to use use as a carry on--no wheels!
    I read somewhere that we should ask to lock our luggage after it goes thru inspection. Is there an issue with bags being gone thru at any of the airports in Kenya or Tanzania?

    Going to look for that thread on electricity and then shop for the item you mentioned.
    Thanks again.
    Francesca
  • Joycesw,

    Thank goodness there was a picture of the power strip on the forum. I just ordered it. Thanks again
    Francesca
  • Oops- I should have looked more carefully at the Amazon listings- I got the Monster Outlets to Go 3 outlet strip, not the 4 outlet model :-( The photo on Amazon only shows one side.

    I should have saved the packaging and sent it back. No big deal, I just ordered the 4 outlet one- it was $3.50 less, too!

    Amazon also has the Monster Outlets to Go 3 outlet with USB (discontinued?) model.

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