What 15kg actually means
A packing list for light aircraft, written by someone who has been weighed.
Almost every guest is surprised by this at the airstrip, which is the worst possible place to find out. The limit is real, it is enforced, and it is stricter than most airline websites suggest.
The rule
Fifteen kilograms per person on Kenyan and Tanzanian light aircraft, in a soft bag. Not 15kg plus a carry-on — fifteen in total, including your camera bag and everything in it. Some operators allow 20kg on certain routes; assume 15 unless we have told you otherwise in writing.
Hard suitcases are refused outright. The hold of a Cessna Caravan is a curved space behind the rear seats, and a rigid case simply will not go in. This is not a policy somebody can be talked out of on the day.
Why it is not a problem
Every camp we use does laundry daily, and at most it is free. Pack for three days, not ten. That single change takes almost anybody under the limit without giving anything up.
The exception is underwear, which many camps will not launder for cultural reasons. Bring enough of that for the whole trip, and a small bottle of travel wash.
What fifteen kilos actually looks like
Three pairs of trousers, four shirts, a fleece, a light waterproof, three days of underwear and socks, one pair of trainers plus what you fly in, a hat, a swimsuit, wash kit, and binoculars. That comes to about 9kg for most people, which leaves real room for a camera.
The heavy items are always the same: boots, a laptop, and full-size toiletries. Wear the boots if you need them, leave the laptop, and decant the toiletries.
If you are carrying camera gear
Tell us before you book and we will say whether the route allows more, or whether an extra seat is worth buying — it is often cheaper than people expect, and it is the honest solution for somebody travelling with a 600mm lens.
What to do with the rest
Leave it in Nairobi. Every hotel we use stores luggage free while you are in the bush, and your city clothes and hard case will be waiting when you come back through. Nobody needs a suitcase in the Mara.
