When it comes to your Zimbabwe safari, packing your bag with everything you need is perhaps the biggest brain teaser of all! 

What do you take with you and what do you leave behind? An easy place to start is with your luggage and making sure it's going to be right for the job...

Bags: The ideal bag for travelling in Africa is a soft, lightweight duffel-type bag, especially if you are going to be using small charter-type planes between destinations when luggage weight is going to become an issue. 

With small planes the usual weight allowance is between 12kg and 15kg per person. That's between 26lbs and 33lbs. 

For your African  adventure we will tell you if there are any such restrictions on any of your connecting flights. If you are using standard commercial aircraft, or self-driving, then weight is not such an issue and a normal suitcase or travel bag will be fine. Check with your airline of choice on any limitations that may apply or ask us for advice.

Try and choose hardy, well-made luggage that will withstand the often rough handling that airline ground handlers dish out these days. Ensure that locks conform to airport and airline security requirements and make sure that items like scissors, nail clippers and pen knives are packed in your check-in luggage. 

Check the security requirements for cosmetics and any fluids you require for your journey. Do not pack cameras or anything valuable in your check-in luggage but rather bring valuables in your carry-on baggage. 

Choose a lightweight, back-pack type carry-on bag and check weight restrictions with your airline.

Clothes for the bush: There's an old saying that clothes maketh the man (or woman). Well, when it comes to Africa, clothes maketh the safari! It's important that you select the right clothing to bring with you on your safari so that you are both comfortable and dressed appropriately. 

The main rule of thumb for safari gear is neutral colours. That generally means any shade of khaki, beige or brown! Try and avoid bright colours and white, which although cool, can make you stand out a little too much when it's important to blend in. 

Long pants are good for walking as they protect your legs. Shorts and cut-off or "cargo" pants are also excellent choices. T-shirts, vests and long-sleeved shirts are also must-brings, as are a sweater and a fleece or wind-breaker. 

Even in summer, early morning and late-night game drives can prove chilly, so pack for all eventualities and you should be fine. 

Try and get your clothes to co-ordinate with one another to maximise the number of outfits you can put together and minimise your footwear to a good pair of hardy walking shoes, trainers and flip flops or sandals. 

There's really no need for heels in the bush! And don't forget your swimsuit and a hat - one of the absolute essentials on any safari.

When it comes to selecting your clothing think "layers" first, especially if you are travelling to Zimbabwe in the winter months. Select items that can easily be taken off and put on to either cool down or warm up, so that you can easily adjust to the rise and fall in temperatures, particularly when on game drives...

Equipment:  You're going to need a camera! For the non-serious photographer, choose one that is going to give you zoom capabilities in the bush for those up-close-and-personal wildlife portraits and wide angles for the incredible landscapes you're going to witness. 

If you're more serious about your photography, then bring a range of lenses and a monopod or tripod, together with batteries or battery charger and lots of memory cards.

A good pair of binoculars is also desirable. For the bush, something in the region of an 8 x 40 or 10 x 50 focal range should be perfect, especially if you are a keen birder. 

It's always a good idea to bring a range of plug adapters with you - handy travel kits are widely available offering these. 

Zimbabwean money is complicated to say the least. If you are a visitor to Zimbabwe it is vitally important to understand some of the complexities to avoid losing money.

The official currency of Zimbabwe is the Zimbabwe dollar (ZWL) although it is not an internationally recognised currency. This currency is in the form of *Bond Notes and **RTGS (real time gross settlement). However, the economy of the country is pegged in US Dollars, so essentially the US Dollar is the dominant currency. If you are a visitor to Zimbabwe you want to think in US Dollars.

• Zimbabwe Bond Notes* - These are the physical cash notes. They are not a currency in themselves but are just a banknote for ease of transactions. However, there are not enough of these in circulation and the denominations are too small to be useful. These notes have no value outside of Zimbabwe.

• RTGS** (real time gross settlement) - This is the electronic form of the Zimbabwe Dollar. RTGS is transferred from one local bank account to another local bank account to make a payment. RTGS cannot be transferred to a bank account outside the country. RTGS can be used to purchase US$ but not that easily. You have to have a Zimbabwe bank account to receive RTGS.

If you are an international visitor to Zimbabwe and only there for a short while, then you want to think in US Dollars or a foreign currency equivalent. You do not want to get involved with exchanging your forex into the local currency as it is too complicated.

US Dollar cash is king and paying is easy. However, there is a critical shortage of small denomination notes so getting change is very difficult. There are no coins so everything is rounded up or down. 

Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted. American Express not so much. It is advisable to only use your card when the item you are buying is priced in US Dollars. If the item is displayed in Zimbabwe Dollars (ZWL) your card will be debited at the official bank exchange rate of the day which can be exorbitant because generally things are priced according to a black market, or parallel rate which is vastly different to the official bank rate.

Entry Visa's and National Park entry fees are priced in US$ and can only be paid for with foreign Credit/Debit card or US$ cash or equivalent in another foreign currency.

• Large Supermarkets - Priced in ZWL, can be paid for with ZWL cash or ZWL credit /debit card. Can also be paid for using foreign credit/debit card or foreign cash. At the checkout counter, state you are paying with a foreign card and they will tell you what is the exchange rate of the day.

**CAUTION** your foreign card will be debited at the bank rate of the day, which is considerably lower than the parallel rate at which goods are priced at. This means that the goods will be very expensive.

• General stores - This is hard to be specific because it differs from store to store. Most will have both US$ and ZWL prices displayed but you always need to ask if they are using the bank rate or the parallel rate.

Garages - US$ cash or SA Rand cash- No ZWL cash or card. Some garages do have a foreign card facility but not all. As fuel is priced in US$ paying with a foreign card when you can is not a problem.

Restaurants - Prices generally displayed in both US$ and ZWL. So if using a foreign credit card or cash, you pay the US$ price.

Hotel accommodation and activities - These are all currently priced in US$ and can be paid for using foreign cards or US$ cash.

Malaria is present in certain areas of Zimbabwe at certain times of the year, so visit your doctor or travel clinic to discuss prophylactics (prevention), ideally two months before you go.

In Victoria Falls, Nyanga, Kariba, Gonarezhou and Mana Pools, malaria transmission rates are higher.

The malaria transmission season lasts for about four months each year generally between December and April when the rainy season is in full swing.

It is advisable to have basic medical items such as plasters, ibuprofen, paracetamol, immodium, tweezers, after-sun cream, cream to relieve insect bites and stings, antiseptic cream, any eyecare essentials, etc, and pack these in your luggage. 

If you’re prone to hay fever, remember to bring antihistamines, too. Make sure you have enough prescribed medication to last the duration of your holiday, as local pharmacies may not be able to provide certain drugs without prior arrangement.

Zimbabwe is not a yellow fever zone. You do not need a yellow fever vaccination to visit Zimbabwe. However, if you are travelling into Zimbabwe from a country that does have yellow fever, you will need to display a vaccination certificate when you enter Zimbabwe.

It is highly advisable to have travel insurance that covers medical emergencies. Carry copies of your medical insurance in your car and handbag. If anything happens that requires you to go to hospital in Harare or to be airlifted to Johannesburg, your medical insurance certificate will be required.

Check the vaccination requirements. Diseases like meningitis, pertussis (whooping cough), measles and polio are serious no matter where you are in the world, and vaccination is the best way of preventing them. Ensure you are up to date with immunisation schedules before you travel.