Safari Shoes - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Which safari shoes should you take with you on a safari expedition? Don't make the mistake of packing the wrong Africa shoes for your trip.

The tendency seems to be for everyone to take safari boots regardless of the kind of safari they are going on but that is not always the best choice. The nature of your safari trip is the key point to making the correct choice of safari shoes.

What Kind Of Safari Trip Are You Going On?

If you are going on a walking safari there is no question that you need to take safari boots with you, and a good pair at that because you are going to be spending a lot of time on your feet.

So any safari where you will spend time walking in the bush your favourite pair of boots needs to go with.

But there are many safari trips where you will be spending all your time in the bush comfortably seated inside a safari vehicle enjoying the wildlife without setting foot outside.

In that case you need a pair of shoes that are comfortable and wearing safari boots for long periods of time while you are sitting down doesn't make much sense.

I find that sandals are perfect for situations like this. They are very comfortable and cool, allowing your feet to breathe on hot African days and you can slip them on and off quickly especially if you have a pair with Velcro tie-ups. 

They are safe to wear back at camp too because they provide enough protection against thorns, stones and the kind of insects you may find there.

It's not recommended to walk around the camp barefoot especially in the dark as you might step on something nasty like a scorpion. So you can slip your sandals on and off quickly and conveniently in camp too.

If you are not comfortable wearing sandals then a normal pair of shoes will also do as long as they are not white. Stay away from white shoes because they will get dirty very quickly from dust and mud if it rains.

By taking sandals and a pair of safari boots or normal African shoes as depends on the type of safari trip you will get the best of both worlds.