The ultimate essential items packing list for a road trip
South Africa
Although this list is written for road trips in South Africa, most of it can apply to many other countries around the world.
Essentials needed for travelling by road in Africa
Road trip in Mozambique provides interesting sights
Packing lists for road trips
Why would you need a packing list? Many people love to wing it by jumping in a vehicle and driving off to some unknown destination. Sometimes I do too! But in reality when taking that road trip you need to plan and pack a few essentials especially for a long trip to remote places.
Creating a list is ideal and easy to refer to. Ticking off the items as you pack them ensures that you have everything you need, particularly those vital documents needed when crossing border posts.
Other equipment and gadgets are not only useful but sometimes a necessity too when on the road. Why not make your life easier when preparing for the trip? No stress about leaving that much needed item at home.
Where do you begin with that list? I have made it easy for you by creating a list that we always use. We have spent many hours on the road, on tarmac and off road and have been on many adventures. We love them and many have been through borders from South Africa into Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
At times I have been complimented on how organised I am but it really only comes down to some planning. My secret weapon is my lists, I have had many a person begging for a copy.
If this is the first road trip you are planning, I highly recommend that you download and refer to it. I would not leave home without these essential items.
Road to Marakele
Essentials needed for a road trip.
Passports, Identification Documents/cards.
Drivers licence (international if required).
Extra set of car keys, including trailer or caravan keys.
Vaccination cards/documents when required.
Confirmation of bookings/itinerary - digital or printed.
Vehicle, trailer or caravan registration papers.
Proof of vehicle, trailer or caravan insurance papers.
Cash and credit or travel cards.
Proof of residence for money exchange - South Africa - residents only.
Proof of ownership of electronic equipment - border control - import/export.
Memory stick with digital copies of all documents including passports, etc.
Downloadable/offline maps for route and destination - Apps, Books or conventional.
GPS, cell phones, cables/leads, batteries and chargers.
Cameras and chargers or spare batteries and memory sticks.
Electronic Battery pack.
Bird and Animal Books or Apps.
Binoculars.
First Aid kit and personal medication - malaria prophylaxis when necessary.
Spare set of spectacles (if you cannot manage without them).
Hand sanitizer or wet wipes.
Windbreakers, warm jackets, rain jackets and hats or beanies and gloves.
Clothes.
Toiletries.
Snacks and water or drinks for long road trips.
Insect repellent and sunscreen.
Emergency tools, spare wheel/tyre and repair kit for your vehicle.
The above list consists of absolute essentials when going on a road trip. Other items to make your life more comfortable or those ‘nice to haves’ that you can add to your list if necessary:
A light blanket if the air conditioner is set too cold for the passengers or for emergency situations.
Music for inside the car if you like listening to your favourite songs while traveling.
Entertainment for the kids if they get bored quickly or if you have long delays for instance at borders or in traffic jams.
For your own free printable copy, click the button below to download your Essential Road Trip Packing List
Sterkfontein dam
Passports, Identification Documents/cards.
If you are traveling through borders you will need your passports. If you are traveling locally an identification card or booklet should be sufficient.
Driver’s licence (international if required).
This one is a bit obvious, if you are driving, but it has been known to happen that some people leave home without their driver’s licence. If you are driving in a foreign country you will probably need an international driver’s licence as well.
Extra set of car keys, including trailer or caravan keys.
This is an item that is often not considered. What would you do if the keys to your vehicle fall into a deep river or the ocean, irretrievable? Trust me, it happens. If you are in a remote location it is not always possible to call for roadside assistance from your insurance company. A great idea is to have the spare keys in an easily accessible place – and not inside the vehicle where it would be of no use to you, when it is locked.
Eucalyptus trees in Mozambique
Vaccination cards or documents when required.
It is necessary to be vaccinated against certain diseases such as yellow fever, hepatitis, typhoid and rabies before traveling to some countries. When you enter the country you would need proof that you have been vaccinated.
Confirmation of bookings/itinerary - digital or printed.
Most establishments require some form of proof that you have booked accommodation or excursions.
Vehicle, trailer or caravan registration papers.
If you are traveling outside of the country that your vehicle, trailer or caravan is registered in, you would need to supply the documents and often not only the licence disc.
Sani pass border control from South Africa to Lesotho
Proof of vehicle, trailer or caravan insurance papers.
Not only is it a great idea to have insurance, such as third-party insurance, in case of accident or theft, it can also be a requirement in some countries.
Cash and credit or travel cards.
Credit or travel cards are easy ways of paying when traveling. However many countries still only work with cash. It is also a great idea to have some cash or foreign currency available as you enter the country in the event that your card does not work for some unknown reason.
Proof of residence for obtaining foreign currency in South Africa - residents only.
This might sound strange but as a resident in South Africa, if you are wanting to exchange foreign currency before traveling into another country, you require to show proof of residence.
Somewhere in South Africa …
Proof of ownership of electronic equipment - border control - import/export.
When crossing borders into foreign countries, especially over land it is advisable to have proof of ownership of electronic equipment to avoid import or export duties. We usually also have a list (yes, another one!) with all the serial numbers and descriptions to make our lives easier when completing documents.
Memory stick with digital copies of all documents including passports, etc.
How many times have you heard of people losing their passports? At times they have even been stolen. With digital copies it is quick to have the relevant information at hand to replace them or prove that you had one in the first place.
Downloadable and offline maps for route and destination - Apps, Books or conventional.
In the digital age everything is done electronically and it is great to be able to download maps or have apps to find your way or have information about a destination. Sometimes however even those downloadable maps do not work properly. When you don’t have data, internet or cell phone coverage the old standby paper map or book can still be useful.
There are many places in South Africa and Africa where there is no cell phone reception or WIFI
GPS, cell phones, cables/leads, batteries and chargers.
If you use a GPS to find your way, do not forget to pack those cables, leads, chargers or spare batteries. Likewise when it comes to cell phones.
Cameras and chargers or spare batteries and memory sticks.
It is so easy to leave behind chargers or spare batteries and memory sticks for your camera, so here is a friendly reminder! It is always a great idea to have a couple of spare memory sticks because as a traveller it is so easy to fill them quickly with some great and not so great photos.
Electronic Battery pack.
A gadget which I have found extremely useful is an electronic battery pack for the times when there are no power points for you to charge your cell phone and your battery is sitting at 1%! Because it is portable you can charge just about anywhere as long as the battery in the pack is not empty – so don’t forget to charge that when you are at your destination or whenever you can.
Bird and Animal Books or Apps.
If you are planning to go on a safari road trip or enjoy birdwatching, it can be useful to have the necessary books or apps to identify the animal and bird species.
Binoculars.
Not only are binoculars handy for spotting birds or animals, but sometimes it can come in handy to identify other objects that are far away.
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First Aid kit and personal medication - malaria prophylaxis when necessary.
Having travelled as a family with young kids, I always made sure I had a good first aid kit especially when we went to remote places. I still do. Of course personal medication is a given and if you are entering an area with malaria, please remember to take the prophylaxis.
Spare set of spectacles (if you cannot manage without them).
Some people are rather poor sighted without their glasses and if yours breaks or gets misplaced while on a road trip, you could be in a bit of a squander. We found having a spare pair is definitely worthwhile, just in case. We usually keep an old pair of script glasses handy for such occasions. They may not be perfect anymore, but they are a lot better than nothing at all.
Hand sanitizer or wet wipes.
Traveling with young children, one always needs to wipe dirty hands and faces and we have used wet wipes for many years. Lately hand sanitizer has become the norm as well for those occasions where there is no water or facilities to wash.
Windbreakers, warm jackets, rain jackets and hats or beanies and gloves.
Sometimes one sets off from home with sunny blue skies only to find at your destination or lunch stop the weather has made a turn. It is always a good idea to have easily accessible jackets or warmer clothing to ward off the cold or rain.
Clothes.
A road trip usually includes an overnight stop or two, if not a few, so of course clothes are another given. Don’t forget to pack your undies! So easy to forget.
Toiletries.
As with clothes, toiletries are also a necessity for an overnight stop.
Snacks and water or drinks for long road trips.
It is always a good idea to have drinking water available even if you are doing short trips. If your road trip is longer a few snacks will come in handy to keep your energy levels up. If you are traveling in the tropics be sure to have sufficient water available to keep you and your family hydrated.
Insect repellent and sunscreen.
So many times we have reached our destination after spending an entire day in our cool air-conditioned vehicle to stepped outside into a cloud of mosquitoes or a relentless sun. Having insect repellent and sunscreen close at hand one can quickly spray or slap on cream before unpacking (or setting up camp). An easily accessible sunhat also comes in handy.
Emergency tools, spare wheel/tyre and repair kit for your vehicle.
Hopefully most road trips go forth without any incidents but on occasion one gets a puncture or something breaks on the vehicle. Sometimes even a trailer or caravan. Having a good emergency tool kit is extremely handy especially if you are in the middle of nowhere and there is no workshop or mechanic close at hand.
Augrabies National Park - sometimes one has to travel on gravel
The above items I would consider as absolute essentials when going on a road trip. The items below I would recommend.
A light blanket if the air conditioner is set too cold for the passengers or for emergency situations.
Sometimes the driver has the full sun baking on them while they are driving and need the air conditioner set on a colder setting. Often in the back of the vehicle kids are then shivering but to close the vents would mean less air circulating. A light blanket will come in handy.
Music for inside the car if you like listening to your favourite songs while traveling.
Who doesn’t love music on a road trip? Sometimes one relies on a radio station but when there is no reception it is useful to have your own music. We used to sing along to Cliff Richards’ We’re all going on a summer holiday and a few other songs on many of our road trips. Those were still in the days of stretchy tapes that made the songs sound terrible sometimes. We transported those cassette tapes in holders that took up most of the room in the passenger’s footwell (usually at my feet) so we could have a variety of music.
We then advanced onto CD’s, but still needed to carry around a holder with discs in. These days it is far easier and more compact with music downloaded on cell phones or other gadgets.
Activities for the kids if they get bored quickly or if you have long delays for instance at borders.
Kids love going on a road trip… until they have sat in the car for a couple of hours. The usual chorus of are we there yet can be rather tiresome. Keep them occupied with some games suitable for the car or singalong music. Even iPads with movies can distract them for a while.
Queue at the border going into Mozambique from South Africa
With the list ticked off and these items packed into your vehicle you should be all set for your road trip whether it be local or to a neighbouring country. Enjoy!
Oh, and BTW, I have left some space for your extra items that you deem necessary. If you can think of anything else that is ABSOLUTELY essential to have, let me know.
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About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
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The Best Way to see a country? Take a road trip! Have you ever had that feeling when you hit the open road on your road trip? Freedom. Anticipation. Exhilaration.