Luggage recommendations for China and/or Africa..?

[AquaDame]

Hi all! My husband and I are going to be up to some fun mischief in the next year+ but one thing that is giving me pause is the seemingly strict restrictions on luggage. For China it seems most regular carry on luggage won't work as it it too large (strangely the height seems to be the issue - they allow for 20cm (~7.8") whereas virtually all carry on rolling bags I can find are 9" (~22.8cm). I'm guessing they are strict - as I am reading they are - so what did you all do? Any recommended pieces that are under the limit?

Africa is going to be even more hilariously awkward for us as it seems our internal flights do not allow for hard sided luggage or anything with wheels or telescoping handles. I'm guessing either a backpacking bag or large duffel will be my go-to here - does anyone have any favorites? My old hiking backpack is too heavy for this I think - we're allowed a TOTAL of 33lbs of luggage including carryon and camera equipment and it is a whopping 5lbs just by itself!

 

[macman752]

We did the ABD China adventure and the restrictions for checked bags were strictly enforced. We were permitted a single checked bag per person. Our checked bags are Travelpro Crew 10 25" Expandable Spinners. Pay close attention to the weight of your checked luggage. If I remember correctly the bag can't weigh more than 46 lbs. My carry on is a Travelpro backpack. My wife carried on a large purse and another bag. We did not encounter any problem with carry ons and did not see anyone being told that their carry on was too large.

Yes, the luggage weight restrictions mean that one has to pack wisely and budget for laundry expenses.

 

[Cousin Orville]

I travel with a hard shell, rolling Tumi carry on ~21.5" tall. I didn't encounter any issues in China or Africa. Also carried my backpacked as a 2nd carry on.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

If you are planning your own trip to Africa you will need to stay within the luggage requirements (soft-sided luggage, no wheels or handles). The planes between private reserves are often quite small with no luggage hold -- the bags are put in the back of the plane. The bags need to be flexible so that if there is more than a party of 2 on the plane all the luggage will fit. For carry-ons I had my handbag and a large Tumi backpack. We never had an issue.

My daughter and I used extra-large (90L) Patagonia duffels with straps that turned them into backpacks (in reality they were so heavy we would've never had them on our backs). We had no issue in Africa -- actually I'm not even certain if we even picked our bags up at all in Africa -- the staff at the lodges, private guides and pilots of the bush planes won't let you touch them. You just have to be able to get them to the airport in your home city and from there you likely won't have to pick them up again!

The private lodges include laundry with your stay. So in theory you won't have to pack as much. However we came across people that changed their outfits 3 times a day and I often felt that we didn't pack enough. This year I am taking a few nice tops and sweaters, jeans, 2 jackets and a pair of jeans and khaki cargo pants (in addition to our day-time safari outfits ).

I have heard that if you arrive at the private airport in Johannesburg with a hard-sided bag they can make you leave it there to pick up at the end of your trip.

As a plus the duffel bags we bought were pretty inexpensive and held up very well! We will be using them again in less than 2 months when we head back to Africa. Another plus is you really don't have to worry about them getting stolen as they are pretty unattractive!

Good luck and have fun! You will LOVE LOVE LOVE Africa.

 

[sayhello]

If you're looking for something soft-sided, I have an older version of this and really loved it. However, I have gone over to the spinner side, so I now have a hard-sided carryon, which I had *no* problem with in China.

https://www.ebags.com/product/ebags...duffel/125538?productid=10183335&cartItemId=1

Sayhello

 

[heart]

Your luggage is especially limited as you are doing some things on your own, is that correct?

For ABD SA what I found on website was this
• 1 checked bag not to exceed 20kg/44lbs.
• 1 carry-on bag not to exceed 7kg/15lbs and not to exceed dimensions 22x14x9" (so that it can fit under the seat or in overhead compartment).
• 1 small item may also be carry-on, i.e. purse, coat, umbrella.

You're worrying me a little talking about soft sided

That said, on our Peru ABD we had just come from the Galapagos with a different tour company. We were very limited. The Peru ABDers saw me in 3 outfits the entire trip!

 

[LuckyBelle1]

You don't need a soft-sided bag for the ABD South Africa (at least you didn't in December 2015) because you are not taking small plane flights, or taking the luggage with you in a safari vehicle from camp to camp (Kapama is very close to the airport and my recollection is that they transported them in an extra vehicle from the airport to the hotel). We are going to Tanzania with another company this Summer and we do need soft sided bags without wheels because of the need for the bags to fit into the safari vehicle going camp to camp and in the plane at the end of the trip that brings us back to Kilimanjaro.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Yeah, I brought a hard Tumi carry on during the SA ABD with no problems. As did many other guests. One of the guides even gave my bag a little complement. And no one weighed our carry on's. That's really not a problem to worry about.

 

[AquaDame]

Sounds like S. Africa isn't as stringent as Kenya/Tanzania/Zimbabwe... another plus to go there I suppose!

It's great to hear no one had issues with their carry on rollers in China! I guess I will take my smallest one and see. If its a problem maybe I can just buy one when we are there... I don't mind buying a new roller I just can't seem to find any on Amazon etc to buy that are that small!

If you are planning your own trip to Africa you will need to stay within the luggage requirements (soft-sided luggage, no wheels or handles). The planes between private reserves are often quite small with no luggage hold -- the bags are put in the back of the plane. The bags need to be flexible so that if there is more than a party of 2 on the plane all the luggage will fit. For carry-ons I had my handbag and a large Tumi backpack. We never had an issue.

My daughter and I used extra-large (90L) Patagonia duffels with straps that turned them into backpacks (in reality they were so heavy we would've never had them on our backs). We had no issue in Africa -- actually I'm not even certain if we even picked our bags up at all in Africa -- the staff at the lodges, private guides and pilots of the bush planes won't let you touch them. You just have to be able to get them to the airport in your home city and from there you likely won't have to pick them up again!

The private lodges include laundry with your stay. So in theory you won't have to pack as much. However we came across people that changed their outfits 3 times a day and I often felt that we didn't pack enough. This year I am taking a few nice tops and sweaters, jeans, 2 jackets and a pair of jeans and khaki cargo pants (in addition to our day-time safari outfits ).

I have heard that if you arrive at the private airport in Johannesburg with a hard-sided bag they can make you leave it there to pick up at the end of your trip.

As a plus the duffel bags we bought were pretty inexpensive and held up very well! We will be using them again in less than 2 months when we head back to Africa. Another plus is you really don't have to worry about them getting stolen as they are pretty unattractive!

Good luck and have fun! You will LOVE LOVE LOVE Africa.

Yeah, I definitely am not going to bring anything hard sided, thats for sure! Its so nice to hear that they tended to help you with luggage... I'm worried about carting ours even at "just" 30lbs or so. I also keep being told people overpack for Africa which is giving me hope we can figure it out! My husband isn't very happy that his clothes weigh so much more than mine since he is bigger - he says it is really unfair. In reality I'm sure it will just mean I get to carry our toiletries and will work out evenly somehow. Thank you for telling me about the Patagonia bag! I'll have to check it out!

Yes, I heard about the laundry (whew!). My TA also mentioned that laundry or no, I will have to wash my own undergarments as the camps are almost entirely staffed by males and custom dictates that is something they just won't do. A lot of lightweight/fast drying undies are in my future! I also may just bring one swimsuit bottom and wear sports bras if we choose to swim at all. Hopefully that won't be too weird... they cover more than my bikini top anyway.

If you're looking for something soft-sided, I have an older version of this and really loved it. However, I have gone over to the spinner side, so I now have a hard-sided carryon, which I had *no* problem with in China.

https://www.ebags.com/product/ebags...duffel/125538?productid=10183335&cartItemId=1

Sayhello

Excellent to know you didn't have issues! I love my hard sided carry on and would love nothing better than to just keep using it. That one wouldn't work in Africa due to the wheels/handle unfortunately.

Your luggage is especially limited as you are doing some things on your own, is that correct?

For ABD SA what I found on website was this
• 1 checked bag not to exceed 20kg/44lbs.
• 1 carry-on bag not to exceed 7kg/15lbs and not to exceed dimensions 22x14x9" (so that it can fit under the seat or in overhead compartment).
• 1 small item may also be carry-on, i.e. purse, coat, umbrella.

You're worrying me a little talking about soft sided

That said, on our Peru ABD we had just come from the Galapagos with a different tour company. We were very limited. The Peru ABDers saw me in 3 outfits the entire trip!

Yes and no..since we are doing small craft shared flights THAT is where we are in trouble I think, so I suppose the only people who will know are ones who did further travel before/after the ABD part. I'm not sure it would have mattered as much if we were driving everywhere. I'm sure the plane you all use to get over to Kruger is larger than the tiny props I'm likely to find myself in further north - or else Disney pulls weight to make normal bags OK...!

You don't need a soft-sided bag for the ABD South Africa (at least you didn't in December 2015) because you are not taking small plane flights, or taking the luggage with you in a safari vehicle from camp to camp (Kapama is very close to the airport and my recollection is that they transported them in an extra vehicle from the airport to the hotel). We are going to Tanzania with another company this Summer and we do need soft sided bags without wheels because of the need for the bags to fit into the safari vehicle going camp to camp and in the plane at the end of the trip that brings us back to Kilimanjaro.

Bingo... do you know what type of bag you'll likely use? I'm also worried about finding enough neutral safari clothes. Our TA stressed to not wear anything bright as it might scare away game and also to stay away from black/blue clothing as that will attract flies and mosquitos. Basically 99% of my wardrobe is out with those restrictions.

 

[Cousin Orville]

I'm also worried about finding enough neutral safari clothes. Our TA stressed to not wear anything bright as it might scare away game and also to stay away from black/blue clothing as that will attract flies and mosquitos. Basically 99% of my wardrobe is out with those restrictions.

This is something I worried about prior to our trip and was really no big deal. Probably best to avoid pulling out some 1990's neon fashion, but other than that people wore a wide variety subdued of colors. Some of the kids had brighter jackets. Didn't affect the animals. They got very close at times. Almost scary close, but that was more in Botswana. The rangers in Kapama try to keep their distance MOST of the time. That's interesting about black/blue clothing attracting flies and mosquitos. I wasn't aware of that. Are you traveling during their winter? If so, we didn't encounter many flies and no mosquitos.

And in regards to China. I've done China twice. I didn't encounter any issues with my rolling hard suitcase on either trip. Pretty sure lots of guests had them. Mine is larger than 20" as are most. I know it's famous last words.. but I really wouldn't worry about it.

 

[LuckyBelle1]

We are going with Thomson Safaris and they recommended the "No Matter What" duffel from Eagle Creek. It is the only wheeled duffel they will allow because the wheels are small enough. As we are traveling with kids, we went for the wheeled bag because them carrying even a 32 pound duffel is not going to happen. They look nice, but we haven't traveled with them yet so can't give a real review.

 

[Calfan]

We are going with Thomson Safaris and they recommended the "No Matter What" duffel from Eagle Creek. It is the only wheeled duffel they will allow because the wheels are small enough. As we are traveling with kids, we went for the wheeled bag because them carrying even a 32 pound duffel is not going to happen. They look nice, but we haven't traveled with them yet so can't give a real review.

We are traveling with Natural Habitat Adventures to Botswana, and they also recommend the "No Matter What" duffel from Eagle Creek. These are the ones we bought since we are limited to 59 linear inches. We are also going to use them on our Peru trip with National Geographic.

https://www.ebags.com/product/eagle...JiClfe-CRtIl_9kinGHA0xGjK7d8mf4BoClvIQAvD_BwE

 

[AquaDame]

This is something I worried about prior to our trip and was really no big deal. Probably best to avoid pulling out some 1990's neon fashion, but other than that people wore a wide variety subdued of colors. Some of the kids had brighter jackets. Didn't affect the animals. They got very close at times. Almost scary close, but that was more in Botswana. The rangers in Kapama try to keep their distance MOST of the time. That's interesting about black/blue clothing attracting flies and mosquitos. I wasn't aware of that. Are you traveling during their winter? If so, we didn't encounter many flies and no mosquitos.

And in regards to China. I've done China twice. I didn't encounter any issues with my rolling hard suitcase on either trip. Pretty sure lots of guests had them. Mine is larger than 20" as are most. I know it's famous last words.. but I really wouldn't worry about it.

We are traveling during their winter, yes. Mid August through early September. Most of my clothing is subdued, but not the athletic stuff which is what I was planning to take since it is quick drying! The blue/black almost makes me crankier since almost all my pants are jeans and my outerwear is black. Did you find in the camp that most people we wearing khakis/zip off pants? We have some of those already at least since we travel in winter and its nice to zip them off when we arrive to our hot destinations!

We'll just take our normal luggage to China, which is a huge relief, thank you! Did they scrutinize your carryon when you arrived - turn on your kindles, that sort of thing? I'm probably leaving the iPad/computer at home but I will have my iPhone, kindle and *maybe* a Nintendo switch if that won't create a problem.

We are going with Thomson Safaris and they recommended the "No Matter What" duffel from Eagle Creek. It is the only wheeled duffel they will allow because the wheels are small enough. As we are traveling with kids, we went for the wheeled bag because them carrying even a 32 pound duffel is not going to happen. They look nice, but we haven't traveled with them yet so can't give a real review.

Our paperwork for Zimbabwe specifically says no wheels or handles... maybe that one is OK though. I'll have to ask my TA if there is any leeway with that one when she gets back from a trip she is on!

We are traveling with Natural Habitat Adventures to Botswana, and they also recommend the "No Matter What" duffel from Eagle Creek. These are the ones we bought since we are limited to 59 linear inches. We are also going to use them on our Peru trip with National Geographic.

https://www.ebags.com/product/eagle...JiClfe-CRtIl_9kinGHA0xGjK7d8mf4BoClvIQAvD_BwE

From what I've read elsewhere too this seems to be the best bang for the buck... now I just need to make sure its allowed. I might get a medium one since the weight limit for us is so tiny. I've read some planes only allow 24x10x12 since the openings are small (though each person can have two bags) so I need to know that too I suppose.

 

[sayhello]

We'll just take our normal luggage to China, which is a huge relief, thank you! Did they scrutinize your carryon when you arrived - turn on your kindles, that sort of thing? I'm probably leaving the iPad/computer at home but I will have my iPhone, kindle and *maybe* a Nintendo switch if that won't create a problem.

OMG! Except for the Hong Kong airport, they took out and scrutinized all *sorts* of stuff out of my carryon!! Eyeglasses case. Makeup bag. Travel umbrella. Tiny scissors. In Chengdu, they sent my bag through the scanner like 8 times!!! And this was with my tablet and phone already pulled out & separate. I don't know if they had a thing against Vera Bradley or what, but it happened in *every* airport!!

Sayhello

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

OMG! Except for the Hong Kong airport, they took out and scrutinized all *sorts* of stuff out of my carryon!! Eyeglasses case. Makeup bag. Travel umbrella. Tiny scissors. In Chengdu, they sent my bag through the scanner like 8 times!!! And this was with my tablet and phone already pulled out & separate. I don't know if they had a thing against Vera Bradley or what, but it happened in *every* airport!!

Sayhello

The airports in China were very particular!

We had a similar issue in Amsterdam last summer. For some reason they wanted EVERYTHING with a battery taken out of handbags / luggage. And almost everyone in line forgot at least ONE item (ourselves included). Which made the line take a very long time and seemed to really aggravate the agents.

That Eagle Creek bag looks very nice. I like the wheels -- that would make it easier to drag around! If we didn't already have Patagonia bags I'd probably pick 2 of those up.

With respect to clothing, where we were in South Africa / Zimbabwe, almost everyone wore khaki / light colored clothing (tan, beige, cream, etc.). Actually most people were dressed very nicely for safari (at least I thought so). The reason they advise against denim is it takes so long to dry and is heavy. However I am taking a pair of thick cotton (stylish) skinny khakis this year as well as jeans, as I got very tired of wearing "travel" clothes for a few weeks (even though they do your laundry for you). Plus a few nice sweaters and blouses. I found that most people got somewhat dressed up for dinner (and you have to look nice for at least some of the pictures ).

I can assure you that you'll LOVE Africa and the animals don't care what you wear. I'd avoid white though -- because of the dust (it's pervasive). And also black and navy blue (tse tse flies I think), though dark gray is perfectly fine.

 

[Cousin Orville]

We are traveling during their winter, yes. Mid August through early September. Most of my clothing is subdued, but not the athletic stuff which is what I was planning to take since it is quick drying! The blue/black almost makes me crankier since almost all my pants are jeans and my outerwear is black. Did you find in the camp that most people we wearing khakis/zip off pants? We have some of those already at least since we travel in winter and its nice to zip them off when we arrive to our hot destinations!

We'll just take our normal luggage to China, which is a huge relief, thank you! Did they scrutinize your carryon when you arrived - turn on your kindles, that sort of thing? I'm probably leaving the iPad/computer at home but I will have my iPhone, kindle and *maybe* a Nintendo switch if that won't create a problem.



Our paperwork for Zimbabwe specifically says no wheels or handles... maybe that one is OK though. I'll have to ask my TA if there is any leeway with that one when she gets back from a trip she is on!



From what I've read elsewhere too this seems to be the best bang for the buck... now I just need to make sure its allowed. I might get a medium one since the weight limit for us is so tiny. I've read some planes only allow 24x10x12 since the openings are small (though each person can have two bags) so I need to know that too I suppose.

Many people wore khakis, but looking through my pictures people wore jeans, purple sweatpants, white pants?!, dark grey/black pants. All sorts. I think the khaki/zip off pants would work well. It's pretty cold in the morning and night, but it's hot enough where people changed to shorts mid day. I wore mostly khaki pants. My son mostly wore the zip off pants.

As others have said, yes, China brings a new level of scrutiny in the airport security line. Any electronics, umbrellas, odd shaped objects will be examined. iPhones and Switches won't cause a problem. Just be prepared to pull them out. It really isn't a huge deal. Just be aware they'll ask for those things to be removed. More than any other airport I've been in. Security won't care about the type of carryon you have so long as it doesn't have built in batteries (such as Away carryons). Once we got through security, we didn't encounter any other problems. The only other thing to be aware is a lot of flights now require boarding by stairs rather than jetway. As of last year, Beijing and Shanghai were such busy airports, there weren't enough gates for all the planes.

Your flight to Zimbabwe will likely be on a major airplane. I doubt you'd encounter issues with luggage there. If you're driving out to a camp maybe that would explain the restrictions? I don't know. I stayed at the Victoria Falls Hotel. We had a van that took us to the hotel. So, no issues with my rolling suitcases.

 

[AquaDame]

OMG! Except for the Hong Kong airport, they took out and scrutinized all *sorts* of stuff out of my carryon!! Eyeglasses case. Makeup bag. Travel umbrella. Tiny scissors. In Chengdu, they sent my bag through the scanner like 8 times!!! And this was with my tablet and phone already pulled out & separate. I don't know if they had a thing against Vera Bradley or what, but it happened in *every* airport!!

Sayhello

Well... that's good to know I suppose!! Did your guides get you to the airport with a lot of extra time for that? I was thinking two hours would be plenty for internal flights as it is here in the States but maybe not if everyone gets checked over so thoroughly in line!

The airports in China were very particular!

We had a similar issue in Amsterdam last summer. For some reason they wanted EVERYTHING with a battery taken out of handbags / luggage. And almost everyone in line forgot at least ONE item (ourselves included). Which made the line take a very long time and seemed to really aggravate the agents.

That Eagle Creek bag looks very nice. I like the wheels -- that would make it easier to drag around! If we didn't already have Patagonia bags I'd probably pick 2 of those up.

With respect to clothing, where we were in South Africa / Zimbabwe, almost everyone wore khaki / light colored clothing (tan, beige, cream, etc.). Actually most people were dressed very nicely for safari (at least I thought so). The reason they advise against denim is it takes so long to dry and is heavy. However I am taking a pair of thick cotton (stylish) skinny khakis this year as well as jeans, as I got very tired of wearing "travel" clothes for a few weeks (even though they do your laundry for you). Plus a few nice sweaters and blouses. I found that most people got somewhat dressed up for dinner (and you have to look nice for at least some of the pictures ).

I can assure you that you'll LOVE Africa and the animals don't care what you wear. I'd avoid white though -- because of the dust (it's pervasive). And also black and navy blue (tse tse flies I think), though dark gray is perfectly fine.

Oh if grey is OK then I would be in good shape..! I have a bunch of long sleeved clothes that are grey. That was my thought on bringing one pair of dressy jeans... something different for dinner but not too nice. I think I will be foregoing any dresses or skirts due to mosquitoes at night!

Many people wore khakis, but looking through my pictures people wore jeans, purple sweatpants, white pants?!, dark grey/black pants. All sorts. I think the khaki/zip off pants would work well. It's pretty cold in the morning and night, but it's hot enough where people changed to shorts mid day. I wore mostly khaki pants. My son mostly wore the zip off pants.

As others have said, yes, China brings a new level of scrutiny in the airport security line. Any electronics, umbrellas, odd shaped objects will be examined. iPhones and Switches won't cause a problem. Just be prepared to pull them out. It really isn't a huge deal. Just be aware they'll ask for those things to be removed. Moreno than any other airport I've been in. Security won't care about the type of carryon you have so long as it doesn't have built in batteries (such as Away carryons). Once we got through security, we didn't encounter any other problems. The only other thing to be aware is a lot of flights now require boarding by stairs rather than jetway. As of last year, Beijing and Shanghai were such busy airports, there weren't enough gates for all the planes.

Your flight to Zimbabwe will likely be on a major airplane. I doubt you'd encounter issues with luggage there. If you're driving out to a camp maybe that would explain the restrictions? I don't know. I stayed at the Victoria Falls Hotel. We had a van that took us to the hotel. So, no issues with my rolling suitcases.

The zip off pants certainly aren't stylish but they are so useful...! I had thought about getting an Away bag but the moment I learned of them I also learned of all the problems they seem to cause. It doesn't make much sense for me to buy one and then have to treat it as an external battery pack and remove it anyway! Interesting bit about the stairs... we have been encountering that more and more. I've heard how fast China is growing as far as tourism is concerned - sounds like the size of the airports can't keep up maybe!

That's a good point about Zimbabwe...! Looking back at our itinerary that is one of the few flights I have a flight # for and it looks to be on a E190. No smooshing of our bags on THAT flight at least! Your trip review is what got me interested in the Victoria Falls Hotel... originally we were going to stay further away from the falls but I liked the sound of it from your trip report and enjoy historical spots so I asked to switch to it. Of course today my coworker from Zimbabwe recommended the original hotel... OH WELL!

 

[Cousin Orville]

Well... that's good to know I suppose!! Did your guides get you to the airport with a lot of extra time for that? I was thinking two hours would be plenty for internal flights as it is here in the States but maybe not if everyone gets checked over so thoroughly in line!



Oh if grey is OK then I would be in good shape..! I have a bunch of long sleeved clothes that are grey. That was my thought on bringing one pair of dressy jeans... something different for dinner but not too nice. I think I will be foregoing any dresses or skirts due to mosquitoes at night!



The zip off pants certainly aren't stylish but they are so useful...! I had thought about getting an Away bag but the moment I learned of them I also learned of all the problems they seem to cause. It doesn't make much sense for me to buy one and then have to treat it as an external battery pack and remove it anyway! Interesting bit about the stairs... we have been encountering that more and more. I've heard how fast China is growing as far as tourism is concerned - sounds like the size of the airports can't keep up maybe!

That's a good point about Zimbabwe...! Looking back at our itinerary that is one of the few flights I have a flight # for and it looks to be on a E190. No smooshing of our bags on THAT flight at least! Your trip review is what got me interested in the Victoria Falls Hotel... originally we were going to stay further away from the falls but I liked the sound of it from your trip report and enjoy historical spots so I asked to switch to it. Of course today my coworker from Zimbabwe recommended the original hotel... OH WELL!

The Victoria Falls Hotel is a no brainer. One of my favorite hotels anywhere. Dinner in the Livingstone Room is a must do. We ended up eating there twice.

 

[AquaDame]

The Victoria Falls Hotel is a no brainer. One of my favorite hotels anywhere. Dinner in the Livingstone Room is a must do. We ended up eating there twice.

Is that something you have to arrange ahead of time..? Or did you just go down about the time you were ready to have dinner?

 

[Cousin Orville]

Is that something you have to arrange ahead of time..? Or did you just go down about the time you were ready to have dinner?

I emailed the hotel ahead of time for reservations.