Luggage Limits When Travelling To Africa

Firstly you need to check if you are taking any light aircraft flights – and if you are, check what the luggage allowance is. Airlines can be very strict on baggage limits, so it’s important to double-check your limit before you travel. 

Please note the following luggage restrictions for domestic flights per country. Storage space on light aircraft flights is limited and therefore luggage should be soft bags (e.g. a duffel bag) so they can be squashed and manipulated into a small hold in the plane - as demonstrated by YZ expert James in Botswana below:

BOTSWANA: 20kg pp including hand luggage. Maximum dimensions 10 inches wide, 12 inches high and 24 inches long. Soft bags only.

KENYA: 15kg pp including hand luggage. Max dimensions 14.5 inches x 27 inches. Soft bags only.

MALAWI: 15kg pp plus 3kg pp hand luggage. Soft bags only.

MOZAMBIQUE: 15kg pp including hand luggage on helicopter transfers.  Soft bags only.

NAMIBIA: 20kg pp including hand luggage. Maximum dimensions 10 inches wide, 12 inches high and 24 inches long. Soft bags only.

RWANDA: 15kg pp including hand luggage.  Soft bags only.

SEYCHELLES: 15kg pp including hand luggage. Soft bags only.

SOUTH AFRICA:  South African Airways: 23 kg pp plus 7 kg pp hand luggage. Soft bags not required. SA Airlink/SA Express: 20 kg + 7 kg hand luggage. Soft bags not required. Federal Airlines: 20 kg pp plus 5 kg pp hand luggage. Maximum dimensions 16 inches wide x 12 inches high x 24 inches long. Soft bags only. Fireblade Aviation: 20 kg pp including hand luggage. Soft bags only. Odie Air: 20 kg pp including hand luggage. Soft bags only.

TANZANIA: 15kg pp including hand luggage. Soft bags only. Maximum dimensions 25cm x 30cm x 62cm (10” x 12” x 24”). (Coastal Aviation offers an upgrade to 30kg pp for additional cost – contact us for more details). Precision Air flights allow 23kg pp.  

UGANDA: 15kg pp including hand luggage. Soft bags only.

ZAMBIA: 23kg* pp plus 5kg pp hand luggage. *Flights to/from Royal or Jeki Airstrips have allowance of 15kg pp plus 5kg pp hand luggage. Total maximum dimension 61 inches (add length, width & height for total). Soft bags only.

ZIMBABWE: AltAir: 15kg pp plus 5kg pp hand luggage. Wilderness Air: 20kg pp including hand luggage. Maximum dimensions 10 inches wide, 12 inches high and 24 inches long. Soft bags only.