What to pack for Cape Town in July

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

Water reflects light off the Atlantic and sand. Polarized lenses cut the glare.

Mosquitoes breed in the 79 percent humidity. Repellent keeps them off your skin.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Cuts happen on urban walks. A kit handles them before infection sets in.

Tap water isn't safe here. A filter bottle beats buying plastic twice a day.

This country runs on Type C, D, G or N. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Ten hours of daylight drain devices fast. A bank keeps your phone alive.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 5:55pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

You fly into a major airport. A 35 to 45 liter pack fits overhead on every airline.

Table Mountain and the waterfront are day trips. A daypack carries what you need without checked bags.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.

Tap water causes stomach trouble. Salts replace what your body loses.

Diarrhea from unsafe water derails days. This combination stops it and restores your gut.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

Pickpockets work crowded markets. A hidden wallet keeps cards and cash safe.

Luggage moves through airports and hotels. A tracker finds it if it doesn't arrive with you.

Wet Cape Town air dampens everything. Cubes keep clothes separated and organized.

Laundry dries slowly in 79 percent humidity. Detergent lets you wash every few days instead.

Planes and long drives are part of the route. Headphones give you quiet when you need it.

You touch railings, doorknobs, money. Sanitizer kills what your hands picked up.

Mosquito bites itch. Sunscreen-safe relief lets you scratch without burning.

One outlet powers everything. Short cables let multiple devices charge at once.

Salt air corrodes documents. A holder keeps your passport dry and legible.

International travel means shared hostel lockers. Locks stop casual theft.

Hanging storage keeps toiletries off wet bathroom surfaces. Mold grows fast here.