The Christmas holiday presents an opportunity to celebrate, laugh, and make memories. Every year, the African diaspora seizes this time to visit their loved ones back home. Many African cities and villages become festive, colorful, and lively.

While some African Americans travel to Africa to meet their loved ones, others visit the continent to experience its enormous diversity and uniqueness. However, one of the biggest challenges of first-time travelers is knowing what to carry.

Some frequent travelers also struggle with this, albeit not as badly as first-time travelers. To help you get above that anxiety and focus more on enjoying your expedition, we have put together this list of must-have travel accessories. Read on to find out what they are and why you need them.

Why are travel accessories so important? 

Investing in travel accessories is always a good idea because they help eliminate the challenges that come with traveling and being away from home. Some of the travel essentials on this list make it easier for travelers to remember to bring along important accessories that they will otherwise forget.

For example, we have seen instances where travelers packed their laptops and tablets but forgot to bring their chargers. Something as simple as leaving your phone charger behind can ruin your travel experience. Buying last-minute accessories at a convenience store or airport may be quite expensive.

Worse still, the accessories you buy in a hurry might not match the quality of the one you left behind or even pose a threat to your device. However, you don’t have to struggle to remember all the things that you need to take along on your journey because some of the travel accessories included in this list will do the thinking for you.

Must-Have Travel Accessories

Without a doubt, everybody wants a stress-free enjoyable journey. However, if you are overly conscious of your travel experience, getting the following accessories should be your priority.

We know this because these travel accessories come highly recommended accessories among the members of the African Vibes Community. Furthermore, these products have thousands of reviews. Hence, you can almost be certain that they don’t disappoint in their performance. 

Packing cubes is one of the must-have travel accessories
Photo credit: Timur Weber/Pexels

1.  Packing Cubes

One of the important travel accessories you should have is packing cubes. These cubes are made using sturdy, lightweight, water-resistant, and dustproof material to help travelers achieve desired organization of their belongings.

They are perfect for separating clothing and grouping certain items together. Packing cubes are available in small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes to suit all packing needs.

Whether you are traveling alone or with your family, packing cubes usually have ample space so that you can bring all your essentials along.

Most travelers love the zipper quality and how it is possible to carry clothes for up to two weeks.

Also, most packing cubes have some transparent sections that help travelers quickly know what is contained in each cube rather than having to rummage through all of them when searching for something.

Rare travel accessories like universal travel adapter can save you severe headache
Photo credit: Screen Post?Pexels

2. Universal Travel Adapter  

Different countries have different wall socket configurations. In advanced nations, the wall socket configurations are standardized.

However, that is not the case in Africa. In some homes, you may find more than one wall socket configuration. So, what will you do if you find out that the wall configuration of your host country doesn’t support your device?

Therefore, you cannot claim to have all your travel accessories ready if this is missing. Get this if you are looking forward to using electronic devices in your destination in Africa.

It fits four outlet types. Also, it features several USB ports to charge more devices at higher speeds. The adapter has three plugs and a US-style plug.

The travel adapter is well-built with a sleek design. It comes with an additional USB cable and a nylon case. Also, in the package, there is a spare fuse. Hence, you don’t have to worry about what you would do if the travel adapter gets damaged due to a wrong connection.

Staying hydrated is important especially if you are traveling to Africa
Photo credit: Special Made Store/Amazon

3. Collapsible Travel Water Bottle

It is always important to stay hydrated, especially because some African countries experience hot weather during the holiday season. A water bottle makes it easier for you to carry water during a hike so that you are always hydrated.

One of the most amazing things about this silicone bottle is that it allows you to save plenty of space in your backpack or suitcase.

When not in use, the bottle folds to 8 cm and has a handy strap. However, it can expand to hold just enough water you need for a few hours of hike.

The bottle has a patented sealing screw cap to ensure it does not leak and splash fluid everywhere, even if it falls accidentally. Interestingly, the bottle’s mouth design is comprehensive to ensure it is easy to clean.

Travel accessories like electronic gadget organizer make sure that you don't forget a thing
Photo credit: FYY Store Amazon

4. Electronic Gadget Organizer

While most tech pouches have one compartment, the electronic gadget organizer has two compartments.

Both compartments have mesh pockets lined with soft fabric. Hence, you can quickly tell what you placed in the pockets.

The way the pouches are designed makes it easy for you to keep tabs on all your accessories and easily spot anyone that is missing.

The things you can put in this pouch include a power bank, flash drives, charger, data cables, and earphones.

This pouch features a woven exterior to ensure what you put inside is safe and away from unwanted moisture.

Even though it is designed to fit in a briefcase, suitcase, or tote, it has a hand strap to maintain a firm grip if you carry it on its own.

With travel bottle for toiletries you will avoid getting your bag messy
Photo credit: Gemice Store/Amazon

5. Travel Bottle For Toiletries

Another thing you must include in your list of must-have travel accessories is a travel bottle for toiletries.

The capacity to carry thick shampoos makes this bottle a plus. It may interest you to know that the bottle is made of silicone, which is safe for use as it falls under food-grade silicone.

The manufacturer designed it in a way that is convenient to open such that small kids can easily open it. Besides requiring a little squeezing effort, this bottle is leak-proof.

Hence, the chance of ending with a messy bag is minimized. Despite the size, this bottle can carry enough shampoo that will last through a short trip.

Passports and vaccine cards can easily be forgotten. With travel accessories the risk of that happening is lower
Photo credit: Tigari Store/Amazon

6. Passport and Vaccine Card Holder 

The last thing you want to forget when traveling to Africa for the holidays is your vaccine card and passport.

In fact, some countries can deny you entry if you fail to present an important vaccine card.

Get this eye-catching holder for holding your passport. The vaccine card holder, the padding, and the slim case make it an ideal housing for your passport.

But this product is not just used to hold passports. Rather, it is multifunctional in the sense that you can use it to store your cards and cash as well.

It is an important accessory that keeps you organized while traveling.

perfume atomizer is a great travel accessory
Photo credit: Yamadura Store/Amazon

7.  Refillable Perfume Atomizer Bottle

This bottle has a volume capacity of 5 ml and it is refillable, meaning you can use it over and over.

Depending on your usage, each bottle can last for up to a week. A set contains 4 bottles with sprays in different colors.

To stay organized, you can store different scents types. These travel accessories are crafted from quality aluminum, making them lightweight, portable, and durable. On the inside, the bottles are made with sturdy glass to ensure they do not leak.

The clear vial in the bottle allows you to know how much spray is left. Interestingly, refilling the perfume atomizer bottle is easy.

All you need to do is to ensure all air in the bottle is out. Also, do not fill perfume to the brim to avoid possible leaks through the air valve.

foldable toothbrush is one of the must-have travel accessories
Photo credit: Gum Store/Amazon

8. Foldable Toothbrush

The Foldable Toothbrush is the real deal if you wish to have a traveling toothbrush that will keep your mouth grime-free.

The patented antibacterial agent is one of the amazing features of this toothbrush. Hence, you can be sure it will be free from bacteria after dipping it in the agent.

The foldable toothbrush also features in the list of must-have travel accessories because of its trifold design.

After use, you can fold it and the handle conceals the toothbrush from dirt or damage.

hanging toilet bag helps you to stay organized
Photo credit: Bagsmart Store/Amazon

9. Hanging Toilet Bag

This amazing bag for traveling is waterproof and features several compartments. You can customize them based on what fits in the bag. On the sides, two zippers allow easy access to what you want from the bag.

Also, the bag has three plastic compartments with a zipper and clips. You can use the large center to store towels. The two outer pockets having mesh pockets in the middle can be used to store small things like soaps, toothbrushes, and other miscellaneous accessories.

Conclusion

Now that the Christmas holiday is approaching, you should be getting ready to have a one-of-a-kind experience. A great way to do that is to acquire all the travel accessories you need for your next trip. Your preferences and the nature of your trip or vacation will definitely influence the travel accessories you choose to acquire.

But the good thing about all these accessories on this list is that they are all portable and do not consume much space. Hence, no need to worry about how to carry them. What’s your favorite travel accessory? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Join African Vibes Community for positive African news, interesting tipsand discussions.