Travel Accessories — 15% Off with KaryKase

Two South African businesses, one obvious overlap. We run affordable group tours. KaryKase sells the luggage and travel accessories our travellers need to get on the plane. Rather than sell you a bag ourselves and mark it up, we've done something simpler: KaryKase gives every Thrifty Adventures traveller 15% off.

Why we partnered with KaryKase

Every tour we run starts the same way: someone messages us a week before departure asking what size bag they need, whether their old suitcase will survive, or whether they should take a backpack instead. It's the most common non-booking question we get.

KaryKase already does this properly — cabin bags, medium and large cases, sets, and the accessories that make a long-haul flight bearable. They're a South African business, they ship locally, and they price sensibly. So instead of guessing, we now point people there.

We don't take a commission on what you buy. This is a straight discount for our travellers, not an affiliate arrangement.

What to pack it in, by trip type

Short Southern Africa trips — Namibia, Lesotho, Victoria Falls

Four to six days, often partly by road. A cabin bag is usually enough, and it saves you waiting at the carousel. Namibia and Lesotho get genuinely cold at night in winter, so pack for layers rather than volume. If you're on a road tour, a soft-sided bag squeezes into a packed vehicle better than a hard shell.

Beach and island trips — Zanzibar, Mauritius, Bali

Five to seven nights, mostly light clothing. A medium case with room to bring things back. Worth adding: a dry bag for boat trips, and packing cubes, because sand gets into everything and separating clean from worn matters more than you'd think.

City and shopping trips — Dubai, Turkey, Thailand

This is where people get caught out. You'll fly out with a half-empty bag and come back over the weight limit. Either take a large case from the start, or take a medium and pack a foldable duffel inside it for the return leg. Dubai in particular has a way of turning into a shopping trip whether you planned one or not.

Long multi-country trips — Europe, Bali & Singapore, Dubai & Thailand

Nine to twelve days across more than one country, with internal flights and a lot of moving between hotels. Four-wheel spinners earn their keep here — you'll be dragging that bag across a lot of terminals. Check the internal flight allowance too; it's often stricter than the international leg.

Accessories worth having

• A universal adapter. Dubai and Zanzibar use the UK three-pin; your South African plug will not fit. This is the single most forgotten item on our tours. (Namibia is the exception — same plugs as home.)
• A power bank. Long days out with no charging point, and your phone is your camera, map and translator.
• Packing cubes. Especially on multi-country trips where you're living out of the bag.
• A neck pillow and eye mask for the overnight legs — several of our tours fly out or back in the early hours.
• Luggage tags and a TSA lock. Basic, and it's the cheapest peace of mind you'll buy.
• A day bag that folds flat. You'll want something small for the desert safari, the beach day and the city tour.

A note on baggage allowance

Allowances vary by airline and by route, and they change. Your allowance is confirmed with your booking details — check it before you buy a bag, not after. Two things that catch people out on our tours: internal flights within a multi-country itinerary often allow less than the international leg, and a bag that's within the weight limit can still be refused if it's over the size limit.

Our tour leaders don't carry client luggage, so a practical test is worth applying: can you manage this bag yourself, up a flight of stairs, on your own?

How to use your discount

1. Shop at karykase.co.za.
2. Enter THRIFTY15 at checkout.
3. 15% comes off your order total.

The code is for Thrifty Adventures travellers and anyone who finds it here. KaryKase handles the order, the shipping and any returns — their terms apply. If something goes wrong with an order, contact KaryKase directly, but do tell us too, because we'd want to know.