Women's Safari Sunglasses

Page Updated: Feb 2025

Sunglasses are an essential accessory when on safari in Africa. The sun in Africa is very intense and harsh so it is important to protect your eyes with best quality sunglasses.

Choosing Good Women's Safari Sunglasses

The tropical regions of Africa have high UV levels so it is important that your sunglasses protect your eyes against both UV (Ultra Violet) and HEV (High Energy Visible) radiation. Check the UV Index of Africa. So you should select ones that block 100% UV rays and absorb most HEV rays.
Choosing sunglasses with a wrap-around style or large lenses will also help block out damaging rays and also protect the skin around your eyes.
The colour tint of the lenses does not affect UV protection but reddish/brown lenses protect best against the blue light HEV rays.
Note, just wearing your broad-brimmed safari hat reduces the eyes UV exposureby up to 50%.
You should continue wearing sunglasses when in the shade as you may still be exposed to UV rays which can reflect off nearby surfaces.
If you are game-viewing or hunting, you will spend a lot of time staring into the bush looking for animals so polarizing lenses are preferable to reduce glare, get better contrast and make your eyes feel more comfortable. Polarized lenses which are very popular with anglers, contain a filter that blocks intense reflected light, reducing glare.
Select fairly durable sunglasses which are lightweight but impact resistant if you drop them.
Make sure your sunglasses are comfortable and fit your face well so they are not going to fly off when driving on a bumpy track. Non-slip gripping sides and nose-pad are a good idea. You might find it useful to hang your sunglasses on a neck cord.
Always wear your sunglasses or regular glasses when you are travelling on an open game-viewing or hunting vehicle when it is moving. Not only will they stop a lot of dust getting in your eyes, they will also prevent the collision of a flying insect with your eye. A small fly in the eye is a nuisance but a large one can really mess up possibly your shooting eye.
It is preferable to select sunglasses with no shiny metallic parts or mirror lenses. Animals can often pick up glinting or sun reflection on metal and will run.
Preferably select a hard case to hold your sunglasses (and regular glasses) while on safari. Soft day bags and luggage can take a lot of punishment and sunglasses can easly get broken.
Take a couple of pairs of sunglasses with you in case one gets broken.

Recommended Women's Safari Sunglasses

Please note, this page contains affiliate links, which means Shakari Connection receives a commission if you make a purchase using these links.

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These Raen unisex sunglasses have a plastic frame and polarized resin lenses. Buy Now

RAEN Optics Remmy 49 Cirus/Vibrant Brown Polarized One Size

These Oakley sunglasses for women feature an extra durable yet lightweight frame, precise lens alignment for sharp vision and are comfortable for everyday wear. Buy Now

Oakley Women's OO9301 Cohort Rectangular Sunglasses, Sepia/Dark Brown Gradient, 62 mm

The Ray-Ban New Wayfarer sunglasses are a slightly smaller version of the original style. They have a plastic frame, glass lenses, non-polarized with a 100% UV protection coating. Buy Now

Ray-Ban RB2132 New Wayfarer Square Sunglasses, Black/G-15 Green, 55 mm

These Smith Cheetah sunglasses have carbonic polarized lenses with adjustable wire-core temples and barrel hinges. Buy Now

Smith Cheetah Sunglasses with Polarized Lenses – Performance Sports Active Cat Eye Sunglasses – For Women – Tortoise + Brown Gradient Polarized Lenses

These women's Ray-Ban sunglasses have a plastic frame and polarised lenses with UV protection coating. Buy Now

Ray-Ban Women's RB4216 Square Sunglasses, Light Havana/Polarized Brown Gradient, 56 mm

Ray-Ban Women's Erika sunglasses have a completely unexpected style with the soft, gummy-textured frame and gradient lens tint is not only pleasing but also entirely functional when it comes to blocking the rays from the sun. Buy Now

Ray-Ban RB3539 Erika Metal Round Sunglasses, Black/Polarized Light Grey Gradient Grey, 54 mm

Women's Safari Sunglass Readers

As it says on the tin, ready-made sunglass readers are really useful for reading in the sun and not having to swap back and forth between your regular reading specs and sunglasses. They are especially useful on safari if you want to look at a map or wildlife reference book while out in a vehicle.

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These sunglass reader come with polarized lenses and bifocal / reading power. They are impact resistant and non-slide. Buy Now