What to wear for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda, Packing List

Wear Long Sleeved Shirts – Long Trousers

You need to wear a long-sleeved shirt and Long trousers (can be either Khaki zip-up trousers or jeans) in fact if you can get waterproof trousers to wear. Both long trousers and long-sleeved shirts protect you from branches, nettles, thorns, or anything else that can prick/scratch you.

Cotton undergarments are recommended, also the ladies should ensure that they wear comfortable bras since the hike can be tough.

what to wear gorilla trekking in Rwanda

Wear Waterproof Hiking Sturdy Boots

The hiking trails can be slippery especially when it rains therefore a pair of waterproof hiking boots is required especially for gorilla safaris.  The shoes should be comfortable for you, in fact, Rangers and Trekkers usually wear rubber boots or gumboots. Therefore, you can’t see anyone wearing white sneakers, sandals, or any inappropriate footwear.

Hiking boots will give you good stability, balance, traction, and support to your ankles, with these also wear good and thick socks. It is important to tuck your trousers into your socks, this sounds and may look unfashionable but it will protect you against fire ants.

Sturdy Gardening Gloves

This seems like a joke, but it is right. These strong gardening gloves are going to be used in gorilla trekking, not in gardening. They will help you support your selves on branches or vines, the gloves also give you protection against nettles such that you don’t get scratched.

You can put them off when you meet the Gorillas in order to take good photos.

A Rain Jacket

Gorillas trek in the rainforest and usually in the morning hours, therefore rain might fall at any time whether it’s a dry season or not, and therefore rain jacket should come in handy.

A poncho can also be worn, most trackers, rangers, and porters wear it. If you are carrying one, carry a light one that you can easily fold and kip in your bag pack until you need it the next time.

Wear a Hat

All you need is a good wide-brimmed hat on an expensive Tilley Hat, the hat protects your head and neck from rain or the sun. One might choose to wear a baseball cap but t will not protect your neck from the scorching sun after the mist in the mountains has disappeared.

Alternatively, if you don’t come with the hat from home, you could buy one from any local craft markets in the country where you will be trekking gorillas from.

By the end of the trek, you will be glad that you wore your hat.

Wear enough Insect Repellent

During the trek you come across different insects, therefore, wearing a lot of insect repellent will protect you, also you can apply a sunblock cream on your exposed body parts.

Trackers who are on a Gorilla Habituation Experience, which takes full days are advised to bring the repellent in their daypack.

A Warm Sweater

Someone might wonder, a sweater in Africa? Yes, and it is important that you carry one or a cardigan to be worn in the early mornings and on cool nights. It really gets so cold at night. In Mgahinga Gorilla Park or Volcanoes National Park, the temperature is at10°C/50°F and in Bwindi Impenetrable it’s at11°C/52°F and sometimes it’s lower than this.

Therefore, this is why the luxury lodges here have fireplaces in cottages or rooms and other lodges give visitors hot water bottles for comfort throughout the cold night.

Safari Socks

These should be of the cotton type or wool since they offer protection to the feet.

Face masks: Preferably disposable surgical masks. You will need one when tracking and one when with the gorillas.

What is the right color for your safari clothes?

Bright colors should be avoided while carrying out safari activities in the jungle, but these can be used while enjoying dinner back at the lodge. Neutral colors like light brown, green, and Khaki are good for safari activities during the day and they are highly recommended all over Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana and so much more. Black and blue shirts are not good in the jungle since they attract tsetse flies and other insects.

what to wear gorilla trekking in Rwanda

Gorilla Trekking Packing List

These items below are so important for usage during your gorilla safari in Rwanda.

• Citronella soap: this is so important since it both acts as soap and an insect repellent; this type of soap is also anti-bacterial to the body.
• Insect repellent: The most frequent repellent that works on both mosquitoes and tsetse flies is RID. This can also be bought online and can be applied to clothes.
• Sun Blocker cream: this cream will help you protect your face and eyes from the hot sun of Equatorial Uganda.
• Hand Wipes: these are handy items that help with preventing germs and can be bought here in Africa; they can help in situations where there is no water.
• Sunglasses: These help with protection from direct sunshine.
• First Aid: this should be carried in case a tourist gets injured in the jungle.

Important safari gadgets and Equipment

The items below are the necessary gadgets and equipment for any safari to Uganda and Rwanda. In case you are bringing a laptop, smartphone, or tablet, you must end up ever to protect enough protection.

• Camera and accompanying equipment: End ever to carry a camera that is well equipped with its items as well as a lens cleaner to keep the camera lens clean.
• Enough Batteries: Carry a complete set of chargeable batteries along with a good charger, these should be in your handy bag within the vehicle.
• Binoculars: You are advised to carry a pair of binoculars and these will depend on which activity you are to carry out like birding or game driving.
• Camera Memory card: you are advised to carry extra memory cards for the cameras if you are to take many photos in the jungle.

Note:

In Rwanda, plastic bags are not allowed and you will be charged for dropping them around.

Before Encountering The Gorilla

Always follow the guide’s instructions because the guides navigate the national park every day and therefore are aware of and understand every part of the forest.

1. b) Always keep in the tourist tracking groups, especially while in the forest to avoid getting lost.
2. c) Avoid making a lot of noise as it can distract the mountain gorilla and other wildlife species in the forest.
   d) Avoid littering any rubbish in the national park.
   e) Do not go for tracking when sick.

On Encounter with The Mountain Gorilla

Always keeping a reasonable distance away from the mountain gorillas at least 7 meters.
b) Not using flash photography while taking photos of the mountain gorillas as it may irritate them.
c) Minimizing noise until you are at least about 200 meters from the gorillas.
d) Avoid eating in the presence of mountain gorillas.
e) Do not touch the mountain gorillas. When they come towards your way, just remain where you are and avoid direct eye contact with the gorillas.

1. f) Do not imitate the mountain gorilla behavior like beating the chest because it might send the wrong message to the mountain gorillas.
2. g) You should not go gorilla trekking if you have Covid-19, diarrhea, flu, or a cold. Gorillas have no immunity to most human diseases and even mild human infections can be lethal to a gorilla. The Covid-19 pandemic has made us even more aware of the risk we pose to them. You are obliged to inform the authorities if you are sick and they will decide if you are well enough to visit the gorillas. Remember that the lives of the endangered gorillas are more important than your holiday.
3. h) If you need to sneeze or cough, cover your nose and mouth to reduce the chance of spreading the infection.
4. i) Don’t spit or leave litter in the forest. Gorillas can catch diseases from human rubbish.
5. j) Gorillas can be quite curious. Do not touch the gorillas, even if they come close to you.

Tourists are allowed to be in the presence of the mountain gorillas for strictly one hour, which is intended to minimize the chances of disease, spreading from the humans to mountain gorillas. There are high chances of disease spread from humans to the gorillas because about 98%of their DNA is similar to humans.

If the above are observed and well followed by tourists, they can enjoy exclusive and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Tourists heading for tracking should carry enough drinking water because the hike through the forest is a little strenuous causing a lot of sweat and it is, therefore, wise to keep hydrating (drinking water).

Tourists are also recommended to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants because mountain gorilla tracking is done in the forest with a lot of plant vegetation some of which cause skin irritation when in contact. Carrying a raincoat or waterproof pants can never be a bad idea because rainfall in Volcanoes National Park Is highly unpredictable and can therefore occur at any time of the day.