Gorilla Trekking Packing List: Vital in the planning of any successful gorilla safari, is knowing what to pack for your gorilla trek. Various websites list a couple of different items some of which we have found irrelevant, however, being a safari guide, and having taken part in gorilla trekking (both in Rwanda & Uganda) my advise on the appropriate Gorilla Trekking Packing List should help guide you on what to actually spend money on rather than just squandering money on things you won’t even need.
IN SUMMARY: GORILLA TREKKING PACKING LIST
- Proper hiking shoes.
- Long Stockings.
- Long trousers and shirt.
- Rain jacket.
- Garden Gloves.
- Repellent.
- Binoculars.
- Camera (incl. all relevant accessories).
- A Day Pack to carry all your valuables.
IN DETAIL: THE PRACTICAL GORILLA TREKKING PACKING LIST
Proper hiking shoes:
The price tag on hiking shoes can either be affordable or extremely high depending on what you are looking for in a shoe.
The basics are that you find a shoe or boot that goes beyond your ankle. These provide extra protection to your ankle and help reduce the chance of spraining your ankle while you trek on uneven grounds. High boots also allow you to firmly tuck in your pants to avoid ants and any other crawling insects from climbing up into your pants. To make them waterproof, simply buy and apply a waterproof spray.
Read & make a choice: The 4 Best Waterproof Sprays For Shoes
Long Stockings.
Long stocking allows for you to properly tuck in your trousers and a Perfect substitute for the overpriced gaiters. Unless you do have a pair of gaiters at home, we discourage spending money on these.
Long trousers and shirt.
Long trousers and shirt do provide extra protection against branches and stinging nettles which could cause skin irritation(s). However, we recommend bringing the lightweight & fast dry convertible safari pants and not jeans. Jean could get bulky if rained on while on the trek, and they also take forever to dry thus making the trekking uncomfortable for you.
Rain Jacket.
Bwindi is a tropical rain forest meaning it can rain at any time of the day. You need to be prepared for the change in weather as you trek the gorillas. When purchasing a rain jacket, kindly refrain from bright colours as the gorillas don’t Like them.
Garden gloves.
These are to protect your hands from the thorny bushes that you might encounter while on your trek. They also protect your palms in the event that you slip and fall onto your hands. Refrain from spending a lot of money on gloves. Simply carry your gardening gloves or even your skiing ones will serve the purpose.
Repellent.
Repellent helps keep insects and bugs off your body during and after the trek. Besides being a necessity for your Gorilla trek, it is something you will need all through your safari.
What type of repellent do you recommend? The secret to choosing which repellent to buy is simple. The best repellents are the ones that have a higher concentration of DEET. The products indicated with 20% DEET will often last 4 – 5 hours while the ones with 80% will last up to 8 – 10 hours.
Recommended Repellent products to choose from:
RID Tropical Insect repellent is an Australian product and one of the strongest on the market. It is very effective in repelling all types of flying insects and is safe to use directly on the skin and clothing. This comes in both a spray form (highly recommended) and roll-on, as well as a kid, RID insect repellent. For more information on RID visit: http://www.thesafaristore.co.uk/products/Accessories/RID-Insect-Repellent/RID-Insect-Repellent/
For in-depth understanding, read our article: Best Mosquito repellent for Uganda.
Binoculars.
Binos are particularly handy for bird-lovers. these will ease the spotting of forest-dwelling birds that maybe perched high up while On your gorilla trek.
See: Birds of Bwindi
Camera.
Depending on your photographic needs, we recommend bringing a camera within your budget. For whatever camera you choose, ensure that it does have a good telephoto. The zoom is very important is getting good closeups. Alternatively, if you have an iPhone with a working camera, bring it along. iPhone cameras are really amazing at capturing great images even with the list light.
Daypack.
A Day pack is important for carrying all your valuables; camera, extra batteries, rain jacket, repellent and a packed lunch (to be provided by the lodge).
We hope this article has clearly outlined the practical Gorilla Trekking Packing List for your next gorilla safari. If you have any questions and or additions to Make to this article, contact us at info@bwindiforest-nationalpark.com or call: