Planning and having all your gorilla permits, transport and accommodation booked in advance is brilliant!. Its also however equally important to ensure that you know what to pack – bring, and wear for your gorilla trek in Africa. This article will guide you on what we like to call the Gorilla Trekking survival packing List. what to pack for gorilla trekking
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Sturdy Waterproof Hiking Boots
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National park involves trekking/hiking in search for the endangered mountain gorillas. Because of the nature of the forest plus the altitude, you need lightweight hiking boots for this activity.
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Garden Gloves
You will required gloves to protect your hands during your gorilla trek. As you move in this forest, remember that it can get slippery and somehow you need to hold on some plants, trees or even climbing trees. These gloves will therefore protect you from germs and other items that may scratch your hands.
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Raincoat/Jacket or poncho
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a tropical rain forest and as such, rain is received throughout the whole year. You will never tell when it is going to rain so you need a rain jacket for this. Many clients prefer travelling in drier months of June, July, August and beginning of September and try to avoid rainy seasons of March, April and May.
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Long-sleeved Shirt/Blouse
You are required to have long-sleeved trousers/shirts for your gorilla trekking. Please ensure that you tack in your trousers in your hiking boots to avoid insects such as safari ants entering your trousers. Jeans and Kachi trousers can do this better.
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Energy Bites/Snacks
Gorilla trekking can take from 30 minutes to eight or so hours and that’s why a certain level of fitness is required. To add on that, we advise that you carry some energy giving snacks as supplements. Before departing from your lodge, you need to carry your packed lunch and lots of drinking water as you never know when you will return.
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Camera Plus Extra Batteries & Memory cards what to pack for gorilla trekking
Photography is an important component of your safari and thus make sure that you have your camera ready, charge your batteries very well and if necessary, carry extra batteries as you will need to take as many photographs in the one hour you will have with the gorillas. Please make sure that you switch off your flash while taking gorilla photographs.
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UV Sunglasses a cap/hat (Optional) what to pack for gorilla trekking
If it is hot, please carry a hat to protect you from the strong sun rays. You may also need to carry some sunglasses too. These are optional.
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Binoculars what to pack for gorilla trekking
Don’t forget that you are on safari and you want to have clear views of everything. Bwindi Impenetrable National park is home to over 350 birds, chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys among other primates, forest elephants and buffaloes so during your trek in search for the rare mountain gorillas, you will have a chance to spot some of the above.
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Helping Hands from a Local Porter for your Gorilla Trek what to pack for gorilla trekking
The decision to take a porter on your gorilla trek is absolutely up to you and your inner conscience, however, we like to encourage all our clients to take a porter for their gorilla trekking for its part of your contribution to sustainable tourism and gorilla conservation. Besides, as earlier noted, gorilla trekking can be strenuous and thus you will need someone to give you a push or a pull on the way to the gorillas. These porters go for a fee – $20 but it is worth it! Remember that some of these porters are actually school going students either in their vacation or have been chased out of school due to school fees. By paying some money to have a porter with you, you will have contributed to community development indirectly and sustainable tourism as a whole.
