The Right Gorilla Trekking Wear and Gear for you
Find out here: What should I wear for Gorilla Trekking? What Gear should I bring?
What should I wear for Gorilla Trekking? What Gear should I bring? The proper Gorilla Wear and Gear will make your time and experience on the Gorilla Trail easier, more comfortable, and more enriching.
Whether in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or on the sides of the Virunga Volcanoes in Mgahinga Gorilla Park, you will need the proper gorilla wear and Gear.
Sometimes the way is through thick underbrush where if you do not wear the clothing or have the right Gear, you can get scratched, bruised, and irritated, taking away from the experience itself.
The proper clothing and Gear protect you, and the right equipment keeps you steady on muddy, steep trails as you head for your Encounter with the Gentle Giants of the Forest, the Mountain Gorillas.
Like many adventurous activities, you need the proper clothing and footwear for the occasion.
Gorilla Trekking is not about making fashion statements. The trendiest labels, but practicality. You came to Uganda to encounter mountain gorillas not found anywhere else in the world but this three-country area of Africa. The wrong clothing and equipment will be detrimental to your trekking experience.
When you do not wear the proper gorilla tracking clothing, your mind will not be on the gorilla encounter but on the discomfort that comes with every step on the Trek.
We suggest that you continue reading and find out. The same clothing recommendations apply to the more extended, with fewer participants, Gorilla Habituation Experience in the Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
What should I wear while Mountain Gorilla Trekking?
Face Mask is required in the presence of Gorillas:
Since COVID-19 wearing a face mask while in the gorilla has become mandatory, it makes common sense and protects you and the endangered mountain gorillas from respiratory ailments.
Protective Face Masks may not be the best garment for selfies, but the mountain gorillas’ well-being is more important than a selfie. It is not only about their health but yours, and a mask protects you from diseases they might be carrying.
Wearing a face mask is the right thing for the Gorillas and you.
You do not have to wear a face mask on the Trek to and from the gorilla family you visit. For many, hiking up ridges and down into steep valleys is uncomfortable for most.
Be proactive and protect yourself and the Gorillas by wearing a face mask.
It would help if you had the proper Footwear:
You will need A pair of worn-in hiking boots with ample tread for traction on the Trail. Do not come to trek gorillas with brand-new boots you have never worn.
Hiking boots give you the needed ankle support, traction, stability, and balance, all important while Gorilla Tracking, don’t forget a pair of thick hiking socks.
It is best to tuck your trousers into your socks and protect yourself against insects such as ants.
The alternative to Hiking Boots is what the rangers wear – Rubber Boots: You will notice that Uganda Wildlife Authority Rangers wear rubber boots, also called Wellies. They are waterproof, give you protection up to your knees, and have traction since most have good treads. They do not give ankle support, something most trekkers want.
Waterproof Hiking Boots and thick Socks give you comfort, support, and protection during Gorilla Trekking.
Hiking – Trekking Socks
The secret to getting the best performance from your boots is wearing the right socks. You can enhance or ruin the version with the socks you will use. Some can put on almost any socks, and they will be fine, while most must wear the right companion socks to their hiking boots to prevent blisters, overheating, and plain discomfort.
Wool, especially the famous Merino wool, does not have the itch that regular thread has. Merino wool has become the most popular hiking sock material that our footwear specialists recommend above all others.
Merino Wool socks regulate temperature well to keep your feet from getting sweaty, providing cushioning. Another plus is that wool is naturally antimicrobial and retains smells less than synthetic fabrics.
Your Boots need the right companion – good wool hiking socks. Invest in a few pairs before your safari.
Wear the Proper Clothing for Gorilla Trekking – Long-Trousers and a Long-Sleeved Shirt:
Why should you wear long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt on a gorilla trek in equatorial Africa? The focus is your protection, and it would help if you protect yourself from scratches caused by thorns and thick underbrush. You also want to protect yourself from stinging nettles by covering your skin with long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt.
Gorilla Trekking takes place in the so-called Gorilla Highlands of Uganda, where you have lower temperatures. . Wearing long trousers is not uncomfortable. Look at the rangers leading you on the Trek, they are wearing long trousers and long-sleeved shirts.
Avoid wearing bright colors and white since they can distract animals and insects. Jeans, though blue, work exceptionally well since they are tough and rugged, just suitable for trekking.
Tuck your pants into your socks to protect yourself from fire ants. It may not look fashionable, but it is practical and protects you.
Cotton undergarments will keep you comfortable, and women need to pick comfortable bras for a hike that can be challenging.
Dress Smart – Wear the Proper Clothing for Gorilla Trekking – Long-Trousers and a Long-Sleeved Shirt – You will be glad you did.
Use tough Gardening Gloves:
Gardening Gloves and on a Gorilla Trek, are you kidding me? You read right – sturdy, leather Gardening Gloves are part of your gorilla wear.
No, you will not do some gardening chores, but you are on a gorilla trek, and the gardening gloves will be helpful too.
The gloves allow you to pull yourself up on vines, branches, and even thorny bushes and not get scratched.
Nettles, yes, Nettles are present, and they cause a lot of discomforts if you touch them. Gardening Gloves will give you a trek without nettle stings on your hands.
Those who use them are glad they did since you often go off the Trail and enter the bush where the gorillas are to spend your hour with them.
Sturdy Leather Gardening Gloves are in fashion during gorilla tracking in Uganda.
Wear a hat and protect yourself from the sun:
A hat is handy to protect your head from the elements, whether sun or rain. A wide-brimmed hat is the best for protection against the sun.
At the least, wear a baseball cap, but it does not protect your neck against the tropical sun after the morning mist has lifted in the mountains.
You do not need an expensive Tilley Hat, and a wide-brimmed hat will be just right. The alternative is a baseball hat.
When purchasing a hat in Uganda or Rwanda, a wide range is available in local markets, including Craft Markets.
Wear a Hat – you will be glad you did by the end of the Gorilla Trek.
It would help if you had a Light Rain-Jacket with a Hood or a Poncho:
You are trekking Gorillas in the Rainforest, and often in the morning, there is the “Gorillas in the Mist” cloud cover and fog accompanied by light rain.
You are tracking the gorillas in a Rain Forest where it can and does rain, no matter the time of the year. There are two rainy seasons, the first is the so-called long rains from April to mid-June, and the second is the short rains from late October to early December.
It often rains at night or during the early morning hours near dawn. The sun still comes out most days, and trekking takes place come rain or shine 365 years. (The trails take some time to dry out, so you need boots.)packing a jacket with a hood in your daypack is best. The best option is to use a shawl, as many rangers use in the case of rain on the Trek.
If you are in a rainforest, be prepared and have a rain jacket or a poncho.
A
Sweater or Sweatshirt for Cool Nights and Early Mornings:
Yes, a sweater in Africa. It is not an accident that Luxury and Upmarket Lodges have fireplaces in the rooms or cottages for your comfort in the gorilla highlands.
It gets cold here at night. In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, The temperature gets down to 11°C/52°F.
Near Volcanoes National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla Park, 10°C/50°F, even lower sometimes. Tropical, Equatorial Africa is cold, and it may seem just correct and comfortable for visitors from colder climates to the area to relax.
Even though you are close to the equator, it is cool during the night and early morning in the gorilla highlands.
Many lodges have a fireplace in your room, giving you a hot water bottle for your nighttime comfort.
Bring a Sweater or Sweatshirt for your Gorilla Trekking Safari and stay comfortable. Many trekkers wear a sweater in the initial stages of the Trek.
Wear Lots of Insect Repellent:
Wear lots of Insect Repellent to protect you from annoying flies and insects. We recommend the Australian insect repellent “RID.” Rid fights off flies, ants, mosquitoes, and tsetse flies.
Presently it is not sold in North America, making it harder to get, but that effort is well worth it. If you do not live in Australia, you can buy it online, and we have no connection to RID. Besides, it works best for our clients.
While Gorilla Trekking, you come across flies. There are few tsetse flies or mosquitoes here but many flies.
Only wearing a good insect repellent does the job. You will also need to apply sunblock to your body that is exposed.
If you are on a Gorilla Habituation Experience, an all-day trek, bring in your day and CK, and put it into a Ziplock bag since it contains DEET.
Using an Insect Repellent will keep the annoying flies away from you.
The Extra things to have for your Gorilla Trek:
Waterproof Daypack:
You will need an excellent waterproof day pack to pack the things you bring along.
Wrap Camera Equipment in Ziploc Bags or Shower caps to protect it, a small first aid kit with band-aids, and insect repellent. There may be many flies pre during the day.
Binoculars will not be necessary unless you are a Birder.
Your packed lunch and at least two liters of water – some granola or energy bars may come in handy. On a Gorilla Habituation Experience, you will need 3 liters of water.
Pack a light rain jacket or poncho – you are tracking Gorillas in a rainforest.
Other things – Swiss-Army Knife – First-Aid Kit- Insect repels primarily flies while trekking – Sunglasses may come in handy.
Use Ziplock Bag to cover anything you are trying to protect from water, keep the Deet Based Insect Repellent from spilling in the bag, and other items. Read more here.
Use a Porter to carry your Daypack and assist you:
Porters are readily available in Uganda in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Some Trekkers feel it is demeaning to use a porter – not realizing that porters make a decent income that pays for homes, school fees for children, food, medical care, etc.
You benefit by being free to move around and take pictures without the weight of the daypack. Import00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000antly for many is the assistance that a porter gives you on the Trek when the Trail becomes difficult for some.
Using a porter is a win-win situation for all – the Porter benefits, and you benefit.
Porters are available both in Uganda at each Gorilla Trek trailhead. In some cases, they have carried people with disabilities on a stretcher contraption calando and chairs to see the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda. Read more here.
Walking Sticks steadies you on the Trek:
Walking Sticks come in handy as you traverse the challenging terrain while tracking Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda or Uganda.
Most people use the local tall bamboo walking sticks, which can be purchased and, at times, are provided for by lodges.
You can also buy a carved ornamental walking stick that you can buy to take home as a reminder of your eventful day, spending one hour with the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda or Rwanda.
When you buy such a stick, you support the local economy and help a Ugandan or Rwandan family – a win-win situation for all. They have a respectable income, and you take home a reminder of your Gorilla Trek.
Walking Stick steady you on the Gorilla Trail and other hikes
Protecting your Camera and Lenses on a Gorilla Trek:
Those wanting to Trek Gorillas are always looking at our “Best Time for Visit for Gorilla Trekking” Page, and here you are now in December during the Dry Season, and yet as you head out on the Trail for your Trek, it is raining.
How you best protect your Camera Gear – Ziploc Bags, large ones do the job. Commercial products cost much more, but a simple large Ziploc Bag will do the job.
For those flying into Rwanda and Trekking in Uganda. What about Rwanda’s Ban on Plastic Bags? – if officials see that you are protecting something, like keeping insect repellent in a Ziploc bag, they usually allow it since they figure you will take the bag back with you. The same applies to Camera Equipment Protection, and you can also use a shower cap, yes, a shower cap, to protect your camera and lenses.
Gorilla Photography made simple:
What to do in case of delayed or lost Luggage
You have a dilemma – you flew into Kigali or Entebbe, and your luggage is lost, missing, delayed, and your gorilla Trek is beginning soon.
Let us give you a Plan- B – where you can still enjoy your Gorilla Trek while we worry about getting the lost luggage.
Wear the Trek Clothing on your flight, including boots, carry-on luggage, and a daypack, and for the most part, you are set for Gorilla Trekking.
When you return from your Trek, your luggage will often arrive, and you can continue your safari in Uganda with your luggage.
Lost Luggage rarely happens, but it does happen, be prepared, and do not miss out on your safari.
It is always best to be prepared for the unexpected. Read more here.
Download your Gorilla Trekking Packing List
Here is a list of what you need to pack, things need to bring, and what you need to have on the Day of your Gorilla Trek. It will come in handy as you prepare for your Gorilla Trek in the Heart of Africa.
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What should I wear for Gorilla Trekking? What Gear should I bring?
Follow the above advice, and you might hear from a porter, tracker, ranger, or guide – “You are looking smart.” Your Encounter with the Gentle Giants of the forest means in Uganda or Rwanda that you have dressed right for the occasion.
Enjoy your Gorilla Trek in Uganda or Rwanda by dressing right and dressing smart for the occasion which is Gorilla Trekking. If you continue your safari after Gorilla Trekking and visit Savanna Parks – here is what to wear on such a safari.
We suggest you download our handy list to help pack the Right Gorilla Gear for your time at Gorilla Trekking in Uganda.
Comfort and protection are the goals, meaning long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt may not seem suitable for hiking on a Trek in Africa. They do, however, protect you from nettles, thorns, bushes, and insects.
