Now that you have paid for your gorilla permit and seemingly prepared for the journey to Rwanda. Pause a bit and read this! You may be wondering about; what equipment to bring for gorilla trekking in Rwanda, What clothes are the best to wear, and what items should I necessarily carry. All these questions are answered in one major questions that trekkers normally ask: What to Pack for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda, Uganda or Africa?
Here’s is what we recommend to pack for gorilla trekking in Rwanda list for tracking the gorillas:
- Hiking boots or shoes. Because of the nature of the forest plus the altitude and terrain, you need lightweight hiking boots to give you support while on this activity. Please consider these as a must as you decide on what to pack for gorilla trekking in Rwanda, particularly the Volcanoes National Park.
- You will need to also pack breathable waterproof jacket and trousers. Even if it doesn’t rain, the ground and vegetation are generally wet. Wearing waterproof trousers means you can kneel to get gorilla photos or slide down slippery slopes.
- Long-sleeved shirt (to protect yourself from tree branches, the sun, and insects), be sure to also pack long socks that you may tuck into the long trousers protect legs from scratches and keep insects out
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, and sunhat
- Gloves to grip the vegetation (dime store or ‘pound shop’ gardening gloves are perfect!). These gloves will, therefore, protect you from germs and other items that may scratch your hands. Consider including Garden
- Gloves in your gorilla trekking packing list.
- Camera equipment for taking pictures: 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.
- A walking pole. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend taking up the offer of a walking pole or stick. Sometimes the lodge provides them, other times, the guide may cut one for you from bamboo. Even one pole can be a big help for climbing up and easing yourself back down steep or muddy hills
- Include plenty of water. Hydration is very important. Your lodge should provide you with a packed lunch and drinking water. (Don’t be afraid to ask for more than one bottle!)
- Tips (these are optional) for your rangers and porter.
- Porters to help you carry your items. This is an extra optional item and we advise all our clients to take a porter when going for gorilla trekking. 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. By paying some money to have a porter with you, you will have contributed to community development indirectly.
- Lastly and most important about what to pack for gorilla trekking: Please don’t forget to pack your gorilla trekking permit and passport (or the identification you used when reserving your permit). You will need to show your ID at the pre-tracking briefing. Make sure you pack all of this in a small backpack
Mornings in the mountains and volcanoes can be cool and nights can be cold. You will probably experience mist and quite possibly rain while you are checking the gorillas. It can also get quite hot, from the sun and/ or the hiking uphill. Layered clothing is recommended, ideally the ‘wick-away’ moisture type.