What to Pack for your Gorilla Trekking Safari in Uganda

Being an activity that involves trekking on foot in some of Africa’s renowned rainforests, gorilla trekking is regarded as a physical activity meaning packing the right equipment will help you during the trek, however we recommend clients to bring their own trekking gear from home as you may struggle to get what you may need locally.

What to wear

1-A cap or a hut

We recommend travelling with a cap or a hut as some of the trek may be through farm lands as you approach the forest edge so you will need it to protect you from sun burn and also in the forest some tines you’re in a dense area with lots of branches and the cap or hut can guard your hair and your face.

2-Quick dry long sleeved shirts

We recommend packing a quick dry long sleeved safari shirts preferably nature friendly colours like grey which can also help you during safaris where there are Tsetse flies, the reason you need long sleeves is because of stinging nettles being a forest some tress will discharge inching elements that may cause reaction.

3-Long pants/trousers

Just like the long sleeved shirts you will need the same protection for your legs as you will hiking through thick vegetation so ensure you have long sleeved trousers preferably nature blending colours.

4-Long thick socks and gaiters

This is the most important part of your dressing, just to let you know Bwindi has a lot of ground insects like safari aunts which can be irritating so we highly recommend tucking in your pants in to the socks so to avoid the insects from penetrating deep in to your pants and gaiters will help reduce on the mud that your shoes will take.

5-Water proof hiking foots

Since Bwindi impenetrable national park is a rain forest you will expect wet conditions any time of year so in order to keep your comfort water proof hiking boots with good traction will be required.

6-Glooves

You are also advised to pack gardening gloves to protect your hands while climbing steep places as you will need to touch down and sometimes sit on your bottom.

What to carry

The items in this list will also help you during the trek and most of them are must pack

1-Bag pack

You will definitely need a bag pack with a water proof cover this bag pack will help you in carrying your food, drinking water and your personal belonging like cameras, money, and spear cards and batteries.

2-Walking stick

The walking stick is another import item to take with you during your trek however this can be organised locally but if you have your own you really like to use please feel free to bring them up.

3-Drinking Water bottle

We are environmental conscious so we kindly request our travelers to bring a re useable water bottle with them to avoid too much use of the small bottles of water, our guides will always have 5 litter water bottles in the fridge for you to fill your water bottle.

4-Small first aid Kit

Also we recommend packing a small first aid kit with pain killers, plaster, iodine and bandage but please contact your doctor for advice for what is exact but it should be small.

5-Packed lunch

Your lodge will provide you with packed lunch for your trek and it’s advisable to take it as you may not return before lunch from the trek.

6-Enough drinking water

Drinking water is must pack for your gorilla trekking experience, wilderness explorers Africa will provide enough water for your trek so please feel free to take as much water as you feel you can consume usually it is advise to carry at least 2 litters for the trek.

7-Spear batteries for your camera or power bank for your phone

There will be no places to charge your camera or phones in the forest so ensure you take spear batteries or power for backup power source.

8-spear memory cards

You will spend 1 hour viewing the mountain gorillas so if you’re not sure of how many pictures you may take please ensure you take a spear storage card.

9-Energy foods

We recommend packing some energy foods like chocolate and cakes just to boost your energy levels during trek this can be got locally but you can also bring your own.

Pack for purpose list

Travelling in Africa can be interesting, driving through rural Africa can be depressing as kids will run towards the road singing the famous word “Muzungu” meaning people who move places so we usually recommend packing staff like pencils, books, kids clothes, shoes that you can donate to orphanages around the forest most of the Orphans have lost their parents through Aids.

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