What to carry on your gorilla trekking adventure. As you wake up in the early morning, thinking on how you’re going to meet and smile with these gentle giants in their own habitat – the forest. Remember to at least not to leave behind one of the followings that may be of great importance to make your gorilla trekking experience easy and memorable. We do recommend a number of things to our clients to include on their gorilla pack list to avoid any discomfort during the trekking so as to make your trekking as enjoyable as you wish too. However, this does not mean you empty you woo drop and pack everything for your safari. We do recommend only what is very important and relevant to the safari to reduce on your luggage, and hustle of packing and unpacking.
What to carry on your gorilla trekking adventure?
Tough Gardening Gloves:
Gardening Gloves – no you are not going gardening but on a gorilla trek and the gloves allow you to pull yourself up on vines, branches and not get scratched. Some tree branches or stems have thorns, that your hand may land on the unknowingly, this will help to keep you safe. Other plants have itching substance that when you get into contact with your hands may cause discomfort.
Those that use them are quite glad that they did since you often go off of the trail and simply enter the bush where the gorillas are in order to spend your hour with them. You can take your gloves off when you are with the gorillas in order to take pictures. Gardening Gloves – bring them along – they might come in handy.
Carry a hut:
Have a hat, not only because of the sun, but because sometimes ants can fall on your head, or a hat can save you from hitting your head against a low branch.
At the least wear a baseball cap, but it does not protect your neck against the tropical sun that comes out after the morning mist has lifted in the mountains.
You do not need an expensive Tilley Hat, a good wide-brimmed hat will d and you can wear it on the plane coming to Uganda or Rwanda.
The alternative is a baseball hat or purchasing a hat in Uganda or Rwanda and there is a wide-range available in local markets including Craft Markets.
Insect repellant:
You will definitely need this, as there are numerous ants there waiting for as you encroach their territory, they tend to react. The repellant will keep your skin safe. You will also need to apply sun block to your body that is exposed.
Sunglasses:
They may be of great importance to protect your eyes in case you’re heading off trail to protect your eyes from flying insects and falling pieces of wood.
Light Rain-Jacket:
You are trekking Gorillas in the Rainforest and often in the morning, there is that “Gorillas in the Mist” feel to it all where a rain jacket comes in handy.
Rain Forest also means that in spite of you coming in the Dry-Season Months of the year, it can rain at any time, after all, you are in a Tropical Rainforest and at times it does rain for a spell in the morning, yet the sun comes out each day to dry the ground.
A Poncho can also be used and is often worn by Rangers, Trackers, and Porters. Use a light one that you can fold or roll up and put into your Daypack until the time that you need it.
A sweater:
It’s always cool over them especially in the early morning and late evening, you may need this to keep you warm for some time. That for Tropical, Equatorial Africa is cool, for visitors to the area it may just feel right.
Waterproof Daypack:
You will need a good waterproof day pack in which you can pack the things you will be bringing along.
Wrap Camera Equipment in Ziploc Bags or Shower Cap to protect it, a small first aid kit with band aids, insect repellent – during the day there may be a lot of flies present.
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.
Extra things – Swiss-Army Knife – First-Aid Kit- Insect Repellent mostly for flies – Sunglasses may come in handy.
Use Ziplock Bag to cover anything you are trying to protect from water, plus to keep the Deet Based Insect Repellent from spilling in the bag, other items.
Gators with wool stockings underneath should also be carried to keep you dry.
Energy giving 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. Energy giving foods can be bought in Uganda or Rwanda so contact or ask your guide to take you to a nearby supermarket.
A money belt is also helpful for carrying money in case you need to buy souvenirs and tipping tour guides.
Safari Gadgets like a pair of binoculars that will be important during birding, cameras with enough memory and extra lenses for capturing all the interesting and breathtaking moments during your trekking, rechargeable batteries with a charger (for the camera), smart phones because Wi-Fi is available in most lodges, torches (LED torches have a good battery life and are of lightweight). Remember to carry enough extra batteries, since you will need to take as many photos as you can.
Porters for your gorilla trek
This is an extra optional item, and we advise all our clients to take a porter for their gorilla trekking in case you need a helping hand in anyway. 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, but it is worth it. You may feel too exhausted during the trekking; they are there to give full support.
Now as you have known and well conversant with what is needed for your gorilla safari in Africa, you can go ahead and make a booking with Rwanda Eco Company & Safari, so that they may make all the necessary arrangements, and permits for your gorilla trekking safaris in Africa.
See you do a successful and a wonderful life time experience in one of the amazing country with great people, full of number of attraction that will leave you, in need of revisiting the area again, Rwanda Eco Company & Safari or Beyond Kigali City Tours, you do not need to worry, they have a long time experience with this, with some of our guides, have been once guides at the park.
