{"id":35127,"date":"2019-06-04T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-03T22:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=35127&preview=true&preview_id=35127"},"modified":"2024-09-21T00:47:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-20T14:47:47","slug":"what-to-pack-for-a-gorilla-trekking-in-uganda-or-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/what-to-pack-for-a-gorilla-trekking-in-uganda-or-rwanda\/","title":{"rendered":"What to pack for a gorilla trek in Uganda or Rwanda"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you know what it\u2019s like to look a Silverback gorilla dead in the eye? Do you want to know?\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Visiting the critically endangered East African<\/a> mountain gorillas in their natural habitat is a profound travel experience, and one that tops many travellers\u2019 bucket lists \u2013 with good reason. <\/span><\/p>\n

But doing so involves an Indiana Jones-style journey into the depths of Uganda\u2019s<\/a> Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Rwanda\u2019s<\/a> Volcanoes National Park.<\/span><\/p>\n

The jungle is a seemingly everlasting thicket of tangled green with no street signs, walking trails or Google Maps abilities. To find the gorillas\u2019 nest you must follow the footsteps (literally) of a team of local trackers who use machetes to clear a path through the jungle. It\u2019s exciting, it\u2019s exhilarating and it\u2019s best to come prepared (with more than just a Harrison Ford fedora).<\/span><\/p>\n

GO ON A GORILLA TREK IN UGANDA OR RWANDA WITH INTREPID TRAVEL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

To keep you comfy throughout your ‘gorillas in the mist’ experience, don\u2019t leave home without the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

Bring a decent rain jacket<\/h3>\n
\"Female<\/a>

Tayla in search of the gorillas<\/p><\/div>\n

When Toto sang of the rains in Africa, they were probably thinking of the rainforest, where cold showers are unforgiving and also rather impromptu so squeeze a lightweight rain jacket in your backpack and avoid the damp. There\u2019s nothing worse than trekking with wet socks. <\/span><\/p>\n

Trekking boots are your best friend<\/h3>\n

Speaking of trekking, the jungle is thick and there are no designated hiking trails so you\u2019ll have to put your best foot forward. Literally. And your best foot will be thick-soled, waterproof and with decent ankle support. After all, the road to gorillas is long, windy and full of potholes. <\/span><\/p>\n

BYO gardening gloves<\/h3>\n

This might seem like packing overkill but trust us, once you enter the tangled vegetation you\u2019ll be glad your hands are protected. The guides will do as much as they can to clear a path but you\u2019re inevitably going to get your hands dirty and in doing so will want to avoid the prickles.<\/span><\/p>\n

READ MORE:\u00a0WHY FEAR CAN BE YOUR GREATEST TRAVEL ASSET, ACCORDING TO ONE FEMALE TRAVELLER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Insect repellent is essential<\/h3>\n
\"Gorilla<\/a>

A once-in-a-lifetime experience…<\/p><\/div>\n

Gorillas live in the jungle. It\u2019s a fact of life. And the jungle, besides fostering Mowgli, is also home to many other creepy crawlies. You\u2019ll want to avoid said creepy crawlies, especially if they cause unnecessary itching. Douse yourself in insect repellent and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience scratch-free.<\/span><\/p>\n

READ MORE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TREKKING WITH MOUNTAIN GORILLAS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Trekking permit<\/h3>\n

In good news, this is something that we (Intrepid) look after. Because Bwindi and Volcanoes are protected environments, the local governments have introduced trekking permits to limit tourism each season. This serves to maintain the natural habitat and avoid the gorillas becoming overexposed to humans. <\/span><\/p>\n

Long pants and even longer socks<\/h3>\n

Get ready to look your trendiest, folks. You\u2019ll want to cover as much skin as possible which means, yep, tucking your trousers into your socks (for safety reasons). My guide was actually pretty firm on this rule and he kept a keen eye on our hemlines. <\/span><\/p>\n

Extra batteries are a good idea<\/h3>\n

The trackers can\u2019t guarantee how long you\u2019ll spend trekking before you encounter the gorillas. It might be 45 minutes, it might be four to five hours. Make sure you bring spare camera batteries to last the full day. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Tayla<\/a>

You don’t want to miss out on a killer shot like this one.<\/p><\/div>\n

Biodegradable TP<\/h3>\n

There are no restrooms en route to the gorilla nest, but there can also be no controlling human nature. If you find that you\u2019ve just GOT TO GO, make sure you have biodegradable toilet paper on hand. It will avoid an embarrassing situation and also won\u2019t harm the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

READ MORE:\u00a0STORIES FROM RWANDA: WHAT IT\u2019S REALLY LIKE VISITING MOUNTAIN GORILLAS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Hello snacks!<\/h3>\n

As mentioned, there is no way of knowing how long you\u2019re going to be in the jungle. You could be on your feet for the better part of a day searching for the nest which means you\u2019ll definitely be wanting extra sustenance. Our guides will provide you with water and lunch but if you\u2019re a hungry hiker then it\u2019s a good idea to BYO snacks. <\/span><\/p>\n

Be safe, bring lotions<\/h3>\n

Despite being well-looked after by your guides and trackers, they cannot shield you from the prickles, nettles and bug bites that come part and parcel with life in the jungle. If you find yourself easily inflamed think about bringing a small tube of antiseptic or antibacterial lotion to rub on mosquito bites and small scratches to keep them safe and clean.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you want to experience a trek to see the gorillas for yourself? Book a trek<\/a> with Intrepid Travel today.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All images by Damien Raggatt.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The jungle is a seemingly everlasting thicket of tangled green with no street signs, walking trails or Google Maps abilities. It\u2019s exciting, it\u2019s exhilarating and it\u2019s best to come prepared (with more than just a Harrison Ford fedora).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16063,"featured_media":35137,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1313],"tags":[65,2430,1678,75,501,292],"class_list":["post-35127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-africa","tag-gorilla-trekking","tag-packing-guide","tag-rwanda","tag-uganda","tag-wildlife","ipf_theme-wildlife","ipf_region-uganda"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat To Pack For Gorilla Trekking | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" 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