What Is the Gorilla Trekking Gear Packing list For Men

As a man going on a gorilla trekking safari in Africa, you need a list of the useful but light gears to help you not forget what to pack. Although gorilla trekking is in the wild like other Africa game safaris, its environment requires you to wear and carry certain special items. Carrying your own gorilla trekking gears is comfortable and not expensive especially if you purchase them from home.

On ground you may have no time to go shopping for gorilla trekking gears because time lag between departure for the park and going to the shopping mall may not favor you. Besides, after buying the gorilla trekking gears on ground, you may wish to take them home which increases on your baggage pounds. This may require you to pay extra money for excess baggage while on departure flight from Uganda or Rwanda.

 The amount of what you are packing for your gorilla trekking safari in Africa depends on the numbers of days on safari and additional activities included in the safari package.

  List Of What To Pack For Gorilla Trekking In Uganda

3 Long sleeved Shirts with turn ups

The jungle is rough but packing convertible shirts is a great decision. Wearing long sleeved shirt that can be folded to form turn-ups gives you comfort in all conditions prevailing in the forest.  The wild has stinging nettles and rough sharp surfaces that my prick you when you pass by during gorilla trekking. Mind about the color of your clothes too you can use tan or khaki because they can withstand these conditions.

2 convertible trousers

Because the jungle conditions are wild and thorny, you need to protect your legs from being injured. You cannot walk with bare skin in the wilderness because of such unfriendly conditions. Later you may covert these trousers into shorts    

 A pair of Safari Tracking boots

Wearing safari boots with comfortable treads that can withstands the slippery slopes of the gorilla trekking area is one of the safety measures you need. Having tracking boots that will not let you sink into the boggy ground in case you step in it.

2 pairs of stockings

Its best to carry two pairs of stockings just in case one gets so socked from the rain that falls hysterically without warning. You can tack in your trousers to prevent insects from creeping into the trousers.

Medicated Insect repellants

The jungle may have malicious insects that may hurt you while trekking. When you apply the insect repellant, they area kept away from your body.

 A Small Flash light

This can be used to locate items in the dark when lights go out. Most of the upcountry lodges in safari parks use solar energy for lighting and water heating. The panels may not reserve enough power at times to support the lodge throughout the night causing a blackout.

 Raincoat or poncho

You need to prepare for untimely rains that fall without warning. A comfortable rain gear saves you the trouble of getting wet, which may make you feel cold.

Flip Flops

Spending the entire day in hiking shoes is tiring you need to relax your feet on returning to your lodge.  Flip flops are the best choice to turn to incase you want to step out of your room and freshening up.

A fleece or sweater

At dawn and dusk the temperature of Virunga area are very low so you need some warmers. Some lodges do not provide fireplaces to heat up the facility. You may need to wear stocking too to keep warm.

Garden Gloves

Because of the regular rains that fall some surfaces are slippery to touch with bare hands. The jungle also has stinging nettles that may cause skin irritation. You need garden gloves to withstand such conditions.

A foldable Safari Hat

The wilderness has buzzing insects that may fly into your hair or water that drips off the tree surfaces into your hair. You need to cover your head from such uncertainties.

Sound proof flash-less Camera

Taking photos of your gorilla trekking experience is the only visual way to keep the memorable encounter with the mountain gorillas alive. Gorilla trekking is a once in a lifetime African safari that may be hard to redo. The mountain gorilla in the wild are not choreographed to display similar behaviors like those in circuses. The pauses they give are based on the mood in the forest. Capturing those gorilla trekking moments by others photographers may be hard. They mountain gorillas in the wild are authentic.

Safari Vest for Camera Equipment

Packing a safari vest with removable arms helps protect your equipment from getting damaged or lost in the wilderness. It can act as a warmer too since the wilderness is often cold.

A light water proof bag

Protecting your belongings in one bag saves them from getting wet and scattering in the forest while you walk. In case you nock yourself and fall, all your belongings are in safe hands. Even when it rains, they do not get damaged in case the bag is waterproof.

For those that hire porters, its easier to hand over your baggage to be carried in one back pack than scanty items.

Sun glasses

For protecting your eyes from flying insects in the wild. They buzz and may fall into your eyes or ears. On the way, the roads are dusty at times so you need to protect your eyes from dust.

Energy Treats

After early breakfast, you head to the ranger station for briefing but the time of return is unknown. You need to have some treats that will keep you going. The mountain gorillas are mobile although they do not feed so far away from where they spent the night. You need some energy to get to the slopes.

Atleast 6 under garments

Depending on the time you are to take on safari, you need to pack enough under garments that will last you the time you are on an African safari trip including gorilla trekking. Since this area is very cold, the anything washed may take long to get dry so be very genuine with yourself.

A universal wall plug adapter kit

 In case you have to recharge your gadgets like the cameras, laptops, flashlights and others, you need to travel with your own plugs. Although some lodges may provide they may not be enough for everybody in the lodge yet you may need them urgently.

Antiseptic cream

After showering you may do not know how water in the wilderness may react with your skin. You need to smear with an antiseptic cream.

First Aid Kit

Carrying a fist aid kit with emergency medication may help save your life in case of an accident. The wilderness has some rough surfaces that may cause an injury to you. In case you have a first aid kit, you can use it for emergency treatment

Pajamas for overnight sleep at the lodge. Carrying warm pajamas would be more convenient.

3 vests

You need to pack some vests to give you extra warmth especially when it gets so cold in the Virunga area. You can change into these is your relaxing time too.

How To Book Gorilla Trekking Permits

You must have a date when you wish to do gorilla trekking either a confirmed date or tentative date. When you send an enquiry to info@archsafarisandtours.com, our safari consultant checks availability.

In case space is still available as per your date of preference to do gorilla trekking, he or she gets back to you as soon as possible.

For the cases when availability is negative, we may request you to alternate the date of your gorilla trekking safari if you do not have a purpose for choosing that date

As soon as gorilla permit availability is got, we request you to purchase your gorilla permit as soon as possible because no one is allowed to preserve an unpaid for permit. The permits are sold on first come first served basis. This is because of the high demand for the few gorilla permits released per day. The only way to show your commitment to gorilla trekking is by paying for your gorilla trekking permit.

How Difficult Is Gorilla Trekking

Doing some exercises to keep fit is the only way to go through gorilla trekking successfully. You do not need to keep in the gym but can start with compound walks at home. The topography of this area is volcanic so you need to hike to get to where the mountain gorillas feeding from especially the slopes. The area has mountains that you may want to climb as an addition activity to gorilla trekking. The way may be slippery and soggy.

What Is the Best Time To Trek Mountain Gorillas

 Mountain gorillas feed closer to the ground during the dry seasons that is June to September and December to January. There is plenty of foliage to feast on and when food is almost over, the dominant silverback has the responsibility to look for new feeding grounds.

The wet seasons that is March to May and November push the mountain gorillas to the slopes because of the over flowing network of rivers in the forest. Its hard for the gorillas to walk through the water where food is which is at times submerged.  

The ground is slippery and boggy at times making the  way quite challenging to walk over. Even the vegetation close to the trails are sometimes covered with over grown foliage.  

Is Gorilla Trekking Safe

The gorilla trekking parks in Uganda and Rwanda are safe for this activity. The rangers and security operatives of both countries work hand in hand in sharing information about the security of the area for the well being of the clients.

Although the Virunga National park in D.R.Congo is close, the work of security bodies of Uganda and Rwanda keeps the rebels away from this area. Personal safety is needed like do not stray from the gorilla trekking group allocated to you without the knowledge of the ranger guide. You may be lost in the forest.

How Aggressive Are The mountain gorillas

Mountain gorillas are serene primates but this doesn’t call for provoking them. the mountain gorillas may be huge, with a black hairy body and strong arms, they are not aggressive towards humans as long as you follow the rules of gorilla trekking. When angry, the mountain gorilla thump there chest, hoot, scratch the close by vegetation too.

What Are The Rules Of gorilla Trekking

The conservation priority in the Virunga area are the endangered mountain gorillas that were at the rim of extinction by 1980s. In order to protect them and encourage tourists to sustainably visit the gorillas, a set of rules was put in place which must be adhered to.

No one with a communicable infection like flu or covid 19 is allowed to visit the mountain gorillas. They can catch human infections which may lead to there massive death.

Avoid surrounding the mountain gorillas because this makes them feel ambushed

When you locate the gorillas keep atleast 8 meters away from them to prevent chances of spreading any infections to them.

Never use flash photography during gorilla trekking because mountain gorillas are scared of foreign occurrences in there environment.

Avoid eating or smoking while in front of the mountain gorillas as you may not know there react towards that smoke.

Sneeze or cough away from the gorillas to protect them from catching the virus. In case you have to do it cough or sneeze in a handkerchief

Bury all faeces in a hole atleast 30 centimeters deep and cover beyond recognition.

Avoid littering the forest with garbage because this tarnishes the natural setting of the forest.

Never spit on the vegetation as this is food for the mountain gorillas. Its unhygienic too.

A person below 15 years is forbidden from doing gorilla trekking because of the nature of the topography of this area.

Keep   low voices while with the mountain gorillas and no sudden movements too.

Only one hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas when you find them. after wards allow them to go about there day to day activities.

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