Gorilla trekking packing list

A gorilla trek is one morning of walking in steep, wet, close forest, usually in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda or Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. You walk with rangers until the trackers find the gorilla family, then spend an hour with them, then walk back. The kit exists to protect you from the vegetation and the weather, not the animals. Nettles, thorns, ants and mud do the damage. None of it needs to be new or expensive, but the boots need to be broken in. The gorilla trekking page describes the morning itself, and our Rwanda and Uganda pages set out the parks.

The trek can be short or long. Some groups reach their family in under an hour; others walk for several hours each way, and nobody knows which you will get until the trackers call in that morning. Pack for the long version. The forest is high and cold at the start of the day, then warm and humid once you are climbing, so dress in layers you can take off and carry.

Rain is possible on any day of the year. The drier months, June to September and December to February, are easier underfoot, but a rain jacket goes in the pack whatever the month. The when to go table shows the months we would pick for Rwanda and Uganda.

On your feet

Your feet decide how the morning goes. Blisters on a muddy slope, or a boot that lets water in within the first hour, will colour the whole trek.

• Waterproof walking boots with ankle supportWorn in for a few weeks before you travel.
• GaitersKeep mud, seeds and biting ants out of your boots and trousers.
• Thick walking socks ×2One pair on, and a dry pair left in the vehicle for afterwards.

If you have no gaiters, long socks with your trousers tucked into them do nearly the same job.

What to wear

Long sleeves and long trousers, whatever the weather. They are protection against nettles and thorns rather than the sun. Choose muted greens, browns and khaki, and nothing bright.

• Long walking trousersTough enough for thorns, so not shorts or thin leggings.
• Long-sleeved shirtProtects your arms from nettles and scratches.
• Gardening glovesRubber-palmed gloves protect your hands when you grab a stinging branch on a slope.
• FleeceKeeps you warm at the start, and comes off once you are climbing.
• Waterproof jacketRain in a rainforest arrives without much warning.
• HatA light hat or cap keeps rain and insects off your head.

In the day pack

Keep the pack small. A porter can carry it, but it still has to come up and down the hill.

• Water ×2 bottlesYou will drink more than you expect on a steep climb.
• Packed lunch and snacksThe lodge usually provides lunch, and something sweet helps on the walk back.
• Dry bagProtects your camera and phone from rain and damp.
• Insect repellentFor ants and flies on the way up.
• Small first-aid kitPlasters for blisters and a few painkillers.
• Face masks ×2In case they are required on your date.
• Walking stickHanded out at the starting point, so take one even if you think you will not need it.

Camera

Flash is not allowed, and the forest is darker than it looks. Pick one lens and keep it on, because changing lenses in the damp lets moisture in.

• Camera with a fast zoom lensSomething that works in low light without a flash.
• Spare batteryThe cold and damp drain batteries faster than usual.
• Camera rain coverKeeps the camera dry between shots, and plastic bags are banned in Rwanda.

Put the camera down for a few minutes during your hour. Many people say afterwards that those were the minutes they remember best.

Documents and money

• Passport used to book the permitThe rangers check your permit details against it.
• Permit confirmationWe send you this in writing before you travel.
• Small notes in local currency or US dollarsFor porter and ranger tips.

Health, rules and courtesy

The minimum age for gorilla trekking is fifteen, in both Rwanda and Uganda. Gorillas catch human colds and flu, and a cold you would ignore at home can be serious for them. If you are unwell on the morning, say so. The rangers will tell you what happens next, and it is better than carrying an infection up the hill. Rules on face masks have changed more than once since 2020, so we confirm what applies on your date rather than printing a rule here that may have moved.

On the trek, keep your voice down, stay together and keep to the distance your guide sets, which is at least seven metres. Do not eat, drink or smoke near the gorillas. If one comes towards you, stay still and let the guide manage it.

Hire a porter

Hire one, even if your pack is light and you are fit. A porter carries your bag, gives you a hand on the steepest ground and waits with you while you are with the gorillas. Porters come from the villages around the park, and the money you pay goes into a community with good reason to want the gorillas protected. Carry small notes for the tip.

Before you go

Do some hill walking in the weeks before, ideally in the boots you will wear. The combination of altitude and steep ground surprises people more than the distance does. And trim the pack, because whatever you carry, you carry uphill. Most people pair a trek with a few days on safari, and the safari packing list covers that half.