Rwanda gorilla trekking packing list. Gorilla trekking is not just a walk in the park; it is a strenuous activity that needs not only preparation but also the right gorilla trekking gear for your attempt to be successful. Having booked your ultimate Rwanda gorilla trekking safari, knowing what to pack for your gorilla trek is important, and this guide should be helpful.
Rwanda gorilla trekking packing list include hiking boots, pair pf gaiters, hiking gloves, waterproof jacket, hiking pants/trousers, light backpack, energy-giving snacks, and so much more as may be detailed below;
Hiking Boots
Mountain gorilla trekking is an activity that has travelers hiking through tugged terrain as the “mountain gorillas” do live in mountainous areas. Having good fitting and comfortable hiking shoes is a must. Your hiking boots should have a strong grip to enable manoeuvring the park, and they will also protect you from crawling bugs and sharp objects.
Gaiters
Having a good pair of gaiters is another of the Rwanda gorilla trekking packing list item not to miss. Gaiters help keep off bugs, water, dirt and pebbles. With many crawling insects in Volcanoes national Park like ants and sticky plants, a good pair of gaiters is advised, and they should be fitting of about 8-15 inches.
Hiking Gloves
Gorilla trekking involves you hiking, and as such use of a hiking stick. To prevent the friction of the hiking stick with your hand, having a good pair of hiking gloves is important. Also, the gloves shall help you whilst gripping or holding on to plants and grass during the hike. Hiking gloves will also protect you from unexpected harm or irritation when you hold on to plants.
Waterproof Jacket
On your Rwanda gorilla trekking packing list a waterproof jacket should be included, or a poncho. Mountain gorillas live in tropical rainforests which receive rains anytime of the day, irrespective of the seasons. A lightweight waterproof jacket should be what you consider to pack for your Rwanda gorilla trekking.
Long sleeved shirts/blouse
Noting that you will be in the jungle with thickets, climbing plants and so much more, having long sleeved shirts/blouse is important to have to protect your body and skin from scratches. The long sleeved shirt/blouse not only protects your skin from scratches but also provides more insulation in the wet coldness.
Hiking pants/trousers
Having hiking pants or trousers is another of the essential gorilla trekking gear to pack for your Rwanda gorilla safari. One should have long trousers or pants fit for hiking that one can easily stretch while climbing of skipping during the gorilla trek. Shorts or skirts are not allowed for gorilla trekking given the nature of the environment; long trousers or pants shall protect your legs from scratches and insects that would stick on your skin, or even crawl on.
Energy giving snacks
Gorilla trekking is a strenuous activity that shall see you using a lot of energy, especially of your gorilla family is in a higher altitude area. Gorilla trekking also takes quite a while, anytime from 1 hour to 6 hours or more, depending on the location of the mountain gorilla family. Having a couple of energy giving snacks like chocolates are recommended. These can be brought from your home country, or shopped in any of the available malls in Kigali, time allowing.
Cameras and extra batteries
Keeping a record or your once in a lifetime experience, you would definitely need a camera to record and take pictures of it. Carry a good camera with enough batteries that you can recharge. Please remember to have your flash of the camera is not on while in use, during the trek.
Light Waterproof Backpack
Carrying a small portable backpack that is waterproof is important for the safekeeping of your important documents and gadgets like camera, phones and the like, especially in the case of rains when it falls.
Insect Repellents
The volcanoes National Park is a rainforest and is indeed a breeding ground for various bugs that may cause severe irritation to the skin, if not illness. To keep the bugs off, carrying effective insect repellents is important, as maybe advised by your physician.
Pair of Binoculars
With a variety of wildlife and birds in Volcanoes National Park, having a good pair of binoculars is important to enable you see much more during your gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park Rwanda.
