What to wear Gorilla Trekking safari in Rwanda

What to wear for Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla Trekking today is perhaps East African most popular tourist activity and is mainly practiced in countries like Uganda and Rwanda, but one of the biggest mistake people have made is to go Gorilla Trekking dressed in an unappropriated manner like they wear shorts, sandals which are not the right wear gears for the activity.

By the way, a little description of where you do this activity, like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park(Uganda), the landscape is slightly different from that of the Mgahinga National Park and Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda though all located on higher elevations, so this makes them rainy, wet, humid and cold, especially at night, still while trekking you are not hiking on comfortable tracks but there are no trails sometimes or very small trails found, thorn pricks, nettles or insect bites (flies, soldier ants), coldness, therefore this is where it necessitates you to have the right wear gears as being mentioned below:-

• Wear long sleeved blouse(ladies) & long-sleeved shirts (men)/Trousers

These can be in materials of either Khaki zip–up trousers or jeans and better off if you can get waterproof trousers. Now the long-ness of this blouse, shirt, and trousers protects you from being pricked by thorns, anything that can scratch you, nettles or insect bites, the sun burning, tree branches, itchy plants, etc. And please tack your trousers to your hiking boots to avoid safari flies from entering you. Cotton garments are recommendable and my ladies please wear comfortable bras since the hike is tough.

• Wear Waterproof sturdy boots

Wear lightweight and waterproof hiking boots to avoid sliding off when the trails become slippery especially when it does rain, the boots should be comfortable, wear good & thick socks for you, rubber boots, or gum boots. These good hiking boots will give you good stability, balance, traction & support for your ankles.

• A Rain Jacket

Tourists are advised to carry windproof and waterproof rain jackets with hoods on them. This is so because Gorillas are trekked in rain forests, usually in the morning hours, it might rain anytime it doesn’t matter whether dry season or not, therefore, rain jackets should come in handy.

• Sturdy Gardening Gloves

Remember when moving it can tend to be slippery so you are forced to touch or get a hold of something in the forest just in case such happens, so there are itching plants, trees or even climbing trees-you may be harmed but to avoid that wear gloves. Still, these gloves will protect you from the harm of germs and other items which could scratch you.

• Hat and Sun Glasses.

All you need is a wide-brimmed hat that will protect your head and neck from rain or the sun. In case you didn’t leave home with one buy on the way from any local craft market trust me you will be glad that you wore your hat.

Sunglasses with ultraviolet rays filters are advisable to protect your eyes against ultraviolet rays. And just in case one set of glasses falls off please move with at least 2 sets.