What to pack for a gorilla trek

A gorilla trek is a walk through steep, wet, warm forest that ends with an hour of standing still. That combination makes packing more specific than for most trips. This guide lists what to bring, why each item matters and what you can safely leave at home.

The rule of thumb is simple: pack for mud first and views second. Everything you carry on the trek should be comfortable, quick to dry and easy to carry in a small daypack.

Footwear

Your boots do more work than anything else you pack. Trails in Bwindi and Mgahinga are steep and slippery, and you will spend hours on wet clay and tree roots.

• Waterproof hiking boots with ankle support and a deep tread. Trainers do not grip well on mud. Break your boots in with at least a few weeks of walking before you travel, because blisters on day one can ruin a trek.
• Gaiters. These cover the gap between your boot and your trousers, and they keep out mud, water and biting ants. Many trekkers say gaiters are the most useful cheap item on the list.
• Two or three pairs of hiking socks. Wool blends or synthetics dry faster than cotton. Bring a spare pair in your daypack.
• Light camp shoes for the lodge. After a wet trek, dry feet are a luxury.

Clothing

Bwindi sits between about 1,200 and 2,600 metres, so mornings are cool, midday is warm and the forest is humid throughout. Layers let you adapt.

• Long trousers in a quick-drying fabric. They protect against nettles and thorny vines. Avoid jeans, which stay wet for hours.
• Long-sleeved shirts in neutral colours. Khaki, olive and brown work well. Bright colours and strong perfume are best avoided near wildlife.
• A light fleece or warm layer. Mornings and evenings are cold, and Mgahinga and Ruhija are cooler than Buhoma.
• A breathable waterproof jacket. Rain can arrive at any time of year, and an umbrella is impractical in dense forest.
• A hat and sunglasses. Some trails cross open ground, and the equatorial sun is strong.

What to carry on the trek

You will carry a small daypack, or hand it to a porter. Keep it light, and pack these:

• At least one litre of water, and more on hot days
• A packed lunch and a couple of energy snacks from your lodge
• Your passport and permit confirmation for the park office, which are checked before you set out
• Insect repellent and sunscreen
• A small first-aid kit with blister plasters, painkillers and any personal medicine
• Toilet paper and a small bag to carry out rubbish
• A dry bag or waterproof cover for your camera and phone

Garden gloves and a walking pole

Two cheap items make a surprising difference. Garden gloves protect your hands when you grab vines, branches and thorny plants to steady yourself on slopes. A walking pole helps on steep, slippery ground, and most park offices lend or sell one for a small fee. Porters also help on hard sections, and hiring one is worthwhile even for fit trekkers because it supports local families.

Camera gear

Gorillas are often in shade, thick vegetation or drizzle, so photography is harder than it looks. Some advice from trekkers who take their cameras seriously:

• Bring a camera with a lens in the region of 70 to 300 millimetres. Very long lenses are hard to use in tight forest.
• Use a fast aperture and a high ISO. Flash is strictly forbidden near the gorillas.
• Carry a spare battery and memory card. Cold and damp drain batteries quickly, and you will not want to run out in the middle of the hour.
• Protect your kit from rain with a cover or dry bag.
• Do not use drones. They are not permitted near the parks.

Above all, put the camera down for part of the hour. The best memory of a gorilla trek is often the one you did not photograph.

Health and medical

• Talk to your doctor or a travel clinic several weeks before departure about vaccinations and malaria prevention. A yellow fever certificate is commonly requested.
• Bring any prescription medicines in their original packaging, with a copy of the prescription.
• Pack rehydration salts, an anti-diarrhoea remedy and an antihistamine.
• Bring a face mask, because masks are required close to the gorillas. Some park offices provide them, but bring your own to be safe.
• Do not trek if you are ill. If you have a cold or stomach problem, tell your guide honestly. Read our permit guide for how illness affects your booking.

Documents and money

• Your original passport. Photocopies are not accepted at the park office.
• Your permit confirmation, printed or on your phone.
• Travel insurance details, including medical evacuation cover.
• Small-denomination cash in local currency for porters, tips and craft purchases. Card machines are rare near the trailheads.

Luggage rules to know before you fly

If you are taking a domestic flight to Kihihi or Kisoro, aircraft are small and baggage limits are strict. Soft bags are required, with a weight limit that is usually around 15 to 20 kilograms including hand luggage. Confirm the current allowance with your airline when you book. Many travellers leave surplus luggage at their hotel in Entebbe and take only what they need for the trek.

Also note that Uganda bans single-use plastic bags. Do not pack items in them, and avoid carrying them through the airport.

What to leave at home

• Jeans, cotton T-shirts and anything that stays wet for a day
• Bright, patterned or strongly perfumed clothing and toiletries
• Drones, and heavy tripods that are impractical on steep trails
• Valuable jewellery and unnecessary electronics
• Plastic bags

Packing by season

The list barely changes from month to month, but the emphasis does. In the dry season you may need a warm layer at dawn and sunscreen by midday. In the wet season the priority is keeping dry, so quality waterproofs, gaiters and a spare set of dry socks matter most. Our guide to the best time to go shows what each month is like.

How to pack your daypack

Where things go matters as much as what you bring. Put the heaviest items, usually water, against your back and close to the centre, and keep things you will need during the walk near the top or in side pockets. Your camera should sit in a dry bag in the main compartment, not in an outer pocket where branches can snag it. Keep your passport and permit in a zip-lock bag in a zipped pocket so they stay dry and cannot fall out when you crouch or slip. A daypack with a hip belt takes weight off your shoulders on long climbs, and a waterproof cover is cheaper and lighter than a heavy pack made of waterproof material.

Keeping things dry

The forest is damp even when it is not raining, so dry kit matters. Pack clothes for the lodge in a sealed bag inside your main luggage, and keep a second dry set of socks and a dry top in your daypack for the drive home. A microfibre towel dries quickly and weighs almost nothing. After each trek, stuff your boots with newspaper or leave them by a window so they can dry, because damp boots rub badly the next day. Ask your lodge about laundry as well: most offer a same-day service, which lets you pack lighter and rewash your trekking clothes between treks if you are doing a double trek.

Common packing mistakes

• Bringing new boots. Boots that have not been broken in cause blisters within the first hour. Wear them on several long walks before you fly.
• Skipping gaiters. Without them, mud, water and ants find their way into your boots. Ants are more of a nuisance than a danger, but they bite.
• Cotton everything. Cotton absorbs moisture and takes far too long to dry. Use synthetics or merino wool.
• Overpacking the daypack. Every kilogram is felt on a steep slope. Carry only what you will use during the trek, and leave the rest in the vehicle or at the lodge.
• Forgetting cash. Tips and porter fees are paid in cash, and running short at the end of the trek is awkward.
• Relying on a phone camera in the rain. Phones do badly in damp conditions. A waterproof case or dry bag saves a lot of frustration.

Packing for the Habituation Experience

If you are booked on the Habituation Experience, you will be in the forest for much longer, up to four hours with the gorillas on top of the walk in and out. Bring extra food and water, a warm layer to put on when you are standing still, and a light waterproof seat pad if you have one. Comfort matters more over a longer day, and a small pack with easy access to water and snacks makes it easier to stay still when the guides ask you to.

A simple checklist

With the right kit and a steady pace, the walk becomes part of the reward rather than something to endure. To see how a full trek unfolds, read our gorilla trekking guide, and to plan a trip around the kit list, browse our itineraries.

Frequently asked questions