What to Bring for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
With gorilla trekking in Rwanda, the visitors should be at Kinigi Head office by 7:00 am for gorilla briefing that will provide you with the guidelines or rules to follow during the trekking of mountain gorillas. With Rwanda, once you miss the briefing, you don’t take part in the trekking. The visitor has got the choice to decide which group of gorillas they would like to visit. Each group is associated with an easy, medium, or tiring hike, so it depends on your physical ability. A group of 8 members per day is able to visit each gorilla group in Rwanda for only 1 hour. Gorilla trekking starts in the morning and ranges from one to eight hours of hiking depending on the movement of a specific gorilla family.
Gorilla Trekking
Rwanda Gorilla trekking rules include;
Following the guide’s instructions! The guide leads the visits to the gorillas every single day and is also familiar with the gorilla environment.
- Always keep with the group since you can easily get lost in the jungle. The group moves at the pace of the slowest person. When in the presence of the mountain gorillas, don’t disperse to get a better view, always stick to your group at all times.
- Don’t trek mountain gorillas when you are sick. Inform your park warden and you will be refunded your money for the gorilla permit.
- Don’t leave rubbish in the forest. The gorillas are very much vulnerable to human infection. It’s also necessary that you trek out anything that you brought in.
- Always don’t make noise when with the mountain gorillas since this irritates them.
- Always keep a safe distance from the mountain gorillas to avoid disease transmission. Gorillas can easily die from human diseases as they have no immunity to human transmitted infections.
- Don’t try to touch or hold eye contact with the mountain gorillas. They are wild animals and can easily reach back.
- You are not supposed to use flashes at any point in the trekking experience. The flashlight can make the gorillas feel threatened and can cause them to become violent.
- The trekkers are recommended to wear long-sleeved cotton and long pants to the fact that the forest is full of thorny plants. Also, carry garden gloves to protect your fingers when trying to hold onto the vegetation for support.
What to wear for a gorilla trek in Rwanda;
When planning for your trekking safaris to see the mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, we advise you to come up with a few things that are so useful for you to have the best experience that involves trekking / Hiking mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Below is the list of vital clothing needed for the trek;
- Have a small backpack for carrying water, a packed lunch, a camera, and binoculars.
- You also need lightweight hiking boots for the activity/ strong waterproof walking boots good for the nature and altitude of the forest.
- Take a light jumper and a lightweight breathable waterproof jacket/ trousers as the temperature is variable and weather conditions can change.
- Always have lightweight long wool socks which are comfortable for a mountain tropical forest
- Carry a few long-sleeved shirts/ trousers. Always ensure that you trek in your long-sleeved trousers/ shirts to avoid insects like safari ants entering your trousers.
- Sweater for cool evenings as well as the chilly mornings due to the nature and altitude of the place
- Bush hat with a brim for sun protection. Always carry a hat to protect you from the strong sun rays.
- You also need to carry sunglasses, sun cream, to help with the strong sun rays.
- You will also need a video/photo camera, extra lenses, and reserved batteries.
- The films and torch Led models that are light in weight and have good battery life.
- Insect repellents to protecting you from mosquito bites as well as garden gloves to protect your hands from sharp edges
- Lastly, porters are so vital during any trek and these will give you support when the slopes become steep.