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What to Wear for Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
What to wear for gorilla trekking in Rwanda comes down to long trousers, long-sleeved moisture-wicking shirts, waterproof hiking boots, gaiters, gardening gloves and a rain jacket, because you hike for 30 minutes to four or more hours at 2,500m to 4,000m in a rainforest where mornings drop to 5C and midday climbs to 25C. Pack in neutral colors and bring a face mask, since the Gorilla Friendly Pledge asks you to wear one at all times near the gorillas.
Quick answer The short answer on what to wear
Wear a long-sleeved moisture-wicking shirt, waterproof hiking trousers, ankle-high waterproof boots and gaiters, with gardening gloves and a rain jacket in your 20 to 30 liter daypack. Hikes at 2,500m to 4,000m run from 30 minutes to four or more hours, mornings start at about 5C, and rain is possible in any season inside the rainforest. Stick to olive, khaki, brown or grey, skip blue and black, and carry a face mask for the hour you spend with the gorillas.
Key takeaways
- Permits, rules and tour options are on the rwanda gorilla trekking homepage
- Report at Kinigi at 07:00, so sleep near the park the night before
- A porter can carry your daypack up steep volcanic slopes
- Only 96 permits are issued per day, so book your kit and your trek together
Why does the rainforest demand this kit?
Steep, slippery volcanic trails full of stinging nettles and fire ants, plus altitude from 2,500m to 4,000m, decide every item you wear.
Volcanoes National Park is named after the chain of dormant volcanoes of the Virunga Massif, which spans Rwanda, Uganda and the DR Congo. Guides and porters cut a path with machetes, but the ground under you stays steep, wet and full of nettles and ants.
Nettles and ants
Thin running leggings do not stop stinging nettles. Travellers who wore them reported the sting clearly, so a thicker or waterproof pant works better. Tuck your trouser ends into your socks to stop fire ants crawling up your legs.
Gardening gloves earn their place the same way. You grab plants for balance on the steeps and pull them off afterwards, exactly as one trekker who left a pair at the lodge described.
Source: Visit Rwanda.
What to pack for gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
Pack the full head-to-toe list below, then decide what to rent at the trailhead versus what you must bring from home.
This is the one-look checklist for the trek day at Volcanoes National Park. Every row exists because of the terrain, the insects, the rain or the rules at the gorilla encounter.
Packing checklist
Bring the items marked as pack, and ask about hiring the rest at park headquarters, where gumboots, raincoats and gloves can be hired.
| Item | Why you need it | Pack or rent |
|---|---|---|
| Long-sleeved moisture-wicking shirts (three fast-drying ones) | Nettles, insects, sweat, and cotton stays wet so avoid it | Pack |
| Waterproof hiking trousers | Nettles and thorns, thin leggings fail here | Pack |
| Ankle-high waterproof hiking boots | Steep muddy volcanic trails | Pack or hire gumboots at HQ |
| Gaiters or tall socks | Stop ants and mud, trousers tuck in | Pack |
| Gardening gloves | Grabbing plants on steeps | Pack or hire |
| Rain jacket or poncho | Rain falls in every season | Pack or hire raincoat |
| Wide-brimmed hat | Sun and stinging vegetation | Pack |
| 20 to 30 liter daypack | Covers all essentials for a 2 to 8 hour trek | Pack |
| Face mask | Worn at all times near gorillas under the Gorilla Friendly Pledge | Pack |
| Insect repellent and sunscreen | Mosquitoes and tsetse flies, sun at altitude | Pack |
| Water bottle and snacks | Hikes run 30 minutes to four or more hours | Pack |
| Mid-size camera lens and lens cloth | Long zooms are clumsy, lenses fog up | Pack |
| Cash for tips | Porters and guides after the trek | Pack |
Sources: Visit Rwanda, Rwanda Development Board.
What are the best boots, socks and gaiters for gorilla trekking?
Ankle-high waterproof hiking boots, calf-length or longer socks worn over thin moisture-wicking liners, with trouser ends tucked in or gaiters over the top.
Feet generate the most questions on any packing list, so start here. Buy boots in advance and wear them in to avoid blisters on the trail.
Socks and gaiters
Thin moisture-wicking socks under thicker socks help prevent blisters. Choose calf-length or longer, and pick trousers that tuck into socks or fit under gaiters. Any sturdy gaiter that seals the gap between boot and trouser does the job.
Your daypack can hold a spare pair of socks for after the wet sections.
Can you wear blue in Rwanda?
Blue and black attract insects like tsetse flies, so wear olive, khaki, brown or grey instead, and never camouflage or animal print.
Color matters more than style on the trek. Bright shades alarm wildlife and dark shades pull insects toward you.
The color rule
Choose neutral colors only. Olive, khaki, brown or grey. Avoid bright colors, especially red, and avoid dark shades. Blue and black attract tsetse flies, which is why the answer to the blue question is no for the forest.
Camouflage is illegal for civilians to wear in many areas, so leave it at home. Skip animal print too, because a gorilla may become alarmed at seeing what looks like a leopard.
Should you skip perfume and scented lotion?
Yes, avoid perfume, cologne and heavily scented lotions, because gorillas have an exceptional sense of smell and strong scents attract mosquitoes and tsetse flies.
Scent is part of what not to wear. Unscented sunscreen and plain insect repellent are fine. A dab of aftershave is not.
What that means for your washbag
Leave fragrance off on the trek day and the evening before. Wash with plain soap and use unscented moisturiser. Your repellent does the insect work instead, and you arrive at the gorillas smelling like the forest rather than a shop.
Does What You Wear Change by Season?
Barely: rain falls in every month inside the forest, so the full kit stays the same and only the layers change.
Daytime temperatures sit around 23C with nights near 11C, and rain is possible even in the dry season. The best time guide covers the months themselves.
Season table
The table shows how conditions shift through the year and what to change in the pack. Visit Rwanda gives June to mid-September as the dry season.
| Season | Conditions | What to wear |
|---|---|---|
| June to September (drier) | Warm days to 25C, cold mornings to 5C, rain still possible | Same full kit, rain jacket always in the pack |
| October to December (short rains) | Muddier trails, heavier rain | Waterproof trousers plus gaiters earn their keep |
| January and February (often drier) | Good hiking, cold starts | Layers you can shed by midday |
| March to May (wettest) | Long rains, slippery slopes | Gumboots or sealed boots, spare socks, poncho over daypack |
Source: Visit Rwanda.
Can I rent gear instead of packing it?
Yes, gumboots, raincoats and gloves can be hired at park headquarters, and tour operators commonly supply ponchos, gaiters, walking sticks and backpacks on request.
If you are flying in with hand luggage only, rent the bulky items. Bring the fitted items that touch your skin for hours.
Rent versus bring
Waterproof ponchos and pants, backpacks, gloves, gaiters, walking sticks and walking boots are among the items operators supply on request. At the official park level, gumboots, raincoats and gloves can be hired at headquarters in Kinigi.
Bring your own shirts, socks, underwear and boots if you want a broken-in fit. Hired gumboots in your size are the practical swap if your luggage is light.
Source: Rwanda Development Board.
Should I hire a porter, and how does that change what I carry?
Yes, porters carry backpacks and cameras and help on the route, so you can trek with nothing on your back and keep the daypack contents minimal.
Porters are available at Volcanoes National Park to carry backpacks and cameras and help on steep sections. No official fee is printed, so bring cash for the tip.
Porters and tipping
If offered a porter, consider hiring one and agree the fee before you set off, since no official rate is printed. Hand the porter the 20 to 30 liter daypack with your water, mask, rain layer and camera, and carry only what you need on your body. Bring cash for tipping your guide after the trek as well.
Source: Visit Rwanda.
What else goes in the pack for the hour with the gorillas?
Pack a face mask, a lens cloth and your permits and documents, because masks are worn at all times near the gorillas and lenses fog in the humid forest.
The Gorilla Friendly Pledge asks you to maintain physical distance, wear a facemask at all times and leave no waste in the park. You keep 7 meters, about 22 feet, from the gorillas, and viewing time is one hour.
Masks, cameras and glasses
Carry a spare face mask in a zip bag. Bring a mid-size camera lens rather than a long zoom, plus a cloth for a fogged-up lens, and prefer contact lenses because glasses mist up. Report at the RDB offices in Kinigi at 07:00 for the briefing, so sleep near the park the night before and dress in layers you can shed as the day warms from 5C toward 25C.
Sources: Visit Rwanda, Rwanda Development Board.
Tours That Fit
Day tours from Kigali that get you to the 07:00 Kinigi briefing, with the permit bought separately so the kit list stays yours to control.
from $260
Rwanda Gorilla Trek in Volcanoes National Park
A private day trek from Kigali with a culture tour and lunch, rated 4.9, but the gorilla permit is paid separately and the operator helps arrange it.
Check Availability
from $342
Most reviewed
1 Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour In The Volcanoes National Park
A private 12 hour Kigali day trek with 4x4 transport and meals included, but the mandatory gorilla permit is paid for separately.
Check Availability
from $279.65
One Day Rwanda Gorilla Trekking Tour
Private day trip from Kigali with Dian Fossey or cultural village stop, but the gorilla permit is bought separately.
Check AvailabilityHow strenuous is gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
It ranges from a 30 minute walk to four or more hours of steep climbing at 2,500m to 4,000m, so it can be genuinely hard and your clothing should be built for that range.
The assignment you draw at the briefing decides the effort. Train with some hill walking before you travel, and let your boots prove themselves over two to three weeks of trail walking.
What that means for your body
Layers matter because you will sweat on the climbs and chill on the pauses. A porter costs far less than a turned ankle on a wet slope, and walking sticks are among the items operators supply on request.
Source: Visit Rwanda.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a trek take?
Hikes last from 30 minutes to four or more hours at altitudes of 2,500m to 4,000m, and you spend one hour with the gorillas once the family is found. The strenuous section explains why it varies.
Has anyone been injured in gorilla trekking?
Official pages publish no injury figures. The risks you can control are the trail ones, so wear real boots, gaiters and gloves, keep the 7 meter distance from the gorillas and read is gorilla trekking in Rwanda safe.
What to wear in September?
September sits in the drier June to September window, but rain still falls, so wear the same full kit with a rain jacket in the pack and layers for mornings near 5C. See the season table.
What are the best pants for gorilla trekking?
Waterproof or thick hiking trousers in a neutral color. Jeans soak up water and offer poor nettle protection, thin leggings fail against nettles, and zip-off convertible pants make no sense in the rainforest. More in boots, socks and gaiters.
What backpack should I bring?
A 20 to 30 liter daypack covers all essentials for the trek, or hand it to a porter at the trailhead and carry nothing. The checklist lists what goes in it.
How do I prepare for gorilla trekking in Rwanda?
Break in waterproof boots over two to three weeks of walking, gather the checklist above, and arrange your permit in advance, since only 96 are issued daily and the minimum age is 15 years.
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