Updated
What to Wear for Gorilla Trekking: Clothing Guide for Bwindi Your trek-day outfit Item Best choice Why Trousers Lightweight, quick-dry hiking trousers Protect legs from nettles and thorns; jeans stay wet and heavy Top Long-sleeved synthetic or merino shirt Protects arms, dries fast, breathes on climbs Warm layer Light fleece Cold 07:30 start, especially in Ruhija and Nkuringo Jacket Hooded waterproof jacket Rain is possible in any month; doubles as windproof Hands Gardening or work gloves Grip vines and branches without thorns or stings Legs and feet Gaiters or long socks over trousers; waterproof boots Stops ants and mud; grip on steep clay Head Hat or cap Sun on open farmland, drips in the forest Layers for a cold start and a warm climb Bwindi lies between about 1,160 and 2,607 m, so mornings are cool, around 10–15°C, and colder in high sectors such as Ruhija. For gorilla trekking in Bwindi, wear lightweight long trousers tucked into long socks or gaiters, a long-sleeved quick-drying top, broken-in waterproof hiking boots and gardening gloves, and carry a hooded rain jacket and a light fleece. Choose neutral greens, browns and greys. The aim is simple: protect your skin from nettles, thorns and ants, stay dry enough to be comfortable, and be able to add or remove layers as you climb.
This guide goes through your trek-day outfit from head to toe and explains why each choice matters. For the complete kit, including your daypack and camera, see our gorilla trekking packing list.
What to Wear for Gorilla Trekking: Clothing Guide for Bwindi
Your trek-day outfit
| Item | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Trousers | Lightweight, quick-dry hiking trousers | Protect legs from nettles and thorns; jeans stay wet and heavy |
| Top | Long-sleeved synthetic or merino shirt | Protects arms, dries fast, breathes on climbs |
| Warm layer | Light fleece | Cold 07:30 start, especially in Ruhija and Nkuringo |
| Jacket | Hooded waterproof jacket | Rain is possible in any month; doubles as windproof |
| Hands | Gardening or work gloves | Grip vines and branches without thorns or stings |
| Legs and feet | Gaiters or long socks over trousers; waterproof boots | Stops ants and mud; grip on steep clay |
| Head | Hat or cap | Sun on open farmland, drips in the forest |
Layers for a cold start and a warm climb
Bwindi lies between about 1,160 and 2,607 m, so mornings are cool, around 10–15°C, and colder in high sectors such as Ruhija. Once you start climbing through humid forest, you warm up fast and sweat. Then, during the hour with the gorillas, you stand or crouch still for a long time and cool down again.
The answer is layers: a long-sleeved base layer, a light fleece and a waterproof jacket at the briefing, stripping down on the climb and putting the fleece back on when you stop. Avoid cotton, which soaks up sweat and rain and chills you as soon as you stop moving.
Trousers, socks and gaiters
Long trousers are essential, even in warm weather. The undergrowth near the gorillas is full of stinging nettles and thorny vines, and the guides often cut a path with machetes, leaving sharp stems at leg height. Quick-drying hiking trousers are ideal; zip-off trousers are fine as long as you keep the legs on in the forest. Safari ants, which bite hard, climb up from the ground, so tuck your trousers into long socks or wear gaiters. Gaiters also keep mud and water out of your boots on wet days.
Boots matter most
Waterproof hiking boots with deep lugs and good ankle support are the most important thing you wear. Bwindi’s red clay is slippery after rain, and slopes can be very steep. Trainers and fashion boots are the most common mistake visitors make. Make sure your boots are broken in before the trip, and pack blister plasters just in case. Many lodges near the park lend or rent gumboots, which grip surprisingly well in mud, but they are less comfortable for long treks. See how to choose gorilla trekking boots.
Rain protection
A hooded, genuinely waterproof jacket is far better than a poncho, which snags on branches and hides your feet on descents. In the wetter months of March–May and September–November, consider light waterproof over-trousers too. Keep a spare dry top and socks in a dry bag in your daypack, ready for the drive back. More detail in rain gear for gorilla trekking.
Colours and what not to wear
Neutral colours — olive, khaki, brown, grey and navy — are best near the gorillas and do not show mud as badly. Avoid bright colours and white. Do not wear military-style camouflage, which civilians are not allowed to wear in Uganda. Leave jewellery and anything that rustles loudly at the lodge, and skip strong perfume or scented lotions, which attract insects. Shorts, short sleeves and sandals are fine around the lodge but not on the trek.
Tips for women and older trekkers
Women can wear the same practical kit as men; leggings under hiking trousers add warmth on cold mornings, and a sports bra is more comfortable on long climbs. In villages and towns away from the lodges, covering knees and shoulders is respectful; see cultural etiquette in Uganda. Older trekkers often benefit from a knee support and lightweight walking poles in addition to the free walking stick, and a porter to carry the daypack makes a big difference on the descents.
Frequently asked questions
Thin leggings tear and let nettles through. Wear them under hiking trousers for warmth, not on their own.
Yes. A cap or brimmed hat protects from sun on the walk through farmland and from drips under the canopy. Choose one that will not blow off.
You can, but they may still be wet. Lodge laundry takes time in the humid highlands, so bring two sets if you trek twice.
Not in Bwindi. Temperatures are mild at altitude, and lightweight long sleeves keep you cooler and protected under the forest canopy.
