Updated
camera batteries gorilla trekking is one of Africa’s most extraordinary wildlife experiences, connecting travellers with mountain gorillas in their natural forest habitat. Bring at least three fully charged camera batteries for a gorilla trekking day, and carry the spares in an inside pocket rather than your backpack. One battery rarely lasts through a long walk with the camera switched on and then a busy hour of shooting, there is no power anywhere on the trail, and lodges near Bwindi do not all have electricity around the clock.
Running out of power is one of the most common regrets people mention after their trek, and it is entirely avoidable. Here is how to plan your batteries, charging and settings so your camera lasts the full hour with the gorillas.
Camera batteries for gorilla trekking: cold weather, long days, and no power points
How many batteries you need
| Camera | Batteries for trek day | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mirrorless (Sony, Canon R, Nikon Z, Fujifilm) | 3 | Electronic viewfinder and stabilisation use more power; many photographers take 400–800 frames in the hour |
| DSLR | 2 | Optical viewfinder uses little power |
| Phone only | 1 power bank (10,000 mAh) | Video in dim forest light drains phones quickly |
| Action camera / GoPro | 2–3 | Small batteries, often 60–90 minutes of recording each |
The numbers look generous until you think about the shape of the day. You may walk anywhere from 30 minutes to five hours before reaching the gorillas, often with the camera switched on in case a monkey or turaco appears.
Then the hour with the family arrives, and most people shoot far more than they expected — a young gorilla somersaulting down a vine or a silverback turning to face the group is not something you photograph once. Mirrorless cameras are the most at risk, because the electronic viewfinder, image stabilisation and fast autofocus all draw power continuously.
Does the cold in Bwindi drain batteries?
A little, but less than many guides suggest. Early mornings are typically around 10–15°C in Buhoma and Rushaga and can dip below 10°C in Ruhija, which sits at about 2,300 m. At those temperatures a lithium-ion battery delivers slightly less of its charge, and a battery that is already half empty will die sooner than you expect. By mid-morning, once you are walking in the forest, the temperature is usually mild.
The bigger drain is simply time. Hours of walking with the camera switched on use more power than the cold ever will. Switch the camera off between shots on the way in, and keep your spares in a zipped inside pocket of your jacket, where body heat keeps them warm and they stay dry if it rains. A backpack carried by a porter is the worst place for them: porters sometimes walk ahead or behind, and you want a fresh battery within reach the moment you need it.
Camera settings that save power for the gorilla hour
A few changes made the night before can add a surprising amount of shooting time. Turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS in the camera menu, because many cameras keep searching for a phone connection in the background. Set the rear screen to switch off after 10–30 seconds and use the viewfinder instead; on mirrorless cameras, setting the viewfinder to switch on only when it detects your eye helps too. Flash is not allowed near the gorillas, so switch it off completely rather than leaving it on auto.
Most importantly, change batteries early. When the indicator drops to its last bar, swap during a quiet moment while the gorillas are feeding — not in the middle of a sequence when the silverback stands up. The hour goes quickly, and the minute you lose fumbling with a battery is often the minute something happens.
Charging at lodges near Bwindi and Mgahinga
Uganda uses the UK-style three-pin plug (type G) at 240 V, so bring an adapter if your chargers use a different plug. Most mid-range and luxury lodges around Bwindi have sockets in the room, usually backed by solar power or a generator, and you can charge overnight without thinking about it.
Budget lodges and community guesthouses are less predictable: some run power only in the evening, some switch off the generator at 22:00, and some charge devices at the main building rather than in your room. It is worth asking about power when you check in, so you know whether to plug everything in straight away.
Charge everything the night before the trek rather than in the morning, because the briefing is at 07:30 and you usually leave the lodge before 07:00. If you carry several batteries, a dual charger that tops up two at once is far more useful than a single one, especially where power runs for only a few hours.
On the road between parks, most safari vehicles have a 12 V socket or USB port, which is fine for phones and power banks but slow for camera batteries. Read more in electricity and power supply in Uganda safari lodges.
A quick routine for the evening before your trek:
- Charge every battery to 100% and check each one in the camera.
- Empty or swap memory cards — you need space for several hundred frames.
- Turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, and switch the flash off.
- Put the spares in the inside pocket of the jacket you will wear.
- Pack a dry bag or rain cover for the camera.
Flying with spare batteries
Spare lithium batteries and power banks must go in your hand luggage, never in checked bags. Camera batteries are almost always well under the 100 Wh limit that most airlines allow without special approval, so you can carry several. Keep each spare in its plastic cover or tape over the contacts, so nothing in your bag can short them.
If you are taking a domestic flight from Entebbe to Kihihi or Kisoro, be aware that the baggage allowance is tight — usually around 15 kg in total, in soft bags. Pack your batteries, chargers and adapter in the bag that stays with you, not in luggage that may travel separately by road with your driver.
Original or third-party batteries?
Take at least one original-brand battery. Cheaper third-party batteries work well in many cameras, but some report the wrong charge level, drop out suddenly when the indicator still shows power, or are rejected after a firmware update. None of those problems is a disaster at home; two kilometres into the forest with gorillas in front of you, it is a different story. Whatever you bring, test every battery through a full day of shooting at home before you travel.
Rain is the other risk to your kit. Carry the camera in a dry bag or under a rain cover on the walk in, and see what happens if it rains on your trekking day. For lenses, clothing and everything else to bring, our gorilla trekking kit list covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Keep them on you. Porters sometimes walk ahead or behind, and you may need a fresh battery quickly while the gorillas are active.
No. There is no power on the trail, and a trek day lasts 3–8 hours. Everything must be charged the night before at your lodge.
Only if your camera supports USB charging in-body, as many recent mirrorless models do. Check your manual before relying on it.
No. There are no camera shops near the park. Buy spares at home; even Kampala has only a limited choice for specific models.
