An hour with a mountain gorilla family is worth every step of the trek that earns it — but the forest is steep, muddy and alive with stinging nettles. What you wear decides whether you remember the climb or the gorillas.
Start with broken-in hiking boots with real ankle grip — Bwindi’s trails are slick after rain, which is most afternoons. Tuck long trousers into socks or gaiters; it keeps ants out and mud off. This is not the place for shorts or trainers.
Seasoned trekkers swear by cheap gardening gloves: they let you grab vines and nettle-covered branches without thinking. Add a long-sleeved shirt in neutral greens or browns, a light rain jacket (the forest makes its own weather), and a small daypack with two litres of water.
Cameras are welcome — no flash — and a mid-zoom (70–200mm) beats a long prime because the family can be closer than the 7-metre rule expects. Hire a porter for about $15: they carry your bag, pull you up the hard bits, and your fee goes straight into the community around the park.
Pack smart and the trek fades into the background — which is exactly where it belongs when a silverback sits down three metres away.