How to protect yourself from leeches on a hike in the tropics?

Protection against land leeches is based on two principles: creating a physical barrier or constant visual monitoring. The choice of method depends on the type of your activity (short excursion or multi-day trekking).

1. Sealing method (for serious hikes):

• Footwear: High trekking boots with a one-piece tongue.
• Socks: Dense synthetic (cotton can be bitten through by leeches).
• Pants: Tuck into socks and secure with elastic or tape. You can use special gaiters or even improvised ones—from plastic bags tightly wrapped around the leg.

2. Monitoring method (as locals do):

• Wear minimal clothing (shorts, flip-flops) to make it easier to spot a crawling leech.
• Try to walk on dry areas and trails.
• Every 10-15 minutes, stop and inspect your legs, ankles, and arms.

3. Protection in the tent: Leeches can penetrate through the mesh. Set up the tent on dry clearings, keep all zippers closed. Locals to repel them lay out rags soaked in kerosene or gasoline, but this method is dangerous in an enclosed space. An alternative is to sleep in a hammock with a mosquito net.

We have detailed all the life hacks for protection in the article: How to protect yourself from land leeches.

Follow the link, here are all the answers to your questions - https://t.me/nashaplaneta_chat