The monsoon season has almost arrived, and we know that many true mountain and nature lovers have already started looking for the best monsoon trek to explore this year.

But before you start planning your next adventurous trek, we’d like to ask a few questions: How much do you know about “Leeches” that are bound to accompany you on your monsoon trek? And how many do’s and don’ts do you know about dealing with them?

Not much, right?

Well, after hearing the name “leeches” we are sure, you must have started imagining the worst, but let us make one thing absolutely clear: “leeches are not as frightening in reality as we have made them out to be.” Their bites do not spread diseases and are mostly harmless. However, they can cause discomfort and panic if you’re not prepared.

So, to save you from unnecessary stress and help you trek with confidence, we have gathered some of the best tips and tricks in this article for dealing with leeches on your next monsoon trekking adventure.

Before You Leave for the Trek

Now, you must know that before heading out on any trek, a little preparation is completely mandatory. When it comes to monsoon trekking, that preparation becomes absolutely non-negotiable. Here, are some tips that every trekker must follow -

• Having the right clothes during the monsoon trek can make your trekking journey more easy and comfortable. Therefore, make sure to follow these tips.
• Wear Full length, quick drying pants instead of shorts
• Pair them with anti - leech socks ( full - length socks that completely cover your ankles.)
• You can also tuck your pants into their socks, in this way you will create a barrier and make it harder for leeches to find their way onto your skin.
• You can also wear light - colour clothing so that you can easily spot leeches if they crawl onto your body.
• Firstly, don’t forget to carry an ANTISEPTIC LIQUID like - Dettol or Savlon with you in your backpack.
• Secondly, mix that antiseptic liquid with water in 1:1 ratio and gently apply that diluted mixture on your shoes, gaiters, and socks to help keep leeches away.
• The diluted liquid will help in keeping the leeches away because it has a strong antiseptic smell that is said to be very unpleasant for leeches.
• Besides using the antiseptic liquid, you can also use “LEMON JUICE”. You need to dilute the lemon juice with water in a 1:1 ratio, and then apply it on your socks, gaiters and on your exposed skin exactly like the antiseptic liquid.
• Apart from these solutions you can also carry “SALT” with you on the trek, and when time comes you can sprinkle it on the leeches.

Note: Salt is truly harmful for leeches as salt causes severe dehydration in leeches, and since leeches play quite a role in maintaining the ecosystem, we strongly recommend you to avoid using this salt tip as much as possible on leeches during your trek.

• During your trek, another thing you can do is ask for some tips from local villagers about “how to remove leeches during monsoon”, as they always happen to have some quick remedies that will help you out during the trek.

What You Should Do During the Trek?

Now, comes the time where all your monsoon tips and tricks to keep leeches away will come into play. Before, we dive into “What you can do to keep leeches away during the trek”?.

We would like you to understand that there is no possible way to avoid leeches while trekking during the monsoon season because leeches basically thrive in a high moisture atmosphere, and monsoon season also happens to be their breeding season.

Now, here are some Do’s and Don’ts that we need you need to follow while being on the trek -

DO's

DON'Ts

The very first thing we want you to do is “Do not panic” if you spot any leech on your body. Instead of forcefully pulling off, flick them gently. To flick them away, try to break the suction first by sliding your fingertip, or thin paper. After the contact is broken, then only flick them away. After flicking, clean the wound first with water and then apply the antiseptic. Also, cover the wound with a clean cloth or bandage. Avoid sitting or stopping on damp ground directly, as that’s where you will find leeches the most. Make sure to keep inspecting your feet and hands to see if there is any leech attached to your skin.

Do not pull a leech off forcefully, because then you will increase the chances of: Tearing your skin Leech mouthparts getting attached to your body Causing leeches to vomit bacteria into an open wound Don’t stop for too long during your trek. Try to avoid stopping for extended periods, as this increases the chances of leeches climbing onto your clothes.

How to take care of leech bites post trek?

Now, like we have mentioned before, leeches bites are not harmful, but they definitely do cause an itchiness that tends to last for at least three to ten days. So, if during your trek a leech has bitten you. Here are some post trek care tips that you must follow -

• Make sure that you must apply some drops of coconut oil/neem oil over the wound to avoid causing more irritation or itching on the wound, plus it also helps in preventing any infection.
• To reduce the swelling of the bitten area make sure that you daily apply a cold pack on the wound for 15-20 minutes.
• Try to keep the wound clean as much as possible, and don’t forget to apply an anti-itch cream.

Conclusion

See, leeches are the most unavoidable part of the monsoon trekking experience, and fearing that they might bite you, you should never let that thought stop you from exploring the beautiful and best treks of monsoon. So, to ensure that won’t happen, we truly hope that you follow all the above mentioned tips and take all the basic precautions, so that later on you can enjoy all the misty forests, lush valleys, and rain-washed mountain landscapes during your next monsoon trek.

Prevention From Leech Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How to avoid leeches while trekking?

The best way to avoid leeches while trekking is to tightly tuck trousers into your socks, wear full sleeves T - shirts and pants, and always carry some effective repellents with you during your monsoon trek.

2. What is the best way to remove a leech?

The right way to remove a leech from your body is to gently slide a fingernail or any flat edge object beneath the leech’s mouth, then break the skin suction and when the suction is broken then quickly flick it away to prevent it from reattaching to your body.

3. How long will a leech bite bleed?

A leech bite typically bleeds for approx 2 to 10 hours, but sometimes the wound can bleed for upto 24 hours too.

4. Do gaiters help prevent leech bites?

Absolutely, wearing fitted gaiters over your boots can easily create a strong physical barrier that can efficiently block leeches from getting attached to your skin.