GO UP
Gorilla discovery is a safari tour and travel company based in Uganda, fully licensed to conduct safaris within Uganda and Rwanda. We offer several tours and safaris in Uganda including Gorilla Tours, wildlife adventures, mountaineering trips

Safari activities in Rushaga Sector Bwindi forest national park after gorilla habituation Experience

Safari activities in Rushaga Sector Bwindi forest national park

Safari activities in Rushaga Sector Bwindi forest national park after gorilla habituation Experience

There are several safari activities travelers can engage in after gorilla habituation experience in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Gorilla habituation is a unique activity of mountain gorillas get used to human presence and it’s only done in Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in the whole world. There are currently 2 mountain gorilla families that are undergoing habituation in Bwindi and these are Bushaho and Bikingi. Gorilla habituation among these gorilla families allows trekkers to be around mountain gorillas for a maximum of 4 hours as they make mountain gorillas get used to human presence and also take photos. To be part of the gorilla habituation experience in this park you will need to purchase your gorilla permit in advance of 3-4 months with your tour operator or from the Uganda wildlife authority. Note that there are only 8 habituated gorilla permits in Uganda every day and these are served on a first come first serve basis. There are several safari activities in Rushaga Sector Bwindi forest national park after gorilla habituation experience and some of them are as below;

Gorilla trekking

It’s very possible to habituate mountain gorillas the first day and do trekking the next days within Uganda. This can be done by informing your tour operator to book for you a trekking permit and a habituation permit for different days. You can as well do it yourself by booking directly from the Uganda wildlife authority. Gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector ios done among 5 habituated mountain gorilla families namely Bweza gorilla family, Nshongi gorilla, Kahungye gorilla family, Kutu gorilla family, Bikingi gorilla family, Mucunguzi gorilla family, and Busingye gorilla family. All these gorilla families are open for trekking at any time of the year and to be part of the trekkers you must be having 15 years and above. The trekking starts with a briefing at 8 in the morning after which the trekking exercise begins and after several hours of trekking, the trekkers are given a maximum of 1 hour to be around mountain gorillas as you learn about their habits and take photos.

Batwa cultural experience

The Batwa cultural experience is one of the activities that a traveler can engage in after a gorilla habituation safari in Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. the Batwa cultural experiences are led by people from Batwa communities who take the tourists around the forest and their communities showing you how to they used to gather fruits and hunt honey, make fire using sticks, hunt some of the park animals, and how they used to build their houses. You will have an opportunity to see how the Batwa dress, some of their crafts, get to taste their local food, get entertained by the traditional dancers through songs and dances. The Batwa pygmies were forest dwellers who had found their home in the jungles of southwestern Uganda and here they used to hunt some of the forest animals for meat, gather fruits, honey and use different plants as medicine. The Batwa were evicted out of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park to protect the remaining animals most especially the mountain gorillas that were going to extinction by then.

Birdwatching in Rushaga sector

Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is home to over 350 bird species and for this case, if you are a bird lover we advise you to carry your binoculars and a birding book while on your gorilla habituation safari. The birds in Rushaga sector include Augur Buzzard, Bar-tailed trogon, grauer’s rush warbler, Mountain yellow warbler, western green tinker bird, archer’s robin-chat, strange weaver, Rwenzori turaco, chest nut throated apalis, montane oriole, African green broadbill, Rwenzori hill babbler, red chested owlet, regal sunbird, fine banded woodpecker, banded prinia, Shelley’s crimson wing, western green tinker bird, short tailed warbler, collared apalis, Rwenzori batis, rock martin, slender-billed, white tailed blue fly, kivu ground thrush, shinning African blue, montane oriole, stripe-breasted tit, black bee-eater, yellow-eyed black flycatcher, olive and mountain thrushes, impressed African emerald, and bar tailed trogon among others

Guided Nature walks

Nature walks in Rushaga sector are part of the activities that a traveler can engage in while on a gorilla habituation safari in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Like any other activity, tourists must book in advance in order to engage in the nature walks in Kibale forest national park. The nature walks in Rushaga sector are led by the Uganda Wildlife Authority guide who sees you traverse the different trails of the park with opportunities of seeing some of the park animals like chimpanzees, duikers, elephants, buffaloes, giant forest hogs, and different monkeys. There are also chances of seeing different bird species, trees, rivers, waterfalls, and so much more. The nature walks in Rushaga sector are cheaper compared to gorilla habituation and these come at a fee of $30 foreign nonresidents, $15 foreign residents, and shs10,000 East African citizens.

Accommodation in Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Rushaga sector located on the southern side of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in the southwestern part of Uganda has got numerous accommodation facilities where tourists get comfortable stay while on a gorilla habituation experience in the park. the accommodation facilities in the Rushaga sector range from budget to mid-range to luxury options such as Gorilla Safari Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla havens lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Bwindi Backpackers Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Nshongi Camp, Four Gorilla Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, and Rushaga Gorilla Camp.

What is the best time for Safari activities in Rushaga Sector Bwindi forest national park after gorilla habituation Experience?

Travelers can visit Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park at any time of the year but the best time to visit the sector are the drier months. The drier months happen in June to September and are characterized by little or no rainfall which means that the roads are passable, the vegetation is thin making clear views of animals and photography, the trekking trails are less muddy and not slippery. If you are planning to visit Rushaga sector for gorilla habituation in the dry season you are advised to book your habituation permit in advance in order to avoid inconveniences.

Rushaga sector can also be visited for gorilla habituation in the rainy season of March to May and October to November. The rainy season comes with a lot of rainfall, thick vegetation cover, slippery and muddy trails, and the roads leading to the park are impassable. The advantage of habituating mountain gorillas in the rainy season is that you enjoy huge discounts from the accommodation facilities.

Getting to Rushaga sector for Safari activities in Bwindi forest national park after gorilla habituation Experience

Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can be accessed for gorilla habituation by road transport through Kampala – Masaka – Mbarara – Kabale road taking you about 8- hours’ drive. From Kabale, you will take a short drive to Rushaga sector taking you a few hours. From Kigali city, a traveler can access Rushaga sector can be accessed using Katuna border in Kabale or Cyanika border in Kisoro taking only 4-5 hours.

By air transport, Rushaga sector can be accessed for habituation by taking chattered flights from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airstrip to Kisoro airstrip taking you only 2 hours. From Kisoro airstrip you can drive for a short distance to the sector of the park. if you want to use air transport you must inform your tour operator so that they arrange for you a flight.

error: Content is protected !!