The sectors and gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Today we will give detailed information on gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in each for the sector ie Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park lies in southwestern Uganda sheltering more than half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Bwindi impenetrable forest national park was gazetted in 1993 to protect the remaining population of mountain gorillas, primates, mammals, and different bird species. The Bwindi national park is open of the 2 national parks in the country where mountain gorilla trekking can be done and you get an opportunity to meet eye to eye with mountain gorillas. This clearly shows that the chances of seeing the gorillas in Uganda are high as compared to other parks.

Sectors of  Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is done in 4 sectors of the park which are Nkuringo in the south, Rushaga in the south, Buhoma in the north, and Ruhija in the east.

Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Ruhija sector is one of the gorilla trekking sectors in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park where gorilla trekking can be done among 4 habituated gorilla families at any time of the year. Ruhija sector is located on the eastern side of the park and can be accessed by road transport from Kampala via Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale to the east of the park. You can as well access the sector from Kigali using the Cyanika border or Katuna border to the park and lastly by air transport from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi airstrip or Kisoro airstrip. It is easy to see gorillas in Ruhija because the sector’s terrain is incomparable to other sectors’ in terms of flatness steepness.

Gorilla families in Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park.

Ruhija sector is located in the eastern sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park with 4 different habituated gorilla families living in different places of the sector with each gorilla family led by a dominant silverback. The 4 gorilla families of the Ruhija sector are the Orugozo gorilla family with 23 members with 1 dominant silverback, the Bitukura gorilla family with 13 members with 4 silverbacks, the Kyaguriro gorilla family with 15 individuals with 2 silverbacks, and the Mukiza gorilla family comprised of 10 individuals with 1 silverback. To trek mountain gorillas in the Ruhija sector, you will need to have a valid gorilla trekking permit which can be bought from the Uganda wildlife authority or a trusted tour operator. If you are planning to trek in the dry season, you are advised to book your trekking permit in advance of 3-4 months to avoid disappointments.

Where to stay in Ruhija sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Different hotels and Lodges in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park particularly in the Ruhija sector. These range from budget to mid-range to luxury options and they include Bakiga Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, Cuckooland Tented Camp, Broadbill Forest Camp, Ruhija Safari Lodge, Gift of nature lodge, Ruhija Community Rest Camp, and Trekkers Tavern among others. 

Nkuringo sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Nkuringo gorilla trekking sector is also an area in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park that offers visitors a chance of seeing the gorillas. Nkuringo sector has 3 habituated gorilla families that are open for tourism at any time of the year. Nkuringo sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can be accessed by road transport from Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka – Mbarara – Kabale and then Bwindi to Nkuringo sector. From Kigali, one can access the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park to the Nkuringo sector via the Cyanika border. The experience you get trekking mountain gorilla families in the Nkuringo sector is the same for other sectors of the park. To trek mountain gorillas in the Nkuringo sector, you will need to inform your tour operator so that he can specify while booking for you a gorilla trekking permit.

Gorilla groups that you will visit in in Nkuringo sector

Nkuringo sector is located in the southern sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park with 3 habituated gorilla families that stay in different places of the sector with each gorilla family led by a dominant silverback. The gorilla families in the Nkuringo sector include the Nkuringo gorilla family which has 12 members with 2 silverbacks, 1 blackback, 2 adults females, and 3 juveniles, Bushasho gorilla family composed of 8 members; 1 silverback, 3 adult females, 1 blackback, 1 juvenile, 1 infant and 1 sub-adult, and lastly Bikingi gorilla family with 15 members including 1 silverback, 2 sub-adults, 5 adult females, 2 juveniles and 5 infants.

Trekking mountain gorillas in the Nkuringo sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is done by persons above the age of 15 and they must possess a valid gorilla trekking permit. A gorilla trekking permit is a document issued out by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to allow a person to trek mountain gorillas for a maximum of 1 hour. you are advised to book your gorilla trekking permit in advance of 3-4 months to avoid inconvenience since the permits are served on a first come first serve basis.

Accommodation in Nkuringo sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Accommodation in the Nkuringo sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is something you don’t have to worry about while on a safari in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park because there are different accommodation facilities in the sector ranging from budget to mid-range to luxury options. Some of the accommodation facilities in the Nkuringo sector include Nkuringo Gorilla Safari Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi Back Packer’s Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Safari Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Camp, gorilla heights lodge, and crested crane Bwindi lodge among others.

Buhoma sector in the Northern part of  Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Buhoma is one of the 4 sectors in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park located in the southwestern part of the country. Buhoma sector is home to 5 habituated gorilla families including Mubare which was the first gorilla family to be habituated in the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. All gorilla families in the Buhoma sector are open for tourism at any time of the year. Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can be accessed by road transport from Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka – Mbarara – Kabale and then Bwindi to Buhoma sector. Buhoma sector can also be accessed from the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park taking you 2-3 hours.  Buhoma sector can be accessed by air transport from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe international airport to Kihihi airstrip which is near the sector. There are also a lot of other activities such as guided nature walks, birding, and cultural encounters to be experienced in the Buhoma sector.

Gorilla families in Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

5 habituated gorilla families in the Buhoma sector are open for trekking at any time of the year. The gorilla families in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park are the Rushegura gorilla family, Muyambi gorilla family, Habinyanja gorilla family, Katwe gorilla family, and Mubare gorilla family which was the first group to be habituated in 1992 when Bwindi impenetrable forest was gazetted as a national park.

To trek mountain gorillas in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, you will need to buy a gorilla trekking permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority for that particular sector. Trekking is done with the help of ranger guides who lead you into the jungle in search of these mountain gorillas and locating them trekkers are given a maximum of 1 hour to be around them as they learn about their habits and take photos.

Accommodation in Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

There are several accommodation facilities in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park offering different levels of comfort and pricing. The accommodation facilities range from luxury to mid-range to budget options such as Buhoma Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Trekkers Tavern, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Mahogany Springs, Lake Kitandara Bwindi Camp, Gorilla Conservation Camp, and Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge among others.

The southern sector Rushaga of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Rushaga sector lies at the extreme south and it is the only sector where the gorilla habituation process is conducted. Rushaga sector is home to over 8 habituated gorilla families that are open for trekking at any time of the year. Gorilla trekking is the main activity done in the Rushaga sector of the park but there are other activities such as birding, cultural encounters, and nature walks. Rushaga sector is the only place where gorilla habituation is done in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and the whole of Africa in 2 gorilla families Bikingi and Bushaho families. To habituate mountain gorillas in Bikingi gorilla family and Bushaho gorilla family you will need to book a gorilla trekking permit from the Uganda Wildlife Authority at a fee of $1500 per person and the habituation is done by only 4 people meaning that there are only 8 gorilla habituation permits.

Gorilla families in Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is one of the best sectors to visit when it comes to gorilla trekking. Rushaga sector has 5 habituated gorilla families and these are Nshongi gorilla family with 25 members, Mishaya gorilla family with 12 members, Kahungye gorilla family with 13 members, Bweza gorilla family 7 members, Bikingi gorilla family, Mucunguzi gorilla family with 8 members, Kutu gorilla family with 8 members, and Busingye gorilla family with 9 members.

Trekking mountain gorillas in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park starts with a briefing at the park headquarters and only people with valid permits are allowed to trek. After the briefing, the rangers lead the trekkers into the jungle to search for the mountain gorillas and once they have located them, they will be given 1 hour around mountain gorillas as you learn about their habits and behaviors.

Accommodation in Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park

Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park features lodges and hotels where one can stay while on a safari in the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The accommodation facilities in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park range from luxury to mid-range to budget options and these include Gorilla Safari Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Nshongi Camp, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Bwindi Backpackers Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, and Rushaga Gorilla Camp

What is the price of gorilla trekking in the 4 sectors of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park?

The gorilla trekking permit price is the same for all the sectors of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. The permits are issued out by the Uganda wildlife authority at a fee of $700 foreign non-residents, $600 foreign residents, and shs250,000 East African citizens. The gorilla trekking permits are issued out on a first come first serve basis that is why we advise you to book your gorilla trekking permit in advance of 3-4 months in order to avoid inconveniences. The gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park allows you to be around mountain gorillas for a maximum of 1 hour.

What is the best time to visit Bwindi impenetrable forest national park?

The 4 sectors of Bwindi impenetrable national park can be visited at any time but the best time is the dry season. The dry season happens in the months of June to September and December to February characterized by little or no rainfall. During the dry months, the vegetation in the sectors is thin giving a clear view of the park animals, the trekking trails are less slippery and not muddy, and the roads leading to the parks are passable. You can as well trek mountain gorillas in the rainy season but there is a lot of rainfall destroying everything including the roads, and the trekking trails. The only advantage of trekking mountain gorillas in the rainy season is the huge discount offers from accommodation facilities.