Four gorilla trekking sectors are established across the forest of Bwindi where there are gorilla families in every gorilla trekking sector. The trekking sectors of Bwindi including Ruhija, Rushaga, Nkuringo, and Buhoma. The park’s sectors are placed in the following directions: north is Buhoma sector, south is Nkuringo sector, south is Rushaga sector, and north is Ruhija sector.
One of the gorilla parks is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, which is situated in the southwest of Uganda. The largest remaining population of mountain gorillas in the world can be found in the park. The four sectors of Bwindi National Park are home to 19 gorilla families. Additionally, Rushaga and Nkuringo gorilla groups contain two semi-habituated gorilla families.
Elephants, buffaloes, civets, golden cats, clawless otters, duikers, bush pigs, giant forest hogs, blue duikers, red-tailed monkeys, chimpanzees, l’oests monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys are among the other animals found in the regions of Bwindi where gorilla trekking takes place. More than 345 bird species have been recorded in this forest park, of which 23 are endemic to Albertine region and 14 can only be spotted in Bwindi. The four areas of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park designated for gorilla trekking are listed below.
Gorilla trekking in Buhoma Sector
Situated in the park’s northern section, Buhoma is one of the gorilla trekking sectors in this ever-green lush forest of Bwindi. The oldest gorilla trekking sector in Bwindi for gorilla trekking where Mubare gorilla group was habituated. When Mubare gorilla family opened for trekking in 1992, many travelers from all over the world were drawn to the area.
Buhoma gorilla trekking region is the most favored sector because it shelters the oldest gorilla family, it’s located near Kihihi airport and can be readily accessed from Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park. The five fully habituated gorilla families in Buhoma gorilla trekking sector are the Mubare, Katwe, Habinyanja, Muyambi, and Rushegura families. These families are available for trekking throughout the year for gorilla hiking. The Uganda Wildlife Authority issues forty permits for gorilla trekking each day in the Buhoma sector.
Sector for Nkuringo Gorilla Trekking
Nkuringo Gorilla sector is situated in Bwindi’s southern region, close to the Rushaga sector. Despite having the fewest gorilla families in all of Bwindi sectors, the sector is well-known for gorilla habituation. While gorilla habituation is done on gorilla families like the Bushaho gorilla family, gorilla trekking in the Nkuringo region is conducted on gorilla families like the Nkuringo gorilla family and the Christmas gorilla family.
Ruhija Gorilla Trekking Sector: Home to three gorilla families, Ruhija Gorilla Trekking Sector is situated in the eastern region of Bwindi. The Oruzogo, Bitukura, and Kyaguriro gorilla families are among those found in the Ruhija gorilla trekking region. Because each gorilla family has eight trekking permits at a time, only 24 persons can trek with the Ruhija gorilla families.
One of Bwindi’s four sectors, the Rushaga gorilla trekking region is situated in the park’s southernmost section. Mountain gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation are possible in the Rushaga region of Bwindi. Gorilla families like Busingye, Bweza, Nshongi, Mishaya, Mucunguzi, Rwiigi, and Kahungye reside in the Rushaga area. The Bikingi gorilla family, which is undergoing acclimatization, is the only gorilla family in the Rushaga sector.
Mountain gorilla trekking begins early in the morning in each of Bwindi’s trekking districts at the sector offices, where participants assemble to get instructions on the activity’s laws and regulations. After breakfast in the morning at their lodges, trekkers are required to be driven by their driver guides to the sector offices. The wardens at the sector offices brief the trekkers on the activity after verifying that they have proper permits to go gorilla trekking.
Subsequently, armed ranger guides lead the excursions and keep the hikers safe from potentially harmful wild creatures. hiking takes two to seven hours, during which time participants will encounter various park creatures, primates, and birds as they follow several hiking pathways. The speed of trekkers and the location of mountain gorillas determine how long it takes to find them.
Trekkers are allowed one hour to spend time with the armed ranger guides after they locate the mountain gorillas. In the allotted time, trekkers can observe gorillas engaging in a variety of everyday activities, including hunting, nesting, nursing, climbing, eating, and much more, as well as learn about their routines and snap pictures. In order to acclimate mountain gorillas to human presence, tourists are allowed four hours of time to spend with the primates. Afterwards, the hikers travel back to their resorts or the next location after emerging from the woods and retrieving their gorilla certificates.
What is the price of gorilla trekking in each of the Bwindi regions?
For permits to undertake gorilla trekking, the Uganda Wildlife Authority charges the same price in each of the districts of Bwindi. For foreign non-residents, a single gorilla trekking permit costs $700; for foreign residents, it costs $600; and for East African citizens, it costs UGX 250,000. Gorilla habituation permits are priced at $1500 for non-resident foreigners, $1000 for residents of other countries, and UGX750,00 for inhabitants of East Africa. Travelers are advised to reserve their gorilla trekking permits three to four months in advance to avoid any unanticipated circumstances, as the Uganda Wildlife Authority only sells permits on a first-come, first-served basis.
packing list for a Bwindi sector gorilla safari
A gorilla safari packing list consists of items such as water-resistant hiking shoes, cotton stocks, gaiters, gardening gloves, long-sleeved shirts, pants, and jackets; it also includes a rain jacket, sweater, backpack, insect repellents, sanitizer, facemasks, cameras, binoculars, drinking water bottles, and energy-boosting snacks.
When should I travel to the gorilla sectors in Bwindi?
Although Bwindi gorilla sectors are open year-round, certain months are preferable than others for visiting. The optimum times to visit any of the Bwindi areas are during the dry months of June through September and December through February. There is minimal to no rainfall during that time, which leaves the trekking trails muddy and slippery. The thin vegetation provides excellent views of the park’s animals, and the roads that go to the park’s sectors are passable.
Travelers on a tight budget, in particular, can take advantage of substantial lodging discounts by visiting Bwindi during the rainy seasons of March through May and October through November.
However, tourists should note that during this season, there is always plenty of rainfall, which makes forest trekking trails muddy and slippery in addition to the dense vegetation that could hinder clear views of the gorillas, and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
Bwindi sectors’ accessibility
It is possible to reach all four areas of the Bwindi Gorilla Park by plane or by road. By air: Entebbe International Airport, Kajjansi Airstrip to Kihihi Airstrip for Buhoma passengers, or Kisoro Airstrip for Nkuringo, Rushaga, and Ruhija sectors tourists can use Aero link Uganda to reach Bwindi. It takes many hours to transport guests from the airstrips to the lodges.
By using road transportation, visitors can drive from Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka to Mbarara to Kabale or Kisoro, from whence they can access any of the hiking sectors of Bwindi. Traveling from Kampala to Bwindi takes nine to ten hours, during which time you will stop and appreciate the scenery along the way. Travelers from queen Elizabeth national park can access Buhoma district of Bwindi in 4-5 hours via Kihihi and Butogota.
Four areas of Bwindi Gorilla Park offer lodging.
The following lodging options are available in the Buhoma trekking area: Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge, Buhoma Rest Camp, Silverback Lodge, Ride 4 Women Guest House, Mahogany Springs Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Bwindi Forest Lodge, and Buhoma Lodge.
Accommodations in the Rushaga hiking area include the following: Wagtail Eco Safari Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Resort, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Four Gorillas Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, and Nsongi Camp.
Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi Backpackers Lodge, Mutanda Eco Community Center, Nshongi Camp, Crested Crane Bwindi Hotel, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, and Virunga Campsite are among the lodging options in the Nkuringo trekking sector.
The following lodging options are available in the Ruhija trekking area: Agandi Lodge, Gift of Nature Lodge, Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Cuckoo Land Tented Lodge, Ecomarvels Gorilla Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, Broadbill Forest Camp, and Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge.