Why you should trek gorillas in Rushaga Sector of Bwindi?
The Rushaga region of Bwindi harbors most of the gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park. In Rushaga sector, only 64 gorilla permits are given out per day. The sector has a high population of te mountain gorillas that are habituated where you’re are given four hours to be with them. The sector has also got numerous accommodations for you safari. The reasons to why you should do gorilla trekking in the Rushaga region include the following;
The gorilla population that is high in the sector
The sector has got seven habituated gorilla families which include the following;
- Bweza gorilla family: the family separated from the nshongi group which had kakono silverback as their leader.
- The nshongi gorilla family: this family broke away from the Bweza family due to the disagreements that happened between them. After the break up, the family only remained with only 7 members who later tuned to 8 members after having a baby. This family got its name from the one of the rivers in bwindi called nshongi where they were seen by the researchers in the first place.
- The mishaya gorilla family: the family can be found in the mishaya area and the family has got 10 family members. The family had only 7 members at first but the number later increased to 10 after mishaya winning other members from other families due to his known battles.
- The kahungye gorilla family: in 2011, this family was open for the gorilla trekking to the public. The family is led by the rumanzi silverback with members of 12 gorillas. Some of the members in this group formed another gorilla family after many conflicts in the kahungye family.
- Busingye gorilla family: this is the only family in the sector where the local offices of UWA in the park handle the gorilla trekking permits. The family has got 12 members who are playful and active and rumanzi silverback dominates.
- Bikingi gorilla family: in 2012, this is when the family was introduced to the public after breaking away from the mishaya family. The family consists of 8 members though the leader has not yet been confirmed.
- Rwigi gorilla family: the family separated from the kahungye family group and the family has rwigi silverback as their leader. The rwigi gorilla family has 10 members and was introduced in 2024 and the tourists who trek this family have good time with the family. The rwigi family has got 2 babies, and 2 juveniles, five females and I silverback.
- Mucunguzi gorilla family: it is believed that mucunguzi was chased from the bweza family, after the conflicts and the fights in the bweza family, the mucunguzi gorilla family was made. The family was made by the solitary silverback mucunguzi and so far the family has got 10 gorilla families that are habituated. The number of the family members can increase or reduce due to the number of factors like conflicts, death, new born babies and others.
The experience in the gorilla habituation.
This experience is a unique one and a special gorilla trek where humans spend time with the gorillas without being violent the humans. The humans are only allowed to spend 4 hours with the habituated gorillas and one hour for trekking the gorillas. The habituation of the gorillas is really quite amazing and you are in contact with the gorillas unlike the normal trek where you spend just one hour seeing them in distance and take photos. You are not allowed to go for the habituation of gorillas by yourself, you can move with the rangers and researchers as you are trying to learn their habits and behaviors. The habituation exercise starts in the morning with briefing on the does and the don’ts, what you expect by the rangers at the park headquarters. You can ask everything you really want to know from the mountain gorillas and the guides shall be there to give you the full details.
Easy access of the Rushaga sector.
The Rushaga sector can be accessed by both air transport and road transport, the transportation choice belongs to you. Due to the good road network to the Bwindi Park, the Rushaga sector is easily accessed and taking you 8 – 9 hours’ drive to the park located in southwestern Uganda. For those who prefer air, can fly from EBB to the Kisoro airstrip after landing, you have to drive to the park headquarters using a 4WD vehicle. From Rwanda, you can also access the Rushaga sector which is the shorter distance than from kla taking 4-5 hours. For you safety, your documents have to be clear and clean.
The Rushaga sector has got excellent accommodations for you stay which include the following; the Bwindi jungle lodge, the karungi camp, icumba gorilla lodge and others.
The gorilla trekking experience the Rushaga region.
The trekking experience starts early in the morning with the briefing from the rangers at the park headquarters where you are briefed about the does and don’ts when you are trekking the gorillas. It takes about 2 hours to trek the gorillas depending on where they have been located since they moving from place to place looking for food. Trekking the gorillas you have to be fit for the trek and caryy the tools that shall help you during your trek for example the trekking stick, comfortable trekking shoes, garden gloves among others.
The good seasons to visit the Rushaga sector
The Rushaga sector can be visited all year around by visitors to trek the gorillas. But the dry months are recommended to be the best time for trekking the gorillas and the habituation experience in the Rushaga sector. During the dry seasons, the trails are dry and are not slippery and the vegetation is less which gets easy to see and trek the gorillas. During the wet seasons, it gets difficult to trek the gorillas since the trails are slippery and the vegetation cover is high making it difficult to trek the gorillas. The wet season is good for the tourists who want to trek in few numbers and want to enjoy the habituation experience also.
You have to plan in advance before you plan your safari to the Rushaga sector since there is a high demand for gorilla trekking in the sector.
