Things to do in Uganda

Gorilla tracking is one of the things to do in Uganda and for any travelers visiting the country, it is the highlight. Uganda being home to two different destinations where you ca do gorilla tracking, it gives tourists high chances of seeing these great apes in their natural habitats.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the gorilla trekking hub in the whole of the continent, it is home to half of the world’s remaining mountain gorilla population and for many travelers it is a life changing experience. Although one can do gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Mgahinga gorilla National Park, Bwindi remains an ideal destination because of it’s various gorilla tracking spots.

In the whole world, gorilla tracking can be done in three countries, that is Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Though it could be done in all those three destinations, Uganda remains an ideal destination for most of the travelers because of its safety and of course the low costs of its gorilla tracking permits. In Uganda permits costs almost half ($700) than that of it’s neighboring country Rwanda which is ($1500) and Congo which is $400 but for the safety of travelers, Congo isn’t highly recommended because of it’s instability of political wars.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of the leading gorilla tracking destination in Africa, it is located in South-Western Uganda.

With almost half of the population of all the world’s remaining mountain gorillas calling this thick tropical rain-forest home, it is without doubt one of the top things to do in Uganda. Bwindi has four different sections where you can do gorilla trekking and all has different trekking experiences.

Buhoma Sector

The Buhoma section is the headquarters of Bwindi impenetrable National Park and it has 4 habituated gorilla families. A total of 32 gorilla permits available daily for Buhoma and this sector offers a wide range of luxury lodges including those inside the park and some of the gorilla families ypou can find here are;

Mubare Gorilla Family

The first gorilla family to be habituated in Uganda 1991, Mubare was opened for tracking in 1993 when Bwindi was inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage sites. This is one of the sociable gorilla families because its much used to human interaction. This family is also easier to track because its home rangeMubare slopes not so far from main visitor center.

Mubare currently has 12 individuals led by one silverback called Kanyonyi. Its composition has changed over time since the death of the oldest silverback Ruhondeza in 2012 due to injuries it sustained after a fierce attack by a wild silverback.

The group feeds few kilometers from the visitor center UWA guides and trackers often locate the gorillas along River Ivi trail. However, gorillas also tend to move far deep into the forest. Mubare hill has many birds like short tailed warbler, primates and bush duikers are frequently encountered on the way to gorillas.

Habinyanja (group R)

Habituated in 1997, Habinyanjais among the oldest gorilla families to be habituated in Bwindi. The family has 17 gorillas including 2 silverbacks and 3 infant gorillas. Makara is the dominant silverback who took leadership after death of Mugurisi who was the head at the time of its habituation.

The family stays in a wide home range which can make tracking difficult but not all the time. You should be fairly physically fit to track this family because the area includes a swamp habinyanja and there are forest elephants which sometimes interact with gorillas.When that happens, forest elephants may disrupt trails and movements of gorillas thereby making the search more complicated. The trails heads are a few minutes’ drive away from the briefing center.

Thus, if you are not fit enough you shall have to express your interest on the very day of gorilla tracking.

Rushegura / group R

This family was habituated in 2003 and includes a 35-year-old female.Presently it has 19 individuals led by Mwirima (dark) the silverback. Other members include kibande, Buzinza, Nyamunwa and Karungi(adult females), kabukojo (black back), kalembezi and Ruterana (sub adult females), 4 infants and 4 juveniles.

The family was named after one of a Ugandan wildlife authority ranger called Kishegura who created a short cut trail that take visitors to the home range of the family.

This gorilla family tends to move long distances often times been feeding on higher slopes and treks may take longer for that case. However, there’s a time when gorillas feed or stay near Buhoma visitor center giving shorter and exciting treks.Treks start right away at the briefing center.

Katwe gorilla family

This is the newest of the gorilla families habituated in Bwindi forest. The actual number of its family members is not yet established but rangers were able to observesome of its members including 1 dominant silverback,adult females and infants.

RUSHAGA SECTOR

Rushaga gorilla sector is the most visited among the sectors and it has the largest habituated gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. There are 7 gorilla families including 2 for habituation experience. Also found in this area is the largest gorilla family in Bwindi forest with 24 members.

Kahungye gorilla family

With 24 individuals including 3 silver backs, Kahungye is the largest habituated gorilla family in Bwindi Forest. Its home range Nyabarema hills about 6 km from the Rushaga visitor center. Thus, after briefing visitors are transferred to the area which is characterized by steep and thick forested hills. Kahungye was fully habituated and made available for tracking in 2011.

Nshongi gorilla family

Nshongi was once the largest gorilla family in Bwindi impenetrable national park with 36 members. Unfortunately, two gorilla families Bweza and Mishaya split to form their own. Today. Nshongi has only 7 members which include 1 silver back, 1 black back,2 adult females, 1 juvenile and an infant.

This family was named after Nshongi river because its where the gorillas were first discovered during habituation. The area along nshongi river t has a lot of other wildlife to see on the way including monkeys, birds, butterflies and plants.

Bweza gorilla family

This family was formed when habituated members from Nshongi joined together to create their own family. Bweza was identified in 2010 by Uganda wildlife authority rangers who decided to open for tracking. Today, Bweza has 12 members including 1 silver back and it is found in Rushaga sector.

Busingye gorilla family

Busingye which means “peace” in local language is the nickname for the silver back that leads this family with 10 individuals. Rangers have for so many times found strange wild members in this family. Despite that, the silver back is known to be one of the peaceful because it has a tendency to stay calm when visitors approach allowing for clear photography.

Mishaya gorilla family

Mishaya gorilla family has 12 individuals including 1 silver back, 2 babies,3 adult females, 3 juveniles and 3 infants.The silver back of this family is known to be violent because for several times it crashed with other wild gorillas from which it has sustained injuries.

the silver back was injured along with an infant. The other members of the family include

Bikingi gorilla family

One of the 2 families reserved for gorilla habituation experience in which visitors can visit this spend up to 4 hours with gorillas. Bikingi family has 16 individuals and the silver back leader has not been identified since it still being closely monitored.

The maximum number of visitors who can participate in gorilla habituation experience is 4. Visitors are accompanied by guides, trackers and researchers follow the gorillas and spend 4 hours once they are located.

Bushaho gorilla Family

Just like Bikingi, this family is also reserved for habituation experience. It has 9 members including 1 silver back, 1 black back, 4 adult females, 1 sub adult, 1 juvenile and 1 infant. The price for gorilla habituation experience is $1500 for foreign non residents and $1000 for foreign residents. Bushaho tends to stay in an area between Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors. Therefore, visitors in both sectors can visit this family.

NKURINGO SECTOR

Nkuringo sector has only 2 habituated gorilla families which include the following.

Nkuringo gorilla family

This was the first gorilla family to be habituated in 1999 in Nkuringo sector. And before it was opened for tracking the gorillas started to raid crops of the nearby local farmers because they were exposed to human interaction.The Uganda wildlife Authority opened the group for tourism and also created a buffer zone in partnership with Nkuringo Conservation and Development Foundation (NCDF) so that farmers could benefit from gorilla tourism as well as reduce the problem of crop raiding.

At the time of habituation, Nkuringo had 20 members but most of them went away after death of the silver back. Today, it has 12 members including 3 other silver backs.

Tracking this family can be both exciting and challenging due to steep ridges and beautiful views. Nkuringo family was habituated in 1999

Christmas gorilla family

In order to promote gorilla tracking in Nkuringo sector, the second family was habituated in 2018. Christmas is now open for tourists and includes 9 members led by a silver back but being a new group, some of its members tend to shy away from visitors.

RUHIJA SECTOR

Ruhija is the highest point of Bwindi impenetrable Forest national park at 2,350 meters above sea level. There are 4 gorilla families.

Bitukura

This group was amongst the gorilla families that quickly got accustomed to humans within just 1¹/₂ years during habituation. Bitukura gorilla family has 11 individuals including 3 silver backs. Sadly, it lost its young silver back Ndahura at the age of 28 who fell of a tree branch on 18^th December 2016. After the death of Ndahura, an old silver back that had retired once again took leadership. The gorilla group was named after River Bitukura, a muddy river that flows through its habitat range. Trekkers usually encounter river-rine primates and lots of birds.

Oruzogo gorilla family

Oruzogo gorilla family found in Ruhija sector has 17 members including a baby and a silver back. This family is reserved for both tracking and research purposes.

Kyaguriro gorilla family

Kyaguriro gorilla family has 15 individuals controlled by 1 silver back. It was initially habituated for gorilla tourism research purposes but now it’s open for tracking in Ruhija sector. It’s led by 1 dominant silver back named rukina who took over the group following the death of Zeus silver back.