A gorilla safari in Uganda is one of the highlight of most travels made to this beautiful country located in Eastern Africa. Most holidays in Uganda cannot end without taking a gorilla trekking trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla Park, two of the four national parks in Africa that host the mountain gorillas. These two parks are all located in south western Uganda.
Places to Go
Bwindi national park which occupies an estimated area of 331 square kilometers is habitat to almost half of the world’s endangered species of the mountain gorillas. A drive by car from Kampala to the park takes around 8 to 10 hours. However gorilla trekking activities are done in the four different sectors where several mountain gorilla families have been habituated. These four sectors are Buhoma sector, Ruhija sector, Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors.
Buhoma
Among these sectors, Buhoma sector was the first to be established for gorilla tourism and it’s the well-known by tourists. This is where most of gorilla trekking activities are done. The sector is also starting point for various nature walks trails and among these include; the Munyanga River Trails, Rushura Hill Trail as well as the Muzabajiro Loop Trail and the River Ivi Trail.
Nkuringo
Within Bwindi Forest, gorilla trekking safaris are also carried out in the Nkuringo sector which is positioned next to the Buhoma sector. The sector is located just a distance of about 10km from Buhoma. A drive through the Impenetrable forest roughly takes 4 hours to reach the Nkuringo side from Buhoma.
Ruhija
The Ruhija sector is one of the best trekking areas when one can enjoy gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda. The region is the most remote part of the park compared to other trekking sectors and the sector is very much recommended due to its being gifted with various bird species which can be easily sighted when one is trekking the mountain gorillas.
Trekking gorillas in this particular sector exposes the visitors to a three hour hike trail where visitors can tour the Mubwindi swamp which is the heaven for the bird watchers because in this place they can enjoy the sounds and sights of countless bird species. The habituated gorilla families which can be trekked in this area include the Ruhija gorilla family as well as Bitukura gorilla group and Kyaguriro gorilla group.
Rushaga Sector
The Rushaga sector is one of the prominent regions where one can enjoy gorilla trekking safaris but it comes at cost of walking and hiking the various hills which are dominant in the sector.Trekking is challenging but very rewarding to those visitors who take time to participate in it.The region is where one can get the various habituated gorilla families living in various hills located in the area. Some of these gorilla groups include Mishaya gorilla group, Nshongi gorilla family, as well as Kahungye, and Busingye gorilla groups. It lies between Kabale and Nkuringo when one is travelling from either Kampala or Ruhija.
Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi
There are several ways you can reserve the gorilla permits in Uganda;
- Through the Uganda Wildlife Authority
- Through a local tour operator
- Booking a fully inclusive gorilla safari with a local tour operator or a travel agency.
