The Bweza Gorilla family is also found in the Rushaga area in the Southern sector of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Together with other Gorilla groups such as Mishaya, Kahungye, Busingye, Nshongi and the Bweza family form the strong Mountain gorilla world in the Rushaga areas. The Rushaga area is in Bwindi Impenetrable Forests and this is one of the Mountain gorilla parks found in Uganda and the world at large, Bwindi is found in the south western parts of the country in the current Kanungu District.
Bwindi has an estimated Gorilla population of about 340 giant apes living within the park, the world had almost 880 gorillas left and they were listed as critically injured by the UICN, but in June/2016, a gorilla population census was carried out and results indicated that gorillas had increased in numbers totaling to thousands.
Mgahinga is another gorilla park found in the extreme south western corner of the country but has fewer Mountain gorillas found on the slopes Of the Virunga Mountains at the border of Uganda and Rwanda.
Rushaga area offers best accommodation facilities which range from budget, mid range to luxury with awesome services which include; Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla lodge, Nshongi Camp and so many more. Bwindi is the most highly visited park in Uganda, at least 72 tourists visit the park on a daily basis and in a group of 8 tourists each.
About Bweza Gorilla Family
Initially this was a joint family with the Nshongi Gorilla group. Before it split up, the Nshongi family was the biggest family ever to be habituated in the Rushaga area. This family is composed of 12 members led by Silverback kakono and another silverback, 4 blackbacks, 3 adult females, 1 sub-adult and two infants. The group officially broke away from the Nshongi family because of the increased rivalry within the family members around December/2012. The Uganda Wildlife Authority officials were speculating that the grouper-unite with Nshongi gorilla family but rather it fueled more feuds amongst the two groups.
There’ s 36 Gorilla families in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park but only 12 Gorilla Groups out of the 36 are only habituated and opened up for tourists all year long. The time for trekking a particular Gorilla group is unpredicted as may take 2 to 6 hours a day or even beyond depending on the nature of the tracks and where to locate the tracked gorilla family in the park.
Note: The numbers in these Gorilla families keep changing time after time due to a reasonable number of factors that arouse amongst the family members.
The gorilla tracking permits for the Bweza Gorilla family can be obtained at the Rushaga park headquarters in the park or online through the Uganda Wildlife Authority Website in Kamwokya (Kampala HQ). A traveler is advised to book for his/her tracking permit in time that is 3 – 4 months earlier or even 6 months earlier to avoid last minute disappointments. Gorilla tracking permits go for $600USD for foreigners who’re not staying in East Africa, $500USD for foreigners who are either working or living within East Africa and Shs. 250,000/= for the East African Community (EAC) citizens.
