Sectors for gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park : Bwindi national park which is a popular tourism destination in south western Uganda has different sectors which can be visited during gorilla trekking tours in the country.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi national park allows tourists to visit the gorillas in their natural habitat in the dense forests of Bwindi and also observe the gorillas closely and this can be done across the different sectors of the national park which include the following;
- Buhoma sector
The Buhoma sector is among the sectors where gorilla trekking is done in Bwindi national park and it is located in the northern part of the park.
The gorilla groups which tourists can visit during gorilla trekking in Buhoma sector include Katwe gorilla group, Rushegura gorilla group, Habiyanja gorilla group and Mubare gorilla group. Tourists visiting the gorillas of Buhoma visit in groups of 8 visiting each gorilla family daily.
Activities which are carried out around Buhoma sector include gorilla trekking, Batwa community tours, Bird watching and also hiking.
Tourists can access the Buhoma sector for gorilla trekking by driving via the Kampala-Mbrara-Kabale route which takes about 8 hours and another option to get to Buhoma is by flying from Entebbe international airport to Kihihi airstrip.
The different lodges where tourists can stay during gorilla trekking in Buhoma sector include Buhoma haven lodge, Buhoma lodge, Bwindi lodge, Silverback lodge, Mahogany springs lodge, Ride 4 a woman among other budget, midrange and luxury lodges.
- Rushaga sector
The Rushaga sector is another part of Bwindi national park where gorilla trekking tours are carried out when visiting Uganda.
The gorilla groups which can be encountered during gorilla trekking tours in the Rushaga sector include Nshongi gorilla group, Busingye gorilla group, Bweza gorilla group, Kahungye gorilla group and Mishaya gorilla family.
Rushaga sector is found in the southern part of Bwindi national park and is known for gorilla trekking and also gorilla habituation. Other activities carried out in the sector include hiking and guided nature walks, bird watching and community tours.
Some of the lodges found around the Rushaga sector include budget lodges, midrange lodges and luxury lodges such as Rushaga haven lodge, Gorilla valley lodge, Four gorilla lodge, Ichumbi gorilla lodge, Clouds mountain gorilla lodge, Bwindi Jungle lodge among others.
During tours to Bwindi national park, tourists can get to the Rushaga sector by driving for about 9 to 10 hours from Kampala using the Kampala-Mbarara-Kabale-Kisoro route or flying from Entebbe international airport to Kisoro airstrip.
- Nkuringo sector
The Nkuringo sector can also be visited during tours around Bwindi national park and it is located in the southern part of the national park.
Gorilla families which can be visited during gorilla trekking in the Nkuringo sector of Bwindi national park include Nkuringo gorilla family, Bushaho gorilla family and also Christmas gorilla family.
Nkuringo sector can be accessed by driving for about 9 to 10 hours using Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kabale-Kisoro or driving from Rwanda to Bwindi national park across the Cyanika border or the Gatuna border.
Different activities take place around the Nkuringo sector including gorilla trekking, guided walks, hiking, bird watching and also community tours.
Lodges found around the Nkuringo sector where tourists can stay during gorilla trekking tours in Bwindi national park include Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Gorilla Heights lodge, Cloud mountain gorilla lodge, Bwindi backpackers lodge among others.
- Ruhija sector
The Ruhija sector can also be visited during gorilla trekking experiences in Bwindi national park and the sector is located in the eastern part of the national park.
During gorilla trekking experiences in the Ruhija sector, tourists can visit gorilla families such as Kyaguriro gorilla group, Oruzogo gorilla family and Bitukura gorilla family.
Ruhija sector can be accessed by driving from Kampala or from Rwanda. The route used to get to Ruhija from Kampala is the Kampala-Mbarara-Kabale route which takes about 8 to 9 hours and tourists can also get to Ruhija via the Cyanika border or the Gatuna border.
Lodges in Ruhija sector in Bwindi national park include budget lodges, midrange lodges and luxury lodges such as Gorilla mist camp, Bakiga lodge, Agandi lodge, Broadbill forest camp, Chameleon hill lodge, Ruhija gorilla safari lodge, Trekker’s tavern among others.
Activities to do around the sectors of Bwindi national park
Across the different sectors of Bwindi national park, tourists can engage n various activities and they include the following;
- Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is an activity which is done in all the four sectors of Bwindi national park including Buhoma, Rushaga, Nkuringo and Ruhija sector.
Tourists have a briefing at the park headquarters in the different sectors of Bwindi national park to get to know about the rules and regulations of gorilla trekking before visiting the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Ranger guides are assigned to the tourists to go with them as they search for the gorillas in the forest where they will spend 1 hour in their presence.
The cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Bwindi national park is the same for all the sectors and the fee is 800 USD for foreign nonresidents, 700 USD for foreign residents and 300,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
- Gorilla habituation
The only sector of Bwindi national park where gorilla habituation is carried out is Rushaga sector in the southern part of the park.
Gorilla habituation permits cost 1500 USD for foreign nonresidents, 750,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens and 1000 USD for foreign residents visiting Bwindi national park.
- Bird watching
Tourists can also engage in bird watching experiences across the sectors of Bwindi national park and see different bird species such as Rwenzori Turaco, African Broadbill, Black Billed Turaco and many others.
- Community tours
Community tours are also part of the experience that tourists enjoy as they visit the different sectors in Bwindi national park and it involves interactions with the locals and getting to know more about their culture and way of life, enjoying traditional dances, trying out local food and so much more.
- Hiking
Another activity which takes place across sectors of Bwindi national park is hiking.
