Which Sector Is The Best For Gorilla Trekking In Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park? What is the best region or sector of Bwindi for gorilla trekking? Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is split into four administrative regions, or sectors. The entirety of Bwindi Park—327 square kilometers—is covered with forest cover. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was divided by the Uganda Wildlife Authority into the following areas:
- The Buhoma region in the north,
- The Ruhija area in the east,
- The Nkuringo area, And
- The Rushaga area in the south.
Although permissions are obtained based on the specific region, gorilla families are housed in each of these areas. Previously, travelers and tour companies favored obtaining gorilla permits for the Buhoma region. This is due to the fact that many resort amenities were offered in addition to this being the primary administration. These days, there are several lodging options available in every area/Sector.
In the Bwindi impenetrable National Park, deciding which location is ideal for gorilla trekking is difficult because each has unique characteristics. Every visitor has a particular idea of what they hope to see while hiking with the gorillas, and this is expressed in many ways. Some would like to see a large family of gorillas, some infants, some the busiest family, another location abundant in birds, the largest dominant silverback, and so on.
After a briefing during the busiest time of year for gorilla trekking, you will be assigned to a gorilla family based on factors like age, physical condition, and other considerations. However, you may not be able to choose which gorilla family you are assigned to.
Take a safari in each of these locations to form your own opinion on the best place to go gorilla trekking. Similar to figuring out which gorilla family is the easiest to trek, this is a difficult issue to answer because a family that feeds closer to the beginning of the forest may relocate into the deepest parts of the forest during nesting season. This is dependent on the forest’s current circumstances.
WHAT ARE THE GORILLA FAMILIES IN EACH AREA/SECTOR?
Buhoma Area of Bwindi Forest
The Rushegura, Mubare, and Habinyanja groups of gorillas are among the three gorilla families that are exposed to tourists in this, the oldest gorilla trekking area in Uganda. Situated in the northern sections of the forest, this is the primary administrative region for the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Ruhija area of Bwindi Forest
This is the best place in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to go bird-watching, especially if you hike to Mubwindi Swamp. Sadly, the area’s road system is inadequate, and navigating the slick roads requires a 4×4-wheel drive. The Bitukura family, the Oruzogo family, and other gorilla families are among those present.
Rushaga Area of Bwindi Forest
The Rushaga area is located in the southern portion of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. More than eight gorilla families—the Nshongi, Mishaya, Busingye, Kahungye, Bweza, Bikingi, Mucunguzi, and Rwigi families—are bookable for tourists, while the remaining two are open to gorilla acclimatization experiences.
Nkuringo Area of Bwindi Forest
Nkuringo, despite being the largest family and the first to become accustomed to the southern sector, is located in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. About 19 members of the Nkuringo gorilla family were present when the family opened for tourism in 2004. The Christmas and Bushaho families are two other gorilla families in this region.
HOW TO BOOK A GORILLA TREKKING PERMIT FOR A PARTICULAR AREA/SECTOR OF BWINDI
It takes time and effort to decide where you want to pick up your gorilla permit. If you are lucky enough to be able to reserve a certain place ahead of time, then every gorilla permit is reserved at a random location. If you obtain your permit six months prior to the day of trekking, this might be doable, but you will need to provide a valid justification for your special request.
You need to plan the number of people going with you and the date you want to go gorilla trekking. This will lessen the possibility of having to keep looking for gorilla permits back and forth.
Upon receiving your inquiry, our safari specialist verifies the date-specific availability. One of the fortunate businesses in Uganda with access to the Uganda Wildlife Authority’s gorilla permit availability list is Focus East Africa Tours. Since our Company is registered, we are able to verify the gorilla permit’s availability at any moment.
To prevent last-minute worry when trying to secure a gorilla permit, we suggest our guests purchase their permits as soon as possible, if they are available. A daily cap on gorilla permits is made available for public reservation. Public gorilla permits are limited to eight per family. This is the only daily cap on gorilla permits available for tourist booking, notwithstanding the overwhelming demand.
Following your gorilla trekking experience, we need personal information such as your full passport name, country, birthdate, and passport expiration date. These are kept on file, and the Uganda Wildlife Authority notes certain details that are included on the certificate of accomplishment.
HOW TO GET TO EACH GORILLA TREKKING AREA IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK
Buhoma area
This is the location of the gorilla trekking headquarters. Since most routes lead to the Buhoma area, it is located within the impenetrable National Park area of Bwindi. Several routes lead to the Buhoma region, including:
The quickest route from Kampala is to travel via Ntungamo, Rukungiri, Kihihi, and Buhoma. This road travels around 390 kilometers from Kampala to Rukungiri and then connects to Buhoma for 82 kilometers.
Kampala to Kabale to Kanungu to Buhoma: The journey from Kampala to Kabale is approximately 414 kilometers and takes 5 to 6 hours. Then you go for around 120 kilometers to Kanungu and Kanyantorogo, which takes about 4 to 5 hours. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is required.
Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kihihi to Buhoma: Those who book a Uganda Safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park take this road from Queen Elizabeth National Park to Kihihi to Buhoma. The travel distance from Mweya Peninsular is around 160 kilometers, and the drive from the Ishasha sector to the Buhoma area is 64 kilometers.
Nkuringo Area
From Kampala to Kabale, the drive is around 414 kilometers, then another 105 kilometers to the Nkuringo area in the southern section of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
You could spend the night in Kisoro, around 80 kilometers from Kabale, before going to Nkuringo. Kisoro town is roughly 35 kilometers from Nkuringo and takes about an hour and a half to get there.
Ruhija Area
Kampala to Kibale to Ruhija area: This is one of the worst roads in this Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and is in very bad shape, so you will require a 4-wheel drive car.
The journey from Kampala to Kabale is approximately 414 kilometers and takes approximately 5 to 6 hours, followed by approximately 44 kilometers on a Murram road for approximately 2 to 3 hours.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO BOOK A GORILLA TREKKING PERMIT AT BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK?
Although gorilla trekking is available all year, some people prefer to schedule it during the dry months, which are June to September and December to January. Mountain gorillas are in good spirits, and other forest creatures such as birds, monkeys, chimpanzees, butterflies, and others are very active this time of year. Water from the extensive network of rivers that crisscross the woodland may not overflow the routes. This area’s water catchment point is Bwindi Forest.
This season is also the busiest for other Uganda safari activities such as game drives, launch tours, chimpanzee trekking, and others. Adding gorilla hiking to your itinerary in Bwindi is especially beneficial during the dry season.
Some tourists favor the wet season, which is often the low-gorilla trekking season, because:
- Because there are fewer tourists in the park, the number of people stopping you from getting the greatest images is limited if you are practicing professional gorilla photography.
- The chances of receiving a discount on services such as hotels are greater during the wet season, when fewer bookings are made for these lodges and other amenities.
HOW MUCH IS A GORILLA TREKKING SAFARI TO BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK?
The uniform cost for a luxury, midrange, or economy gorilla trekking safari is as long as you have a gorilla permit. Other considerations to consider for the cost of a gorilla trekking vacation include:
The number of paying people on a gorilla trekking tour
The greater the number of paying passengers on a gorilla trekking safari, the lower the safari cost per person. You can split some expenses, such as vehicle rental, gas, and driver guide fees. Even if you join an organized gorilla trekking expedition, you will be responsible for these charges. When you embark on a solo gorilla trekking safari, you are only paid the gross cost.
The timing for the gorilla trekking safari
Peak season for gorilla trekking is usually associated with high prices due to the strong demand for these activities during this time. Other activities, such as game drives and chimp trekking, make use of the same services.
The number of days on a gorilla trekking safari
The gross cost of the safari increases with the number of days spent on the gorilla trekking excursion. The majority of service providers bill on a daily basis; thus, the more days you spend on safari, the more it will cost.
The number of other activities to combine with a gorilla safari
A safari will cost more the more activities you add to the gorilla trekking experience. The cost of a safari increases with the number of activities involved, as each activity has a separate fee.
HOW SAFE IS GORILLA TREKKING IN BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK?
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is safe since park officers are on hand to guard both visitors and forest inhabitants. To maintain peace and order in this area, the ranger guides work in tandem with other Ugandan security services. Additionally, you must exercise caution for your own safety by
- entering the woodland accompanied by a ranger guide. It’s necessary for many woodland dwellers to get used to the human presence. For all activities, it would be ideal to have an armed ranger leading the way.
- When on a gorilla trekking safari, avoid engaging in illegal activities such as drug trading, as you run the risk of being caught and put in jail.
- If you count large amounts of money in public, you could attract the wrong kind of people. They might even set you up to steal this money—both international and local—by ambush.
- Wearing expensive jewelry could attract criminals, so avoid wearing it and, if the lodge has a safe, ask the manager to store it for you. Recall to request them on the day of departure.
- When going on a gorilla trekking expedition, bring only the necessary and sufficient amount of luggage to ensure that you don’t lose any or run out of room in the car.
- Remain near the group you have been assigned to go gorilla trekking with. This will help you avoid getting lost in the woods. Although the slowest trekker is followed, the ranger guide stays with the group.
- In order to save yourself further strain on the gorilla hike, hire a porter to carry your luggage. If the mountain gorilla family is distant from the beginning point, you can become really tired.
- Bring enough supplies for your gorilla trekking trip, such as garden gloves, a first aid kit, safari boots, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and others.
