Gorilla trekking trip starting from Rushaga trail head

Rushaga is one of the gorilla regions of Bwindi impenetrable National park, Uganda is the leading destinations for gorilla tourism as it has half of the remaining mountain gorillas in the word. The Mountain Gorillas in Uganda can be found in the hilly tropical forests in south-western Uganda and you will be able to view the gorillas in their natural environment. The chances of seeing the gorillas in Rushaga and Bwindi is 98% since it has half of the world’s population of these great endangered apes. Every gorilla family in Rushaga is allocated 8 visitors per day, which gives you an opportunity to visit the gorillas any time of the year.

Rushaga Trail Head

Rushaga of Bwindi impenetrable national Park is of the core sectors for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Bwindi. The Rushaga trail head is found in south western Uganda sharing boarder with Congo, it is one of the of the four sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national Park where you can trek and see the magnificent Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat in the world, Bwindi impenetrable national Park is home to more than half of the only remaining Mountain Gorillas in the wild making it famous and best place to trek the Mountain Gorillas. The park is one of the oldest forests in Africa and was declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Gorilla tracking in Bwindi Forest National park is done in the four sectors namely Rushaga, Buhoma, and Ruhija and Nkuringo sector. The experience is all the sectors is the same and very enjoyable.

Gorilla trekking starting in Rushaga trail head

Gorilla tracking is one of the main activities to do in Rushaga sector, Gorilla trekking means visiting the gorillas in their natural habitat in the forest, the trek in Rushaga starts at 7:00am with briefing at Rushaga Park headquarters on the dos and don’ts while moving in the forest and with the gorillas. After briefing, the park guides, rangers, and trackers lead you to the forest to find the gorillas. You are allowed one hour of viewing the gorillas when found and later you return to the starting point to receive a certificate for the successful gorilla trekking in Uganda. The gorillas are amazing to watch as they have 95% of the human DNA. Only eight visitors allowed to see gorillas per habituated family per day according to Uganda wildlife Authority policy so as to conserve the gorillas. To be allowed to do gorilla trekking, you must be aged 15 years and above as per the policy and minors are not allowed to trek since they may not easy be controlled in the forest and may easily transmit diseases to the gorillas. You will have a great gorilla trekking experience starting from Rushaga Trail head.

How many gorilla Habituated families are in Rushaga trail head?

Uganda as a whole has 19 habituated gorilla families found in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga National park, In Rushaga sector there is Nshongi Gorilla Group, Mishaya Gorilla Group, Bweza Gorilla Group, Bikyingi gorilla family, Kahungye Gorilla Family, Busingye Gorilla Family and Mucunguzi gorilla family. Each gorilla family is only allowed to be trekked by 8 visitors in company of guides, porters and rangers as per the Uganda wildlife Policy on gorilla tourism in Uganda. There are 56 permits available per day for gorilla tracking in Rushaga in Bwindi impenetrable national Park.

What is the price of the gorilla trekking permit in Rushaga?

The price of the gorilla trekking permits for Rushaga as the same for all sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga National Park. The gorilla trekking permit costs USD700 per person for Non-Foreign Residents, USD600 for Foreign Residents and Shs.250, 000 for East African Citizens. The trekking permit only allows one hour of viewing of the gorillas.

The gorilla trekking permits normally sell out so very quickly during the high season (January, February, July, August, September, and December every year. Contact Encounter Africa safaris about your planned trek and desired dates, we shall check availability of permits online system for Uganda Wildlife Authority and if permits are available in Rushaga, we shall send you an invoice to make payment for the permits as they are top priority and if they are not available, you will choose other dates that have availability of permits. Once we receive payment, we shall book and secure your permits and send you copy of the receipt with booking ID to confirm your trek. The process of acquiring the gorilla permits is easy and Uganda will surely give you a lifetime experience with the gorillas.

What is the best time for gorilla trekking trip starting in Rushaga trail head?

The best time to trek gorillas in Uganda and Rushaga is during the drier months of January, February, June, July, August and early September, these months experience less rainfall though the climate changes every day. Any time of the year, you can visit the gorillas. Sometimes, the rainy season is considered better to see the gorillas as there is a lot of food growing because of rain and gorillas can clearly be spotted.  Gorilla permits tend to sell out quickly and all those interested in trekking gorillas during this time should book their gorilla permits in advance.

How to access Rushaga Trail head in Bwindi impenetrable National Park?

You can access Rushaga by flying by opting for Road trip which is about 8-9 hours’ drive from Kampala/Entebbe or fly to Kisoro Airstrips that is only hour away to Rushaga sector. You can also fly into Kigali international Airport, drive to south western Uganda through Cyanika or Katuna Boarder which take only 4-5 hours with the time spent at immigrations at the border. We always advise our visitors to acquire the East African Visa which allows multiple entry of both Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. The East African Visa fee costs USD100 which can be gotten at the Airport upon arrival or online and it is cost effective instead of buying single entry Visas. But you can as well opt to secure single Visas as well, the Rwandan Visa costs USD30 and Uganda Visa cost USD 50. Rushaga sector is very accessible and good for gorilla trekking.

Where to stay on a gorilla trekking trip starting from Rushaga trail head?

Rushaga sector in Bwindi impenetrable national park has many lodges/Hotels where you can stay on your gorilla trekking tour. These range from budget to high end hotels and Encounter Africa safaris can help you book the hotel of your choice and budget. In Rushaga, you can stay at Rushaga Gorilla camp, Four Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, in Nkuringo you can stay at Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge. The lodges are very many in Rushaga but require to be booked in advance as they can be fully booked during high season. We always ensure standard service safety of clients on their stay.

Why book with Encounter Africa safaris to do gorilla trekking trip starting from Rushaga?

Encounter Africa safaris is a Local tour operator based in Uganda with its head offices in Entebbe. Encounter Africa safaris is run and owned by Ugandans. We have been in operation for more than 15 years and we specialize in life-changing experiences and sustainable tours and holidays to all East African countries. We are members of AUTO (Association of Uganda Tour Operators) and are registered by UTB (Uganda Tourism Board). We have a good and long working relationship with UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) making it easy to book your gorilla permits and gorilla trekking safari. Encounter Africa safaris is highly reviewed on trip advisor as well as Safari bookings. Please contact Encounter Africa safaris to plan your visit to trek the gorillas in Rushaga of Bwindi impenetrable national Park Uganda.