Organizing a flying safari to ruhija to see mountain gorillas.

If you are probably wondering if it is possible to organizing a flying safari to ruhija to see mountain gorillas, then Yes, it is possible at a very affordable price with Encounter Africa Safaris. We have mastered the art-making affordable tailor-made safaris to suit your budget. Bwindi Impenetrable forest located in southwestern Uganda boosts of half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. There are four sectors of Bwindi impenetrable park; these are; Nkuringo sector, the Buhoma sector, the Rushaga sector, and the Ruhija sector, but we are focusing on the Ruhija Sector.

ABOUT BWINDI IMPENERTABLE PARK

Bwindi impenetrable park in southwestern Uganda is 550km from Kampala, located on the eastern edge of the Albertine rift valley.  The park has different tree species, half of the world’s most endangered species, with over 347 bird species. The park has four gorilla trekking sectors that include; Nkuringo sector, Southern sector, Rushaga sector; Southern part, Ruhija sector; Eastern part, Buhoma sector; Northern, western region. The park has several habituated gorilla families located in these sectors; Nkuringo has two groups which include nkuringo and the Christmas party, Rushaga has Mishaya, Nshogi, Busingye,bweza, and Kahungye, Ruhija has kuaguriri,oruzogo,bitukura, Buhoma has Mubare, Habinyanja and Rushegura making it 11 habituated gorilla families on Bwindi impenetrable forest

ABOUT RUHIJA SECTOR

Ruhija is found in the eastern part of Bwindi impenetrable park.it has three habituated families theses include Oruzogo, Bitukura, and Kyaguriro. I have briefly talked about these gorilla families;

Kyaguriro Family; this family was habituated back in 1999, and it was habituated for research. It was later opened up for trekking like other gorilla families. This family is made up of 15 mountain gorillas with two silverbacks.

Mukiza Gorilla family; This group is the recently added gorilla family to the ruhija sector. The group comprises over 10 mountain gorillas with 1 silverback.

Bitukura Family; they named this family after a river where they were first sighted. This familcomprises14 member with 2 silverbacks.

This sector is not as busy as the other sectors. This sector has an advantage of more eco-tourism experience. It has an excellent location since it is positioned between buhoma to the north of the park and Kabale town to the south, making it easily accessible from both parts of the south and north. This park has several other activities apart from Gorilla trekking, these include; nature walks, bird watching, plus the Batwa experience. Ruhija Gorilla Permits, as of now, is 600usd, but with effect from July 2020, they will be increased to 700Usd.you will be able to spend 1 hour with the gorillas. These permits are purchased at Uganda wildlife authority and booked in advance as they are always on demand. You can go ahead to reserve your permits through Encounter Africa Safaris. Another Beautiful thing to note about Bwindi impenetrable park is that it is the only park that harbours highly endangered species.

How to get there.

The good news is that you can be able to get to the park by air which is faster and less tiresome.

Aero link is a domestic airline offering both scheduled and charter flights to Bwindi national park it operates daily flights to Bwindi impenetrable park. However, there is no direct flight to Ruhjia, but you can be dropped off to  Kihihi, where you will be picked up by our professional guide and dropped at your lodge. The drive time from Kihihi to a nearby lodge is approximately 2 hours. Passengers are always required to check-in 90minutes before the scheduled departure time on your flight. It is also important to note that aero links baggage is 15kilograms per person, and excess is charged at 3usd per kilo. There even private charters available for clients that have different timing requirements and different routings too. You might also want to travel with your kids, which is free for an infant below 2years old. Children above 12years are carried at 70% of the adult’s fare.

When to Travel

The Bwindi impenetrable forest is open for trekking all year round, but it is also important to note that the forest is a tropical rain forest and can receive rain at any time. On the other hand, When you happen to travel during March to May and November there are chances of higher rainfall, you will be able to get discounts from some lodges for your accommodation.

The best months to track gorillas include; June to August and December to February since they receive the lowest rainfall and the forest is less slippery. Below I have tried to make a comparison of the seasons so that it can help you in making a decision regarding which months you would like us Organizing a flying safari to ruhija to see mountain gorillas.

March to May and September to November (low season, rainy season)

1. The roads leading to the park are too slippery

 2. Sometimes the forest is covered with mist and fog making it difficult to see the gorillas.

3. It might actually rain for days

4. On a lighter note, Due to the rain, you might be able to view more birds in the forest

June to August and December to February (High season, Dry season)

1. Permits are on very high demand

2. The roads are   passable and dry

3. Good chance of beautiful photography

Most importantly, gorilla permits are always available all year through incase yo would want to enjoy this experience of a life time.

Where to Stay

Basing on your budget, there are a lot of accommodation options in ruhija ranging from the budget, luxury to mid-range. For the luxury option you can look at Gorilla safari lodge, mid-range you can look at bakiga lodge, a budget option we have Trekkers tavern, broadbill lodge. When we talk about budget, you might get worried, worry not, this lodge has ensuite bathrooms and free Wi-Fi. All these lodges have three meal plans when you book your safari with Encounter Africa Safaris, you a guaranteed a full board meal basis.

What to wear

 You might be probably wondering what to wear for your trek, below is a compiled list on what to wear;

1. A  long-armed sweater since  the park gets cold
2. A pair of long trousers
3.  Waterproof hiking boots
4.  A hat and sunglasses depending on the weather though this is optional
5. Cameras and long-lasting batteries since photography is essential to keep your memories alive. Always remember to keep our flash off.
6. A pair of Binoculars. This will help you to see the vast birds Bwindi impenetrable forest has among other primates.
7. Gardening Gloves; these will help you when you a holding onto trees are branches through the trek.
8. A raincoat; Since  Bwindi impenetrable forest is rainforest. The rain is unpredictable, so to be on a safer side. You will be required to carry along a coat.
9. A mosquito Repellent; since it is a forest, it has different dangerous insects, so it is advisable to carry it along or wear it
10. A sunscreen; Well this is optional, but depending on the season, it might get too hot, and you end up getting sunburns on your skin so to avoid that, you will need sunscreen.

What color to wear for your Trek.

You should not wear very bright colors since this will charge or scare away the gorillas.

Black and Blue colors are also not recommend since they attract Tsetse flies

So I would recommend neutral colors.

Booking your Trip

Booking your trip should not be stressful and hustle as Encounter Africa Safaris is here to help you with all our travel needs. Encounter Africa safaris has been around since 2003 and it has mastered the art of booking tailor-made safaris with over 200 reviews on trip advisor, we take pride in all this.

However, you should note that you have to make your booking in advance since permits will require reserving, Booking you flights as well, plus accommodation. These permits are usually on high demand, your flights to have to be confirmed and sometimes the lodges might have no availability so it is always advisable to book in advance and make a small deposit for your safari to secure all your services.

About Encounter Africa Safaris

Founded in 2003, Encounter Africa safaris takes pride in customizing tailor-made safaris.it has a very diligent and trustworthy team .your queries are answered within 20minutes by our team of professional tour consultants. These consultants will make you a travel plan for you, answer all your questions and make sure all your services are booked in advance for you to avoid inconveniences. We also have very knowledgeable safari guides depending on your language preferences. There some fly in Gorilla safaris and these include; the 2-day Gorilla Fly-in safari, the 3-day Gorilla Fly-in safari, 4 Day Gorilla fly-in safari, it all depends on your preference. Feel free to contact us via  email and we will organize a flying safari to ruhija to see mountain gorillas.