Top things to do in Nkuringo after gorilla trekking one hour experience

Nkuringo sector is one of the sectors where gorilla trekking is done in Bwindi Impenetrable forest National Park. The sector is a home to three gorilla families open for gorilla trekking which include Nkuringo Gorilla Family, Bushaho Gorilla family and Christmas Gorilla Family. Located in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable National Park, Nkuringo region lies on the highest elevation of the big impenetrable Bwindi National Park and thus popular with people who prefer tough gorilla hikes or treks. Before looking at top things to do, one must first appreciate gorilla families in this region as well as what is there to know about Nkuringo region of this big impenetrable forest.

Gorilla trekking being the major tourist activity practiced in the region, it is better to first look at the different mountain gorilla families found in this region, their composition as well as history. Encounter Africa safaris operates affordable and well customized gorilla safaris to Nkuringo region of Bwindi impenetrable National Park and our safari consultants are always readily available to answer all your queries. When contacted, we make sure that we check availability of all services including gorilla permits, discuss with you all available options to suite your time, budge and interest and of course design for you a dream package for your holiday. For more information about gorilla tours to Nkuringo region of Bwindi impenetrable National Park, do not hesitate to contact Encounter Africa safaris, your reliable partner when it comes to designed memorable gorilla trekking experience.

About Gorilla families in Nkuringo sector of Bwindi

Nkuringo Gorilla Family

This was the first family that was habituated in 1997 and habituation process started, the group was opened up for tracking in 2004, the group gets its name from the local area it was first spotted Nkuringo meaning “Hills”. When it was first opened the group comprised of 19 members but over the years the members have reduced to just 12 in the group. The group was led by Rafiki which is a Swahili word which means “Friend”, after his death in 2008, the group is also known to be the first group to have given birth to twins in 2004 but one of the twins passed away later.

Bushaho Gorilla family

Bushaho gorilla family has 9 members known for now. Still, just like other gorilla families, it may expand in size depending on newborn babies, whether the dominant Silverback will be able to conquer other members from other unhabituated mountain gorillas in that region. Bushaho gorilla family was opened in 2016 bringing the total number of gorilla families in all four regions of Bwindi to 17 meaning that Uganda is one of the best countries to see these endangered mountain gorillas in the wild.

Christmas Gorilla Family

The Christmas gorilla family is located in the southern part of Bwindi in Nkuringo region. This is the third mountain gorilla family to be habituated in Nkuringo, making it three gorilla groups open for gorilla trekking in this region. The Christmas group is reported to have up to 9 members with 6 mainly seen when trekking this family. The group is headed by a dominant silverback known as Christmas, One black back, three females and one baby. This group is available for tracking and its known for its tendencies of coming to neighboring communities searching for food.

The activity in this sector is mainly gorilla trekking which is done in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, however there are other various activities and top things you can do in Nkuringo sector after your gorilla trekking and these include;

Gorilla habituation experience

Apart from the normal gorilla trekking excursion available in Nkuringo, one can also participate in gorilla habituation experience which is a four-hour day excursion meant for those who prefer spending more time with mountain gorillas still under habituation. Two families have been put aside for this great experience and only 4 people are allowed to visit each family daily. The cost of a gorilla habituation experience is two times higher than the normal gorilla trekking permit but it is worth it since it gives you more time with mountain gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable national park. We have put up sample itineraries on our website but do not hesitate to contact us should you have questions regarding gorilla habituation experience in Nkuringo region of Bwindi impenetrable National Park.

Batwa Cultural Experience

On the Batwa cultural experience tour you will be guided by one of the Batwa guides giving you an opportunity to learn about traditional forest life of the Batwa in Bwindi Forest which is historically the home of the Batwa, you will also enjoy the traditional dances of the Batwa and other practices including making traditional fire among others. It should be noted that the Batwa group of small people used to call Bwindi impenetrable National park their home before it was gazzatted as a national park in 1993. They used to roam in this forest harvesting wild honey, hunting forest animals and collecting shrubs as their food. In this forest used to be caves and hideouts where they used to stay but as soon as this forest was gazzatted, the batwa people had to leave it to join others on the main land for survival. Life was not easy at first but with time, they started settling in with help of government and non-government organizations.

Nature walk

The Nature walk is done in Bwindi forest it is a very exciting activity to do apart from gorilla trekking which gives you an opportunity to learn more about tree species as well other wildlife species in the forest. In Nkuringo you will visit the River Ivi-Nkuringo trail where you will also have a sight of the falls plummeting 33 meters. It is therefore advised to take a forest walk to one of the pre-designed trails for a breathtaking experience. This can be done after your gorilla trekking experience or on the next day. The beauty of forest or nature walks is that, it does not have to be pre-booked. You can organize or book this walk anytime and does not have carrying capacity or age limit

Birding

Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park is one of the best birding spots in Uganda home to an impressive 350 species and the main birding area in Nkuringo is the pocket forest known as Nombe which is located 5km and Buniga forest which is 300meters from Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge. We recommend you carry your birding book in case you have limited safari time and you will identify some birds that visit the gardens at Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge. Encounter Africa safaris has a longstanding relationship with local bird guides and we are in position to provide you with a bird specialist while in Nkuringo region of Bwindi impenetrable National Park.

Where to stay in Nkuringo Sector

Lodges in Nkuringo sector include Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge and Lake Mutanda Lodge. You can as well stay in Rushaga sector and access Nkuringo in 45minutes drive. Lodge options include Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Rushaga Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge among others.

What is the best time to visit Nkuringo sector for Gorilla Trekking

Nkuringo side of Bwindi impenetrable national park can be visited anytime of the year. The best time to visit Nkuringo for Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is during the drier months of January, February, June to early September, this makes it easier to travel to the park and gives a clear view of mountain gorillas given the vegetation cover is not too much.

How to get to Nkuringo for Gorilla Trekking

By Road; Nkuringo can be accessed through the main high-way road from Entebbe/Kampala which is approximately 8-9 hours’ drive. You will pass through Kabale town and proceed to Nkuringo. The Park can also be accessed from Kigali, Rwanda which is approximately 4-5 hours drive.

By Air; You can fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kampala’s Kajjansi airfield to Kisoro airstrip to access Nkuringo. Scheduled and chartered flights are available and operated by domestic airline operators of Aero link and Fly Uganda. You will need to plan with your tour operator for a transfer from the airstrip to your booked Lodge.

Why book your Gorilla Trekking in Nkuringo with Encounter Africa Safaris

Encounter Africa Safaris will help you book your gorilla trek in Nkuringo contact us and we shall help you with the booking process. We as well have different gorilla safari packages to Nkuringo sector of Bwindi ranging from budget, mid-range to luxury options that we can book for you including the gorilla permits. Feel free to check out our trip advisor reviews and read from a community of happy satisfied clients. With us, you can be rest assured of a memorable Uganda safari holiday. We are devoted to providing excellent service and customer satisfaction. Our team of excellent tour consultants is always willing to help answer all your safari questions. We guarantee you a great gorilla tour in Uganda with us.