Which is the best area/sector for gorilla trekking in Bwindi?

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to over half a population of the remaining Mountain gorillas in Uganda located in the southwestern part of the country. The National park is divided into four sectors which are Ruhija, Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Rushaga and each of these has different gorilla families that are trekked all year round. Most tourists are told that the Rushaga sector is the best area for gorilla trekking in Bwindi but the best way to know the best sector is by looking at each of the four sectors and you get to decide which sector is best for your safari.

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Choosing the best sector in Bwindi is quite challenging and although you have no say on which gorilla family you should be allocated especially during the dry/peak season, you can request for a sector during the trek but only if you have booked in advance. When allocating gorilla families which is done immediately after the early morning briefing, some factors are into consideration like physical fitness and age among others.

To be able to decide on what the best sector for gorilla trekking is in Bwindi, you need to look at the four sectors and if possible, go for gorilla trekking in each one to make a personal decision depending on your preference.

The Buhoma sector

The Buhoma gorilla sector is located in the north part of Bwindi and is one of the sectors where tourists can trek Mountain gorillas. This is the oldest trailhead in Bwindi and the first habituated gorilla family was introduced in 1993. Some of the habituated gorilla families in Rushaga include the Mubare gorilla family, Rushegura gorilla family, and Habinyanja gorilla family. The pros of trekking gorillas in Bwindi include:

• The Buhoma sector is easily accessible by driving from Kampala or Entebbe taking 8 to 9 hours and if you do not wish to drive, you can still fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip which will take you 1 to 2 hours to get to Kihihi Airport. You can then drive from the Kihihi Airstrip to the Buhoma sector.

• Buhoma has different habituated gorilla families which include the Bunyindo gorilla family, Rushegura gorilla family, Habinyanja gorilla family, Katwe gorilla family, and Mubare gorilla family. And these are some of the most trekked habituated gorilla families in Uganda.

• Buhoma can also easily be accessed through the Kyaninga border and Gatuna border from Kigali in Rwanda. If you are looking at a cheaper option for a 3-day gorilla trekking safari from Rwanda in Bwindi, Buhoma is your best option.

• It is also the best option if you are looking at a combined safari between Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

• It is a good sector for tourists who wish to participate in guided nature walks and birding expeditions where you can explore the park using different routes including Muzabajiro Loop Trail, River Ivy Trail, Munyaga River Trail, and Rushura Hill Trail.

• There are a variety of accommodation facilities in Buhoma and these include the Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Buhoma Lodge, Silverback Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Buhoma Community Rest Camp, Bwindi Lodge, and Engagi Lodge among others.

The disadvantages/cons of trekking gorillas in the Buhoma sector include

• The Buhoma sector is not the best option to choose when trekking from Rwanda Kigali because of its location.

• The Buhoma sector is in high demand and receives a high number of tourists per year which means that if you wish to trek gorillas in Buhoma, you will have to book the permit at least 6 months before your desired trek date.

Buhoma is the park headquarters and most of the routes used for trekking in Bwindi lead to Buhoma. The different routes that are used in the Buhoma sector include the Kampala-Ntungamo-Rukungiri-Kihihi-Buhoma and this is the fastest route to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kampala-Kabale-Kanungu-Buhoma.

The Ruhija Sector

Located in the eastern part of Bwindi, the Ruhija sector is the closest sector to Buhoma and currently has four habituated gorilla families including the Mukiza gorilla family, the Bitukura gorilla family, the Kyaguliro gorilla family, and the Oruzongo gorilla family.

The pros of gorilla trekking in the Ruhija sector include:

• The Ruhija sector provides a quiet and private trekking experience among the four Bwindi sectors.

• This is the only sector in Bwindi where elephants can be found and other wildlife like antelopes among others.

• Ruhija is elevated at about 2500 meters and this offers beautiful scenery around the national park including the Virunga ranges.

• The sector is easily accessible by either driving from Kampala or flying from Kajjansi or Entebbe International Airport.

• It is only in Ruhija where you can hike up to the Rwamunyonyi peak which rises to 2607 meters above sea level. Rwamunyonyi is the highest and coldest area/point in Bwindi.

• It is possible to hike in Ruhija and sleep in Buhoma due to their proximity.

• Buhoma is the best option if you want to join your gorilla safari with a trip to Lake Bunyonyi since it is closest to Kabale.

• Sine Ruhija is located at a higher point; it is the best for a challenging gorilla trekking hike in Bwindi.

• Ruhija offers activities to the trekkers like bird watching, guided Batwa walks, guided nature walks, and primate tracking.

The cons about trekking in Ruhija include

• It is a hard trek to take on if you are not physically fit because of its high nature.

• It also has limited accommodation facilities giving tourists less to pick from. However, some of the accommodation facilities that are found in Ruhija include the Broadbill Forest Camp, Bakiga Lodge, Gorilla Mist Camp, and Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge.

The Rushaga sector

The Rushaga sector is located in the southern part of Bwindi near Kisoro and is a neighbor to the Nkuringo sector. The Rushaga sector has a total of 8 habituated gorilla families and these include the Bweza gorilla family, the Mucunguzi gorilla family, the Nshongi gorilla family, the Kahungye gorilla family, the Bikingi gorilla family, and the Mishaya gorilla family. 

The pros of trekking in the Rushaga sector include

• The Rushaga sector is popular because it is the only sector in Bwindi where research and gorilla habituation take place.

• It is the best place to go for both gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation process.

• Rushaga can also be easily accessed from Kampala and Entebbe using both road and air transport. 

• It can also be accessed from the Kyaninga border and this takes 4 to 5 hours

• It is a good sector offering guided nature walks, bird watching, and community hours.

• Tourists trekking gorillas in the Rushaga sector can also make a stopover at Lake Mutanda to enjoy a boat ride.

• The Rushaga sector also has a wide range of accommodation facilities next to Buhoma and some of the facilities that you can choose from include Rushaga Gorilla Resort, Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, and Rushaga Haven Lodge among others.

The disadvantages of gorilla trekking in Rushaga include

• It takes longer to travel to Rushaga from Kampala or Entebbe as it takes 10 to 11 hours.

• It is also difficult to connect to other National parks because of its distance.

• The Rushaga sector has a rough terrain and tracking gorillas can at times be challenging.

The Nkuringo sector

Located in the southern part of the National Park next to the Rushaga sector, Nkuringo is the least visited sector in Bwindi by trekkers. The first gorilla family to be habituated in this sector is known as the Nkuringo gorilla family and other gorilla families here include the Christmas gorilla family and Bushaho gorilla family.

The pros of gorilla trekking in the Nkuringo sector in Bwindi include

• It is the best option for tourists who are looking at more challenging terrain and long hikes.

• The sector has the best views of the Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo Mountains which are located in the DRC.

• The sector can easily be accessed through the Kyaninga border in Rwanda through Kisoro town and it will take you 5 hours.

• It is the best option that you might have if you want to make a stopover at Lake Mutanda and Lake Mulehe for a boat ride.

The cons of gorilla trekking in the Nkuringo sector include the following

• The gorilla families in Nkuringo are located in higher areas which sometimes makes it hard to track them, especially during the rainy season.

• The Nkuringo sector has a challenging and strenuous terrain.

• Nkuringo has limited accommodation as compared to Buhoma and Rushaga and some of the facilities to check out in Nkuringo include Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, lake Mulehe, Virunga Campsite, and Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge among others.

How to book a gorilla permit in the different sectors

Booking for a gorilla trek permit in the four sectors of the National Park is a bit difficult and takes time and this is because in most cases, the permits are booked and purchased at random unless you specifically request for a particular sector. Requesting for a specific sector is only possible if it’s not done during the peak season and 6 months to one year in advance. And you also need to have a specific reason as to why you have requested for that specific sector.

Before contacting us to plan your gorilla trek safari to Bwindi and purchase the permit, you need to have gorilla trekking dates and the number of people you are traveling with. If possible, have a few different dates so that it reduces the time spent searching for the availability of the gorilla permits. After sending us an inquiry, we will check for the availability of the permits on the said dates and if they are available, we advise all our clients to always book and purchase the gorilla permits as soon as possible so that you avoid last-minute panicking. 

There is a limited number of permits printed per day and you have to purchase them on time if you want to get your exact dates. You will be requested to provide some personal information like passport, birth, full name, and nationality and these are used to process your gorilla permit. The details are also kept for records and this information is also put on the certificate that you will be awarded after gorilla trekking in Bwindi.

When to go for a gorilla safari in Bwindi

Gorilla trekking is open all year round however some tourists prefer tracking gorillas in the dry season and others during the wet season. The best season is from June to September and December to February and this is because the mountain gorillas are more active during the dry season and so is other wildlife in the park, the trails are not flooded and slippery as they are during the wet season and it is easier to combine the gorilla trekking safari with other safaris during the dry season like game drives.

The wet season is best for budget-friendly gorilla safaris and it is preferred by some tourists because the number of tourists trekking during the wet season is low, there are higher chances of getting discounts on some services like accommodation and gorillas do not wander off further into the forest because there is enough food for them with the rains. It is however not a good time because of the constant rains that might slow you down and the muddy flooded and slippery routes.

In conclusion, the best sector for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park depends on your level of physical fitness and the time of booking for the gorilla permits. You can request to be assigned a gorilla sector but if you book a bit late, you will automatically be assigned any available sector. If you are looking at a more challenging terrain, we recommend the Ruhija and Nkuringo sectors. For tourists who are more interested in a less physically draining gorilla trek safari, then the Rushaga and Buhoma sectors are the best.

Contact us for more information about gorilla trekking in the different sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.