Updated list of gorilla families and permits available in Rushaga region.

The Rushaga district of Bwindi has an updated list of gorilla families and permits available. Rushaga is located south of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. With roughly eight gorilla families available, this sector is increasing the likelihood of gorilla trekking. The Busingye, Bweza, Kahungye, Nshongi, Rwigi, Mucunguzi, and other families are Rushaga gorillas.

Declare your interest in gorilla trekking in the Rushaga area right away so that attention is focused on looking for gorilla permits in the area. You can also opt for a gorilla habituation experience while you’re in the Rushaga region. In the gorilla habituation experience, visitors spend four hours in the wild with a group of researchers and habituators to interact with a family of semi-habituated gorillas.

In addition to the mountain gorillas, you can visit a forest in the Rushaga area where you might observe other primates, such as black and white colobus, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and red-tailed monkeys. As close as your window seal, observant birders can glimpse a variety of species, including endemics of the Albertine Rift.

One of the four gorilla trekking locations in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the Rushaga area. Other regions are Ruhija in the east, Buhoma in the north, and Nkuringo in the south. For conservation purposes, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was split up into these four administrative regions. Access between areas is difficult due to the dense foliage and the volcanic geography of the Bwindi Forest, which includes ridges and plateaus.

Which gorilla families are found in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s Rushaga region?

The Gorilla Family of Nshongi
The River Nsongi, where the Nshongi gorilla family was initially discovered, is whence it got its name. Family conflicts caused the Nshongi, a sizable gorilla family, to break from the Bweza family. Bookings for the 3009 Nshongi Gorilla Family are now available to the public. The Nshongi gorilla family has more than eight members, yet these figures could fluctuate as more births and deaths take place over time.

The family of Busingye gorillas
The Busingye gorilla family split from Kahungye because of a family dispute. The Rumanzi silverback is the gorilla family’s dominant silverback at the moment. You can witness a variety of fascinating mountain gorillas when you visit the gorilla family. The public was able to view the Busingye gorilla family in 2015.

The family of Kahungye gorillas
With more than 27 members, the Kahungye gorilla family was established in 2011. Kahungye Hill, the site of their initial sighting, inspired the name of the gorilla family.

The Mishaya family of gorillas
A split from the Nshongi gorilla family is the Mishaya gorilla family. To increase its numbers, Mishaya, the dominating silverback, waged a brutal war against rival mountain gorilla families.

The family of Bweza gorillas
An offshoot of the Nshongi family is the Bweza gorilla family. In 2013, Kakono Silverback broke away from Nshongi after challenging its leader, who was then known as Bweza.

The Mucunguzi family of gorillas
Mucunguzi, a branch of the Bweza gorilla family, meaning “savior” in the local dialect. Mucunguzi, a lone silverback, created this family by kidnapping Bweza family members.

The family of Rwigi gorillas
Separate from the Kahungye family is the Rwigi gorilla family. Rwigi is the silverback leader of the gorilla family. He abandoned the Kahungye family to form his own family since he was at odds with other silverbacks.

The Bikingi gorilla family
Trekking is now possible with the Bikingi gorilla family, whose habituation process began in 2015. A family dispute led to its formation, and its unhappy individuals left but were spotted with unaccustomed mountain gorillas.

There are two gorilla families with a history of habituation in the southern regions of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which includes the Rushaga area.

How to Reserve Gorilla Families in Bwindi’s Rushaga Area

Decide how many gorilla permits you want to obtain and the date you want to go gorilla trekking. To make it easier to check availability, express your interest in obtaining permits for the Rushaga area right away.

On the day of the gorilla walk, we at Monumental Expeditions and Safaris help to check the availability of gorilla permits, book them, and deliver them to our guests. To relieve you of the hassle of planning the gorilla safari, we also handle other safari logistics. We have greater experience organizing African safaris thanks to our 10 years of experience, which is shown on our travel websites, including Safari Bookings and Trip Advisor.

Our safari adviser receives your query, looks for availability on the Uganda Wildlife Authority list, and responds as quickly as feasible.

Since their status can change suddenly at any time, we suggest customers to buy these gorilla trekking permits as soon as possible. The gorilla permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations for gorilla permits cannot be made without payment.

We scan and send you a receipt once you buy the gorilla permit to verify the transaction. However, we ask that your details, including your entire name as it appears on your passport, country, birthdate, and passport expiration date, be added to your gorilla permit.

When you reserve the full safari package with us, our driving guide will show your gorilla permit to the ranger guides for registration prior to the briefing on the day of the gorilla trek.

How much do gorilla trekking permits cost in the Bwindi region of Rushaga?

Gorilla trekking licenses in Uganda presently cost $300,000 for East Africans, $700 for foreign residents, and $800 for foreign nonresidents.

The price of gorilla trekking permits includes one hour of gorilla trekking, ranger guide fees, government taxes, security, conservation of mountain gorillas, assistance for the local community, and park admission fees for 24 hours on the day of the hike.

Tips, lodging, snacks, a packed lunch, and other personal expenses are not included in the price of the gorilla permit.

Is it possible for me to pay for the Gorilla trekking permit in installments?

Yes, you can purchase a gorilla permit in installments from the Uganda Wildlife Authority as long as you buy it 90 days before to the gorilla safari day and make sure to top it up before then.

The gorilla permit is reopened to the public and the money is not reimbursed if you don’t observe top-up days.

To prevent forgetting to refill your gorilla permit, buy it in full.

Which lodgings in the Rushaga region of Bwindi should be reserved for the Gorilla Trekking Safari?
There are several places to stay in the Rushaga area, which is the newest gorilla safari hot spot, but you may also spend the night in the Nkuringo area. You can choose lodging in the Nkuringo area, which is only a short drive from the Rushaga area.

The location of your permit must be taken into account while making travel arrangements for gorilla safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This will save you from having to make the nighttime drive from one part of Bwindi to another in order to make it to the early morning briefing. Obstacles such as slick roads, dim vision, logs in the road, flat tires, and more are likely to be encountered along the route.

Accommodations in Rushaga include Clouds Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Safari Lodge, Bwindi Backpacker’s Camp, Nshongi Camp, and Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge.

How to travel to the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park’s Rushaga region

By Road
You need to have a well-maintained 4×4 with a qualified and competent driver’s guide. Because the Kigezi sub-region is a volcanic area, the road leading to the southern portion of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is convoluted. The roads can occasionally become clogged, particularly during the intense wet seasons.

Rushaga to Kabale via Entebbe or Kampala
About 414 kilometers are traveled from Kampala or Entebbe to Kabale, after which there is a 105-kilometer connection to the Rushaga region. Another option is to spend the night in Kisoro town, which is roughly 35 kilometers away from Rushaga. It takes roughly 80 kilometers to drive from Kabale to Kisoro town.

By Air: Daily domestic flights leave from Kajjansi Airfield or Entebbe Airport to Kisoro Airstrip, where you can board a transport car to your lodge in the Rushaga region. These flights are occasionally impacted by the weather because the Kisoro region occasionally sees extremely foggy circumstances.

Charter flights are also available from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airport to Kisoro Airport. From there, you can take a transport car to your lodge in the Rushaga region.

What time of year is ideal for gorilla trekking in the Bwindi region of Rushaga?

The greatest time of year to go gorilla trekking is whenever you feel ready. The dry season is preferred by most visitors, nevertheless. Despite its reputation for unexpected downpours, the Bwindi rainforest typically experiences less precipitation throughout the dry seasons of June, July, August, September, December, and January.

The majority of animals, including mountain gorillas, different monkey species, birds, butterflies, and several tree species, can be spotted more quickly in the forest, which receives less precipitation. Because more sunlight can reach the ground via the thick canopy, the forest’s routes are faster to traverse. Even the rivers run in a typical manner.

You must obtain a gorilla trekking permit in advance because the dry season is typically the busiest time of year for tourists visiting Uganda. During the peak season, there is a strong demand for gorilla permits, which leads to a shortage. It’s challenging to check for and locate gorilla trekking permits and related facilities at the last minute at the busiest time of year.

The demand for gorilla permits is lower during the wet season, which is typically the low seasons, which are March, April, May, and November. In low season, there is a greater chance of obtaining last-minute gorilla permits, though this is not always the case.

Opportunities may arise during the off-peak period if you have a tight budget for the gorilla safari but would like to upgrade without going overboard. In order to break even at this time, the service providers could lower their prices.

Is Rushaga Gorilla Trekking Hard?

Because of the forest’s volcanic topography, gorilla trekking in the Rushaga area is extremely difficult. Volcanic action created a variety of physical characteristics, such as plateaus and ridges. Thick foliage has tangled and overrun these features for years, making the path nearly unusable. The forest contains a number of trails, all of which require upkeep to be used.

To help cut the overhanging plants that could get in the way, a ranger guide leads with a machete.

Because mountain gorillas occasionally spend time on the hills or deep in the valley, where you must trace them, you must be somewhat fit to finish the gorilla safari. Because of the frequent rains and the decaying vegetation in the forest, the path may also be slick and muddy.

Because the rainforest has rough terrain, wearing the proper gorilla safari gear helps you avoid getting wounded while looking for mountain gorillas.

Which Family of Gorillas Is the Easiest to Trek in the Rushaga Area?

It’s difficult to choose which of the Rushaga’s gorilla families is the most accessible, but all are fascinating to see. The gorilla family that was easiest to locate the day before can be the most difficult to locate the following day. You are assigned a gorilla family following the briefing, however it’s unclear what criteria were applied when granting permits.

Gorilla permits are occasionally given out based on factors like age groups, hobbies, relationships, and more.

You can appreciate more of the wilderness than it provides, such as stunning landforms, glistening waterfalls, and other sights, provided you have some patience and are willing to look at other intriguing things. Enhance your experience in the biosphere reserve, commonly known as the impenetrable national park forest in Bwindi.

Is it safe to go gorilla trekking in the Rushaga region?

Since the gorilla families are habituated before being made available to the public, gorilla trekking in the Rushaga region is safe. At least two skilled ranger guides lead each gorilla trekking group; one is armed with a machete, and the other is prepared with a firearm in case of emergencies.

To ensure they do not violate any of the rules, tourists are required to attend a briefing before to the gorilla hike. Despite their calm demeanor, mountain gorillas can be dangerous to tourists since they can charge when disturbed.

To maintain peace and order both inside and outside the park, the security team works in tandem with other Ugandan security authorities.

Your personal safety as a visitor should be your top priority; for example, never explore the forest unaccompanied by a ranger guide.