Gorilla families in Rushaga sector
Gorilla families in Rushaga sector; Rushaga is one of the sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park that harbors the endangered mountain gorillas. Rushaga sector in located in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park which is the most visited gorilla destination in Uganda. Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in southwestern region and it’s famously known for harboring the highest number of mountain gorillas. Rushaga sector is a home of 8 habituated mountain gorilla families which are available for trekking on a daily basis. Rushaga sector is also the only sector in Bwindi impenetrable national park that offers gorilla habituation experience where the wild mountain gorillas are trained to get used to human presence for trekking. Other gorilla trekking sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park include Buhoma sector in the north, Nkuringo sector in the south and Ruhija sector in the east.
Gorilla families in Rushaga sector
Nshongi gorilla family
Nshongi is a gorilla family that is located in Rushaga sector and it derives its name from Nshongi River where it was first sighted. The river was named Nshongi due to the fact that its water looks like honey and in local language it means Omushongi Gwoboki. Nshongi gorilla family was habituated in 2007 and was open for trekking in September 2009. In 2010, the silverback Mishaya broke away from Nshongi group with 10 members to form his own family and the group was left with 26 members. In 2013 Bweza group also broke off from the family and currently Nshongi gorilla family is comprised of 7 members.
Mishaya gorilla family
Mishaya is one of the gorilla families located in Rushaga sector that is available for trekking. The gorilla family is led by a dominant silverback named Tinfayo. Mishaya gorilla family broke away from Nshongi family after a fight between Mishaya silverback with the dominating silverback in Nshongi group. The gorilla group came into existence in 2010 with 10 members including the Mishaya silverback who later dies on 3rd February 2014 due to obstruction of the intestinal gut. After the death of Mishaya silverback, some members joined other gorilla families like Bweza and Bikingi due to the fact that there was no adult male to lead the family. In May 2018, the park officials discovered that Mishaya gorilla family had a dominating silverback Tinfayo who was once a member of Shongi family and left the family in 2012 with an adult female called Shida and an infant called rotary. Mishaya gorilla family is currently comprised of 8 members including 1 silverback, 5 adult females, 1 juvenile and 1 infant
Kahungye gorilla family
Kahungye is a gorilla family in Rushaga sector and it was named after Kahungye hill where it was first sighted. The habituation of Kahungye gorilla family started in 2009 and opened for trekking in 2011. At the time of habituation, the gorilla family had 27 members and was under the leadership of Ruhemuka silverback until March 2013 when he fell from a tree and injured his head. The fall led to excessive bleeding in his brain and was later found dead by the park rangers. Kahungye gorilla group later split into two and formed another group called Busingye and Kahungye was left with 17 members. The gorilla family is currently comprised of 13 members including the dominant silverback Gwigi and the subordinate Rumanzi.
Busingye gorilla family
Busingye is another gorilla family located in Rushaga sector. The family broke away from Kahungye gorilla family in 2012 and was named after the dominating silverback Busingye. The gorilla family is known for foraging within the inner parts of the park and is composed of 9 members including 1 silverback, 1 black back, 3 adult females, 2 juveniles and 3 infants.
Bweza gorilla family
Bweza is another gorilla family located in Rushaga sector. The gorilla family was named after Bweza the dominating silverback who broke away from Nshongi gorilla family in 2012 to form his own group. Bweza gorilla family is currently comprised of 12 members including 2 silverbacks, 3 adult females, 1 sub adult female, 4 black backs and 2 infants
Bikingi gorilla family
Bikingi gorilla family is another gorilla group located in Rushaga sector. Habituation of the gorilla group Bikingi started in 2012. It derives its name from Bikingi silverback who was once a dominant leader of the group. Biking silverback died after a fight with a solitary male and after his death, all the other members dispersed and some joined other groups like Kahungye. Bikingi gorilla family is comprised of 12 members including 2 silverbacks, 5 adult females, 1 juvenile and 4 infants.
Rwigi gorilla family
Rwigi is one of the new gorilla families in Rushaga sector. The gorilla group spilt from Kahunge family and Rwigi silverback got a misunderstanding with a dominant silverback in Kahunge group. Rwigi gorilla family was named after the dominant Rwigi silverback and is comprised of 10 members including 1 silverback, 5 females, 2 juveniles and 2 babies.
Mucunguzi gorilla family
Mucunguzi is another gorilla family located in Rushaga sector Bwindi impenetrable national park. The word Mucunguzi is a local word which means savior and the gorilla family derives its name from a silverback Mucunguzi. The gorilla family split from Bweza family and at the time of habituation, the gorilla group was under the leadership of Mucunguzi who was once a youngest member in Bweza family and was chased after a fight. Mucunguzi gorilla family is comprised of 12 members.
Gorilla trekking experience in Rushaga sector
Gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector starts very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will be subdivided into groups of 8 people where each group will be allocated a habituated gorilla family to trek and an experienced park guide who is well conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Trekking of mountain gorillas in Rushaga sector takes about 2 hours to 7 hours depending on where the gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. Once the mountain gorillas are found, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you a chance to learn about their habits, behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, grooming young ones, breastfeeding, playing, take photos and record videos to show people back home.
Best time to go gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector
Gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector can be done all year round though the best time is during the dry or peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February because during this period there is less or little rainfall in the park therefore vegetation will be short which allows tourists to have clear views of the mountain gorillas, access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable which makes trekking easy.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Rushaga sector
A gorilla trekking permit in Rushaga sector Bwindi impenetrable national park costs 700 USD per person for foreign non residents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.
How to get to Rushaga sector
Rushaga sector is located in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park and can be accessed by road transport means whereby tourists will drive from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and then to Rushaga sector which takes about 8 to 9 hours’ drive in a 4 WD safari vehicle.
Rushaga sector can also be accessed by air transport means where tourists will book scheduled or charter domestic flights with Aerolink Uganda or Bar Aviation from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield to Kisoro airstrip and then connect to the park headquarters by road.
You can as well access Rushaga sector from Kigali Rwanda where travelers will fly to Kigali international airport and then cross to Rushaga sector via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale which takes about 4 to 5 hours’ drive.
You can contact Achieve Global Safaris for more information about gorilla families in Rushaga sector or visit our website to book an affordable gorilla safari package with us.
