Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in two national parks namely; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is the most popular one and Mgahinga National Park. Today, we take you through gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to half of the worlds remaining gorillas in the world. This makes it a perfect destination for whoever is interested in the gorilla safari. The park is located in the South Western part of the country and is divided into four sectors namely Rushaga, Ruhija, Buhoma and Nkuringo sectors. All the above sectors have habituated gorilla families making them an ideal place for gorilla trekking.
So many factors determine where one will do the trekking and the factors include availability of permits, choice of accommodation and so much more.
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is done in four sectors namely;
The Buhoma sector.
The Nkuringo sector.
The Rushaga sector.
The Ruhija sector.
Each of these sectors have got different gorilla families and they all offer the very best gorilla experiences.
What are the families of gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Rushaga sector in the South
Rushaga has got four gorilla families that include the Bweza gorilla family, Nshogi gorilla family, Kahungye gorilla family and Mishaya gorilla family.
Nkuringo sector in the West
This sector has got only one gorilla family known as the Nkuringo gorilla family.
Ruhija sector in the East
This sector consists of a family of gorillas known as the Bitukura group. This family has 12 members including 4 silver backs.
Buhoma sector in the North
This particular sector consists of four gorilla families which are Nkuringo, Rushaga, Habinyanja and Mubaro gorilla families.
It is important to note that the gorilla trekking experience can be done in all the above sectors since they all have habituated gorilla families with habinyanjo gorilla family being the largest habituated gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with 17 gorillas.
What happens when a gorilla family is located?
When you locate a gorilla family, you are allowed to ask questions, record videos and take pictures. However, ensure that the flash light of your phone is off and do not move closer than 7 meters to the primates for safety purposes.
You will spend upto an hour in the presence of these magnificent giants after which you will walk back to the park headquaters for gorilla trekking certificates and this marks the end of the gorilla trekking activity.
What are the requirements for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
The first and very important requirement that one must have before embarking on the gorilla trekking activity is a gorilla permit. This must be secured 2-3 months before the intended travel date by a trusted tour operator company like Vibrant Holiday Safaris. Other requirements include insect repellant, a bag pack for carrying personal belongings, cameras, a long sleeved shirt, gloves, water bottle and a water proof rain jacket.