Located in south western Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to about 460 mountain gorilla individuals, which is half of the world’s remaining gorilla individuals still living, making Uganda the major mountain gorilla protection and trekking center of the world. Mountain gorillas can also be trekked in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park of Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, respectively, in East Africa. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is home to many other primate species, mammals, birds, green flora, water bodies, and is rich in culture facilitated by the Batwa forest-dwelling tribe.
The park has different habitat sectors where these endangered primate species are kept for their safety, protected and governed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and other non-governmental organizations in charge of wildlife protection and conservation all around the world. These habituation sectors were created to manage well the gorilla numbers, better feeding, easy monitoring, treatment, and giving gorilla trekkers an opportunity to have close encounters with the world’s rare and endangered primate species, and making them get used to humans not seeing them as a threat. However, on trekking and habituation activities, one is supposed to give these gorillas enough space to feed, play, or nurse their babies as instructed and guided by the ranger guides, and to access these sectors.
Trekkers must trek for about 4-5hours from the trekking starting points and be given at least 1hour for close encounters with these individuals. Bwindi has four habituation sectors with 20 active habituated families.
The habituation sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Rushaga sector;
It is situated in the southern part of Bwindi. This is the biggest sector with the biggest number of gorilla individuals in nine gorilla families of Mishaya, Kutu, Nshongi, Bushingye Kahungye, Bweza, Mucunguzi, Rwigi, and Bikyingi, respectively, and permitted to do gorilla habituations by trekkers, with about 140 members, including silverbacks, juveniles, females, and blackbacks. The Rushaga sector can easily be accessed by trekkers coming through from the Rwanda side.
Rushaga also offers other activities like forest nature walks, birdwatching, hiking, boat cruises on Lake Mutanda, and the amazing cultural experience with the Batwa forest-dwelling tribe.
Ruhija sector:
This sector has three gorilla families. Bitukura has about 14 individuals led by Ndahura silverback, the other 3 silverbacks, females, infants, and juveniles. Kyaguliro is aiding in gorilla research with Kyakuliro A and B led by Mukiza and Rukara silverbacks, and Oruzogo with 25 members, 2 being silverbacks respectively, and only a group of eight people is allowed per trekking session. Other activities conducted in this sector include nature walks, birdwatching, cultural experiences, and more. Permits for gorilla trekking are always available at the trekking start point office.
Buhoma sector;
This sector is nested in the northern part of Bwindi in Kanungu district, having a good number of gorillas, with the oldest family among all the Bwindi sectors. Families include the Katwe gorilla family with about ten (10) individuals, Habinyanja family with about sixteen (16), including a silverback, other males, females, and babies, Mubale being the first family in Bwindi and has about nine (9) individuals led by Kanyonyi the silverback, Rushegura family with the highest number gorillas in the sector about 20 individuals led by the silverback.
Buhoma is rich in diversity, offering several activities apart from gorilla trekking, like birdwatching, Batwa cultural experience, and more. The sector is easy to access for trekkers coming from Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kabale town.
Nkuringo sector
This family is within the southern part of Bwindi, was created in 1997, and can easily be accessed through the Butogota or Kihihi areas.
The sector has gorilla families of Nkuringo having about 15 individuals headed by Rwamutwe the blackback with other blackbacks, females and juveniles, Bushaho led by Bahati the silverback, blackbacks, females and juveniles making several 12 individuals and Christmas with nine member the family is led by the silverback named Christmas which is believed that he could have been born in Christmas festive. Nearing DRC Congo, Nkuringo gives one amazing view of Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira, and enables an easy visit to Lake Mutanda for a boat cruise experience. Other activities to engage in while in Nkuringo include birdwatching, hiking, guided nature walks, and more that the park can offer.