The Best 4 Gorilla Trekking Sectors in Bwindi National Park.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the core of Uganda’s tourism, hosting the highest number of travelers! The ecosystem is known for the critically endangered mountain gorillas, featuring half of the world’s remaining population of the primate; they live freely in the park without being captivated feeding on the forest plants, tree branches, dead tree branches, and fruits. The Park was gazetted in 1991 as a way of protecting the mammals that lived within the area as well as preserving the culture of the surrounding communities, and by 1994, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bwindi comprises 4 sectors (Nkuringo, Rushaga, Buhoma, and Ruhija), each of which hosts habituated gorilla families.

Buhoma Sector

Buhoma Sector is the most common sector located in the northern part of the park, offering exceptional tracking experiences to travelers. It comprises the first trails of gorilla adventures placed at an altitude rising to 1,500m above sea level. The sector is the birthplace of gorilla trekking in Uganda. The activity sparked off in 1993 with a group of trackers first tracking the Mubare gorilla family in 1993, and it remained the only gorilla trekking point in the country for approximately 11 years.Buhoma is home to 4 Gorilla families, including Rushegura,Mubare,Katwe gorilla family, and Habiyanja gorilla family. The region is the most accessible part of the park, with easy access from Queen Elizabeth National Park; the driving distance takes approximately 3-4 hours. Air transfers from Entebbe International Airport land at the Kihihi Airstrip located closer to the Sector.

Rushaga Sector

Rushaga Sector is a unique point of the park located south of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It is home to the highest concentration of habituated gorilla families and the only location in the country to offer gorilla habituation experiences. The experience involves travelers, guides, researchers,and hikers following the new gorillas that are being trained for visits. There are 8 habituated gorilla families within Rushaga, including the Mucunguzi gorilla group, Bwigi group, Mishaya group, Busingye group, Nshongi gorilla group, Bweza group, Bikyingi group, and Kahungye group.

Ruhija Sector

Ruhija Sector is situated in the Eastern Part of the Park, hosting 4 habituated gorilla families, including the Bitukura group, Oruzogo group, Mukiza group, and Kyaguliro group, one of which is reserved for research purposes. The region is the highest point in the conservation area,situated 2,350meters above sea level. Ruhija comprises fewer gorilla groups compared to the rest of the park, offering the lowest footprint on the ecosystem. Its strategic location gives access to the Buhoma Sectors and Kabale town, offering travelers an opportunity to visit Uganda’s deepest Lake Bunyonyi as well as combining mountain gorillas with a safari experience in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Nkuringo Sector

Nkuringo Sector is the gem of gorilla trekking experiences; it is popular for its tough hike due to the terrain in the southern part of the park. It sheltered the most famous gorilla silverback that lost its life as a result of poaching, known as Rafiki. The sector was established after the opening of the Buhoma sector, coming second to the most visited regions of the park. Gorilla groups in this sectorinclude the Nkuringo family, the Bushaho gorilla family, the Christmas family, and the Posho family.

The sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offer incredible gorilla encounters. The activity begins at7:00 am with a briefing from the park rangers; groups of 8 guests are allocated a gorilla family to track; upon finding them, an hour is allowed to enjoy the gorilla family, interact, take pictures, and return to the respective guides.