Uganda is home to extraordinary pulchritudinous nature, that gives affluence serenity to exploring the divergent hoary rain forests of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The tall, thick, and millennium forests covering 321 square kilometers are a habitat of the endangered giant mountain gorillas. These mountain gorillas bear over 98% of man’s DNA and with a high level of intelligence that you need to explore and spend time with them. Currently, there are more than 459 gorilla individuals distributed in the four gorilla sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park most of them are habituated and a few are still undergoing the habituation process.

Each gorilla family is headed by a dominant male gorilla called a silverback. The dominant silverbacks mark territories of their family to ensure the protection of the family members from any attacks of outcast silverbacks.

Gorilla sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has only 4 gorilla sectors with a total of more than 459 gorilla individuals living in groups called families, permitting only 8 people per day to trek each gorilla family.

Buhoma sector

The Buhoma sector is Bwindi’s most accessible and visited sector located in the northern part of the park. It consists of the oldest and the first family to be habituated and opened for habituation in 1992. The Mubare gorilla family was the first habituated and then first trekked family in the whole of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Mubare gorilla family started with 5 members and today it has 9 gorilla individuals. Other families apparently in the Buhoma sector include the Rushegura gorilla family with 17 gorilla individuals, the Habinyanja gorilla family with 12 gorilla individuals, the Muyambi gorilla family with 6 individuals, the Katwe gorilla family with 7 individuals, the Binyindo gorilla family with 9 individuals and the Kanywanyi gorilla family with 5 individuals.

The Buhoma sector can be accessed in two ways, either by road covering a distance of 447.5 kilometers or by air using the Kihihi airstrip. The Buhoma gorilla sector bears the headquarters of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and all gorilla trekking briefing is made from here as well as all other inquiries.

Nkuringo sector

Nkuringo sector is situated in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with only 4 gorilla families that have been already habituated. The Nkuringo sector has a gorilla family that was named after it and it was the first to be habituated in this sector. The Nkuringo gorilla family was the first habituated family in this sector in 1997. It is also the first family in the park to record the birth of twins in December 2004. The other gorilla families in this sector include the Bikingi gorilla family consisting of 8 gorilla individuals, the Bushaho gorilla family consisting of 8 gorilla individuals, and the Posho gorilla family consisting of 17 gorilla individuals.

Rushaga sector

This is the most visited and accessed sector by visitors coming from Kigali in Rwanda, a 4-hour drive into the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Rushaga sector is found in the southern region of the park making it a little far for those entering from the Buhoma sector but if very much interested in gorilla habituation then this is the only place.

Rushaga sector is the only place in Uganda where gorilla habituation is carried out for 4 hours as tourists are given a closer range encounter and study of the gorillas under the habituation process. The sector has over 10 habituated families including the Nshongi, Bweza, Mucunguzi, Kahungye, Bikingi, Mishayo, Kutu, Busingye, Rwigi, and Tindatine gorilla families, and a lot more that are undergoing the habituation process.

Ruhija Sector

This is the only sector located in the eastern region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with 6 habituated gorilla families namely the Kyaguliro A gorilla family with 7 gorilla individuals, the Kyaguliro B gorilla family with 8 gorilla individuals, the Bitukura gorilla family with 13 gorilla individuals, the Mukiza gorilla family with 22 gorilla individuals, the Oruzogo gorilla family with 12 gorilla individuals, and the Happy gorilla family with 5 gorilla individuals are all open for gorilla trekking.

The number of gorilla individuals keeps on changing in each family and sector due to the increased birth rates in female gorillas, separations, fights, and death. In cases of separation, there is the formation of new families. Glory summits tours and travel stands the will of keeping you updated about the great apes as UWA authorizes. Join Glory Summit Tours and travel for the misty forest adventure of gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation safari, taking you milestones.

When is the best time for Gorilla trekking in Bwindi?

The dry season is preferably the best period for gorilla trekking since the trails are navigable and very clear. The wet season makes the trails muddy and impassible thus difficult to trek the gorilla. The dry season runs from June to August, then from December to February a time when gorilla permits are on peak demand by most tourists.

All the other months are wet but still fit for exploring the green rain forests since the gorillas have plenty of food during this season, the gorillas move less distance as compared to the dry season. For the wet season, gorillas take a lot of time in an area since the ground is always wet and muddy making them want to seek warmth and to warm their babies.