What To Expect On Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rushaga Bwindi

To do a gorilla safari in Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you must have a gorilla permit destined for this area of the park. Rushaga area is one of the four administrative sectors of vast Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is a large thick rain forest sitting on 327 square kilometers of tangled vegetation.

Rushaga area of Bwindi forest is placed in the southern edge of the forest. Currently Rushaga has the largest number gorilla trekking families that is Nshongi, Busingye, Kahugye, Mushaya, Bweza, Mucunguzi, Bikingi, Kutu.

Gorilla habituation experience is also open in Rushaga sector where maximum 4 tourists are allowed four hours with semi-habituated gorilla family. Note that the gorillas under gorilla habituation experience may abruptly retreat into hiding any time because of their extremely wild characteristics. Request For A Quotation

Brief Details About Rushaga Area Of Bwindi

Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park was opened for gorilla trekking in September 2009 with Nshongi group as the first gorilla trekking family of this area.

Elevation: the altitude of Rushaga area is about 1500 meters above sea level

Location: Rushaga are lies in the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in

Kisoro district south Western Uganda

Accommodations: of Rushaga: Rushaga accommodations are categorized into luxury, mid-range and basic. Some of the Rushaga accommodations include Clouds Lodge, Nshongi camp, Gorilla safari Lodge , Rushaga Gorilla Lodge and others.

Locals of Rushaga: The Bakiga, Bafumbira are the indigenous occupants of the Bwindi areas. Small groups of Batwa pygmies are also part of the local communities that live around the Bwindi forest. The Batwa were evicted from Bwindi forest which was their ancestral home and assimilated into close by communities.

Climate: Rushaga sector which is part of Bwindi forest has low temperatures almost all year. In general, the temperatures of Bwindi is between 7 degrees to 23 degrees centigrade

On average, Bwindi forest receives approximately 2390 mm of rain per year.

Where to gather for gorilla trekking in Rushaga: The Rushaga visitor center is the gathering point before and after gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience. Porters are available for hire at this station before starting the search for the mountain gorillas.

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How to Get to Rushaga area od Bwindi

From Kampala the distance to Rushaga area of Bwindi is about 540 kilometers on winding roads especially as you draw closer to the southern part of Uganda for time of about 8 to 9 hours excluding stopovers.

Alternative route is how to get to Rushaga area of Bwindi is From Kigali in Rwanda via Cyanika or Gatuna Border to Kabale- Kisoro for a distande of about 202.6 kilometers lasting about 5 to 6 hours.

Air transport

From Entebbe airport or Kajjansi Airstrip, you can catch a scheduled daily flight to Kisoro Airstrip. Remember to hire a transfer vehicle to your lodge. The flights to Kisoro airstrip from Kajjansi or Entebbe airport travel time is about 2 hours.

Note that sometimes flights to Kisoro airstrips can be rescheduled due to changes in weather.

Charter flight arrangements can also be made for more private transport arrangements.

Which Is The Easiest Rushaga Gorilla Family To Trek?

Identifying the easiest gorilla trekking family for Rushaga is still hard because these families are very mobile and can explore the forest with nothing to stop them. The closest gorilla family of Rushaga on a particular day may be the furthest the nest day.

As mentioned prior, mountain gorillas live in cohesive gorilla families whose movements may be influenced by:

• Nature of the dominant silverback like some are adventurous
• Mood of the gorilla family
• Location of feeding ground
• Weather conditions prevailing and more

The current gorilla trekking families of Rushaga include Nshongi, Busingye, Kahugye, Mushaya and others.

No matter the gorilla family of Rushaga area of Bwindi is allocated to you, open your mind and maintain the excitement of finally going for gorilla trekking. Standing a few meters from the few leftover mountain gorillas in the world is incredible and like a walk into the history of human evolution.

How to book a Gorilla Trekking permit for Rushaga area

To book gorilla permits for Rushaga area, you need to find availability of Bwindi gorilla permits first. Note that allocating gorilla trekking permits for Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable National park is done randomly.

If your interest is securing gorilla trekking permits for a particular sector, you stand better chances of getting them when you book in advance. Do mention your preferred Bwindi gorilla trekking sector when seeking to find gorilla permit availability.

It is best to book your gorilla trekking permit for Rushaga at least 6 months to a year in advance so that you have a variety options for Bwindi sectors to choose from.  If you hope to travel with more people, book the gorilla permits upfront so that you do not have be separated.

Cost Of Gorilla Trekking Permits And Gorilla Habituation Experience Permits For Rushaga sector

At the moment, the cost of Uganda gorilla trekking permit is $800 for international nonresidents, $700 for others Africans or international residents and 300,000shs for East Africans. The cost of the Uganda gorilla trekking permit cuts across all gorilla trekking destinations in the country.

Currently the cost of Uganda gorilla habituation experience permit is $1500 for international nonresidents, $1000 for international residents and 750,000shs for East Africans.

Inclusions in the cost of the gorilla permits for Uganda are 1 hour of gorilla trekking or 4 hours of gorilla habituation experience, ranger guide fees, park entrance fees, conservation support and others.

How Long Does Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Experience In Rushaga Take

From the start of gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience in Rushaga it may take 2 hours or more to get to the mountain gorillas. For gorilla trekking only 1 hour is allowed with the mountain gorillas and gorilla habituation experience four hours are allowed with the mountain gorillas.

Do not give up searching for the mountain gorillas even when you take so much time to find them because be sure to see them. Open your mind to seeing other forest dwellers like black and white colobus, vervet monkeys, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons and more. Keen birders have the double opportunity of spotting a number of birds including Albertine rift endemics.

Finally, when you find the mountain gorillas, 1 hour is allowed for gorilla trekking and 4 hours of gorilla habituation experience. The time with the mountain gorillas is regulated to allow them carry on with their daily activities.

What Happens During Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Experience In Rushaga Area

• On gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience day tourists gather at the ranger station for briefing. Expect to find other tourists for the day.
• Ranger guides and park wardens share details about the mountain gorillas with you all, request for questions amongst trekkers and offer proven answers per the practical studies carried out about these primates.
• After each trekker is allocated a gorilla family to trek or habituate, randomly, follow the trail head leading where the gorilla family was last seen the previous night as this is one of the clues to find them.
• Along the way to find the mountain gorillas, you come across other forest dweller, crisscrossing streams or rivers and more that you have to jump over or use walk boards to cross. The ground is ever dense from the regular rains that fall in Bwindi forest with less sunlight sipping through to the ground.
• Even though you are uncertain of the time of getting to the mountain gorillas, keep focused because getting to them is a must no matter how long it takes. Open your mind to seeing other forest inhabitants.
• As you draw closer to the location of the mountain gorillas, they notice your presence before you actually face them so prepare as advised by rangers at briefing. Do not take photos as soon as you face the gorillas until the ranger guide gives you a go ahead. Sometimes the gorillas are in a bad mood and taking photos or filming may end in a nasty situation.
• One hour around the mountain gorillas is allowed during gorilla trekking and four hours during gorilla habituation experience so that they can continue with their daily activities. Human presence interrupts the running of the life of the mountain gorillas.

How much time do you take to find the mountain gorillas in Rushaga during gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience.

Finding the mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience may take about 2 hours and over. The mountain gorillas are mobile primates whose location may be determined by mood of the gorilla family, food proximity, prevailing weather conditions and more.

Keep your spirit and desire for searching to find the mountain gorillas still up no matter how long it takes to locate these primates.

One hour of gorilla trekking or 4 hours of gorilla habituation experience.

Keep your fit in preparation for gorilla trekking so that you are not worn down. Hire a porter at the start of the gorilla safari to assist you carry your baggage to enable move faster.

Wear the right gorilla safari gears to enable you feel comfortable while searching to find the mountain gorillas.

What To Do When You Find The Mountain Gorillas During Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Experience.

• Facing the mountain gorillas normally stimulates some adrenaline but try to remain calm so that you do not cause suspensions amongst these primates. Mountain gorillas are very observant when humans show up and can retreat into hiding immediately when agitated.
• Maintain a distance of about 8 meters from the mountain gorillas to avoid very close contact, wear a clean face mask too. At times the mountain gorillas may reach out to touch you but try to retreat without causing suspension.
• Avoid surrounding the mountain gorillas but stay in a tight group when around these primates. The mountain gorillas may feel ambushed when you surround them.
• Avoid staring in the deep eyes of the mountain gorillas when around them because they are very shy primates and this may push them into the deep ends of the forest.
• As you take photos of the mountain gorillas, do not use a flash or the camera must be sound proof. Mountain gorillas usually feel nervous around unfamiliar surrounds.
• Do not touch or feed the mountain gorillas because they are will animals no matter how adorable they seem to look.

Can Mountain Gorillas Turn Violent During Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Experience In Rushaga Area

Mountain gorillas can also lose their cool and become moody even though they are known to be serene primates. Some times because of the nature of the environment they find themselves in, the mountain gorillas may become quite agitated.

Do not panic upon noticing something odd but wait for the ranger guide to give instructions on how to overcome the situation.

Every tourist is requested to adhere to the new instructions of gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience because violating them may end in a stampede.

Note that no tourists has ever been attacked by mountain gorillas during gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience.

Best Time To Do Gorilla Trekking Or Gorilla Habituation Experience In Rushaga Area

Gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation experience in Rushaga area of Bwindi is best done in the dry season that is June, July, August, September, December, January. The environment in the forest is less moist with more sunlight sipping through to the ground maintaining a less moist environment.

The mountain gorillas and other forest inhabitants are quicker to spot in the dense Bwindi forest as more sunlight creates a favorable ambience to take nature inspired photos or films.

Even though the ground of Bwindi forest is dense most of the time because of the regular rains that fall and rivers or streams that flood, in the dry season the environment is less moist. It is quicker to navigate the forest while searching to find these primates.

The wet season which is March to May and late October to November is good timing to do gorilla safaris in Rushaga too.

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