What To See and Do On Gorilla Trekking Safari In Rushaga Area Of Bwindi

The gorilla Trekking experience in Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is an opportunity to spend a day in the southern part of this park. Bwindi impenetrable National Park is sectioned into four areas that is Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the east, Nkuringo and Rushaga areas in the south. Enquire Now

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a biosphere reserve hosting some of the leftover mountain gorillas in the world about half the total population. Other than the mountain gorillas, Bwindi forest hosts other primates like chimpanzees, L’hoests’, olive baboons, blue monkeys, red tailed monkeys, grey cheeked mangabey and others.

Over 350 bird species have so far been recorded as residents of Bwindi forest including Albertine Rift endemics. Over 120 mammals are recorded as residents of Bwindi Forest including the mountain gorillas and other 9 primate species are residents of this forest too.

Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable national Park in particular has so far 8 gorilla trekking families that is Rwigi, Busingye, Kahungye, Bweza, Mucunguzi, Nshongi to mention but a few. When booking a gorilla permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority it is booked according to any of the four areas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Gorilla habituation experience happens in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Gorilla habituation experience is an adventure where maximum four tourists are allowed to be with a family of mountain gorillas for four hours. This adventure happens in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

How To Book Gorilla Trekking Permits For Rushaga Sector?

When you desire to book Rushaga area gorilla permits, you may try your luck and request for there availability right from the start. Select a date when you wish to do gorilla trekking in Uganda or suggest the starting or end dates of this safari.

State the number of people you hope to travel with during the gorilla safari so as to make availability of the gorilla permits quicker and not to move back and forth.

Upon receiving the enquiry about wishing to do gorilla trekking tour in Uganda, our tours consultant checks availability from the list of Uganda Wildlife Authority. Although gorilla trekking permits to different sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are allocated randomly.

You can still try your luck to request for gorilla trekking permits in Rushaga sector although there is no guarantee but it is more rewarding when you book the gorilla trekking permits in advance when you still have opportunities of bargaining power. To be on the safe side, it is best to book the gorilla trekking permit atleast 6 months to a year in advance.

Do purchase your gorilla trekking permits in advance because the status of availability changes any time without warning. The demand for gorilla trekking permits is highly competed for especially during the high season when everyone is thirsting for a destination to remember.

Later avail some personal details to be added to your gorilla trekking card.

How much is the cost of Uganda gorilla trekking Safari To Rushaga sector?

The cost of gorilla trekking safaris to Rushaga area starts with purchasing the gorilla permit. A gorilla permit is a document that allows you to engage in meeting a gorilla family of mountain gorillas at least for one hour.

At the moment, the cost of the gorilla trekking permit is $800 per person for foreign nonresidents, $700 for foreign residents and 300000shs for East Africans.

To cost gorilla trekking tours,  some of the items we consider when making a quotation for a gorilla tour include people travelling with, days on safari, time of booking the gorilla safari, activities to engage in while on gorilla safari and much more. At Arch safaris and Tours, we package our safaris according to upscale, mid-range and basic.

Our safari consultants are always ready to work with you to tailor Africa safari packages according to your needs and interests.

What Is The Updated list Of Gorilla Families Of Rushaga Sector Of Bwindi?

Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is currently home to about 8 gorilla families but the status may change any time as more gorilla families are undergoing gorilla habituation.

Current Rushaga gorilla trekking families include Mucunguzi, Busingye, Kahungye, Rwigi, Nshongi and others.

In the southern sector of Bwindi are so far four gorilla habituation experience families where tourists are allowed four hours with the mountain gorillas.

When Is The Best Time To Book Gorilla Trekking Safaris For Rushaga Area?

Booking the gorilla trekking safari in Uganda is all year around but the dry season is most preferred. The dry season is too the high tourism season in Uganda that is June to October and December to February.

The trails in the forest are quicker to navigate because the rains are less and rivers flow in the normal course. There is less precipitation in the wilderness allowing quicker navigation in the forest.

The mountain gorillas are more active and so are other forest dwellers as the environment favors these animals to move freely. The mountain gorillas feed closer to the ground because there is less food supply up in the trees. It is an exciting moment to just meters away from the only leftover mountain gorillas in the world.

The dry season being the high tourism season in Uganda too attracts more visitors so expect to share the same space with many more people. Competition for logistics that support the gorilla trekking experience is high too.

During the wet season that is March, April, May and November, there is less demand for gorilla trekking permits. This allows chances to those desiring to have exclusive time with the mountain gorillas because there is less competition for the limited number of gorilla permits.

In case you have a limited budget, the low season may provide an opportunity since there are chances for service providers to discount there costs to break even.

Is Uganda Gorilla Trekking in Rushaga Area Safe?

Gorilla trekking in Uganda is safe as on ground is a team of well trained ranger guides from Uganda Wildlife Authority. They are on ground to protect the mountain gorillas, other occupants, the forest and tourists.

The ranger guides work closely with other Uganda security agencies to keep law and order in and around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

As a tourist, you are advised not to walk into the forest in search for the mountain gorillas without an escorting ranger guide. The Bwindi forest has so many unhabituated occupants that may be harmful to you without an escorting ranger guide.

In case you have some valuables, it is best to keep safe your valuables so that you are not a victim of bad company.

Is Gorilla Trekking in Rushaga Area Tiresome?

Gorilla trekking in all sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is quite challenging because of the nature of the topography of this area. The Volcanic activities that affected the  Virunga area of which Rushaga sector is part led to the formation of ridges and plaques. These are challenging to hike just in case the mountain gorillas may have spent there day time on the slopes.

 The vegetation of Bwindi forest has been in existence for over 25000 years and so it is tangled and quite hard to by pass. The thick vegetation obstructs tourists from seeing the interesting features in the wilderness.

When it rains so heavily, the ground gets slippery and soggy as there is less sunlight let in to the ground. The dense canopy also lets in less sunlight to dry the ground. This makes it quite challenging to walk through the forest in search for the mountain gorillas.

How Long Is Gorilla Trekking In Rushaga Area?

The time taken on the gorilla trekking tour of Rushaga area varies with the conditions prevailing in the forest. Finding the mountain gorillas starts immediately after briefing at the ranger station then tourists are allocated gorilla families to trek for the day.

Tourists follow the route leading where the mountain gorillas were last seen the previous day. The ranger guides in Rushaga sector also follow the routes provided as clues where the mountain gorillas may be heading too for the day as per the information given by early risers.

To locate the mountain gorillas, some of the factors that affect this include proximity of feeding spot, death of a family member, weather conditions of the day, in case of a serious attack from another gorilla family  and much more.

When you locate the mountain gorillas, only one hour is allowed with them during gorilla trekking and four hour during gorilla habituation experience. Note that the presence of humans in the mountain gorilla destination disrupts the running of there daily life. The mountain gorillas need to feed, groom there infants, play, mingle and much more which they may not do before humans.

How Sure Can I Be To See The Mountain Gorillas In Rushaga Sector?

Seeing the mountain gorillas in Rushaga area is guaranteed because of factors like they are habituated to human presence for an unpredictable time till proved ready to be opened to the public. Gorilla habituation is a process where a wild gorilla family is helped to get used to humans presence without changing there nature. This process is gradual to allow the mountain gorillas to get accustomed to human presence.

Each day a team of ranger guides rises up early to locate the mountain gorilla families and establish where they might have nested, possible feeding location for the day and much more. Some of these clues are what ranger guides use to trace the mountain gorillas with the tourists.

Mountain gorillas donot move so fast in the forest because of there large bodies and terrain of Bwindi forest. A Mature male mountain gorillas may weigh about 200 kilograms while eh female about half the weight. This weight doesn’t permit the mountain gorillas to move so fast that is why they may be traced by the point where they were last seen the previous day.

As a  gorilla family, they donot feed far from each other and even when they move to a new feeding ground, the mountain gorillas don’t get away from family. This is why you ae sure to find them in the forest.

As tourists, you are advised to help with tracing the mountain gorillas using the evidence they leave behind like freshly chewed foliage, footprints, sounds and much more. This is what one of the activities that make gorilla trekking unforgettable.

What To Pack For Gorilla Trekking In Rushaga Area?

Safari boots to protect your feet while walking in the jungle during Uganda safari

A camera to capture photos of the incredible moments in the wilderness.

Sun screen to protect your body from ultra violet rays and it must match your skin

Safari hat with a foldable brim to keep away buzzing insects moving in the jungle.

 Garden gloves to protect your palms from getting hurt in case you touch rough surfaces

Light clothes in case the weather in the Uganda safari parks is hot. The color of the clothes must not be blue, white or black as they attract tsetse flies.

Warmers for the early morning and late afternoons

Insect repellent to keep away biting insect like tsetse flies

Light backpack to carry with your belongings.

Some treats to munch on as breakfast is taken too early to last the entire time in the jungle

Flip flops to change into after the long day in the jungle.

Toiletries in case your lodge doesn’t provide

 Shoe bag in case your foot wear gets wet and you need to pack them.

Water bottle to carry in drinking water

Some hard cash to use for on ground purchases

First aid kit in case of any emergency

A pair of binoculars to capture a better view of far ranging features

Extra full charged batteries in case one runs law yet you still have a lot to capture.

Travel adapter and charger in case your garget run low

A torch in case lights run low in the night because most facilities up country use solar as there main power source.

 A raincoat or poncho in case the Uganda safari activity requires walking in the jungle. During the rainy seasons, you may need to wet the raincoat so as not to get cold.

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