Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Uganda from Rwanda

Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Uganda from Rwanda is an amazing tour that a traveler can engage in when they arrive in Rwanda Kigali. Mountain gorilla trekking is a very exciting memorable safari activity best offered in Uganda because Uganda hosts a large number of mountain gorillas, approximately 400 individuals. Because of distance and unknown reasons most tourists (trekkers) find it more appealing and easier to do mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda from Rwanda.

Mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda from Rwanda means you fly into Rwanda using Kigali international airport found in Kigali town the capital city of Rwanda. From Kigali City, you connect to Uganda using the Cyanika and Katuna border. From Kigali international to the southwestern region of Uganda (Kisoro) it is a distance of 138.6 kilometers which is approximately a 3-4 hours’ drive.

Mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali takes place in two gorilla homes found in Uganda that is Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park.

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Bwindi impenetrable national park is found in south western Uganda in kanungu district, this park is a UNESCO natural world heritage site and the fact that in the park is where montane and lowland forests meet attributes to its recognition as a world heritage site.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is found in Kanungu district covering an area of 321 square kilometers, most of the area of this park is cover by thick rain forests and lieing at the altitude range of 1190 meters – 2607 meters. This makes the park the most suitable more for the critically endangered and beautiful mountain gorillas who are fond of living in forested high altitudes.

Gorilla trekking in Uganda from Rwanda in Bwindi impenetrable national park is supposed to be a 3 days safari into the thick forest of Bwindi, 3 days safari is the shortest safari offered while gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali but you can add in more days according to your wish and schedule. On this safari you drive from Kigali town to Bwindi impenetrable national park which is a distance of 176.6 kilometers taking 4 hours, driving from Kigali town to Bwindi impenetrable national park you use cyanika border and Katuna border which leads to different sections of the park. Using the cyanika border it leads you to the southern region of the park and it is a distance of 94 kilometers taking 3 hours via cyanika-Kabale-Kisoro road. Using the Katuna border leads you to the north sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park, it is a distance of 89.3 kilometers via the kigali-Katuna-Kabale-Kisoro route.

Tourists using cyanika borders are always intended to do gorilla trekking in the Rushanga sector and those using Katuna border intend to do gorilla trekking in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park.

When on a mountain gorilla trekking expedition in Bwindi impenetrable forests you trekking in 4 sectors which consists of exciting habituated gorilla families, these families underwent through habituation process which trained them to be comfortable and used to human presence. These families were gorilla trekking include.

Buhoma sector

Buhoma sector is the most exciting and loved gorilla trekking sector consisting of 4 gorilla families that is

Rushegura gorilla family: This family consists of 16 family individuals that is 1 silverback, 4 blackbucks, 4 adult females, 3 juveniles, 4 infants under the leadership of kabukojo a dominant silverback.
Habinyanja gorilla family: Habinyanja gorilla family is one of the early habituated gorilla families in buhoma sector, this family is a larger family consisting of 17 members that is 5 adult females, 1 sub-adult, 3 juveniles, 6 infants, 1 black back and 1 silverback under the leadership of a dominant silverback Makara.
Mubare gorilla family: Mubare gorilla family is the first gorilla family to undergo habituation process and the first to be opened for trekking, this family consists of 11 members that is 6 adult females, 1 sub-adult, 3 infants and one silverback under the leadership of a dominant silverback Kanyonyi.
Katwe gorilla family: This family is a newly habituated gorilla family in Bwindi impenetrable national park, Katwe gorilla family consists of 10 members with 4 adult females, 2 infants and 3 black back under the leadership of a dominant silverback
Rushaga sector: Rushaga sector is a mesmerizing sector hosting 5 habituated gorilla families which include
Kahungye gorilla family: This family is a relatively big family and wonderful to trek, kahungye is a family of 17 members with 3 silverbacks, 3 black backs, 3 adult females, 3 sub-adult, 3 juveniles and two infants under the leadership of Rumanzi a dominant silverback.
Mishaya gorilla family: Mishaya is also a big family of 12 members under the leadership of Mishaya, Mishaya is a dominant silverback a known courageous fighter.
Nshongi gorilla family: Nshongi gorilla family is a family of 7 members with 1 silverback, 3 adult females, 1 sub-adult, 1 infant and 1 juvenile under the leadership of Bweza a dominant silverback.
Bweza gorilla family: Bweza gorilla family is a family of 12 members with 2 silverbacks, 4 black backs, 3 adult females, 1 sub-adult and 2 infants under the leadership of Kakono a dominant silverback.
Busingye gorilla family: This family consists of 9 members.

Ruhija sector

Ruhija sector is a wonderful sector hosting 3 habituated gorilla families where mountain gorilla trekking expedition takes place.

Kyaguliro gorilla family: This is currently the biggest family in Bwindi impenetrable national park with 20 family members, Kyaguliro family is divided into groups that is group A called Rukara consisting of 10 individuals with 1 silverback, 2 black backs, 3 adult females, 2 juveniles and 2 infants. And group B called Mukazi with 10 family individuals including 1 silverback, 4 adult females, 1 sub-adult, and 4 infants.
Bitukura gorilla family: Bitukura family is a family of 13 family members with 4 silverbacks, 4 adult females, 2 juveniles and 3 infants under the leadership of Ndahura a dominant silverback.
Oruzogo family group: This family consists of 17 individuals with 2 silverbacks, 2 black backs, 5 adult females, 2 sub-adults, 1 juvenile and 5 infants under the leadership of Bakwate a powerful silverback.

Nkuringo sector

As per trekkers, Nkuringo sector is the toughest gorilla sector to trek, this sector hosts 2 gorilla families which are trekked that is

Nkuringo gorilla family: Nkuringo gorilla family is a big family of 12 gorilla family individuals with 2 silverbacks, 1 black back, 2 adult females, 2 sub-adults, 3 juveniles and two infants under the leadership of Rafiki a dominant silverback.
Christmas gorilla family: Christmas gorilla family is a newly habituated gorilla family with 9 family members with 6 members which are usually seen while on a habituation expedition that is 1 blackback, 3 females and 1 baby.

Best time for mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park

Just like other prominent tourist destinations in the world, Bwindi impenetrable national park is open throughout the year for visitors intending to participate in mountain gorilla trekking and other activities in the park. Though it is open throughout the year, the best time to do mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi is in the months of June to August and December to February, in these months less amount of rainfall is received meaning the trails are easy to navigate and less hectic since they are not slippery.

Bwindi impenetrable national park also offers activities like mountain gorilla habituation, bird watching, cycling, and mountain biking, guided nature walks, bird watching and batwa cultural experience.

Gorilla trekking from Rwanda in Uganda in mgahinga gorilla national park

Mgahinga gorilla national park: Mgahinga gorilla national park is found in the southwestern region in Kisoro district, this amazing national park is relatively a small national park but its small size does not make less interesting to visit as it is home to a reasonable number of habituated mountain gorillas. Mgahinga national park covers an area of 434 square kilometers and it is part of the great Virunga conservation area consisting of Virunga national park found in the Democratic republic of Congo and volcano national park found in Rwanda.

When doing mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda from Rwanda, mgahinga gorilla national park is accessed using the Cyanika border. From Kigali town to mgahinga gorilla national park it is a distance of 141.4 kilometers taking 3 -4 hours via Kigali-Gatuna- Ruhengeri-Kisoro route. Mountain gorilla trekking expedition in mgahinga national park takes on trekking in only one amazing gorilla family that is:

Nyakagezi gorilla family: Nyakagezi gorilla family is an amazing gorilla family of 10 family individuals with 5 silverbacks, 2 adult females, 2 juveniles, and 1 infant. This family is under the leadership of mark a dominant silverback. Nyakagezi gorilla family is known for having a tendency of moving to Rwanda and the Democratic republic of Congo back and forth.

Best time to go for mountain gorilla trekking in mgahinga gorilla national park.

Mgahinga gorilla national park is a very fascinating national park open for gorilla trekking visitors throughout the year but as usual, there is always the best time for every particular activity and that is in the dry season periods. Dry season happens in the months of June to August and December to January, what makes these months the best time to trek in mgahinga gorilla national park is that in the dry periods the trails are drier and easy to navigate.

Mgahinga national park also offers other activities like bird watching, batwa trail culture encounter, golden monkey tracking, hiking, and guided nature walks, and these activities can be incorporated into your mountain gorilla trekking safari.

Note: To participate in the most interesting mountain gorilla trekking you need to be in possession of a mountain gorilla trekking permit, a mountain gorilla trekking permit in Uganda is purchased at the offices of Uganda wildlife authority and it costs US$700.