Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National has 19 Habituated Gorilla Families – which can only be tracked by a maximum of 08 tourists per group – Uganda has 160 Gorilla Permits available on the daily – Each Gorilla permit costs $700 per person for the traditional 01-hour trek.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is the capital of Gorilla Trekking In Africa. The park prides itself in being home to over half of the worlds mountain gorilla population currently estimated to be at 1,063 mountain Gorillas spread across three countries; Uganda, Rwanda & DR Congo.
Bwindi has 19 habituated mountain gorilla families that can be tracked at four (04) different gorilla trekking regions; Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo gorilla trekking regions.
The 19 Habituated Gorilla Families in Bwindi ( Region by Region)
Buhoma Gorilla trekking region Gorilla families in Bwindi
Buhoma was the inaugural gorilla trekking region when gorilla trekking started in Bwindi forest National park in 1993. It is the busiest gorilla trekking region and a favourite for many upmarket travellers seeking opulent lodging. Getting to Buhoma takes approximately 09-hours by road from Entebbe or 2 hours by air from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi airfield. All flights from Entebbe or Kajjansi to Buhoma land at Kihihi Airstrip (40 kms/25mi to Bwindi ) where you are picked up by a Realm Africa Safaris™ representative. The gorilla families that can be tracked in the Buhoma Region include;
Mubare gorilla group also called “M” group. Gorilla families in Bwindi
The Mubare Gorilla Family was the first habituated gorilla group in 1998. Originally there was 12 family member and when the leader, the silverback Ruhondeza died it left only 5 family members. In 2013 four (04) other gorillas have joined the Mubare gorilla family and there are now nine (09) family members as members of other groups have become part of the Mubare group recently.
The ease of tracking with the Mubare group varies – they used to be closer to the Buhoma Park Headquarters but more and more it takes an over 5-hours round-trip to track the group.
When the Mubare group was six and then five in number after the death of their lead silverback Ruhondeza tour operators and visitors avoided using the group for visitation but that has changed in recent times since their number has risen to 9 due to new strong leadership from the new Silverback who has taken charge of the group.
The word Mubare refers to “the places with many stones” where the group was first discovered in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
The advantage with the Mubare Gorilla Group is that they can be tracked from the Buhoma area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Habinyanja Gorilla group also called “H” Group
The Habinyanja Gorilla Family was one of the earlier habituated groups in the Buhoma area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and over the years has had thousands of visitors from around the world that have spent an hour with them in the ancient forest.
It normally takes a full day – five hours or more to track the Habinyanja Gorilla Group. Nevertheless, there are harder groups to track that take a bit more energy. Habinyanja family is a larger group of about 18 individuals – but such figures change as gorilla babies arrive, old members, die or move to another group and other factors.
The group was first discovered near a swamp in Bwindi Impenetrable the name Habinyanja comes from the local name for water “Nyanja”
Gorilla Families just like Human families split at given times. For instance, the present-day Rushegura family also found in the general Buhoma area split from the Habinyanja group some years back to form its own family. Today these two (02) gorilla families, including the Mubare Gorilla Families cross each others paths and the meetings are mostly peaceful in nature.
If you are interested in tracking the Habinyanja Gorilla Family, you need to plan to book a Buhoma Region Gorilla trekking permit ( we will assist you with this), and also consider staying at a property situated with the same region (see: Accommodation in Buhoma region)
Rushegura Gorilla family also called “R” Group
The Rushegura Gorilla Group is one of the largest habituated gorilla groups In Uganda with approximately sixteen (16) Individuals. Tracking time for this group tends to be shorter in recent times since they have stayed around the park headquarters area. This group at times ventures out of the park and we had a group on safari who had this group outside of their tent during the night until the next morning to their delight. They were simply amazed! to say the least.
Two different recent clients insisted on staying three (03) nights at the upmarket Gorilla Forest Camp because they were both hoping that the visit with the American photographer in 2011 that they saw on YouTube (click here to watch the video) just might be replicated. While we can’t rule out the fact that there is a possibility this could happen again, we can’t equally guarantee this will happen. Cross your finger crossed and try your luck!
Travellers wanting a shorter gorilla treks have often requested to trek the Rushegura group and have returned in a shorter time than 5 hours. There is however no guarantee to this as the gorillas may choose to venture off and it will take a longer time to track them.
Like many groups in the Park – the Rushegura Gorilla Group is another splinter group, this one from the Habinyanja Gorilla Group. Buhoma is an exciting place with four (4) Habituated gorilla groups of which the Rushegura Group is one.
Katwe gorilla family also known as the “K” group.
Also found in the Buhoma regions, the Katwe gorilla family is the newest family (opened for tourism in August 2018) in the Buhoma region in the northern side of Bwindi Forest National Park.
Katwe Gorilla family is comprised of 01 dominant Silverback, 03 blackbacks, 04 adult females and 02 infants. Even after 2 years of existence, the actual number of individuals in the Katwe Gorilla group is still speculation as some members keep moving in and out of the family – typical of newly habituated groups.
Ruhija Gorilla trekking region(Gorilla families in Bwindi
The Ruhija gorilla trekking region is not as developed when it comes to lodges and other activities besides gorilla tracking, nature walks, hikes, birding, but each year, one or two new lodges are coming up the line that appeals to various sized pocketbooks.
Oruzogo gorilla family
The Oruzogo Gorilla family can be tracked from the Ruhija region of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park – it is a larger group of 22 gorillas. The Oruzogo group has become popular with tourists not just because of the size of the group, but because the playful energy exhibited by the juveniles and toddlers in the group that keep visitors entertained to say the least.
If you want more sleep and rest and less driving, you ask your tour operator to book you into a lodge in the Ruhija area and not in the Buhoma region which is 1-hour drive to get to Ruhija on the morning of your trek. Getting there on time for your gorilla briefing means leaving your lodge as early as at 6:00 to 6:30 am – something we don’t find exciting but rather inconveniencing.
The Oruzogo Gorilla Family started to receive visitors in 2011 and those who came to visit simply loved this group. It is not a very strenuous trek but equally, requires minimum levels of fitness to trek to the gorillas.
Kyaguriro Gorilla family
Kyaguriro Gorilla group is also located in Ruhija region with 20 individuals who feature a fascinating history which is an attraction of itself, and it’s known as Kyaguriro group A and B. Kyaguliro Gorilla Family was for long led by Silverback Rukina who on the fateful date of 7th /April/ 2018 lost his life to lightning that struck him dead. This sudden death of Rukina left the family under the leadership of Mukiza- an inexperienced young fella. However, Mukiza’s reign over the entire Kyaguliro Gorilla family was short-lived after Rukara a fully grown Silverback from the Bitukura Gorilla group with whom they share vicinity to date raided the peaceful 20 members Kyaguliro group causing a split of the Kyaguliro gorilla Family into Kyaguliro A – led by Rukara, and Kyaguliro B – led by Mukiza – the split of the Kyaguliro gorilla group all happened in May 2016.
Mukiza gorilla family
Mukiza gorilla family another of the Ruhija gorilla families was birthed out of the Kyaguliro gorilla group after an immigrant silverback decided to lure members of the larger Kyguliro family to break off and follow him and formed the current Mukiza gorilla group. The group has approximately 10 individuals all under the leadership of the dominant silverback Mukiza after whom the family gets its name
Read more about Mukiza Gorilla Family.
Bitukura gorilla family
The Bitukura Gorilla group members are “A” type students – they learn so fast. Normally it takes two (02) years of habitation for a wild gorilla family to be considered ready for tourists to visit on the traditional one (01) hour gorilla trekking experience, but this group was ready for visitors in a quick 15 months – a record time. The group comprises of 15 individual including a newborn.
Gorilla groups gain and lose members to other families and the Bitukura gorilla group originally consisted of 24 gorillas however other member left and got recruited into other families – in the gorilla family there are misunderstandings and some gorillas simply choose to leave rather than put up a fight.
Travellers Digest (take it or leave it – Its practical information):
For travellers intending to trek and see any one of the four (04) habituated Gorilla families in Ruhija region; Oruzogo, Kyaguliro, Mukiza or the Bitikura Gorilla families, we recommend staying overnight in Ruhija rather than staying in Buhoma and waking up at 6:00 am to drive 1-hour to get to Ruhija for gorilla trekking and then have to drive back again after the trek. Other tour operators have also resorted into staying in Kabale / Bunyonyi and wake their clients up as early as 5:00 am to drive to Ruhija (2-hours) in the dark. We advise that you insist on staying in Ruhija Region. There is just about accommodation to cater for all categories of traveller budgets (see: where to stay in Ruhija sector).
Rushaga Gorilla trekking region(
Rushaga region is presently the fastest developing area for gorilla tourism in Bwindi Forest National Park. There are new lodges mushrooming in the region. This fast-developing pace has been a result of the growing popularity of the region especially for Rwandese tour operators opting to market and sale affordable Uganda gorilla Safaris starting in Kigali. Rushaga is only 5-hours drive from Kigali, and gorilla permits in Rushaga and Uganda generally cost USD600 per person ($700 after 01/July/2020) which is $900 cheaper than gorilla permits in Rwanda which cost USD1,500 per person. This demand, however, means that Rushaga gorilla permits often get sold out fast – the very reason we recommend planning and booking your gorilla safari well-in advance to avoid missing out on gorilla permits especially if you intend to trek gorillas in Rushaga region.
Well, lets now get to learn more about the Habituated gorilla groups available for trekking in Rushaga region.
Nshongi Gorilla family
The Nshongi Gorilla Family is arguably one of the largest habituated gorilla groups in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest after the recent split with where Mweza group was formed there are about 18 gorillas in the family. The Nshongi Gorilla Group was introduced with much fanfare and celebrities from far and wide came in 2009.
The Nshongi gorilla group is named at the Nshongi River where the family was first sighted. The area where the Nshongi gorilla is usually found is a large forested area where you can also see other primates, birds, butterflies and the rich, thick rainforest of Bwindi.
Read more about the Nshongi Gorilla family.
Mishaya gorilla family
The Mishaya Gorilla Family is another one of those gorilla groups putting the Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on the map since it gives the area an ever-increasing number of gorilla families. Presently it is about 07 gorilla members but in the world of gorilla families again like in our human families and friendship groups that number can change given a number of factors. The leader of the Mishaya gorilla group is Mishaya and he is quite a fighter – not too long ago the gorilla family was in a battle with another un-habituated gorilla group and some members of the group were treated for injuries.
Read more about the Mishaya gorilla group.
Kahungye gorilla family
The Kahungye Gorilla Group is another Rushaga are gorilla family sizeable in number even after a recent split in the Family creating the new Busingye Gorilla Group. One reason we do not like to put the numbers of gorilla groups online since the numbers are somewhat fluid and tend to change with this or that spat in the family. We do put the numbers and size for a gorilla group at the time we write up an itinerary and obtain permits for a group for you.
The group was opened for visitors and gorilla tracking in 2011. The Name Kahungye comes from a hill in the Rushaga area where the gorillas were discovered.
Busingye gorilla family
The Busingye Gorilla Family is a splinter group from the Kahungye Gorilla Group – an event that happened in August of 2012. At the last check, the group consisted of 9 members and among them were three infants and what is called a sub-adult – gorilla teen.
This new group has created some excitement in Internet forums since it is a new group open for tracking. Presently the group is being observed whether there are any signs of a return to the Kahungye Gorilla Group and it seems there are too much bad blood and no sign of reconciliation. Meaning 8 more permits in the Rushaga Area of the park. Again due to the fluidity of the situation, at the present time, permits for the Busingye Gorilla Group are being handled at the local Uganda Wildlife Authority Office in Rushaga – that will most like change in the near future and we will update it here.
Bweza gorilla family
The Bweza Gorilla Family is an example of another family feud that leads another new gorilla family setting up household in the Rushaga area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The group is 7 member strong and there are two infants. This group broke away from the Nshongi Family group because of too many misunderstandings within the group at the end of 2013. Now they can be tracked in the Rushaga area of the park.
Read More about Bweza Gorilla family
Nkuringo Gorilla trekking regionGorilla families in Bwindi
Nkuringo Gorilla family
Tracking the Nkuringo Gorilla Group takes a bit more energy and stamina. This is probably the toughest gorilla trek in Bwindi forest National Park. Yet there are not as many complaints about being exhausted. A better word would be exhilarated after the experience of a lifetime. Even a 94-year-old woman did complete this trek and fulfilled her lifelong dream of seeing the gorillas in the wild. She was however carried on a sedan chair by porters into the forest.
The Nkuringo group is a large group in the southern, scenic area of Nkuringo, a perfect region to trek for enthusiastic mountain climbers and fitness freaks – the terrain is steep! **Minimum fitness levels recommended**
Read more about the Nkuringo Gorilla Family
