The Kahungye gorilla family is found in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The family was opened for gorilla trekking in October 2011, and within just 12 months, the group split, forming the Busingye gorilla family. Book a Uganda trek to see how a Kahungye visit fits into your safari.
The group gets its name from Kahungye Hills in the Rushaga sector, where they were first spotted by rangers. The family is led by the silverback Rumanzi, along with Rwigi and Ruhamuka.
How the Family Split and Changed Over Time
At the time of habituation, the group had 27 members but later split to create a new gorilla family called the Busingye gorilla group.
The Kahungye mountain gorilla family now consists of 17 members, including 3 silverbacks, 3 blackbacks, 3 adult females, 3 sub-adults, 3 juveniles, and 2 infants. It should be noted that the number of gorilla family members keeps changing due to splits, new members joining, deaths, or new births.
What Makes Kahungye Distinctive
Having three silverbacks within a single group is relatively unusual among mountain gorilla families, since most groups settle around one dominant male. This dynamic gives Kahungye a distinctive social structure, and trekkers visiting this family often get to observe the more complex interactions that come with multiple mature males sharing the same territory, from subtle displays of dominance to the cooperative dynamics that can develop between silverbacks who choose not to compete outright.
Trekking the Kahungye Family in Rushaga
Rushaga is known for having the highest number of habituated gorilla families in Bwindi, and Kahungye’s history of splitting into the Busingye family illustrates just how fluid these group dynamics can be over time. Because Rushaga is also close to the Rwandan border, it remains one of the more convenient sectors for travelers combining a Kigali arrival with gorilla trekking in Uganda.
Want to trek the Kahungye gorilla group? Explore Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park today, and book your permit well in advance given the consistently high demand for this sector’s gorilla families.
