Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has been labeled the primate capital of the world, endowed with over 13 species of primates, including half of the population of the mountain gorillas.
The park also boasts various tree species, flowering plants, mammals, butterflies, ferns, and much more.
Mountain gorillas are close relatives of humans, sharing over 95% of their DNA with humans.
Trekking gorillas can be quite expensive, but those who have had the opportunity to encounter them have testified to an unforgettable life experience with these close relatives.
Best Area for Trekking Gorillas in Bwindi
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is divided into four sectors: Rushaga Sector, Nkuringo Sector, Ruhija Sector, and Buhoma Sector.
Determining the best sector for gorilla trekking is not easy because all these sectors have advantages and disadvantages, and the chance of trekking in a certain area will depend on the availability of gorilla permits.
Rushaga Sector
Rushaga sector of Bwindi has been labeled by many travelers as the best area for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
This sector offers the best scenic views.
Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has also been considered the best sector for gorilla trekking because tourists can participate in gorilla habituation here.
Gorilla habituation involves tourists joining researchers and rangers in the process of acclimating mountain gorillas to human presence.
This gives you an opportunity to spend four hours with a gorilla family.
Therefore, Rushaga is the best area for gorilla trekking, as you can combine gorilla habituation and gorilla trekking.
It is also easily accessible by tourists on gorilla trekking Uganda from Kigali.
Rushaga sector of Bwindi is also the best area for trekking mountain gorillas because it contains the largest number of habituated gorilla families compared to other areas in the park.
Hence, permits for trekking in Rushaga sector are not always scarce compared to Buhoma sector, as there are many permits available in a day, with eight families.
Rushaga sector is said to be the best region for gorilla trekking in Bwindi due to its accessibility.
Rushaga sector can easily be reached from Kigali International Airport in Rwanda within 4-5 hours, and the permits here are also cheaper compared to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
You can pay the price of gorilla trekking in Rwanda for gorilla habituation in Uganda.
Rushaga can be accessed from Kajjansi airfield or Entebbe International Airport through Kisoro airstrip.
Though travel by road to Rushaga from Kampala can be challenging, the panoramic views along the way are simply priceless.
In conclusion, all the areas of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park offer different but unique experiences, and gorilla trekking can be done in any sector.
The choice of where to trek depends on gorilla permit availability and tourists’ preferences.
Gorilla permits in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park cost $700 per person per trek, and this applies to all sectors of the park.
Gorilla habituation permits cost $1500 per person.
Children under the age of fifteen years or adults with infections like flu will not be allowed to trek with gorillas.
