The Rushaga sector of Bwindi is located in the southern part of the park. It has the highest number of habituated gorilla families compared to the other sectors.
Rushaga is very close to Rwanda, which makes it a good choice for travelers coming from Kigali for gorilla trekking tours. It is only a four-hour drive from Kigali.
Rushaga is one of the four sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where visitors can trek mountain gorillas. The other sectors are Nkuringo (west), Buhoma (north), and Ruhija (east).
To trek gorillas in Rushaga, you need to book a gorilla permit specifically for this sector.
Gorilla groups in Rushaga sector
Some of the well-known gorilla families in the Rushaga sector include:
- Busingye gorilla family: The name “Busingye” comes from a local word meaning “peace.” This family is led by the silverback Busingye, who is known for fighting other wild gorillas to gain more members. Busingye separated from the Kahungye gorilla family in 2012 to form his own group. Before the split, the Kahungye family had 27 members.
- Nshongi gorilla family: Nshongi was the largest habituated gorilla group in Bwindi when it was first opened for tracking in 2006. It had 36 members. The name “Nshongi” comes from a nearby river where the group was first seen. It was led by the silverback Nshongi. Later, another silverback named Mishaya left with 10 members to form his own group, reducing the Nshongi family to 25 members.
- Mishaya gorilla family: This family split from the Nshongi group. Silverback Mishaya took 10 members with him to create a new family. He often fought other gorilla groups to take their females. Mishaya died in 2014 at the age of 28, possibly due to injuries, although the exact cause is not clearly known. The group is now led by a silverback called Mwinne.
- Kahungye gorilla family: The Kahungye family now has 13 members after Busingye broke off to start his own group. It originally had 27 members and was led by the silverback Rumansizi. It is now led by another silverback named Gwigi, which means “door” in the local language.
Other activities in the Rushaga Region of Bwindi
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to around 348 bird species. Some of these birds are found only in this area. Birds that can be seen include the western green tinkerbird, Shelley’s greenbul, African green broadbill, red-throated alethe, grey cuckoo-shrike, fine-banded woodpecker, bar-tailed trogon, Kivu ground thrush, mountain yellow warbler, African wood owl, and many others. These birds are spread across all four sectors of the park.
The park is also home to other animals besides mountain gorillas. These include bushbucks, warthogs, bush pigs, forest elephants (rarely seen), giant forest genets, African civets, and 13 species of primates. The primates include vervet monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys.
Where to stay
The Rushaga sector has several places to stay for tourists who want to spend the night in the forest. Some of the lodges in this area include Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, and Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.
Best time to visit
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be visited any time of the year. However, the best time to go is during the dry months of June to August and December to February. These are the peak seasons because the weather is better and there is less rain.
Even during the dry season, the weather can still change quickly. Gorilla habitats are at high altitudes, which means the area can be cold. It is important to carry warm clothes, raincoats, hiking boots, garden gloves, drinking water, energy snacks, insect repellent, sunscreen, and other necessary items.
You can also hire porters at the park headquarters to help carry your items during the trek.
Rushaga is easy to reach from Kigali, Rwanda, and it takes about four hours by road. From Kampala, the drive takes 8 to 9 hours. It is long and tiring but full of adventure.
