The Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southern part of the park. It has the highest number of habituated gorilla families compared to the other sectors. Explore our Uganda safari packages to see how a Rushaga trek fits into your trip.
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 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.
Rushaga Gorilla Trekking
Rushaga gorilla trekking takes place in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, located in southwestern Uganda.
Rushaga is one of the four sectors in Bwindi where tourists can trek mountain gorillas, and it’s popular for having the highest number of gorilla permits available per day.
Other gorilla trekking sectors in Bwindi include Buhoma, Ruhija, and Nkuringo.
Gorilla Habituation in Rushaga, Bwindi
Gorilla habituation allows for four hours of observation, compared to just one hour with normal trekking, giving visitors more time to take photos and learn about gorilla behavior.
Unlike trekking, which allows up to eight people, gorilla habituation is limited to only four people.
The day begins early with a briefing at the park headquarters. After the briefing, visitors start their hike into the forest to find the gorilla family, with hiking time depending on where the gorillas are and how fast the group can walk.
During the habituation process, researchers observe the behavior of each gorilla and give them names based on their character.
Although gorillas are calm and gentle, they can become aggressive if they feel unsafe, which is why visitors must act peacefully throughout the visit.
Gorilla Families to Trek in the Rushaga Sector of Bwindi
Busingye Gorilla Family: Formed when Silverback Rwigi had a conflict with Rumanzi from the Kahungye gorilla family. The group is named after Busingye Hill, where they live, and Rwigi left with 9 members to form this family.
Kahungye Gorilla Family: Opened for tourism in 2011, this group is named after Kahungye Hill in Rushaga, where they were first seen. At the time of habituation, the family had 27 members; it now has 17, after Rwigi broke away to start his own family.
Bweza Gorilla Family: Led by Silverback Kakano, this group separated from the Nshongi gorilla family. It now has 12 members, including 2 silverbacks, 4 blackbacks, 3 adult females, 1 subadult, and 2 infants.
Nshongi Gorilla Family: Once one of the largest gorilla groups, it later split when Silverback Kakano challenged Bweza and formed his own group. Named after the Nshongi River, where they were first seen, it now has 7 members, down from 18 before the split.
Mishaya Gorilla Family: Led by the well known Silverback Mishaya, famous for fighting other groups to add members to his own. Named after the Mishaya area in Bwindi, it now has 12 members, including one silverback.
Bikingi Gorilla Family: Currently being habituated in the Rushaga sector, this group is intended for visitors who want to take part in the habituation experience and spend more time with the gorillas.
Bushaho Gorilla Family: Originally set aside for habituation but now open for gorilla trekking. The group has 9 members and is led by Silverback Bahati, who was once part of the Nkuringo gorilla family, with some members also drawn from unhabituated families.
Rushaga Gorilla Permits
You will need Rushaga gorilla permits if you intend to trek gorillas in that particular sector. Gorilla permits in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi cost $800 per person, and gorilla habituation permits cost $1,500 per person.
Children under 15 or tourists with infections like the flu will not be allowed to trek gorillas.
The Rushaga sector is a popular choice for Kigali to Bwindi gorilla trekking tours.
When trekking mountain gorillas in the Rushaga region of Bwindi, it’s best to book a lodge within the Rushaga sector. Some lodges in this area include Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, and several others.
Other Activities in the Rushaga Region of Bwindi
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to around 348 bird species, some 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, spread across all four sectors of the park.
The park is also home to other animals besides mountain gorillas, including 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 in Rushaga
The Rushaga sector has several places to stay for tourists who want to spend the night in the forest. Some lodges in this area include Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, and Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.
Other lodges in the Rushaga area include Chameleon Hill Lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Heights Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, and Four Gorillas Lodge.
Best Time to Visit Rushaga
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, since the weather is better and there is less rain. See our full best time to visit Uganda guide for more detail.
Even during the dry season, the weather can still change quickly. Gorilla habitats sit at high altitudes, which means the area can be cold, so it’s 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, taking about four hours by road. From Kampala, the drive takes 8 to 9 hours, a longer and more tiring journey, but one full of adventure along the way.
