
Best Area For Gorilla Trekking In Bwindi
What is the best area / sector / region for gorilla trekking In Bwindi? Bwindi impenetrable forest national park has been labeled as the primate capital of the world endowed with over 13 primates among which include more than half of the remaining gorilla population of endangered mountain gorillas. The national park is home to 120 mammal species, 230 species of butterflies, 340 species of birds, geckos, chameleons, 30 species of frogs, over 1000 species of plants these include 170 species of trees,105 species of ferns and so much more.
Mountain gorillas are human close relatives sharing more than 98% human DNA, trekking mountain gorillas is the most expensive tourism activity in Africa but a few who have encountered have testified to an unforgettable life experience with these giant apes.
The best area for trekking gorillas in Bwindi
Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is divided into four sectors of Rushaga sector, the Ruhija sector, Buhoma sector, and Nkuringo sector. Determining the best sector for gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is not easy because all these sectors have advantages and disadvantages and the opportunity of trekking in a certain area will depend on the availability of gorilla trekking permits.
Rushaga sector
Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park has been labeled by many travelers as the best area to trek mountain gorillas from while in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, this sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park offers the best attractive views of the park. Rushaga sector is located in the southern part of the park and has been called the best sector for gorilla trekking because this is where tourists can take part in the gorilla habituation process.
Gorilla habituation involves tourists joining a group of researchers, conservationists, scientists, and rangers in the process of making mountain gorillas get used to human presence, this gives you a chance of spending a maximum of four hours with a mountain gorilla family hence Rushaga sector is the best area for gorilla trekking as you can either do gorilla habituation or gorilla trekking.
Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park is also the best area for trekking mountain gorillas because it has the largest number of habituated gorilla groups compared to other areas in the park hence the gorilla trekking permits in the Rushaga sector are not always scarce compared to Buhoma sector as there are many permits available in a day.
Rushaga sector is said to be the best region for gorilla trekking in Bwindi due to its easy accessibility, Rushaga sector can be easily accessed from Kigali international airport Rwanda within 4-5 hours drive and the permits here are also cheaper compared to volcanoes national park in Rwanda. From Entebbe international airport you can also access the Rushaga sector of Bwindi by flying to Kisoro airstrip. Though traveling from Entebbe to Rushaga by road can be hectic the panoramic views on the way are simply priceless.
In conclusion, all the areas of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park offer different but unique experiences and gorilla trekking can be done in any sector. The choice of where to trek from depends on gorilla permits availability and the tourists choice
Price of the permits
Gorilla permits in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park cost $700 for foreign nonresidents, $600 foreign residents, and shs250,000 East African citizens and this applies to all sectors. Gorilla habituation permits cost $1500. Persons under the age of 15 are not allowed and also people with infectious diseases such as flu, cough, and diarrhea will not be allowed to trek.
Best time to trek mountain gorillas
Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can be visited at any time of the year but the best time to visit this area is during the dry season which occurs from June to September and December to January. It’s during these months that the roads are accessible and the trails are dry.
What to pack for gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking in Rushaga requires physical fitness and you need to come along with enough drinking water, energy-giving snacks, good quality camera, insect repellents, good waterproof hiking shoes, pair of gaiters, sunscreen, face mask, sanitizer, a hat, garden gloves, long-sleeved clothes, hiking pants and much more