One of Uganda’s main attractions as a tourist destination are the endangered mountain gorillas. The population size of Uganda’s mountain gorilla groups is recovering slowly, but steadily. While supporting the efforts made by the Ugandan government and international organizations, Instinct Safaris supports a sustainable growth of gorilla numbers. As a traveler, the opportunity to meet the bulky giants and look into their dark brown eyes in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, both in south western Uganda, cannot be missed. The Albertine Rift is home to about 700 individuals who survived the human expansions into the dense rain forests of the region and most of it being converted into farm land in the past.
Today, mountain gorilla trekking is among the most important pillars of Ugandan tourism. At the moment, there are 12 habituated or soon to be habituated mountain gorilla groups which can be trekked on a safari with us. In an extensive procedure, the gorilla families got used to the presence of humans, and are now able to mostly ignore the presence of humans and the clicking sounds of cameras in the rain forest.
Mountain Gorilla Groups in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park:
Habinyanja, Rushegura, and Mubare gorilla groups can be trekked from the northern borders of Bwindi forest, at Buhoma.
The southern or south western sector of Bwindi National Park include Nkuringo, Kahungye, Mishaya, Nshongi, and Bweza groups. They can be trekked starting in Nkuringo village.
From Ruhija in the north eastern part of the national park, there are two mountain gorilla groups – Bitukura and Orujogo – for daily trekking and Kyaguriro group, which is specifically for research.
Mountain Gorilla Groups in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park:
In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, at the foothill of the volcanic Virunga range, Nyakagezi group can be trekked. It is notable, that mountain gorilla groups residing in the Virunga region are free to move between the three countries Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo.
All other gorilla groups remain wild groups living in the misty rain forest Bwindi. At the end of the high seasons for tourism in Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority often reduces the fees for mountain gorilla trekking. This way, even backpackers with a smaller budget do not have to leave the country without seeing the mountain gorillas! Ask us for more details.
