Gorilla tours in Rushaga sector involve engaging in different activities during the search for the mountain gorillas of Uganda. The Rushaga sector is part of the four sectors of Bwindi national park where mountain gorillas can be seen in their natural habitat. Other sectors of the national park include Buhoma sector, Ruhija sector and Nkuringo sector.
When visiting Bwindi national park for gorilla tours in the Rushaga sector, tourists explore the southern part of the national park where the sector is located. It is among the popular sectors of Bwindi and is also the only one where gorilla habituation is done during safaris.
Individuals below the age of 15years are not allowed to engage in gorilla tours in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi national park. The permits needed for the gorilla tours in the national park can be booked through licensed tour operators in Uganda and they are issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
Gorilla families in Rushaga sector
The different gorilla families which tourists can interact with during gorilla tours in the Rushaga sector include the following;
- Nshongi gorilla group
Nshongi gorilla group is among the largest group of habituated gorillas which can be visited during gorilla tours in the Rushaga sector.
There are about 32 individuals in the Nshongi gorilla group which tourists can encounter as they visit Rushaga sector for gorilla trekking.
- Busingye gorilla group
During gorilla tours in Rushaga sector, tourists can also interact with gorillas from the Busingye gorilla group which has about 8 members.
- Mishaya gorilla group
Tourists during gorilla tours in the Rushaga sector can also visit the Mishaya gorilla group which has about 8 members.
The Mishaya gorilla group was named after silverback called Mishaya and the group split from Nshongi gorilla family.
- Kahungye gorilla group
Kahungye gorilla group has about 25 members and is another large habituated group of gorillas in the Rushaga sector.
The silverback who leads the Kahungye group is known as Ruziika who is the dominant silverback in the group.
- Bweza gorilla group
There are about 15 members who can be seen when visiting the Bweza gorilla group in Rushaga sector of Bwindi national park.
The name of the silverback who leads the Bweza gorilla family in Bwindi national park is Kakono
Activities to do around Rushaga sector
During gorilla tours in Rushaga sector, there are different activities which can be done and they include the following;
- Gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector
Gorilla trekking is the popular activity that tourists engage in during gorilla tours around the Rushaga sector.
During the gorilla trekking experience in Rushaga sector, tourists are briefed at the park headquarters and trek into the forest to search for the mountain gorillas in the Bwindi impenetrable forest where they can also encounter other primates and different bird species.
Tourists visit the gorilla families of Rushaga sector in groups of 8 accompanied by ranger guides and spend 1 hour watching the gorillas and taking their photos and enjoying being in the presence of the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
- Gorilla habituation in Rushaga sector
Tourists during gorilla tours in Rushaga sector also take part in gorilla habituation experiences and spend 4 hours in the presence of the gorillas.
Gorilla habituation experiences in Rushaga sector is a process during which tourists and researchers as well a s ranger guides visit the non habituated gorillas to get them used to the presence of humans in their natural habitat.
This activity makes it easier to monitor the gorillas and also observe their behavior and allows tourists to have more time with the gorillas in Bwindi national park. gorilla habituation also starts with a briefing at the park headquarters before visiting the gorillas.
- Hiking in Rushaga
Another activity which takes place during gorilla tours in Rushaga sector is hiking along the different trails in Bwindi national park.
Hiking in Rushaga takes about 3 to 4 hours during tours in Bwindi national park and tourists can also encounter primates in the Bwindi forest and also see different attractions such as waterfalls during the activity.
- Bird watching in Rushaga
Rushaga sector is home to different bird species which can be spotted during bird watching tours around Bwindi national park.
Some of the birds found in Rushaga sector include the Rwenzori Turaco and many others.
- Community tours in Rushaga
Tourists can also interact with the local community around Rushaga sector such as the Batwa and the Bakiga during their gorilla tours in Bwindi national park.
During the community tours in Rushaga, tourists can get to know more about the culture of the Batwa and the Bakiga and also engage in activities such as learning how to prepare local food, making local gin, visiting the local farms, learning how to hunt with Batwa guides, getting to know more about the local herbs used by medicine men to treat different diseases, basket weaving and also enjoying traditional dance performances.
Cost of gorilla tours in Rushaga sector
The gorilla tours in Rushaga sector costs are as follows;
Tourists engaging in gorilla trekking in Rushaga sector are charged a fee of 800 USD per person for gorilla permits for foreign nonresidents, 700 USD for foreign residents and 300,000 Uganda shillings for gorilla permits for East African citizens. Citizens from the rest of Africa are charged a fee of 500 USD per person for gorilla trekking permits.
For gorilla habituation tours in Rushaga sector, tourists are charged permit fee of 1500 USD for foreign nonresidents, 1000 USD for foreign residents and 750,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens visiting Bwindi national park.
How to get to Rushaga sector
The Rushaga sector can be accessed by driving and also by flight during gorilla tours in Bwindi national park.
Flights to Rushaga sector can be got from Entebbe international airport to Kisoro airstrip in the southern part of Bwindi national park.
Driving to Rushaga sector can be done from Entebbe using the Kampala-Mabrara-Kabale-Kisoro route which takes about 9 hours or from Rwanda via the Cyanika border.
