Gorilla Trekking Family Allocation

Uganda the pearl of Africa is home to 19-gorilla families habituated for trekking in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park both in southwestern Uganda. Gorilla groups in Bwindi are split into four sectors and these include Mubare, Habiyanja, and Rushegura in Buhoma, Oruzogo, Bitukura, and Kyaguliro in Ruhija, Nshongi, Mishaya, Kahungye, Busingye, and Bweza in Rushaga sector. Also, Rushaga has 2 gorilla families named Bikyingi and Bushaho that are undergoing habituation experience while the Nkuringo sector shelters the Nkuringo gorilla family. On the other hand, Mgahinga is home to 1 family named Nyakagyezi and has presently settled for trekking unlike in the past when it would cross to Rwanda and Congo, which made its trekking difficult. Gorilla trekking family allocation is therefore done in response to the purchased permit of a specified sector in Uganda, unlike Rwanda which has one habituated gorilla family regardless of the members that are in that family.

How are gorilla families allocated?

In the past gorilla families were allocated randomly but recently, several parameters are being used when allocating gorilla trekking families. Gorilla trekking in Uganda is usually done by allocating visitors specific Gorilla families to visit and this is now done on the ground on the day of trekking by park wardens and rangers

The gorilla trekking families are allocated during the briefing exercise where the gorilla safari undertakers who are adventurous and strong enough to be allocated treks that may seem strenuous than those who are quite elderly and those who are not physically fit for easier families to trek.

Know about gorilla family sectors

In Uganda gorilla trekking family allocation is distributed according to the different sectors which inhabit habituated gorillas thus Whichever gorilla destination you choose to go for gorilla trekking, you are assured of a close encounter with one of the gorilla families in that habitat.

Therefore Gorilla sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable National park thus include;

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has four different sectors in the east, north, and south where different sectors have been attributed to different families for ages which have grown into families for trekking and habituation making gorilla trekking a remarkable history in the region for their distinctive uniqueness in Uganda and neighboring countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the northern part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park lies Buhoma which is a habitat for gorilla families like; Mubare gorilla family with 11 family members, Rushegura with 19 family members, and Habiyanja family with 18 family members all of which were habituated and basically recommended for tracking.

In the south, it’s where we find the Rushaga sector which is a habitat for families like Bweza with 12 family members, Busingye with 9 family members, Nsongi with 7 family members, Kahugye with 17 family members, Mishaya with 12 family members all these families have been habituated and are available for trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

More so in the south, another family was habituated in Nkuringo part and this consist of Bushaho with 8 family members, Nkuringo family with 12 family members however there a new family that is still undergoing habituation which Bikingi with 15 family members and being taught the different ways of relating to man and the surrounding environment.

Ruhija family lies in the east part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park with habituation families of BItukura with 13 family members, Kyaguliro with 20 family members, and Oruzogo with 17 family members.

Considering your health status and level of fitness

Allocation of gorilla families to trek is done at a briefing where visitors are assessed their level of fitness to help them best enjoy their stay and carry out their intended exploration thus worry not on the time for the exercise and more so mountain gorillas can be tracked by people who are physically impaired or amputated because there have been provisions made to offer extra support to those in needy for example use of Sedan chairs have been introduced to carry you along the trail to and back for trekking in the jungle, stretchers made out of bamboo are the other support features for unfit clients thus these extra support equipment’s can be borrowed from the park headquarters at a minimum cost depending on the distance, terrain, and weight of the client.

Each day, a gorilla family is visited by a group of eight people and the interaction lasts for an hour. Gorilla families differ regarding their size, location, names, and history hence interaction with each family rewards you with an exceptional experience.

Gorilla tracking is a life-changing experience; a chance to meet face to face with critically endangered mountain gorillas in their natural habitats.