Buhoma Gorilla Sector in Bwindi

Buhoma, being an exceptional sector among the other three regions, features the most famous and oldest trailheads and incredible tracking adventures in Uganda for mountain gorillas. It is situated in the northern side of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park set on an altitude of about 1500km above the sea level however, its regarded to be the first sector to host the first gorilla trekkers in 1993 when Mubare gorilla family was opened for tracking till date Buhoma remains the most visited and booked sector for gorilla trekking despite the opening of the other three sectors. The gorilla families in the Buhoma sector that are habituated include Mubare, Habinyanja, and Rushegura.

Gorilla families in the Buhoma Sector

Buhoma is the leading sector when it comes to tourism activities, such as gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and has one of the most prominent habituated gorilla family groups. The Buhoma sector has the following habituated mountain gorilla family groups, as shown in this blog;

Mubare Gorilla Family

Mubare group got its name from the most magnificent Mubare hills sometimes called the M group and had the first trekkers as early as 1993 yet the gorillas were habituated in 1991, having only twelve family members till their leader called Ruhondeza died; five of the gorillas remained in the family thereafter four other mountain gorillas joined the remaining five gorillas in the Mubare family group making it nine which were later led by Kanyonyi Silverback and Kashundwe as the infant in the family. It is the simplest gorilla family to track down, though it’s not on assurance that you won’t take hours to trek the gorillas in the forest; therefore, you can spend more than five hours doing the activity.

Rushegura Gorilla Family

This gorilla family is one of the largest, comprised of 21 members, which include a blackback, one silverback, two sub-adults, six juveniles, six infants, and five adult females. Hence first habituated in 2000 whereby it its first trekkers in 2002. It is also called R-group living near the park headquarters; however, the family members of this group tend to move far from the park boundary, making it take more hours to trek them down.

Habinyanja Gorilla Family

The Habinyanja gorilla family can also be called the H-group, comprising 18 members with two silverbacks. Even though these numbers keep multiplying due to the newly born babies, it is one of the first gorilla families habituated in Buhoma, being that the first group was habituated in 1997, and the very first trekkers visited in 1999.

Gorilla Trekking in Buhoma

Given that it is the oldest region in the area to receive tourists to do gorilla trekking, a safari to Buhoma is worth the unforgettable adventure, whether doing a group, individual, family, or couple trip. Buhoma has a number of accommodation facilities ranging from luxury to budget-friendly options, including Silverback Lodge, Buhoma Lodge, Mahogany Springs, Buhoma Gorilla Camp and many others; however, campsites are rare.

Gorilla trekking is the most popular activity in the northern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, basically done during dry seasons (June to September and December to February) for easier trails, activities, and photography. Buhoma has different habituated gorilla families, including Mubare, Habinyanja, and Rushegura.

Besides gorilla trekking, there are also other interesting activities to do in Buhoma, for example, nature walks on trails, bird watching, cultural encounters, making it more exciting to adventure and experience the mountain gorillas.

Are there other Gorilla Trekking Sectors apart from Buhoma?

Yes, there are other 3 Gorilla Trekking sectors apart from Buhoma, even though they are not in the same area code, but they can be easily accessed either through road transport or airstrips. These sectors include: Rushaga, Nkuringo, and Ruhija sectors; therefore, in this blog, you will explore them briefly, showing their location and mountain gorilla families in each sector.

Rushaga sector: This sector is found in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which has the highest number of mountain gorillas and only sector that offers a gorilla habituation experience. Rushaga sector has over 8 habituated gorilla families offering countless trekking opportunities since it has the least challenging terrains among the other sectors. This sector can be accessed from Kisoro and Kigali, Rwanda, using both road and air transport.

Ruhija sector: Ruhija is located in the eastern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, known for being less crowded and quieter than other sectors popular for gorilla trekking and bird watching. It has different habituated gorilla families, including Kyaguriro, Oruzogo, and Bitukura groups.

Nkuringo sector: The Nkuringo shares a border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the Rushaga sector, and it’s located in the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, accessible from nearby towns like Kisoro and Kabale. Nkuringo is a local word meaning “Rolling Hills,” and it’s a home of 10 habituated gorilla groups; therefore, it is one of the groups and the only gorilla family in this sector.

How to get to the Buhoma Sector and Away

Buhoma in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park takes an entire day drive from Entebbe or Kampala. Alternatively, there are scheduled flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip that land in Kihihi airfield, where you board a car that connects to Kisoro, covering one and a half hours to the destination.

However, you can drive 2 hours from Queen Elizabeth National Park using the southern part of Ishasha, making it most accessible to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, or connect to Ruhija in the Eastern part of the park, covering a 2-hour drive, or also track from the Nkuringo sector in the southern part, then connect to Buhoma approximately 3 hours.

Popular Trail heads in Buhoma

Buhoma has different trail heads that make it easy for tourists to trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, and these include the Rushura Hill Trail, the waterfall trail, which passes through the tree ferns, the Munyaga River trail in the valley of Buhoma, which is a short walk for bird watching, the Muzabajiro Loop trail, and the River Ivi trail, which emerges near Nkuringo in the southern part of the park.

In conclusion, Buhoma is one of the sectors with the best trail heads, gorilla families, considering the information given above, which we believe will give you the best gorilla safari in Uganda. Let us know how we can help you plan your African adventure.