1 Day Gorilla Trekking In Rushaga from Kigali
The 1 day gorilla trekking in Rushaga from Kigali presents a great opportunity for primate adventure seekers to embark on a journey to witness the family of mountain gorillas in the wild. Embarking on a short gorilla tour like this one is perfect for visitors with limited time. Starting your journey from Kigali to the Rushaga sector to enjoy a gorilla trek involves crossing the Chanika or Katuna border.
Connecting from Kigali to Rushaga sector in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to track mountain gorillas saves you a lot of time and money. Instead of traveling from the heart of Kampala/Entebbe to Bwindi for 8-9 hours, you get to spend only 4-5 hours driving from Kigali to the Rushaga region.
The 1 day gorilla trekking tour in Rushaga from Kigali is a special Uganda safari package worth booking by any enthusiastic primate adventure seeker with a desire to learn more about how mountain gorillas behave. Witnessing mountain gorillas in the wild is an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime.
The Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Travel from Kigali to the Rushaga sector to track gorillas and return
The actual journey to explore the Rushaga gorillas begins with an early departure from Kigali. Expect to meet an experienced and professional driver guide from Native Africa Tours for a warm welcome to the Land of a Thousand Hills. The professional gorilla tour guide will take you through a short briefing providing insights into what the 1-day gorilla trekking in Rushaga from Kigali is all about.
The briefing may be held when you have had your heavy breakfast or have it packed to take en route to the Rushaga sector. This travel plan involves border crossing, expect to set off early enough for a 4-5 hour drive.
Driving from Kigali to the Chanika border crossing provides easier access to Kisoro, then to the Rushaga sector. The Katuna border crossing leads to Kabale town, and you proceed to the Southern end of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Visitors should arrive at the Rushaga park offices by 7:00 am to join others for a briefing on gorilla trekking rules and regulations. The briefing session also includes the allocation of the park ranger guides to accompany you on a search for mountain gorillas. It also includes the allocation of gorilla families to be trekked in the Rushaga sector in Bwindi National Park.
The Real Adventure begins here
Expect to embark on the actual search for mountain gorillas at around 8:00 am, and the entire adventure may run for 2-6 hours. Gorilla trekking in Rushaga involves active participation, winding through the natural forest as you search for a family of mountain gorillas allocated to you by the park official.
The trek with mountain gorillas in the Rushaga sector takes you via the lush forest with no defined trails. You will also encounter a different altitude from the normal urban center or the savanna protected areas. It will be a thrilling trek and requires adequate time for you to have a successful round-trip journey.
After the long trek through the forest and now that you have come across a group of mountain gorillas, the park ranger guide present allows you to spend a maximum of 1 hour. The one-hour involves observing how mountain gorillas behave in their natural setting, taking pictures, and a lot more. The park ranger guide who is present can help make interpretation of the body gestures displayed by gorillas.
Once your 1-hour of observing how gorillas behave, expect to start walking back to where your trek began. Meet the park officials, plus your professional driver guide and a gorilla trekking certificate will be given to you. After the certificate awards, you can begin your journey back to Kigali.
Expect to reach Kigali a bit late, and you will be dropped off at your respective places to retire for the night or airport to wait for the late evening flight. But it would be better to have a rest in Kigali then connect to your next destination or fly back home.
The end of 1 day gorilla trekking in Rushaga from Kigali
What does the 1-day gorilla trekking tour in Rushaga from Kigali include?
A one-day Rushaga gorilla tour from Kigali includes a valid gorilla permit, a professional driver guide, a 4×4 tourist vehicle for transportation, park entrance fees, bottled drinking water, and more.
What is excluded from the one day gorilla trekking in Rushaga from Kigali?
The cost of the one-day gorilla trekking in Rushaga from Kigali excludes beverages, tips, insurance, laundry services, airfares, shopping expenses, and many others.
About the Rushaga sector in Bwindi
Rushaga sector is among the four regions in Bwindi National Park. It is in the sectors like Rushaga where gorilla trekking starts from with a briefing in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The rest of the trailheads or sectors include Ruhija, Nkuringo, and Buhoma.
Rushaga holds the highest concentration of gorilla groups compared to any region in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The gorilla families present in the Rushaga sector include Kahungye, Bikingi, Mishaya gorilla family, Nshongi, Busingye, Bweza, Kutu group, Rwigyi group, and others.
On the actual gorilla trekking in the Rushaga region, each of the habituated gorilla families is visited by a maximum of 8 (eight) guests. The number of visitors tracking gorillas is restricted to eight people so as to reduce any chances of behavioral change among gorillas.
When is the best time to go for gorilla trekking in Rushaga?
The ideal time for gorilla trekking is the peak dry season, a period when rainfall is scarce and the ground is drier and easier to walk through. A search for gorillas during the dry season is every primate adventure seeker’s desired time because of the favorable weather.
The dry months of the year extend from June to September and from December to February. Low or no rainfall and the vegetation less dense characterizes these months, while the ground remains relatively drier.
The dry months come with favorable weather compared to the wet or low months of the year. The wet months in the Rushaga sector occur from March to May, then from October to November. These are the months of the year when Bwindi records heavy rains, with the forest floor kept muddy or slippery.
What to take for gorilla trekking in Rushaga
Things to consider on your packing list for gorilla trekking in Rushaga include long-sleeved shirts, a camera, a sweater, a rain jacket, a waterproof daypack, a tin of insect repellent, sunglasses, sunscreen, and others.
How much is a Rushaga gorilla permit?
The cost of Rushaga gorilla trekking permits varies depending on the visitor category. The cost for foreign non-residents is USD 800; foreign residents pay USD 700; visitors from the Rest of Africa (mostly those outside the East African Community) pay USD 500; and East African Community members pay UGX 300,000 per person. Getting a gorilla permit grants you a chance to take part on the trek with Rushaga mountain gorillas.
Gorilla habituation in Rushaga
Rushaga is also popular for its enriching mountain gorilla habituation adventure. Gorilla habituation in the Rushaga sector involves spending more time in the jungle searching for a semi-habituated group of gorillas. It is through gorilla habituation when gorillas are made to get accustomed to human presence. With more time available, a visitor can have a combination of gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experience in the Rushaga region.
