Ruhija gorilla trekking sector

Ruhija gorilla trekking sector

Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is one of the four mountain gorilla trekking sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park situated in the south western region of Uganda, Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is located on the eastern border of the park and lieing in between buhoma sector in north region of Bwindi impenetrable national park and kibale town in the north. Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is a scenic sector dominated by forest thus creating a conducive home for mountain gorillas, Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is a home to three habituated gorilla families. These families underwent through habituation process making them comfortable for gorilla trekking and presence of human beings.

Mountain gorilla families trekked in Ruhija gorilla trekking sector include

Bitukura gorilla family

Bitukura gorilla family is an interesting gorilla family habituated in 2007 living and trekked in Ruhija gorilla trekking sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park, during the time of its habituation Bitukura was a big group of 24 members but due to disputes the group lost some of its members. Currently the group consists 14 members with 4 silverbacks, four adult females, two juveniles, three infants and 1 baby.

Kyaguriro gorilla family

Kyaguriro gorilla family is a habituated gorilla group in Ruhija gorilla trekking sector reserved for reserve that is why it is least visited by trekkers, during the time of habituation the group was among the big families in Bwindi impenetrable national park under the leadership of its silverback Kyaguliro. After the death of Kyaguliro silverback who was struck by lightening the group split into two families that is Kyaguliro A and Kyaguliro. Kyaguliro A is a group of 10 members with 1 silverback, 2 black backs, 3 adult females, 2 juveniles and 2 infants under the leadership of silverback Rukara. Kyaguliro B is a group of 10 members under the leadership of silverback Mukiza with 1 silverback, 4 adult’s females, 1 adult and 4 infants.

Oruzogo gorilla family

Oruzogo gorilla family is relatively a big mountain gorilla family of 17 members opened for trekking in 2011, this family is one the most interesting gorilla families in Bwindi impenetrable national park because of its playful and joyful members.

Activities in Ruhija gorilla trekking sector

Ruhija gorilla trekking sector offers many safari activities to tourist visiting the sector, these activities are entertaining and breathtaking. They include

Mountain gorilla trekking

Mountain gorilla trekking is the main safari activity offered and loved by many tourists visiting the park, mountain gorilla trekking in this sector is a hike in the forests in search for mountain gorillas in the three mountain gorilla families which are situated in this sector. In Ruhija gorilla trekking sector there is 3 habituated gorilla families which are trekked on this activity in a group of 8 people, on a daily basis there is 24 gorilla trekking permit available for the trekkers. 

Bird watching

Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is an amazing bird watching area in Bwindi impenetrable national park, the sector is forested which makes it a great home for birds and it has been recognized as an important bird area in Uganda. Bird watching in Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is done amidst the tree forests, with a help of binoculars you easily spot many birds such as bush shrike, starred robin, yellow streaked greenbul, hornbills, Turacos, Dusky Crimson Wing and yellow-eyed black fly-catcher, Jameson’s Antpecker, Pink-footed Puff back, Waller’s Starling, Crested Guinea fowl, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Grey Crowned Crane, White-headed Saw-wing, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, African Olive-pigeon, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Petit’s Cuckoo-shrike, Cassin’s Flycatcher, Ruwenzori Batis, Ansorge’s Greenbul, Klaas’s Cuckoo, White-throated Greenbul, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat, African Paradise flycatcher, Cape Wagtail, Mountain Wagtail, Yellow-fronted Canary, Archer’s Robin-chat, Dusky Twin spot, Brown-capped Weaver, Vieillot’s Black Weaver, Lühder’s Bush-shrike, Mackinnon’s Shrike, Blue Spotted wood dove, Tambourine dove, Handsome francolin, Helmeted guinea fowl, African Goshawk, Sooty Falcon, Great Blue Turaco, African Wood-owl, African Pygmy-kingfisher, Double-toothed Barbet, Elliot’s Woodpecker, Yellow-whiskered, African Flycatcher-chat, African Dusky Flycatcher, Ross’s Turaco, Black Bee-eater, Grey-cheeked Hornbill, Angolan Swallow, African, Broadbill, White-eyed Slaty-flycatcher, African Hill-babbler, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, African Citril and many more.

Forest walks

Ruhija gorilla trekking sector offers amazing forest walks through the cool breeze filled forests of the park, a walk in this sector is a chance for you to discover many attractive gems hidden in the forests. Walking through the forests you encounter features like waterfalls, caves, rocks and many bird species. Forest walks in Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is both a chance to enjoy the serenity of the forests and doing exercises at the same time.

Batwa pygmy encounters

While in Ruhija gorilla trekking sector you visit batwa communities, the batwa people are the early inhabitants of the forests of the sector until they were evacuated from the forest when they gazetted the area as a protected area. The batwa pygmy people live on the boundaries of Bwindi impenetrable national park and when visiting these communities you enjoy the numerous traditional practices like honey collecting, picking of medicine herbs, building houses using local materials and many more. Visiting the batwa communities gives traditional experience of Ruhija gorilla trekking sector.

How to get to Ruhija gorilla trekking sector

Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is located between buhoma gorilla trekking sector in the north of the Bwindi impenetrable national park and kibale in the East, because of the attraction of the sector it is easily accessed by road and air. By road Ruhija gorilla trekking sector is reached using routes such as Kampala via kabale route and Kampala via rukungiri, kihihi, Butogota to Ruhija route. By air the sector is connected to using domestic flights from Entebbe international airport and kajjansi airstrip to kihihi airstrip and then drive for 2 hours to the sector.    

Where to stay in Ruhija gorilla trekking sector

Many tourists visit Ruhija gorilla trekking sector for safari activities especially mountain gorilla trekking, in this sector accommodation is got from  Gorilla Mist Camp, Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Cuckooland Tented Camp, Broadbill Forest Camp, Trekkers Tavern and Gift Nature Lodge and many more.