Gorilla tours in Uganda are done in two beautiful national parks  Bwindi impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga national park.

Bwindi impenetrable national park is located in southwestern Uganda and is home to half of the remaining mountain gorillas in the world. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is divided into four sectors where gorilla tracking can be done while on a Uganda tour.

The Rushaga Sector is one of the most visited sectors and has about 8 habituated gorilla families (with seven gorilla permits reserved for gorilla trekking and one gorilla family reserved for gorilla habituation experience).

Gorilla Families in Rushaga Sector

Here are the brief details of gorilla families in the Rushaga Sector in Southern Bwindi Forest.

Bweza: Bweza gorilla family is composed of 12 individuals, 2 silverbacks, 2 female black blacks female adults, and infants and is headed by the dominant silverback kakemono. The group split from the Nshogi family due to many fights, the gorilla group was habituated in 2012 and opened for tourism in 2014.

Nshongi; the Nshongi gorilla group was once the largest gorilla group with about 35 members at the time it was first sighted at river Nshogi. Due to many fights in the family families like Bweza split and formed their families. The family currently has about 7 members that include 1 silverback, 2 female blackbacks, 1 subject, and infants Mishyaya also runs away with 10 members.

Mishaya; Mishaya gorilla family split from Nshogi after the fights and Mishaya run away with 12 individuals. Mishaya was known as a strong gorilla that would fight his fellow wild gorilla and grab the members of his family, the group started in 2010 under the leadership of Mishaya, he died in 2014 at age of 28 years and now the family is headed by dominant silverback Mwine

Bikyingi; this gorilla family was opened for tourism in 2018 after two years of habituation the family is composed of 15 individuals the

Rwigi; it’s one of the new gorilla trekking families in Rushaga sector the group also separated from the kahungye family and it comprises 6 members that include 2 female adults 2 juveniles 1 infant and headed is  by dominant  silverback called Rwigi.

Kahungye; kahungye gorilla family was the first sight at the hill in the Rushaga area called kahungye the group had about 27 members at the time of sight due to many fights and splits of families like Busingye   currently the family has 17 individuals that includes 3 silver backs, 3female adults  6 juveniles and 4 infants. It’s head by dominant silver back known as Rumanzi, followed by Gigi and Ruhamuka

Busingye; Busingye gorilla family derived its name from the local word Busingye which means peace. The gorilla family was known for fighting fellow gorillas to grab members and add to its group. The group separated from kahungye in 2012 and it comprises 9 members including 1 dominant silverback, 3 female adults 1 juvenile and the  4 infants.

Mucunguzi; Mucunguzi is the youngest and newest gorilla family in Rushaga sector it is split from the Bweza family and its name means savior. The family has 8 members.

Activities in the Rushaga Sector

Besides gorilla safaris, the Rushaga gorilla sector offers other tour activities like birding, nature walks, and cultural tours among other things.

Gorilla Habituation Experience

The Rushaga Sector is the only sector that offers gorilla habituation experience. The Kutu gorilla family is the family that is special of for habituation and is only limited for only four permits a day and visitors can spend four with these gentle apes either doing research. Unlike the normal gorilla perimit the habituation permit costs US$1500. This activity is only done in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park.

Bird Watching

Bwindi impenetrable national park offers the best of birding watching safari while on a Uganda tour, the forest has about 200 species of birds with a half of them migratory birds that move from DR Congo to Uganda and others are natives  Bwindi impenetrable forest  African big-headed blue bill, African blue turaco bird yellow thinker bird  crested guinea fall, pastis cuckoo shrinker, white-headed swing, Rwenzori baits, white-headed saw swing among others the birding watching trails in Bwindi are at mubwindi swamp, buhoma falls among other trails.

Cultural Encounters

On special arrangements, the with a tour operator, cultural tours can be arranged and the neighboring community around the park is Batwa. The Batwa people are famously known for living and surviving in the forest for more years but they were resettled for the forest to be used as the park, things to enjoy are to learn their stories, and encounter their dances among other things.

How to access the Rushaga Sector

The Rushaga Sector is found in the south of Bwindi impenetrable national park in southern Uganda and can be accessed from Kampala city the capital by road its about a 9-hour drive and about 500 km and it can also be accessed from Kigali city Rwanda about 50 km and 3 hours drive through kyanika border.

  Lake Mburo national park lies in the western region of Uganda Kiruhura district borders districts like Mbarara, and Isingiro. The park covers an area of 320 square kilometers of low land. Gorilla safaris in Uganda are done in two national parks Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga national park.

Lake Mburo national park was first gazetted as hunting grounds in 1933 for the local people in the area until it was upgraded as a game reserve in 1963. The local people continued grazing their animals in the game reserve, this land was later upgraded to a national park in 1983.

The park lies at the altitude of 1220m-1820 m above sea level and it covers an area of 320 square kilometers 20% of the park surface is occupied by wetlands. It’s among the smallest national parks in the country and the most visited national park in the country because of its hallmark of tourism activities. Some of the tourist activities you wouldn’t miss while on a  wildlife safari in Mburo national park are cycling, horseback riding, boat cruising, game drives, and fish spotting at the Rubale fishing community.

History of lake Mburo national park

 Lake Mburo national park originated from the story of two brothers who were living in the savannahs of Karo Karungi that’s Kigarama and Mburo, Kigarama had a dream that they were going to receive substantial rains which could cause floods and destroy property when he told the brother Mburo about it, he took it for granted, Kigarama decided to move to high land areas leaving the brother behind later the dream came true and the brother Mburo drowned thus the park is named after him. Avery interesting story you’ll listen to while on your safari in the Lake Mburo National Park.

ATTRACTIONS IN LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK

Wildlife

Lake Mburo National park is gifted with over 68 species of mammals which are mostly spotted and those which are occasional. The most spotted animal is impalas elands, and zebras, however other animals like buffaloes, Jackie’s, hyenas, and road antelopes can also be spotted; occasionally spotted animals are crocodiles hippos, and some bird species while doing boat cruises safaris.

Birding

  Lake Mburo National park is a habitat to over 313 various bird species suitable for birding safari. They can be spotted in the Rubaga forest. Most commonly spotted bird species are African wattle love, rufous napped, yellow-throated long claw among others this will make your birding safari very interesting

Game drives

Being located in the lowlands lake Mburo national park offers the best game drives in Uganda which is coupled with watching the famous animals in the park, mostly spotted animals while on game driving are impalas zebras, buffaloes, leopards, hyenas, and Jackie’s. Lake Mburo national park game drive experience will make a difference in your life for all your best safaris in Uganda.

Boat Cruising,

Boat cruising is also an activity one should not miss while on lake Mburo national park safari this activity is done at lake Mburo national park. This activity will give you a fantastic experience of viewing birds like a crested crane, aquatic animals like hippos and crocodiles, flora and fauna

Horseback riding

 Lake Mburo national park is the only park in Uganda that offers horseback driving which makes it unique and interesting. Horseback riding activity helps visitors to encounter and view the park fully. Wildlife safaris in Uganda can be spotted while on a horse riding activity animals like zebras and buffalos’ are the most napped. Horse riding activity can be arranged at Mihingo lodge

 Culture exploration for culture enthusiasts.

Visitors interested in cultural tours of Lake Mburo national park have over 10 local community groups living near the park. tourists in Mburo national park are given a chance to interact with the local community whereby they will be able to learn and experience cultural activities like Ankole dances, craft making, storytelling, and preparing there their meals. Cultural community visits can be arranged among the local community tourism projects around the park for example Igongo cultural center the hub of ankole culture, the Rwabarata drum making drum-making community, the Nshara community tourism group Masha community wildlife forum, and Rubale, the fishing community that offers adventurous spot fishing .cultural tourism in Uganda is so beautiful and an awesome encounter one should not miss while on a safari

 Where to stay while in Lake Mburo National park (Accommodations)

  Lake Mburo National park has got the best hotels and lodges among the national parks in Uganda. The lodges like any other are categorized in form of luxury, midrange, and budgeted among the midrange Rwakobo rock lodge, Acadia cottages, and Mantana tented camp.  For those who love to be unique, Lake Mburo National park offers luxury lodges which include Mihingo lodge and Lake Mburo safari lodge.

How to access Lake Mburo National Park

Getting to Lake Mburo national park is easiest since it’s the only park near Kampala city; the commonly used mean is road transport that’s only four and half hours a distance of 290km.  One can opt to use air transport, take a flight from kanjjasi airfield to Mbarara airstrip which takes about a half an hour and then our guide drivers will pick you from there to the park headquarters which is about one and half hour drive.

Tourists heading to Bwindi impenetrable national park for gorilla tours pass through Lake Mburo national park and can spot zebras along the way. Gorilla tours in East Africa are done in four national parks of volcanoes national park in Rwanda costs 1500$, Bwindi impenetrable national park, and Mgahinga national parks in Uganda at US$700 and Virunga national park at 400$ in Uganda. The prices attached are the cost of a gorilla permit in each country.

Chimpanzee tracking is the art of walking through the forests in search of chimpanzees and spending two hours with them.

Chimpanzee tracking in Queen Elizabeth national park has five prominent five ecosystems ranging from the thick forest in Kyambura gorge to the swamps along the Kazinga channel.

The Kyambura gorge also as known as the valley of apps found in Queen Elizabeth national park .it is found in the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park the best wildlife destination in Uganda. When you visit Kyambura gorge you will view the world differently from what you know. Its drained river Kyambura, it has rainforest underground near the equator and top area receive enough sunlight and this is has supported the growth of tropical rain forests. After the visit, you will have a lot of talks and write about the Kyambura gorge.

The type of vegetation in Kyambura valley is admirable to the lifestyle of this famous chimpanzee. It’s characterized by thick tall forests and underground forest vegetation that bear fruits which chimpanzees stay enjoyable because of the main fruit course fruits.

Kyambura gorge valley has a mobile community of chimpanzees not like in other Kibale forest national parks, Budongo forest, in 2014 about 24 individuals of chimpanzees were given names by the Uganda wildlife authority and habituated for tourism. Visitors are at a chance of 90 % to see these chimpanzees.

The fact thing about the chimpanzee in Kyambura gorge of Queen Elizabeth national park is that all of them are habituated and are familiar with human beings and can do their activities in presence of human beings. These kinds of chimpanzees are also found in Kibale national park but it’s by chance that habituated chimpanzees can be spotted because they are too many and mobile in the forest.

Besides these tall trees and fruitful in seasons, the tree branches are bent which makes it easy for the chimpanzee to build nests where they can leave and happily an easy work. The chimpanzees make nests by bending the tree branches together and connecting them to make them firm.

Chimpanzee tracking in Queen Elizabeth national park is done at two spots Kyambura as mentioned above and Kalinzu forests

Chimpanzee tracking in Kalinzu forest

Kalinzu forest is a forest reserve found in southwestern Uganda close to Maramagambao forest and Queen Elizabeth national park the best destination for an Uganda safari tour.

Kalinzu forest has beautiful abundant wildlife with over 365 bird species and animals like elephants that also visit the forest. The forest has five variety species of primates like baboons, chimpanzees, velvet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, patas monkeys, blue monkeys, and black and white Columbus monkeys. The forest has night creatures that visit it in search of breeding grounds, and fresh grass these include bush babies, bushbucks, reedbucks, elephants,  buffaloes waterbucks among others.

Chimpanzees are the prominent attractions in Kalinzu forest with 400 individuals. Currently, chimpanzees are found in 25 countries over the world. Chimpanzees are so interesting they share 98 % of human DNA and exactly behave like human beings

Chimpanzees live in large communities and can give birth after every 5 years and can take care of their kid up to the age of 12  unlike the gorillas it’s adolescents always the female adolescent chimpanzees that leave the community to join others.

Chimpanzee tracking and bird watching are the only tourism activities that draw visitors of Queen Elizabeth national park to Kalinzu forest. Kalinzu is a second conserved area with a high number of chimpanzees after Kibale forest national park and Budongo forest of Murchison falls national park. Kalinzu forest harbors about 400 Indi duals of which 50 of them are habituated and open for tourism.

The chimpanzee trucking permit in Queen Elizabeth national park can be got on the day of tracking unlike in Kibale national park where you have to book in advance. The chimpanzee trucking permit is 50 $ less than 150$ than that of Kibale forest national park.

Other activities in Queen Elizabeth national park other than chimpanzee trekking.

Viewing tree climbing lions

The ishasha sector is famous for tree climbing lions. The Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth national park is dominated by acacia trees with big branches which allow lions to climb and hung up there. ishasha sector is the only place in Uganda where you find tree climbing lions. The tree-climbing lions can also be seen in Manyara national park in Tanzania.

The ishasha sector is located in the south part of queen Elizabeth national park in western Uganda. ishasha sector has savannah grasslands and a magnificent landscape dominated by acacia trees where lions hang.

Boat cruising

Boat cruising is sailing on top water while viewing the beautiful scenery of the country while on the lake. boat cruising in Queen Elizabeth national park is done at Kazinga channel and takes about two hours while cruising on the lake enjoying life. Kazinga channel is popularly known as the best destination for birding. while on the boat will be able to see animals like hippos, crocodiles  water birds, and animals that gather to take water

Lake Katwe (salty lake)

Lake Katie is popularly known for salt mining, the only salt mining lake in Uganda. Situated in the northern peninsular of Mweya with queen Elizabeth national park. the unique crater lakes in Queen Elizabeth national park. while on a tour in queen Elizabeth national park you can request a rewardable eye-catch for attractive crater lakes of lake kale, Nyamunuka, Kikorongo, and Nyunga. Lake Katie over the years has been an interesting and attractive feature in the park and surprisingly the salty lake has no outlet to provide it with water and salt particles.

Game viewing  

Queen  Elizabeth national park has over   200 species of animals that can be seen at ease while on a game drive or game viewing. Animals in Queen Elizbeth national park can be seen in the morning while eating fresh green savannah or in the afternoon at the watering points while gathering to take water

Animals to be spotted in queen Elizabeth national park include the big four  (l lions, elephants, buffaloes, and leopards ) other than the big fours animals like sitatungas, impalas, elands, giraffes, antelopes, Uganda kops can be seen.