Distance from Kisoro to Rushaga
The road distance from Kisoro to Rushaga is about 35km taking one 1 hour and about 30 minutes to access the region. Rushaga sector is part of the Bwindi impenetrable forest national park located on the southern side of Kisoro district. The region is the closest to Kisoro town and travelers can stay in town and keep time for tourism activities such as gorilla trekking which starts early in the morning in this sector.
Distance from Kisoro to Rushaga
Luxury travelers that are from Kisoro airstrip to Rushaga region will have to drive on a very rough and rocky road to access the sector while using good 4×4 safari vehicles. From Kisoro to Rushaga, one can use public means or company cars to access the region. Visiting Rushaga from Kisoro means gorilla trekking because the main attractions here are mountain gorillas however travelers can be part of other activities such as birding because the region is home to over 350 birds, cultural visits to Batwa, and also nature walks.
Are you a traveler already in Kisoro and would want to visit Rushaga Bwindi for different tourism activities? Well, we can organize for you a memorable safari and our experienced driver guide can pick you up from wherever you are to the region with the highest number of mountain gorillas. all you have to do is contact us via email with the activities you want and we shall organize them with the park authorities. For gorilla trekking activities, you will need a gorilla permit which you can book with us.
Activities to do in Rushaga from Kisoro
Gorilla trekking: Rushaga sector is one of the regions of Bwindi with the highest number of mountain gorilla families. Gorilla trekking is the main activity done in this region and travelers from Kisoro can be part of this one in a lifetime experience. Travelers that are staying in Kisoro and visiting Rushaga for gorilla trekking should know that they will wake up early in the morning to reach the park headquarters in time.
Encountering fully habituated mountain gorillas in Bwindi starts early in the morning at the briefing centre where trekkers gather to hear from the park wardens. The wardens are responsible for teaching trekkers the rules and regulations of the trekking activity, grouping of trekkers as well as allocation of the gorilla families. Some of the Gorilla families to include Bweza gorilla family, Kahungye gorilla family,
Each gorilla family is led by armed ranger guides who make sure that the mountain gorilla family is allocated; The search for the mountain gorilla family takes 2-7 hours and this depends on the location of the mountain gorilla family as well as the speed of trekkers. When the gorilla family is found, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around the group and this will enable them to learn about their habits, take photos and watch them do daily activities.
Spend four hours with Rushaga
Gorilla habituation: This is a rare gorilla activity only done in Bwindi gorilla park. In Rushaga sector, there is only one mountain gorilla family available for trekking and this is called Bikingi family. Travelers from Kisoro can habituate this gorilla family and be around the members for 4 hours while taking part in activities that make these apes get used to the human presence around them. To be part of the habituation from Kisoro, you need to be having a gorilla habituation permit which is from Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Birding: Travelers from Kisoro can be part of birding activities in Rushaga sector located in the southern side of the park. The birding activities in Rushaga region expose birders to over 350 bird species that have been recorded in this region and among them include endemic species that have not been seen anywhere but in the Albertine region. Travelers staying in Kisoro and would love to encounter birds in Rushaga will have to communicate with the park authorities to organize for them birding activities.
Birds to encounter in Rushaga from Kisoro include hottentot teal, shikra, augur buzzard, long-crested eagle, African hobby, cassins hawk eagle, black kite, hadada ibis, African hobby, African goshawk, southern pochard, scaly francolin, crowned hornbill, African pitta, olive pigeon, handsome francolin, olive pigeon, narina tragon, klass cuckoo, great blue turaco, tambourine dove, grey crowned crane, red chested cuckoo, common cuckoo, alpine swift, and scarce swift among others.
Batwa community tour: Travelers to Bwindi from Kisoro can be part of the community tours to the communities living nearby the park. there are different tribes living around Bwindi but the Batwa are the most liked because of their history. The Batwa are famous because they are said to have lived in the jungles of Bwindi together with the wild animals for a good period of time not until the government evicted them to protect the forest and endangered mountain gorillas.
The Batwa people live next to the park and a visit to their community is led by the local guides from their communities. These forts take you around the jungle for a short nature walk to enable you to know how they used to live and survive in the jungle. They will show you how different plants were used as local medicine to cure illnesses, the way they killed small animals for meat, and which fruits they ate. They will take you to their communities where you will interact with the members, be part of community activities, and in the end, you will be entertained by traditional dancers.
Best time to visit Bwindi from Kisoro
The best time to visit Bwindi from Kisoro is during the two dry seasons from June to September and December to February. These months are characterized by little or no rainfall that makes the trekking trails stay dry and passable, the vegetation is short and thin with brilliant views of the animals and birds while the roads connecting to the park are passable.
Bwindi gorilla park is also open for tourism activities during the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November. During this season, travelers should note that there is too much rainfall that makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall and thick with unclear views of the park animals and the roads connecting to the park are impassable.
