Trekking Kahungye gorilla family
Trekking Kahungye gorilla family: Kahungye gorilla group is one of the many other gorilla groups found in Rushaga sector of Bwindi gorilla park. The family is among the 21 families that have been so far habituated in the whole of Bwindi park. Bwindi gorilla park is found in the southwestern part of Uganda and is famous for harboring the highest population of mountain gorillas in the whole world. Bwindi is located near on the borders of DR Congo and Uganda near Mgahinga gorilla park, and volcanoes national park all harboring mountain gorillas.
Kahungye gorilla family started habituation in 2009 and after 2 years it was open for tourism purposes. The family was named Kahungye because it was first sighted at Kahungye hill in Bwindi gorilla park. Initially, Kahungye gorilla group had over 27 members led by Ruhemuka who died in 2013. While in the process of habituation, this group split to form two groups and the other part of Kahungye is now called Busingye gorilla family.
Busingye left with 10 members and Kahungye gorilla group was left with 17 members. Gwigi is the silverback leading Kahungye gorilla group whose members keep changing because of the new borns, deaths, new members coming into the group, and old members entering the group. Kahungye gorilla group lives in Rushaga family together with nshongi, mishaya family, busingye gorilla group, and bweza. All the gorilla families in this region can be trekked at any time of the year including kahunye gorilla group.
Trekking Kahungye gorilla group
Trekking in Rushaga sector of Bwindi gorilla park starts with a briefing at the sector offices where trekkers must report early in the morning after breakfast in their lodges. The trekking activity starts with a briefing where trekkers are taught about the rules and regulations of the trekking activity and then grouping is done. If you want to trek Kahungye gorilla group, you will have to inform your local tour operator so that they inform the wardens.
All treks in Rushaga region are led by armed ranger guides who take trekkers to the jungle to search for Kahungye gorilla group. The search for Kahungye gorilla group takes 2-7 hours of going through different trails of the park, meeting different park mammals, primates, and birds. When the gorilla family is located, trekkers rea given 1 hour to be around it watch the members do daily activities, take photos and learn about their habits.
How much are gorilla permits for Kahungye gorilla family?
Just like any other gorilla family, Kahungye permits do cost $700 for foreign non-residents, $600 for foreign residents, and UGX250,000 East African citizens. The trekking permits for all gorilla families in Bwindi gorilla park are sold at Uganda Wildlife Authority but can be quickly and easily got by a trusted local tour operator.
How to book gorilla permits for Kahungye gorilla group?
After getting a trusted local tour operator, you will have to send them an email including Kahungye gorilla group as the family you want to trek, dates of the month, and year you want to trek the family. They will use this information to check for the availability of the gorilla permits at the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Once the permits are available, you will receive an email with banking details of how you can send the money for the permits and once they have received it, they will book a permit for you.
What to pack for Kahungye gorilla family trekking?
In order to have the best safari in Bwindi gorilla park, travelers must come well equipped with all their travel operators might have asked them to pack. These include waterproof hiking shoes, cotton stocks, a pair of gaiters, garden gloves, a rain jacket, insect repellents, a camera, a pair of binoculars, sunscreen, drinking water bottle, and energy-giving snacks.
Where to stay before or after trekking Kahungye gorilla family?
Kahungye gorilla group is found in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi gorilla park and this region has a lot of accommodation facilities where travelers can stay during a gorilla safari. These do range from budget to mid-range to luxury options like Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, Four Gorillas Lodge, Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Gorilla Valley Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Nsongi Camp, Rushaga Gorilla Haven Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Resort, and Wagtail Eco Safari Lodge.
When to trek Kahungye gorilla group?
Like any other gorilla groups, Kahungye gorilla family can be trekked at any time of the year but there are months that are better than the rest. The dry months that occur from June to September and December to February are the best to trek Kahungye gorilla group because during these months, there is little or no rainfall that leaves the trekking trails dry, the vegetation is thin with clear views of the park animals and the roads leading to the park are in good condition.
Travelers can still visit Bwindi gorilla park to trek this gorilla group in the rainy season and enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities. Travelers should know that during the rainy season, the roads leading to the park are impassable, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery and the vegetation is thick with poor views of the park animals.
Accessing Kahungye gorilla family in Rushaga
Rushaga sector in Bwindi gorilla park can be accessed using road transport means from Kampala via Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kabale, and Kisoro. Rushaga sector can be reached using dirt roads leading west from muko north of Kisoro town. Travelers from Rwanda will cross to Uganda using cyanika border in Kisoro where they will branch of Rushaga sector and trek Kahungye gorilla family.
Luxury travelers and those that hate traveling long distances don’t have to worry about how they will reach Rushaga sector and trek Kahungye gorilla family. There are chattered flights by different airline companies that organize flights to Kisoro airstrip every day. From Kisoro u will use road transport means to get to Rushaga sector where you will trek Kahungye family.