What to do in Rushaga after gorilla trekking safari
What to do in Rushaga after gorilla trekking safari: Rushaga sector is located in the southern part of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park and is one of the 4 sectors of the park where mountain gorilla trekking is done from. The other sectors of Bwindi where mountain gorilla trekking is done are Buhoma, Nkuringo, and Ruhija. The sector is home to gorilla families such as Nshongi, Mishaya, Bweza, Busingye, and Kahungye which are available for trekking. Bikingi gorilla family is the only gorilla family in Rushaga that is available for habituation purposes.
Mountain gorilla trekking is the main activity done in the region but there are other activities that are done in the park and these include.
Gorilla habituation.
Gorilla habituation in Rushaga after gorilla trekking is only possible if you had booked the habituation permit in advance. When booking the gorilla trekking permit you should also book the gorilla habituation permit for the permits must be bought in advance or before arriving in the country. The gorilla habituation permit is bought at a fee of $1500 for foreign non-residents, $1000 foreign residents, and UGX750,000 citizens of East Africa.
The gorilla habituation is only done by those that have a trekking permit and the activity enables travelers to spend 4 hours with a different gorilla family after trekking a day before. The habituation starts early in the morning in Rushaga sector and only 1 group called Bikingi gorilla family. The trekkers are first briefed about the activity and armed ranger guides lead them into the jungle.
While in the jungle searching for Bikingi gorilla family that can even take 2-7 hours, the trekkers are able to meet different animals such as buffaloes, bushpigs, duikers, elephants, giant forest hogs, jackals, otters, bats, birds, and different plant species. The moment Bikingi gorilla family is located, the trekkers are given 4 hours to be with mountain gorillas, make them used to human presence, take photos, learn about their habits and spot them do daily activities.
Birding
Bwindi is home to more than 350 bird species that have been recorded in the park and these can be seen in all the regions including Rushaga. A birding exercise after gorilla trekking in Rushaga is one of the best ways to encounter different birds in the region. Bird watching is good when carried out in the morning in the Rushaga region.
Birds to encounter in Rushaga sector of Bwindi include African emerald cuckoo, shelly’s greenbul, short-tailed warbler, archer’s robin chat, white-tailed blue flycatchers, mountain yellow warblers, yellow-eyed black catcher, chapin’s flycatcher, African blue flycatcher, collared apalis, tit hylia, kivu ground thrush, strange weaver, garners warblers, dusky twinspot, African blue flycatcher, dusky crimsonwing, black bee-eater, strip breasted tit, dwarf honeyguide, and African wood owl among others.
A giuded nature walk through Bwindi Forest
Nature walks
After mountain gorilla trekking, nature walks are other activities you should be part of in order to know more about the park. During the nature walks, you must follow the armed ranger guide through different hiking trails in the sector because they protect you from dangerous wild animals. Some of the hiking trails in Rushaga take you to lake mutanda where you can have a good view of the lake, and be part of the activities that are done at the lake such as canoeing, fishing, and birding among others. Nature walks help tourists encounter different park mammals, birds, primates, and plants on foot.
Batwa community visit
After gorilla trekking, Batwa cultural tour is an activity you should do before leaving Rushaga gorilla sector. The Batwa community visit around the park boundaries will give you an opportunity to interact with the local people, listen to stories of long ago, and get entertained by the traditional dancers. The community visit is led by local guides that lead you to the community and take you around the forest, homesteads, and gift shops.
Where to stay on a gorilla trekking safari in Rushaga
There are so many accommodation facilities around Rushaga sector where travelers can stay while on a gorilla trekking safari and these range from budget to mid-range to luxury options so where to stay depends on your budget. The accommodation facilities in Rushaga sector include 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 have a gorilla trekking safari in Rushaga sector
Gorilla trekking safari in Rushaga sector can be done at any time of the year but there are months that are better than the rest. The dry months are the best to visit Rushaga sector because there is little or no rainfall during those months. The trekking trails are dry, the vegetation is thin with good views of the animals and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Travelers most especially the budget ones can visit Bwindi gorilla park and trek mountain gorillas in the Rushaga region in the rainy seasons to enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities. However, during the rainy season, the trekking trails are muddy and slippery, the vegetation is thick and tall with unclear views of the park animals and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
A drive through Impenetrable Forest of Bwindi
Accessing Rushaga sector
Travelers can get to Rushaga sector of Bwindi gorilla park in just a single day using road transport or air transport. The quickest way to get to Rushaga is using air transport and to use t you need to book your flight in advance. The flights to Rushaga sector start from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe international airport and land at Kisoro airstrip from where a driver-guide drives you to the sector in a few hours.
Travelers can connect to Rushaga using road transport from Kigali or Kampala. To connect from Kigali to Rushaga sector, you must cross to Uganda using Katuna border in Kabale and from there you will drive to the sector. Travelers from Entebbe/Kampala will have to drive via Masaka, Mbarara to Kabale, and connect to Rushaga sector.
