The Nkuringo Gorilla Family: Complete Guide

Silverback Rafiki: A Conservation Story

No gorilla in Uganda has left a deeper mark on the conservation community than Rafiki — the silverback who led the Nkuringo family for years until his killing by poachers on the 1st of June 2020. Rafiki, whose name means “friend” in Swahili, was not a metaphor. He was a specific gorilla: a large, calm, confident male who had been observed, photographed, and trekked by thousands of visitors across his years of leadership. The manner of his death — stabbed by poachers entering Bwindi with hunting dogs and homemade weapons — triggered a response that reached international news outlets and generated an outpouring of grief from conservation organisations, travellers, and wildlife lovers worldwide.

What followed Rafiki’s death was significant: the Ugandan government investigated with unusual speed and commitment, the perpetrators were identified, arrested, and prosecuted, and the sentences handed down sent a clear message about the value placed on mountain gorillas under Ugandan law. The case also prompted increased anti-poaching resources and patrols in the Nkuringo area. Visiting the Nkuringo family today is, in part, a solidarity act — a recognition of what was almost lost, and a contribution to the permit revenue that funds the protection ensuring it does not happen again.

Current Leadership: Silverback Rwamutwe

Following Rafiki’s death, the Nkuringo family reorganised under new leadership. Silverback Rwamutwe — whose name means “bald head” in Rukiga, a reference to the characteristic appearance of mature silverbacks — stepped into the dominant role and has maintained the group’s stability through a period of genuine social upheaval. The family, which numbered up to 18 individuals at its peak, has continued to be trekked from the Nkuringo sector. Rangers who have followed this family across the leadership transition describe Rwamutwe as an effective and steady leader, and the family’s behaviour during trekking encounters reflects a group that has successfully navigated a difficult social moment and emerged intact.

The Most Dramatic Trek in Bwindi

The Nkuringo trek is rightly described as the most physically demanding gorilla trek in Uganda. The sector sits at approximately 2,350 metres above sea level on a dramatic escarpment overlooking the Kigezi highlands. The approach to the gorillas requires trekkers to descend the escarpment face into the forest below — a steep, sometimes slippery descent of 45 minutes to an hour that is straightforward going down and considerably harder coming back up. The return climb, after an hour with the gorillas and with legs already tired from the descent, is the defining physical challenge of the Nkuringo experience. Most trekkers describe it as the hardest thing they did in Uganda. Every one of them says it was worth it.

The landscape around the Nkuringo sector adds an additional dimension to the experience. The escarpment views over the Kigezi highlands are among the most dramatic in Uganda — on clear mornings, you can see across a vast expanse of hill and valley while the mist still fills the lower elevations below. The descent into the forest passes through vegetation zones that shift noticeably from the open grassland of the escarpment edge to the dense montane forest below, and the transition into the gorillas’ world feels genuinely like entering another realm.

The Hour with the Nkuringo Family

When the Nkuringo family is found — often in the valley forest below the escarpment, where feeding is richest — the encounter carries the particular atmosphere of this sector’s history. Rangers who have known this family since before Rafiki’s death approach the hour with the gorillas with a palpable sense of care and commitment. They position trekkers carefully, interpret behaviour quietly, and communicate the significance of what is happening without melodrama. Rwamutwe’s presence at the centre of the family is the anchor of the encounter — a large, silver-backed male demonstrating the resilience of mountain gorillas in the face of the worst that human behaviour has sometimes brought to their world.

Best Time to Trek

Nkuringo treks run year-round, but the escarpment terrain is significantly more challenging in wet weather when the descent becomes very slippery. Dry season trekking (June–August, December–February) is strongly recommended for this sector, particularly for visitors who are not experienced hikers. The cool altitude of Nkuringo means warm layers are essential in all seasons.

Practical Information

Permits are $800 USD per person (2025/2026). Book well in advance — Nkuringo’s unique reputation draws dedicated gorilla trekkers who specifically seek this experience. High difficulty — not suitable for visitors with significant mobility limitations or low fitness levels. Porters are essential, not just recommended, for the return climb. The Nkuringo area has a small number of excellent lodges perched on the escarpment with spectacular views. Kisoro town, approximately 15 kilometres away, is the nearest significant service centre.