Bwindi Gorilla Families: Guide to All Habituated Groups

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has more than 20 habituated gorilla families that visitors can trek, spread across its four sectors: Buhoma in the north, Ruhija in the east, Rushaga in the south and Nkuringo in the south-west. Rushaga has the most families. You cannot choose a specific family when you book — you choose a sector, and rangers assign families at the 07:30 briefing on trek day, based on group fitness and where each family is that morning.

Gorilla families change over time: groups split, silverbacks are replaced, babies are born and new families are habituated. The overview below shows the best-known families in each sector; numbers and members shift from year to year.

Families by sector

How families are allocated

When you buy a permit, it is for a date and a sector, not a family. On the morning of your trek, the rangers at the sector headquarters divide visitors into groups of up to eight and assign each group to a family.

They take into account where the families are that day, as reported by the trackers, and the fitness of the visitors. If you are worried about a long walk, say so at the briefing; older or less mobile visitors are often given a family that is closer. For the permit system, see how gorilla permits work.

Buhoma’s families

Buhoma is where Uganda’s gorilla tourism began, with the Mubare family opened to visitors in 1993. Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura and Katwe are the sector’s well-known families, each with a long history of visits. Rushegura was formed when a group split from Habinyanja, a common way new families appear. Buhoma’s families sometimes range close to the village and lodges at the forest edge, which can mean shorter treks, though any family can move far on a given day. See the Buhoma sector.

Ruhija’s families

Ruhija, at around 2,300 m, has families including Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguliro and Mukiza. Bitukura is known as a relatively calm family, and Oruzogo as one of the larger groups. Kyaguliro has long been associated with research, and visits help support that work. Treks here start high and often descend into deep valleys, so expect a cool morning and a stiff climb back. See the Ruhija sector.

Rushaga and Nkuringo’s families

Rushaga has the largest number of habituated families, including Nshongi, once famous as one of the biggest gorilla groups ever habituated, and Mishaya, which split from it. Kahungye, Busingye, Bweza and Mucunguzi are among the others. Because of this choice, Rushaga often has permits when other sectors are full, and rangers can more easily match groups to fitness. Rushaga is also where the Gorilla Habituation Experience takes place, with families still being habituated such as Bikingi; see how gorilla habituation works.

Nkuringo, on the south-western ridge, is home to the Nkuringo family and related groups. The family often ranges in the valley below the ridge and sometimes near farmland, which means a steep descent and an equally steep climb back. See the Nkuringo sector.

Does the family make a difference?

Every family offers the same one-hour encounter, and every family is special in its own way. Larger families give more activity to watch; families with several silverbacks show interesting social dynamics; families with young infants and juveniles are full of play. What you cannot predict is how far away the family will be or what it will be doing when you arrive. That unpredictability is part of the experience, and rangers will share the family’s story and introduce its members during your visit. For the bigger picture, read Bwindi’s sectors compared.

Frequently asked questions