Discover these amazing gorilla families up close on your unforgettable safari in Uganda and Rwanda.
The Mountain Gorilla live in four national parks in Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In Uganda there are 18 habituated gorilla families which can be trekked in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
In Rwanda the 12 habituated gorilla families can be tracked in the Parc National des Volcans (PNV) where the famous Primatologist Dian Fossey conducted her ground-breaking research.
Virunga National Park in the DRC also has a number of habituated gorilla families but Volcanoes Safaris does not currently take clients there.
17 of the 18 habituated gorilla families live in the thick tropical forest of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Bwindi’s steep hillsides make tracking more challenging than Mgahinga National Park in Uganda and PNV in Rwanda. Trekking the mountain gorillas in Bwindi can take 3-10 hours after leaving the Park headquarters.
4 of Bwindi’s Gorilla families (Mubare, Habinyanja, Katwe, Rushegura) are accessed from Buhoma sector in the north, for guests staying at Volcanoes Safaris’ Bwindi Lodge. 4 other families (Mukiza, Kyaguriro, Oruzogo, Bitukura) are accessed from the Ruhija sector of the forest which is approximately 2 hours drive from Bwindi Lodge.
3 gorilla families (Nkuringo, Bushaho, Christmas) are located in Nkuringo sector of Southern Bwindi which is approximately 2 hours drive for guests staying at Mount Gahinga Lodge. 8 gorilla families (Nshongi, Kahungye, Mishaya, Busingye, Bweza, Bikyingi, Kutu) are located in Rushaga sector of Southern Bwindi which is approximately 2.5 hours from Mount Gahinga Lodge.
The Nyakagezi Family: 9 members, including 4 silverbacks.
Although this group gained a reputation for being nomadic (crossing the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC) they have been resident in Uganda for nearly 5 years. They are the oldest habituated mountain gorilla group in Uganda.
5 minutes from Mount Gahinga Lodge through a direct private footpath to access the forest.
The Mubare Family: 8 members including 1 silverback.
Mubare is the oldest habituated gorilla group in Bwindi. The group is named after the Mubare Hills, where the family was first spotted and was habituated between 1991 and 1993. The family is led by silverback Kanyonyi.
The Habinyanja Family: 15 members plus 1 silverback.
Habinyanja means ‘body of water.’ This family was habituated in 1997. It was a massive family group that split into two families, the other being the Rushegura family.
The Muzika Family: 13 members plus 1 silverback.
The Kyaguriro Family: 8 members plus 1 silverback
The Bitukura Family: 11 members including 2 silverbacks
The family is one of the newer groups in the Impenetrable Forest and was named after the Bitukura river. Their habituation started in 2007 and tracking began in 2008.
The Nshongi Family: 7 members with 1 silverback.
The group was named after the river close to where this gorilla family was first sighted. Nshongi was the largest group to be habituated and were first tracked in 2009.
The Kahungye Family: 16 members including 3 silverbacks.
The group was named after the Kahungye Hill. Visitors have been tracking this family since 2011.
The Mishaya Family: 8 members and 1 silverback.
The Busingye Family: 12 members and 1 silverback.
The Kutu Family: 8 members and 1 silverback.
The Bikingi Family: 21 members including 1 silverback.
The Bweza Family: 10 members including 3 silverbacks.
The Nkuringo Family: 14 members with 2 silverbacks
The family was named after the Nkuringo Hill where the group was first spotted. They were originally habituated in 2004 because of difficulties caused by their destroying crops of local farmers. Now farmers benefit from the tourism they provide.
The Bushaho Family: 11 members and 1 Silverback.
The Christmas Family: 9 members and 1 Silverback (this family is currently unavailable due to disintegration).
The Nyakagezi Family: 9 members, including 4 silverbacks.
The Susa group: 24 members including 3 silverbacks.
Susa was the largest gorilla group before it split into two and was named after the Susa river. It was the group originally studied by Dian Fossey and is popular because of a pair of twins, Byishimo and Impano.
The Sabyinyo group: 20 members including 2 silverbacks.
The group was named after the rugged Sabyinyo Volcano. Sabyinyo means ‘old man’s teeth’ and the group is known to stay between the mountains Sabyinyo and Gahinga, enjoying the gentle slopes and easy terrain.
The Amahoro group: 24 members including 1 silverback.
Amahoro means ‘peaceful’ and the group is usually extraordinarily gentle and peaceful, which is why they were given the name. It is a tougher climb to reach them, though.
The Umubano group: 14 members including 1 silverback.
Umubano means ‘live together’ as the group originally formed when it split from the Amahoro group. They still share much of the same territory and there is a peaceful relationship between them.
The Kwitonda group: 34 members including 2 silverbacks.
Kwitonda means ‘humble one’, a name given to the group after the name of their dominant silverback. They generally stay on the lower slopes of Mount Muhavura but are one of the more difficult tracking experiences.
The Hirwa group: 17 members including 1 silverback.
Hirwa means ‘lucky one’. Hirwa is a new group that was formed when splinters from Sabyinyo group and Group 13 merged. They have twins and are usually on Mount Sabyinyo.
The Agasha group: 25 members including 2 silverbacks.
Agasha means ‘the news’. The Agasha group was previously known as Group 13 but was renamed when Agasha challenged the dominant silverback by leading the group away from him and assimilating other individuals from groups or solitary wandering.
The Ntambara group: 14 members.
The Isimbi group: 20 members.
The Igishya group: 32 members.
The Muhoza group: 13 members.
The Pablo group: 25 members.
Write to us on [email protected] or send us a message via the form on our contact page.
Rwanda: +250 (0) 252 502 452
Uganda: +256 (0) 414 346 464
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Write to us on [email protected] or send us a message via the form on our contact page.
Rwanda: +250 (0) 252 502 452
Uganda: +256 (0) 414 346 464
Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor is nothing short of exhilarating. The chimps effortlessly cross and scamper through the trees above the gorge, and visitors on the other hand must cross the river using natural bridges in order to keep up with the chimps. So although the walk usually lasts only 2–3 hours, descending the steep gorge and crossing the log bridges over the river requires some agility and fitness.
Chimpanzee tracking is also available in nearby Kalinzu, a forest reserve 30 minutes drive from Kyambura Gorge Lodge where there is a community of about 40 habituated chimpanzees.
