In Africa, Mountain Gorillas are only found in 3 countries which are Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda is recorded in History to have the biggest number of Mountain Gorilla with a minimum number of 400 Mountain Gorillas recorded up from 302 in the 2006 census. These primates reside in Bwindi impenetrable national park. This rain Forest is found in the southern western part of Uganda and shelters half of the world’s remaining Mountain Gorillas whose encounter is the most fascinating in the entire continent. Gorilla trekking is the main safari activity in Bwindi and a total number of over 21 Gorilla families have been recorded from all the four sectors of the park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to about 80 mountain gorillas, all of which belong to the same gorilla group. Currently these Gorilla families have been habituated for tracking. Gorilla habituation is a process that takes 2 years and involves training Mountain Gorillas to get used to human beings, as they continue with their day to day activities in their wild natural environment. A maximum of 8 people are allowed to visit each Gorilla family per day.
Bwindi has four sectors in Bwindi and these include Rushaga, Buhoma, Ruhija and Nkuringo. Before going on your Gorilla tracking safari, we have details on every Gorilla family that are available for visits. However, bear in mind that mountain gorillas are wild creatures that are constantly on the move, and that a silverback may choose to split off from a group at any time to establish his own family.
Mubare Gorilla Family.
Mubare Gorilla Family was found in the forest in the Mubare hills which means stone in the local language, with 8 individuals including 1 silverback. The group was opened in 1993 for Tourism at the time of its Habituation it started with 18 members and Ruhondenza was the leader of the group. For the time of habituation, the group has faced an unfortunate event of raids by mountain Gorilla family kidnappers which caused death within the family in 2012 when the Gorilla family members were kidnapped. Ruhondenza the leader tried to fight them but because of his old age he was over powered which lead to his unbearable sadness in his heart. History has it that he dead in his sleep because of his unbearable sadness and his grave can be visited by tourists, the 5 members who were left by Ruhondenza have increased to 8 members which are led by alpha the silverback called Kanyonyi.
Nyakagezi Gorilla Family.
Compared to other 11 gorilla families in Bwindi, ‘Nyakagezi’ is the only group in Mgahinga and forms 10 members, this group usually crosses over to neighboring countries Congo and Rwanda. But in 2012, the UWA noticed that the family was enjoying Uganda more, and things are now stable. The silverback who served as the group’s leader, “Bugingo,” eventually died of old age. He was later replaced by his elder son mark with other two silverbacks Mafia and Mathew. The family has two young ones Furaha and Nkanda with two females called Nyiramwezi and Nshuti, and two blackbacks Nduguntse and Rukundo. Due to the group’s unpredictable movements and travel, UWA has placed the permits in Kisoro, which is the only location where Gorilla permits may be bought. The group is well-known for its entertainment, and tourists adore its playful spirit and character.
Nkuringo Gorilla Family.
The word ‘Nkuringo’ comes from the word round hills these hills are located in the areas of Kisoro and Bwindi the Nkuringo sector was launched in 2004, Nkuringo has one family group and that’s Nkuringo its self. This family is the most challenging trailheads of Gorilla trekking but one of the most fulfilling and worth your trek in the life time experience. The family was led by one of the Silverback Alpha who was named after the word ‘Nkuringo’ and later died in 2004 after a successful habituation. Nkuringo left two elderly sons, Rafiki (meaning friend in kiswahili) and safari the elder brother who took over power and has been able to hold the family firm through hard times and seasons of happiness and during his rule the family has welcomed two baby twins namely Muhoza and katungi although Katungi could not live to see his second birthday and he passed on. The family consists of 19 members including 2 Silverbacks.
Bitukura Gorilla family.
Bitukura gorilla family has 14 members the group was first sighted in 2007 with its original number of 24 members near the river were the family was located. Compared to other habituation, which takes two years, this one was shorter. The family has a close bond and share together with the Kyaguriro family. It’s a family known to be peacefully, playful, which makes it easier to be closer and build togetherness with other members although it has 4 silverbacks but the family is led by the second youngest silverback ‘Ndahura’ who inherited and took over power from Karumazi who is aged now and could no longer fight for the family. Even though the family has had many hardships, Bitukura is now closer and happier than they were before they welcomed additional family members in 2013. The Ruhija area of Bwindi is home to the Bitukura Gorilla Family.
Rushegura Gorilla Family.
One of the gorilla families, Rushegura Gorilla Group, is headed by a silverback named Mwirima, who is in his late 20s and the brother of a former Habinyanja silverback named Rwansigazi. The group is named after a place where these two brothers separated to form their own independent group. It was formed in 2002 when a silverback from the Habinyanja group chose to split off and build his own family, which now consists of 12 people, including 5 females. By 2010 the number increased from 12 to 19 members, the family is led by a calm, friendly and its known as the most calm family in Bwindi forest. This group could always cross to Congo but always returned, it’s also known for wandering in nearby villages and lodges at times this making it the calmest family in Buhoma and entire Bwindi.
Habinyanja Gorilla Family.
Although tourists first visited the Habinyanja Gorilla Family in 1999, the family had been there since 1997. The name Habinyanja is derived from the native word Nyanja, which means “water.” This family lived in a swamp in the forest. The family consists of 17 members with 2 silver backs and the time the family was habituated ,it was led by one dominant silver back called Munguris a local word meaning ‘old man’ who later passed on due to his old age. And later on he was inherited by his two Brothers Mwirima and Rwansigazi who took over power to lead the family but later on the two did not agree on ruling the family. Their personalities were distinct; Rwansigazi loved travelling well Mwirima loved to stay at a close range with the family Members this lead to their separation in 2002. As a result, the group that remained under Rwansigazi’s leadership was called Habinyanja, even though Rwansigazi resigned his leadership abilities to Makara the Dominate Silverback, who is currently in charge. Buhoma is where this family is located.
Oruzongo Gorilla Family.
Oruzongo has 25 members including 2 Silverbacks this family was set up in 2011 by the Uganda wildlife Authority, recent found in 2011 and the second habituated group in Ruhija sector. This group is led by Tebirikwata one of the oldest Gorilla in the family, since 2011 the family has enlarged with more family members due to increase of child birth by the elder females Ntumurungi, Musi both in the same year , another bundle of joy happened to come in 2013 when kankoba gave birth to twins. The group is known of its playful ways and its energetic characters. Family members in this group have a variety of names that are derived from local names, such as Bwoba (coward), Kakanga (the large one), and Busungu (short-tempered).
Bweza Gorilla Family.
After the Nshongi group, which was the largest habituated group, Bweza is the second largest. However, in 2010, Mishaya the Silverback decided to split off the family to form his own group, and rangers noted that Bweza also split off to form his own family in 2012. The rangers believed the group could reunite. This family lives in Bwindi’s Rushaga neighborhood.
Kyaguriro Gorilla Family.
Kyaguriro group is one of the most cherished Gorilla groups after its habituation in 1999. This group was set aside by the “Max Planck Institute by Evolutional of Anthropology” for research and study purposes. In the Ruhija area, this group is also a member of the Gorilla family groups. The family had fifteen members, including two silverbacks, and was headed by an elderly Zeus, a silverback, who was exiled in the wilderness by Rukina and eventually perished. The group has seen a number of generation since Rukina who was the leader after Zeus who was announced dead in 2015. He had grown up to the age of 31 years old later on he was replaced by a silver back called Rukara who now leads the family of 15 members. The family has contributed to numerous studies and conservation efforts to better understand the distinctions between mountain gorillas and those found in Virunga Volcanoes National Park.
Nshongi Gorilla family.
Nshongi Gorilla Family is the biggest group in Rushaga sector to be visited by Tourists, it was launched in 2009 with the biggest habituation group, it was named after River Nshongi where it was first sighted, the word ‘Nshongi’ was derived from a local word ‘Omushongi Gwobuki’ meaning honey and referred to the deep brownish color of the water in the river. The family was led by Nsongi the silverback with 36 members who were visited daily but later on division occurred in 2010 when Mishaya broke off with 10 members to form his own after two years later in 2010 Bweza the silverback also broke off with some members to form his own ,the family was left with only 26 members.
Kahugye Gorilla Family.
Kahungye includes 13 members with 3 Silverbacks this group is found in the hills of the mountain and one of the newest Mountain Gorilla Group in the Rushaga sector. After a successful habituation, the group was founded in 2011 with 27 members and three Silverbacks. However, a family member named Busingye broke off with some of the group, resulting in the family splitting off and the group now consisting of just 13. The silverback known locally as “Gwigi,” which means “door,” is currently in charge of the Kahungye family.
Mishaya Gorilla Family.
Mishaya Gorilla family has 12 members who can be visited everyday by 8 people. This group is known as a fighter because of the leader it had a long time ago its name was derived after Mishaya the silverback who was known for fighting, interaction with other Gorilla families, he broke away from Nshogi family with 10 members to start his own family. Mishaya became known for his fights in 2010 he started a fight which lead to more injuries and he lost one of his infants but because of to the mountain Gorilla vet nary who rescued him, although he later passed on in 2014. Mwine the Silverback is currently in charge of the family, which is open for visits in the Rushaga area.
Busingye Gorilla family.
Busingye Gorilla family is situated in the Rushaga sector one of Bwindi sectors with the biggest number of Mountain Gorilla groups. The silverback Busingye is the inspiration behind the group’s name. “Peace” is the meaning of the native word “busingye.” A member of the Kuhungye family, who split from the group in 2012 with seven other members, Busingye is a violent individual who starts arguments with other Gorilla family groupings. His known for taking away females from other family groups, right now he has been able to grow his family to 9 members by taking females from other males, one of ways he shows his power.
When you travel to Uganda on a safari, you will get the opportunity to see the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas in their natural habitat and form family bonds while learning about their daily lives. In Uganda, gorilla trekking safari is conducted in two national parks: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, both of which are situated in the southwest. For more information about the gorilla families, gorilla trekking safari and gorilla habituation experience on a Uganda safari do not hesitate to contact us Takeoff Ventures Tours and Travel you will not regret.
