Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi from Cyanika Border

Are you planning a trip to the Rushaga region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from Chanika Boarder? Are you interested in a short gorilla tour, booking Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi from Cyanika Border is the best option starting from Kigali? Do you want to make a choice of activities to do in Rushaga? Yes, this is possible Eco Adventure Safaris will help you plan this safari with activities of your choice to the Rushaga region from Chanika Boarder. Chanika border is located in Kisoro District, Southwestern Uganda, approximately 2 hours (45 km) via Kisoro – Cyanika Road, from the border to the Rushaga region of Bwindi. Chanika is one of the three major road crossings between Rwanda to the south and Uganda. The others are Gatuna/Katuna and Kagitumba/Mirama Hills. The Kisoro road is tarmacked of good quality but you will get off to a rough road to the Park. We use 4×4 vehicles for our all-inclusive packages that are very comfortable for your road trip to Rushaga from Chanika, We can pick you from the border point or anywhere within Chanika. 

Rushaga region of Bwindi

Rushaga region of the famous Bwindi impenetrable national Park is of the core sectors for gorilla trekking in Uganda and Bwindi. The Rushaga region is found in southwestern Uganda sharing a border with Congo, it is one of the four sectors in Bwindi impenetrable national park where you can trek and see the magnificent Mountain Gorillas in their natural habitat in the world, Bwindi impenetrable National Park is home to more than half of the only remaining Mountain Gorillas in the wild making it famous and best place to trek the Mountain Gorillas. The park is one of the oldest forests in Africa and was declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi from Cyanika Border

What to do in the Rushaga region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park from Cyanika border?

Gorilla trekking in Rushaga region of Bwindi

Gorilla tracking is one of the interesting activities to do when you visit the Rushaga region of Bwindi from the Chanika border, Gorilla trekking means visiting the gorillas in their natural habitat in the forest, the trek in Rushaga starts at 7:00 am with a briefing at Rushaga Park headquarters on the dos and don’ts while moving in the forest and with the gorillas. After the briefing, the park guides, rangers, and trackers lead you to the forest to find the gorillas. You are allowed one hour of viewing the gorillas when found and later you return to the starting point to receive a certificate for the successful gorilla trekking in Uganda. Only eight visitors are allowed to see gorillas per habituated family per day according to Uganda wildlife Authority policy so as to conserve the gorillas. To be allowed to do gorilla trekking, you must be aged 15 years and above as per the policy, and minors are not allowed to trek since they may not easily be controlled in the forest and may easily transmit diseases to the gorillas. You will have a great gorilla trekking experience starting from Rushaga Trailhead on Christmas.

Gorilla families in the Rushaga sector for gorilla trekking are Nshongi Gorilla Group, Mishaya Gorilla Group, Bweza Gorilla Group, Bikyingi gorilla family, Kahungye Gorilla Family, Busingye Gorilla Family, and Mucunguzi gorilla family. Each gorilla family is only allowed to be trekked by 8 visitors in the company of guides, porters, and rangers as per the Uganda wildlife Policy on gorilla tourism in Uganda. The gorilla trekking permit costs USD700 per person for Non-Foreign Residents, USD600 for Foreign Residents and Shs.250, 000 for East African Citizens. The trekking permit only allows one hour of viewing of the gorillas. There are 56 permits available per day for gorilla tracking in Rushaga of Bwindi impenetrable National Park.

Gorilla Habituation experience

Gorilla Habituation experience is also one of the most interesting things to do in the Rushaga region of Bwindi.  The experience allows you to spend four hours with mountain gorillas still undergoing habituation. Only four people are allowed to do gorilla habituation activity in Bwindi Forest National Park in Uganda, with this you are required to book your gorilla habituation permit in advance to secure your place. The experience starts and takes up to half or a full day depending on the time you take to find them. Gorilla habituation activity is only done in the south of Bwindi impenetrable National Park between the sectors of Rushaga and Nkuringo. During this experience, you visit the gorillas that are in the process of being habituated and the gorillas are not yet used to Visitors and act wild, with researchers and guides, you monitor the way gorillas feed, move, rest and also communicate with them.

Bird watching Experience           

Rushaga region of Bwindi Forest National Park is a home to various unique bird species including the Albertine Rift Endemic birds and it is a place to be for Bird watchers, Key bird species to spot on your birding tour in Bwindi National Park include Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Nightjar, Dwarf Honeyguide, African Green Broadbill, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Grauer’s Warbler, Mountain Masked Apalis, Collared Apalis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Batis, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing. We do organize birding packages to Bwindi Forest National Park, with professional birding guides you are able to identify different birds. Contact us for tailor made safari to do birding to Rushaga region of Bwindi impenetrable national park from Chanika boarder.

Batwa Cultural and Community experience

Enjoy the Batwa cultural encounter when you spend 5 days in Rushaga region of Bwindi. The forest used to be inhabited by the Batwa people commonly referred to as the pygmies for many years until of recent when they were removed from the Bwindi Forest to the surrounding communities of Bwindi Forest National Park to ease mountain gorilla conservation and tourism. 5 days trip will give you an opportunity to see how these pygmies used to spend their time in the forest, where they used to stay, how they used to harvest wild honey as well as hunting. They will show off their dances and explain how they have managed to settle and enjoy normal life outside the forest. You can as well visit the rest of the community in the out skirts of the forest, the women groups that do crafts and sell food, the community schools and we encourage if you have any donation to support the children with clothes and scholastic materials.

Nature walks in Rushaga region of Bwindi

Bwindi Forest National Park is made up of a tropical forest which is one of the oldest forests in the world existing for more of the past 250,000 years back; it has ancient tree species and some of them endemic to this forest. It is as well known to be impenetrable due to its thick canopy making nature walks enjoyable, on your nature walking  safari in Rushaga you will have a chance to learn about different tree species, spot different bird species as well have a chance to sight different animals including rare forest elephants if lucky, monkeys, baboons. You will as well have Nature walks to the river stream that crosses the Rushaga region.

There is also a walk from Kisoro near cyanika boarder to Rushaga or south of Bwindi, it is very interesting though you need to be physically fit for the challenge.

Where to stay Rushaga region of Bwindi?

Rushaga sector in Bwindi impenetrable national park has many lodges/Hotels where you can stay on your gorilla trekking tour. These range from budget to high end hotels and Eco Adventure Safaris can help you book the hotel of your choice and budget. You can opt to stay at least one night or more in Rushaga, you can stay at Rushaga Gorilla camp, Four Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Ichumbi gorilla lodge, Nkuringo Bwindi gorilla lodge, Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge, and gorilla Heights lodge. The lodge rooms can sell out during the high season and we encourage you to book in advance

Why book Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi from Cyanika Border with Eco Adventure Safaris

Eco Adventure Safaris is a local tour operator based in Uganda with its head offices in Entebbe and we also have a workstation in southwestern Uganda. Eco Adventure Safaris is run and owned by Ugandans. We specialize in life-changing experiences and sustainable tours and holidays to all East African countries. We are members of AUTO (Association of Uganda Tour Operators) and are registered by UTB (Uganda Tourism Board). We have a good and long working relationship with UWA (Uganda Wildlife Authority) making it easy to book your gorilla permits and other park activities. We are highly reviewed on trip advisor. Contact us about Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi from Cyanika Border.