What is the best gorilla family to track in Uganda?

What is the best gorilla family to track in Uganda? The Best Gorilla Family to Trek in Uganda – Bwindi National Park is located in the districts of Kisoro, Kanungu, and Kabale in southwestern Uganda. The major tourist attractions are the mountain gorillas, with a population of about 459 individuals out of the 1,063 individuals left in the wild. This has attracted many visitors worldwide, making Bwindi a major mountain gorilla trekking destination.

Bwindi covers an area of about 321 sq km and is home to not only endangered mountain gorillas but also other primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, baboons, chimpanzees, De Brazza monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, potto, Demidoff’s galago, and spectacled galago.

Other wildlife species include birds, butterflies, amphibians, elephants, geckos, and chameleons.

Best Gorilla Family to Trek Gorillas in Bwindi

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has 25 gorilla families available for trekking by visitors, found in different sectors of the park such as Buhoma, Rushaga, Ruhija, and Nkuringo.

The best gorilla family to trek is the Mubare Gorilla family, found in the Buhoma sector of the park, with only 9 members. This was formed in 1991 as the first to be documented and was originally led by a dominant silverback, Ruhondeza, the founder of the group, followed by Kanyonyi, and now headed by Maraya.

This family was fully habituated in Mubare Hills deep within Bwindi Forest in 1998. The group was named Mubare after the gorgeous Mubare Hills where this group was first spotted.

The gorilla family is known for infanticide, with the group leader at that time, Ruhondeza, notoriously killing infants to eliminate competition for leadership. Ruhondeza died a natural death on June 26, 2012, and Kanyonyi, a lone surviving male, took over leadership.

However, in 2017, Maraya took over leadership after engaging in a violent fight with Kanyonyi, leading to Kanyonyi’s death. Some members of this group include Kashudwe, Muyambi, and Malaika.

Mubare is considered the best gorilla family bec use of its rich history, being the oldest, most popular, and easiest gorilla group to trek, found in the Buhoma sector of the park, with very few members. This family can be tracked for half an hour to 4 hours.

A gorilla permit costs about USD 800. Gorilla permits are secured and bought at the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Tourists are advised to book in advance.

Gorilla trekking takes place all year long, but the best season is the dry season from June to August and December to February because gorillas are easier to trek and trails are drier.

All gorilla families are friendly, and it is adventurous while trekking as tourists get to learn the behavior of gorillas.