Buhoma Section
One of the four sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park a visitor can choose to visit to observe some of the mountain gorilla groups is Buhoma sector. Visitors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can pick from four areas to hike gorillas. For visitors hoping to hike gorillas in Bwindi, this is the most sought after industry. The nearest to Kihihi airstrip and also Kabale, Buhoma sector is found in the northern part of the park in the district of Kanungu. This makes it the easiest to get and walk. Trekking the gorillas here is less difficult since the park’s low height compares to other parts of the park. The very first habituated gorilla family available for visitors to track resides in Buhoma. Gorilla trekking first emerged in Uganda when the Mubare gorilla family arrived in 1993.
The park today claims five gorilla families, say;
Oldest gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is Mubare gorilla family. It was found habituated in the Mubare highlands deep within the Bwindi forest. Starting with twelve members with Ruhondeza as the dominant silverback, the family expanded to more than eighteen in a few years. Nonetheless, wild gorillas who abducted many female gorillas from the group assaulted them. Ruhondeza resigned family leadership out of frustration. He fled into a nearby town that welcomed him. He passed several years down the road and was buried close to the Uganda Wildlife Authority Buhoma office. Visit the grave when in the vicinity. Now the group consists of just five members.
The name Habinyanja gorilla comes from a local word “Nyanja,” which literally means river, from where it was originally seen. There were thirty members of this family during the period of habituation, including Mugurusi as the main silverback. Mugurusi passed away from old age, and this resulted in power conflicts since four of the group’s silverbacks all wanted to lead after their father. For some years, Rwansigazi and Mwirima shared control; but, after some years the group broke apart, Mwirima having a new family called Rushegura and Rwansigazi keeping king of Habinyanja gorilla family. Over time, Rwansigazi migrated and left his son Makara as the family chief. Habinyanja boasts sixteen members right now. Unlike the other groups, this one moves everyday and covers a larger area in the Buhoma sector.
Mwirima the then main silverback split away with eight members from Habinyanja in 2002. By April 2010, the family group had grown to nineteen. He was a courageous fighter who would defend against any competitor’s onslaught from any other gang. He gave his family all he had. Having five adults attached to him, he produced several offsprings; so, it makes sense for the group to get bigger earlier. But following Mwirima’s death in 2014, another blackback rules the household. The group currently consists of fifteen members under Kabukojo’s direction.
Group Katwe gorilla: Comprising nine members with one lead silverback, two blackbacks, four adult females, and two newborns, this freshly habituated group from Buhoma consists Announced by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in 2018, they raise the overall count of gorilla groups in Buhoma to five.
Since practically all visitors who want to visit Bwindi especially seek Buhoma, thereby having them sold out sooner than in other sectors, gorilla trekking permits in Buhoma are widely sought for. If travelers truly wish to track gorillas from Buhoma, they are consequently encouraged to book well in advance. The cost of gorilla permits is the same in all sectors. East African citizens pay UGX250,000 only; foreign non-residents pay $700 while foreign residents pay $600. Either have a reliable tour operator book your permit for you or visit the Uganda Wildlife Authority in Kampala. This permit lets visitors spend just one day with gorillas and hike them only once. Eight people overall can monitor a certain gorilla troop daily.
The Buhoma industry presents to visitors not just gorilla trekking. Visitors can also participate in Bakiga and Batwa community tours where they can learn about their history and way of life and see how and what people create—handcrafts, food, etc. Not forgetting bird viewing to the birders, chase after butterflies with the help of knowledgeable and professional guide. Hikes through the forest that have carefully developed trails say the Ivi River trail, Rushura trail also offers a wonderful experience to tourists as they will visit the different waterfalls. For the residents, the handcrafted goods available from the several stores around the park are much appreciated.
Depending on the passengers’ choice and available time, the Buhoma area is easily reachable by road or plane. From Kampala, visitors enter Buhoma via vehicle, which takes 8 to 9 hours with pauses on the Equator in Kayabwe. If running a 4WD car, the travel from Kibale to Buhoma takes three hours. Travelers have the chance to witness the tree-climbing lions and other species by driving 4-5 hours from Queen Elizabeth National Park through the Ishasha sector.
As an alternative, visitors might do a flying safari rather than a protracted drive. It just takes one hour to schedule charter flights from Entebbe or Kajansi to Kihihi airport. From Kihihi, a drive of at least an hour to the park with your planned transportation will get you to your hotel quickly enough.
One can select from a variety of upmarket, middle-class, and inexpensive hotels. Travelers should reserve lodging close to the beginning of the gorilla trekking. Among the accomodation options one can find are Mahogany Springs resort, Buhoma Haven resort, Buhoma community rest camp.
Gorillas living in the Buhoma Sector
Why is the Buhoma sector in most demand than the others?
The industry is closer to other parks, for instance, Queen Elizabeth National Park via the Ishasha area where visitors may combine safaris with Bwindi without having to travel great distances. Not far away are both Kibale and Rwenzori National Parks.
Many lodging options from which to draw.
In Buhoma, one can participate in several volunteer programs including conservation ones.
The industry has a long history, of which it is the first to have a habituated gorilla troop.
Clearly the most sought-after area in Bwindi for reasons listed is Buhoma; scheduling far in advance will ensure tracking of gorillas from your chosen sector. See a reputable tour operator to handle everything for you.
