In Uganda there are two places where you can see gorillas and they are in western part of the country. One being Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park which is a home to over half of the world remaining population of these endangered species. The gorillas are arranged into Uganda Gorilla Families
Another place where you can see gorillas is Mgahinga gorillas National Park on the border of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo in the Virunga mountains. Uganda Gorilla Families are well established, and they tend to spread up whenever they grow huge to avoid inbreeding within the families.
Mountain gorillas, unlike their counterpart lowland gorillas’ lives in highlands and the can only found in the Virunga massif of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. They are classified as endangered species with their population below 1000 gorillas all over the world. They are of great ape’s species
here is the breakdown of all habituated gorilla families in Uganda’s two National Park of Bwindi Forest national park and Mgahinga national park. The only two parks where you can find gorillas
About gorillas at Bwindi National Park-Uganda Gorilla Families
Bwindi national park is a UNESCO world heritage that inhabit over 400 endangered mountain gorillas. That makes a home to over 50 percent of these species. The park has twenty habituated family living in four different sectors of Buhoma, Ruhijja, Rushaga and the Nkuringo in the districts of Kanungu, Kabale and Kisoro respectively. Out of the twenty habituated families in Bwindi, 15 are open for trekking. Here is the breakdown of thefamilies and family members per each sector.
Buhoma sector=Uganda Gorilla Families
| FAMILY NAME | NUMBER OF FAMILY MEMBERS |
| RUSHEGURA | 17 |
| MUBARE | 9 |
| MUYAMBI | 6 |
| KATWE | 7 |
| HABINYANJA | 18 |
| BINYINDO | 9 |
| KANYWANYI | 5 |
Habinyanja Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
Habiyanja family name means water because the family was first found in the swamp area hence the birth of the name. The family has 18 members with two silverbacks. It was first habituated in 1997 and first trekked in 1999. It usually takes 2 to 3 hours to trek this family.
Mubare Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
The family got its name from the hill where it was found. This was the first family to be habituated in 1991. It started with 12 members, then grew to 18 members but due to the fights with wildlife, the family lost its members and remained with only 5 member and later four members joined the group to make it a group of 9 members with one silverback.
gorillas at Volcano National Park
Rushegura Gorilla Family
The name given to this family was got from the tree in front of it. It is a huge family huge family at Buhoma area with 19 members including one silverback. The family started with 12 members and was discovered in 2000 and received its first visitors in 2002
Katwe Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
This is made up of 7 members including 1 silverback. It is the fourth and the last family to be habituated for tourism
Kanywanyi Gorilla Family
This is a gorilla family that has been habituated for tourism but not yet enrolled for booking. It is a family of five members.
Ruhijja area
This area has got 6 gorilla families, and they are as follow
FAMILY NAME |
NUMBER OF FAMILY MEMBERS |
| Kyaguliro | 7 |
| Bitukura | 14 |
| Mukiza | 22 |
| Oruzongo | 16 |
| Kyagurilo | 8 |
| Happy | 5 |
Bitukura Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
The group is made of 14 members including 4 silverbacks. The habituation of this group started in 2007 and within 15 months it had started receiving visitors. Previously the group had 24 members but due to infighting some members left the group and probably got recruited by other groups
Kyaguriro A Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
This is a group with 7 members that is habituated but not open for the tourist. It is only used for research and other study work.
Oruzogo Gorilla Family
This is the latest gorilla group to be habituated. It is a group of 16 member including one silverback. The family was opened in 2011 for tourist visits. It is one of the most popular groups for the tourists. Not just because of its side but also its composition of juveniles that are playful.
Mukiza Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
Formerly known as Kyaguriro before the split after the death of the group leader. It got a new leader.
KYAGULIRO B Gorilla Family
This is another group that split from Kyaguriro group after the deaths of their leaders. The group is not yet integrated for booking.
Happy Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
This is made of 5 members, and it is fully habituated but nor ready to be open for the habituation.
Rushanga area
The Rushaga area has 10 habituated families, and these include the following.
Family Name |
Number of family members |
| Nshongi gorillas | 18 |
| Bweza | 7 |
| Muchunguzi | 8 |
| Kahungye | 13 |
| Bikingi | 9 |
| Mishaya | 7 |
| Kutu | 16 |
| Busingye | 9 |
| Rwingi | 7 |
| Tindantine | 8 |
Nshongi Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
The group contain 18 members at the present after the split that resulted into the formation of two more groups namely Mishaya and Nsongi Gorilla groups. Though it is the largest group to ever be habituated with 36 members in 2009. It is found in heavy forests where you will be able to encounter even other primates.
Mishaya Gorilla Family
This was created in 2010 after the split from the Nshogi group. The group has 7 members including one silverback. The silver back leads the group and is the only adult gorilla in this group.
Kahungye gorilla family-Uganda Gorilla Families
The family has 13 members with 3 silverbacks the group was opened for trekking in 2011 with 27 members but after a short while it splinted into two to give birth to the new group called Busingye.
Bweza Gorilla Familly
This family started in 2010 from because of split from Mishaya group. Mishaya is one of the two groups that were created from Nshogi family. It has 7 members including one silverback. After its formation in 2010, the group splited further in 2012 to give birth to the new group called
Busingye Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
This is another group open for trekking and it was created in 2012 because of split from Kahungye family. It is comprised of 9 members including one silverback that leads the group. You can acquire your permit to see this power.
Rwigi Gorilla Family
This was created from Bweza family and is made of 7 members. The group is not yet open for trekking by the tourists.
Tindatine Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
Another group that broke away from Kahungye family and it is made of 8 members
Nkuringo Area-Uganda Gorilla Families
Our final sector is Nkuringo sector with four Gorilla families.
Family Name |
Number of members |
| Nkuringo | 19 |
| Bushaho | 12 |
| Christmas | 6 |
| Posho | 17 |
Nkuringo gorilla family-Uganda Gorilla Families
The group is made of 19 members with two silverbacks. It was first habituated in 2002 and launched for trekking in 2004 after two years of habituation. It is the toughest group to be trekked but creates a lot of excitement and creates extra memories and experience.
Bushaho Gorilla Family
A mother gorilla with infant at Bwindi
It was the second group to be launched for trekking from Nkuringo sector, the group is made of 12 members including one silverback.
Christmas Gorilla Family-Uganda Gorilla Families
The third group open for trekkers in Nkuringo sector is Christmas. Named after it leader, the silverback called Christmas who was born on Christmas.
Posho Gorilla Family
This is the group of 17 gorilla members that is fully habituated but not yet added to the booking reservation system of UWA. Even though the group is already fully habituated but not yet open for trekking.
About Gorilla trekking at Mgahinga National Park
Another place to go for gorilla trekking in Uganda is Mgahinga gorillas National Park also found in Southwestern Uganda. The park has one fully habituated gorilla group that is ready for visitors. The family that can be habituated at Mgahinga is called Nyakagezi family made up of 9 members. These members are 4 silverbacks, 2 infants, 2 adult females and 1 juvenile.
This group is one of the easiest groups to trek since it feeds within proximity. If you are to book this group, make sure that you confirm 24 hours before your adventure that it is in Mgahinga because it has a tendency of crossing over to Rwanda and Congo and it is the only family available for trekking at Mgahinga.
Conclusion
Uganda is one of the very few places where you can still see gorillas, others being Rwanda and Congo, choosing your group and area where to see gorillas is very important for your overall experience as it will determine the number of gorillas you will see and the time you will spend while trekking gorillas as gorillas feed and lives in different sectors.
