Buhoma Sector (Amazing Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi)

People who want to see gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park most often go to the Buhoma section of the park. The Buhoma gorilla sector is in the northern part of Bwindi, in the district of Kanungu. It is the most established and unique area of the park, and most tourists who call to book permits first check to see if there are any openings in the Buhoma sector. About 40 gorilla families have been found in Bwindi. Of these, 19 are fully accustomed to humans and can be watched by tourists. Four of these are in the Buhoma gorilla sector.

In Uganda, the first area to allow gorilla trekking was the Buhoma sector of Bwindi in 1993. The Mubare gorilla family was the first gorilla family to become accustomed to humans. Once they were ready, tourists were able to go gorilla hiking with them. At the moment, four gorilla families have become accustomed to the Buhoma area and are available for Buhoma gorilla trekking. The Mubare, Habinyanja, Rushegura, and Katwe gorilla groups are some of these.

Buhoma gorilla trekking lets 8 people visit each gorilla family every day. To go gorilla trekking, you must be at least 15 years old. As usual, gorilla permits sell out very quickly, but those in the area sell out a lot faster than the rest. People who want to go trekking with the Buhoma gorillas need to book their permits a long time in advance. These permits are given out on a first-come, first-served basis, so early birds usually get them. Gorilla permits cost $800 for foreigners who don’t live in East Africa, $700 for foreigners who do live in East Africa, and ugx250,000 for East African locals.

Gorilla Trekking in Rushaga Sector Bwindi

Why go on a mountain gorilla hike in the Buhoma region?

As we already said, this area was the start of gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The Mubare gorilla family, which was the first family that tourists were able to track, lives in the Buhoma region, which is why many tourists choose to track gorillas from this area. Here are some more reasons why people choose to trek mountain gorillas in the Buhoma area and region, and your reasons should be the same:

gorilla families in Buhoma Sector

Five familiar gorilla families live in this part of Bwindi, and tourists can track them while they’re there. This historic gorilla area is worth a visit because it is home to the first gorilla family that became used to humans (Mubare) and the first place in Uganda where tourists could go on a gorilla trekking safari. The region also has the Habinyanja gorilla family, which became fully habituated in 1997, the Rushegura gorilla family in 2000, and the newest gorilla family, Katwe. Because there are “many” families, only 32 passes are available each day to see the mountain gorillas in this area. It is strongly suggested that you book your trip ahead of time

How to get to Buhoma sector 

In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the Buhoma section is the easiest to get to if you want to see gorillas. If you want to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, you can easily get to the Buhoma sector from the Ishasha sector, which is where the tree-climbing lions live. The drive takes 4 hours. It only takes two hours to get from Buhoma Sector to Kabale Town. People can also take private planes from Entebbe or Kajansi to Kihihi and then drive for about an hour to get to the park. Because it’s easier to get to, this sector has a bigger edge over the others because travelers can do other things, like going on game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Multiple options for accommodation

Bwindi’s Buhoma section, also called the Buhoma region, is the most developed of the four. In the Buhoma area of Bwindi, there are a range of places to stay, from fancy to simple. The Buhoma sector of Bwindi has the most high-end accommodations, which is why so many tourists choose to track gorillas from this sector. When you book a place to stay in Buhoma, you can expect delicious organic food and great service. The beds are also very comfy. People who want to go gorilla trekking don’t have to get up so early because some of the hotels in Buhoma have paths that connect to the starting point.

Buhoma Haven Lodge
In this part of Bwindi, tourists can do a lot of different things besides gorilla trekking. They can watch birds, go on nature or forest walks, learn about the Batwa culture, do volunteer work, and a lot more. This is an area where there are many volunteer options because there are many conservation projects, such as Conservation through Public Health (CTPH). Travelers can also go to local towns and do things with the locals that they do every day, like making local food, brewing local beers, picking coffee, and many other things.

The Buhoma sector of Bwindi is a great place to visit. It is full of nature and history and would make a great place to hide if it didn’t have all those great hotels. It is also much easier to go gorilla trekking in Buhoma, so why not choose this area? Talk to a reputable tour company to help you plan the best gorilla hiking in Buhoma.

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