The endangered mountain gorillas inhabit the Virunga mountain slopes of Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park in Congo, Mgahinga gorilla national park and Bwindi impenetrable forest national park in Uganda.
Mountain gorillas are the world’s largest living apes and human close relatives sharing 98 percent DNA. They start their day by foraging early morning at 6am and take rest during midday before they forage again until 7pm when they build their nests. Gorillas build new nests everyday even if the one of the previous day is close.
Poaching and habitat loss is the main threat to gorilla population and they also have a low birth rate with females having 1-2 fertile days in a month, once they conceive the gestation period is 8 and half months and a female can have only 4-6 off springs in a life time.
Busingye gorilla family
Busingye mountain gorilla family was formed in March 2012 when silverback Busingye broke away from his family Kahungye to form his own gorilla family that was habituated in 2008. The family derives its name from Busingye the dominant silver back. They had suspected the group to split because it had 3 silverbacks.
Busingye gorilla family can be trekked from Rushagga sector of Bwindi impenetrable national park, the word Busingye means “peace” in the local language but surprisingly the dominant silverback Busingye is not peaceful but one of the most ambitious and aggressive known for picking up fights with other silverbacks in order to grab females to add to his own family.
Busingye gorilla family is composed of 9 individuals comprising of 1 silverback, 5 females and 3 infants. This is one of the hardest groups to trek because Busingye is fond of taking his family deep in the mountain tops to avoid intruders.
Trekking
Trekking Busingye gorilla family starts early morning after briefing from the park headquarters, trekking mountain gorillas can take between 30 minutes to several hours depending on the location of the gorilla family but once you find the family your trekking then your given an hour of observation and to take pictures.
Only a group of 8 people without infectious diseases like flu and cough will be allowed to trek mountain gorillas, children under the age of fifteen years will not be allowed to trek gorillas. The cost for trekking is $700 per person.
Gorilla habituation
Busingye gorilla family is located in Rushagga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park where habituation takes place. You can compliment your gorilla trekking safari with gorilla habituation that can be described as the process of making mountain gorillas get used to human presence, tourists can join researchers and rangers in their daily work of habituation that takes place for 2-3 years before the family can be opened for trekking.
Gorilla habituation gives you an opportunity to spend more time with gorillas that is four hours unlike gorilla trekking where you spend only an hour with gorillas, habituation is also less congested allowing only 4 people to habituate while trekking allows 8 people.
Book your dream safari below.
Do you want to customize this safari by adding more activities, days or destinations? There is a much more detailed contact form with all these details. Kindly click the book now button below.
