Habituation of the Bikingi family began in early 2012 and continued until mid-2016. Located in the extreme southern region of Rushaga in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, the habituation of the Bikingi gorilla group commenced as a follow-up exercise for the scattered members of the Mishaya family.
Some of the former members belonging to the Mishaya group were part of a non-habituated gorilla group that lived close to Mishaya. This prompted the initiation of the habituation process so the group could become accustomed to the presence of people. Silverback Bikingi leads over 15 other individuals, including 5 adult females, 2 sub-adult males, 2 juveniles, and 5 infants.
Trekking Bikingi Gorilla Family
Like any other gorilla family in Uganda, only eight people are allowed to trek the Bikingi group daily. This limitation helps to control the spread of infections and minimize the destruction of gorilla habitats.
Trekking Bikingi requires securing a gorilla permit in advance. Gorilla permits are documents that allow tourists to access a specific gorilla family on a particular day for a maximum of one hour. A gorilla permit to trek the Bikingi family costs $600 per person.
Due to high demand, gorilla permits for the Bikingi family must be booked early in advance from the Uganda Wildlife Authority or through a trusted tour agency.
How to Get to the Bikingi Family in the Rushaga Region
Visitors seeking a gorilla trekking experience with the Bikingi family must drive to Rushaga park headquarters, either from Kigali or Kampala/Entebbe, depending on their point of arrival. From Kigali, the drive takes a maximum of 3 hours, crossing via the Cyanika border in Kisoro or the Katuna border in Kabale.
From Entebbe or Kampala, the journey is quite long, taking about 8-9 hours through the Masaka-Mbarara highway, passing through Kabale town, and then driving southeast through the new Rubanda district.
Besides gorilla trekking, the Rushaga region offers an array of amazing activities, including bird watching, nature walks, Batwa community walks, visiting waterfalls, and more.
