Kanungu District sits in Uganda’s remote southwest, formed in 2001 after being carved out of the former Kabale District. It borders Rukungiri District to the north and east, Rubanda District to the south, Kisoro to the southwest, and DR Congo to the west. Despite its remote location, Kanungu holds some of the more striking scenery in the region, along with a complex history worth understanding before you visit.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Kanungu is best known as home to the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, about 45km from Kanungu town. Bwindi holds a significant share of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, alongside the rest of the population found across the Virunga Massif spanning Rwanda, Uganda, and DR Congo. Visitors come to Buhoma for gorilla trekking and habituation experiences, along with encounters with the Batwa people, forest walks, and birding in one of Africa’s most biodiverse rainforests.
A Difficult Chapter in Kanungu’s History
Kanungu is also the site of one of the deadliest cult-related tragedies in recent history. In March 2000, roughly 1,000 followers of Joseph Kibwetere’s Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God died in a fire at his church, about 2km south of Kanungu town. Kibwetere had convinced tens of thousands of followers that the world would end that year. The remains of the church are still preserved today, and some visitors choose to see the site as part of understanding the region’s more difficult recent history. This is a somber place rather than a typical attraction, and it’s worth approaching it with that in mind.
The Landscape of Kanungu
Beyond Bwindi and its history, Kanungu offers genuinely scenic terrain: the Kigezi highlands, wide tea plantations, conical hills dotted with homesteads, and seasonal rivers running through the district.
Cultural Encounters
The Batwa people living around Buhoma offer visitors insight into their traditional forest life, including demonstrations of gathering, hunting, and shelter-building practiced before they were resettled outside the forest. Visitors can also learn about their history and traditions through storytelling, song, and performance, alongside other activities in the area like hiking and nature walks.
Where to Stay
Accommodation in Kanungu ranges from luxury to budget, including Buhoma Community Campsite, Crested Crane Hotel, Bwindi Lodge, Silverback Lodge, and Buhoma Lodge.
Getting to Kanungu
Kanungu sits about 450km from Kampala, roughly an 8-hour drive via Mbarara and Rukungiri. The route from Rukungiri to Kanungu town covers about 44km, currently taking over 2 hours, though ongoing road upgrades are expected to cut that closer to 1 hour. Along the way from Kampala, travelers pass the Equator Monument, the open plains of Ankole cattle country, Mbarara town, and the Igongo Cultural Center, which covers the history and traditions of western Uganda’s various communities.
From gorilla trekking in Buhoma to the region’s scenery and complex history, Kanungu District offers a fuller picture of southwestern Uganda than gorilla trekking alone. Book your Kanungu trip with our team today, and we’ll help you plan gorilla trekking and cultural activities around your visit.
