Nkuringo Sector/Region is located west of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. When you visit this park, be assured of having an unforgettable gorilla safari experience of your life. Bwindi is located in the southwestern part of Uganda, offering its visitors an unmatched opportunity to meet one-on-one with the last remaining endangered Mountain gorillas in the world.
The park has four sectors, all of which are interesting to visit. However, you can start your trip in one of the most visited sectors of Bwindi, which is Nkuringo Sector. Located in the western part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Nkuringo is one of the most interesting spots for gorilla trekking. It is home to the renowned Nkuringo gorilla family, considered the most interesting group to visit, though it is tiresome to trek.
This wonderful family comprises 19 members. In the past, members of this group were found in nearby villages destroying people’s crops, hence creating human-gorilla conflicts. Due to this, the responsible authorities habituated them, making it the first family open to tourists in 2009.
Originally, Nkuringo Region had only one family (Nkuringo), previously led by Silverback Nkuringo, who died in 2008, leaving the family under the leadership of Silverbacks Safari and Rafiki, who were the two silverbacks present at that time.
In the summer of 2018, another group named Christmas was successfully habituated and opened for tracking to visitors, increasing the number of permits in Nkuringo Sector to eight on a daily basis. Nkuringo is derived from a Rukiga word meaning “round hill.”
Nkuringo Gorilla Family
In the first few months of tracking this group, the trackers responsible for habituation noticed that it was led by an elderly silverback named Nkuringo. However, Nkuringo’s son, Safari, had started taking over most of the leadership roles. His father, “Nkuringo,” died on April 27, 2008, leaving behind only two silverbacks in the group, Rafiki and Safari. This was a true indicator that it was time for new leadership to be put in place.
Some key family members include Safari, the dominant silverback; Rafiki, the second silverback; Bahati, the third silverback; Kirungi, the fourth silverback; Kwitonda, an adult female; Semehe, an adult female; Karibu, a black back; Posho, a black back; Kwesima, a juvenile; Magara, a juvenile; Kuhirwa, a juvenile female; Rwamutwe, an infant; Muhozi, an infant; Tabu, an infant; Furaha, an infant; and Kizza.
Christmas Group
This is the most recent gorilla family to be habituated in Bwindi, alongside the Katwe family in Buhoma. Under the leadership of Silverback Christmas, this group broke away from the original Nkuringo group. The group consists of 9 members, including one silverback, three female gorillas, one black back, and one baby gorilla.
Besides gorilla trekking, many activities can be carried out in the Nkuringo Sector, including nature walks done in the early mornings and evenings starting from various points. If you’re connecting from the Buhoma sector and using the Kabale–Butogota–Buhoma–Nkuringo road, you have a great opportunity to enjoy the forest’s nature on your way to Nkuringo. This forest exposes you to high chances of enjoying the quiet environment while seeing baboons, forest pigs, and monkeys.
Other Activities
While in the Nkuringo Sector, birds will welcome you with nice melodies and beautiful colors. This activity is best done during forest walks, where every traveler expects to see birds such as white-tailed blue flycatchers, yellow-eyed black catchers, black bee-eaters, short-tailed warblers, Garner’s warblers, and African emerald cuckoos, among others.
For those who love getting exposed to and learning from other people’s cultures, you can meet the Batwa and Bakiga communities. You have a chance to discover more about their norms, unique traditional dances, local performances, hunting experiences, and cultural tours with the Batwa and Bakiga communities.
The hiking experience in this sector is a true test of your fitness; it happens to be very challenging but offers you a chance to meet local people and view Virunga National Park in the DRC.
Accessing Nkuringo Region
From Kampala, Nkuringo can be accessed via the Kabale–Kisoro–Rushaga route. However, from Kisoro, you can reach Nkuringo Sector via the Buhoma or Rushaga routes. You can also opt to use air transport. From Entebbe or Kajjansi airstrip, you can take a scheduled or charter plane that will land you at Kabale/Kihiihi airstrip, where you can then connect to the Nkuringo Region.
Accommodation
Overnight accommodation options in Nkuringo Sector range from budget to luxury. They include Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Campsite, Hammerkop Bunkhouse, Chameleon Hill Lodge, among others. Nkuringo Sector has emerged as one of the best sectors in Bwindi National Park, receiving numerous visitors due to the various interesting activities in the sector. No one should plan to miss this fascinating part of the park.
