In the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, you can trek the latest habituated gorilla family called Binyindo. As of now, Binyindo gorilla family has 9 members with the head being a silverback known as Binyindo. This symbolic name is a reference to the silverback’s distinct nasal features. The dominant Binyindo leads 5 adult females, 2 juveniles and only 1 infant mountain gorilla.
How to trek the Binyindo gorilla family?
Similar to all gorilla treks in Uganda, this adventure starts with a morning briefing session at the Buhoma trailhead. A park ranger will do this to provide information on how to trek the Binyindo gorilla group safely. In a group comprising of not more than 8 visitors, you will be led into the forest to track the Binyindo gorilla family. This is at around 8:00 a.m. After an encounter with the family, you will have a full hour to spend in their presence.
With this opportunity, you can take photos and watch the gorillas and how they interact among each other. Bininyindo himself will most likely be present and guiding his family for you to see. After the hour mark, you will be on your way back to the starting point. This entire adventure takes somewhere from 2 hours to even 8 hours. This depends on where the Binyindo gorilla family spent the night.
The cost of trekking Binyindo gorilla family?
Trekking gorillas in Uganda, including the Binyindo family costs $800 per person for the day of trekking. You will get a gorilla permit after payment of the fee to grant you access into the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Payments are done conveniently with a reputable tour operator. Standard Safaris is a reputable tour operator based in Uganda and capable of buying a gorilla permit on your behalf.
How to reach Buhoma sector?
To trek the Binyindo gorilla family, you will have to travel by either road or air. The latter is much faster. All domestic flights to the nearby Kihihi airstrip are operated by AeroLink Uganda. From Entebbe International Airport, your scheduled flight will take an hour and 15 minutes. From Kihihi airstrip, you will need to reach the Buhoma sector in a Standard Safaris 4X4 safari vehicle, which takes less than 2 hours.
If you consider traveling by road transport, you can start your journey from various places including Kampala, Entebbe or Rwanda. From Kampala, you must be prepared to spend 10-11 hours on a comfortable Standard Safaris 4X4 safari vehicle. This implies that you will have approximately 498 km to cover as you drive from Kampala to Buhoma sector. You can also reach the Buhoma sector from Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Other gorilla families in Buhoma sector?
Much as you prefer to trek the Binyindo gorilla family, the Buhoma sector offers plenty of other habituated groups. These are as equally exciting to trek as the Binyindo gorilla family. They include,
Katwe gorilla family, which is composed of 8 members under the leadership of the dominant silverback, Mahaane. Members comprise 2 silverbacks, 1 blackback, 3 female adults and 2 infants.
Muyambi gorilla family, which is headed by a dominant silverback of the same name. Quite similar to the Binyindo gorilla family, it is newly habituated. Comprised of 7 members, 1 silverback, 4 adult females and 2 infants.
Mubare gorilla family, led by the silverback Maraya and composed of 7 members. These include a silverback, 4 adult female gorillas and 2 infants.
Habinyanja gorilla family, which has the silverback known as Makara leading it. This gorilla group is composed of 13 members including 2 silverbacks. There are 2 blackbacks, 4 adult females, 2 sub-adult females, 2 juvenile gorillas and an infant.
Rushegura gorilla family, which has 16 members with Mwirima as the dominant silverback leading them. This group comprises 2 silverbacks, 2 blackbacks, 5 adult females, 1 subadult female, 2 juveniles and 4 infants.
Other gorilla sectors in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park?
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is situated just at the edge of the western rift valley with 4 gorilla sectors including Buhoma. The other gorilla sectors include Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo, all situated in the southern part of Bwindi. Altogether these 4 gorilla sectors contain at least 23 habituated gorilla groups. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has around 459 individual mountain gorillas, about a half of the world’s total population.
Bwindi is not only home to the critically endangered mountain gorillas but also for plenty of mammals, birds and insects etc. Bwindi also shelters 120 mammal species, 350 bird species and 200 butterfly species etc.
You can see mammals like African forest elephants, African forest buffaloes, olive baboons, common chimps and vervet monkeys etc. Regarding birds, Bwindi has 23 Albertine endemics like regal sunbird, dusky crimson wing and African citril etc.
