Katwe Gorilla Group in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
The Katwe Gorilla Group is located in the dense, well-stocked, and most popular gorilla tracking region in Uganda: the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Trekking with mountain gorillas is still the best way to enrich your soul with unforgettable experiences. Additionally, the Katwe family is one of the invulnerable gorilla families in Bwindi.
In 2018, the Uganda Wildlife Authority announced that the Katwe gorilla group was now one of the groups available for trekking in the impenetrable national park of Bwindi. The strong demand for gorilla permits in Uganda and a three-year habituation period preceded this. The group inhabits in the Buhoma sector, which opened to the public in 1993 and is the oldest and most well-known sector in the northern portion of Bwindi National Park. A hill in the area where they frequently feed and have been accustomed is the source of the group’s moniker, “Katwe.”
Katwe Gorilla Group members.
The overall number of members in the Katwe gorilla family may fluctuate due to new births that leave the group. According to the most current survey, there are nine members: two babies, three black backs, four adult females, and one dominating silverback.
The primary food source for the Katwe family is leaves, which they find after searching the jungle. Fruits, branches, roots, and bamboo shoots make up their food. They occasionally eat insects that strengthen the immune system. The mothers nurse the babies for a while before teaching them how to eat themselves. Watching the babies mimic their moms’ eating habits is fascinating, and nobody will hold it against you if you smile or grab it for the camera.
The Dos and Don’ts of Trekking with Gorillas
Guidelines have been established from the beginning to the finish of the trekking exercise to preserve gorillas, which are sensitive and endangered animals. This is frequently explained to the guests during the briefing, which takes place at the park headquarters quite early in the morning. Wash your hands, go to the pre-trailing briefing, avoid littering the park, avoid making noise while tracking, make a new path, and dispose of human waste properly as directed by the park ranger before you meet the gorillas.
The family should stand at least 7 meters away, refrain from feeding them, speak quietly, look away, and cough on your elbow if necessary, spend no more than an hour with the gorillas to prevent upsetting them, avoid using flashlights when taking pictures, and follow all park ranger instructions. After spending an hour with the gorillas, depart the park with joy, keep your distance from the apes no more than seven meters, and leave the area tidy.
The price of trekking with gorillas
There are eight trekking permits available each day for the Katwe family in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This can be obtained from the Uganda Wildlife Authority headquarters or through a travel operator. The permit costs 250,000 shillings for East African residents and roughly 700 USD for foreign non-residents and 600 USD for foreign residents. To be eligible for a permit that is just good for the hiking day, a person must be at least 15 years old.
Additional efforts carried out in the impassable national park of Bwindi.
Nature hikes
While on the Pearl of Africa’s soil, experience the true, original African environment. With the possibility of encountering creatures like baboons, monkeys, and forest pigs, nature walks offer an amazing experience. Katwe Gorilla Group in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Habituation of gorillas
Fortunately, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the only place in Africa where one can observe gorilla habituation. The process through which mountain gorillas become accustomed to and at ease with human presence is known as “habituation.” It takes roughly two years to complete. Visitors can accompany the conservationists on their regular walks to see the untamed mountain gorillas.
Observing birds
The Nkuringo sector offers a unique opportunity to investigate this activity. Bird watching is essentially done while doing outdoor walks where various tree kinds and singing birds can be heard. The African emerald cuckoo, Garners warbler, White-tailed blue flycatcher, and short-tailed warbler are a few of the frequently sighted birds. For a clear view of the birds and other attractions, binoculars are strongly advised.
trekking.
This area has a number of hiking paths. Hiking is done during the gorilla trekking safari, gorilla habituation experience, and when it is decided to reach the top of the water falls in the Rushaga region. Typically, hikers head south from the north to Bwindi. The average hiking duration is five to nine hours or less. Take the five-hour Kashasha River Trail if you’re looking for strenuous hiking. There are higher inclines, particularly if you choose the 600-meter-high Buhoma path at the trail’s finish.
The best time to visit the Katwe Gorilla family is during the Mubwindi Swamp in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
The greatest time to visit this family is during the dry months because they are located in a steep area deep into the forest. Trekking during rainy months increases stress, which is a circumstance that no one who is creating memories would want to be in. Dry months are June through September and December through February.
Packing essentials for your gorilla adventure
Choosing what to bring on a gorilla trekking safari can be challenging for any travelers, but it can be particularly difficult for first-time visitors. Good hiking boots to deal with the mud, a jacket in case of sudden rain, a good camera for taking pictures, gloves to protect your hands, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, a hat, binoculars to see far-off animals, a visa, the yellow fever vaccine, a negative Covid test certificate or vaccination, and many other items should be on your list.
The Buhoma sector, located in the southwest of Uganda, north of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, is home to this small but incredibly fascinating group of gorillas.
How to reach the impassable Bwindi
Vacationers can reach Bwindi, which is located in the southwest, via plane or by car. It can take 8–10 hours to go by car from Kampala to Bwindi National Park, and 3–4 hours to travel from Kigali, Rwanda. Flights to Kisoro or Kihihi airstrip depart from Entebbe Airport/Kajjansi airport.
