Bweza Gorilla Family
Bweza Gorilla Family : The Bweza mountain gorilla family can also be trekked in the Rushaga area of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, the Bweza gorilla family used to be part of the Nshongi gorilla family but split off when Bweza broke away to form his own family.
Nshongi gorilla family was one of the largest groups to be habituated in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park containing several Silverbacks so the splitting was inevitable. The Bweza group was opened up for trekking in 2012. Bweza broke off from Mishaya who had earlier on split from Nshongi gorilla family to also form his own family. The other gorilla groups in Rushaga sector of Bwindi include:
Mishaya gorilla family
Mishaya is the gorilla family that Bweza family broke off from, the Mishaya gorilla family consists of 10 members, the silverback Mishaya was known as a fighter as he often fought with other gorilla groups to snatch members and his costed him a lot of injuries that led to his death in 2014 the family was succeeded by the silverback Mwine.
Busingye gorilla family
The name Busingye is derived from a local word to mean peace, the dominating silverback of the group is called Busingye though he’s always picking up fights with solitary gorillas. The Busingye gorilla group broke away from Kahungye gorilla family with 7 members to form his own family.
Kahungye gorilla family
The Kahungye gorilla family was opened for tourism in 2011, the group initially had 27 members until Busingye broke off with some members to form his own gorilla family. The group is now dominated by silver back known as Gwigi to mean “door” in the local word.
Nshongi gorilla family
The Nshongi gorilla family was the largest habituated gorilla family in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, the group consisted of 37 members at the time of habituation the name Nshongi is derived from a river where the group was first seen and lives. Nshongi gorilla group led to the birth of Mishaya and Bweza gorilla families.
Apart from trekking mountain gorillas, the other activities that tourists can engage in while at Bwindi are; nature guided walks, hiking and bird watching. There are also high chances of encountering different butterfly species, tree species and chances of seeing the rare three horned chameleon.
Tourists visiting the Rushaga sector of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park can sleep in Rushaga gorilla camp, chameleon hill lodge, gorilla mist lodge and Gorilla safari lodge among others. Permits for trekking mountain gorillas cost $600 per person.
