August 29, 2023 | Bujo Safaris
Ruhija sector is situated in the eastern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park between the Buhoma sector and Kibale town. Ruhija sector also connects to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The eastern part of the thick lush green forest of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park happens to be Ruhija and is best accessed through Buhoma or Kabale. Tourists with moderate or no trekking experience should consider taking the course of this sector as its terrain is not so hilly hence aged trekkers shouldn’t miss this sector.
Besides the four gorilla families that tourists can spot while they are in the park, tourists also get to enjoy scenic nature and watch amazing birds among other amazing animals like monkeys and other wildlife animals.
Unlike other gorilla trekking or tracking sectors in Bwindi, a group of only 6 people is allowed to trek a particular gorilla family per day. And several about 16 to 24 gorilla trekking permits are available per day. Although the Ruhija sector is not always flooded with tourists unlike other sectors of Bwindi, it is a sector suitable for kinds of people to trek gorillas in. This is because it is eco-friendly and has easy access to trails and phenomenon locations near Queen Elizabeth National Park.
This is the oldest gorilla family in the sector as it completed habituation in 1995. The family was led by Silverback Zeus during their habituation but was later sent into exile till his death by Rukina after having a leadership fight.
The fight for leadership for power doesn’t seem to end and this got Mukisa to be challenged by a silverback from a different family group in 2016. After Rukara defeats Mukiza, the family splits up into two forming Kyaguriro A and Kyaguriro B. Kyaguriro A is the original Kyaguriro family and it is made up of 10 members that includes one silverback, 3 adult females, 2 black backs, 2 juveniles and two infants.
This is sometimes referred to as Kyaguriro B as it was a breakaway of the famous Kyaguriro family. It so happens to be the second-largest gorilla family in the sector. The family is headed by silverback Mukiza, 7 adult females that include Mugenyi, Mugwere, Twijukye, Korugyezi, and Bwebisha among others, one female sub-adult, one juvenile, and 5 infants.
This family was named after River Bitukura where they were first seen. This family has a history of being the only gorilla family to take one year to be habituated as most families take two to three years. This family is made up of 13 members with four silverbacks that include Rukumu, Rukara, Karamuzi, and Ndahura who is both the youngest.
After Karamuzi retired from leadership at the age of 42, Ndahura was able to take on the throne and he has been in power since then till date. The family includes three females named Bettina, Ruhara, and Kamuga, two black backs named Mugisha and Obia, a juvenile Kabandize, and two infants called Kadogo and Mubwindi. This gorilla family is always available for gorilla trekking and it’s considered to be a peaceful and friendly gorilla family.
This gorilla family was first sighted near a local plant species called oruzogota and hence their name came into existence. The family was opened for gorilla trekking in 2011 and is made up of 17 members under the reign of Silverback Bakwata. The family also has 2 black backs, 2 sub-adults, 5 female sub-adults, and 10 infants.
This is the most loved gorilla family in this sector because of its braveness and amazing stubborn nature of most of the members of the family.
Trekking mountain gorillas is the major activity that is done in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi, but it is not the only jaw-dropping activity that tourists can lose their minds on while they are in this sector. Other interesting features of the Ruhija sector include the following;
The chirps made by the birds at any time of the day are the true definition of decent noise because the sound made by these creatures is irresistible. A walk from the sight of the amazing mountain gorillas is tiring but this is all quenched by the views of these small beautiful creatures as they fly so high in the sky and from tree to tree.
Well-trained bird guides usually lead tourists as they show them several bird species that tourists can land their eyes on like the grey-throated barbets, the red-chested flufftail, the African shrike flycatcher, Kivu ground thrush among others. The Ruwenzori batis shouldn’t be missed as it highlights the beauty of the birds found in this region.
The aroma of nature is strikingly beautiful and gives off a relieving kind of intoxication to tourists that is addictive and more of this is received by tourists who take a slow walk into the pristine spaces of Ruhija. During the guided nature walks, tourists follow sight-appealing trails like the Mubwindi swamp trail, and bamboo trail among others. The bamboo trail reveals different primates wandering in the slippery hard bamboo like monkeys, tourists get to appreciate forest elephants, beautifully colored butterflies, caves, and other natural beauty features.
The meandering nature of Ruhija and the park at large offer an interesting ground for tourists to cycle and meander through the land majestically. This is a better way of touring the park, and local villages, interacting with people, and visiting farmlands and plantations all at the seat of a bicycle muscling through the bumpy routes of Ruhija.
All year round, tourists are highly welcomed to this sector but a blast is gotten by tourists who tour in the dry months of June to January to enjoy a great deal from the dry walking trails to the clear sky and the warm sunshine among others.
The Ruhija sector in Bwindi can be accessed by either air transport or road transport. By air transport, you can use an aero link aircraft from Entebbe International Airport and fly to Kihihi airstrip. From there you will have to board a private or public road transport means and get transferred for about an hour to the Ruhija sector of Bwindi. By road, you can either use public or private means of road transport and transfer for about 9-10 hours via the Mbarara- Kabale highway and proceed to Buhoma. Ruhija sector can also be accessed from Rwanda/Kigali which is about a 4-5 hours drive.
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