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 spirit 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 among the groups available for trekking in the impenetrable national park of Bwindi. The strong demand for gorilla licenses 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 often eat 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 bush. Fruits, branches, roots, and bamboo shoots make up their food. They sometimes eat insects that strengthen the immune system.
The moms nurse the babies for a while before teaching them how to eat themselves. Watching the babies mimic their moms’ feeding 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, who are sensitive and endangered animals. This is often mentioned to the guests at 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 route, and dispose of human waste properly as directed by the park ranger before you encounter 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 hiking with gorillas
There are eight hiking permits available each day for the Katwe family in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This may be obtained at the Uganda Wildlife Authority offices or via a travel operator. The permit costs 300,000 shillings for East African citizens and around 800 USD for foreign non-residents and 700 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 land, experience the true, original African environment. With the possibility of seeing creatures like baboons, monkeys, and forest pigs, nature walks provide an amazing experience. Katwe Gorilla Group in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Gorilla habituation
Fortunately, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the only place in Africa where one may observe gorilla habituation. The process by which mountain gorillas get used to and at ease with human presence is known as “habituation.” It takes around two years to complete. Visitors may accompany the conservationists on their regular walks to see the untamed mountain gorillas.
Bird watching
The Nkuringo area offers a unique opportunity to investigate this activity. Bird watching is essentially done while doing outdoor excursions where various tree kinds and singing birds may be heard. The African emerald cuckoo, Garners warbler, White-tailed blue flycatcher, and short-tailed warbler are a few of the often seen species. For a good view of the birds and other attractions, binoculars are strongly advised.
Hiking
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 area. Typically, hikers go 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 near the trail’s finish.
The best time to see the Katwe Gorilla family is during the Mubwindi Swamp in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
The greatest time to see this family is during the dry months since they are located in a steep area deep into the forest. Trekking during rainy months increases tension, 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 may 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 tiny but very fascinating group of gorillas.
How to reach the impassable Bwindi
Vacationers may reach Bwindi, which is located in the southwest, via plane or by car. It may 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.
