Nkuringo Sector / Region of Bwindi

Although the park has four gorilla trekking sectors where gorillas can be trekked, Nkuringo sector is one of the sectors that is situated in the southern portion of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of the forests in Uganda to inhabit and protect the 400 mountain gorillas that remain in the world.

In order to preserve the mountain gorilla population, the park is both a tourist destination and a piece of global heritage. In Mgahinga National Park, some gorillas can be found on the slopes of volcanoes.

The “Nkuringo” gorilla family, so named because of the “rolling hills” where the family was first observed, is found in the deep, dense, and high region of the impenetrable national park forest of Bwindi. In 2004, this family’s habituation process began. When traveling to this section, the first thing one would notice are the hills.

Sector of Nkuringo

Twelve members of the Nkuringo family are undergoing habituation; they were once discovered in the villages, which is how they got habituated because they were observed destroying people’s crops. In order for the locals to benefit from the mountain gorillas, the group was made accessible to tourists.

The only family in the sector is the Nkuringo family, which was first headed by the silverback Nkuringo, who passed away in 2008. Later, the silverbacks Safari and Rafiki assumed leadership of the family. The family grew even larger that year when Kwitonda, the twin mother, gave birth to a set of twins named Muhozii and Katungi. However, Katungi passed away before turning two.

While gorilla trekking is the primary activity in the Nkuringo sector, there are other activities as well, such as community walks, learning about the daily lives of the locals, sharing meals, and telling stories. Talk to the original inhabitants of the forest caves on Batwa Trail and discover how they managed to survive and dwell there.

Visit the community schools and engage with the kids to see how they study without computers but with a wealth of information.

Tracking via Nkuringo requires a greater level of physical fitness and positive energy. It’s one of the most difficult trails and treks in the Bwindi forest, but after seeing gorillas, which is an adventure of a lifetime, one cannot complain about the difficult walk.