The Nkuringo gorilla group is found in the Nkuringo sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bwindi is located in southwestern Uganda, in the districts of Kabale, Kisoro, and Kanungu.
The park is one of the most biologically diverse forests, hosting over 120 mammal species, more than 350 bird species, over 220 butterfly species, reptiles, amphibians, over 1,000 flowering plants, and many other tree species.
Bwindi is home to most of the endangered mountain gorillas, with about 459 individuals—almost half of those remaining in the wild.
The Nkuringo gorilla group was habituated in 1996 and opened for gorilla trekking in 2004.
The Nkuringo group derives its name from a round hill, Nkuringo, where its members were first spotted.
At the time of its formation, the Nkuringo gorilla group started with 18 members under the leadership of Nkuringo, a dominant silverback.
Later, Nkuringo died due to old age, and Rafiki and Safari took over as potential leaders.
Safari was considered the primary leader of the group because he was Nkuringo’s son, and as his heir, he had already started assuming leadership responsibilities even before his father passed away.
Later, Safari disappeared, and Rafiki, the dominant silverback, took over the group. However, Rafiki was killed by poachers in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Currently, the group is under the leadership of Rwamutwe, who heads 15 members.
A unique feature of the Nkuringo group is that it welcomed twins in 2008, although, sadly, one passed away after 2 years.
The Nkuringo group is one of those habituated in Bwindi due to the problems they caused for local communities by destroying crops and other resources.
Trekking the Nkuringo Family
Gorilla trekking starts early in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters. Tourists are then grouped into groups of 8 to trek the Nkuringo family.
They are led by a well-trained park ranger into the thick forests, where they are directed to the best spots and given essential information about the family.
Trekking can take between 30 minutes to 6 hours, depending on the group’s speed and energy needed to climb the hills.
Cost of Nkuringo Gorilla Permits
- USD 800 for foreign non-residents
- USD 700 for foreign residents
- UGX 300,000 for East African citizens
Best Time to Trek the Nkuringo Family
The best time to trek the Nkuringo family is during the dry season, in the months of June to August and December to February, when the trails are dry.
Trekking the Nkuringo gorilla family is a gateway to experiencing the natural beauty of the Nkuringo sector.
