Rushaga Sector Gorilla Trekking

Rushaga at a Glance

Gorilla Trekking in Rushaga

Treks start with a briefing at the Rushaga park office. With many families in the sector, groups set off in different directions, so trails rarely feel busy even though the visitor centre is lively in the morning. The forest here is hilly, with steep ridges and valleys, and treks can be short or last most of the day depending on where your family has moved. The hour with the gorillas, the rules and the permit price (currently US$800 for foreign non-residents) are the same as everywhere in Bwindi. See our gorilla trekking guide.

The Gorilla Habituation Experience

Rushaga is where Uganda runs the gorilla habituation experience. Instead of one hour with a fully habituated family, you spend up to four hours with a family that is still getting used to people, accompanied by the researchers and trackers working with it. Groups are smaller than on a standard trek and the day is longer and more demanding, but you see much more natural behaviour — feeding, resting, grooming and play — without the rush of the standard hour. The permit costs US$1,500 per person and only a few are issued each day, so book well in advance. See the gorilla habituation experience and the habituation permit cost.

Why Choose Rushaga?

• Best permit availability: more families means more permits, useful for late bookings and peak months.
• The habituation experience, available only here in Uganda.
• Easy from Rwanda: the quickest Bwindi sector to reach from Kigali.
• Great for combinations: about an hour from Mgahinga for golden monkeys, and two hours from Lake Bunyonyi.

If you want gentler terrain and the widest choice of lodges, compare Buhoma; for dramatic views and a tougher hike, its neighbour Nkuringo.

Things to Do Around Rushaga

• Community and Batwa cultural walks in the villages around the sector.
• Canoeing on Lake Mutanda, with views of the Virunga volcanoes, near Kisoro.
• Golden monkey tracking or a volcano hike in Mgahinga.
• A rest day on Lake Bunyonyi after your trek.

Getting to Rushaga

• From Kigali, Rwanda: about four hours via the Katuna or Cyanika border crossing.
• From Kisoro: about 1–1.5 hours; Kisoro airstrip has scheduled flights from Entebbe.
• From Lake Bunyonyi or Kabale: about two hours.
• From Entebbe: a full day by road, usually broken at Lake Mburo.

See trekking from Kigali vs Entebbe.

Where to Stay in Rushaga

Rushaga has a good spread of lodges from budget to upmarket, several on hillsides with views across the forest to the Virunga volcanoes. Some travellers stay in Kisoro or at Lake Bunyonyi and drive in early on trekking day, but staying in Rushaga itself means a relaxed morning. Book early for the busy months.

Best Time to Trek in Rushaga

Trekking runs all year. June to September and December to February are drier, with firmer trails; the wetter months mean muddier slopes but fewer visitors. The habituation experience should be booked several months ahead whatever the season. See the best time for gorilla trekking.