Gorilla Families in Bwindi | Best Groups to Track Guide

There are over 20 gorilla families available for trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. These families are spread across four sectors of the park: Rushaga, Nkuringo, Buhoma, and Ruhija.

Below are some of the top gorilla families that visitors often choose to track.

Mubare Gorilla Family

The Mubare gorilla family is found in the Buhoma sector and has nine members. The family was first formed in 1991 by a dominant silverback called Ruhondeza. He was later followed by Kanyonyi and then Maraya. The group takes its name from the Mubare Hills, where it was first seen. The family became known for cases of infanticide during Ruhondeza’s leadership.

Habinyanja Gorilla Family

This family is also found in the Buhoma sector, near the Nyamishamba Hills. It is led by a dominant silverback named Makara. The family has 16 members, including one silverback, four blackbacks, four sub adult males, four adult females, two juveniles, and one infant. The family was formed in 1996.

Katwe Gorilla Family

The Katwe gorilla family is located in the Buhoma sector and is one of the newest families in this area. It was formed in 2018 and has a total of seven members.

Bitukura Gorilla Family

The Bitukura family lives in the Ruhija sector. It has 13 members, including four silverbacks, four adult females, two juveniles, and three infants. The group is led by a silverback called Ndahura. The family gets its name from the river where it was first seen.

Bushaho Gorilla Family

This family is found in the Nkuringo sector of Bwindi. It has eight members and is led by a dominant silverback named Bahati. The Bushaho family split from the Nkuringo family and later became an independent group.

Nshongi Gorilla Family

The Nshongi gorilla family is located in the Rushaga sector. It was named after the river where it was first spotted. The name Nshongi comes from the local Rukiga word Omushongi Gwoboki, which means honey. The family was formed in 2009 and has about 30 members.