Uganda Gorilla Families — Which Groups Can You Visit?

If you’re planning gorilla trekking in Uganda, the single most practical question after “when” and “how much” is: which gorilla family (habituated group) will I be able to visit? Uganda’s mountain gorillas live primarily in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the much smaller Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Visits are only allowed to habituated families (groups trained, over time, to tolerate human observers). Which families are available for tourism changes over time as groups split, re-form, move across borders, or are reserved for research or habituation work.

Quick overview — key takeaways

• Where you can visit gorilla families in Uganda: mainly Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (multiple habituated groups across Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors) and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (a single habituated transboundary group). [1][2]
• How many habituated groups (authoritative count): UWA’s official Bwindi park page states Bwindi “boasts 25 habituated gorilla groups” (with a subset open for tourism and some set aside for research/habituation). Mgahinga is recorded as having one habituated transboundary group. (These are UWA figures as presented on its park pages; counts have risen over time as more groups are habituated.) [1][2]
• Permits and capacity: permits are issued per habituated group and eight (8) permits are allocated for each group per day (one hour per permit under standard tracking rules). Bookings must be made through UWA’s reservation system. [3][4]
• Groups change: group composition and whether a group is open for tourism can change rapidly (group splits, movements across borders, medical/veterinary interventions). Always confirm the specific group name and availability for your requested date with UWA reservations before paying. [1][5]
• How to check which family you’ll visit: contact UWA reservations directly (email/phone) and request the list of habituated groups that are available for tourism on your date and in your preferred sector; request the group name and permit reference to be included on your permit. [1]

1. Two parks: where Uganda’s visitor-accessible mountain gorillas live

• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP): the main site for gorilla tourism in Uganda. Bwindi is divided into multiple trekking sectors (Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, Nkuringo) and hosts many habituated groups. UWA’s official park page reports the most habituated groups and is the operational source for permits and sector logistics. [1]
• Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (MGNP): much smaller and high-elevation; UWA describes it as hosting a single habituated transboundary gorilla group (the group commonly referred to as Nyakagezi in management reports). Because this group ranges across national borders in the Virunga massif, availability can be more volatile. [2][5]

2. What “habituated family” means (and why only they are visitable)

A habituated family is a wild gorilla social group that has undergone the careful, staged process of becoming accustomed to human presence so researchers and (in some cases) tourists can observe them without causing panic or dangerous reactions. Habituation is resource-intensive and can take years; UWA and partner organisations control which families are opened for tourism for welfare and conservation reasons. Non-habituated groups are not open to tourists. [3]

3. How many groups are open to visitors right now? (authoritative snapshot)

• UWA’s official summary (accessed online): Bwindi “boasts 25 habituated gorilla groups” (UWA’s park page) and UWA notes that some groups are dedicated for research or not open to tourism at any given time. Mgahinga’s official page states it has one habituated transboundary gorilla group. Because UWA is the issuing authority for permits, its park pages and reservation office are the primary sources for current availability. [1][2]

Important context: UWA’s published figures have changed over time (older park brochures and management documents list fewer habituated groups; more groups have been habituated as conservation and monitoring work progressed). That is why you should always confirm the up-to-date list with UWA for your specific travel dates. [4][1]

4. Examples of commonly visited groups (illustrative, with sources)

UWA and its park publications — and occasional UWA news items — refer to several named groups that tourists commonly encounter. These names are helpful when you want a concrete reference in booking conversations, but availability for each name must be checked with UWA:

• Mubare — the first group habituated in Buhoma (historical and still commonly mentioned in UWA materials). [4]
• Binyindo — referenced in recent UWA news stories as a habituated family encountered by visitors. [1]
• Nyakagezi — the established habituated group in Mgahinga that ranges into neighboring parks and across borders. (Mgahinga management documents discuss the Nyakagezi group’s transboundary movements.) [2][5]

(These are examples; they do not constitute a complete nor permanently current list of visitable groups.)

5. How UWA organises permits, daily capacity and the practical implication for which group you visit

• Permits are sold per habituated group: UWA allocates a fixed number of permits to each habituated family (normally 8 permits per group per day for standard tracking). That means when you buy a permit you are buying the right to visit that named group on the booked day — not a generic “gorilla permit” that lets you see any group. [3][4]
• One-hour rule & group size: standard visits are limited to one hour per day with each group (habituation experiences are different and more restricted). This structure protects gorilla welfare and makes group-level allocation necessary for logistics. [3]
• Operational impact: because permits are per group, the name on the permit matters. Always request the group name and permit reference when you pay so everyone — you, your lodge, and UWA — can confirm which family you will visit. [3]

6. Why some habituated families are not open to tourists

A habituated family may be withheld from tourism for reasons including:

• Veterinary care or research (groups reserved for scientific study);
• Safety or welfare concerns (e.g., a family’s behaviour becomes unpredictable);
• Ongoing habituation (semi-habituated groups used only for habituation experiences);
• Transboundary movement (a family moves into neighboring Rwanda or DRC);
• Management decisions to reduce cumulative disturbance.

UWA management documents and park briefings explain these constraints; your permit should state whether the family is open to tourism on your date. [3][5]

7. Transboundary movement — the special case of Mgahinga and some Bwindi groups

Some gorilla families range across international borders in the Virunga–Bwindi landscape. Mgahinga’s Nyakagezi group is explicitly described as transboundary in UWA management documentation; such movements can cause last-minute changes to the group available for a trek and, in rare cases, rescheduling. If you plan to trek at Mgahinga or in southern Bwindi sectors near the Rwanda/DRC frontier, factor this risk into tight travel schedules. UWA advice is to confirm contingency/refund rules at booking. [2][5]

8. How to verify exactly which family you can visit on your dates — step-by-step

1. Decide park and sector preference (Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, Nkuringo or Mgahinga). Sectors have different habituated groups and different access logistics. [1]
2. Contact UWA Reservations (official channel): send an email to reservations@wildlife.go.ug (or call the UWA reservations office) and request the current list of habituated groups available for tourism on your preferred dates and sector. Ask them to name the group they will assign and include the permit reference in their reply. Use the UWA contact details on the park page. [1]
3. Request written confirmation of cancellation/reschedule policy for that particular permit (for transboundary movement or force majeure). UWA’s booking rules and tariff pages require use of official channels; get policy in writing. [3]
4. Book the permit only after you receive written confirmation that names, dates and payment references are matched. Keep the UWA confirmation with your travel documents. [3]
5. On arrival at the park briefing, verify the ranger’s assigned group name again and keep a copy of the permit and ranger names for your records. [4]

(Why written confirmation? Group availability can change quickly; a written reservation minimizes misunderstandings and is the authoritative evidence if a reschedule or refund is needed.) [3]

9. If you want a specific named group (is that possible?)

You can request a specific group when booking, but there is no guarantee until UWA confirms and issues the permit for that group and date. Popular groups can sell out months in advance; if you have a firm wish for a particular family (for example, for photographic or research reasons), make the request early and ask UWA to confirm in writing. [3]

10. Habituation experience vs standard tracking — different access and group status

• Standard gorilla tracking permit: one hour with a fully habituated family; eight visitors per group per day. These are the widely available tourist permits. [3]
• Gorilla habituation experience: extended observation of a semi-habituated group (longer hours, smaller groups, higher fee). Habituation families are fewer and closely controlled — they’re not interchangeable with standard groups. If your interest is habituation, request that permit specifically and confirm which family is designated for habituation that day. [3]

11. Practical tips for travellers booking by group

• Book as early as possible for dry-season peak months (June–August; Dec–Feb) — named groups fill quickly. [1]
• Insist on the group name on your permit. If your agent issues a generic permit confirmation without a group name, ask UWA directly for the group allocation. [3]
• If you need flexibility, state it clearly and get the UWA refund/reschedule policy in writing before you pay. Transboundary movements and management closures can force last-minute changes. [2][3]
• If photography matters, discuss habituation permits (costly and limited) — these provide longer observation periods but require additional ethical commitments. [3]

12. What to do if the group you paid for cannot be located on the day

UWA maintains operational procedures for “no-sightings” or where a family has moved. Policies on partial refunds/rescheduling are handled by UWA reservations; these are administrative matters you should confirm when booking. If a family has crossed a border into a neighboring park, UWA or partner agencies (in Rwanda/DRC) may coordinate alternatives, but there is no automatic swap between named groups without reservation amendments. (Always ask UWA for their current contingency terms before payment.) [2][3][5]

13. Quick checklist before you finalize a permit purchase

• Get the exact group name and sector stated on the permit. [3]
• Ask UWA to confirm whether the named group is open to tourism on your date. [3]
• Request written refund/reschedule/’no-sighting’ policy for that permit. [3]
• If you’re booking Mgahinga, ask whether the Nyakagezi group has recently crossed borders and what contingency plans exist. [2]
• Keep the UWA reservation confirmation and the UWA contact details (reservations@wildlife.go.ug; +256 414 355000) handy. [1]

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1 — Can I pick the exact family I visit when I book?
A1 — You may request a specific family, and many bookings specify a group name, but only a written UWA confirmation that names the group and date guarantees that group for you. [3]

Q2 — How many people visit each group per day?
A2 — UWA issues 8 permits per habituated group per day for standard tracking. [4]

Q3 — Are any habituated groups reserved for research only?
A3 — Yes — UWA notes that some habituated groups are dedicated to research/monitoring and not open to tourism; check the UWA reservation confirmation. [1][4]

Q4 — Which park has more visitable groups, Bwindi or Mgahinga?
A4 — Bwindi has the majority of Uganda’s habituated groups (UWA lists many habituated families across its sectors); Mgahinga has a single habituated transboundary group. [1][2]

Q5 — What if the family I paid for has moved across the border?
A5 — If a habituated family crosses into Rwanda/DRC, UWA and partner authorities may have contingency processes; you should have confirmed refund/rescheduling rules with UWA at booking. Transboundary movement is a known management risk, especially for the Mgahinga family. [2][5]

References

1. Uganda Wildlife Authority — Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (official park page). Accessed Jan 27, 2026.
   https://ugandawildlife.org/national-parks/bwindi-impenetrable-national-park/
2. Uganda Wildlife Authority — Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (official park page). Accessed Jan 27, 2026.
   https://ugandawildlife.org/national-parks/mgahinga-gorilla-national-park/
3. Uganda Wildlife Authority — Guidelines for the management of gorilla and chimpanzee tracking (July 2024) (PDF). (PDF)
   https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Guidelines-for-the-management-of-gorilla-and-chimpanzee-tracking-JULY-2024.pdf
4. Uganda Wildlife Authority — Bwindi park brochure / factsheet (BINP brochure) (PDF). (PDF)
   https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bwindi-cc-2018-2.pdf
5. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park — General Management Plan and park documents (references to Nyakagezi and transboundary movements) (PDF). (PDF)
   https://ugandawildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Mgahinga_Gorilla_National_Park_GMP_2014-2023.pdf

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