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Chris Willis | profile | all galleries >> Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda and Uganda, Jan. 2007 >> Mountain Gorillas From Nkuringo Group, Uganda tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

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Mountain Gorillas From Nkuringo Group, Uganda

These images are from our January 6, 2007 trek to see the Nkuringo Group of mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. This trek was quite physically demanding, and the gorillas were playing hide and seek with us for most of the time. The gorillas were in a very steep area at high altitude (7,000 feet), in a cleared area just outside the forest.
One interesting point to note is the differences in appearance between these gorillas and those in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
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We encountered the gorillas in a valley, and here one of the females walks by.

We encountered the gorillas in a valley, and here one of the females walks by.

 IMG_0164.JPG IMG_0167.JPG A silverback walks by, completely ignoring the small group of human onlookers.

A silverback walks by, completely ignoring the small group of human onlookers.
IMG_0179.JPG This dominant silverback bears the group's name, Nkuringo, which is also the name of a nearby mountain where the gorillas were first encountered.

This dominant silverback bears the group's name, Nkuringo, which is also the name of a nearby mountain where the gorillas were first encountered.

 This gorilla, named Karibu, was enjoying some tree bark.

This gorilla, named "Karibu," was enjoying some tree bark.

 Karibu checks out the visitors in between mouthfuls of tree bark.

Karibu checks out the visitors in between mouthfuls of tree bark.
IMG_0229.JPG An adolescent gorilla relaxes in a tree.

An adolescent gorilla relaxes in a tree.

 This one did her best to hide her face behind the tree branches.

This one did her best to hide her face behind the tree branches.

 The silverback watches us as we struggle to follow the group up a very steep hill.

The silverback watches us as we struggle to follow the group up a very steep hill.
IMG_0276.JPG This gorilla followed the family program of bark-eating.

This gorilla followed the family program of bark-eating.

 IMG_0294.JPG This gorilla peered at us through a small hole in the surrounding vegetation.

This gorilla peered at us through a small hole in the surrounding vegetation.
IMG_0318.JPG IMG_0321.JPG This gorilla kept sticking her face into the tree to retrieve more bark, making this a difficult picture.

This gorilla kept sticking her face into the tree to retrieve more bark, making this a difficult picture.

 The physique of this silverback seems quite different from its counterparts in Rwanda.

The physique of this silverback seems quite different from its counterparts in Rwanda.
IMG_0352.JPG IMG_0356.JPG The silverback savors a meal of tree bark.

The silverback savors a meal of tree bark.

 IMG_0379.JPG
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Lisa 18-Aug-2011 23:59
I will be going for a gorilla tour in uganda soon, does anyone have any recommendations on which group I should see? I hear that South of Bwindi is not a good area of choice because the gorillas move a lot from uganda to rwanda, is that true? Is Buhoma a good choice of location?
Kim 11-Aug-2009 01:07
i just did this trek in july 2009. nkuringo the original silverback has died. now, safari, is the silverback. twins were born late 2008. this was an amazing experience and i recommend it to all!
skylar 09-Apr-2009 00:11
what is the nsme ofa gorillas group?
Guest 23-Nov-2008 17:56
Very nice photo's. I was there on 9 august 2007. It was a great experience. One of the best encounters with wildlife ever.

Greetings,
Henk
David Oates 03-Jul-2008 20:18
Yes they are Mountain Gorillas although this group is being considered as a subspecies of gorilla beringei beringei. I saw them in May 2008 and like the others who have done this, it was an amazing experience. You are told to keep a distance of 5 metres but like the penguins of Antarctica, these guys just don't know the rules. One two year-old even tried to hold my hand.
Guest 15-Apr-2008 18:33
I THiNK tHAt tHiS iNfO ReAly HeLpED
Guest 15-Apr-2008 18:30
tHE gOrillAS aRE SOO kUtE
Jutta 22-Feb-2008 18:26
Great photos, congratulations! Its so nice to see that peacful animals! I trekked the nkuringo's on June 15,2007, it was absolutely one of the exciting moments in my life. I tried like rosie to become a poster with all the members and there names, so me too had no chance. If you have any idea, let me know!
On June 16, 2007 i trekked the kwitonda-group in rwanda. This group i have found by www. Let us help, that this individuals survive! Thank you so much for help and greetings from germany, Jutta!
Chris Willis20-Nov-2007 20:21
Rosie, I sent you a private message through PBase in response to your questions. Thanks for looking and thanks for the comment!
Rosie_Aus 20-Nov-2007 01:05
Absolutely fantastic - we trekked this group on 14th Jan 2007 so just 8 days after you! One thing none of us got was a copy of the poster naming all the members of the group... you didn't get one by any chance? I have tried to contact the UWA but have had no luck. Our day was magical and we only walked for 1/2 hour to find them, mostly up a giant fig tree!!
Guest 09-Sep-2007 22:55
Excellent and informative gallery V
Eiru Olinga Moses 08-Sep-2007 00:21
I am Olinga Moses Eiru, former warden Incharge Nkuringo sector in Bwindi. Am currently studying Msc in World Heriatage Management at University College Dublin-Ireland. I think the other important point to note about Nkuringo gorillas is that they are fully habituated and its the only group in Bwindi that spends most of their time in the buffer zone outside the park. Visitors are 90% sure of a clear view. It is also one group where the guides and trackers can confidently name individual gorillas so take time and visit this new group. You contact me for any information regarding bookings or anything to do with tracking in Bwindi
Guest 08-Sep-2007 00:08
I am the former warden incharge Nkuringo Sector, now undertaking Msc in World Heritage Management from Dublin University.
I think the other interesting thing about Nkuringo is that the staff have taken time to know all the individual gorillas and also studied their behaviours very well. Am available for any inquiries about Nkuringo and Bwindi gorillas, booking procedures and every question regarding tracking mountain gorillas in Uganda
Ena 23-Jan-2007 03:05
Beautiful, funny, great, awesome. Congratulations, that was a wonderful trip!
Chris Willis22-Jan-2007 02:34
Tom, thanks for the comment. I believe the Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Grauer's Gorilla) lives exclusively in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and all of the gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are classified as mountain gorillas (gorilla berengei berengei). Here's a link with some information:
http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/species/our_solutions/endangered_species/great_apes/gorillas/eastern_lowland_gorilla/index.cfm
Chris
T. A. Blackman 22-Jan-2007 02:20
Chris,

Nice images, I was just there in July. Note that these are Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla graueri)

Regards,

Tom
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