Ruhija Community Development Association

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Dominated by a rich Bakiga culture and holding the great Gorillas’ heritage, your visit to the misty mountains community in Ruhija is an unforgettable experience. During the community walks, you will be walking down the valleys and up the mountains that have been equally trembled by the gentle forest giants and the Bakiga people like no other on the planet. You then realize that you’re surrounded by a truly African setting, and homesteads where up to 80% of the community members still relay on traditional culture and medicine which include tree bark, roots, flowers and fruit, you will be given proof that most of which comprise the diet of the mountain gorillas.

While in this community, you don’t miss the sites of the African architectural designs, the various African dressing code with other traditional tools and processes taking place or a worm welcoming smile waiting from every one you meet as you find your way to the home of the story teller, until you reach a traditional kitchen where you will get an opportunity of using a traditional grinding stone and taste some of the local food you have just participated in cooking.

In the local forest, are likely encounters of wildlife like forest duikers, a variety of Monkeys and birds. Like the Elephants and other mammals which share this forest you will be on your way to the wetland above the crystal white Rwizi waterfalls. You will then take the views of the community farmland and homesteads astride river Ishasha as it meanders into Lake Edward and George into the western arm of the African rift valley.

Activities and experiences

Birding tours
Forest tours
Village tours
Traditional dances

Highlights

A visit to the crystal white Rwizi waterfalls, the biggest in the region
Visiting and spotting the different bird species in the wetland that is the source of river I
The views of the community farmland and homesteads astride river Ishasha meandering into Lake Edward.
Wildlife encounters in the forest sometimes the birds, monkeys and other mammals
Visiting the traditional home and a chance to grind using a traditional grinding stone.

Responsible Travel

The project is owned by the entire community and hotels as an initiative of jointly promoting the areas tourism potentials
The project created employment to the local guides giving them an income as alternative to encroaching on the national park resources
The project promotes culture through dances and handicrafts as a way of conserving the surrounding nature and culture of the people and gorillas
Part of the income is invested in conservation and community development projects. A nursery school is being supported and a tree planting project to replace the trees being cut by the population.

How to get there:

Ruhija is about 380 kilometers from Kampala city and about 35 kilometers from Kabale town, it is 20 kilometers from Buhoma-Bwindi impenetrable National park`s HQ. When travelling from Kabale you will branch off Kisoro road and branch by the sign of ITFC leaving the road to Buhoma, until you reach Ruhija trading center. You can call the numbers bellow for specific directions

Contact us for more info:

Ruhija Community Tourism Development Association

Tel: 0784-478695/0759-741612 or 0783-916500 or 0751-841446/0782-841446

Email: ruhijacommunity@yahoo.com or benson.kanyonyi@yahoo.com

Or contact:

UCOTA/Pearls of Uganda

Phone: +256(0)414-501-866/+256(0)772-657-700

E-mail:info@pearlsofuganda.org

Website: www.pearlsofuganda.org

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