The district headquarters are approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi), by road, north-west of Kabale, the largest town in the sub-region.

The district comprises two counties;Kinkiizi East and Kinkiizi west with the twelve sub-counties of Kihihi, Kambuga, Nyamirama, Rugyeyo, Rutenga, Kayonza, Mpungu, Kinaaba, Katetete, Nyakinoni, Nyanga, and Kanyantorogo, and the four town councils of Kanungu, Kihihi, Butogota, and Kambuga.

Mass murder and suicides were committed at several sites in the district by the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God cult in 2000.

However, because of the remoteness of the district and the mountainous terrain, bringing the produce to market remains a challenge and a constraint to increased production.

[6] The district also receives revenue from the tourism sector as a majority of the world's population of mountain gorillas are harboured in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Kanungu District is among the sites shown in aerial footage in the movie Black Panther.