Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is situated in Kisoro, in Uganda’s south-western region. The park is the smallest of the three national parks that comprise the larger Virunga conservation area. In 1991, Mgahinga was converted from a game reserve to a national park for the primary purpose of protecting the mountain gorillas, which frequently clashed with humans living within the park. The park is the smallest national park in Uganda, measuring only 34 square kilometers and ranging in elevation from 2000 to 4127 meters above sea level.
Mount Muhavura is 4,127 meters tall, Mount Gahinga is 3,474 meters tall, and Mount Sabinyo is 3,648 meters tall. The gigantic cones of the Virunga volcanoes dominate the landscape from a distance and beckon you as you approach. A 15-minute walk from the Ntebeko gate will take you to the park’s viewpoint, from which you can enjoy spectacular views of the region. The dense forest cover of the mountains influences the climatic conditions in the park, bringing frequent rains and cool breezes throughout the year.
As a result, mountain plants and animals were able to move up and down the slopes depending on whether the climate was cooler or warmer. Not to mention mountain gorillas, the park is home to a wide diversity of wildlife, including bird species, bushbucks, bushbabies, blue monkeys, mangabeys, vervet monkeys, and golden monkeys, among others.
Due to the presence of both mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is commonly referred to as “the place where gold meets silver.”
Since there are fewer people in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the park can be explored in peace and quiet, making it one of the finest parks to visit if tranquility is desired. The majority of activities within Mgahinga Gorilla National Park do not require advance reservations.
Things to do in Mgahinga gorilla national park
Gorilla tracking in the Mgahinga National Park
The primary activity in Mgahinga gorilla national park is gorilla trekking, which entails tourists moving on foot through the tropical rainforest in quest of the endangered mountain gorillas and then spending one hour with them in their natural habitat. The park is home to the habituated Nyakagezi gorilla family, which is available for trekking daily. The gorilla trekking experience in Mgahinga National park begins early in the morning with a briefing at the Ntebeko park headquarters, after which you are assigned a park guide and begin trekking through the forest. Trekking gorillas in Mgahinga gorilla national park takes between 30 minutes and six hours, depending on their location, as they frequently move in quest of food.
During trekking, you will be able to observe other primate species in the park, including chimpanzees, l’hoest monkeys, and black-and-white colobus monkeys, as well as various plant and tree species, bird species, and others. Once the mountain gorillas have been located, you will be permitted to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat, allowing you to observe their daily activities such as feeding, nursing, playing, and grooming young, learn more about their habits and behaviors, and take photographs and videos.
Golden monkey trekking
Golden monkey trekking is the second most popular activity in the park, and like gorilla trekking, it begins with a lecture at the park headquarters. After the briefing, you will begin trekking in the forest with a park guide, following bamboo leaf trails. During golden monkey trekking, which lasts between 30 minutes and three hours, you will be able to observe other species of wildlife. Once the golden monkeys are located, you will be able to spend an hour with them in their natural habitat, allowing you to watch them feed, play, climb trees, fight, take photos and record the beautiful moments to share with friends and family back home.
Bird watching
Mgahinga gorilla national park is home to more than 180 avian species, including 12 endemics to the Albertine Rift and forest birds, among others. In Mgahinga gorilla national park, bird watching is best done on the gorge trail between Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabinyo with the assistance of an experienced bird guide who will help you identify various bird species. scarlet tufted malachite sunbird, African paradise flycatcher, black kite, pin tailed whydah, speckled mouse bird, cape robin chat, Ruwenzori turaco, olive woodpecker, kivu ground thrush, alpine swift, blue headed coucal, moorland chat, dusky crimsonwing, Ruwenzori nightjar, blue headed waxbill, streaky seedeater, red faced woodland warbler, cape robin chat, banded prinia, chubbs cisticola among others.
Volcano hiking
Climbing a volcano is one of the adventurous activities available in the park, which is home to three Virunga volcanoes: Mount Muhavura, Mount Sabinyo, and Mount Gahinga.
Mount Muhavura is the third-highest of the eight Virunga volcanoes and the highest in the park. To reach the summit of Mount Muhavura, which rises 4,127 meters above sea level, it takes approximately 8 to 10 hours of trekking. When you reach the summit, you will be rewarded with views of Crater Lake, the Rwenzori mountain peaks, the Virunga mountain ranges, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Mount Sabinyo is the second-highest volcano in the park, rising to a height of 3,645 meters above sea level. Hiking mount Sabiyno takes about 8 hours to reach the summit and during trekking you will travel through rugged terrain. When you reach the summit, you will be standing in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Congo.
Mount Gahinga is the shortest of the three mountains, rising to an altitude of 2,474 meters above sea level. During the six-hour round-trip hike up Mount Gahinga, you will pass through a dense bamboo forest. When you reach the summit, you will have views of a crater containing a marsh and enormous lobelia.
Batwa trail experience
Batwa trail experience in the park is a thrilling activity that allows you to interact with the Batwa/pygmies who inhabited the Mgahinga forest prior to its designation as a national park. Batwa trail experience is led by Batwa guides and begins with a walk in the forest where they used to live, takes you through their traditional way of life, teaches you about their hunting skills, making fire, collecting honey, fruit gathering, visits Garama caves that were once used as a meeting place, hiding place, and food store, and features traditional entertainments from Batwa women, among others.
Best time to visit Mgahinga gorilla national park Uganda
Mgahinga gorilla national park is open all year, but the ideal time to visit is from June to September and December to February, during the dry season, also known as the high season. As there is less precipitation in the park during the dry season, access roads, hiking, and chimpanzee trekking trails will be dry and passable.
It is also possible to visit the park during the wet season, also known as the low season, from March to May and November, as this is the ideal time to observe migratory birds from Europe.
How to reach Mgahinga National Gorilla Park
The park is located in the southwestern region of Uganda and can be reached by road from Kampala or Entebbe via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Kisoro to the park headquarters, which takes approximately 9 to 10 hours.
The national park is also accessible from Kigali, Rwanda, via the international airport in Kigali and the Cyanika border crossing, which takes approximately three to four hours.
The park can also be reached by air via scheduled or charter flights from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi aerodrome to Kisoro airstrip, followed by a road connection to the park headquarters.