Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one of the best wildlife and gorilla trekking destinations. It is located in southwestern Uganda in the Kisoro district. The park covers A land area of 33.7 square kilometers making it the smallest national park in Uganda. Despite the small size, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is an outstanding wildlife destination.
The parks’ name Mgahinga was derived from the word Gahinga that means piles of Volcanic stones cleared from farmlands. Mgahinga is part of the Virunga mountain ranges that lie along the Uganda, Rwanda and DRC Border. It has three of the 8 Virunga mountains that include mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura and Mount Sabyinyo.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was first declared a game sanctuary in 1930 by the British colonial administration. It was eventually gazetted as a national park in 1991. The park is among the most underrated wildlife destinations in Uganda and East Africa in general.
Let us look at the key attractions and wildlife Discovery Journeys you can enjoy while visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Wildlife
Mgahinga is home to over 76 mammals including the rare mountain gorillas. The Virunga mountain ranges and the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park plus the adjacent Sarambwe reserve are the only places on earth where you can see mountain gorillas in the wild. The total mountain gorilla population is currently estimated at only 1000 and the Virunga Mountains has about 600 of these. Of the three mountain gorilla parks in Virunga mountains, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers the most exclusive gorilla trekking experiences.
It has one habituated mountain gorilla family called Nyakagezi with 9 individual mountain gorillas. Nyakagezi is headed by the main male Silverback mountain gorilla called Mark. Being the only gorilla family the park has, the mountain gorilla trekking experience here is truly remarkable and exclusive.
Back in the day, the Nyakagezi family would cross over to Rwanda to the adjacent Virunga mountains along the border. It eventually stabilized and gorilla trekking safaris to the Nyakagezi family are guaranteed. You can book a 4-day Discovery Journeys tour to Mgahinga featuring gorilla trekking and other experiences.
Golden Monkeys
These are rare primates that are endemic to the Virunga Mountains and the conservation area including Mgahinga Gorilla Park. Just like their name suggests, golden monkeys are covered with golden fur and also live in families. They are vegetarian as well and mainly depend on bamboo shoots and many other edible plant vegetation.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is where gold meets silver. There you can trek to mountain gorilla silverbacks as well as the golden monkeys. Primate Discovery Journeys here are amazing and highly recommended.
Other notable primates in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include forest elephants, giant forest hogs, forest buffaloes, and leopards though rarely seen among others. These can be seen while on nature walks hiking through the different trails in the park. They have so far not fully organized safari expeditions to explore these mammals but they are present in the park.
Birds
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to over 180 Bird species 14 of which are endemic to the Albertine Rift Valley. This makes the park one of the best birding destinations in Uganda and birding journeys here are also recommended. Notable birds you can see here include the African Paradise flycatcher, Speckled mousebird, black kite, Kivu ground thrush, and Rwenzori Turaco among others.
Activities in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mountain gorilla trekking
Mountain gorilla trekking is the leading safari activity done in Mgahinga. Primate lovers hike the Virunga mountains seeking to meet mountain gorillas in their most preferred habitants. With the park having one gorilla family, only 8 tourists are allowed to track them every day. Just like in other gorilla trekking destinations, mountain gorilla trekking in Mgahinga starts with a briefing at the park headquarters at 7:00 am. After here, you are guided to the forested park by the Uganda Wildlife Authority park rangers.
The hike takes about 1 to 4 hours or more to get to the mountain gorillas. This entirely depends on the movement of their movement of the previous place where they spent a night. Once you get to them, you will stay in their presence for an hour taking photos and getting to know more about them. You are later brought back to the park headquarters where you are awarded your certificates of participation.
Ensure to book your gorilla trekking permit in advance as they get fully booked quickly, especially in the peak tourist season.
Golden Monkey Trekking
Golden monkey trekking is another main primate activity done in Mgahinga Gorilla Park. There is a habituated community of golden monkeys that is open to tourism here. The trek starts with a briefing at the park headquarters. You are later guided to the light bamboo forests on an adventure hike lasting up to 2 or 3 hours.
On getting to the golden monkeys, you are allowed to stay in their presence for an hour learning more. Golden Monkeys are mobile if compared with mountain gorillas but you would still enjoy trekking to see them.
Birding Safaris
With the variety of birds Mgahinga Gorilla Park has, birding journeys are done where you get to see the various birds the park has. The park is ideal for Albertine endemics but overall birding is done here. There are several trails in the park that you follow enjoying the sights and sounds of nature.
Batwa Trail Experience
On this Batwa trail experience, you are guided by the Batwa people who take you back in time demonstrating their hunting and gathering skills. The Batwa initially lived in the forest and entirely depended on it for food, medicine, and general survival. This however was a threat to conservation as many would poach and kill some animals in the forest. It is on this basis that were relocated and now stay on the outskirts of the Park.
The Batwa have had to learn new ways of life outside the forest. On the Batwa trail experience though they can have a chance to enter the forest again. You also get an opportunity to hear from them about how they have managed to survive over the years.
It features a visit to the Garama caves that are sacred to the Batwa people. Here they perform folk songs and conclude the experience.
Mountain Hiking
All three volcanic mountains in Mgahinga Gorilla Park can be hiked. Mount Muhabura is the highest at 4,127 meters above sea level. It is followed by Mount Sabyinyo standing at 3,645 meters above sea level and Mount Gahinga at 3,474 meters above sea level. These offer unique mountain climbing experiences and each mountain can be hiked in a day.
The mountain vegetation vary depending on the mountain zones starting with the forests that slowly transcend into other vegetation types. Mount Muhabura has a crater at its summit and offers great scenic and wildlife views.
A hike to Sabyinyo is tough but very adventurous. The mountain is shared by the three countries and by hiking to the summit you are able to stand at the point where you are in the three countries at the same time.
Nature walks
There are guided nature walks in the park with the Sabyinyo Gorge walk is the most spectacular. There you enjoy the most impressive scenic views of the wildlife in the park. Notable wildlife species you see here include birds, duikers, and some primates.
Where to Stay
There are several accommodation options where you can stay on a visit to Mgahinga Gorilla Park. Gahinga Lodge is the most luxurious with great views of the mountains. The lodge offers all-inclusive services and is ideal to base from when exploring Mgahinga Gorilla Park.
You can also stay at the different hotels and lodges in Kisoro town and then transfer to the park for the activities. They include Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Travelers’ Rest Kisoro, and Ichumbi Hotel among others.
Best time to Visit
Mgahinga Gorilla Park can be visited at any time of the year. The dry season from June to September and from December to February is the best times to explore the park. During the dry season, it is easy to navigate through the different trails in the park. Even mornings are often wet with dew, when the sun rises then it becomes a bit easy to move.
The wet months of March, April, May, and November are still great times to explore the park. At this time of the year, migratory birds are also present in the park making these months the best birding times.
Contact us for more information about wildlife adventures in Mgahinga National Park.
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