Travel guide to Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Travel guide to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park The smallest protected area in Uganda is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is situated in the Kisoro district in the southwest. It is adjacent to Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The main reason Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was gazetted in 1991 was to protect the endangered mountain gorillas.
It is distinguished by a variety of vegetation types, such as savannah grassland, woodlands, tropical forests, bamboo forests, and montane forests, among others, which serve as habitats for the mountain gorillas, as well as animals like elephants, duikers, bushbucks, and various bird species, as well as golden, red-tailed, vervet, and blue monkeys. Mount Muhabura, Mount Sabinyo, and Mount Gahinga are three extinct volcanoes that may be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park activities
Gorilla trekking
The main activity at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is gorilla trekking, which gives visitors the chance to enter the tropical jungle in search of mountain gorillas and, if they are located, spend an hour with them in their natural habitat. Trekking begins very early in the morning with a briefing about the rules, regulations, and expectations of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is home to the habituated Nyakagezi gorilla family.
Following the briefing, you will begin walking through the jungle with a knowledgeable park guide. Depending on the gorillas’ location—they prefer to wander about in quest of food—this process might take anywhere from thirty minutes to six hours.
You can see other primates, various tree and plant species, birds, and more while trekking. After you locate the gorillas, you can spend an hour with them in their natural habitat, where you can watch them feed, play, breastfeed, and groom their young, learn more about their behaviors, and take pictures and videos to share with people back home.
Golden monkey trekking
After gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking is the most popular activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, golden monkey trekking begins very early in the morning with a training on the guidelines to be followed.
Following the briefing, you will be paired with a knowledgeable park guide and begin hiking into the jungle along paths made of discarded bamboo shoots and leaves. Depending on where the golden monkeys are, walking with them can take anywhere from 30 to 6 hours.
While trekking, you can see various wildlife. You can spend an hour with the golden monkeys in their natural habitat after they are located, where you can watch them play, climb tree branches, snap pictures, and record recordings.
Bird watching
One of Uganda’s top birding locations, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to more than 180 known bird species, including migratory birds, afro-tropical highland biomes, and 14 of the 24 Albertine Rift endemics. The Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, African Paradise Flycatcher, Black Kite, Alpine Swift, Archers Robin-chat, Ruwenzori Batis, Olive Woodpecker, African Olive Pigeon, Cape Robin-chat, Ruwenzori Turaco, Dusky Crimson Wing, Ruwenzori Nightjar, Blue-headed Coucal, Speckled Mouse Bird, Fire Finch Stonechat, Grey Capped Warbler, Kivu Ground Thrush, and Pin-tailed Whydah are just a few of the many bird species you will see while bird watching in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Experience on the Batwa Trail
In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the Batwa Trail Experience is an intriguing excursion that allows you to engage with the Batwa people, who once inhabited the forest before it was gazetted as a national park.
You can learn about their culture, way of life, hunting techniques, visit the forest where they once lived, hear their old stories, see the Garamba caves, which served as a palace and food store, and hear Batwa women sing traditional songs, among other things, during the Batwa Trail experience.
A travel guide to the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park that includes mountain climbing and the Batwa Trail Experience
Three extinct volcano mountains can be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Mount Gahinga, which rises 3,474 meters above sea level, Mount Sabinyo, which rises 3,645 meters, and Mount Muhabura, which rises 4,174 meters.
In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, mountain climbing begins with a briefing at the park headquarters. Once you reach the peak, you will have the chance to see the stunning landscape, crater lakes, Mount Rwenzori ranges, and park views, among other things.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park’s prime time to visit
The best time to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is during the dry season, also referred to as the peak season, which occurs in June, July, August, September, December, January, and February. This is because there is less rainfall in the park during this time, making access roads, gorilla trekking, and hiking trails dry and passable, making trekking and hiking simple.
Since March through May and October through November are the finest times of year for bird watching, visitors can also visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park during the rainy or wet season, when they can see migratory and colorful bird species.
The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park travel route
The southwestern region of Uganda is home to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is reachable by plane and road. Using road transportation, you will travel nine to ten hours from Kampala to the park headquarters via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Kisoro. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park travel guide
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can also be reached from Kigali, Rwanda, where you will fly to Kigali International Airport and then drive for approximately three to four hours to reach the park headquarters via the Cyanika border in Kisoro or the Katuna border in Kabale.
Using air transportation, you will reserve scheduled or charter domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Kisoro Airstrip, then drive to the park headquarters with Aerolink Uganda or Bar Aviation. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park travel guide
Accommodations in the Gorilla National Park of Mgahinga
During your safari, you can stay at any of the several lodging options in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Budget, medium, and luxury lodging options are available, including
Among them are Montana Guest House, Mutanda Lake Resort, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Kisoro Travelers Rest Camp, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Lake Chahafi Lodge, Mucha Hotel, Muhabura Motel, and Mubano Hotel.
