What is Mgahinga National Park Famous for?

What is Mgahinga National Park Famous for? Because Mgahinga National Park is situated high in the clouds, between 2,227 and 4,127 meters above sea level, it is widely recognized as one of the most popular tourist locations on Ugandan trips. Its establishment was primarily for the purpose of safeguarding the endangered golden monkey and the world’s rare, gentle giant mountain gorillas, who are found in its dense forest.

Though it was established in 1991, Mgahinga National Park is generally one of Uganda’s smallest national parks, located in the southwest of the country on a tiny plot of land measuring about 33.9 square kilometers. Furthermore, Mount Muhavura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabyinyo are the three dormant volcanoes that make up the park, which is located in the Virunga Mountains.

In contrast, Mgahinga National Park is located inside the watershed basin of the Nile River and ranges in elevation from 2,227 to 4,127 meters. A domestic charter flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip will take you to the nearby Airstrip-Kisoro or Kihihi Airstrip, where you will be driven to Mgahinga National Park in a short amount of time. The park is roughly nine to ten hours’ drive from Kampala, the capital.

The two wet rainy seasons that Mgahinga National Park experiences are from February to May and September to December. Rainfall averages range from 10 mm in July to 250 mm in October. Further information on the park includes an alpine zone at higher elevations, Ruwenzori-Virunga montane moorlands with tree heath, Albertine Rift montane forests, and a bamboo forest.

The critically endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys can be found in Mgahinga National Park, which is a primate safari destination on Ugandan tours. The great mountain gorillas are split into two habituated and one unhabituated group, and the stunning golden monkeys are found in the Albertine Rift Endemic, which can only be found in the Virungas.

Additionally, the park is home to endemic birds of the Albertine Rift, including the dusky crimson-wing, red-throated alethe, stripe-breasted tit, blue-headed sunbirds, regal sunbird, strange weaver, montane nightjar, red-faced woodland warbler, Grauer’s swamp warbler, handsome spurfowl, and others.

Mountain gorilla trekking, tracking golden monkeys, hiking volcanoes, nature walks, bird watching, and visiting the Batwa people community are among of the well-liked activities and attractions that make Mgahinga National Park a well-known national park. It takes nine hours to travel from Kampala to Mgahinga National Park, or the visitor can take a domestic flight from “EBB,” Entebbe International Airport, which lands at Kisoro Airstrip.

Gorilla trekking

Since many visitors come to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park each year to witness our rare mountain gorillas, gorilla trekking has become a top tourist destination and has helped the park become well-known. You must first receive a briefing about gorilla trekking, which begins early in the morning at the park headquarters with packed lunch boxes, before engaging in the activity, which entails going through the jungle in search of them.

There are two habituated gorilla families in Mgahinga National Park, and your park ranger guide will assign you to a group of eight people after the briefing. Depending on how the gorillas move through the bamboo forest, it may take you anything from thirty to six hours to seek for them on the forest pathways. However, after you find them, you will have an hour to spend with them, learning about their behavior, feeding, playing, and hunting as you eat your lunch and take pictures in a stunning natural setting.

Note: Always abide by the guidelines for gorilla trekking, including

Gorilla trekking requires participants to be at least 15 years old.

Keep your trash out of the park.

Mountain gorillas are wild creatures that should not be touched.

Observe the allotted time for seeing mountain gorillas; it is only one hour, and four hours is the gorilla’s habituation period.

Remain with the gang.

Long-sleeved shirts and pants, a hat, warm clothing, cozy hiking shoes, hand gloves, a poncho, a rain jacket, a sweater, a water pack bag, plenty of drinking water, and energy-boosting foods are some of the items you should bring on a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda.

Golden monkey trekking

You are permitted to spend four hours with them during each session, which is a thrilling and beautiful experience. With the assistance of a park ranger guide, the activity may be completed on an intriguing path inside the park.

The tracking trails go to areas where you can see the monkeys and have a fantastic chance to see them along the bamboo branches or follow them as they eat. We recommend that you pack essentials such as binoculars, waterproof boots, gloves, a rain poncho, a long-sleeved shirt, a camera to capture the memories of your golden monkey experience, and more.

Observing birds

Cape Robin-chat, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Malachite sunbird, cape Robin, white-starred Robin, brown woodland warbler, Kivu Ground Thrush and Cinnamon Bracken warbler, Olive pigeon and Black-headed waxbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, Stripped breasted tit, and many more are among the notable Albertine Rift endemics that make the park ideal for birdwatchers.

Hiking Volcanoes and Climbing Mountains

In addition to being a popular destination, Mgahinga National Park is enhanced by three volcanoes from which climbing is possible. You will be able to enjoy a breathtaking perspective of Rwanda’s picturesque hills and countryside as soon as you reach the summit. One of the three beautiful volcanoes, Mount Sabinyo, is reachable via hiking.

Nevertheless, the only method to gain access to Rwanda and Congo while in Uganda is to hike Mount Sabinyo. Standing in Rwanda, its peak is a breathtaking sight. The breathtaking mushy vegetation at the top of Mount Sabinyo creates a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Go to the Batwa Community

After gorilla trekking, you can visit the Batwa settlement and get to know the original inhabitants who coexisted peacefully with mountain gorillas before the region was turned into a national park. Meeting these people will allow you to experience their incredible way of life, tour the Garama cave, and hear their fascinating tales—all of which will leave you with lifelong memories.