Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is also known for the Uganda gorilla trekking Safaris, Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda bordering with Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national Park in Democratic Republic of Congo. The conservation area is a continuation of the great Virunga mountain volcanic region, the backdrop of the mountains is as amazing as seeing the Uganda Mountain Gorillas, other species of the park include the critically endangered golden monkey, it is the only place in Uganda to find Golden monkeys.

Attractions in Mgahinga Gorilla national park.

Mountain gorillas.

Mghinga gorilla national park is a home of the mountain gorillas where tourists on a Uganda gorilla tours can best spot the gorillas. The park shares mountain gorillas with Volcanoes national park, the park has got the perfect and green vegetation that is habitat of the mountain gorillas in their respective families. On a safari to the park tourists will spot various gorilla families in the park like Nyakagezi gorilla family and among others.

Other wildlife,

Not only gorillas, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has got other primates in the park including the golden monkeys, red tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys. And other mammals including the forest elephants, buffalos, bush pigs, bushbucks, golden cats, black-fronted duikers, side-striped jackals and among others.

Bird species.

Mgahinga gorilla national park boasts the various numbers of the bird species with over 184 bird species that can be observed on the Uganda birding safari, the bird species includes the endemic to the East Congo Montane region. Some of the bird species that are found in the park includes Alpine swift, Blue-headed coucal, Kivu ground thrush, Moorland chat, Olive Woodpecker, Ruwenzori batis, Ruwenzori turaco and among others.

Virunga volcanoes in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla national park boasts the Virunga volcanoes that is a chain of the eight volcanoes that borders Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. And three of the conical peaks are found in Uganda’s safari destination that is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park that includes Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhavura, and Mount Sabyinyo, these can be spotted on a Uganda safari.

Activities in Mgahinga Gorilla national park.

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park.

Gorilla trekking is the most exciting safari activity in Mgahinga gorilla national park where the tourists explore the tropical rainforests while searching for the mountain gorillas. The activity starts early in the morning at the park headquarters while briefing you about the rules and regulations about the gorilla trekking. After the briefing you can be grouped 8 members per group given the park guide per group to different gorilla trekking trails.

Gorilla trekking in the park takes around 30 minutes to 5 hours depending on the location of the gorillas. During trekking you come across other wildlife in the park like primates including the chimpanzees, black and white colobus monkeys, mammals, plant species, and bird species and among others. Immediately when the gorillas are found, you can be given one hour to be with the presence of gorillas in their habitants while observing their behaviors, watching them making their nights nests, watching them feeding, grooming their young ones, taking pictures and videos to show people home after the safari and among many others.

Golden monkey trekking

Mgahinga gorilla national park is the only safari destination in Uganda where golden monkey trekking takes places. This is an exciting and interesting safari activity that as well starts with the briefing about the rules and regulations to follow while trekking the golden monkeys and the expectations at the park headquarters. After the briefing you head in the forest while searching for the golden monkeys. While trekking you keep spotting other beautiful primates, birds, plants in the forest and others. And once the golden monkeys are found the travelers are given one hour to be with the presence of the golden monkeys while taking them pictures, watching them play, climbing trees and others.

Volcano climbing 

Mgahinga gorilla national park exposes the tourists with the best volcano climbing experience to the 3 volcanic mountains namely Mount Gahinga that has 3,474 meters above the sea level that takes 6 to 8 hours to reach the top while having the views of the crater lake, Mount Muhavura that is 4,127 meters above sea level that takes 8 to 10 hours round trip where Mount Sabinyo has 3,669 meters above the sea level that takes 8 to 10 hours to reach the top where you will be explore 3 countries including Uganda, Rwanda, Congo. While exploring climbing safari in the park you spot the different wildlife species like golden monkeys, baboons, chimpanzees, bird species, different plant species and others.

Batwa trail experience

Batwa trail experience in Mgahinga gorilla national park is the one of the attractive safari activity in the park where you get to interact with the Batwa/pygmies that used to live in the park. During the Batwa experience with the help of Batwa, they take you through the forest where they lived, demonstrating their ways of living like how grass thatched houses are made, bamboo cups, making fire with the friction of sticks, visiting Ngarama cave where former King resided, their songs, dances and others.

Bird watching

Mgahinga Gorilla national park boasts over 180 bird species including 12 Albertine rift endemic, migratory bird species, and the park has got the perfect birding spots between Mount Sabinyo and Mount Gahinga with the help of the park guide that gives you the right spots. Bird species in the park includes olive woodpecker, cape robin chat, dusky turtle dove, kivu ground thrush, Rwenzori turaco, streaky seedeater and among others.

Best time to visit Mgahiga Gorilla National Park

Mghainga Gorilla national park can be visited at any time of the year. But the best time to visit the park is during the dry season in months of June to September and December to February, that’s the period when the hiking trails are easily passable and dry hence perfect gorilla trekking. However on the other side the park can be explored and visited during the rainy season during the months of March to May and November as that’s when bird watching becomes exceptional as being the breeding season for bird species and that’s when migratory bird species happen to come in the country.