Mgahinga National Park is the smallest park, covering 33.9 square kilometres. The park is located in Uganda’s south-western Kisoro region and shares a border with Congo’s Virunga National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park near the rift valley. The park’s rain forest ranges in altitude from 2,227 to 4,127 meters.
Mgahinga National Park was established in 1991 to protect mountain gorillas and other primates such as golden, black, and white monkeys, as well as over 300 bird species such as blue-headed sunbirds, regal sunbirds, red-throated gleths, Rwenzori turacos, dusky crimson wings, and many more.
The park is one of the most famous areas for endangered mountain gorillas, which has an impact on Uganda gorilla safaris. The Nyakagezi paths, where these huge apes live, are suitable for gorilla trekking. The trekking safaris consist of eight persons each group, with the guide escorting the tourists to their tails. Tourists continue to move and keep track of the present location of the gorillas.
Mgahinga National Park is located on low land and covers 33.9 square kilometres. In 1991, a forest reserve was established with a tropical montane forest that can be accessible on foot, with different tree and vegetation types that are home to over 200 bird species such as olive pigeons, mouse birds, pin tailed whydah, black kite, white necraven, and many others. These can be found along the rim of the Albertine Rift Valley. The Uganda Wildlife Authority protects the different wildlife species, and it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
The word mgahinga is derived from the Kinyarwanda word and gahinga, which means “the piles of volcanic stone at the edge of the foot hills of the volcanoes”. The park covers three volcanoes: Mount Muhavura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabyinyo, and is 3645 meters long.The three mountains are home to a variety of species and features, including over 300 birds, water bodies such as marshes, and small crater lakes located east of Mount Muhavura. These wetlands sustain a diverse range of species, including 300 primates, 300 tree species, 200 animals, and many more.
Gorilla trekking might last between 2 and 8 hours, depending on where they are located. Tourists are only given one hour with the gorillas, and they are instructed to stay close to humans or come face to face with the mountain gorillas.To get this emotional experience of gorilla trekking, a traveler must reserve in advance of the intended date of trekking. A traveler can also purchase gorilla trekking permits online by contacting a reputable tour operator, and the permits cost USD 800 per person.
The park is a gazetted game sanctuary and forest reserve with a variety of tourist attractions and activities available to visitors, including guided nature walks, golden monkey trekking, cultural safaris with the Batwa people, volcano hikes, bird watching, gorilla tracking, and many more.
Mgahinga National Park is accessible from Kampala by car in 8 to 9 hours, and visitors can appreciate Uganda’s beautiful terrain, including tea plantations and undulating hills. Alternatively, a person can take a charter flight from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Air Strip in around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
The park features unique lodging options in the form of lodges with comfy mattresses where tourists can sleep, such as Travellers Rest, Mt Gahinga Rest, Nkuringo Safari Lodge, Cloud Mountain Gorilla Lodge, and many others, depending on their budget.
The dry season, which runs from January to December, is the best time to visit Mgahinga National Park. Travellers can also visit the park in the rainy season, albeit the terrain is steep and hazardous. You are required to bring gumboots, coats, concaves, and sweaters for your own usage. Wet seasons offer lower pricing for lodges and activities than dry seasons.
