Top 5 Things to do in Mgahinga gorilla national park: The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is situated in the Kisoro area of southwest Uganda. The park is the smallest national park in Uganda, covering 33.9 square kilometers.
It is home to 76 mammals, including forest elephants, buffaloes, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, duikers, primates, including mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, l’hoest monkeys, and various bird species. While on safari in Uganda, guests can partake in a variety of fascinating activities at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, such as
The top five activities at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
One of the most well-liked activities at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is gorilla trekking, which entails entering the tropical bush to look for the habituated gorilla family. One habituated gorilla family, the Nyakagezi, may be found in the park and is accessible for daily hiking.
At approximately 9:00 am, gorilla trekking in the Mgahinga forest begins with a training on the guidelines and regulations to be followed. Following the briefing, a park guide who is familiar with both the mountain gorillas and the gorilla routes will be assigned to you.
You will be able to see many primate species, including baboons, l’hoest monkeys, a variety of birds, and vegetation, throughout the about 30- to 7-hour trip. After locating the mountain gorillas, you will be permitted to spend an hour with them in their natural environment, where you may observe their feeding, nursing, grooming, play, resting, taking pictures, and recording films with a flash-less camera.
Similar to gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking is an exhilarating sport that begins with a briefing at the park headquarters very early in the morning. Following the briefing, a knowledgeable park guide who is familiar with the many trails will accompany you into the jungle to look for the golden monkeys.
Because golden monkeys are energetic primates that prefer to go about in search of food, trekking with them in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can take anything from thirty minutes to three hours, depending on where you are.
Once the golden monkeys have been located, you will be permitted to spend an hour with them in their natural habitat. During this time, you will be able to observe how they feed, climb tree branches, play, relax, snap pictures, and document the amazing moments to share with your family back home.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to over 184 bird species, including migratory, forest, and Albertine Rift unique species, making it one of Uganda’s top birding sites.
An expert bird guide will accompany you on your birding trip and help you identify various bird species, including the black kite, speckled mouse bird, African paradise flycatcher, fire finch stonechat, olive pigeon, kivu ground thrush, archers robin chat, yellow vented bulbul, olive woodpecker, dusky crimson wing, Ruwenzori turaco, Ruwenzori batis, handsome francolin, Ruwenzori nightjar, blue-headed coucal, alpine swift, moorland chat, cape robin chat, and a variety of other species.
An intriguing activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the Batwa Trail Experience, which gives you a chance to learn about the Batwa and their way of life in the forest before it was designated as a national park. Batwa guides lead the trail experience, which starts at the foot of Muhavura Cave.
You can learn about traditional life and culture, see various medicinal plants that were used to treat various illnesses, learn how to make bamboo cups, and discover how the Batwa women gather and hunt. You can also visit the sacred Ngarama cave, which was once the king’s palace, store, and hiding place. Finally, you can enjoy cultural dances and melancholic songs about their life in the forest.
During your safari, you can climb three of the eight volcanic mountains in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Gahinga Mountain
Of the three volcanic mountains in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Gahinga is the smallest. Depending on your level of fitness, the trek to Mount Gahinga, which is 3,474 meters above sea level, takes roughly six hours. When you arrive at the summit, you will be treated to views of a wetland teeming with lobelia and other sub-alpine vegetation.
Mount Sabinyo
At 3,669 meters above sea level, Mount Sabinyo is another volcanic mountain in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. It takes around eight hours to hike Mount Sabinyo, and once you reach the peak, you will be simultaneously in three countries: Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. Along the way, you can get breathtaking views of Lake Kivu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Rwenzori mountains, among other places.
Mount Muhavura
Mount Muhavura is the highest of the three volcanic mountains in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, rising 4,127 meters above sea level. Depending on your level of fitness, climbing Mount Muhavura takes roughly ten hours. During the walk, you will travel through various zones and take in breathtaking views of the local animals, among other things. Views of the Rwenzori Mountains, other Virunga volcanoes, Lake Edward, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and more will be seen once you reach the peak.
Although it is possible to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park throughout the year, the ideal time to go is in the dry season, which runs from June to February. Because there is less rainfall in the park during the dry season, the trails for gorilla trekking and going up volcanoes will be dry and accessible.
Since March through May and November are the prime times of year for bird watching and the ideal time to see migratory bird species, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is also open during the wet season.
The southwestern region of Uganda is home to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is reachable by plane and road.
Road transit entails traveling from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Kisoro before connecting to the park headquarters at Ntebeko, a journey that takes roughly eight to ten hours.
It is also possible to reach Mgahinga Gorilla National Park from Kigali, Rwanda. To get there, you first travel to Kigali International Airport and then drive for three to four hours to reach the park headquarters via the Cyanika border.
When using road transport, you will organize scheduled or charter flights with Aerolink Uganda from Kajjansi Airfield or Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip. Your travel operator can book domestic flights to Kisoro airfield.
At East Africa Gorilla Safaris, under All In Africa Safaris, we specialize in unforgettable gorilla trekking experiences and diverse wildlife safaris.
Our expertly guided tours provide intimate encounters with gorillas and rich African wildlife, ensuring an unparalleled adventure in the heart of East Africa.
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