Besides Gorilla Trekking, what should one do in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?
Apart from gorilla treking, what should one do at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park? Together with the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a part of the larger Virunga preservation area.
The park is in the town of Kisoro in the southwest corner of Uganda. Originally from a wildlife reserve, Mgahinga was turned into a national park in 1991 mostly to safeguard the mountain gorillas that were often at war with people living both inside and outside the park.
Bound by the Volcano National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Bwindi Forest National Park, Mgahinga is the smallest national park in Uganda covering 34 square kilometers. Savannah grasslands, woods, tropical forests, mountain forests, marshes or swamps, bamboo forests, Afro-montane forests, bogs and semi-alpine plants define the park. Three of the eight Virunga volcanoes—Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinaga, and Mount Muhabura—find their home in the park.
Among other species found in National Park are the endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, Vervet monkeys, Spotted hyenas, Serval cats, Red tailed monkeys, Patas monkeys, Mangabeys, Leopards, Golden cat, Forest hogs, Elephants, Bushbucks, Bushbabies, Buffaloes, Blue monkeys, Baboons, Black and white Colobus monkeys, reptiles including snakes, geckos and chameleons.
Any safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park highlights mountain gorilla trekking most of all. Only one habituated gorilla group—the Nykagyezi gorilla family—which is open for tourism in Mgahinga calls the national park home. Among the two biggest habituated mountain gorilla groups in Uganda, Congo, and Rwanda, the Nyakagezi group is one of In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, visitors can engage in the amazing activity known as gorilla trekking—foot exploration of the rich rainforest in search of these fascinating habituated mountain gorillas.
Beginning at 8:00 a.m., gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park proceeds with a training at the park head office concerning the policies and expectations among others. Following the briefing, park rangers guide guests toward the group. Tracking the gorillas, one expects to come across pure forests, monkeys, birds, and other forest life. Depending on where the mountain gorillas are distributed, this exciting exercise takes two to four hours. Following the discovery of these intriguing primates in their natural habitat, you will be let to personally interact with the gorillas, witnessing among other everyday behaviors such feeding, nursing, and play.
Exist other activities to go gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?
Indeed, visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers various additional activities as well;
Golden Monkey Tracking: Trekkers can view the park’s threatened golden monkeys by way of trail. In their natural environment, these inquisitive and active primates are quite fascinating. The sole national park in Uganda that provides guests with an opportunity to see the gold monkeys in their natural surroundings is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park There are more than 4,000 golden monkeys in the park, hence one can monitor them.
Seen hanging from the park’s bamboo grove, these playful primates provide an amazing experience that will linger in the memory of the nature enthusiast. Following these fascinating primates in Mgahinga also requires a footfall throughout the bamboo forest’s jungles in quest of them in their native home. You will have a fantastic chance to see some of the attractions that add to the beauty of the park, including bird species like the Rwenzori turaco, bronze sunbirds, royal sunbirds, Ruwenzori nightjars, dusky red wing, as well as animals and rich vegetation, during a Uganda golden monkey tracking trip.
Hiking & Nature Walks: The park lets you discover the numerous ecosystems and breathtaking surroundings by means of several hiking paths of different degree of difficulty. Perfect locations for nature treks are the rich forests, lakes, rivers, wetlands and mountain slopes of Mgahinga National Park. For a close-up view with some of the local residents, one of the walking paths leads to the breathtaking village plantings.
The border trail on the slopes of Mount Sabyinyo leads to a point where the borders of Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, this trail takes about five hours to complete going through different vegetation types offering chances to encounter these amazing primates like the golden monkeys and the caldera on the Gisozi hill, hilltop also offers panoramic views of the park, Bwindi impenetrable forest and the greater Virunga ranges of mountains. You will come to meet and learn about a range of the park’s vegetation and fauna as well as the conservation efforts while on your nature walk. Along with the chance to see a range of birds and animals, the nature walks in Mgahinga present breathtaking views of the nearby Virunga mountains and its rich vegetation.
Apart from gorilla treking, what should one do at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?
Nature walks in Mgahinga National Park Bird Watching; Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a fantastic place for bird lovers since it boasts more than 180 bird species. Your birdwatching trip will present a fantastic chance to see a range of vibrant bird species living in the park, including Double-collared sunbird, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Crowned Hornbill; Crowned Crane; Collared Apalis; Chubb’s Cisticola, Cape Robin-chat, Brown-crowned Tchegera, Brown Woodland Warbler, Bronze Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Blue-headed Coucal, Black-headed Waxbill, Black Kite, Ground robin Banded Prinia, Archer’s Robin conversation, Alpine conversation, Southern Red Bishop, Dusky Crimsonwing Shelly, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Nightjar, double-collared sunbird Rwanda, Rwenzori Batis, Rufous swallow, Red-throated alethe, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Red necked Spur fowl, Pin-tailed whydah, Paradise Fly-catcher, Regal Sunbird Olive woodpecker, Olive Thrush, Olive Pigeon, Mountain masked apalis, Montane nightjar, Malachite Sunbird, Scarlet-tufted Sunbird, Kivu-ground Thrush, Ibis, Handsome Francolin, the Yellow-Vented Bulbul, yellow-throated long claw, White-starred Robin, White-necked raven, White-naped Raven, White-naped Raven among others.
Cultural Encounters: To discover their traditional way of life, music, dance, and crafts, tour surrounding towns and engage with the Batwa people. The guests can meet the Batwa people living in the deep forest of the Mgahinga during the cultural contact. Depending on the forest for food, medicine, and cover, these indigenous people were renowned as hunter-gatherers and aggressive fighters. Visitors of the Batwa cultural trail experience will be able to discover the charm of Batwa’s old house while savoring the exciting nature hikes and learning about the cultural legacy of this vibrant community.
Gorilla Permit Cost at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Illegal documents known as Gorilla Permits are presented by a regulatory entity to let a guest visit Gorilla National Parks and be among gorillas. One has been authorised to visit the national park according this identification. The Uganda Wildlife Authority offers gorilla licenses for international daytime visitors at 700 US$; for foreigners, 600 US$; and for Ugandans and East Africans at 300,000 USGX. If one would want a habituation process, this will run 1500 USD. For trekking gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda, a gorilla permit can only be used once in one day.