Major Activity Done in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

At an elevation of 2,227 to 4,127 meters above sea level, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest national park in Uganda. It is situated in the Kisoro district in the country’s southwest. Established as a national park in 1991, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is overseen by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, whose job it is to protect and preserve all mountain gorilla species that remain in the park’s dense forests, which they view as their natural habitats.

The park has a total surface area of roughly 34 square kilometers. Because of its endangered mountain gorilla species, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a popular destination for gorilla trekking and is regarded as one of the greatest places to go.

Furthermore, the mountain gorilla species have the opportunity to migrate across nations because this national park borders other national parks in other countries, such as Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

There are numerous additional tourist attractions in Mgahinga Gorilla National area, which draw travelers from all over the world who want to visit the area. As a result, Uganda’s tourism sector has grown significantly. The park is known to have about eight volcanoes that share borders with other nations, such as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Other attractions include caves like the Grama and Bat Caves, the Ntebeko Visitors Center, 180 bird species like the Rwenzori Batis, Paradise flycatcher, Cape Robin-chat, and Virunga volcanoes. Furthermore, more than 76 mammal species, including huge forest hogs, buffalos, bushbucks, golden monkeys, and forest elephants, may be found in this national park.

In Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking, a family of gorillas.

Being the home of more than 300 endangered mountain gorilla species, gorilla trekking is regarded as the primary activity carried out in this national park. Furthermore, there are approximately two habituated gorilla families or groups in this national park that are always accessible for trekking: the Hirwa and Nyakagezi groups.

However, visitors who wish to trek gorillas in this park should be aware that the activity always costs roughly 800 USD per person and takes two to five hours to find the gorilla species. Once the species are located, visitors are given an hour to spend and engage with them. In addition to learning about and witnessing the traits and habits of the endangered species, visitors can also view how they eat and care for their young during this hour-long visit.

Furthermore, prior to the trek, visitors receive briefings on the rules and regulations they must adhere to. These include the following: tourists should avoid making direct eye contact with gorillas, maintain a 7-meter distance from them, and refrain from eating or drinking near gorillas to prevent injury. Furthermore, depending on which gorilla troop these visitors are willing to walk with, they are always placed in groups of no more than eight people and paired with park guides.