Mgahinga National Park – Mgahinga Gorilla National park- ”Where Silver Meets Gold”
The smallest national park in Uganda is Mgahinga National Park, also known as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is situated in the country’s southwest and spans 33.9 km². Established in 1991, the park is one of the few national parks in the world that is home to mountain gorillas; the others are the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
The park is also fortunate to have Golden Monkeys, a rare kind of primates that are also present in Volcanoes National Park. Thus, only Mgahiga Gorilla National Park or simply Mgahinga National Park is used to track golden monkeys in Uganda.
Unique features like Mount Sabinyo and Mount Muhavura, which are located in the Virunga Ranges that border Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda, are another blessing of Mgahinga National Park. When tourists hike these Virunga mountains, they are typically ecstatic.
Other attractions in Mgahinga National Park, sometimes known as Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, include Lake Mutanda and the Batwa People, who provide visitors with an amazing cultural experience. Any tourist looking for excitement and novel experiences will find a safari in Mgahinga National Park to be a rather interesting experience.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one of the must-visit locations for those seeking vegetation potential because of its flora, which includes some of the most unusual plant species on Earth that are only found there.
Discover Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
The smallest national park in Uganda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, is situated in the southwest of Kisoro District and shares borders with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The national park, which spans 33.7 square kilometers, was established in 1991 primarily to safeguard the endangered mountain gorillas.
About 39 mammals, including mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, duikers, giant forest hogs, and approximately 115 bird species can be found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Additionally, there are three Virunga volcanoes: Mount Muhavura, which is 4127 meters above sea level, Mount Gahinga, which is 3474 meters above sea level, and Mount Sabinyo, which is 3645 meters above sea level.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park’s top attractions
Gorilla trekking
The main activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is gorilla trekking. Among the places in Africa where endangered mountain gorillas can be found are Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uga
o. At the park headquarters, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park begins in the morning with a briefing on the park’s policies. Following the briefing, you will begin hiking into the forest with a knowledgeable guide.
Depending on the location of the mountain gorillas, which prefer to roam around in quest of food, this process could take anything from thirty minutes to seven hours. Other primate species, birds, various plant and tree species, and more can all be seen while trekking.
After the gorillas are located, you will be permitted to spend an hour with them in their natural habitat, where you can observe their habits, behaviors, and play as well as take pictures and document the moments.
Golden monkey trekking
Golden monkey trekking is another exciting and strenuous activity available at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. It entails entering the jungle to look for the golden monkeys. Similar to gorilla trekking, trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the only place in Uganda to see the endangered golden monkeys, begins with a briefing at the park’s headquarters in the morning.
Following the briefing, you will begin your trip through the forest to find the golden monkeys. Depending on where the monkeys are, this process could take anywhere from thirty minutes to three hours. Because golden monkeys inhabit lower elevations, trekking with them in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is less taxing than trekking with gorillas.
During the trek, you will be on the lookout for fresh bamboo shoot remnants, as golden monkeys do not leave behind obvious signs of their previous location. You will be permitted to spend an hour with the golden monkeys in their natural habitat after they have been located. This will allow you to watch how they behave, take pictures with flash cameras, document the moments, and more.
Climbing mountains
Three dormant volcanoes in the center of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offer hiking opportunities for tourists. Among them is the 3474-meter-high Gahinga volcano, the smallest of the park’s three volcanoes. Depending on your trekking pace, the round-trip hike takes roughly six hours. Upon reaching the summit, you will discover a crater teeming with enormous lobelia and swamp.
Hiking Mount SabyinyoThe hike to Mount Sabinyo, which is 3669 meters above sea level, takes roughly eight hours total. The journey will take you over steep hills and dense Afro-Montane forest, where you may see a variety of birds and primates, including golden monkeys, duikers, and forest elephants. When you reach the peak, you will be in three different countries: Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda.
Of the three volcanic mountains in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Mount Muhavura is the highest. Hiking Mount Muhavura, which is 4127 meters above sea level, takes roughly ten hours. You will hike through several vegetation zones, and the peak provides breathtaking views of the Rwenzori mountain ranges, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Edward, and other Virunga volcanoes.
Birding
Mgahinga National Park bird watchingOne of the top birding locations in Uganda is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is home to over 115 known bird species. The Montane forest, the bamboo belt, the gorge trail between Gahinga and Sabinyo, and other locations are among the various birding spots in Mgahinga National Park.
Among the various bird species that can be seen during bird watching are the brown-crowned Tchagra, the regal sunbird, the blue-headed sunbird, the streaky seedeater, the dusky turtle dove, the olive thrush, the cape robin chat, the red-faced woodland, the alpine chat, the handsome francolin, the crowned crane, the black kite, the crowned hornbill, and the scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird.
Experience on the Batwa Trail
Mgahinga National Park’s Batwa TrailPrior to being designated as a national park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was inhabited by the Batwa tribe, also known as the Pygmies. The Batwa trail experience starts with a prayer and offers you the opportunity to interact with the Batwa people, learn about their ancient civilizations, and experience their ways of life.
The Twa guide will show off their hunting, honey collecting, and gathering techniques, as well as how to manufacture bamboo cups, build fire by rubbing two dry sticks together, and explore Garamba Cave, which served as the Batwa people’s hiding spot and food store, among other things, during the Batwa trail trip. The Batwa ladies give storytelling and dancing performances as the path comes to a close.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park’s prime time to visit
Although Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is open year-round, the best time to come is in June, July, August, September, December, January, and February, which is also known as the dry season. In contrast to the rainy season, when the pathways are muddy and slippery, making trekking challenging, access roads, hiking trails, and gorilla trekking trails will be passable during the dry season because the park receives less rainfall.
March through May and November are the wet season, sometimes referred to as the low season, when Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is open for visits. Although the rainy season is known for its intense rains, it also offers benefits like reduced people, discounted rates at lodges, and the opportunity to see migratory bird species, making it the ideal time of year for birdwatchers.
The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park travel route
The southwest region of Uganda is home to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is reachable by road and airplane.
Road transport: Using a 4WD safari vehicle, travelers will travel from Kampala or Entebbe to the park headquarters via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Kisoro. The trip takes approximately nine to ten hours.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is also accessible from Kigali, Rwanda. To get there, travelers must fly to Kigali International Airport and then take a safari vehicle across the Cyanika border, which takes roughly three to four hours.
Using air transport to go to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park entails scheduling or chartering aircraft to Kisoro Airstrip with Aerolink Uganda, after which you will connect to the park’s headquarters or lodge. For tourists who dislike long-distance travel, air transportation is the greatest choice. Your tour operator can arrange flights.