Uganda safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Uganda safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest national park in Uganda. It is located in the Kisoro district in the country’s southwest and spans an area of about 33.7 square kilometers. It shares borders with Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s virtual national park.

Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Muhabura are three majestic dormant volcanoes that make up the national park, which is situated in the Virunga Mountains. The landscape of the park is enhanced by these majestic volcanoes.

There are about thirty fascinating endangered mountain gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, divided between two unhabituated and one habituated group. It is therefore a popular location for gorilla trekking.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to the golden monkeys, an Albertine Rift Endemic that is also located in a volcano national park, in addition to the fascinating mountain gorilla. In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, this enables the tracking of an exceptional golden monkey.

Bamboo woods, an Albertine Rift Montane forest, and an alpine zone at a higher elevation make up Mahinga Gorilla National Park. Its Nile River watershed areas are shared with the southern portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Virunga National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.

Trekking with mountain gorillas is one of the most well-liked and valuable activities available in the National Park. Additional pursuits include following golden monkeys, climbing volcanoes, taking nature and forest excursions, observing birds, and interacting with the Batwa people.

Things to do while visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Golden monkey trekking

One of the primary things that many visitors do in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is track golden monkeys. The only national park in Uganda that provides golden monkey tracking trips is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. To see these amazing and uncommon habituated golden monkeys, hike through the park’s baboon forest.

You will have the chance to see some of the amazing sights that add to the park’s beauty during this daring trek through the bamboo forest, including bird species like the stunning Rwenzori turaco, handsome francolin, Rwenzori batis, Kivu ground-thrush, blue-headed weaver, black-collared apalis, dusky crimsonwing, red-throated alethe, andregal sunbird.

Gorilla trekking

One of the most well-known activities that visitors on a Uganda safari typically do while in the park is gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The primary attraction of any visit to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is gorilla trekking. In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, gorilla trekking is an exhilarating experience that allows visitors to trek through the dense rainforest in pursuit of these amazing habituated mountain gorillas.

In Mgahinga National Park, gorilla trekking starts in the morning with a briefing at the park headquarters regarding expectations, rules, and other matters. Following the training, visitors are paired with a knowledgeable guide who will take them into the jungle to look for the gorilla family.

Depending on where the mountain gorillas are located, this process can take anywhere from two to four hours. You will have the opportunity to see some of the forest’s best-kept secrets when gorilla trekking, including birds, animals, reptiles, and other primate species.

You will be able to interact directly with the gorillas and witness their everyday routines, like playing, feeding, and nursing, among other things, when you meet these amazing animals. Only eight people over the age of 15 are permitted to trek mountain gorilla families in a single day in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Climbing volcanoes

The Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda is home to three of the eight extinct volcanoes, and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park shares these three volcanoes. One of Uganda’s most well-known tourist destinations is the Virunga Mountains, which include Mount Gahinga, Mount Syabinyo, and Mount Muhabura.

Visitors can experience the thrill of trekking to the summit of any Virunga volcano during their safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This adventure offers visitors the added benefit of being rewarded with breathtaking views of the surrounding country, including Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the breathtaking Ugandan landscape. You will also get the opportunity to see a variety of wildlife on the trip, including Virunga volcanoes, mountain gorillas, golden monkeys swinging in baboon trees, and bird species.

Birding

With more than 180 kinds of vibrant birds, Mgahinga National Park is a veritable bird lover’s paradise and one of Uganda’s top birdwatching locations. An expert bird guide will lead you through the birding locations and explain the various behaviors of the birds in the wild while you are on a bird-watching expedition in the park.

The Yellow-Vented Bulbul, Yellow-throated Long Claw, White-starred Robin, White-necked raven, White-naped Raven, White-naped Raven, White-starred Robin, Western Green Tinker Bird, Wax Bills, Thrush, and Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, as well as the Striped Breasted Tit, Streaky Seedeater, Stray Seedeater, Stone Chat, Speckled Mousebird, Southern Red Bishop, Shelly’s Dusky Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Turaco, and Rwenzori Nightjar, are some of the birds to observe.

Cultural encounters

The native Batwa hunters, gatherers, and ferocious warriors lived in Mgahinga’s vast forests for many centuries. They relied on the forest for food, medicine, and shelter. For those who are interested in learning more about the customs, dances, and culture of the Batwa and Bambuti, a visit to this community delivers a lasting experience.

Visitors can engage with the indigenous Batwa people, learn about their traditional way of life and culture, and hear their stories during the cultural encounter at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. When visiting the Batwa community, visitors will have the chance to engage in a variety of indigenous activities, including traditional dance and music performances, cooking local cuisine, hunting, fruit gathering, and visiting local doctors to learn about the significance of various plants in preserving bodily health, among other things.

Nature treks and hiking

At Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, hiking and nature treks provide an experience of a lifetime. You can discover the undiscovered treasures of Mgahinga’s diverse ecosystems through hiking and nature walks. A visitor can observe the Rugezi marsh, forest birds, bamboo forest, wild vegetation, and the neighboring agricultural communities and lakes while hiking on the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes.

Along the way to the Congo border, hikers pass through a variety of breathtaking vegetation zones and have the opportunity to observe Lake Mutanda, Bunagana, Kisoro village, and calderas at the summit of Gisozi Hill.