Travel guide to Mgahinga Gorilla national park 2021-2022:
Travel guide to Mgahinga Gorilla national park 2021-2022: This article comprises of a travel guide for travelers interested to explore the best of Mgahinga Gorilla national park “Where Silver meets Gold”. First and foremost, Mgahinga gorilla National Park is the smallest park in uganda covering about 33 Square Kilometers of land that thrills in the south western part of Uganda and it’s the only destination in Uganda where Silver meets Gold thus travelers interested in a gorilla trekking safari, Golden Monkey trekking safari, guided nature walks, and Volcano hikes are all catered for with a complete travel guide with in this article. This Travel guide to Mgahinga Gorilla national park includes all the possible information about what to see (top tourist attractions in Mgahinga Gorilla national park), what to do (top tourist activities), how to get there, where stay, how to book the safari, how to easily book the Permit and many other important guide.
Top tourist attractions & activities in Mgahinga Gorilla national park
In this guide, we bring you the top tourist attractions and activities in Mgahinga Gorilla national park and they include;
- Mountain Gorillas,
Mountain Gorillas are not only the top tourist attractions in Uganda but as well in Mgahinga Gorilla national park. The park harbors only one Gorilla family known as Nyakagezi which comprises of 10 members including Bugingo the grandfather of the group, Mark the dominant Silverback help by his brother Mafia, 2 black backs Ndugutse and Rukundo 2 females Nyiramwiza and Nshuti and 3 Juveniles Nkanda and Furaha. This Nyakagezi Gorilla family used to cross borders with in the Virunga Massif to Volcanoes National park in Rwanda as well as Virunga national park in Congo. Mountain Gorillas as the name states prefer residing in areas of high elevation and their bodied has thick fur that keeps them warm even during cold weather. Just like the cousins the chimpanzees and the Bonobo, Mountain Gorillas are also termed as great apes that only thrill in 3 beautiful East African countries including Uganda the pearl of Africa, Rwanda and Congo. Mgahinga Gorilla national park is lucky to be one of the 2 parks in Uganda that harbor these endangered primates with the biggest population found in Bwindi impenetrable national also in south western part of Uganda thus you have to read the Travel guide to Mgahinga Gorilla national park 2021-2022.
Gorilla trekking In Mgahinga Gorilla national park: This guide will provide you will all the guidance while planning your dream gorilla trekking safari to Uganda. Since Mgahinga Gorilla national park is a home to only 1 gorilla family, this implies that only 8 persons are allowed to trek it on a daily basis and one has to book a gorilla permit in advance since Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda are very competitive and one could end up missing on this thrilling and joyous adventure in Uganda. A gorilla trekking permit to trek the Nyakagezi family in Mgahinga Gorilla national park costs $700 for Foreign Non Residents, $600 for Foreign Residents while Ugandan and other East African Community member states pay UGX250, 000. This gorilla trekking permit comes with the entrance fees, conservation fees, and Ranger fees but excludes Porter hire fees, tips and other expenses of personal nature among others. The Gorilla trekking permit is obtained from the Uganda Wildlife Authority whose headquarters are situated in Kamwokya. However, booking the Gorilla trekking permit is kind of tedious especially when one isn’t on ground thus the best option is to use a trusted and registered tour operator like Achieve Global Safari to handle all the burden on your behalf and organize you that unforgettable Gorilla trekking safari.
Apart from Mgahinga Gorilla national park, Gorillas can as well be trekked in Bwindi Impenetrable national park the park that accommodates the largest population of these endangered primates with 4 sectors where people can trek the Gorillas including Nkuringo sector, Rushaga sector, Ruhija sector and Buhoma sector.
During gorilla trekking, travelers are always briefed and advised on the dos and don’ts to avoid messing up while in the jungle. some of the gorilla trekking dos and don’ts include; No using flash light while taking photographs, Keeping a distance of about 7m apart, No eating, smoking, or drinking anything near Gorillas, No littering the park, No trekking Gorillas while feeling ill and many more. Some of the rules and regulations while planning a Gorilla trekking Safari in Mgahinga Gorilla national park include the maximum age of 15 years and above is allowed thus below 15 years one is considered to be a minor and unable to trek Gorillas, Booking and obtain a gorilla permit in advance, the maximum number of trekkers is 8 persons, Only 1 hour is allowed with Gorillas after following them up for about 2-7 hours depending on their movement and the trekking speed of trekkers.
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla national park starts early in the morning with briefing and those who wish to hire the porters are allowed to do during briefing. After briefing, trekkers are offered hiking sticks and off into the forest to search for the habituated Nyakagezi Gorilla family which is the only family that has undergone habituation thus open for trekking. While in the forest, there is a possibility of encountering with other wildlife including mammals like elephants, antelopes and abundant of birdlife. Once trekkers find gorillas, only 1 hour is allowed in their vicinity taking photos, recording short videos and closely watching them as the move on with their daily activities. After an hour, trekkers are supposed to exit the forest and head to the park headquarters to pick their Gorilla trekking certificates and the adventure is done.
- Golden Monkeys,
Golden monkeys are termed as endangered species that are endemic to Albertine Rift valley with about 3000 to 4000 individuals thrilling with in Virunga Area with in Mgahinga Gorilla national park Uganda. In Uganda, Golden monkeys are listed amongst the top tourist attraction just after mountain Gorillas which are always considered the major attractions. While in Rwanda, Golden monkeys are found in Volcanoes national park. In this travel guide to Mgahinga Gorilla national park, we include in the information about Golden monkeys in this small park. Golden monkeys are beautiful primates with a golden color that resulted to their name. These primates mainly prefer residing in Bamboo forest where they feed on the bamboo shoots. Golden monkeys live and move in big troops of about 60 to 100 member. They are known to be very cheerful and playful seen jumping over the bamboo forest from one tree to another.
Golden Monkey trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park: Trekking these beautiful primates in Mgahinga Gorilla national park is such a breath taking experience that is not found elsewhere in Uganda. With a huge troop of about 60 to 100, an encounter with the Golden monkeys is such a remarkable experience that thrills in one’s memory overtime. Golden Monkey trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla national park starts early in the morning briefing just like Gorilla trekking in the same park. Thus briefing is always the first thing done before finally penetrating into the bamboo forest to trek these monkeys in their natural habitats. The golden monkey trekking permit costs $60 per person for Foreigners and UgX.40, 000 for Ugandans and other East African Community members. There is yet a Golden monkey experience that costs $100 for foreigners and UgX. 100,000 for Ugandans and East Africa Community members. These permits are booked and obtained from the Uganda wildlife Authority though it’s also possible to get them on ground upon park arrival. Golden monkey trekking allows only 1 hour with these primates in their habitats while Golden monkey experience takes about 4 hours with the Golden monkeys closely interacting with them. The minimum age limit for Golden monkey trekking is 12 years and above and there is no limit to the number of trekkers.
- The Batwa
The Batwa are known to be the shortest people in Uganda who resided in the forest within south western part of Uganda in both Mgahinga Gorilla national park and Bwindi Impenetrable national park thus termed at the “The Forest People”. These guys used to survive through hunting and gathering in the forest where they would hunt animals as well as gather fruits and honey. However, when Mgahinga and Bwindi were gazette in the year 1991, these Batwa people were expelled out of the forest and their suffering started as they had no source of food, medical care, shelter and many other necessities and the only way to obtain a meal was through working in the farms of the locals and sometimes practiced illegal hunting in the same forest where they were forced out. To learn more about the batwa people, government introduced the adventurous tourist activity in Mgahinga Gorilla national park known as the Batwa trail that was introduced in June 2011.
The Batwa Trail in Mgahinga gorilla national park: The Batwa trail takes you on a practical forest walk alongside local Batwa people as the guides who showcase exactly how they used to live in the forest, the methods they used to hunt and gather and many other fascinating story that you need to listen to while taking a forest walk in their previous homestead. Along the Batwa trail, the batwa guides sight out different plant species that were used as medicine since there were no hospitals in the forest, show you how they would make fire and cup and many more. The Batwa trail will then take you to the sacred caves “Garama Caves” in the heart of the forest about 3km from the park headquarters which were used as a palace for their King, a hiding place during the battle with the community members, meeting grounds and many more though now the Garama caves are occupied by bats. At the end of the Batwa trail, there is a fascinating cultural dance and drama by the Batwa that makes an entire Forest walk memorable.
- Garama Cave,
Garama caves are well top tourist attraction in Mgahinga Gorilla national park and this travel guide includes information about these caves, their location and their importance. Garama caves are 342M in length situated just a few Kilometers from Ntebeko where Park headquarters for Mgahinga Gorilla national park are situated. These caves were acting as accommodation for the Batwa people when they were still forest dweller before they were forced out. The caves provided ground for hiding by the Batwa people during the raids and attacks to the Bantu communities around the park. These caves are nowadays occupied by bats but still remarkable especially during the Batwa trail as the Batwa women sing sorrowful songs which echo with in the cave usually done at the end of the Batwa trail to make an entire experience unforgettable.
Guided Walks to Garama caves: A guided walk from the park headquarters to Garama Caves takes about 4 hours to cover 3km and one of thing to do at least once in a life time while on a Uganda safari to Mgahinga Gorilla national park.
- Virunga Volcanoes,
Virunga volcanoes are yet amongst the top tourist attractions in Mgahinga Gorilla national park. The park thrills with only 3 of 8 volcanoes within Virunga massif and these include Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhavura. Each of these 3 volcanoes offers stunning views and attractions during the volcanoes hike in Mgahinga gorilla national park as included in this travel guide.
Mount Sabyinyo: Mount Sabyinyo stands at an elevation of 3,669M high and with its funny shape that looks like the worn out tooth of an old man, Mount Sabyinyo obtained its name. Mount Sabyinyo is shared amongst Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo north of Lake Kivu in Rwanda and East of Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda. A hike to summit the top of Mount Sabyinyo which is a 14km trail takes about 8 hours for a round trip. While at the summit, you will enjoy the stunning views of all the 3 countries including Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. Since Mount Sabyinyo thrills with 3 peaks, some hikes who prefer short hikes tend to stop on the first peak with stunning view of the ride then those who push to the 2nd peak, you be rewarded with a view of beautiful ridges and gorges in both Uganda and Rwanda while those that get an opportunity of reaching at the 3rd peak are rewarded with a breath taking experience watching both the 3 beautiful countries within Virunga massif and their parks including Mgahinga Gorilla national park in Uganda, Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo as well as Volcanoes national park in Rwanda.
Mount Gahinga: Mount Gahinga on the other hand stands at an elevation of 3,474m high and it was named after the cairn that are arranged by the farmers in their gardens. Mount Gahinga thrills in border with Uganda and Rwanda in between mount Muhavura and Mount Sabyinyo. A hike to summit its peak takes about 6 hours for an 8km round trip from Ntebeko via the farmlands of the locals to the bamboo forest and up to the summit. The summit of Mount Gahinga has a stunning 180M swampy caldera while along the hike, lucky hikers have a golden chance of spotting Golden Monkeys and other mammals that thrill in the park.
Mount Muhavura: And finally Mount Muhavura also known as Mount Muhabura stands at an elevation of 4,127M high and is known as the “Guide” yet the tallest of all the 3 volcanoes in Mgahinga gorilla national park and yet the 3rd tallest of all the 8 volcanoes in Virunga Massif shared by both Uganda and Rwanda within Mgahinga Gorilla national park and Volcanoes national park. Mount Muhavura offers stunning and adventurous views to the hikers who manages to get to the summit. One is able to view the entire Mgahinga Gorilla national park, Virunga Volcanoes, Queen Elizabeth national park, Bwindi impenetrable national park Ranges of Rwenzori Mountains and many more. The loop to make a round circuit is 12 km which takes about 8 hours to have a round trip starting early in the morning thus hiker are advised to camp at Muhavura Base Camp a day before the hike.
- Birds,
Mgahinga Gorilla National park harbors over 184 species of birds including raptor birds, water birds, forest birds and those species endemic to Albertine rift making it one of the birders haven in Uganda. The most species of birds spotted include; Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, Rwenzori Nightjar, Speckled Mouse bird, Black Kite, Paradise Fly-catcher, Double-collared Sunbird, Crowned Hornbill, Handsome Francolin, Kivu Ground Thrush, Crowned Crane and many more. To enjoy birding to the maximum, book a birder in advance at the Park and you will surely enjoy this activity at ease.
Getting there,
One may choose to get to Mgahinga gorilla national park either by road or by air.
By road, the driving distance from Kampala to Mgahinga gorilla national park takes about 7-8 hours.
By Air, one may as well choose to fly from either Kajansi or Entebbe to Kisoro and connect onto a road drive to Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Accommodation in Mgahinga Gorilla national park
There is no worries about where to stay while on your Uganda safari to Mgahinga gorilla national park. One may choose to sleep in Ntebeko, Kisoro town, Lake Mutanda, and within the park depending on one’s choice. All these places offer stunning accommodations ranging between budget, midrange and luxury. Some of these accommodations include; Mount Gahinga Safari lodge volcanoes, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Lake Mutanda Island Lodge, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu rest camp, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Landmark Guest House, Kisoro Traveler’s Rest Hotel, Mubano Hotel, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Sky Blue, Virunga Hotel, Mucha Hotel, 3 Way Gorilla Resort. All you need is to get in touch with your tour operator to make get you the best lodge depending on your pocket.
When to visit Mgahinga Gorilla national park
Mgahinga Gorilla national park is always open at any given period of time thus tourists are free to visit at their convenience. However, most travelers usually prefer dry months when the park is dry for easy walks during the treks and walks.
Other destinations to visit while on a Uganda safari to Mgahinga gorilla national park,
It’s very easy to combine a safari to Mgahinga Gorilla national park with other destinations in Uganda such as Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi impenetrable national park, Queen Elizabeth national park and many more. Check out our safaris like 3 days Gorilla trekking, 4 days gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking and Batwa trail and many more. Or get in touch with us today to tailor your dream Uganda safari.
