Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a beautiful and peaceful place located in the southwestern part of Uganda. It’s one of the country’s smallest national parks. This 33.7 square kilometer Park was established in 1991 as part of the larger Virunga Conservation Area, and borders Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mgahinga is known for its stunning landscapes featuring three dormant volcanoes, diverse animals, and the opportunity to see endangered mountain gorillas in the wild.
What Makes Mgahinga Special?
Mountain Gorillas
One of the main reasons people visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is to see the mountain gorillas. These rare and remarkable primates are critically endangered, and Mgahinga is one of the few places in the world where you can see them in the wild. The Park is home to one group of habituated gorillas called the “Nyakagezi” family. Visitors can go on guided treks to observe these gentle giants in their natural environment. This group is known for its relatively small size, fluid social structure and unusual tolerance among its members to the extent of allowing multiple silverbacks to coexist within the group.
Gorilla Trekking: You can join a guided tour to trek through the forest in search of the Nyakagezi gorilla family. Once you find them, you can spend an hour observing the gorillas in their natural habitat. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and a great way to contribute to the conservation of these endangered animals.
Challenges & Conservation efforts
Mountain Gorillas face a number of challenges including habitat loss, poaching and the looming potential of disease spread from humans. Conservation efforts spear headed by the Uganda Wild life Authority supported by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund devise strategies such as anti-poaching patrols, community engagement programs and transboundary collaboration measures to alleviate such threats. Part of the revenue generated from gorilla tourism related activities is also used in park management, reduction of the impact of the tourism on gorillas as well as local community development projects.
Golden Monkeys
Golden monkeys are one of the most sought out primates by tourists in Africa. They are small, agile subspecies of the blue Monkey with striking golden-orange fur, giving them their name. They are known for their playful nature and acrobatic movements as they swing through the trees in search of food. These monkeys primarily feed on leaves, fruits, flowers, and insects, and can often be seen foraging for food in the dense bamboo forests of Mgahinga National Park.
Golden Monkeys’ predators comprise African golden cats, Serval cats and African Crowned Eagles.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the only place these primates can be observed in Uganda. It is home to about 6 troops of habituated golden Monkeys which are used to human presence. This provides a unique opportunity for tourists to observe and photograph the monkeys in their natural environment without disturbing them. These beautiful creatures live in large groups of up to 60 individuals with each troop being led by a dominant male. Female golden monkeys look more golden and absolutely beautiful with an innocent appearance.
Golden Monkey Trekking
One of the main attractions for visitors to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the opportunity to go on guided golden monkey trekking expeditions. Golden Monkey Trekking in Mgahinga is best done during the dry season in the months of June – August, and December to February considering that is when their trails are passable and vegetation is sparce, giving you a perfect opportunity to clearly view the golden monkeys and other animals along the trail. The Trek to see the golden monkeys usually begins early in the morning as the monkeys are most active during the cooler hours of the day. These treks usually last about 30minutes to three hours depending on where the monkeys are located. Trackers find the monkeys by looking for dung, tracks, and the big mess they leave after eating through bamboo shoot. Visitors are always accompanied by experienced guides who lead them through the dense rainforest in search of the monkeys. The trek can be challenging at times as the terrain is steep and rugged, but the effort is well worth it once you catch a glimpse of these elusive primates.
During the trek, visitors are likely to encounter a small group of golden monkeys playing, foraging for food, and grooming each other. The golden monkeys are known for their expressive faces and social behaviour, making for a memorable and intimate wildlife encounter.
A golden monkey habituation experience is also available for tourists in which they will have the chance to learn about the behavior and social dynamics of the golden monkeys from experienced guides and researchers in an experience lasting about 4 hours.
Volcanic Mountains
Mgahinga is located in the shadow of the Virunga Volcanoes, which are part of the East African Rift System. The park gets its name from the “Mgahinga,” which means “place of birds” in the local language, but it also refers to the rich volcanic soils that support diverse plant and animal life. The park has three volcanoes—Mount Muhabura (4,127 m), Mount Gahinga (3,474 m), and Mount Sabinyo (3,645 m)—making it a stunning place for hiking and exploring.
Mgahinga National Park offers a variety of hiking trails, each with its own unique attractions and challenges. Some of the most popular trails include:
Mount Muhabura Trail: This challenging full-day hike takes adventurers to the summit of Mount Muhabura, the highest peak in the park. Along the way, hikers can enjoy stunning views of the surrounding landscape and, on a clear day, even catch a glimpse of the Rwenzori Mountains in the distance. Mount Muhabura stands at 4,127 metres (13,540 ft) and is the third highest of the eight major mountains of the mountain range, which form part of the Albertine Rift. Its summit contains a small crater lake.
Mount Gahinga Trail: Mount Gahinga whose summit is at 3,474 metres (11,397 ft) is the shortest of the eight mountains in the Virunga range in Rwanda, Uganda, and Congo. It is a slightly easier option, and the shortest of the trails lasting approximately 5 hours. Mount Gahinga trail takes hikers through dense bamboo forests and up to the summit. Along the way, visitors may encounter troops of golden monkeys, one of the park’s most famous residents.
Mount Sabinyo Trail: Mount Sabyinyo is the oldest volcano of the range and is known for its rugged terrain and steep inclines. The Mount Sabinyo trail offers a challenging but rewarding hiking experience. Hikers can expect to encounter dense vegetation, rocky outcrops, and even the opportunity to stand in three different countries at once at the summit. The summit of the mountain lies at 3,669 metres (12,037 ft). Sabinyo is a one-day hike and the round trek is 8 hours, 4 hours to the summit and 4 hours back, depending on the pace of the hikers and the weather.
Other Wildlife and Birdwatching
Besides the mountain gorillas, Mgahinga is home to 76 recorded animal species including buffaloes, forest elephants, bushbucks and various species of birds. It’s a great spot for birdwatching, as the park has over 180 different bird species, including the beautiful Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori nightjar, Kivu Ground Thrush, African Paradise Fly catcher, Black Kite, Cape Robin Chat, Pin-tailed whydah, Speckled mousebird, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, White – starred Robin, Rwenzori Batis, Archer’s Robin Chat and the African Olive Pigeon among others. The Park is also known to have an impressive 12 Albetine Rift Endemics.
The various volcanic mountains within the park provide excellent birding trails such as the gorge trail between Mt Gahinga and Mount Sabinyo which is a major bird viewing spot.
Cultural Importance
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is also significant to the local Batwa people, who are often called “Pygmies.” They were the original inhabitants of the forest and lived there for thousands of years.
Cultural Walks with the Batwa
Today, the Batwa people guide tourists on cultural walks, sharing their traditional knowledge of the forest, showing you how their ancestors lived in the forest, how they used plants for medicine, and how they survived in the wild. The trail comprises of a visit to the historical Garama cave, once a home to the Batwa King. The batwa cultural Experience showcases their traditional lifestyle, history and the challenges they face.
How to Get There
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in Kisoro District, near the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s about a 10-hour drive from Uganda’s capital, Kampala, via Masaka and Kabale or a short flight from Entebbe to Kisoro Airfield. These flights operated by Aerolink Uganda normally depart at 7:00AM arriving at 8:10AM while return flights leave at 8:25AM arriving back in Entebbe at 11:25AM. Once you arrive in Kisoro, it’s a short drive to the park’s headquarters at Ntebeko.
The Park is also accessible from Kigali, Rwanda, via Cyanika border in a 3 to 4 hours road trip from Kigali International airport.
Costs for Various Activities in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Gorilla Trekking costs 800$ for Foreign Non-Residents /500$ for the Rest of Africa/ 700$ for Foreign Residents $ 300,000 UGX East African Nationals
Golden Monkey Habituation costs 100$ for Foreign Non-Residents /80$ for Foreign Residents $ 100,000 UGX East African Nationals
Golden Monkey Trekking costs 60$ for Foreign Non-Residents /50$ for Foreign Residents $ 40,000 UGX East African Nationals
Gorge Walk costs 30$ for Foreign Non-Residents /15$ for Foreign Residents $ 15,000 UGX East African Nationals
When to Visit
The Park can be visited all year round but with the best time to visit being during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. During these months, the weather is better for trekking, and the trails are less muddy.
