Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, located in the extreme southern part of Uganda, is the country’s smallest national park, covering an area of 33.7 square kilometers.
It borders Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in Congo. Given its position right at the border, many travelers add this stop to combined East Africa tours.
Mgahinga National Park derives its name from Mount Gahinga, which means “piles of stones,” as named by locals because of the small piles of stones gathered in heaps from their farmlands.
The park was first gazetted as a game sanctuary in 1930 and later established as a national park in 1991.
Mgahinga National Park is also home to three of the Virunga ranges: Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Muhabura, and Mount Gahinga.
The Virunga ranges are known for harboring the only mountain gorillas in the world, with half of them found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.
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Top Things to Do in Mgahinga National Park
Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park is the main activity for tourists visiting this part. Mountain gorillas share 98% DNA with humans, making them humans’ closest relatives.
You can encounter these unique primates at Mgahinga National Park without the crowds often found in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The only habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga is the Nyakagezi gorilla family, composed of 2 adult females, 2 infants, 2 blackbacks, a toddler, and three silverbacks, led by Mark as the dominant silverback, assisted by the others.
The Nyakagezi gorilla family was habituated in 1991 and formally opened for tourists in 1994. The family is one of the easiest gorilla groups to trek, since they have a more limited range of mobility.
Mountain Climbing and Hiking
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to three of the Virunga range volcanoes, all of which can be hiked for an unforgettable experience.
Mount Sabyinyo is one of the volcanoes you can hike, and it can only be done from the Ugandan side because of its rugged terrain on the Rwandan side. Standing at an elevation of 3,669 meters above sea level, it takes about 8 hours round trip to reach the peak.
Mount Gahinga, meanwhile, stands at 3,474 meters above sea level, with scenic views and a crater at its peak. The hike roughly takes about 6 hours round trip, depending on the speed of the hikers.
Mount Muhabura is the highest peak of the Virunga volcanoes in Uganda, at an elevation of 4,127 meters above sea level. The climb requires some physical fitness, but the reward of striking views at the top is well worth the effort.
Golden Monkey Trekking
The renowned golden monkeys are endemic to the Albertine Rift and are among the most endangered species of monkeys in the world.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to over 4,000 golden monkeys.
Trekking golden monkeys is not as strenuous as gorilla trekking, since they live on the lower slopes, unlike gorillas, who occupy the higher slopes.
One advantage of trekking golden monkeys is that there is no limit on the number of people allowed to trek a given group, unlike gorillas, where only 8 people are allowed per group. Golden monkey permits are also cheaper, costing only $100 per person.
Wildlife Viewing
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is not only home to mountain gorillas and golden monkeys; there are also many other animals living in the park, such as bushbucks, duikers, bush pigs, waterbucks, civets, giant forest hogs, and primates such as black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, De Brazza’s monkeys, L’Hoest’s monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and many others.
Birding in Mgahinga
Mgahinga National Park is home to various birds, some of which are endemic to the Albertine region. There are 79 species of birds recorded within the park, including the grey-capped warbler, yellow-vented bulbul, speckled mousebird, firefinch, whydah, stonechat, Lagden’s bushshrike, scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, black kite, crowned hornbill, Kivu ground thrush, montane double-collared sunbird, dusky turtle dove, crowned crane, white-tailed blue flycatcher, Rwenzori turaco, Chubb’s cisticola, alpine chat, Doherty’s bush shrike, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Mackinnon’s fiscal, white-eyed slaty flycatcher, yellow-crowned canary, grassland pipit, wing-snapping cisticola, yellow-throated longclaw, and many others.
Cultural Encounters
The Batwa trail in Mgahinga National Park is a must-visit while in the park, offering insight into the Batwa tribe, whose guide will share all the information you need about the community that once lived in the forest before it became a national park.
The Batwa people were hunter-gatherers who depended on the forest for everything.
The trail leads you to the Garama Cave, which is about 300 meters long and was used by the Batwa in ancient days as a counseling chamber. The visit ends with a Batwa traditional dance performed by local dancers at the cave.
Along the way, you can encounter various wildlife and birds, and learn about different plant species and how they were traditionally used, from the Batwa guide.
Accommodation: Where to Stay
Mgahinga National Park doesn’t offer a wide variety of accommodation options, but tourists can stay at Mount Gahinga Lodge or camp.
Other lodges near Kisoro town include Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Kisoro Travelers Inn, Mgahinga Safari Lodge, Virunga Hotel, Muhabura Motel, Kisoro Tourists Hotel, 3 Way Gorilla Resort, and Mucha Hotel, to mention a few.
Best Time to Visit Mgahinga
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can be visited all year round, although some months are better than others.
The best seasons are during the dry season, from June to September and December to January, when the roads are in good, passable condition.
Mgahinga National Park can be reached from Kampala, the capital of Uganda, by car within 8 to 10 hours, with striking views along the way. However, the easiest way is to fly into Kigali, Rwanda, and then drive to Mgahinga within 4 hours by road.
