Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. Lying within Kisoro District, Southwestern part of Uganda, Mgahinga National Park is a compact montane protected area with a land area measuring 33.7sq.km. Mgahinga was originally a Game Sanctuary from 1930 till 1991 when it was upgraded to a National Park.
Mgahinga National Park lies within the Virunga Conservation Area (VCA). The VCA is comprised of 3 parks, and the other two include Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the D.R. Congo, East-Central Africa. It is one of the most well-kept parks in Uganda, offering exceptional wilderness experiences.
Over 39 mammal species reside within the Mgahinga National Park. They include the endangered mountain gorillas, buffaloes, elephants, spotted hyenas, giant-fronted hogs, black-fronted duikers, golden monkeys, bushbucks, and 115 bird species. Three of the five Virunga Volcanoes are found in Mgahinga including Mount Muhabura (4127m), Sabyinyo (3645m), and Mount Gahinga 3474 meters.
The word Mgahinga is derived from the Kinyarwanda word -Gahinga which means a pile of volcanic lava stone heaps where cultivation is done. Sabyinyo means the old man’s teeth while Muhabura refers to guide. The creation of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was mainly to shelter the endangered mountain gorillas and today, the park supports a variety of other animal species and birds.
Birds of Mgahinga N/Park
Mgahinga National Park shelters a diversity of bird species and the majority of them are Albertine rift endemic species. Mgahinga NP birds include the grey-capped warblers, pin-tailed whydah, double-collared sunbird, black kite, speckled mousebird, Rwenzori turacos, Rwenzori nightjar, wax bills, white-napped raven, dusky turtle dove, crowned hornbills, olive woodpeckers, blue-headed coucals, scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird, moorland chat, alpine swift, African olive pigeon, Archer’s robin-chat, Kivu ground thrush, paradise flycatchers, yellow-vented bulbul, fire-finch stone chat, dusky crimson wing, olive pigeon and more.
The most preferred months of the year for birding tours in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are April, May and October, and November. Migratory birds are spotted from November to April.
Activities that are carried out while at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mountain Gorilla tracking or trekking
Mountain gorilla trekking is the main adventure and attraction Mgahinga National Park has to offer the world. On a gorilla safari to Mgahinga, the Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only habituated family of gorillas to be visited. A maximum of eight guests are allowed to visit this family and being only one group, you will enjoy a gorilla trek less of crowds. Treks to explore the Nyakagezi gorilla group start at Ntebeko where a briefing about gorilla trekking rules and park guide allocation is done.
Expect to take from 2-6 hours of trekking through the forest and steep slopes searching for the endangered mountain gorillas. Once you get a group of these special creatures, strictly, one hour will be spent face-to-face with them, taking pictures and observing how they behave. Essentials to pack for a gorilla tour in Mgahinga include valid gorilla permits, each issued at USD700 per person; a good camera with no flashlight, a daypack, long trousers, insect repellents, long-sleeved shirts, sweater, rain jacket, first aid kit, rain jacket, and sun hat.
Volcano or Mountain climbing
The beauty of mountaineering or volcano hiking in Mgahinga National Park is that hikers/climbers can climb all the 3 Volcanoes- Gahinga, Sabyinyo, and Muhabura. A hike through Gahinga takes about 6 hours round adventure although this varies depending on your speed of climbing. Mt. Sabyinyo volcano hike takes about 8 hours inclusive of navigating via the steep ridges, the thick forest, and other vegetation types. Muhabura Volcano is the tallest of the 3 Mgahinga Gorilla National Park volcanoes. It is about 10 hours’ round hiking trip and rewards climbers with scenic views of other Virunga Mountain ranges.
Birding/Bird-watching
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park shelters 115 bird species, and birding tours here are special in that you will be spotting mostly the endemic Albertine rift birds. The available birds to identify on a birding expedition in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include the Rwenzori batis, regal sunbird, streaky seed-eaters, blue-headed sunbird, red-faced woodland, scarlet tufted malachite sunbird, black kite, brown crowned tchagra, dusky turtle dove, crowned crane, cape robin chat, Rwenzori turacos, alpine chat, montane double-collared sunbird, and Kivu ground thrush.
Golden monkey trekking
On a tour in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, golden monkey tracking is a must-do adventure. Trekking with golden monkeys is a lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with these interesting apes in the wild. Have enough time to observe how the golden monkeys behave and take photos. Each of Mgahinga’s golden monkey permit costs USD60 and if you are visiting the park for golden monkey habituation, permits are available for booking at USD100 per person.
Hiking/Nature walks
There are several hiking opportunities at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, including at the base of the Virunga volcanoes where a variety of forest birds, vegetation, Rugezi swamp, and surrounding areas can be viewed. The must-hike trail on a guided nature walk in Mgahinga is the Sabyinyo Gorge, an ideal birding spot where you can find birds such as the Rwenzori turacos.
Cultural visit
All tours to Mgahinga aren’t complete without visit to the local community for a cultural experience. Visit the Batwa community and meet the Batwa pygmies, the original inhabitants of the forest who lived for many years as hunters and gatherers. The Batwa pygmies’ guide will lead you through the Batwa cultural trail experience, demonstrate to you their ancient hunting and gathering techniques, entertain you with their unique dances and music performance, etc.
Best time to visit Mgahinga N/P in Uganda
It is possible to plan or travel to Mgahinga National Park for a vacation at any time of the year. However, the preferred or best time is during the dry season/months of the year when there is no or no rain. The dry season in Mgahinga runs from June to August/September, and December to February. The rainy months of the year in Mgahinga occur from March, April, May or October, or November, and these are the months characterized by heavy rains and slippery steep slopes.
Getting to Mgahinga National Park in Uganda- By road or air
By road: Mgahinga NP lies in extreme Southwestern Uganda and getting there by road requires you to spend 9-10 hours driving. A 4×4 safari car is most recommended for road trips from Kampala to Mgahinga or cut long hours by connecting from Kigali via the Chanika border, about 3-4 hours’ drive journey.
By air: Taking a flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airfield means, you will spend not more than 2 hours flying. The available airfields to land in include Kihihi or Kisoro airfields.
