Is there a volcano in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?
Yes, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to three extinct volcanoes. These remarkable volcanoes are part of the Virunga Mountain range. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the Virunga Mountains and encompasses three inactive volcanoes, namely Mount Muhabura (4,127 meters), Mount Gahinga (3,474 meters), and Mount Sabyinyo (3,669 meters). Other Virunga volcanoes include Mount Karasimbi, Mount Mikeno, Mount Bisoke, Mount Nyiragongo, and Mount Nyamulagira.
In altitude, the national park ranges from 2,227 to 4,127 m and is part of the Nile River watershed area. It is contiguous with Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and the southern sector of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is about 15 kilometers by road south of the town of Kisoro and approximately 55 kilometers by road west of Kabale, the largest city in the sub-region.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s smallest national park, covering an area of approximately 434 square kilometers, situated in the Kisoro district. It was gazetted as a national park in 1991, making it one of the oldest national parks in Uganda. The park shares its boundaries with Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Bwindi Forest National Park. The park is home to a large population of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, residing in one habituated gorilla family, and endangered golden monkeys. The park is a tropical rainforest compared to a lowland equatorial evergreen forest, tropical seasonal forest, mountain rainforest, and mountain bamboo.
Gahinga volcano
Mount Gahinga is an extinct volcano in the Virunga Mountains, situated on the border of Rwanda and Uganda. Gahinga Mountain lies between Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Muhabura, but it is the smallest of the three volcanoes. The mountain is sometimes known as Mount Mgahinga. The mountain got its name from a local Kinyarwanda word, which means “small piles of stones.”
This awe-inspiring mountain has a swampy caldera on its summit with an altitude of about 3,474 meters above sea level and comprises a beautiful afro-montane forest and bamboo that shelter mountain gorillas. But there are other fascinating wildlife species and birds that make up the Mt. Gahinga ecosystem, including golden monkeys. This is part of a chain of eight volcanic mountains in the Bufumbira range. The volcano chain spans across Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mount Gahinga offers astonishingly easier volcano hikes, unlike Mount Muhabura, Mount Sabyinyo, or Karisimbi volcano in Volcanoes National Park. But all in all, you should be physically well to make a complete 6-hour trek to the top of Mount Gahinga in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Mount GahingaMuhabura volcano
Muhabura volcano, also known as Mount Muhavura, is one of the magnificent inactive volcanoes in the Virunga Mountains on the border between Uganda and Rwanda. At 4,127 meters (13,540 feet). Muhabura is the third-highest of the eight major Virunga volcanoes of the mountain range and is a part of the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Muhabura occupies both Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The name Muhabura is derived from a local Kinyarwanda word meaning “the guide,” which probably derives from the historical use of the mountain to aid navigation.
Hiking through Muhabura volcano offers a great opportunity to explore the Virunga Mountain range. This is a full-day hike to complete the 4127m elevation, and there are the steepest slopes to check on your fitness level. This is the third-tallest peak among the eight Virunga Mountain ranges. Mikeno volcano is the second tallest, and the highest of all is Karisimbi volcano at 4507m.
Mt. Muhabura lies on the eastern side of the Virunga Mountain range, and its borders are shared by Uganda and Rwanda. It can take you a day to hike, with about 5 to 9 hours to reach the summit and descend back from the peak of Mount Muhabura. At the summits, while at the peak, you will be rewarded with an excellent view of the Twin Lakes—Lake Burera, Ruhondo, and other Virunga Volcanoes. There is also a Crater Lake lying right next to the peak, and as you come down, you will enjoy the view of different vegetation types.
Sabyinyo volcano
Mount Sabyinyo is another extinct volcano in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which stands at an elevation of 3,669 meters above sea level. It is known as the oldest in the Virunga ranges and stands between three countries to create markings for borders between Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mount Sabyinyo volcano also connects the three national parks of the rain forest established by the three countries, which have one similar and popular attraction, “mountain gorillas.”
The parks include the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. The mountain has three peaks. The name is driven by a local Kinyarwanda word to means “old man’s teeth.” The name is so because the mountain summit looks like worn-out teeth in gum.
The mountain is strategically located in the west of Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda and in the northeast of Lake Kivu in Rwanda, making it one of the best hikes in the Virunga ranges, offering awe-inspiring views in addition to being located in the adjoining national parks of the three countries. Exploring Mount Sabyinyo takes travelers 7 to 8 days, depending on the route and speed, which is approximately 3,966 meters above sea level, but the experience of being at the summit of three countries is worth encountering and being adventurous.
The best time to visit the volcano in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Visiting the volcanoes in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is open throughout the year, but the best time is during the dry season. There are two phases of a dry month or season, such as the long and short seasons. The dry season should be marked on your travel calendar if you are interested in visiting these remarkable volcanoes.
The long, dry season starts in June or July. August and September. A short dry month runs from December to February. The dry season experiences very low rainfall, and the trails are kept drier, making it easier to navigate through the forest and steep slopes as you head to the summits of the volcanoes.
