Mgahinga gorilla national park Gorilla trekking
Mgahinga gorilla national park Gorilla trekking
Mgahinga gorilla national park gorilla trekking; Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in southwestern region in Kisoro district bordering with Congo and Rwanda. The park covers a total area of 33.7 square kilometers which makes it the smallest national park in Uganda and was gazetted in 1991 mainly to conserve and protect the endangered mountain gorillas. Mgahinga gorilla national park is one of the destinations that offer gorilla trekking an adventurous activity that involves tourists moving into the tropical rainforest in search of the mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Apart from the park, gorilla trekking is also done in other destinations like Bwindi impenetrable national park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorilla trekking experience in Mgahinga gorilla national park
The park is a home of one habituated gorilla family called Nyakagezi which is available for trekking on a daily basis. Trekking of the mountain gorillas in Mgahinga national park starts early in the morning with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow at Ntebeko headquarters. After the briefing you will start trekking in the jungle with an experienced park guide who is well conversant with gorilla trekking trails. Gorilla trekking in the park takes about 30 minutes to hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are located. During trekking you will be able to view other primates like l’hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, chimpanzees, view different forest birds, view different plant and tree species among others. Once the mountain gorillas are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to learn about their habits, behaviors, watch them carry out their daily activities like feeding, breastfeeding, playing, grooming young ones, resting, take photos and record the breathtaking moments.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park
A gorilla trekking permit is a card or document that is issued to any visitor above the age of 1 years allowing him or her to visit the habituated mountain gorillas. A gorilla trekking permit in the park is issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority a government body in charge of tourism and it costs 700 USD per person for foreign nonresidents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens. The gorilla trekking permit is valid for one day and allows tourists to spend one hour in the presence of the mountain gorillas.
How to book a gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park
A gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) by contacting them via telephone calls or email to check for permit availability. A gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park can also be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. When booking a permit through a tour operator, you will contact us with the dates, month and year when you wish to visit the mountain gorillas. We will later check for permit availability and if there are permits that match with your dates, you will be asked to make a deposit for the permits. Once we receive the money, we will purchase the permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Gorilla trekking permits in Mgahinga gorilla national park should be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because the permits are few, competitive and usually get sold out quickly especially during the dry season.
Best time to visit Mgahinga gorilla national park for gorilla trekking
The park – gorilla trekking can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June, July, august, September, October, December, January and February. During the dry season there is less or little rainfall in the park therefore access roads and gorilla trekking trails will be dry and passable compared to the wet season when the trails are wet, muddy and slippery which make trekking difficult.
Where to stay in Mgahinga gorilla national park
There are a number of accommodation facilities ranging from budget, midrange and luxury in the park where you can stay during your gorilla trekking safari including Mount Gahinga lodge, Mutanda Island lodge, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Kisoro Travelers Rest Hotel, Mucha Hotel Kisoro, Muhabura Motel, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Mutanda Lake Resort, Mgahinga Rest Camp among others.
How to get to Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in southwestern part of Uganda and can be accessed by both road and air transport means.
Air transport, when using air transport means to access Mgahinga gorilla national park, you will book scheduled or charter flights with Aerolink from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield to Kisoro airstrip and then connect to Ntebeko park headquarters by road.
Road transport, when using road transport means you will drive from Kampala or Entebbe via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro and then to the park headquarters which takes about 9 to 10 hours’ drive in a 4 WD safari vehicle.
The park can also be accessed from Kigali Rwanda where by tourists will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to the park headquarters via Cyanika border which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.
For more information about th park- gorilla trekking, do not hesitate to contact us at Achieve Global Safaris or visit our website for affordable gorilla trekking packages.
