Uganda Hiking Tours in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Uganda Hiking Tours in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Are you planning to visit Uganda to hike the Virunga Mountains in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park? Mgahinga Gorilla National Park hiking tours are one of the must-do activities you should do on your safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. You will have an opportunity to hike the Virunga mountains that make up the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, located in the far southern western part of Uganda, sharing the Rwanda and Congo border. Mgahinga National Park is part of the Virunga volcanic mountain chain of Rwanda, Congo, and Uganda, famous for mountain gorilla safaris.
Mgahinga National Park offers hiking tours. The park is Uganda’s smallest national park and is bordered by Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Bwindi Forest National Park. The park is home to three of the eight Virunga volcanoes, such as Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Muhabura. Other fascinating Virunga mountains include Mount Bisoke, Mount Karasimbe, Mount Mikeno, Mount Nyiragongo, and Mount Nyamulagira. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park harbors the endangered mountain gorilla and golden monkeys. The park is a tropical rainforest comprised of a lowland equatorial evergreen forest, tropical seasonal forest, mountain rainforests, and mountain bamboo.
Hiking tours on Mount Muhabura
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. This awe-inspiring place 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 captivating wildlife species and birds that make up the Mt. Gahinga ecosystem, including golden monkeys.
Mount Gahinga offers astonishingly easier volcano hikes, unlike Mount Muhabura or Mt. Sabyinyo. But all in all, you should be physically well to make a complete 6-hour trek to the top of Mt. Gahinga in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Permits for Gahinga volcano climbing are available for US$70, and there is no need for prior booking.
Treks to the peak of Mt. Gahinga begin at 7:00 a.m. after a briefing from the park official at the park offices. After the briefing, you will get a hiking stick, and in case you need the services of a porter. During your hiking tour here, you will have a chance to encounter fascinating primates such as mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, as well as mammals and birds among the otters. You will get to see many volcanic caves and other volcanic features occupied by bats. Gahinga volcano generally has a unique peak compared to that of Muhavura and Sabyinyo volcanoes. Once you reach the top, you will find an extensive shallow crater swamp with rare sub-alpine plants, including lobelia, Alchemilla, and Senecio.
Hiking tours on Mount Sabyinyo
Mount Sabyinyo is another extinct volcano in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, where tourists can engage in hikes while they are in Uganda. The mountain 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 the Congo, and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda itself.
The mountain is strategically located in the west of Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda and 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.
Hiking Mount Sabyinyo takes travelers 6 to 8 days, depending on the route and speed, which are approximately 3,966 meters above sea level, but the experience of being at the summit of three countries is worth encountering and being adventurous.
Hiking tours on Mount Muhabura
Mount Muhabura, 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 mountains of the mountain range and is a part of the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Muhabura occupies both Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda itself.
Hiking through Mount Muhabura offers a great opportunity to explore the Virunga Mountain ranges. This is a full-day hike to complete the 4127 m elevation, and there are the steepest slopes to check on your fitness level. Mount Muhabura lies on the eastern side of the Virunga Mountain Range; its borders are shared by Uganda and Rwanda. It can take you a day to hike; it takes about 6 to 8 hours to reach the summit and descend back from the peak of Mount Muhabura.
Hiking Mount Muhavura Volcano, as with any volcano hike, begins early in the morning at 7:00 a.m. with a briefing at the Kinigi offices of Volcanoes National Park or the Ntebeko offices at Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. During the hiking safari process on Mountain Muhabura, travelers will encounter a large number of animals, such as hyenas, golden monkeys, mountain gorillas, duikers, monkeys, and several bird species. At a certain point, they stop for a picnic lunch and then later proceed to the peak, passing through different vegetation covers and rocks. At the top of Mountain Muhabura, you will have an opportunity to have amazing views of the breathtaking scenery, beautiful surroundings, and Virunga volcanoes like Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Bisoke, Nyiragongo, and Karisimbi, as well as sights of different lakes, including the small one at the summit, Lake Bunyonyi in Uganda, Burera, and Ruhondo in Rwanda, among others.
Hiking is essential at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Hiking shoes
Long pants and a long-sleeved shirt to protect from stinging nettles
Rain jacket
Garden gloves
First aid kit
Sunglasses
Enough mineral water and snacks
Camera and binoculars
The best time to go hiking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Hiking tours in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can be carried out throughout the year. However, the best recommended time is during the dry seasons, which are from December to February and from June to August.
