What to do in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park besides gorilla trekking

What to do in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park besides gorilla trekking: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is part of the wider Virunga conservation region that also includes the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The park is located in the southwestern corner of Uganda in the town of Kisoro. Mgahinga was gazetted from a game reserve into a national park in 1991 mainly to protect the mountain gorillas that were in frequent conflicts with humans living within and outside the park. Mgahinga is the smallest national park in Uganda and covers an area of 34 square kilometers, which is bordered by the Volcano National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Bwindi Forest National Park. The park is characterized by Savannah grasslands, woodlands, tropical forests, montane forests, marshes/swamps, bamboo forests, Afro-montane forests, bogs and semi-alpine vegetation. The park is home to three of the eight Virunga volcanoes, such as Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinaga, and Mount Muhabura.

National Park is also home to the endangered mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, Vervet monkeys, Spotted hyenas, Serval cats, Red tailed monkeys, Patas monkeys, Mangabeys, Leopards, Golden cats, Forest hogs, Elephants, Bushbucks, Bushbabies, Buffaloes, Blue monkeys, Baboons, African porcupines, Black and white Colobus monkeys, reptiles such as snakes, geckos and chameleons among others.

Mountain gorilla trekking is the main highlight of any safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. the national park is home to only one habituated gorilla group famously known as the Nykagyezi gorilla family, which is open to tourism in Mgahinga. The Nyakagezi group is one of the two largest habituated mountain gorilla groups in Uganda, Congo and Rwanda. Gorilla trekking is a remarkable activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, where tourists get to explore the thick rainforest on foot in search of these captivating habituated mountain gorillas. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park starts at 8:00 a.m. with a briefing at the park head office about the rules and regulations and expectations, among others. After the briefing, visitors are led by the park rangers to find the group. While tracking the gorillas expect to encounter pristine forests, primates, birds and other forest creatures. This thrilling activity takes about 2–4 hours, depending on where the mountain gorillas are allocated. After finding these captivating apes in their natural habitat, you will be allowed to have face-to-face interaction with the gorillas, observing their daily activities such as feeding, breastfeeding, and playing, among others.

Are there other activities to join with gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Yes, there are several other activities you can participate in while visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, including;

Golden Monkey Tracking; You can go trekking to see the endangered golden monkeys that inhabit the park. These playful and curious primates are a delight to watch in their natural habitat. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the only national park in Uganda, that offers visitors a chance to encounter the gold monkeys in their natural habitat. The park is home to over 4,000 golden monkeys, making it possible to track them. These playful primates are seen hanging from the bamboo forest of the park, and tracking them gives an unforgettable experience that will last in the mind of the nature lover. Tracking these captivating apes in Mgahinga also involves a footwalk through the jungles of the bamboo forest in search of them in their natural habitat. During a Uganda golden monkey tracking trip, you will get a great opportunity to spot some of the attractions that contribute to the park’s beauty, such as bird species like the Rwenzori turaco, bronze sunbirds, regal sunbirds, Ruwenzori nightjars, dusky crimson wing, as well as animals and lush vegetation.

Hiking and Nature Walks; The park offers several hiking trails of varying difficulty levels, allowing you to explore the diverse ecosystems and beautiful scenery of the park. The lush forests, lakes, rivers, swamps and mountain slopes of Mgahinga National Park offer perfect spots for nature walks. One of the walking trails leads up to the stunning village plantations for a close discovery with some of the local folks like the Batwa. The border trail on the slopes of Mt. Sabyinyo leads to a point where the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, this trail takes about five hours to complete going through different vegetation types offering chances to encounter these astonishing primates like the golden monkeys and the caldera on the Gisozi hill, this hilltop also offers panoramic views of the park, Bwindi impenetrable forest and the greater Virunga ranges of mountains. While on your nature walk, you’ll come to meet and learn about a variety of the park’s flora and fauna, as well as the conservation efforts. The nature walks in Mgahinga offer astonishing views of the surrounding Virunga mountains and their’ lush vegetation, as well as the opportunity to view a variety of birds and animals.

Bird Watching; Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to over 180 bird species, making it a great destination for bird enthusiasts. During your birdwatching tour, you will have a great opportunity to spot a variety of different colorful birds species that dwell in the park such as Double-collared sunbird, Doherty’s Bush-shrike, Crowned Hornbill, Crowned Crane, Collared Apalis, Chubb’s Cisticola, Cape Robin-chat, Brown-crowned Tchegera, Brown Woodland Warbler, Bronze Sunbird,  Blue-headed Sunbird, Blue-headed Coucal, Black-headed Waxbill, Black Kite, Banded Prinia, Archer’s ground robin, Archer’s Robin Chat , Alpine chat, Southern Red Bishop, Shelly’s Dusky Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Nightjar, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, Rwenzori Batis, Rufous chested swallow, Regal Sunbird, red-throated alethe, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Red necked spur fowl, Pin-tailed whydah, Paradise Fly-catcher, Olive woodpecker, Olive Thrush, Olive Pigeon, Mountain masked apalis, Montane nightjar, Malachite Sunbird, Scarlet-tufted Sunbirds, Kivu-ground Thrush, Ibis, Handsome Francolin, the Yellow-Vented Bulbul, yellow-throated long claw, White-starred Robin, White-necked raven, White-naped Raven, White-naped Raven among others.

Cultural Encounters; You can visit nearby communities and interact with the local Batwa people to learn about their traditional way of life, music, dance, and crafts. During the cultural encounter, the visitors are able to meet the Batwa people who live in the Mgahinga’s dense forest. These indigenous communities were known as hunter-gatherers and fierce warriors, depending on the forest for food, medicine, and shelter. During the Batwa cultural trail experience, visitors will get to explore the magic of Batwa’s ancient home while enjoying the thrilling nature walks and learning about the cultural heritage of this thrilling community.

Cost Of Gorilla Permit in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Gorilla Permits are illegal documents that are offered by a governing body to allow a visitor access to Gorilla National Parks and be able to visit gorillas. This identification shows that one has been authorized to visit the national park. In Uganda, gorilla permits are offered by the Uganda Wildlife Authority at 700 US$ for foreign noon residents, 600 US$ for foreigners and 300,000 UGX for Ugandans and East African citizens. while if one prefers a habituation process this will cost 1500 USD. A gorilla permit can only be used once in a single day for trekking gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.

Contact our trusted tour operators for information and inquiries about the gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Book with our tours and travel companies such as; Achieve Global Safaris who offer the best tour packages while on your gorilla trekking safari in Uganda