A Guide To Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga is one of the Uganda safari highlights, bringing you the closest anyone can get to a habituated mountain gorilla family within a natural environment. Hiking up the volcanic slopes of Mgahinga National Park to find the mountain gorillas and spending one intense, uninterrupted hour with the gorillas in the bamboo jungle is one of those travel adventures every traveler should tick off their travel list. The ratings for this adventure are skyrocketing, and the logistics to getting there are getting simpler every passing year.

Mgahinga National Park is located in the far southwestern Ugandan border with Rwanda and DRC, protecting Uganda’s side of the Virunga Volcanos. The 33.9 km2 (13.1 sq mi) wraps around three inactive volcanoes, Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabyinyo, ranging from 2,227 to 4,127 m (7,306 to 13,540 ft).

As one of Africa’s top gorilla trekking destinations, Mgahinga protects a magnificent array of unique plant and animal species in its bamboo, montane, moorlands, and alpine forests at higher altitudes. However, its most celebrated inhabitants are the endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys endemic to the Albertine Rift region.

Mountain Gorillas in Mgahinga

About half of the population of mountain gorillas roam between Mgahinga, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and DRC’s Virunga National Park. Many of them shy away and stay far from human reach, but a few gorillas have been habituated for human visits. Mgahinga National Park has one habituated mountain gorilla group, named Nyakagezi, available for trekking.

Nyakagezi Gorilla Group has about 10 members with three silverback males, but only one silverback, Mark, dominates the group’s leadership. Mark is very adventurous, and during his earlier life, he would migrate the group across the border into DRC, Rwanda, and back to Mgahinga. Lately, he’s stuck to the family’s citizenry and stays within Mgahinga boundaries.

Mgahinga issues only eight permits per day to anyone above 15 years to trek and spend one hour with the habituated gorilla group. You can purchase the gorilla permit for Mgahinga at USD 700 per person per trek from Uganda Wildlife Authority offices or through a licensed local operator like Encounter Africa Safaris.

Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga, What To Expect

After a short briefing at the park entrance hall, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga starts every early morning at about 08:00. A warden will check if you’re carrying any infectious diseases at the briefing point: gorillas share 98% of our DNA and are susceptible to human diseases. So make sure you’re not ill and test for Covid-19 72 hours before the trek.

The warden will then take you through the rules, how you should behave and handle yourself while trekking, and when spending your one hour with the gorillas. They’ll ask you to avoid littering the park, stay with the trekking group at all times, wear a facemask when with gorillas and assign you a pair of armed rangers for your security against the unexpected.

After the briefing, your small group of trekkers of not more than eight tourists, two rangers, a lead tracker guide with a walkie-talkie, and a couple of porters to assist some trekkers will head into the mountain forest following the lead tracker’s footsteps. We can not accurately determine how long the trek through various forest zones to reach the mountain gorillas may take. However, most hikers take about 45 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the gorilla group’s movements.

Note that the mountain gorillas, like the name suggests, live on relatively steep mountain slopes. The trekking terrain to the gorillas in Mgahinga is uneven and very tasking for armchair travelers. Still, most adventurers used to walking rough trails will find gorilla trekking in Mgahinga not very challenging. However, we recommend that you check on your physical fitness a few weeks before you come; otherwise, there’s no telling how far you may have to trek to find the gorillas.

Your tracker will ensure to keep the trekking pace to the slowest trekker, allowing for short breaks to catch your breath and drink water. They’ll also be feeding you with information about the forest and its inhabitants to keep you engaged.

The rangers and guide will find for you a comfortable position to engage with the gorillas when you find them. Usually, the mountain gorillas will ignore your presence with slight glimpses towards you. On occasion, little ones will be curious about what you’re wearing and would want to touch. However, your guide will ask you to avoid any contact and keep a safe 10 meters distance away from them. During the next hour, you’ll capture your moments and savor every minute around the unconcerned silverback and his family.

When the hour is up, your guide will quietly, without disturbing the gorillas, lead you away from the gorillas and out of the jungle. They’ll find a suitable opening where you can catch your breath, have your packed lunch, and reminisce about your encounter before you head back to the headquarters. At Magahinga National Park headquarters, you’ll receive a certificate of completion from the warden to congratulate you and thank you for contributing to gorilla conservation.

After Gorilla Trekking

After gorilla trekking in Mgahinga, a couple of other activities would interest an active adventurer, including birding, hiking up one of the volcanos, visiting the Batwa tribe, or tracking the endangered golden monkey.

 Tracking golden monkeys is the next popular activity in Mgahinga after gorilla trekking. The endangered golden monkeys are found only in the Virunga region, and one can only see them in Mgahinga National Park. A group of more than 30 individuals has been habituated for trekking and is available for daily half-day and full-day trekking excursions.

Many travelers come to Mgahinga National Park to climb one of the three moderate mountain climbing summits of Mount Muhabura 4,127 m, Mount Gahinga 3,473 m, and Mount Sabyinyo 3,669 m. Daily hikes from the Mgahinga park office, head out to find the most stunning views of central Africa from the clouds.

After gorilla trekking in Mgahinga, it’s not uncommon for visitors to spend the rest of the day visiting the native Batwa tribe that lives in the park’s outskirts. The Batwa once occupied the mountain forests but were later relocated to pave the way for the park’s conservation efforts. They will showcase their ancient primitive cultures when they shared the same habitat with the gorillas and other animals in the mountains. You can dance to their addictive tunes, listen to their tales, walk through their villages and forest trails for just twenty bucks.

Over 180 bird species have been recorded in Mgahinga, making it one of Uganda’s most sought birding destinations. Some travelers who enjoy birding will trek gorillas in the park and take on the rewarding birding trails to maximize their visit to Mgahinga. The gorge between Gahinga and Sabinyo, through the bamboo forest, and in the montane forest are some of the most rewarding trails to sight some rare species. 

How To Get There

Mgahinga National Park lies about 500 km (317 mi) southwest of Kampala, and it would take about a 10-hour drive via Kisoro. When coming from Kisoro, the nearest city, you’ll drive about an hour on a 14 km rough ascent road to Mgahinga. You must use a 4×4 car to navigate this road, especially during the rainy seasons of February to May and September to November.

You can reach Mgahinga by road from Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishasha and around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The drive can take about 6-7 hours. Also, from Lake Mburo National Park via Kisoro.

When flying into Uganda via Entebbe International Airport (EBB), located about 46km/29mi from Kampala, it is possible to take a one-hour domestic flight from Entebbe to Kisoro Airport.

Where To Stay

Mgahinga does not have many accommodation options near the park. However, its closeness to Kisoro town and Lake Bunyonyi gives an advantage to the traveler to stay at any of the two adventure places (an hour away) and be there on time for gorilla trekking at Ntebeko trailhead.

The only two places to stay just outside Mgahinga are Amajambere Iwacu Camp (shoestring) and Volcanoes Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge (high-end).

At Lake Bunyonyi, the closest great accommodation options include Birdnest at Bunyonyi Resort and Bunyonyi Overland Resort, both mid-range options. However, there are many budget options in the area that our consultants can suggest at your request.

Kisoro Town is dotted with so many accommodation options from budget to luxury city hotels, but our selection includes:

• Kisoro Tourist Hotel
• Kisoro Travelers’ Rest Hotel
• Countryside Guesthouse Kisoro
• Mountain Gorilla Safari Hotel

You can be overwhelmed by the choices, but that shouldn’t be with the help of our consultants. Send us an email at info@gorilla-tracking-uganda.com for a quick recommendation.

When To Go

Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga National Park is open the whole year, but the best time to go is during the dry seasons from June to August and December to January. 

During the dry seasons, the forest trails are more accessible to trek, and you have a greater probability of avoiding rain pouring down on you while spending a precious hour with the gorillas.

June to September is the peak season in Mgahinga and Uganda as a destination. Gorilla permits are scarce during this period, and we advise you to book yours ahead of time. 

The worst weather is during the wet seasons of March to May and September to November. The rains are torrent during this time, and walking the forest trails may be challenging for many. Although many travelers much avoid the wet season, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga is open, and others take advantage of the low-season rates.

Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking Safaris

Encounter Africa Safaris is a local tour operator that organizes gorilla trekking safaris in Mgahinga. Our trips are custom-made for travelers to include everything from accommodation, meals, transfers, and booking your gorilla permits. We plan the safari with you through emails and calls, making sure we capture your close expectation and help you travel worry-free so that you have the time to enjoy your trekking adventure in Uganda.

Send us an email at info@gorilla-tracking-uganda.com and let us know your options. A consultant will be dedicated to managing your expectations at your budget.