Why few tourists trek in Mgahinga National Park.

Few people only 8 people trek gorillas in Mgahinga National Park simply because there is only one habituated gorilla family which can only accommodate 8 people per day. Mgahinga National Park is the smallest safari destination on a Uganda safari with the least gorilla population thus it's known as the least famous compared to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The park is the smallest safari destination but it offers the tourists an outstanding safari destination because of the number of tourists doing the gorilla trekking. Mgahinga National Park has some of the freshest and then the rarest landscapes which you can clearly appreciate when you are exploring the top of one of the astonishing three Virunga volcanoes in total, they are 8, that are located in other diverse safari destinations that is Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.

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Mgahinga National Park is located in the Southwestern corner of Uganda, this a hidden safari destination that offers some of the most spectacular and unforgettable gorilla trekking experiences in Africa, despite its incredible natural beauty and diverse wildlife. Mgahinga National Park remains one of the least visited national parks in Uganda, with relatively few tourists exploring its stunning wilderness. One of the main reasons for this is the park’s remote location, which makes it difficult and time-consuming to reach out to it. Mgahinga National Park is situated in the Virunga Mountains, a range of volcanic peaks that stretches across the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. While this location offers breathtaking landscapes and unique cultural experiences, it also means that the park is far from Uganda’s capital city, Kampala and the country’s main tourist hub.

Mgahinga National Park receives relatively few tourists due to the lack of infrastructure and then facilities within the park. Unlike other national parks such as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park, Mgahinga National Park has limited accommodation options and tourist facilities. This can make it challenging for the visitors to plan and prepare for their safari and may deter some tourists who are looking for a more developed and convenient tourist experience. However, for adventurous travelers who are willing to have an experience in the hidden safari destination, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers a unique and unforgettable experience that is well worth the effort.

In addition also Mgahinga National Park lacks awareness and publicity. Many tourists who visit Uganda are attracted to the country’s famous like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Queen Elizabeth national park which offer a wider range of the tourist activities and then the attractions. As a result, Mgahinga National Park is often overlooked and underestimated, despite its incredible natural beauty and then the diverse wildlife, however for the tourists willing to explore the off the beaten path and explore Uganda’s lesser-known national parks, Mgahinga National Park offers a unique and unforgettable experience that is rewarding.

Despite the challenges and then the limitations that Mgahinga National Park faces, it remains a truly unique and unforgettable safari destination that offers some of the most stunning and unforgettable trekking experiences in Africa. The park is home to various animal species including mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and various bird species. The park’s landscapes is breathtaking, with the volcanic peaks, lakes and forests also offering stunning views and unforgettable hiking and trekking experiences. For more information, please contact us.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a breathtakingly beautiful protected area located in the Southwestern corner of Uganda, bordering the Democratic Republic Congo and Rwanda, The Park is located in the Virunga Mountains, the park is situated approximately 15 kilometers south of Kisoro town and about 510 kilometers southwest of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. The park’s unique location at the intersection of the Albertine Rift and then Virunga Mountains creates a dramatic landscape of rugged mountains, volcanic peaks, and forests, providing a habitat for the diverse range of flora and fauna, including the mountain gorillas, and the golden monkeys. With its stunning scenery, diverse wildlife and cultural experience, Mgahinga National Park offers an unforgettable for nature lovers, hikers and then adventure seekers, making it a must-visit destination in Uganda’s Pearl of Africa. Mgahinga National Park can be easily reached by both road and air transport which is approximately 9 to 10 hours drive and by air transport is 1 or 1 and 30 minutes from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip.

Things to do in Mgahinga Gorilla national park.

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga national park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the second safari destination after Bwindi impenetrable national park which is the home to the world’s endangered mountain gorillas, thus making gorilla trekking much easy for the tourists. Gorilla trekking in the park starts early in the morning at around 8 am at the park headquarters by the experienced park guides and the park rangers. After the briefing, you will be grouped in various groups of about 8 members per group and each group led by knowledgeable guides, after you will explore the forest and start hiking. Gorilla trekking in the forest starts from a period of 30 minutes to 6 hours depending to the location of these wonderful creatures. Along the way looking for the gorillas you will be rewarded with the fascinating features that is animal species, bird species, plant species and then the tree species and among many others. And one the gorillas are located you will be given  a period of one hour to be in the presence of the gorillas as you are maintaining a distance of about 7 meters away from the gorillas. In the one hour you will watch the gorillas as they are feeding, making the nests of the next nights, female gorillas grooming their young ones, taking gorillas' pictures and recording their videos though using the cameras with less flush because the flush disrupts the mountain gorillas.

Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga national park.

Golden monkey tracking starts with a briefing at the park headquarters, the golden monkeys are small and then fast thus making it a stunning primate. Golden monkey tracking takes a period of 3 to 4 hours, along the way looking for the golden monkeys, the route is rewarding as it takes you to find the monkeys is such attractive that you tread looking for the bamboo branches. And once you find the golden monkeys you will be allowed to be in the presence of the golden monkeys for one hour, so you are reminded to carry a pair of binoculars, a camera to catch the best safari memories during the tracking.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park as well offer the tourists the golden monkey habituation that offers you four hour experience compared to the one hour experience during golden monkey tracking.

Volcano Hiking.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a fabulous safari experience that is offered to tourists on a safari, this is where the tourists explore the stunning Virunga ranges that are shared by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda and these include Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhavura in Mgahinga gorilla national park. Mount Muhavura is the highest among the three volcanoes with the advantage of viewing other Virunga mountains from its peak. It can as well be viewed from as far as Kisoro town, then Mount Sabyinyo is a gateway to Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo while you are in Uganda, while at the peak you are geographically standing in Rwanda, Uganda and then Democratic Republic of Congo at the same time which is triple rewarding.

Birdwatching in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a small safari destination that has a variety of birdlife that can be spotted during your safari to the park. On your safari to the park they do not forget your binoculars, you will spot diverse bird species that are over bird species which can be sighted all year including that includes Archer’s Robins chat, Black headed waxbill, Olive Pigeon, White-starred breasted Tit, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Handsome Francolin, Cape Robin-chat, streaky seedeater and among many others. Mgahinga National Park is home to the Albertine rift endemics that can be easily observed on the gorge trail.

Batwa trail experience.

A safari in Mgahinga gorilla national park cannot be completed minus experiencing the Batwa trail experience, you will visit the Batwa pygmies that used to stay in the forest. They were later displaced but some of them still live around the park and have been trained as the park guided and then the porters. The Batwa trail experience is an activity that takes you through the history of the Batwa, visit the Garama Cave. The garama cave where they used to hide from the Bantu invasion many years ago. The way they bustle through the forest and then glide uphill is a we of stay, home is best to the Batwa.

Best time to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can be visited all the year around, though the best time to visit the park is during the dry season that is also known as the peak season which is during the months that is during January and February,  June, July, August, September, and then December. During the dry season that is when the park receives less rainfall in the park and therefore that’s when the roads access the park, and hiking, and gorilla trekking can be passable compared to the wet season or the low season when the trails are muddy and slippery which makes gorilla trekking difficult.

Alternatively, on the other side, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can as well be visited during the low season or the wet season and that is during the months of March to May and then November. The wet season is well known for the heavy rainfalls but it also some advantages however and this is during the wet season that’s when there are few crowds which makes the experience better since the park guides are always attentive to you with the best rewards. During the low season that’s when the lodges offer discounts that offer the experiences and stays of low budget clients, again during the rainy season that’s when the period is best for bird watching because most of the migratory bird species come to the park and offer the tourists the best experience.

Where to stay in Mgahinga gorilla national park.

Mgahinga gorilla national park is a wonderful safari activity that offers stunning accommodations to the tourists who come to visit the park, and these accommodation facilities are grouped into different categories that is luxury, mid-range and then budget options. Most of these accommodation options are well located such that the visitors can use them as the bases to do the fascinating activities in the park. Some of the accommodation lodges and camps located in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include Chameleon Hill Lodge, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, and Traveler’s Rest Hotel in Kisoro, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mucha Hotel Kisoro, Virunga Hotel, Lake Mutanda Campsite, Mutanda Lake Resort, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, and Community Campground and among many others. These accommodation facilities offers tourists with a comfortable stay with the best amenities that offer you the experience.

How to get to Mgahinga Gorilla national park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the Southwestern part of Uganda and the park can be accessed by both road and air transport and that is;

Road transport; Road transport is used to reach Mgahinga Gorilla National Park that is where you drive from Kampala or Entebbe through using Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro and then you will reach the park headquarters which takes you about 9 to 10 hours’ drive through driving 4WD safari vehicle. Alternatively, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can as well can be accessed from Kigali in Rwanda that is where you can fly to Kigali International Airport and then connect to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park by using the safari vehicle through Cyanika Border which takes about 3 to 4 hours, which is easily accessed.

Air transport; Using air transport to reach Mgahinga Gorilla National Park you can use the charter flights with the Aero link from Kajjansi or Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro airstrip and then after you will connect to the park headquarters or to your lodge. Air transport is the best option to access the park for visitors who do not wish to travel the long distances and your flight bookings can be made by your tour operator like Encounter Africa Safaris.