Why You Should Choose Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s smallest National Park and home to mountain gorillas with 1 habituated gorilla family known as the Nyakagezi gorilla group. The park is located in Southwestern Uganda. This amazing park covers only 33.7 square kilometers in the Virunga ranges.

The Mgahinga Park derives its name from a local word “Gahinga” which means a pile of volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the foot of the volcanoes. Nyakagezi is a place in Mgahinga where there is a lot of sumptuous food attractive to the gorillas.

The area covered by the park was gazetted to protect the one gorilla family in the park. This group was known to be transboundary between Uganda and Rwanda, it settled in the park in recent years. Lately, the Hirwa gorilla group of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park with 20 members moved into the park.

Many travelers on Uganda gorilla safaris usually prefer to trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which is home to almost half of the world’s mountain gorillas. Mgahinga Park is, however, one of the best places to trek mountain gorillas in Uganda and this is why;

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Tracking the Nyakagezi gorilla group is amazing with the fact that this group is big and social compared to many other habituated gorilla groups. This gorilla family is comprised of three silverbacks, 2 adult females, 2 blackbacks, and 2 infants.
The Nyakagezi family is led by Silverback Mark assisted by Mafia, Ndungutse, and Bugingo. Rukundo is the sole Black back, Nshuti is an adult female plus two babies namely Nshuti baby and Fred. Silverback Bugingo was formerly the lead silverback before Mark took over, however, the former is happily playing the role of the “senior” silverback in the group. Such a group is rare to find since in many families big groups separate to have dominance and 2 silverbacks can’t lead the same group.
The Nyakagezi family is one of the easiest to track given the fact that it prefers a narrow home range for feeding, resting, relaxing, and recreation.

It’s only in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park where mountain gorillas and golden monkeys co-exist. In case you would love to see these beauties then it’s good to choose trekking Mgahinga for gorillas and golden monkeys as well. There is no other place where this is possible in Uganda.

Best time for gorilla trekking in Uganda

The best time of the year for Uganda gorilla trekking safaris in both Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is during the dry season months of June –August and December –February which makes it easy to go through the trails. When trails are drier, gorilla trekking is easy since trails are passable and the park is accessible.

We recommend tracking gorillas during the dry season since it’s easy to trek gorillas as well as view wildlife. it is important to note that the dry season is actually the peak or high season therefore permits can easily get fully booked as well as accommodation.

Most Visited Uganda Safari Parks / Where to go for a Wildlife Safari in Uganda Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, 331 km, is located in South Western Uganda, on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley. The park lies at an altitude that ranges from 1.160 m to 2.607m. This is a real tropical rainforest, spread over a series of steep ridges and valleys. In the local language “Bwindi” (from “mubwindi”) means “dark place”.

There are 11 species of primates, including chimpanzees, Hoest’s, red-tailed and blue monkeys, black and white colobus, and olive baboons. Book your gorilla trekking adventure with us. Read More…

MGAHINGA GORILLA NATIONAL PARK

Mgahinga National Park is only 38 sq. km in size and is the Ugandan part of the Virunga Conservation Area. The Virunga Conservation Area extends to three countries Uganda, Congo, and Rwanda. It includes three extinct volcanoes: Mount Sabinyo (3.669 m.), Mount Gahinga (3.474 m.), and Mount Muhavura (4.127 m.).

The vegetation is typical of Afromontane areas, with a consistent bamboo forest. The national park is home to 76 different mammal species, including buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, golden monkeys, and leopards. the National Park is also home to abundant birdlife with about 115 different bird species. The most spotted include Rwenzori turaco, crowned hornbill, black kite, and crowned crane. Mgahinga hosts a population of golden monkeys and a few families of mountain gorillas. Read More…

Other top Uganda National Park

MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK; The Murchison Falls Conservation Area is the largest protected area in Uganda, 5.025 km, including Murchison Falls National Park. Read More…

QUEEN ELIZABETH NATIONAL PARK; This park lies on 2.056 sq. km of land situated south of the Rwenzori Mountains, bordering Congo and including two lakes. Read More…

KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK; Kidepo National Park is located in the far northeastern side of the country. Read More…

KIBALE FOREST NATIONAL PARK; Kibale National Park for Primate tours, 766 km, forms a contiguous block with Queen Elizabeth National Park for Uganda wildlife safaris and Primate tours, at an altitude of 1.100-1.590m above sea level. Read More…

LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK; This park, 260 sq. km, is located in Mbarara District, with an altitude range from 1220m to 1828m above sea level. The park derives its name from the lake which lies in this territory. Read More…