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. The park covers only 33.7 square kilometers deriving 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.

Just like the park’s name, the area was gazetted to protect the one gorilla family in the park. This group was in the previous century known to be transboundary between Uganda and Rwanda, however, the group is known to live only within the park. 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;

Mgahinga gorilla 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. The family is comprised of three silverbacks, 2 adult females, 2 black backs and 2 infants. The Nyakagezi family is led by Silverback Mark assisted by Mafia, Ndungutse, and Bugingo. Rukundo is the sole Black back, Nshuti 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.

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. In case you are not ready to hike for a long distance, Mgahinga is a better option since they can be found after a short time of trekker rather than those of Bwindi that may require a longer time to trek.

It’s only in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park where mountain gorillas and golden monkeys co-exist therefore the slogan where silver meets gold. 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.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is closer to Rwanda and therefore easier to return to Rwanda after the trek. In case you are in Rwanda where the gorilla trekking permit is at US$ 1500 and would love to trek gorillas at a cheaper price you can opt to trek in Mgahinga at just USD 600. It’s about a 4 hours drive from Kigali to Mgahinga and therefore you can return after the trek.

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. It is best advisable to track gorillas during the dry season since it’s easy to trek gorillas as well as view wildlife. However, the dry season is actually the peak or high season therefore early booking is recommendable since permits can easily get fully booked as well as accommodation.

Most Visited Uganda Safari Parks / Where to go for a Wildlife Safari in Uganda

BWINDI IMPENETRABLE NATIONAL PARK; Bwindi Impenetrable national park, 331 km, is located in South Western Uganda, on the edge of the Albertine Rift Valley, at an altitude range from 1.160 m to 2.607m. This is a real tropical rainforest, spread over a series of steep ridges and valleys. It is regarded as one of the most biologically diverse forests in Africa. In the local language “Bwindi” (from “mubwindi”) means “dark place”, referring to the impenetrable nature of the swamp located southeast of the Park, according to legends. There are 11 species of primates, including chimpanzees, Hoest’s, red-tailed and blue monkeys, black and white colobus, olive baboons. Read More…

mountain gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

MGAHINGA GORILLA NATIONAL PARK; Mgahinga National Park, only 38 sq.kms in size, is the Ugandan part of the bigger Virunga Conservation Area, which is a jointly protected area with Congo and Rwanda. It includes three extinct volcanoes: Mount Sabinyo (3.669 m.), Mount Gahinga (3.474 m.) and Mount Muhavura (4.127 m.). “Mgahinga” is named after Mount Gahinga plus the initial of Mount Muhavura. The vegetation is the one typical of Afromontane areas, with a consistent bamboo forest. There are 76 mammal species recorded, including buffaloes, elephants, bushbucks, golden monkeys, leopards. 115 bird species have been recorded, including 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…

MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK; Murchison Falls Conservation Area is the largest protected area in Uganda, 5.025kms, 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 was not a national park as it was just another area inhabited by the Dodoth pastoralists who are famously known. 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 tour, at an altitude of 1.100-1.590m above sea level. Read More…

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