Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla natyional park
Explore the Amazing Gorillas
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National park : As part of the Great Virunga Conservation Area – a home to second mountain gorilla population in the world, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park straddles the magnificent slopes of the majestic Virunga Volcanoes / massif mountain ranges that rise at an altitude of 4507 m along the Uganda border with Rwanda and DR. Congo.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the Southwestern region of Uganda in Kisoro District covering an area of 33.7 square kilometers making it the smallest park in Uganda, the park stretches around three extinct volcanoes that is Mount Sabinyo, Mount Muhavura and Mount Gahinga.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the second gorilla park in Uganda hosting about 80 mountain gorillas with only one habituated gorilla family “Nyakagezi” which is open for gorilla trekking. The Nyakagezi gorilla family used to move to Rwanda and Congo but for the recently years, has settled in Uganda. In addition to Mountain gorillas, Mgahinga is also home to golden monkeys which are also rare and endangered primate species.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was gazetted as a national park in 1991 with protecting the endangered mountain gorillas as the primary reason
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National park
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National park : As part of the Great Virunga Conservation Area – a home to second mountain gorilla population in the world, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park straddles the magnificent slopes of the majestic Virunga Volcanoes / massif mountain ranges that rise at an altitude of 4507 m along the Uganda border with Rwanda and DR. Congo.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the Southwestern region of Uganda in Kisoro District covering an area of 33.7 square kilometers making it the smallest park in Uganda, the park stretches around three extinct volcanoes that is Mount Sabinyo, Mount Muhavura and Mount Gahinga.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the second gorilla park in Uganda hosting about 80 mountain gorillas with only one habituated gorilla family “Nyakagezi” which is open for gorilla trekking. The Nyakagezi gorilla family used to move to Rwanda and Congo but for the recently years, has settled in Uganda. In addition to Mountain gorillas, Mgahinga is also home to golden monkeys which are also rare and endangered primate species.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was gazetted as a national park in 1991 with protecting the endangered mountain gorillas as the primary reason
The Nyakagezi Gorilla Family
Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only habituated gorilla family found in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Nyakagezi gorilla family is a family of 9 individuals including 4 Silverbacks, 2 Adult females, 1 Juvenile male, and 2 Infant females under the leadership of dominant silverback Mark assisted by Silverback Ndugutse – his brother. Other silverbacks in Nyakagezi gorilla family are Rukundo and Ndugutse.
The habituation of the Nyakagezi gorilla family started in 1991 and the group was open for gorilla trekking after 3 years of habituation experience in 1994.
The Nyakagezi gorilla family is known for its mobile nature between Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo
Cost of a gorilla permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park
For every visitor to participate in gorilla trekking adventure in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park you need to have a gorilla permit.
A gorilla permit is a document issued to all visiting intending to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for gorilla trekking adventure.
Category | Cost |
Non-Foreign Residents (NFR) | US$ 700 |
Foreign Residents (FR) | US$ 600 |
East African Citizens (EAC) | UGx 250,000 |
Note: only visitors of 15 years and above are allowed to participate in gorilla trekking
When to book a gorilla permit for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
When planning to go for gorilla trekking adventure in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, it is recommended to book your gorilla permits in advance about 3 to 6 months prior to your dates of the adventure.
Only 8 gorilla permits are available in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, because of the high demand as opposed to the permits available., they get sold out quickly most especially during the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February.
What to pack for a gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Packing the right items is crucial for a comfortable and amazing gorilla trekking experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the following essentials must be park of your packing list
- Long sleeved shirts
- Trousers
- Hiking shoes (comfortable and well-fitting)
- Camera
- Rain jacket and poncho
- Insect repellent
- Energy giving snacks such as chocolates
- Gardening gloves
- Waterproof backpack
Where to stay in Mgahinga national park on a gorilla trekking safari
There are several accommodation options in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park ranging from luxury, midrange and budget including
- Mgahinga Rest Camp
- Travelers Rest House, Virunga Hotel
- Mgahinga Community Camp
- Mgahinga Gorilla Lodge
- Amajambere Iwacu Camp
- Volcanoes Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge
- Muhabura Climber Resort among others
Getting to Mgahinga national park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can be accessed via road and air transport means from Kampala City, the capital of Uganda
Road transport: it is approximately 9-10 hours of drive to get to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro then to the park’s headquarters.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can also be accessed from Kigali City, you need to fly to Kigali International Airport and connect to Mgahinga by road via Katuna or Cyanika border which takes about 3 to 4 hours of drive.
Air transport: domestic flights to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airfield to Kisoro Airstrip, these flights are offered by Aerolink and Bar Aviation.
