Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a renowned place for gorilla trekking. Located in South Western Uganda, Mgahinga is the most scenic of Uganda’s national parks protecting the Ugandan part of the Virunga.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda only 33 sq km of size, is located in the far southwestern corner of Uganda bordering Rwanda and Congo, 14 km from Kisoro town in Bufumbira County about 540 km from Kampala-the capital. Mgahinga National Park was gazetted in 1991 as the national park.
Mgahinga National Park covers the northern slopes of the three northernmost Virunga Volcanoes namely; the 3,474 m high Mt. Gahinga, Mt. Muhavura (4,127 m), and Mt. Sabinyo (3,645 m). The park is bordered to the south by the Republic of Rwanda and to the west by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Each of these surrounding countries protects its own share of the Virungas. The three parks together form the ‘Virunga Conservation Area’ (VCA) totaling to 434-sq. km of which Mgahinga is 33.7 sq. km, just 8% of the VCA.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park experiences two wet rainy seasons; February – May and
September- December of each year. The maximum amount of rainfall it receives in a year is 250mm-October and Minimum is 10mm -July.
Despite being the smallest in Uganda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one of Uganda`s prime tour safari destination very important to the country for it is one of the only two parks in Uganda that are habitat for about half the world’s endangered Mountain gorillas. Though the park has only one habitauted gorilla group, it is often visited by tourists taking gorilla safaris from Rwanda given its close proximity to the Volcanoes National Park, the Rwandan part of the Virunga. The park also protects a large variety of wildlife including mammals such as buffaloes, elephants, bush bucks, the threatened golden monkeys just to mention but a few.
Mgahinga National Park also protects a good population of golden monkeys. It is one of the few places where golden monkey tracking can be done in Africa.
The park experiences a cool climate that supports the growth of Afro-montane vegetation and the abundant type of Vegetation is the bamboo, a delicacy to the Mountain gorilla. The Lobelia, Haege-nia species are among the other types of vegetation is park.
People
The major ethnic groups of people in Kisoro District are the Bufumbira who occupy most of Kisoro area and are majorly cultivators/farmers. The Batwa (Pygmies) who once lived in caves and fed on wildlife form the minority group in the area.
Things to See & Do
Others attractions in Maghinga Gorilla National Park include;
Virunga Volcanoes
This park consists of the partly forested slopes of three extinct volcanoes. These huge cones of the Virunga volcanoes dominate the landscape when viewed from a distance and front you as you approach the premises. When you get to the park, a 15 minutes’ walk up the viewpoint from Ntebeko Gate can get one a great overview of the area. The scenic Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is of a great biological importance because it’s one of those mountains that provided a refuge for mountain plants and animals that moved up or down the slopes as climate became warmer or cooler throughout the climatic changes of the Pleistocene ice ages. The Virungas are home to a large variety of wildlife, including about half the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas.
Mountain gorillas
Mgahinga is the second home to the world critically endangered species, the famous mountain gorillas, the reason why the Batwa were evicted out of the forest in order to protect the mountain gorillas, so far today Mgahinga receives tourist today. Mgahinga has one stable habituated mountain gorilla family, Nyakagezi which comprises of 9 members, 4 silverbacks, 2 female adults, 1 juvenile and 2 infant. Gorilla tracking is the main activity and it’s a daily a activity with 8 people permitted per group. It’s a bit strenuous, having to trek for long but the experience is worth it when you final meet this family.
Golden Monkeys Tracking
Is the other activity where black meets gold, the golden monkeys look attractive because of their colour, they are many in number and can easily be tracked, they are used to human presence unlike before when they were few. A golden monkey permit in Uganda costs $ 50 per person for foreign nonresidents, $40 per person for foreign residents and Shs 20,000 for East African Residents. This cost includes the park entry fee, the guide fee and the one hour you spend with the golden monkeys. These permits can be booked on ground from the Park headquarters in Ntebeko Visitor Center. Tourists who wish to spend more quality time and understand the detailed information regarding the golden monkeys can visit this Park for the engaging golden monkey habituation experience that costs only $100 per person.
Batwa Trail
The Batwa people are commonly referred to as the first people of the forest who once lived and depended on the forest for their survival as food, shelter and medicine not until they were evicted. The Batwa people are an indigenous clan of bushy men. The Batwa trail was introduced in 2011 as one way of preserving their culture and beliefs however they are only allowed back in the forest during their demonstrations. The trail runs across the dense forest of Mgahinga National Park and pass by the foothills of Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhavura in Mgahinga National Park. The Batwa trail starts with the guide stopping and kneeling down at a certain hut to pray to the gods to bless the walk. This same spot is where the men in the ancient days used to kneel and pray to the gods before they venture into the forest to hunt. During the walk you will be shown hoe they used to light fire in the ancient days, hunting, singing and dancing their cultural songs. This tour always takes 4 hours and costs $80 per person per day. Part of the money that you pay is kept by Uganda Wildlife Authority to support Batwa Development projects like constructing schools while the other percentage is paid to the guides so that they can be able to support their families. You will get the real hand-on information because the Batwa themselves are the tour guides.
Bird Watching
Mgahinga is a birding destination with 79 bird species recorded with in the park, some of these include Ruwenzori Turaco, Crowned Hornbill, Dusky Turtle Dove, Alpine Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Black Kite and Crowned Crane Lagden’s Bush Shrike, Sunbird, Montane Double-collared Sunbird. , Handsome Francolin, Scarlet-tufted Malachite, Ibis, Whydah, Speckled Mouse bird, Stonechat, Grey Capped Warbler, Waxbills, and Yellow-Vented Bulbul. All these bird species can be spotted on a guided walk with the tour guide who will help you spot them.