Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga introduces you to one of the iconic destinations to witness the endangered mountain gorillas. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda’s smallest national Park, but it rewards nature enthusiasts with mesmerizing mountain gorilla encounters. Mgahinga is set in Kisoro, expanding up to only 33.7 sq. km in Southwestern Uganda. It lays close to the border with Rwanda and Congo.
Mgahinga was officially declared a National Park in Uganda in 1991, and the main purpose for its creation was to protect a section of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Today, it is a special destination to visit for you to explore these unique apes while on Uganda safaris.
Gorilla trekking experience in Mgahinga
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park is such an exhilarating adventure, and visitors embark on a guided foot walk. At Mgahinga, the Nyakagezi group is the only habituated gorilla group tourists should expect to visit. This group used to be mobile, but for a long time, it has settled permanently in Mgahinga National Park. Being a single gorilla group, a maximum of 8 (eight) guests can track it with the lead of an experienced park ranger guide.
Mgahinga gorilla treks begin from the Ntebeko area, and this is after the briefing. The entire trek with Mgahinga gorillas can last for 2 to 6 hours, but this depends on the speed of visitors, the location of gorillas, and the general nature of the habitat. Once located, visitors are assured of an hour for an up-close and personal encounter with the group of gorillas in Mgahinga.
During the close encounter, you can observe gorillas as they feed, play, bond, groom, breastfeed, or display all kinds of body gestures.
Obtaining a Mgahinga gorilla trekking permit
Valid gorilla permits are very essential for gorilla trekking adventures in Mgahinga National Park. As per Uganda Wildlife Authority, permits are issued to visitors at USD 800 for foreign nonresidents, USD 700 for the foreign residents, Rest of africa pay USD 500 and East African citizens/Ugandans pay UGX 300,000 per visitor.
Gorilla permits or gorilla tours can be booked through a reliable tour operator like Bujuku Eco Tours and Travel. Obtaining Mgahinga gorilla permits takes certain steps and can be tedious, but with the assistance of our team, the entire process is made easier. At this stage, you don’t need to be physically present –we go through the significant steps to have your permit secured in time. We shall request you to share your personal details and also make a deposit for us to book a permit.
Mgahinga gorilla permits are open for booking by visitors above 15 years. Anyone around this age group is eligible to book a permit in Uganda and embark on gorilla trekking in Mgahinga.
When is the best time to visit Mgahinga for gorilla trekking?
Mgahinga National Park is an all-year-round gorilla tour destination. But the dry season is the best time to enjoy undisrupted gorilla treks in this park. This occurs twice a year, with the longest dry months often running from June to September, and the short dry season begins from December, January to February. The advantage of the dry season is that Mgahinga National Park records minimal rainfall, unlike during the wet season (March-May/October-November). Mgahinga records its highest rainfall amount during the wet months, making it a little challenging to navigate through.
Gorilla trekking rules to follow in Mgahinga
While on a gorilla tour in Mgahinga, visitors have multiple gorilla trekking guidelines to observe, and these include;
- A distance of 8-10 meters should be observed at all times to limit any chances of spreading infectious diseases to gorillas.
- Trekking with gorillas is only done on already habituated gorilla groups. These should be assigned to you by the park official.
- Visitors are advised to avoid all kinds of unnecessary movements and noise making. Sudden movements and noise-making disrupt the peace of gorillas in their natural habitat.
- The gorilla habitat must be kept clean at all times. This is to reduce any chances of these apes finding the thrown items that could be contaminated and their lives at risk.
- While you may desire direct eye to eye contact, it should be avoided as these apes can misinterpret it. And when gorillas get irritated in your presence, ensure that you lower down your face and ensure that you listen keenly to what the park ranger guide from UWA tells you to do.
- As per the carrying capacity of gorilla families, the park authorities accept a maximum of 8 (eight) guests to visit a single group.
- Upon finding a group of gorillas, a maximum of only 1 (one) hour is allowed for tourists to spend face-to-face with these apes.
- As you take pictures of gorillas, the camera used shouldn’t have a flashlight. Even if the camera has a flashlight, it is recommended that you turn it off.
- If you have contagious diseases, the park authorities may not allow you to proceed with the trek to see mountain gorillas.
- Only visitors with valid gorilla trekking permits get a chance to track mountain gorillas. Ensure that you secure a permit in advance before the actual visit to see gorillas.
- All human wastes (feaces) should be buried deep in the ground, about 30cm or as directed by the park official.
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Vs Bwindi
Mgahinga and Bwindi all offer unforgettable encounters with mountain gorillas. But Bwindi Impenetrable National Park provides more gorilla trekking opportunities than Mgahinga. Bwindi features up to 24 habituated groups, unlike only 1 group of gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Over 80% of Uganda’s mountain gorillas reside in Bwindi compared to about 80 that are found in Mgahinga. When you visit Bwindi for gorilla trekking, expect to begin your adventure from the 4 sectors, unlike one sector found in Mgahinga.
What else to see or do in Mgahinga
Mgahinga National Park is a biodiverse destination and is inhabited by not only gorillas but also other species. The varying habitats of Mgahinga offer refuge to buffaloes, bush pigs, forest elephants, bush bucks, golden monkeys, giant forest hogs, and duikers. Besides the diverse species, there are also multiple experiences to enjoy in Mgahinga and these include;
Golden monkey trekking
Golden monkey trekking in Uganda is only done in Mgahinga, the best spot to explore a habituated troop of golden monkeys in the wild. Golden monkeys are a beautiful and interesting species to interact with.
Batwa Trail
After or before gorilla trekking in Mgahinga, you can also spend the great part of your day exploring the Batwa pygmy cultures and traditions. The Batwa trail introduces you deeper into the footpath of the Batwa- the indigenous people who lived for decades of years in the rainforest of Mgahinga and Bwindi as hunters and gatherers.
Mountain climbing or hiking
Mgahinga is also most popular for its amazing mountain climbing adventures. Volcano climbing in Mgahinga is done in the Gahinga, Muhabura, and Sabyinyo Volcanoes.
Mgahinga is an exceptional place to embark on a birding tour in Uganda. A guided birding tour in Mgahinga involves exploring birds such as black kite, banded prinia, Archer’s robin-chat, dusky turtle dove, chestnut-throated apalis, Equatorial Akalat, collared apalis, cape robin-chat, blue-headed sunbirds, barred long-tailed cuckoos, and more.
Where to stay on your safari to Mgahinga national park
In Mgahinga, the available accommodation options include Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Camp, Nkuringo Safari Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Traveler’s Nest Hotel, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, and others.
Leave a Reply