Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in southwestern Uganda in Kisoro district bordering Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Democratic Republic of Congo and one of the gorilla destinations in Uganda. Mgahinga gorilla national park was gazetted in 1991 with the main aim of conserving and protecting the endangered mountain gorillas.
The national park is one of the smallest parks in Uganda in that it covers an area of 33.7 square kilometers but one of the most visited due to primate species like the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park is the most done activity in Uganda which allows visitors to move into the jungle in search of the mountain gorillas and once found spend one hour with them in their natural habitat. Apart from Mgahinga gorilla national park, gorilla trekking in Uganda is done in Bwindi impenetrable national park and other destinations including Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is a home of two habituated gorilla families namely Nyakagezi family and Hirwa family. Mgahinga gorilla national park used to harbor one habituated gorilla family until Hirwa family migrated from Volcanoes national park in October 2019 to add on Nyakagezi family. Gorilla trekking in the park starts in the morning with a briefing at Ntebeko park headquarters about the expectations, rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing you will be grouped into 8 people and grouping is done according the physically fitness and age. You will later start trekking in the jungle with a park guide who will be sharing information and answering questions about the mountain gorillas.
Trekking the mountain gorillas in Mgahinga gorilla national park takes about 2 to 6 hours depending on the location of the mountain gorillas because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. Once the gorillas have been found you will be able to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat and during this hour you will learn about their lifestyle, behaviors, habits, take plenty of photos with flash less cameras and record the moments.
After having a face to face encounter with the endangered mountain gorillas you will trek back to the park headquarters or starting point where you will be issued a gorilla trekking permit which signifies your participation in gorilla trekking activity in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Cost of a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit is a document that is issued to any visitor above the age of fifteen allowing him or her to trek the endangered mountain gorillas in Mgahinga gorilla national park for one hour. A single gorilla trekking permit in the park costs $600 for a foreign non-resident, $500 for a foreign resident and UGX 250,000 for an East African citizen. The price of a gorilla trekking permit was increased therefore effective 1st July 2020 a gorilla trekking permit for a foreign non-resident will cost $700 and $600 for a foreign resident.
When to book for a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park should be booked 3 to 4 months in advance before the trekking date so as to avoid disappointments because the park only issues 16 gorilla trekking permits daily which means that they competitive and get sold out quickly especially during the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February.
How to book for a gorilla trekking permit
A gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park can either be booked directly through Uganda Wildlife Authority by contacting the offices through telephone or email or you can book through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris. Booking through a tour operator is the best option in that it saves you the hustle and apart from booking a gorilla trekking permit we will plan for your entire gorilla trekking safari which involves accommodation, transportation, meals among others. when booking a gorilla trekking safari you will contact us with the date, month and year when you want to engage in gorilla trekking, we will check for availability of the gorilla trekking permit matching the dates and when the permits are available you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. When the deposit has been made you will be asked to send scanned copies of your passport which will be used to register for your permit. We will pay for your gorilla trekking permit and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.
Where to stay on your gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga gorilla national park offers up-market, mid-range, budget and camping grounds for visitors on a gorilla trekking safari including Mgahinga Rest Camp, Travelers Rest House, Virunga Hotel, Mgahinga Community Camp, Mgahinga Gorilla Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Camp, Volcanoes Mount Gahinga Safari Lodge, Mt Muhabura Climber Resort among others. The lodges provide comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold water, sitting room, gardens for relaxation, restaurant where they serve local and international dishes, spectacular views of the park, bird species, primates among others.
Best time to go for a gorilla trekking safari
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park can be done anytime throughout the year though the best period is during the dry season in the months of June to September and December to February. During the dry season there is less rainfall in the park therefore the gorilla trekking trails and access roads to Mgahinga gorilla national park will be passable. Though most visitors prefer visiting in the dry season it can rain anytime of the day due to the fact that the park has tropical rainforests.
What to pack for your gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga gorilla national park
Visitors going on a gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga gorilla national park are advised to pack various essentials due to unpredictable weather in the park such as long sleeved shirt and trousers, hiking shoes, waterproof rain jacket or poncho, insect repellent, energy snacks, garden gloves, camera, long stockings, backpack, walking stick among others.
How to get to Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in southwestern Uganda and can be accessed by both road and air transport means.
Road transport, when using road transport you will drive from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro and then to the park headquarters which takes about 8 to 9 hours’ drive.
Mgahinga gorilla national park can also be accessed from Kigali Rwanda. When using this route you will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to the park by road via Katuna or Cyanika border which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.
The park can also be accesased by public means of transport though not recommended. When using public means of transport you will board a bus from Kampala to Kisoro and then hire a private taxi to the park headquarters.
Air transport, Mgahinga gorilla national park can be accessed by air transport means because there are domestic companies like Aerolink Uganda limited which operate scheduled and chartered flights daily from Entebbe airport or Kajansi airfield to Kisoro airstrip therefore visitors who don’t like travelling long distances can opt for the flying option.
