Mgahinga National Park in Uganda

Mgahinga National Park is situated in the south western part of Uganda along the border with Congo and Rwanda. The park occupies an area of about 33.7 sq kilometers and a habitat for man’s closest, the Mountain gorillas which relocate from one place to another within the forest searching for food like vegetables, fruits and small insects.

It is among the few places in the world where the endangered mountain gorillas live and attract people from different countries to come on a Uganda Gorilla Safari. This therefore makes Mgahinga National Park one of the leading tourism destinations in Uganda due to the fact that it harbors these primates.

Here, we have only one gorilla group called the Nyakagezi Gorilla family group which is easily tracked since these are always playing, feeding in the nearby thick rain forests of Mgahinga.

Safari Activities to carry out in Mgahinga National Park

Gorilla Trekking 

Gorilla trekking is the most prominent safari activity carried out in Mgahinga National Park located South West of Uganda after the busy Town of Kisoro. The Gorilla trekking process requires you to have a valid Gorilla Trekking Permit then later proceed to the Park headquarters fr briefing on the Dos and Don’ts around the Mountain Gorillas then later in groups of 8 with a skilled park ranger, penetrate the forest to track the Gorillas for 3-5 hours in their natural habitat and when you meet them, only an hour is allowed in their presence taking photos to keep for memories.

 Gorilla Families at Mgahinga National Park

The Nyakagezi Group; this group consists of 10 Gorilla members including 3 silverbacks. The group is led by a dominant Silverback called Mark who enjoys transferring from one place to another across boundaries in Uganda, DRC and Rwanda. These have finally settled in Uganda at Mgahinga National park since November 2012.

The group increased to 10 individuals in May 2013 after the birth of a new born infant gorilla. Trekking this group begins during the day and includes travelling through the thick forest vegetation of Mgahinga National Park with a skilled guide who will inform you about the attributes and behaviors of these primates.

You will start from Ntebeko Entrance gate t at 8:00am in the morning every day within 2-4 hours. Interacting with the Gorilla group will take only an hour so one should use their time appropriately.

Note: Gorilla permits for trekking this group is done direct at the park headquarters of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Golden Monkey Tracking

Golden Monkey Tracking is another popular activity carried out in the park and this offers travelers an encounter around the Golden Monkeys in their habitat as they jump from one tree branch to another. The Tracking process takes a period of 2-4 hours as you follow the Golden Monkeys along the various trails in the forest habitat. En-route watch the green forest vegetation, birds.

Bird Watching

Mgahinga National Park is a birder’s paradise due to the number of birds travelers can see here and these inlcude; the Rwenzori Turaco, Crowned Hornbill, Black Kite and Crowned Crane, Handsome Francolin, Dusky Turtle Dove, Alpine Chat, Kivu Ground Thrush, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Lagden’s Bush Shrike, Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, Montane Double-collared Sunbird, Chubb’s Cisticola, Banded Prinia and Doherty’s Bush Shrike, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher and Mackinnons’s Fiscal favour more exposed perches. The trail emerges onto open moorland reminiscent of parts of Northern Europe.

Cultural Encounters

Cultural Encounters are very ideal for all travelers looking to adventure and explore culture and traditions of the local Batwa people. When you meet them learn about their way of life, habitat and survival since the ancient days. You can as well as lean about the Bakiga People.