Things to do in Mgahinga national park.
Mgahinga gorilla national park is a stunning protected area located in the Southwestern corner of Uganda, bordering the Democratic Republic Congo and Rwanda, The Park is located in the Virunga Mountains, the park is situated approximately 15 kilometers south of Kisoro town and about 510 kilometers southwest of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. The park’s unique location at the intersection of the Albertine Rift and then Virunga Mountains creates a dramatic landscape of the rugged mountains, volcanic peaks, and then the forests, providing a habitat for the diverse range of flora and fauna, including the mountain gorillas, and the golden monkeys.
With its stunning scenery, diverse wildlife and the culture experience, Mgahinga national park offers an unforgettable for the nature lovers, hikers and then the adventure seekers, making it a must-visit destination in the Pearl of Africa. Mgahinga national park can be easily reached by both the road and the air transport that is approximately 9 to 10 hours’ drive and by the air transport is 1 or 1 and 30 minutes from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro airstrip.
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla national park.
Mgahinga gorilla national park is the second safari destination after Bwindi impenetrable national park which is the home to the world’s endangered mountain gorillas, thus making gorilla trekking much easy for the tourists. Gorilla trekking in the park starts early in the morning at around 8 am at the park headquarters by the experienced park guides and the park rangers. After the briefing you will be grouped in various groups of about 8 members per group and each group led by the knowledgeable guides, after you will explore the forest and start the hiking. Gorilla trekking in the forest starts from a period of 30 minutes to 6 hours regarding to the location of these wonderful creatures. Along the way looking for the gorillas you will be rewarded with the fascinating features that is animal species, bird species, plant species and then the tree species and among many others. And one the gorillas are located you will be given a period of one hour to be in the presence of the gorillas as you are maintaining a distance of about 7 meters away from the gorillas. In the one hour you will watch the gorillas as they are feeding, making the nests of the next nights, female gorillas grooming their young ones, taking gorillas pictures and recording their videos though using the cameras with the less flush because the flush disrupts the mountain gorillas.
Birdwatching in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Mgahinga gorilla national park is a small safari destination that has a variety of the birdlife that can be spotted during your safari to the park. On your safari to the park they do not forget your binoculars, you will spot diverse bird species that are over bird species which can be sighted all the year around that includes Archer’s Robins chat, Black headed waxbill, Olive Pigeon, White-starred breasted Tit, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Handsome Francolin, Cape Robin-chat, streaky seedeater and among many others. Mgahinga national park is a home to the Albertine rift endemics that can be easily observed on the gorge trail.
Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga national park.
Golden monkey tracking starts with a briefing at the park headquarters, the golden monkeys are small and then fast thus making it a stunning primate. Golden monkey tracking takes a period of 3 to 4 hours, along the way looking for the golden monkeys, the route is rewarding as it takes you to find the monkeys is such attractive where you tread looking for the bamboo branches. And once you find the golden monkeys you will be allowed to be in the presence of the golden monkeys for one hour, so you are remaindered to carry the pair of binoculars, a camera to catch the best safari memories during the tracking.
Mgahinga gorilla national park as well offer the tourist with the golden monkey habituation that offers you four hour experience compared to the one hour experience during golden monkey tracking.
Batwa trail experience in Mgahiga gorilla national park.
A safari in Mgahinga gorilla national park cannot be completed minus experiencing the Batwa trail experience, you will visit the Batwa pygmies that used to stay in the forest. They were later displaced but some of them still live around the park and have been trained as the park guided and then the porters. The Batwa trail experience is an activity that takes you through the history of the Batwa, visit the Garama Cave. The garama cave where they used to hide from the Bantu invasion many years ago.
Volcano Hiking in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Mgahinga gorilla national park is a fabulous safari experience that is offered to the tourists on a safari, this is where the tourists explore the stunning Virunga ranges that are shared by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda and these include the Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhavura in Mgahinga gorilla national park. Mount Muhavura is the highest among the three volcanoes with the advantage of viewing other Virunga mountains from its peak. It can as well be viewed from as far as Kisoro town, then Mount Sabyinyo is a gateway to Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo while you are in Uganda, while at the peak you are geographically standing in Rwanda, Uganda and then Democratic Republic of Congo at the same time which is triple rewarding.
Best time to visit Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Mgahinga gorilla national park can be visited all the year around, though the best time to visit the park is during the dry season that is also known as the peak season that is during the months that is during January and February, June, July, August, September, and then December. During the dry season that is when the park receives less rainfall in the park and therefore that’s when the roads access the park, and hiking, and the gorilla trekking can be passable compared to the wet season or the low season when the trails are muddy and slippery which makes gorilla trekking difficult.
Alternatively, on the other side, Mgahinga gorilla national park can as well be visited during the low season or the wet season and that is during the months of March to May and then November. The wet season is well known for the heavy rainfalls but it also some advantages however and this is during the wet season that’s when there are less few crowds that makes the experience better since the park guides are always attentive to you with the best rewarding. During the low season that’s when the lodges offer discounts which offers the experiences and stays of the low budget clients, again during the rainy season that’s when the period is best for bird watching because most of the migratory bird species come to the park that offers the tourists with the best experience.
Where to stay in Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Mgahinga gorilla national park is a wonderful safari activity that offers the stunning accommodations to the tourists who come to visit the park, and these accommodation facilities that are grouped into different categories that is luxury, mid-range and then budget options. Most of these accommodation options are well located such that the visitors can use them as the bases to do the fascinating activities in the park. Some of the accommodation lodges and the camps located in Mgahinga gorilla national park includes Chameleon Hill Lodge, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, and Traveler’s rest hotel in Kisoro, Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mucha Hotel Kisoro, Virunga Hotel, Lake Mutanda Campsite, Mutanda Lake Resort, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, and Community Campground and among many others. These accommodation facilities offers tourists with the comfortable stay with the best amenities that offers you the experience.
How to get to Mgahinga Gorilla national park.
Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in the Southwestern part of Uganda and the park can be accessed by both road and the air transport and that is;
Road transport; Road transport is used to reach Mgahinga gorilla national park that is where you drive from Kampala or Entebbe through using Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Kisoro and then you will reach park headquarters that takes you about 9 to 10 hours’ drive through driving 4WD safari vehicle. Alternatively Mgahinga gorilla national park can as well can be accessed from Kigali in Rwanda that is where you can fly to Kigali International Airport and then connect to Mgahinga gorilla national park by using the safari vehicle through Cyanika border which takes about 3 to 4 hours, which is easily accessed.
Air transport; Using air transport to reach Mgahinga gorilla national park you can use the charter flights with the Aero link from Kajjansi or Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro airstrip and then after you will connect to the park headquarters or to your lodge. The air transport is the best option to access the park for the visitors who do not wish to travel for the long distances and your flight bookings can be made by your tour operator like African Vacation Safaris.