Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, also known as Mgahinga National Park, is the smallest national park in Uganda, covering about 33.7 square kilometres with thick tropical rainforest cover, as well as three volcanoes which give commanding views while approaching the park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park location
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the south western part of Uganda, covering the slopes of the three northern-most Virunga volcanoes namely Mount Muhavura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabinyo. Mgahinga National Park is located in the Bufumbira County of Kisoro district. Mgahinga Gorilla national Park is about 10km south of Kisoro, and is bordered to the south Volcanoes National Park Rwanda and to the west by Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is part of the Virunga Conservation Area which spans through three countries of Uganda, the Congo and Rwanda. The Virunga Conservation Area encompasses Mgahinga Gorilla national Park Uganda, Volcanoes National Park Rwanda and the little exploited gem, Virunga National Park of the Congo.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a tropical rainforest that is majorly made of forested slopes of the three volcanoes found in the park, which give quite impressive views and beckon you as you approach. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a beautiful pristine rainforest with serene ambiance perfect for an escape away from the bustle of the city as well as the crowds in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Besides the huge cones of the volcanoes, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is best known for inhabiting the endangered species of gorillas, the mountain gorillas which can be found in the Virunga Conservation Area as well as Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Attractions in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a beautiful gem with a number of attractions that travellers who do visit could visit and encounter. Below are the various attractions in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park;
Mountain gorillas
Mountain gorillas are an endangered species which can be found in Mgahinga Gorilla national Park, as well as Bwindi Impenetrable National park in Uganda still, Virunga National Park in the Congo and Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda. Gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are the main attraction that has a number of travellers visiting for amazing gorilla safaris in the park. There are over 80 gorillas found in Mgahinga Gorilla national Park, with only 1 habituated family that travellers can see on gorilla safaris in the park. Mountain gorillas are an endangered species which can only be found in four destinations including Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Mountain gorillas are the top reason that travellers do visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Golden Monkeys
Golden monkeys are primate species which can only be found in a few countries, especially in the Virunga Conservation area. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the only place in Uganda where silver meets gold, with silverback gorillas roaming the same area as the golden monkeys, all in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Golden monkeys re a playful species which are quite hard to take pictures of when out visiting them on golden monkey tracking safari experience.
Virunga Volcanoes
The Virunga Volcanoes are another attraction in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Mgahinga Gorilla National park has three volcanoes which straddle the park, giving commanding views especially when approaching the park. Mount Sabinyo which stands at 3645 meters above sea level has three peaks and can be climbed, giving travellers an opportunity to be in three different countries of Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo simultaneously. Mount Gahinga stands at 3474 meters above sea level lying at the border of Uganda and Rwanda with a climbing time of about 6 hours, whereas Mount Muhabura stands at 4127 meters above sea level making it the highest of all the volcanoes in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and can take about 5 hours to trek the volcano.
Birds
There are about 115 bird species in Mgahinga Gorilla national park which travellers can spot while in the park. Some of the birds in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are endemic to the Albertine Rift Mountains. Some of the birds in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park that travellers can spot with birding safaris include black kite, pin-tailed whydah, ibis, white-necked raven, among so many others.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park activities
Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is the most after activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla national Park takes travellers to the only habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which travellers can encounter on gorilla trekking safaris in the park, allowing only 8 trekkers per day. With this in mind, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla national Park is quite exclusive allowing few trekkers per day, unlike in Bwindi Impenetrable National park which has over 19 gorilla families which travellers can visit on both gorilla trekking and gorilla habituation experiences. To be able to enjoy gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, travellers are advised to book their gorilla trekking permits at least 3 months in advance, with each permit costing $700 per person per trek. Get in touch with a reputable tour operator to help you book your Uganda gorilla permits on time and get to enjoy Uganda gorilla trekking safaris in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Golden monkey tracking
Golden monkey tracking is an activity that involves hiking through the dense rainforest area of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in search of the golden monkeys. Challenge yourself with a golden monkey tracking activity for an opportunity to encounter the golden monkeys in their natural habitat.

Volcanoes Hiking
Volcano hiking involves trekking through the lower slopes of any of the three volcanoes of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a beautiful park with perfect scenery that can be explored on foot. Volcano hiking can take as long as 8 hours or more depending on how far one would like to explore.
Bird watching
With all the various bird species in Mgahinga Gorilla national Par, bird watching is an activity that has travellers spotting the various bird species in the park, through the various trails established in the park and in a company of bird guide.
The Batwa Trail
The Batwa trail is a cultural experience which takes travellers through the lifestyle and way of life of the Batwa, an indigenous a people who were former inhabitants of the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park co-existing with the gorillas and other animals in the park. The Batwa were hunter-gathers who now dwell outside the park but carry out the Batwa trail to share their culture and way of life with the locals, say making fire locally, among other local activities of their traditional forest life and culture.
Best time to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can be visited all throughout the year, for as long as you do have time to spare for a Uganda safari tour visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The best time to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park however is during the dry season which has the roads to the park and paths within a bit passable, unlike in the wet season which has the roads quite muddy and slippery. The dry season falls in the months of June to October and December to March, with the rest being wet season months. It is however important to note that Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a rainforest area which can receive rains at any time of the day. Packing warm clothing and good hiking shoes with a strong grip is highly recommended.
How to get to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can be accessed by both air and road. By road, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is about 10 hours. By air, travellers can fly from Entebbe or Kajjansi to Kisoro airstrip from where you can be transferred to the park. Alternatively, travellers can opt to fly directly to Kigali International Airport Rwanda and then be transferred to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park on about 4-6 hours from Kigali, making Uganda gorilla safaris from Kigali possible and most opted for nowadays by travellers.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park accommodation
There are various accommodation in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park that travellers can stay in, catering for all kinds of travellers ranging from luxury, midrange to budget. These Mgahinga Gorilla National Park accommodation can be found both inside and outside the park. Some of the lodges to stay in while in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include Chameleon Hill Lodge, Mgahinga Lodge and Travellers Rest Hotel among so many others.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a beautiful national park of Uganda perfect for gorilla trekking safaris especially to those travellers who would like some privacy away from the crowds in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You can combine your Mgahinga Gorilla National Park gorilla safari with a wildlife safari to Queen Elizabeth National Park, or even have a gorilla safari as a climax to your much anticipated Tanzania wildlife safari. Get I touch with a reputable tour operator to help you plan a memorable Africa safari tour including a gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.