Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda
Welcome to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, an icon of Uganda’s National Parks. This Mgahinga Gorilla National Park commands majestic natural beauty and welcomes visitors each year — interested in gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, mountain hiking, sightseeing, and bird watching. The park is home to three Virunga volcanoes, abundant wildlife, and awe-inspiring caves. Whether you’re looking for mountain gorilla trekking, a lifetime wildlife adventure, or want to immerse yourself in the stillness of nature—go hiking, backpack or take a nature walk in one of the most beautiful places, you’ll find your place in Mgahinga National Park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National park is Uganda’s smallest national park that sits high in the clouds, at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m. It is an important habitat for the remaining mountain gorillas in the world. At 33.7 square kilometers, Mgahinga National Park is the smallest National Park in Uganda. It is located in the remote Southwestern district of Kisoro.
Mgahinga forms part of the much larger Virunga Conservation Area which includes adjacent parks in Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo. The volcanoes’ slopes contain various ecosystems and are biologically diverse, and their peaks provide a striking backdrop to this gorgeous scenery.
Mountain Gorillas
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to critically endangered mountain gorillas, the major reason why the park was created. The park protects these endangered apes that roam through the Virunga ranges that are spread through Uganda, Rwanda & DR Congo.
Virunga Volcanoes
Mgahinga is also known to shelter 3 of the 8 Volcanoes in the Virunga Massif including Mount Gahinga (3474 meters/11,400 feet above sea level), Mount Sabinyo (3674 meters/12,180 feet above sea level), and Mount Muhabura (4127 meters/13,540 feet above sea level).
Wild Animals
Mgahinga National Park is home to over 39 mammal species including more than 10 primate species and the stars of the show are the endangered mountain gorillas and the rare golden monkeys that are easily seen on guided wildlife tours within the park.
Birds
Mgahinga is one of the most fascinating birding destinations in Uganda. There are over 115 bird species including 14 bird species of the total 24 bird species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift Mountains within this tinny National Park. Read More
Local Culture
Visit the Batwa People of Bwindi. Originally, these minority people were inhabitants of the rainy forests on which they heavily relied as their source of food & medicine for years. They’re also excellent hunters & fruit gatherers. Read More
Garama Caves
There are numerous caves but the most significant of all is the Garama cave located 4 km from the Ntebeko visitor center. The 200-meter-long caves are sacred places for the Batwa who were evicted from their ancestral forest in 1991. Read More
Virunga Volcanoes
Mount Gahinga
Mt. Gahinga (3,473) meters above sea level is the lowest and easy to hike about 6-8 hour loop trail leads to a 180 meters wide swamp that covered up the Crater Lake on top.
Mount Muhabura
At 4,127 meters, Mt. Muhabura is the highest volcano in the park. Seen from far beyond Kiroro town, it’s referred to as a guided mountain by the local Batwa people.
Mount Sabinyo
Mt. Sabinyo is the oldest volcano of all Virunga massifs and its peaks can tell the time of erosion weathered its peaks resembling an old man’s teeth.
Things to Do in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
There are several exciting adventure activities that can be done in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
- Gorilla Tracking
- Bird WatchingMgahinga Gorilla National Park has an alluring list of over 180 species of birds
- Golden Monkey Tracking
Accommodation in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
This is a list of all the accommodations in Mgahinga National Park. The accommodation options range from budget to luxury accommodation.
