3 Days to Mgahinga National Park

Activities in this tour

• Gorilla trekking
• Community interaction
• Mountain hiking

Overview

Mgahinga Gorilla National park is Uganda’s smallest park, which is located in the southwestern part of Uganda on the border with Congo and Rwanda in Kisoro district. It sits high in the clouds, at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m. As its name suggests, it was created to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey.

As well as being important for wildlife, the park also has a huge cultural significance, in particular for the indigenous Batwa pygmies. This tribe of hunter-gatherers was the forest’s “first people”, and their ancient knowledge of its secrets remains unrivaled.

Mgahinga’s most striking features are its three conical, extinct volcanoes, part of the spectacular Virunga Range that lies along the border region of Uganda, Congo, and Rwanda. Mgahinga forms part of the much larger Virunga Conservation area which includes adjacent parks in these countries. The volcanoes’ slopes contain various ecosystems and are biologically diverse, and their peaks provide a striking backdrop to this gorgeous scenery.

Mgahinga boasts of over 76 mammals which include elephants, giant forest hog, bush pigs, bush back. Buffalos, leopards, a bird checklist of over 180 species including the 14 endemic Albertine rift notably the Kivu ground thrush and turaco.

Destination guide: The mountainous and pristine Mgahinga National Park

Day One: Transfer from Kampala to Kisoro

You will be picked by our driver guide from the hotel/airport, board the vehicle (4WD) and travel from Kampala to Kisoro which will be a 9 hour drive. You will have a stopover in Mbarara for lunch, after lunch, you will continue with journey via Kabale town to Kisoro town, you will then go to your hotel Virunga Inn Resort check in, have your dinner, rest and wait for the following days activity.

Four star: Virunga Inn Resort and Spa is a thing of beauty

Day two: Gorilla trekking and mountain hiking

 Gorilla trekking is the major activity that takes place in the National Park where visitors get the opportunity to move on foot in search of the habituated families and once found, they spend one hour with the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. Trekking can take 30 minutes to seven hours depending on the location of gorillas.

In the morning, you will have breakfast and then depart to the park head quarters for briefing about the rules, regulations and expectations of the park. Later, you will start your gorilla tracking for up to three hours. Don’t forget to look out for different bird species during this exercise. During trekking, you will be able to see other primates like golden monkeys, mammals like giant forest hogs, forest elephants, buffalo and different species of trees. After gorilla tracking; you will head back to your hotel for your lunch. After lunch time refreshment, you will go for mountain climbing and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Mount Mgahinga. This piece of adventure will take like 4 hours of your precious time and after it you will head back to your hotel for dinner and overnight sleep.

In picture: Tours take a shot with a mature gorilla in the foreground

Day Three: Community interaction and transfer back to Kampala

 You will wake up in the morning, have your breakfast, prepare your belongings and then go for the culture encounter with the local people and their leaders. You will see their culture, art and way of living. After this period of one to two hours, you shall go back to your hotel room and get your already parked belongings then you depart to Kampala for your flight. This will put an end to your tremendous tour in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

END OF TOUR