Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is remarkably one of a few special safari destinations. Incredibly, it is a renowned place where gold meets silver. This park covers the lush slopes of the 3 Virunga Mountain ranges with area coverage of about 33.7 square kilometers thus making it the smallest park in Uganda.
It is known for Gorilla safaris, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is lies at a far-flung southwestern Uganda, neighboring Rwanda in the south and Democratic Republic of Congo in the west, with a geographical coverage of 33 square kilometers.
It is situated14kms from Kisoro town, Mgahinga Park covers the slopes of the three northern largely Virunga Volcanoes, Mountain Muhavura, Mountain Gahinga, and Mountain Sabinyo, The three countries, Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, each takes care of its own portion of the Virungas, the Mgahinga National Park for Uganda, Volcanoes National Park for Rwanda and Virunga National Park for the Democratic Republic of Congo. The three parks jointly form the Virunga Conservation Area. that occupies an area of 434 square kilometers out of which Mgahinga is has a share of 33.7 square kilometers constituting 8 percent of the Vilunga conservation area. The entire Mgahinga Park is in Bufumbira County in Kisoro District.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is made up of moderately forested slopes of three extinct volcanoes. From far away, the vast cones of the Virunga volcanoes govern the panorama and manifest as you approach.
The Virunga’s are a habitation to a large diversity of wildlife, including about half the number of the planet’s gravely endangered mountain gorillas.
Accessibility By Road The drive from Kampala to Kisoro, the closest town to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is about 9 hours via Kabale one of the most interesting routes via the kigezi highlands. Which help to present beautiful scenery.
By Air There are several options of flights from daily scheduled to chartered flights out of Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip to Kisoro Airstrip. Flights last about 1 hour and 10 minutes. From here, tourists will transfer over a murram road to arrive at the park.
Attractions
Mgahinga National Park offers refuge to 76 mammal species including the rare Mountain gorillas that make up part of 1004 individuals that still thrive on earth today. Besides, there are also elephants, buffaloes, golden monkeys, spotted hyenas, black fronted duikers, giant fronted hogs, bushbuck and not to forget over 115 bird species.
Virunga volcanoes
It makes up part of the mighty Virunga Conservation Area that also comprises of Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda and the Virunga National Park in eastern DR Congo.
Mount Gahinga
As you are on your way to the park, you will come across small piles of stones in the garden fields locally known as ‘Gahinga’. Mount Gahinga is pretty bigger than the average ‘Gahinga’ but sitting next to Mount Muhavura makes it turn out to be visibly small. Here, a six-hour hike round expedition goes through a good model of a pure Bamboo jungle. Mt. Gahinga at one time had a Crater Lake on its peak but time has altered it into a flourishing swamp which is 8km away.
Activities in Mgahinga
Though it is the smallest, it is the most scenic of all of Uganda’s parks. The park sits high in the clouds, and it is one of the three Virunga Parks. Popular for gorilla trekking, volcano hiking, and golden monkey tracking, this is the ultimate destination for those looking for an adventurous safari in Uganda.
Gorilla trekking Mgahinga National Park is incredibly the best option for individuals who are interested in less crowded gorilla treks. It is Uganda’s second gorilla destination where mountain gorilla tracking is conducted. A gorilla safari in this park begins at Ntebeko with a morning briefing on dos and don’ts to be followed while in the forest searching for a group of mountain gorillas. For visitor experiences, Nyakagezi is the only group that has been habituated and readily set for tourism purposes. Like other destinations, only 8 visitors are allowed to track these creatures in Mgahinga National Park, and permits still cost US$700 per person. Treks to see mountain gorillas in this park may last you about 2 to 6 hours or even more depending on the location of these creatures, the nature of the habitat, and your hiking speed.
Hiking Moving from Mgahinga national park trekkers can get higher above to Mt. Sabinyo which 3645metres, Mt Gahinga 3474 meters, and Mt. Muhavura 4127 meters above sea level.
Bird watching Mgahinga Gorilla National Park boasts of about 115 bird species, including a number of species widespread in the East Congo Montane province, and these consist of the Ibis, Whydah, Speckled Mousebirds, and Fire Finch Stonechat, Grey Capped Warbler, Waxbills, and Yellow-Vented Bulbul. For the whole Virunga Conservation Area, over 295 species are prevalent in the Albertine Rift Afromontane region making up 59% of the total of identified common species.
Golden monkey tracking Mgahinga National Park is remarkable that one place where gold meets silverback. Golden monkey tracking is that one exceptional primate adventure that is offered in this park. Permits for this adventure go at $50 per person and if you wish to take part in golden monkey habituation, you can obtain a permit at $100.
Nature walks For nature lovers, Mgahinga National Park is perfect while on a nature walk which rewards you with the sights at its lush vegetation, bamboo forest, Rugezi swamp which comes with breathtaking views over the farmlands, Lake Mutanda, and others.
Cultural encounters Pay a visit to the Batwa community and get the best of Africa’s unique cultures. A visit to this community offers you a chance to interact with the Batwa, explore their incredible cultures and traditions.