Top Activities in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is situated in the town of Kisoro, surrounded by the majesty of three Virunga Volcanoes. The Park is appropriately referred to as the location where “Gold meets Silver” since it is a concoction of rain and bamboo woods, golden monkeys, and silverbacks. Road or plane travel is available to reach the park from Entebbe to the Kisoro airfield. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is bounded by Rwanda to the south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. It silently invites you to venture beyond these limits. Its position is also ideal for anyone who want to drive there from Rwanda or return there after visiting the Park. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park provides a mesmerising fusion of wildlife, natural beauty, and cultural encounters.
The top activities carried out in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include the following:
Gorilla Trekking
Gorilla trekking is a must-do activity while visiting Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is home to some of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. Starting at around 8 a.m., the walk lasts between two and four hours, depending largely on where the gorillas are and how far they have to travel in quest of food. We’ve selected a few rules to bear in mind before gorilla trekking, but there are more that you will learn about during orientation.
During gorilla trekking, all waste needs to be buried 30 cm deep if you need to relieve yourself. It is recommended that flash photography be avoided and that hikers be at least 15 years old. A maximum of 8 people are permitted per trekking party. One silverback out of the five members of the park’s one family of gorillas may be your reward for making the walk, depending on how far the primates travelled. This should serve as a reminder that while trekking offers the possibility of encountering gorillas, there is no assurance that you will.
Birding in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to approximately 180 different bird species, including the Dusky Turtle Dove, Cape Robin-chat, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Bronze Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill and Streaky Seedeater, Handsome Francolin, Kivu Ground Thrush and Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, White-Starred Robin, Greater Double-collard Sunbird, Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori Batis, Shelly’s Dusky Crimsonwing, Archer’s Robin-Chat, Olive Pigeon, and Black-headed Waxbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, Malachite Sunbird, Cape Robin, White-starred Robin, Brown Woodland Warbler, Striped-breasted Tit, Malachite and Scarlet-tufted Sunbirds. You can go birdwatching in this park year-round. Particularly along the Gorge Trail, you will find a comprehensive list of the endemic species of the Albertine Rift.
Golden Monkey Tracking
By trekking golden monkeys at the same time as gorillas, you can accomplish two goals at once. Because golden monkeys are small and swift, walking with them is a fairly active experience. Each session of the activity lasts roughly four hours, during which time you can watch and photograph the primates before returning to your lodge or camp. There are roughly six members of this habituated family of monkeys, and as a result of their habituation process, they have become less wary of humans and more tolerant of their refuge. You may follow the same path through the bamboo forest that the monkeys use to locate fresh bamboo branches.
Hiking and Mountain climbing in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
There’s something that your eyes won’t overlook in the scenery of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park; Three full volcanoes, of course! They are a part of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda’s Virunga Ranges. Every moniker assigned to these mountains has a literal translation: Sabinyo translates to “old man’s teeth,” Gahinga to “pile of stones,” and Muhavura to “guide.” With the benefit of being able to view the other Virunga Mountains from its summit, Mount Muhavura is the tallest of all of them. Given that it leads to the remaining mountains in the ranges, it is appropriately referred to as the guide. It is visible as far away as Kisoro town.
When Mount Sabinyo reaches its peak, you are simultaneously situated in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, making it a gateway to both countries from within Uganda. The dense undergrowth on the route to Sabinyo’s peak can be lessened by wearing adequate waterproof hiking footwear. On the other hand, ascending Mount Gahinga necessitates hiking through a bamboo forest. If you are in good physical condition, you can climb all three of these mountains to their summits in a single day.
Batwa Experience Trail in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Hunter-gatherers known as the Batwa, or African pygmies, lived and flourished in these forests and mountains prior to the region that is now Mgahinga Gorilla National Park being designated as a gorilla national park. Some of them were eventually relocated, but they continue to work as porters and guides in the tourism sector by living close to the park. They will be glad to get a gratuity for their guiding services, and they are also entitled to a share of the tourism earnings. An activity that walks you through their history and changes throughout time is called a Batwa trail experience. A nice location to start is the Garama Cave.