Tracking Mountain Gorillas Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Besides Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga National Park Uganda’s portion of the Virunga Volcanoes is also a home of the endangered mountain gorillas. These great cousins live in thick forests in mountains; mountain gorillas have thick fur than any other primate on the planet. Their thick fur helps them to survive in their habitats-their thick fur provides them warmth.

Mgahinga area is characterized by two rainfall seasons (March to April and September to December) and two dry seasons (January to February and May to August).

Watching mountain gorillas in Mgahinga National Park is so much better than watching them in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, at Bwindi these great Apes hide in thick montane forests while at Mgahinga National Park they stay in Bamboo forests-giving you a great opportunity of watching and photography.

Reasons to trek mountain gorillas at Mgahinga National Park

In Mgahinga National Park there is one gorilla family called Nyakagezi gorilla group, the group has 9 individuals, 4 silverbacks, 2 female adults, 1 juvenile and 2 infant. Mountain gorillas are mobile animals, usually tracking them is quite tiresome –trekking these giant cousins requires someone who is physically fit. This group has the biggest home range within the landscape, the group moves from mountain ranges of Muhavura to Sabinyo and crosses the border up to volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Trekking mountain gorillas at Mgahinga National Park is one hour you are allowed to stay with the habituated gorilla family for only one hour.

Other activities at Mgahinga National Park

Golden monkey tracking

Mgahinga National Park is the only park in Uganda where you can track golden monkeys; this monkey is a beautiful monkey with high rufous-red on the back, cheeks and tail. The monkey has black legs, crown and tip of the tail, pale patch around the nose and mouth. Golden monkeys live in groups of between 30-60 individuals; each group is led by one adult male. The endangered species flourish in the bamboo forest of the Virunga Volcanoes mountain range. Please contact Adyeri Creations for your remarkable safaris in Uganda.

Mountain Hiking

Mgahinga National Park is also a good place for hiking you can choose on which mountain to hike, there are three mountains namely Mount Sabinyo (3,645 m), Mount Gahimga (3474m) and Mount Muhavura (4127 m). At mount Sabinyo you are able to see scenic Sabinyo gorge, the walk at Sabinyo gorge takes you through the forest in the park.

On your walk in the forest you will be able to see animals like Elephants, Oribi, Defassa Waterbuck, Buffaloes, Golden monkeys and more than 110 bird species recorded.

Where to stay

·         Mount Gahinga Lodge (luxury)

·         Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp (budget)