Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in the South Western part of Uganda bordering with Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The park protects the endangered mountain gorillas and offers an alternative to gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park. Other prominent primates in the park are golden monkeys. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is comprised of three volcanic peaks; Gahinga, Muhabura and Sabinyo the highest at 4,507m above sea level. These offer amazing hiking excursions.
Wildlife
Mgahinga National Park offers an alternative gorilla trekking destination to Bwindi national park. The Nyakagezi family is the only habituated gorilla family in the park. This offers private gorilla trekking experience since only 8 permits are issued out per day. The park is home to the biggest Silverbacks in Uganda. The golden monkeys are another specie of primates that can be seen in the park. They are endemic to the Albertine rift and are only seen in the Virunga region. White and black colobus monkeys, forest elephants, duiker, bush pigs, side-stripped jackals, buffalo and bushbucks are also present in the park.
Best Time for wildlife viewing.
Though the park is open all year round, the dry months of June-August and December-February are the best for visiting the park. With less rain, the gorillas and golden monkeys are active offering amazing trekking experiences. The trails are dry, making it more comfortable to trek.
Birding
The national park has over 180 bird species, 12 of which are endemic to the Albertine rift. Birding hikes allow you to spot some of these rare species like the Scarlet-tufted malachite. Other migratory species have been seen in the park.
Best Time for Bird Watching
Birding in Mgahinga takes place all year round with April-May and October-November being the best time for birding. With less rain, you get to avoid delays and wet trails which will affect your birding experience. More to that, these birds nest in May and June when there is plenty of food.
Best time to visit the park
All park activities like gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, hiking and birding occur throughout the year. The dry seasons however are the best times to visit the park. In the months of June-August and December-February, the area receives the least amount of rain. The trails are dry and easier to traverse. More to that, the hour spent with the gorillas is more enjoyable when it isn’t raining.
Climate and weather
Mgahinga is one of the Uganda safari destinations with the coldest climate. With its high altitude of 4,127m, the day temperatures average 20°C/68°F and 9°C/48°F in the evening. The months of June-August and December-January receive the least amount of rain. However, the area has no real dry season, showers are always a possibility.
How to get there
The park is 14km from Kisoro town, a short but seasonal road. An allowance of an hour should be allocated if you are to reach the park headquarters in time for your trek. From the capital city Kampala, the distance is 510km (9 hour’s drive). From Queen Elizabeth national park, a 6 hour’s drive will get you there. From Lake Mburo, it’s a 6 hour’s drive. You can use a local flight from Entebbe airport to Kisoro airfield.
