Why visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a commonly asked question by visitors on safari in Uganda. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park currently receives fewer visitors maybe because they don’t know the beauty of the Park. There are many reasons why you need to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is set suitably in southwestern Uganda approximately 9 to 10 hours’ drive depending on the route and features as Uganda’s smallest national park of up to 33.7 sqkm.
It is situated in Kisoro district and features among the 4 national parks where mountain gorillas are found worldwide. These can be viewed while in their natural habitat, so that’s a good reason why you should visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
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In Uganda, it is the second alternative gorilla destination available after Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park for visitors to catch a glimpse at a group of rare mountain gorillas. You can also do gorilla trekking in Rwanda‘s volcanoes National Park which is set suitably in northwestern Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for Gorilla Tracking
Visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and take part in gorilla trekking a unique and premier wildlife safari experience in Africa. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to a section of mountain gorillas that today remain fewer than 1004 in the world. Gorilla tracking Mgahinga National Park is conducted for Nyakagezi gorilla family, the only gorilla group that has been habituated and set for visitor experiences. This gorilla group consists of over 9 members with 2 Silverbacks and it is remarkably, one of the best groups to explore while on a gorilla safari in Uganda.
Track Nyakagezi gorilla family and enjoy thrilling gorilla experiences with no stress of crowds. Compared to Bwindi or Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga National Park takes only 8 visitors per day. Besides, it is an alternative destination for budget gorilla trekking given that visitors enjoy relatively cheaper prices as gorilla permits cost only $700 per person.
Book NowGolden Monkey Tracking in Mgahinga
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to striking golden monkeys a few that today thrive within only the Virunga Conservation Area. This is a reason it is best described as the only place in Uganda “Where Gold meets Silver”. Golden monkey trekking is incredibly one reason why you should visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Golden monkey trekking Mgahinga is unique creatures with golden patch and popular for their jumpy traits-they jump from a tree branch at a faster speed. These creatures co-exist with the rare mountain gorillas thus making Mgahinga National Park a unique primate destination.
Book NowVisit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for Volcano Hiking
Volcano hiking is a good reason why you should visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This park forms part of the Virunga Conservation Area composed of Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda and Virunga National Park in eastern DRC. The three volcanoes that make up the 8 Virunga Mountain ranges are all confined within Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Hikers on Ugandan safari to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park have the opportunity to hike Mount Muhabura (4127 meters), the highest and most challenging volcano to hike. But it rewards travel endeavors with breathtaking views of its scenic crater lake, surrounding areas and many birds. Sabyinyo Volcano (3645 meters) is also popularly described as old man’s teeth and this comes with 3 stunning peaks. And lastly, Mount Gahinga which stands at an altitude of about 3474 meters, taking about 5 to 6 hours to and fro, for a complete hike.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park boasts of its distinct vegetation zones that comprise of the bamboo zones which covers about 60 percent of this protected area and comes with subalpine zone, moorland and afro-montane belt.
Book NowBatwa Trail and Community Tour
The Batwa experience is another good reason to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and it’s an encounter best conducted in Mgahinga along the Batwa cultural trail. The trail allows you to interact with the Batwa, the renowned forest dwellers who are believed to have lived in the forest for about 500,000 years ago. They left without any negative impact on the environment and today they are the marginalized group around Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The Batwa experience gets you a chance to learn more about the Batwa pygmies, their traditions, cultures, and lifestyles.
Birding is the other reason to visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park because it is one of the 10 major important birding areas in Uganda. The park offers refuge to more than 115 bird species including migratory birds which are spotted in the months of April, May, October and November.
The birds to sight while on a birding tour in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include the white necked raven, Double-collared sunbird, waxbills, alpine and Blue-headed Coucal. Others include Archer’s Robi-chat, Yellow-vented bulbul, pin-talled whydah, black kite, paradise flycatcher, ibis, speckled mouse birds, grey capped warbler, Olive pigeon, Olive woodpecker, kivu ground thrush, blue-headed coucal and Rwenzori night jar.
In conclusion, there are many reasons why you should pay a visit to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park on your coming holiday. It’s the only place in Uganda where “Gold meets Silver”, that is, a home to the Silverback Gorillas and Golden Monkeys.
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