Gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga gorilla national park is one of the ten national parks in Uganda that harbors endangered mountain gorillas. Mgahainag gorilla national park is located in southwestern Uganda in the district of Kisoro and the park borders the Congos Virunga National park as well as the volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. These three park forms the park of the great Virunga Massif. Mgahinga National park is the smallest of all the above national parks and it was established as a national park in the year 1991 and the major aim of this was to make sure that the park conserve and protect the endangered mountain gorillas.
Actually, Mgahainag national park is also one of the smallest national parks in Uganda but very much significant because the area is the gorilla zone and still it is where you will find the golden monkeys together staying with the endangered mountain gorillas. This means that only in Uganda, gorilla trekking and golden Monkey trekking can only be done in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Visitors thus, take this opportunity to go to Mgahainag forests and see properly the endangered mountain gorillas. gorilla trekking as well can be done in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and as the matter of fact, Bwindi has more gorillas than any other gorilla park in the whole world and this in case you miss the opportunity of trekking the gorillas in Mgahinga National Park, you can still do this great activity in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National park
The activity of Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga
Gorilla trekking is an activity that is done in Mgahinga National Park and at the moment, there is only one habituated gorilla family in Mgahainag Gorilla National park and this gorilla family is known as the Nyakagezi gorilla family which can be trekked and seen within the forests. All the visitors who are interstate in seeing this great gorilla family will have to go through briefing which is actually done at Ntebeko park headwater’s in order to equip you with the instructions of how to track the gorilla that you have found within their wildness. The activity of the gorilla trekking commences early in the morning with you driving to the headquarters for briefing and therefore after the briefing, you will be
led by the ranger guide, researchers, and the armed ranger and start moving to the forest to look for the endangered mountain gorillas family. The gorilla trekking activity might be somehow tiresome and long and thus you will need to have extra preparation in order to successfully do this wonderful activity. Get ready to spend between 2 to seven hours in the forest trekking for the endangered gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
However once you have seen the gorillas that you’re looking for in the wildness, you will be able to spend only one hour seeing the gorilla family as you maintain the social distance of about seven meters. Within this one hour, you will learn the feeding habitat of the gorillas, the breeding habits, as you take more pictures and record small videos. Remember to keep your flashlight off while you’re taking the gorilla because the camera with the flashlight might disturb the peace of the gorillas.
Once you have seen the gorillas for the one hour, you will again trek back to the Ntebeko park headquarters where you have started the gorilla trekking safari and it is here that you will be handed a certificate showing that you have successfully finished the activity and that your efforts are important in contributing to the conservation efforts.
It is important to note that you cannot trek the gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National park without the gorilla trekking permit. This permit can be booked through the Uganda wildlife Authority or you can book the gorilla trekking permit through the prominent tours and travel agents whom you have decided to use and this is very much interesting. In case you want to book the gorilla trekking permit to see gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National park, you informed that the single gorilla trekking permit costs $700 per person per trek for the foreign nonresidents, and $600 for the foreign residents and this price is fair and cheap compared to Rwanda that offers the same gorilla trekking safari.
Lodges for accommodation in Mgahinga Gorilla National park
Since Mgahinga is the famous and the known destination for the gorillas, the park offers the visitors with different accommodation facilities that range from budget, midrange, and then to luxury accommodation lodges. Some of the lodges around Mgahainag include the Mt Muhabura Climber Resort, Mgahinga Community Camp, Virunga hotel, Travelers rest house, Amajambere Iwacu Camp, Virunga Hotel, and several lodges that are available to offer the visitors with the best accommodation facilities and they provide started facilities including the restaurants, the en-suite bathrooms, comfortable bed among others. Just contact us and we shall book for you the best lodges according to your budget.
Packing list for Mgahainag Gorilla National Park
As I have said, you need adequate preparation in order to have a successful gorilla trekking safari in Mgahainag Gorilla National Park and thus if you preparing to come to Uganda particular in Mgahinga National park to trek and see the gorillas, you will need to pack items such as the hiking shoes, the backpack, insect repellants, you need the long-sleeved shirts and the waterproof jackets, garden gloves, long stockings poncho among other materials and items that you really see are crucial for your gorilla trekking safari.
When to see the gorilla in Mgahinga Gorilla Park.
Seeing the gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National park can happen any time of the year and every month because the park is accessible and can be seen all the time of the day. However, the ideal or perfect conditions for gorilla trekking come in the dry season that happens in June to September and December to February. These conditions offer visitors a chance to see the gorilla without being interrupted because the road is in good condition and there are no incidences of rain fall that are likely to harbor the activity. Trekking the Mgahinga gorillas is a wonderful adventure that you shouldn’t miss when on a primate safari in Uganda.
