What To Expect On A Gorilla Trek In Mgahinga National Park: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a great destination to visit for gorilla trekking which is one of the top activities to do during your Uganda safari visit, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is located in Southwestern region of Uganda and is among the Virunga Conservation Area stretching around the Virunga Volcanoes together with Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in DR.Congo which are also gorilla safari destinations.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest national Park in Uganda comprising of 3 volcanoes namely Mount Gahinga, Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Muhabura. The park is a tropical rainforest comprising of lowland equatorial evergreen forest, tropical seasonal forest, montane rainforest and mountain bamboo.
Are planning to visit Uganda to gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, you should be prepared for a weather change, the terrain is often steep and through areas where there are no marked paths.
Highlights of What to Expect on a Gorilla Trek in Mgahinga National Park
- Expect to step into mud on the rainy day
- Expect to along trek and hike, you will need to be fit enough to trek gorillas
- Expect rain showers especially during the rainy season, this means you need to include a rain coat in your packing list
- Expect to follow the set rules and regulations during the gorilla trek
- During the gorilla trek, expect to be escorted and guarded by well – armed ranger guides with guns, the rangers are intended to keep you safe in the forest against strangers and wild animals
- Expect an off the path experience, at some points you will need to make away off the usual walking trail.
Gorilla trekking Experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has one gorilla family open for gorilla trekking and is called Nyakagezi Gorilla Group, to track this gorilla family you have to book your trek in advance with a trustworthy tour operator so as not to miss out on the only permits for trekking in Mgahinga on a daily purposes.
Gorilla permits in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park cost 700 USD for Non-Foreigners, 600 USD for foreign residents and 250,000 Uganda shillings for East African Residents.
Other things to do in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offer other exciting safari activities to do on a Uganda safari and these include
Batwa Cultural Trail Experience
This cultural experience is done in the Mgahinga Batwa Cultural trail and on this trail you will be escorted by a guide – one of the Batwa guides who will give you an opportunity to learn about traditional forest life of the Batwa in Mgahinga Forest which is historically the home for the Batwa – pygmy. You will be entertained by local dances and drama, learn making traditional fire, demonstration of hunting skills among others.
Nature walk in Gahinga Forest
Nature walk in the Mgahinga Forest is an exciting activity to do after gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, this walk gives you an opportunity to learn more about tree species and wildlife in forest.
Village walk around Kisoro
Village walk around Kisoro are done around the local communities offering you a visit to the local markets and getting a deeper insight in the day to day life of the local people in Kisoro, you will also engage with the local Bafumbira and Bakiga tribes, their daily lifestyle, enjoy traditional cultural dances, local food and local arts.
Golden Monkey Tracking
Golden monkey tracking in another exciting primate activity to do in Mgahinga gorilla national park, Mgahinga is only place in Uganda where golden monkey tracking can be done. This activity starts early in the morning with briefing at the park’s headquarters conducted by a ranger who takes you through the rules and regulations to follow.
The playful golden monkeys in Mgahinga are easily found in the bamboo vegetation and they are seen playing on branches, picking fruits and feeding. Golden monkey permits can be purchased at the park’s headquarters at the Uganda Wildlife Authority office.
Birding
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a great birding destination with over 250 bird species including 115 species only found in Mgahinga and some of the species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift Mountains.
Bird species spotted on birding activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include White-necked raven, Black kite, Pin-tailed whydah, Double-collared sunbird, Speckled mouse bird, Paradise flycatcher, Ibis, Whydah, Speckled Mouse birds, Fire Finch Stonechat, Grey Capped Warbler, Waxbills, Yellow-Vented Bulbul. Alpine chat, Alpine, Archer’s robin-chat, Blue-headed coucal, Dusky crimson wing, Kivu ground-thrush, Olive pigeon, Olive woodpecker, Ruwenzori batis, Ruwenzori nightjar, Ruwenzori turaco
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