Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda / Mum And Dad Uganda Tours
Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda ,The park is located in the south west in the district of Kisoro covering an area of around 33.7km2. The park borders Uganda with Congo in the west and Rwanda in the south.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one of the leading tourist sites in Uganda a home to the unique attractive primates. Given the size of the park, makes it one of the smallest national parks in Uganda. The name Mgahinga was drafted from the local word known as “GAHINGA” which means the piles of volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the foot of the volcanoes.
The Ecological system of Mgahinga gorilla National Park
Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda ,The park boasts over 76 mammals which include elephants, giant forest hog, bush pigs, bush backs, buffaloes, leopards among others and various primate species such as golden monkeys, chimpanzee, mountain gorillas among others.
Mgahinga National Park has got lush vegetation species including bamboo forest, Rwenzori-Virunga Montane Moorland, Albertine Rift Montane Forest, Alpine Zone to mention but a few. its bird check list is over 180 species hence an ideal spot for the birdwatchers
Three volcanoes dominate Mgahinga National Park and these include Muhabura at an altitude of 4127m, Mountain Gahinga 3474m and Sabyinyo Volcano at 3669m. Sabyinyo and Muhabura their hikes take about 8hours to have round trek because of the park’s high altitude such a good spot for the nature lovers.
Activities offered at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga gorilla national park offers numerous activities to tourist namely gorilla trekking, primate viewing, community tours, bird watching among others as analyzed below.
Gorilla trekking
Gorilla trekking is ranked as the popular activity carried out at this stunning National Park it involves hiking through dense forest to observe and interact with gorilla in their natural habitat.
During this adventure expect to sight at numerous bird species, mammals as well as sighting at the lush vegetation species.
Batwa Trail Experience
This activity grant’s chance to guests to experience the Batwa traditional culture expect to see these people show casing their ways of collecting wild honey, hunting techniques, bivouac building, food gathering skills.
Also, Batwa community perform their traditional dance and songs to visitors as well as they teach how to make fire without using match box hence a unique experience.
Primate Viewing
This activity rewards opportunity to clients to see different primate species in their natural habitat namely the golden monkeys, blue monkeys black and white colobus tracking always starts from Ntebeko Mgahinga Gorilla National Park headquarters.
Also, during primate viewing there are high chances of tourists to encounter different mammal species like elephants, buffalo, giant forest hog among others as well as spotting different bird species like Rwenzori Turaco, handsome francolins, doves, black kite, dusky crimson wing, moorland chat, Regal sun birds, Rwenzori apalis among others.
Mountain Hike
Guests are given chance to make choice to hike any of the three volcanic peaks namely Sabinyo, Muhavura and Gahinga, during the hike visitors are to come cross the bamboo forest which is a home to different wildlife species like duikers, cape buffalo, elephant’s bushbuck, giant forest hog, rodents luckily enough tourists will see golden monkeys swinging in the tree species playing.
The best time to visit Mgahinga National Park
The best time to visit this park it is during the dry season which runs between June to August and from December to February, for easy trekking and other outdoor activities, However it can also be visited in the rainy season that typically happens in the months of March to May and September to November
In conclusion
Mgahinga National Park offers a powerful and intimate wildlife experience highlighted by opportunities to see mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, bird species, mammals in a breathtaking landscape dominated by the three volcanoes, making it ideal for those seeking an authentic adventure in the wilderness.