Best 10 Reasons To Visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga is Uganda’s smallest natinol Park, located in southwestern Uganda covering up to 33.7 square kilometres.
After Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park Mgahinga is the second alternative for gorilla Trekking which can be observed in their habitat. They are only four National parks with Mount gorillas and Mgahinga is the only park in Uganda with mountain gorillas located in Kisoro district in Western Uganda
- Birdwatching
Birdwatching is one of the intresting activities in Mgahinga National Park with about 184 bird species which can be observed in their habitat plus the migrating birds that are only seen in April, May, October, and November,these include; Olive woodpecker, Yellow-vented Bulbul , Black kite , Blue-headed Coucal , Olive pigeon ,Double-collared sunbird.
- Hiking
Hiking is a tiresome intresting adventurous activity on Mountain Mgahinga National Park and good exercise to your body with expectations of viewing of monkeys like the golden monkeys, a beautiful scenery of the thick bamboo, different bird species like Double-collared sunbird and takes about 6 hours to reach the peac and decend.
- Gorilla Trekking
About 300 gorillas are found in mgahinga National Park with Nyakagezi and Hirwa Gorilla families and only one habituated gorilla family that tourists can track. Tracking starts early in the morning guided by a knowledgeable ranger.
- Garama cave
The cave is 3kilometers away four hour drive from the headquarters in Mgahinga National Park where the Batwa people used to live. This was their council chamber they would sort issues from and fight their neighbours, the cave is about 14meters deep and 342meters long but currently inhabited by bats and the Batwa cultural music at the ends
- Golden monkey Trekking
About 40-50 attracting golden monkeys are found in the Park, they are smart and confident, feed on small invertebrates,seasonal fruits, Mgahinga National Park is the only National Park in Uganda where golden monkey tracking is done, the activity starts early in the morning guided by a knowledgeable game ranger.
- Nature walk
A nature walk is an intresting and a must do activity in Mgahinga National Park due to its attracting scenery of Mountain Muhavura, bamboo forest, birding, mountain gaming and mountain Sabyinyo, and a welcoming community of Batwa people with their intresting culture.
- Batwa culture
Batwa people used to live in Mgahinga forest in harmony with the gorillas in Muhavura cave , this experience was put in place by the Batwa people to educate their children and share their heritage and traditions to the world showing how they hunted and how they used traps and defend them selves from enemies this activity is better after a nature walk and hiking through Mgahinga National Park.
Transportation
The Park is accessible by road transport and can take a round 9-10 hour drive from Kampala through Masaka Mbarara road or by air 1:30 hours from Entebbe to Kisoro.
Where to stay in Mgahinga National Park
Luxury hotels
Rushaga gorilla lodge
Mount gahinga safari Lodge
Midrange hotels
Sabyinyo silver back lodge
Mgahinga gorilla triangle Lodge
When to visit
Mgahinga National Park runs through the whole year but the best time to visit is from December to January and from June to August in the dry seasons for better experience of the activities in the Park