Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is in a national park in Western Uganda and the nearest town is 🌍 Kisoro. It is one of the only four national parks that protect the mountain gorillas. It lies within the Great Virunga Conservation Area that also extends to Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and the Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Understand
Get in
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can perhaps be most easily accessed via Kisoro via a very poorly-maintained dirt road. Boda-bodas and high-clearance four-wheel drives are perhaps the only vehicles that can reliably pass even during the dry season. A boda-boda from Kisoro into either park entrance (Muhavura or the main entrance) will cost around USh15,000 as of June 2014 and will take about an hour.
Flights to the near by Kisoro Airstrip connect the park the Entebbe International Airport on a daily basis and can be booked through Savannah Wings.
Fees and permits
Gorilla Tracking Permit - FRN($)700 - FR($)600 - EAC(UGX)250000
Golden Monkey Tracking - FRN($)90 - FR($)90 - EAC(UGX)40000
Batwa Trail Experience - FRN($)80 - FR($)80 - EAC(UGX)50000
George Walk - FRN($)30 - FR($)15 - EAC(UGX)15000
Volcano Climbing - FRN($)80 - FR($)70 - EAC(UGX)50000
Painting & Art Work - FRN($)10 - FR($)10 - EAC(UGX)20000
Mgahinga Platform Viewing Experience - FRN($)10 - FR($)10 - EAC(UGX)10000
Guided Short Nature Walks For Children - FRN($)5 - FR($)5 - EAC(UGX)10000
Children Scouts Adventureous Activities - FRN($)10 - FR($)10 - EAC(UGX)20000
Do
- Volcano hiking: 🌍 Mount Sabinyo, 🌍 Mount Gahinga, and 🌍 Mount Muhavura (Muhabura) can all be climbed in the park. Guide and guard are mandatory but included in the price, though tipping appears to be customary. Each climb takes approximately 6-8 hours, depending on personal fitness level and trail conditions. Prices as of January 2014 were US$60, though this may vary according to how the trek was booked. "Wellington boots" (rubber boots) can be rented for about USh10,000 and porters for about US$15. The start point for Muhavura is at a different park entrance than that of Sabinyo and Gahinga.
- Gorilla Tracking: Mountain gorillas can be tracked in the park. Prices are steep for foreign non-residents but cheaper than in neighbouring Rwanda.
- Golden Monkey Tracking: Golden monkeys are a species of monkey essentially unique to the Virunga mountains. Substantially cheaper than mountain gorilla tracking.
- Birding
Sleep
- Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp (At the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park's main entrance), ☏ +256 774 954 956. The only budget place right at the entrance (other option being Volcanoes Safaris at US$200) brings money back to the community by offering cute bandas & camping, all in view of three of the Virungas. Easy on the pocket (as of Dec 2013: $8/night dorms, $30/night single self-contained banda), excellent location.
Lodging
- Mgahinga Safari Lodge. On Lake Mutare between Kisoro and Nkuringo and makes a good base for tracking gorillas in the latter location. It is a fair distance from Mgahinga National Park, but they can arrange safaris. It is on a peninsula out in the stunningly beautiful lake, with the Virunga Mountains as another dramatic vista. Great value for money, good food by Ugandan standards, clean, good staff, etc., but you may be competing for space with packaged tours that use the property.