Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Introduction
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is found in Kisoro in the extreme Southwestern Uganda. It is the smallest of the 10 parks in Uganda covering only 33.7sq.kms. It has existed since 1991 when it was established to shelter some of the endangered mountain gorillas. This makes it one of the 4 parks where mountain gorillas thrive. The other 3 include the Virunga National Park in DRC, Volcanoes National Park Rwanda and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Southwestern Uganda.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park takes its name from Gahinga Volcano. It is a scenic park with 3 Virunga Volcanoes and the other 2 include Muhabura (4127m) and Sabyinyo (3634m). This park only has Nyakagezi gorilla family set for gorilla trekking. Originally, this gorilla family group used to roam between Rwanda and the DR Congo then permanently settled in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Locate the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
How to get there & Best time to visit
How to get there
The gateway town to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Kisoro. It is around 500km/300mi southwest of the capital Kampala or nearby Entebbe, along a good surfaced road that takes at least 9 hours* to drive. This trip can be broken at Lake Mburo National Park, which is roughly halfway between Kampala/Entebbe and Kisoro.
Ntebeko Gate, the main springboard for activities in Mgahinga, lies 14km/9mi from Kisoro along a rough ascent road that takes up to an hour* to cover. Depending on the current location of the habituated group, gorilla trekking excursions may leave from Muhabura Gate, which is 10km/6mi from Kisoro along a different but equally poor road. A high-clearance 4WD vehicle is strongly recommended for either route. Check the current departure point at the national park office in Kisoro. AeroLink offers daily morning flights to Kisoro.
Best time to visit
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is open for gorilla trekking the whole year, but the best times are during the drier seasons from June to August and December to January. At these times the trails tend to be easier to navigate and spending a precious hour with the gorillas might be more pleasant when it isn’t raining.
The climate in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park ranges from mild to cold and wet. The high altitude (2,227m to 4,127m/7,306ft to 13,540ft) makes this one of the coldest destinations in Uganda. On average, temperatures peak at 17°C/63°F during the day, and drop significantly in the evening (9°C/48°F).
Rain is always possible in Mgahinga. However, it is relatively unlikely in June, July and August, which are the driest months. The other months are all quite wet. Rainfall is highest from March to mid-May and over September to November. To be safe, visitors to Mgahinga are advised to pack decent hiking shoes and waterproof clothing at all times of year.