Guide to gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park

Guide to gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park; Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park is an exceptional and one of the major activities where travelers will be able to move on foot into the tropical rainforest in search of the habituated gorilla families and once found spend one hour with them in their natural environment. Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in south western part of Uganda in Kisoro district bordering with Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga national park in Congo. Apart from Mgahinga gorilla national park, gorilla trekking is also done in Bwindi impenetrable national park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Virunga national park and Kahuzi Biega national park in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mgahinga gorilla national park is a home of over 80 mountain gorillas with only one habituated gorilla family called Nyakagezi which is available for trekking on a daily basis. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park starts very early in the morning at around 8:00am with a briefing about the rules and regulations to follow during trekking. After the briefing, you will start trekking in the forest with an experienced park guide and armed park rangers which takes about 2 hours to 6 hours depending on where the mountain gorillas are located because they like to move from one place to another in search of food. During trekking, you will be able to view other wildlife species and once the mountain gorillas are located, you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat where you will be able to learn more about their behaviors, habits, watch them feed, breastfeed, groom young ones, take photos and record the beautiful moments to show people back home.

Best time to go for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park can be done anytime throughout the year though the best time is during the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season, there is less rainfall in the national park therefore gorilla trekking trails will be passable which makes trekking easy compared to the rainy season when the trekking trails are muddy and slippery which makes trekking challenging.

Cost of a gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park

A gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park costs 700 USD per person for foreign non residents, 600 USD per person for foreign residents and 250,000 UGX per person for East African citizens.

How to book a gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park

A gorilla trekking permit in Mgahinga gorilla national park can be booked through a trusted tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris where you will contact us with your preferred date, month and year when you wish to visit the mountain gorillas. After contacting us we will check for permit availably and if there are permits available, you will be asked to make a deposit for the permit. Once the payment has been made, we will acquire the permit on your behalf and send you a scanned copy of the receipt as confirmation.

Gorilla trekking permits in Mgahinga gorilla national park should however be booked 3 to 6 months in advance before the trekking date because they are few and usually get sold out quickly especially during the peak in the months of June to September and December to February therefore in order to avoid last minute disappointments, you are advised to book in advance.

What to pack or carry for your gorilla trekking safari in Mghainga gorilla national park

Travelers going on a gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga gorilla national park should pack or carry different items including insect relent, garden gloves, hiking boots, long sleeved shirt and trouser, water proof rain jacket, warm sweater, camera and extra batteries, a pair of binoculars, walking stick, long socks, a hat, back pack, face mask among others.

Guide to gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park
Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking

Where to stay in Mgahinga gorilla national park

There are several accommodation facilities in Mgahinga gorilla national park where you can stay during your gorilla trekking safari. The accommodations range from budget, midrange and luxury including Mount Gahinga Lodge, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Mutanda Lake Resort, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Mgahinga Gorilla Triangle Lodge, Lake Chahafi Resort, Bwindi Jungle Lodge, Mucha Hotel, Mubano Hotel, Kisoro Travelers Hotel, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, Mt Muhabura Climbers Rest Camp, Ntebeko Homestay among others.

How to get to Mgahinga gorilla national park

Mgahinga gorilla national park is located in southwestern part of Uganda and can be accessed by air transport means where visitors will book scheduled or charter flights with Aero link Uganda or Bar Aviation from Entebbe international airport to Kisoro airstrip and then connect to the park headquarters by road, Guide to gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park

Mgahinga gorilla national park can also be accessed by road transport means where you will drive from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and then to the park headquarters which takes about 9 to 10 hours’ drive.

You can as well access Mgahinga gorilla national park from Kigali Rwanda where you will fly to Kigali international airport and then connect to the park headquarters via Cyanika border in Kisoro or Katuna border in Kabale which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.

Other activities in Mgahinga gorilla national park

Mgahinga gorilla national park offers other interesting activities that travelers can engage in apart from gorilla trekking including golden monkey trekking, mountain climbing where you will climb the three volcanic mountains that is Mount Sabinyo, Mount Muhabura and Mount Gahinga, bird watching, Batwa trail experience where you will be able to interact with the Batwa people who used to live in the forest, guided nature walks among others.

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga gorilla national park is an interesting and extraordinary activity that can be combined with other activities in Kibale forest national park such as chimpanzee trekking, chimpanzee habituation experience, bird watching, nature walks among others. You can contact us at Achieve Global Safaris for more information and package booking.

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