Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits high in the clouds, at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m.
As its name suggests, it was created to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey.
As well as being important for wildlife, the park also has a huge cultural significance, in particular for the indigenous Batwa pygmies.
This tribe of hunter-gatherers was the forest’s “first people”, and their ancient knowledge of its secrets remains unrivalled.
Mgahinga’s most striking features are its three conical, extinct volcanoes, part of the spectacular Virunga Range that lies along the border region of Uganda, Congo and Rwanda.
Mgahinga forms part of the much larger Virunga Conservation Area which includes adjacent parks in these countries.
The volcanoes’ slopes contain various ecosystems and are biologically diverse, and their peaks provide a striking backdrop to this gorgeous scenery.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits high in the clouds, at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m.
As its name suggests, it was created to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey.
History
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park which has one habituated trans-boundary gorilla group was declared a game sanctuary by the British administration in 1930; it was gazetted as a National Park in 1991.
Geography and climate
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has three volcanoes, which are part of the Virunga volcanic range in East Central Africa, expanding to the Albertine Rift on the Rwanda, DRC and Uganda border, north and north east of Lake Kivu.
The three volcanoes in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are thought to have arisen in the early to mid-Pleistocene era, and to have formed through a deposition of layers of ash and cinders from successive lava flows.
Sabyinyo is believed to be the oldest volcano, followed by Gahinga, which is younger, and with a swamp crater of about 180m diameter at the summit.
Muhabura is believed to be the youngest volcano.
It is cone-shaped with a small crater lake approximately 36m in diameter at its summit. There are numerous caves on the slopes of the mountains, caused by lava tubes.
Because of its protective vegetation cover, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is an important water catchment area.
Apart from the numerous streams flowing northwards from the mountains, there is a crater lake on Mt Muhabura and a swamp crater on Mt Gahinga summit.
There are also swamps in the saddles between the three volcanoes that retain water all year round, while the plains at the foot of the volcanoes are characterised by deep volcanic ash, and run-off from the mountains rapidly disappears underground.
Biodiversity
In Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, there have been 39 mammal species recorded, although it is believed that up to 89 do occur in the park.
The larger mammals include the mountain gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei), elephant (Loxondataafricana) and buffalo (Synceruscaffer).
There is also the rare golden monkey (Cercophithecus mitis kandti) known only to occur in the Virungas and two other forests in Central Africa, also recorded is the blue monkey.
Other mammals include; the spotted hyena (Crucutacrocuta), the golden cat (Felis (Profelis) aurata), leopard (Pantherapardus), serval cat (Felis (Leptculurus) serval), side-striped jackal (Canisadustus), giant forest hog (Hylocheorusmeinertzhageni), black-fronted duiker (Caphalophusnigrifrons), and bushbuck (Tragelaphusscriptus).
The park provides haven to about 79 bird species, including several endemic to the East Congo Montane region.
A total of 185 bird species have been recorded in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, and most are likely to occur in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is an afromontane forest, covering the smallest area as a vegetation type on the continent.
The vegetation in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park consists of woodland, and only a small area of pure montane forest still remains at the base of Mt Muhabura following encroachment in the 1950s.
Above the montane forest belt is the bamboo zone that stretches from the western boundary on Sabyinyo to the lower slopes of Muhabura.
The Hagenia-Hypericum zone appears above the bamboo zone on Mt. Sabyinyo and below it on Gahinga.
The Afro-Alpine Belt, characterised by giant Senecio and Lobelia species, occurs above the Ericacious Belt and reaches its maximum development on Mt. Muhabura.
Park at a Glance
Size: 33.7km2, making it Uganda’s smallest National Park.
The park takes its name from “Gahinga” – the local word for the piles of volcanic stones cleared from farmland at the foot of the volcanoes.
The British administration declared the area a game sanctuary in 1930; it was gazetted as a National Park in 1991.
Mgahinga has one habituated trans-boundary gorilla group.
The Batwa were self-sufficient – and visitors can see how during a fascinating tour with a Batwa guide to learn the secrets of the forest.
ACTIVITIES OF THE PARK
Birding in Mgahinga Gorilla
The best birding in Mgahinga also takes in some of its most beautiful scenery – in the gorge between Mts Gahinga and Sabinyo, through the bamboo forest, and in the montane forest, where the beautiful Rwenzori Turaco may be observed.
Cultural Encounters in Mgahinga Gorilla
The Batwa Trail
For generations, Mgahinga’s dense forests were home to the indigenous Batwa – hunter-gatherers and fierce warriors who depended on the forest for shelter, food and medicine.
Now they lead visitors through the forests and introduce them to their old home – and the techniques they used to survive in it.
When the national park was established the Batwa were evicted from the forest and abandoned their low-impact, nomadic lifestyle.
The only time they are permitted to re-enter their cherished forest is as tour guides on the Batwa Trail, on which visitors will discover the magic of the Batwa’s ancient home while enjoying nature walks and learning about the cultural heritage.
The Batwa demonstrate hunting techniques, gather honey, point out medicinal plants and demonstrate how to make bamboo cups.
Guests are invited to the sacred Garama Cave, once a refuge for the Batwa, where the women of the community perform a sorrowful song which echoes eerily around the depths of the dark cave, and leaves guests with a moving sense of the richness of this fading culture.
Part of the tour fee goes directly to the guides and musicians and the rest goes to the Batwa community fund to cover school fees and books, and improve their livelihoods.
Gorilla Trekking Safaris & Tours in Mgahinga Gorilla
Mgahinga Gorilla national park is located in the southwestern Uganda on the border with Congo and Rwanda.
Covering an area of about 33.7 sq kilometers, the park is a habitat for man’s closest, the mountain gorillas which roam about the whole forest in search for food.
This park is one of the few places in the world where the endangered mountain gorillas live and it attracts people from different countries to come on Uganda Gorilla Safari.
There is no doubt that Mgahinga Gorilla national park is one of the leading tourism sites in Uganda since it harbors these rare primates.
One may wonder why gorilla Safari should be done in Mgahinga and not other places but the secret behind it is that this park has a thick rain forest with a wide variety of tree species and gorillas are known to be vegetarians.
There is enough food for them in the park and this is the reason why some even migrate from Congo and Rwanda to this place.
Though not in large numbers, gorillas of Mgahinga are easily seen in their natural habitats and this makes tracking more easy compared to other parks.
Hiking and Nature Walks in Mgahinga Gorilla
Hiking around the foothills of the Virunga Volcanoes gives visitors the chance to spot forest birds, the Rugezi Swamp, wild vegetation, bamboo forests and glorious views of the surrounding lakes and agricultural villages.
Mountain/Volcano Climbing in Mgahinga Gorilla
All three volcanoes in this park can be summited, taking a full day each. Views from the peaks are well worth the effort – taking in Rwanda, DR Congo, the Virungas, the Ruwenzori’s, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Lake Edward.
ACCESSIBITILITY
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is 510km from Kampala; the most commonly used route passes through Kabale and Kisoro.
The 434km journey from Kampala to Kabale can be completed in 8 hours on good tarmac. It is then a further 76km to Kisoro town on a mountainous tarmac road with steep ascents and descents.
An attractive, alternative route leaves the main road at Kabale and follows the shoreline of the superbly scenic Lake Bunyonyi to rejoin the Kabale-Kisoro main road at its halfway point at Muko.
Ntebeko, the main entrance to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is 14km from Kisoro at the end of a dirt road with some steep and rocky sections.
Mgahinga can be reached from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. From Bwindi’s southern gorilla tracking trail heads at Nkuringo and Rushaga, Kisoro lies 28km south and Mgahinga 14km beyond.
Mgahinga is almost four hours drive from the main trail head at Buhoma. Dirt roads from Buhoma pass the Ruhija trail head to join the Kabale-Kisoro tarmac road (see above).
Mgahinga can also be reached by air using the daily flights from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro airfield.
Or from Kigali via the Cyanika border you can reach the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for your gorilla safari, golden monkey tracking and experience, birding tours, hiking mount Gahinga among other activities can be encountered in this park