Road and air transportation are currently the only available means to get to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for gorilla trekking. By road, visitors to Mgahinga can begin their journey from virtually anywhere, including major cities such as Kampala and Kigali. Also, the journey can start from other nearby national parks like Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Impenetrable, Kibale, Lake Mburo, and Volcanoes, etc.
Traveling from Kampala to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the southwest of Uganda covers a distance of 498.7 kilometers. From Kigali in Rwanda, the distance is approximately 132.5 kilometers. This journey, however, requires passing through the Kyanika border crossing. This is necessary for clearances of your immigration documentation. Once you arrive at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, you will pass through the entrance at Ntebeko.
Traveling by air offers a faster mode of transportation to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Only domestic flights are available to Mgahinga and start from Entebbe International Airport daily. All flights are operated by AeroLink Uganda, and in the case of Mgahinga, they fly to Kisoro Airstrip. It takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes to fly there. Once you arrive at the airstrip, reaching Mgahinga National Park is done by road, taking less than an hour.
Cars to use?
At Monteero Safaris, we encourage you to navigate the rugged terrain toward Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in a 4X4 Toyota Land Cruiser. This vehicle offers comfort and safe travel on hilly or challenging roads. But our fleets offer a variety of reliable vehicles that can take you to Mgahinga National Park safely. Among the vehicles are our safari vans, Mitsubishi Pajero, double-cabin pickups, and others.
We also pride ourselves on having some of the best seasoned drivers in the region. Each of them has extensive experience in navigating diverse landscapes. Their deep understanding of the terrain at Mgahinga makes the journey safe and enjoyable for everyone. They also possess extensive knowledge of the natural wonders at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and beyond. This makes the travel experience very enriching and fun.
When to travel?
Traveling to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to explore its mountain gorillas can be done all year round. But, ideal conditions for traveling are during the dry season, under clear skies, and driving on dry access roads. During this time, disruptions due to rain are mostly avoided, and the drive is smooth, allowing for a more comfortable and reliable journey. Dry season in Mgahinga is experienced between June to August. December to February also experience dry weather.
How is gorilla trekking done?
All gorilla treks in Mgahinga National Park start at Ntebeko Visitor Center. All visitors must gather at the place before 8:00 a.m. A short pre-trek briefing is done by park personnel who offer valuable gorilla trekking guidelines. This is very important in ensuring the visitors are safe while conserving the wildlife in the forest. A trained park guide leads the visitors into the forest to begin the thrilling adventure of tracking the Nyakagezi gorilla family.
Viewing time granted to visitors once the habituated gorilla family is met is a full 1 hour. This is also a chance to capture photos of the apes in their natural homes, where they forage, play, and mate. Afterwards, return to Ntebeko Visitor Center for debriefing. Each visitor is required to keep a distance of at least 7 meters from the mountain gorillas. Noise should also be avoided while tracking gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
What else to do in Mgahinga National Park?
Batwa trail
This offers a unique opportunity to witness the lives of the Batwa before and after living in the forest. A Batwa guide takes you through the lower slopes of the forest to introduce their previous home and lifestyles. The Batwa also offer rare insight into how they lived as skilled hunters and gatherers of food. Traditional performances in music and dance are also offered for your entertainment.
Hiking volcano
Hiking offers the opportunity to climb the Virunga volcanoes situated in Uganda. These comprise Muhavura at 4,127 meters above sea level, Sabyinyo at 3,669 meters above sea level, and Gahinga at 3,474 meters above sea level. To reach any of these summits, you will trek through enchanting bamboo forests, giant lobelias, and other lush vegetation. You will also have the privilege of standing in Uganda, Rwanda, and the DR Congo simultaneously while viewing craters.
Golden monkey trekking
Trekking the golden monkeys invites visitors into the bamboo forests to seek out these rare and endangered monkeys. Like gorillas, visitors are granted a maximum of 1 hour to observe a troop consisting of habituated golden monkeys once located. Photo capturing and taking video clips are encouraged, provided you do not disturb the animals. Briefing and debriefing are done, just like gorilla trekking.
Birdwatching
Birding offers the perfect excursion where plenty of Albertine endemic bird species and other unique birds can be spotted. With recorded bird species numbering way above 79, birds to spot are plenty. These comprise the double collared sunbird, Archer’s robin chat, Rwenzori turaco, paradise flycatcher, Rwenzori batis, and blue-headed coucal, etc.