What to pack for a gorilla tour in Mgahinga National Park?

Packing valuable items for a gorilla tour in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can be joyful if you know what to bring. A list of the most valuable items or gear to travel with on a gorilla tour in Uganda’s Mgahinga should include.

Drinking water bottle
Snack box
Hiking gloves
Light rain jacket
Warm sweater
A smartphone or camera for photos/videos
Insect repellent
Pair of trousers/pants
Long-sleeved shirt
Wide-brimmed hat
Water-resistant daypack
Damp-proof shoes or boots
Pair of socks
First aid kit
UV sunglasses
UV Suncream
Head sock
Gaiters

Cost of a gorilla tour in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is only possible if you have purchased a gorilla permit before the adventure. This permit is offered at USD 800 per person for a particular trek. The gorilla permit is offered by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and you can only reserve and also buy one through a local but reputable tour operator like Standard Safaris. All you need is to be 15 years of age and above and possess an official national identity card.

Other key activities in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?

Apart from gorilla tours, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is your number one destination if you are looking for thrilling adventures. Among the many, you can opt for any of the following.

Birding tour

This birding tour presents an opportunity to sight over 180 bird species that reside in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. You can also see the 13 Albertine endemic bird species. Examples include, Ruwenzori turaco, regal sunbird, Ruwenzori nightjar, Kivu ground thrush, handsome francolin, Ruwenzori double-collared sunbird, and African olive pigeon, to mention but a few. With plenty of birding trails like at Ntebeko and Sabyinyo gorge, your tour will be delightful.

Golden monkey tracking

A delightful thriller involving a hike through the bamboo habitat to look for the old-world monkeys. You will most likely find them and spend an hour seeing and photographing them. If an hour is not as sufficient as you would think, then you can choose a golden monkey habituation experience. This is a chance to track the golden monkeys and spend the whole day with them and in the company of primatologists and ranger guides.

Hiking tour

It offers the perfect day to walk to the peak of the 3 volcanoes found in the park. Mount Muhabura at 4,127 m above sea level is the highest and hiking it exposes you to some of the most unusual scenes in Uganda. These include heather grove, bamboo and montane forests etc. Other volcanoes in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park include Sabyinyo and Mgahinga. They offer views of gorges, swamps, Bwindi Forest and others.

Batwa trail

This is a memorable guided exploration from the lower slopes of the forest under the guidance of dedicated Batwa guides. As former dwellers of the forest, these nice people will give you a glimpse of how they survived in the forest before being relocated. They will show you their intricate hunting skills. The Batwa will also lead you to the Garama caves to get insight into a place they revere. Additionally, you will be entertained through music and dance.

Nature walk

This is a guided experience that can also be enjoyed during a gorilla trek. This is an opportunity to experience the enchantingly cool forest atmosphere. You should also keep your eyes wide open to sight numerous bird and mammal species. The latter includes at least 76 species including chimpanzees, bush buffaloes, giant forest hogs, bush pigs, bushbucks, olive baboons and bush elephants, among others.

Photography

Photography is possible due to the abundance of wild animals, rare scenery, and rare vegetation species, among others. The dormant volcanoes offer a photogenic crater lake and gorges, to mention but a few. Vegetation includes alpine species that offer vivid backgrounds to ensure that birds, primates, and butterflies appear lovelier. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park also has plenty of streams and some caves that look so beautiful to be captured in pictures.

How to reach Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?

There are only 2 modes of transportation that you can use to reach Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Road transport is one way to enjoy the scenic trip to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. From Kampala, the distance covered is roughly 497 km via Masaka, Mbarara, and Kabale. You will arrive in around 10-11 hours. Standard Safaris is one of the reputable tour operators to transport you on a 4-wheel safari vehicle. An experienced guide will comfortably drive you.

The second option is air transportation from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro airstrip. Domestic flights on schedule are offered daily by AeroLink Uganda and take around 1 hour and 15 minutes. From Kisoro airstrip, you can now use ground transport to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. With Standard Safaris, we can also reserve a flight ticket on your behalf. You can do this in advance to avoid inconveniences as much as possible.

The best time to go for a gorilla tour in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?

Dry seasons offer favorable conditions for gorilla tours in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The atmosphere is less humid and warmer than during the rainy season. The forest floor is also drier and less slippery if you compare it to the rainy season. Rainfall is also less in the dry season which makes the possibility of hiking without interruption likely. The dry season is experienced in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park from June to August and December to February.

Sándor Jakubinyi

14:31 22 Feb 24

2019 megigazulás

12:45 21 Feb 24

We went on a two-week trip with my family, organised by Coleb from Standard Safaris.

I had my concerns about organised trips, but this one didn’t justify any of those. Everything went very smoothly, even when some problems arose with one of the cars it got fixed by next morning, the accomodations were clean and comfortable, the programs were exciting and well-balanced - everything was done to a truly high standard.

If you plan to visit Uganda and are looking for a guide, I warmly recommend Coleb and his team. In case you have a choice of drivers, go for Godwin, his presence made this trip even more enjoyable - cheerful, helpful, good sense of humour, generally a great person. Just look for the guy with a big smile and big heart:)

Bert Simoens

09:38 08 Jan 24

We recently embarked on a safari adventure with Standard Safaris in Uganda, which was truly exceptional. Our guide, Yonah, was outstanding - his kindness, knowledge, and discretion significantly enhanced our experience. He was the heart of our trip.

The local company's planning was offering a tailor-made journey that matched our interests. We saw an array of wildlife in Murchison, enjoyed rafting at Jinja, and experienced mountain biking at Sipi. A visit to Kidepo National Park was a highlight and comes highly recommended.

The vehicle provided was comfortable and reliable. We highly recommend Standard Safaris for anyone seeking an unforgettable safari in Uganda. Their professionalism and the exceptional guidance of staff like Yonah make them an great choice.

Michał Kostrzewa

00:41 15 Nov 23

We are all extremely grateful Standard Safaris for an incredible East Africa experience. I recently booked a custom trip for group of 8 people, including an 8-year-old boy, from Kampala through Queen Elizabeth National Park and on to Rwanda and Burundi. Coleb delivered on everything that was discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

The car provided was in great condition and our driver Meddy went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, informed, and had the best possible time. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. All local services were inlcuded in (reasonable) price that we agreed, so there was no need to worry about payments during the 6 day trip. Also Standard Safaris agreed took care about safety and security by helping us organize armed ranger while in the park.

The whole trip was hassle-free and smooth. We saw amazing wildlife in Queen Elizabeth NP, took in the sights of Rwanda and Burundi, and made lifelong memories.

I would happily book with Standard Safaris again in a heartbeat and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for the best East Africa trip. They provide top-notch service while ensuring you have an incredible, customized experience. If you want a hassle-free, flawlessly organized African adventure, Standard Safaris is the tour operator to book with.

Ivan Nammanda

18:31 27 Oct 23

Very organized travel operator who chose awesome guide to make our trip wonderful.

We booked a nine days trip with Standard Safaris and all was perfect from start to finish. Coleb was very prompt at replying and easy to liaise with ahead of the trip. We had done a lot of research and had an itinerary in mind and Coleb helped us to put everything together to make this happen for a very reasonable price.  On the trip we had a private vehicle for the whole tour which was exactly what we wanted. Bryan was our driver and an amazing guide - really friendly and knowledgable, working hard to find the things that we wanted to see and quickly understanding what was of interest to us/how much information to give.

Would highly recommend a trip to Uganda with Standard Safaris. We are definitely coming back soon!

MUGAIGA KENNETH

18:01 27 Oct 23

The company has very courteous tour guides with wide knowledge of fauna and frola in the whole of East Africa.
The choice of safari Lodges is good with first class treatment.
Game drive security is assured.
Almost The whole of September I was traversing through DRC, Uganda,and Rwanda on a gorilla tour and wildlife expedition.
Everything was arranged and booked perfectly by Standard Safaris.
The owner, Coleb was always helpful whenever we needed to ask questions about this gorilla safari in Uganda and beyond.
It was a complex expedition but Standard safaris and Coleb made it look amazingly easy.
I’ll recommend Standard safaris 200%, for all gorilla safaris in Uganda, Rwanda and wildlife tours in east africa.

travel uganda

16:35 27 Oct 23

This is so far the best gorilla trekking company in Uganda, and africa, by far. I had a wonderful time with Standard Safaris as a solo traveler.
My guide was excellent and our safari planner, Coleb was quick with responses and the prices were very friendly.
I’ll definitely book with Standard safaris on my next gorilla tour in Rwanda and Uganda.