Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park from Kigali

Gorilla trekking is a universal tourist adventure that has attracted a large number of visitors from far and wide to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. This is no exception for visitors coming from Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, by geographical location, is the closest protected area to Kigali among the gorilla destinations outside Rwanda. The distance from the capital, Kigali, to Mgahinga for gorilla trekking is shortened to nearly half compared to when connecting to other gorilla destinations. This is because the entire distance from Kigali to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda takes about 3 hours. Visitors can connect to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park from Kigali through the Cyanika border. This is the closest crossing border post between Uganda and Rwanda. The Cyanika border is located approximately an hour away from Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.

Gorilla trekking is the major tourist activity in Mgahinga, and this is the main reason for the many visitors coming from Kigali. Gorilla trekking as a tourist activity is very popular and highly anticipated by many visitors. This is because it provides visitors with an unforgettable experience of encountering the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural environment. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a distinguished gorilla destination located in Uganda’s southwestern region, tucked away in the misty jungles and roaming hills of Kigezi. Mgahinga has set itself up in the ranks as one of the best gorilla trekking destinations because of its terrain and number of gorillas. Gorilla trekking takes an hour after locating these primates in their natural habitats, but the whole process of gorilla trekking takes about 4-5 hours. Gorilla trekking does not stop at giving you an untamed experience with the gorillas, but also incredible scenic views of the forest vegetation and sights from other small primates like colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, and olive baboons. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park from Kigali, Rwanda, is a fully packaged adventure through Uganda’s tropical gorilla destination.

About Mgahinga

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, as its name suggests, is a gorilla destination based in the Pearl of Africa, Uganda. Its existence dates back centuries, but its establishment came in the early 90s, 1991 to be specific. Mgahinga by land mass is the smallest protected area in the country, stretching its boundaries to over 33.7 square kilometers. However, what Mgahinga lacks in size, it makes up for in exciting adventures like the undisputed gorilla trekking. Kisoro district of southwestern Uganda houses this epic gorilla destination of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. One may wonder why Mgahinga hosts the endangered mountain gorillas. Well, the secret lies in its strategic location of being part of the Virunga Conservation Area. This area stretches all the way from the Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo through Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park and takes shape in Uganda’s southwestern region of Bwindi and Mgahinga. It is on record that this conservation area is the last habitat of the mountain gorillas. Approximately 100 mountain gorillas roam the wilderness of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in a single habituated gorilla family called Nyakagezi. This is why there are only 8 permits available daily for visitors interested in gorilla trekking in Mgahinga.

Other tourist activities in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

The excitement does not stop with only gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park for visitors from Kigali, but other interesting tourist activities come in handy to further bless your time in the park. These activities include the following.

Golden monkey trekking

On top of an epic experience of gorilla trekking in Mgahinga from Kigali, visitors can also add a golden monkey trekking adventure. This activity completes the primate experience in the park with a landmark encounter of the rare golden monkeys. Mgahinga prides itself as the only golden monkey destination in the country and the only place where gold meets silver. Golden monkey trekking is a bit similar to gorilla trekking, but in this case, the focus is on the rare golden monkeys that are encountered in their bamboo habitats as they go about their day for an hour.

Birding

The birdlife in Mgahinga needs no introduction, as over 200 bird species take refuge in the park. This is why birding is one of the common activities in the park that has attracted visitors. Birding is done along well-designed birding trails that lead straight to most bird habitats. An excellent birding guide helps the visitors identify and locate some of these birds.

Hiking

Hiking is also not overlooked as a top tourist activity in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, especially for nature lovers and adventurers. Mgahinga encompasses over 3 volcanoes of the Virunga Massif, each standing at incredible heights, with exciting views. These volcanoes include Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Bisoke. During a hiking adventure, visitors can discover these epic mountains and explore them.

Batwa cultural experience

The Batwa pygmies living in communities near Mgahinga also add a touch of culture from the jungle adventures in Mgahinga. These pygmies share amazing stories of survival as they lived in the park premises for some time until it was established. A Batwa cultural experience brings out the specifics of these people, like tradition, beliefs, customs, norms, and values. Visitors have a lot to learn during this cultural experience. Their life in the forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which led to their being the forest keepers, offers a cinematic experience.

The best time for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga from Kigali, Rwanda

Gorilla trekking, being an outdoor activity, places its best time as the dry season, which occurs twice a year. The conditions of the dry season in Mgahinga present a favorable time for both the primates and the visitors to comfortably encounter these mountain gorillas. The dry seasons, as per the yearly calendar, happen from June to September and from December to mid-February. With humid temperatures caused by the dry weather of zero or limited rainfall, the gorilla trekking in Mgahinga is favoured as the trekking trails are left dry and the vegetation sparse, aiding visibility.

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.