Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga National Park

Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park is a lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with the massive silverback gorilla and its members while in their natural habitat. This is a dream come true wildlife adventure and in Africa, you can meet mountain gorillas in only 4 parks. Other than Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, the other 3 parks to visit for mountain gorilla trekking include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Virunga National Park in DRC and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Mgahinga National Park is the smallest of the ten National Park that make Uganda a complete travel destination. The Park occupies a compact land area measuring up to only 33sq.kms and lying at elevation of 4127m.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park lies at the extreme border with Congo & Rwanda, Kisoro district, Southwestern Uganda. Accessing the park is possible using two options; the road and air. The road travel includes setting from Kampala to Kisoro side, about 9-10 hours’ drive; if planning to travel from Rwanda to Mgahinga, then a drive from Kigali through Chanika takes between 4-5 hours. By air from Uganda, it takes only 2 hours from Entebbe Airport and you will land at Kisoro airstrip, located near Mgahinga National Park where your actual gorilla trek adventure will be enjoyed.

Unlike Bwindi National Park and Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Mgahinga National Park is a habitat to only 1 habituated family “Nyakagezi.” Over 80 of the world’s 1063 endangered mountain gorillas are hosted within the tropical forest of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Kisoro district.

Trekking Mgahinga gorillas usually begins at Ntebeko reception center where visitors meet the officials from Uganda Wildlife Authority for briefing. Actual visit to explore Nyakagezi family begins at 8:00am with an experienced park guide leading you throughout the gorilla trekking journey that usually takes 2-6 hours. The 2-6 hours that you spend trekking also include one hour of magical encounter with silverback gorilla and its members, full time photography and so much more.

Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking permits.

Strictly 8 people are allowed to visit Nyakagezi family in Mgahinga N/Park. These represent 8 valid gorilla permits and each is obtainable at USD700 if you are a foreign non-resident, USD600 when you visit as foreign resident and East African citizens pay Shs. 250,000.

How to book Mgahinga gorilla permits in Uganda?

This is easier when you deal with Uganda’s reputable tour operator. The tour operators in Uganda have access to gorilla permits, about 80% of the permits are issued to them by Uganda Wildlife Authority. Besides, they plan the entire gorilla tour not just securing a permit alone.

A fully planned gorilla tour to Mgahinga national park includes a number of things, ranging from booking quality accommodation of your preference, securing the car for your travel, and many others. It is however, advisable to have your permits booked early considering the high demand and take note, only 8 permits are available for booking unlike over 160 permits if you are visiting Bwindi national park. Visiting Mgahinga to see mountain gorillas is amazing, first, it is opportunity to enjoy a gorilla trek free of crowds.

When to go for Mgahinga national park gorilla safari?

The dry season is the best time that guarantees a perfect and memorable gorilla trekking tour in Mgahinga National Park. When planning a gorilla tour, there are two phases of dry season to mark on your travel calenda; the long and short. The long dry season often falls within the months of June, July, August, September, then short dry spell runs for 3 months; December, January to February.

Gorilla safari pack listing.

Waterproof daypack
Rain jacket or poncho
Camera – free of flashlight
Long-sleeved shirts
Trousers
Gardening gloves
Insect repellents
Energy giving snacks
Bottled water

Other tourist activities to do in Mgahinga National Park

Golden monkey trekking tour
Birding / bird watching tours
Golden monkey habituation experience
Cave exploration
Hiking / volcano climbing
Nature walks
Batwa trail experience

Where to stay on a gorilla trekking tour in Mgahinga national park?

There are many fine places to consider for night stays in Mgahinga National Park, and they range from budget, midrange and luxury. The luxury accommodation to book includes Mount. Gahinga Lodge and Mutanda Lake Resort or the nearby lodges in Nkuringo sector like Chameleon Hill Lodge, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge. Mucha river lodge (Budget), Lake Mulehe safari Lodge, Travelers Rest Hotel and Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge for midrange options.

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.