Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is very safe for both visitors and the mountain gorillas, as it is the number one priority for park rangers in the park. Knowing that gorilla trekking takes place in the misty forests of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, chances are not taken as professional armed game rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority guide and accompany you, the visitor, along this epic experience.
Trekking in the wild is not like taking a walk in the park, but rather a sensitive experience that requires precision and caution since the wild presents a lot of challenges and also adventures. Days before and after the gorilla trekking experience, the game rangers are ever patrolling the misty forest of Mgahinga and also the surrounding areas. This ensures continued safety for visitors and their property, making their stay and also their gorilla trekking experience a memorable one. Since Rwanda is also a safe and secure nation bordering Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, concerns of insecurity emanating from the side of Rwanda are minion. This also adds to the safety of visitors as they partake in their gorilla trekking adventure in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
It is also important to note that Uganda, as a country, has been peaceful for more than 40 years. This is dedicated to a strong security force of the army and police that have helped to keep the country safe, especially for the visitors flying into the country for a gorilla trekking tour in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. As earlier mentioned, safety is not limited to only the visitors but also the mountain gorillas and their environments they dwell in, as it is a commitment by the rangers. The neighboring communities have also played a significant role in ensuring that the primates and their habitats are protected through sustainable tourism.
Safety also extends to the accommodation facilities where visitors go to rest after a long day of gorilla trekking. The lodging services in and out of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are also safe, allowing visitors to relax and rest safely. The Uganda Tourism Board is the national government body that oversees all the lodging or accommodation services in the country, from the food to the bedding, ensuring visitors are in great hands.
How is the gorilla trekking experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?
Gorilla trekking is the process of encountering the endangered mountain gorillas in their natural environments and spending an hour with them after traversing through the dense vegetation. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is one of the two protected areas in Uganda that harbor the endangered mountain gorillas. The gorilla trekking experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is not as challenging since the park has relatively steep terrain that is, however, navigable, similar to the vegetation. The continued monitoring of the mountain gorillas’ movements by the game rangers ensures that visitors get to encounter these primates on their trekking adventure.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has approximately 100 mountain gorilla individuals with only a single gorilla family. This gorilla family is known as the Nyakagezi gorilla family. The gorilla trekking experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is coupled with great scenic views of the Virunga volcanoes, especially those in Rwanda, stretching from the Democratic Republic of Congo to give visitors a worthwhile adventure.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is situated in the southwestern region of Uganda in Kisoro district. It was established in 1991 shortly after the discovery or sighting of mountain gorillas in the park. It stretches approximately 33.7 square kilometers of land mass bordering Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park falls in the Virunga Conservation Area together with Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and also with its counterpart in Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is also home to 3 of the 8 volcanoes of this conservation area, and these are Mount Gahinga, Mount Muhabura, and Mount Sabyinyo.
What else to do in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park other than gorilla trekking?
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park’s gems are not limited to only gorilla trekking, but also include a lot more tourist activities that can be very interesting for visitors to explore. They include some of the following.
Golden monkey trekking
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park prides itself as the only protected area in the country where golden monkey trekking takes place. Similar to gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking involves navigating the thickets of the park searching for the golden monkeys and spending an hour in their presence after locating them. Golden monkey trekking is, however, a bit easier since the golden monkeys dwell in the lower slopes of the mountains in their park. They often hang around the baboon plantations as their favorite food is baboon shoots. They also leave trails of baboon shoot leftovers, which rangers follow to guide the visitors right to these primates.
Hiking
Hiking is also a major tourist activity in this park since it hosts 3 volcanoes of the Virunga Conservation Area. Visitors can hike these mountains with the help of experienced guides who take the visitors along different trails.
Batwa cultural experience
The Batwa cultural experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is an interesting one as it also takes visitors to the former habitats of the Batwa people of Garama caves, where they dwelt in the park. This experience allows visitors to study the different cultures of these people, such as their traditions, customs, and beliefs. Visitors can also witness the Batwa as they demonstrate some of their skills they used to survive in the park many years ago. By the end of this experience, you will surely know why the Batwa are the true forest keepers.
Birding
The park is home to over 180 bird species, which makes it a popular spot for various birding enthusiasts who visit Mgahinga for birding adventures. Among the birds in this park, 17 of the 24 Albertine Rift Valley endemics call this place home. Some of the bird species to look out for in Mgahinga include Kivu ground thrust, dusky turtle dove, Ruwenzori nightjar, blue-headed coucal, Ruwenzori batis, olive pigeon, Ruwenzori turaco, etc.
