3 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking Tour takes you to the smallest national park in Uganda to track and observe mountain gorillas. The tour also involves a cultural experience with the Batwa pygmies. Mgahinga national park is one of the few places in the world where tourists can observe mountain gorillas in the wild. The other places are Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in Congo. This amazing park is part of the of the greater Virunga conservation area which also includes the Virunga National Park in Congo and the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. When compared to the other national parks, Mgahinga has the least number of mountain gorillas. In fact, it has only one habituated gorilla group known as Nyakagezi. However, the experience of tracking gorillas in Mgahinga may even be better than Bwindi and the Volcanoes National Park because of many reasons. Mgahinga has one of the largest gorilla groups in all three countries. It has 4 silverbacks, many females and offspring. The group is also easy to track because their location is known.
Mgahinga National Park is not all about gorillas like it is with Bwindi. There are other popular activities like the amazing Batwa trail experience, golden monkey tracking, hiking one of the three Virunga Volcanoes – Gahinga, Muhabura and Sabyinyo. It takes only 1 day to hike to the top of each of the three volcanoes but what a climb! You need to be very fit because the mountains are very steep and challenging to hike. Mgahinga is the only park in Uganda with golden monkeys. These gold coated monkeys are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Mgahinga National Park organizes a more extensive Batwa cultural experience than that in Bwindi. Unlike the Batwa experience in Bwindi, the one in Mgahinga is organized right in the forest and is led by the Batwa pygmies themselves. During this special Batwa Trail Experience, tourists are led into the forest to find out how they Batwa lived in the old days. Tourists get to explore ancient caves, learn how to hunt and identify fruits. The experience ends with cultural entertainment organized in Batwa homesteads.
Our 3 days Mgahinga gorilla trekking safari is just one of the many tour packages we offer our clients. You can also check out our 3 days Uganda gorilla tour package or the 3 days Rwanda gorilla safari package. A visit to Mgahinga National Park can be combined with a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park or any of the other popular national parks in Uganda. This particular tour starts from Entebbe or Kampala in Uganda but can also be arranged to start from Kigali in Rwanda.
Tour Summary
Day 1: Arrival at the Airport in Entebbe and Travel to Mgahinga national park
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking – Batwa trail experience
Day 3: Travel back to Kampala or Entebbe for departure
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at the Airport in Entebbe and Travel to Mgahinga national park
Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, you will be picked by one of our experienced Drivers/Guides who will be with you for the entire duration of the safari. You will exchange pleasantries and go through the travel program before starting the journey to Mgahinga National Park. About one hour after leaving Kampala, you will stop at the equator crossing to take some pictures, stretch your body and buy souvenir. From the equator crossing, you will proceed to Mbarara where you will have lunch before continuing to Mgahinga National Park. It takes about 8 hours of driving from Entebbe to Mgahinga National Park.
Lodge Options: Mount Gahinga lodge (high-end) and Kisoro Traveller’s Rest Hotel (standard).
Day 2: Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga – Batwa Cultural trail
This will be the day you will finally get the experience that brought you all the way to Africa. You will rise up early in the morning, have breakfast and drive straight to the park headquarters to catch up with the 
briefing. During the briefing, the park officials will let you know about the rules for gorilla trekking and what to expect. The gorilla permits are also verified during the briefing. At the end of the briefing, you will join 7 other travelers to go into the forest in search of the primates. The Park Rangers will take you through the bamboo/montane forests of Mgahinga national park where you will spot birds, chameleons and many other forest creatures. Finding the Nyakagezi gorilla family takes about one hour but the entire experience lasts for about 4 hours. When you finally find the primates, they will be feeding, resting or playing with each other. The dominant silverback will size you up and see if you are a threat to the group. If he considers you safe, he will let you in their midst to observe them and takes as many photos/videos as you can.
After one hour with the gorillas, you will move out of the forest and get back to your lodge for lunch and refreshments. Later in the afternoon, you will be taken to one of the Batwa communities living in the park for an engaging cultural experience. The Batwa will show you how to lay bricks, make local beer, hunt and identify herbs for treating common ailments. After spending time with the Batwa, you will go back to your lodge for supper and sleep.
Lodge Options: Mount Gahinga lodge (high-end) and Kisoro Traveller’s Rest Hotel (standard).
Day 3: Travel back to Kampala or Entebbe for departure
Wake up at your own time if you have no flight at the end of the day. If you have a flight booked in the evening, you need to wake up as early as possible and checkout so that you begin the journey back to Kampala. You will drive through the amazing Kigezi highlands, Mbarara and finally to Masaka before entering Kampala. Lunch will be at the Igongo Cultural Centre in Mbarara. The driver will take you up the airport if you have a departure flight in the evening.
End of trip
Travel Tips
- Your passport must be valid for six months before traveling to Uganda. Visas can be acquired online, at border crossings or at the airport.
- A visitor is advised to get a yellow fever vaccination card before traveling to Uganda because it is mandatory to have one.
- Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga is organized throughout the year. However, it is important to book your trip earlier because gorilla permits are on high demand especially during the peak seasons. There are only eight gorilla permits available per day at Mgahinga national park.
- Remember to carry some cash when coming to Uganda because electronic transfer payments have not been embraced by everyone in the country. This is particularly important if you will be buying souvenirs or making local purchases.
- Carry your medication if you have any special ailments.
Safari Inclusions and Exclusions
The safari quotation will include: –
- 2 nights full-board accommodation
- Meals and drinks while traveling
- Batwa cultural experience
- Gorilla permit
- Full time safari Guide/Driver
- 4×4 safari car with fuel
Exclusion: Air tickets, visa fees, personal/travel insurance, tips, porters, laundry services, and alcohol.
Accommodation
Kisoro Travelers Rest Hotel: This was the first accommodation facility to be established in Kisoro area. It was mainly constructed for visitors who were interested in visiting both Mgahinga national park and Bwindi impenetrable national park during the colonial era. It got a new look in 1999 with modern amenities and services. The lodge now has 12 self-contained rooms with stunning views of forest and the 3 volcanoes at the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. It is an ideal base for travelers interested in staying in a town setting. Rooms in Kisoro Travelers Rest Hotel have comfortable beds and modern bathrooms. Outside the rooms is a bar and restaurant serving intercontinental dishes.
Mount Gahinga Lodge: Mount Gahinga Lodge is a luxury lodge established at the base of the volcanoes and adjacent to the park entrance. It is one of the most popular safari lodges in the park. The lodge offers high quality services that will appeal to the luxury traveler. The rooms are elegant and are furnished with everything you would expect from a five-star hotel room. The resident chefs prepare both local and international dishes in a very tranquil environment. If you are looking for a true luxury lodge while visiting Mgahinga, this is the place to consider.
