Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Gorilla Trekking Guide

The Virunga Conservation Area

The park sits in the southwestern corner of Uganda as part of the Virunga Conservation Area. The three national parks of Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo together cover 434 sq km, and Mgahinga accounts for 8% of that area. It is contiguous with Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park and Virunga National Park in DR Congo, which is why gorilla groups move across borders.

The park covers 33.7 sq km, making it Uganda's smallest national park. The name comes from 'Gahinga', the local word for piles of volcanic stones cleared from farmland.

The three volcanoes

The park covers the northern slopes of three inactive volcanoes: Mt Muhavura (4,127 m), Mt Gahinga (3,474 m) and Mt Sabinyo (3,645 m), with altitudes across the park running from 2,227 m to 4,127 m. Sabinyo is shared between Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo, while the other two volcanoes are shared with Rwanda.

The main entrance is Ntebeko Gate. A viewpoint walk 15 minutes from the gate gives an overview of the whole area.

Gorilla tracking

One habituated transboundary gorilla group lives in the park and is open to trekkers. Around 30 mountain gorillas live in Mgahinga in total, split between one habituated and two unhabituated groups. The group is called transboundary because it sometimes crosses into Rwanda or DR Congo.

Golden monkey tracking

The park protects the endangered golden monkey, and tracking them is the second-biggest draw. One reviewer reported the trek took about 1.5 to 2 hours each way, with rain for most of the hike, so pack a rain jacket.

Volcanoes, caves and culture

Beyond the primates, activities include volcano hiking on the three peaks, the Batwa Trail with the forest's former hunter-gatherer people, bird watching and Garama Cave exploration. If you want a gentle start, the viewpoint walk 15 minutes from Ntebeko Gate is a good warm-up.

The mammal checklist holds 76 species including black-and-white colobus, leopard, elephant, giant forest hog and buffalo, though dense vegetation means most of these are rarely seen.

Permit prices

According to Uganda Wildlife Authority rates, a gorilla tracking permit in Bwindi or Mgahinga costs US$800 for foreign non-residents, US$700 for foreign residents, US$500 for visitors from the rest of Africa and UGX 300,000 for East African citizens. In Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park the permit costs US$1,500 per person, eight permits are issued per gorilla group per day, 96 a day in total, and the minimum age is 15.

What the permit includes

The permit price includes the guide fee, park entrance for the day and the community development contribution. Park entry for Bwindi and Mgahinga is US$40 a day for foreign non-residents, already covered inside the gorilla permit on the tracking day.

Golden monkey tracking in Mgahinga is a separate activity and costs US$60 for foreign non-residents, excluding park entrance. For comparison, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park costs US$250 for foreign non-residents and includes the Kibale entrance fee.

What the trek is like

Golden monkey tracking starts from Ntebeko Gate like the gorilla trek. The monkeys live in the bamboo zone on the volcanoes, so you walk uphill through bamboo forest to reach them.

Set expectations for the weather and the pace. One reviewer reported a golden monkey trek of about 1.5 to 2 hours each way, with rain for most of the hike. The monkeys are active and quick, so a camera with a fast shutter helps.

Many visitors combine the two treks. Our 3-Day Gorilla and Golden Monkey Trek in Mgahinga, Uganda, from Kigali does exactly that, at $2,270 per person.

The trek itself

Trekkers gather at Ntebeko Gate for a briefing before setting off with a guide and rangers. The hike climbs the lower slopes of the volcanoes through farmland and then forest. Time to find the gorillas varies with where the group fed the night before, and you get one hour with them once located.

Because there is only one habituated group, permit numbers for Mgahinga are small. Book well ahead if you have fixed travel dates.

Is it safe to gorilla trek in Uganda?

Yes, treks run with trained guides and armed rangers, and the gorillas you visit are habituated to human presence. The main practical risks are the steep terrain, altitude and rain rather than wildlife. Wear sturdy boots, carry a rain jacket and take a porter if you want help on the climbs.

Rainfall and trails

Two wet rainy seasons run from February to May and from September to December. Monthly rainfall ranges from 250 mm in October down to 10 mm in July. In the wet months expect mud, slippery bamboo and a slower hike, as the golden monkey reviewer who walked in rain most of the day found out.

Trails at altitude stay cool in any season. Bring layers, waterproofs and gaiters for the bamboo zone.

Routes in

From inside Uganda, the park is about 15 km by road south of Kisoro and about 55 km west of Kabale. Kisoro is the usual base for accommodation and supplies.

Because the park sits near the Rwandan border, some operators run day trips from Kigali. Our From Kigali: 1-Day Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga, Uganda (Permit Extra) starts with a 3 am pickup and costs $400 per person, permit not included. Crossing at the Kigali side means a much shorter drive than the full route from Entebbe.

Entrance and gates

The park entrance is Ntebeko Gate, reached from the Kisoro road. Park entry is US$40 a day for foreign non-residents, already covered by the gorilla permit on the tracking day. For the golden monkey trek, entrance is separate from the US$60 tracking fee.

Side by side

Mgahinga covers 33.7 sq km between 2,227 m and 4,127 m. Bwindi covers 321 km2 between 1,160 m and 2,607 m, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1994. Both parks share the same permit price of US$800 for foreign non-residents.

Which one should you pick

Pick Mgahinga if you want a shorter drive from Kigali, the chance to add golden monkeys and volcano hikes, and quieter trails. Pick Bwindi if you want more choice of trekking sectors and dates, since its size supports many more groups. Travellers with time often do both, and our 3-Day Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour from Entebbe or Kigali (Permit Extra) pairs well with a Mgahinga add-on.