Mountain Gorilla Trekking
Track a habituated gorilla family on the volcano slopes and spend an hour watching them feed, rest and play in their natural habitat.
Uganda National Parks
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Three great volcanoes, bamboo forests alive with golden monkeys and mountain gorillas on the misty slopes: Mgahinga is small in size but vast in experience.
- Location
- Southwest Uganda, near Kisoro
- Size
- 33.9 km²
- Known For
- Gorillas & golden monkeys
- Highest Point
- Mount Muhavura, 4,127 m
Discover Mgahinga
Where gorillas roam beneath the Virunga volcanoes.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest of Uganda's national parks, covering just 33.9 km² in the far southwest of the country. It protects the Ugandan slopes of three dormant Virunga volcanoes, Muhavura, Gahinga and Sabinyo, and sits where Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo meet, forming part of the wider Virunga Conservation Area that is home to a large share of the world's mountain gorillas.
It is one of the few national parks in the world where you can trek mountain gorillas, and it is the only park in Uganda offering golden monkey tracking, making it a dream destination for primate lovers. Its slopes climb through montane forest, bamboo zones and Afro-alpine vegetation, so plant lovers and birders will find plenty to admire too.
Beyond the wildlife, Mgahinga offers dramatic volcano hikes, the cultural Batwa Trail and easy access to the beautiful Lake Mutanda, whose island-dotted waters sit beneath the volcanoes just outside the park. Quiet, scenic and uncrowded, it is a wonderful alternative or complement to Bwindi.
Why Mgahinga
Small park, extraordinary encounters.
Mgahinga packs gorillas, golden monkeys, volcano climbs and living culture into a compact, stunningly beautiful corner of Uganda.
Golden Monkey Tracking
Mgahinga is the only park in Uganda where you can track the endangered golden monkey, a lively, bright-coated primate of the bamboo forests.
Virunga Volcano Hikes
Climb Muhavura, Gahinga or Sabinyo for sweeping views across the Virunga chain and, on the clearest days, views said to reach the Rwenzori Mountains, Lake Edward and Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The Batwa Trail
Learn about the Batwa people, the forest's original inhabitants, through a guided trail of their traditions, skills, stories and dances.
Peaceful and Uncrowded
With only a small number of visitors each day, Mgahinga offers a quieter, more personal experience than many better-known parks.
Location
Where is Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?
Mgahinga lies in the extreme southwest of Uganda, about 14 km from the town of Kisoro, which is the gateway to the park. From Kampala the drive is around 510 km, roughly 8 to 9 hours via Mbarara and Kabale, and travellers starting at Entebbe International Airport should allow around an hour more. Scheduled and charter flights from Entebbe to Kisoro airstrip shorten the journey considerably.
Mgahinga is especially convenient from Rwanda. Kigali is only about 3 to 4 hours away by road via the Cyanika border near Kisoro, making the park easy to combine with Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda or with the Rushaga and Nkuringo sectors of Bwindi, both within a couple of hours' drive. Lake Mutanda and Lake Bunyonyi are also close by.
When to visit
Mgahinga through the year.
Gorilla and golden monkey tracking take place throughout the year, but the drier months make the volcano slopes and summit hikes easier.
Main Dry Season
The most popular time to visit, with firmer trails, clearer views of the volcanoes and the best conditions for summit hikes.
Short Dry Season
Another good window with generally dry weather, lush slopes and pleasant trekking conditions.
Long Rains
Heavy rain makes trails muddy and summit views less reliable, but the park is quiet and verdant, and tracking continues every day.
Short Rains
Frequent showers and misty mornings, with fresh green landscapes and few visitors.
What is the best month to visit Mgahinga?
June to September and December to February are the driest periods, but the park's primates can be tracked in any month.
Dry and pleasant, a good month for gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking.
One of the driest months, ideal for volcano climbs and clear Virunga views.
Rains begin to return, bringing lush scenery and quieter trails.
Usually the wettest month, with muddy slopes and misty, atmospheric forest.
Rains continue but begin to ease towards the end of the month.
The dry season starts and conditions for trekking and hiking improve.
Excellent trekking and hiking weather, with good visibility over the volcanoes.
Peak season, with dry trails and the best chance of clear summit views.
Good conditions continue, with occasional showers as the month progresses.
Short rains arrive, bringing afternoon showers and fewer visitors.
Wet and misty at times, but the bamboo forest is lush and golden monkeys active.
Drier weather returns, making festive season trekking a popular choice.
Explore the area
Explore the different sides of Mgahinga.
From bamboo forest to volcanic summits and the lakes below, Mgahinga's small area holds a remarkable range of experiences.
NtebekoNtebeko Gate & Gorilla TrailsThe park's main entrance and starting point for gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking and most hikes, set at the foot of the volcanoes.
Bamboo ZoneGolden Monkey ForestDense stands of mountain bamboo on the lower slopes, where troops of golden monkeys feed on young shoots and leaves.
The VolcanoesMuhavura, Gahinga & SabinyoThree dormant volcanoes for day hikes: Muhavura (4,127 m) with its summit crater lake, Gahinga (3,474 m) with its swampy crater, and the jagged peaks of Sabinyo (3,669 m), where Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC meet.
Batwa TrailGarama Cave & the Batwa TrailA guided cultural trail led by Batwa guides through the forest, ending at the Garama Cave, once a refuge and council chamber.
Outside the ParkLake MutandaA beautiful lake dotted with islands and framed by the volcanoes, perfect for canoeing, walks and relaxing after a day of trekking.
Wildlife
Primates, birds and Afro-montane plants.
Mgahinga's wildlife is defined by its two star primates: the mountain gorilla and the golden monkey. The park also supports other mammals that are mostly elusive in the dense vegetation, including forest buffalo, bushbuck and black-fronted duiker, while forest elephants occasionally pass through the area.
Birdlife is rich for such a small park, with over 115 species recorded, including Albertine Rift specialities. Species such as the olive thrush, alpine chat and Cape robin-chat thrive here in profusion, along with the colourful Rwenzori turaco. Plant lovers will enjoy the shift from montane forest and bamboo to the giant lobelias and groundsels of the higher slopes.
10 animals to look for
Mountain gorilla
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Lower volcano slopes from Ntebeko with a permit
Mgahinga's habituated gorilla family is tracked daily, and sightings are very likely when the family is in the park.
1 / 10
Golden monkey
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Bamboo zone on the lower slopes
An endangered, bright golden-orange monkey; tracking groups spend a magical hour watching them feed and play.
2 / 10
Black-and-white colobus
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Forest patches on the lower slopes
Occasionally seen in the montane forest with their long white capes and tails.
3 / 10
Forest buffalo
Chance of seeingRare
Where to look: Forest and bamboo zones
Present but rarely seen, and treated with great respect by rangers.
4 / 10
Bushbuck
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Forest edges and clearings
A shy, spiral-horned antelope sometimes spotted at the forest edge in the early morning.
5 / 10
Black-fronted duiker
Chance of seeingRare
Where to look: Dense forest undergrowth
A small forest antelope more often glimpsed than properly seen.
6 / 10
Rwenzori turaco
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Montane forest
A dazzling Albertine Rift endemic with green, red and violet plumage.
7 / 10
Olive thrush
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Forest edges and trails
A common resident of the park, often seen foraging on the ground.
8 / 10
Alpine chat
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Higher slopes and open moorland
A small, confiding bird of the upper volcano slopes, frequently seen on hikes.
9 / 10
Cape robin-chat
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Forest edges and scrub
A familiar songbird of the highlands, singing from bushes along the trails.
10 / 10
Golden Monkey Tracking
The golden primates of the bamboo forest.
Golden monkey tracking is Mgahinga's great speciality and the only such experience in Uganda. After a briefing at Ntebeko, you walk with a ranger into the bamboo zone, where troops of these energetic, orange-gold monkeys leap between stems and feed on fresh bamboo shoots.
Once the troop is found, you spend a magical hour with them, just as with the gorillas, watching them feed, groom, nurse their young and swing through the bamboo. The walk is generally gentler than a gorilla trek, making it a wonderful primate encounter for a wide range of travellers.
Safaris to 中文
Tours that include Mgahinga
Itineraries that include Mgahinga, often combined with Bwindi, Lake Mutanda, Lake Bunyonyi or Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park.
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The story behind Mgahinga.
Long before it was gazetted as a national park, the forests of Mgahinga were home to the Batwa, hunter-gatherers who lived from the forest, gathering food and medicine, hunting and making their homes among the volcanoes. The Garama Cave on the volcano slopes is closely linked to their history and is now the culminating point of the Batwa Trail.
The area was protected as a game sanctuary in the colonial era and became Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in 1991. Its name is linked to the volcano Gahinga, whose name is often explained as a local word for the piles of volcanic stones that farmers clear from their fields. When the park was created, the Batwa lost access to their forest home, and today the Batwa Trail, guided by Batwa themselves, shares their culture, skills, myths and dances with visitors while supporting their community.
Mgahinga is part of the transboundary Virunga Conservation Area, protected together with Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park and the DRC's Virunga National Park. Cross-border cooperation and tourism revenue help protect mountain gorillas and golden monkeys and support neighbouring communities.
Can I trek gorillas in Mgahinga?
Yes. Mgahinga has a habituated gorilla family that is tracked daily. Permits are limited, so early booking is essential.
Is golden monkey tracking difficult?
It is generally easier than gorilla trekking, with walks of a few hours on the lower slopes in the bamboo zone. A moderate level of fitness is enough.
How hard is it to climb Mount Muhavura?
Muhavura is a long, steep day hike to 4,127 m and suits fit hikers. Gahinga and Sabinyo are also demanding, with Sabinyo involving ladders on the higher sections.
How far is Mgahinga from Kigali?
About 3 to 4 hours by road via the Cyanika border, making it easy to combine with a Rwanda itinerary.
What is the Batwa Trail?
A cultural experience led by Batwa guides, showing how they hunted, gathered food, made fire and used medicinal plants, ending at the Garama Cave with traditional songs and dances.
Can I combine Mgahinga with Bwindi?
Yes. The southern Bwindi sectors of Rushaga and Nkuringo are within easy reach, and many travellers track gorillas in one park and golden monkeys in the other.
When is the best time to visit Mgahinga?
June to September and December to February are the driest periods, ideal for trekking and volcano hikes, although tracking takes place all year.
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