Mgahinga National Park is a popular destination in Uganda known for the mountain Gorillas and Golden monkeys, the national park adjoins Rwanda and the democratic republic of Congo dotted around the Albertine Rift Valley region, the main physical features of the park include Mountain Gahinga, Mountain Sabinyo, and Mountain Muhabura, these 3-form part of the great Virunga national park region. It stands as the smallest conservation area in the country covering an area space of approximately 33.7 square kilometers, it was a gazette in 1991 as a national park and is being managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Mountain Gorillas are the most sought attraction of the national park together with the mountains, Golden monkeys, and birds of the forest, the mammals present in the national park are supported by the thick lush green forest, the vegetation of the park begins from the farmlands, bamboo forest,heath and moorland, the biodiverse environment grows along the slopes of the mountains, Flying to Mgahinga national park is inspired by the n activity of the conservation area, tracking Mountain gorillas, the primates are the world’s largest living primates, there is one transboundary gorilla family called the Nyakagezi gorilla group, only. A group of 8 members is allowed while with them, trekking begins at the Ntebeko park headquarters, time taken depends on how far the mountain gorillas have moved it takes 2-8 hours or sometimes the whole day to search for the gentle species.
Flying to Mgahinga National Park is arranged from the Entebbe International Airport or Kampala Kajjansi, there are domestic ground handlers who offer the service to travelers directly through them or through a tour operator, flights can be on charter or scheduled departing daily to the Kisoro airstrip, example domestic flight companies include Aerolink Uganda and Fly Uganda, the views of western Uganda are such a magical thing to experience, it is from here that you are ground transferred to the respective accommodation facilities booked near the park. Flights take 1 hr 30 minutes depending on the weather and routing of the day.
Flights to Mgahinga National Park can come from the other conservation areas on inter-park transfers to land at the Kisoro airstrip for example from Queen Elizabeth National Park the route is Kasese airstrip to Kisoro Airstrip, and from Semiliki National Park, routing is Semliki airstrip, to mention a few. Another means of getting to the conservation area is through driving.
Driving to Mgahinga National Park is from Entebbe International Airport or Kampala via Masaka- Mbarara – Kabale and then to Kisoro, it takes approximately 546 kilometers, or 9 hours’ drive, to the park upon reaching Kisoro town to take off a dirt road 14 kilometers to the park, there is available accommodation around the park for travelers to the park from best budget to Luxury, example facilities include Chameleon hill lodge, Mgahinga lodge, Kisoro travelers inn to mention a few.
Flying to MgahingaNational Park can be done all year round but best during the dry season between the months of December – February and June- September it is dry with less rain and hence easy smooth flying for the aircrafts.