Mgahinga National Park is popular for its resident species the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, situated in the south western corner of Uganda and smallest of the 10 national parks. It was gazette as a game reserve in the 1930 during the British colonial government and by the 1991 it was declared a national park in order to protect the critically endangered species of the mountain gorillas. The park is an extension of the great Virunga volcanic region hosting 3 of the 8 series of the volcanic mountains (Mountain Muhabura, Mountain Sabinyo, and Mountain Muhabura),the park’s highest point raises 2227meters and 4127meters above sea level. The park can be reached in many ways, by road or by air transfer.
How to reach Mgahinga national park by road, Via Entebbe you will exit to the national park on the Entebbe express highway, passing Masaka-Kabale and then Kisoro, it takes 9 hours’ drive to arrive at the destination, an experienced guide and knowledgeable through the beautiful rolling hills covered in tea and banana plantations, the drive can also be on self-drive using your own private cars to the destination, with the aid of maps and google directions you can navigate to the home of mountain gorillas. When you consider this route, there will be stopovers at the equator, Mbarara town for lunch or at the Igongo cultural center.
Mgahinga national park can be accessed by road from Rwanda, the drive takes approximately 6 hours’ drive to arrive at the destination with border clearances, arriving in time for a hot lunch and relaxation or choose to do an afternoon activity from Ntebeko. Vehicles used on safari include the Safari land cruisers to beat the tough terrain of the western Uganda, 4×4 wheel car drives, Safari drones to mention a few, these can be hired from hiring tour companies or from your ground handler. The long journey on both routes can be tedious but exciting all day drive as you feed your eyes through the pearl of Uganda is a magical experience.
How to reach Mgahinga national park is by taking a domestic flight to the destination, companies do fly to the Kisoro airstrip including Aero link Uganda, Fly Uganda, Bar aviation at intervals, there are scheduled or charter flights flying the western route on daily from 7:00am to 2:00pm on charter, flights take 1 hr: 30minutes to land then from here is when you get support to the facilities booked.
There are available accommodation around the park and in Kisoro town ranging from budget to luxury, example facilities include the luxurious Mgahinga gorilla lodge located near the Ntebeko park headquarters, Kisoro travelers inn, chameleon hill lodge among other facilities, these are near places to get to the national park for a day’s activity, could be a gorilla trekking safari, golden monkey tracking, birding in Mgahinga national park, hiking volcanic mountains , and the Batwa cultural experience. The park can be visited all year round but best during the dry season between the months of December – February and June –early September.
To conclude a visit to the national park can be made together with the one to the Bwindi impenetrable national park, this way you would have the chance to explore where half the world’s population of mountain gorillas live amicably together with other species.