Volcano Climbing and Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is in southwestern Uganda in the district of Kisoro on the Uganda-Rwanda border. It was set aside as a national park in 1991 and covers an area of 33.9 square kilometers. It is home to 115 bird species and 39 mammals, but the most notable ones are the endangered mountain gorillas and the golden monkeys. Mgahinga is governed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The park is blessed with hosting over three volcanoes, including Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Muhabura, and Mount Gahinga. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park once hosted the Batwa people, an ancient African pygmy group and one of the oldest.
Volcano climbing in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Volcano climbing is one of the major activities in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has a lot to offer rather than gorillas. Climbing the volcanoes in Mgahinga National Park is one of the major activities in the park. This activity involves traversing through the dense vegetation canopies and steep slopes of the mountains to the summits. The climbing adventure in Mgahinga is an outdoor activity that depends a lot on the physical ability of the climber to adequate climbing gear.
The best thing about the climbing experience in Mgahinga is that all the volcanoes here are not very steep. This allows amateur climbers to also embark on this incredible adventure. The volcano climbing experience begins with a short briefing about the trails to use and how the hike is expected to go. The hikers then select and check their hiking gear. There are porters for hire to help in carrying the visitor’s luggage if needed.
Expect to encounter stunning wildlife species from primates like vervet monkeys, olive baboons, colobus monkeys, golden monkeys, and mountain gorillas if you are in luck. You will also spot a variety of bird species like black kite, alpine chat, grey crowned hornbill, hadada ibis, malachite sunbird, speckled mousebird, etc.
Volcano Mountains in Mgahinga
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is blessed to be part of the Virunga conservation area, an area that has a chain of Volcano Mountains that stretch from Virunga. The Volcano Mountains in Mgahinga include the following.
Mount Gahinga
With an elevation of over 3,473 meters above sea level, Mount Gahinga is the smallest volcano in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. It is important to note that although this mountain is relatively smaller, its climbing is not easy. This is because climbing Mount Gahinga takes approximately 5-6 hours, including the descending time. Gahinga is a local word in Kinyarwanda that means a pile of stones or rocks. Mountain Gahinga was named so because of the numerous loose volcanic stones it has. The mountain is located between Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Muhabura. Due to its size, several small primates harbor this mountain and can be encountered on a climbing experience.
Mount Sabyinyo
Mount Sabyinyo is the smallest peak in Mgahinga National Park, standing at 3,669 meters above sea level, and hiking to the top takes about 4 hours. This mountain is shared by three countries of the Virunga conservation area, which include Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, the biggest part of Mount Sabyinyo is in Uganda. Sabyinyo is a local word that means old man’s teeth because the top of this mount is shaped in such a way. This mountain offers incredible scenes and a feeling of being in three countries at the same time while at the peak. The mountain has thick forest vegetation that provides a home to different wildlife species. These include Albertine endemic birds, mountain gorillas, and golden monkeys, which can be traced while hiking Sabyinyo.
Mount Muhabura
This is the highest peak of all the three volcanos in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. It lies at 4127 meters high, and climbing this stunning mountain takes about 7-8 hours. However, the hiking time depends on a lot of factors, among which include the physical ability of the hiker, weather, and hiking gear. Muhabura or Muhabura is a Kinyarwanda and Kifumbira word meaning to guide.
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Gorilla trekking is the main activity carried out in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Encountering these endangered primate species is almost guaranteed since the park harbors over 100 mountain gorillas, and the Nyakagezi gorilla family is the only habituated family. Trekking gorillas start in the morning with a pre-trekking briefing at the park headquarters offices. This briefing elaborates on the rules and regulations of mountain gorilla trekking. During the briefing, the visitors are also informed of the expected code of conduct while in the presence of the gorillas. The guide ranger then groups the visitors into groups of 8 people and assigns a lead guide ranger.
After briefing, you will start the trekking experience in the forest led by an experienced guide ranger. Depending on where these primates are, the trekking experiences can last between 4-6 hours. During trekking, you will be able to see other primate species, such as vervet monkeys, olive baboons, L’hoest monkeys, and colobus monkeys, among others. Upon locating the gorillas, an hour is allowed in their presence to watch feed, play, and groom their young under the watchful eye of a silverback.
What to pack on a gorilla trekking safari in Mgahinga?
A good packing list is quite essential for the success of your gorilla trekking adventure experience in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. The items to add to your packing list are as unveiled below.
- First aid box
- Hiking boots
- Long-sleeved shirts
- Jungle trousers
- Reusable water bottle
- Energy-giving snacks
- Insect repellents
- A camera and extra batteries
- Sunscreen
- Broad-brimmed hat
- Binoculars
- Extra money for tips
What are the other activities in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a natural hub of incredible activities that have attracted visitors from far and wide. Below are some of these activities done in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Batwa Experience
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was formally home to the Batwa people before it was gazette into a national park. During the Batwa experience, the Twa guide will demonstrate their hunting, harvesting, and gathering skills to the visitors. They also show off how to make bamboo cups, fire by rubbing two sticks against each other, and visit the Garamba cave, which once hosted these people and acted as food storage and hiding place for the Batwa, among others. The experience ends with storytelling and dance presentations by the Batwa women to entertain the visitors.
Golden monkey trekking
Mgahinga offers golden monkey trekking adventures, which are an interesting activity that involves moving into the forest in search of the golden monkeys and spending an hour in their presence. Mgahinga is the only destination in Uganda that harbors the rare golden monkeys, and trekking starts in the morning with a pre-trekking briefing before heading into the forest. Trekking takes about 2-5 hours, depending on where the monkeys spend the night.
Trekking golden monkeys is not as strenuous as mountain gorilla trekking because golden monkeys live in lower areas. During trekking, you will look out for fresh leftovers of bamboo shoots because golden monkeys do not leave behind clear evidence of their previous day’s location. Once the golden monkeys are located, you are allowed one hour with them in their environment. This allows you to observe their behaviors and watch them jump from one branch to another and go by with their chores.
