Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Why visit Mgahinga Gorilla National Park?

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda offers excellent gorilla trekking on the forested slopes of three extinct volcanoes in the Virunga mountains - an important mountain gorilla conservation area

Mgahinga's forested ecosystem

Covering an area of only 33.7km2 (3,300 hectares), Mgahinga is Uganda’s smallest national park. The park covers the northern slopes of the three northernmost Virunga volcanoes: Muhavura (4,127 m), Gahinga (3,474 m), and Sabinyo (3,645 m). 

The park is bordered to the south by the Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda and to the west by the Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park has great biological importance because, throughout the climatic changes of the Pleistocene ice ages, mountains such as these provided a refuge for mountain plants and animals, which moved up or down the slopes as the climate became warmer or cooler.

Gorillas and other wildlife

In addition to mountain gorillas that are easily found via trekking, golden monkeys, forest elephants, forest buffaloes, leopards, African golden cat, giant forest hogs and bushpigs are all present in the forest but are shy and seldom encountered.

Bird watching in Mgahinga

Mgahinga boasts some 250 bird species, including 17 Albertine Rift endemics. Watch out for handsome francolin, Kivu ground thrush, Rwenzori turaco, green tinkerbird, dusky and Shelley's crimsonwing and strange weaver.

Read more about Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Why Mgahinga is a responsible safari choice

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a vital mountain gorilla conservation area.

With Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park to the south and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, Mgahinga completes the trifecta of parks protecting the Greater Virunga Ecosystem and over half of the remaining mountain gorillas.

Your gorilla trekking safari with Africa Geographic contributes directly to the conservation of mountain gorillas because:

• 100% of your gorilla trekking permit cost goes directly to gorilla conservation efforts in Mgahinga.

• We donate a portion of every safari sold to selected conservation efforts at ground level.

• Your safari supports our conservation publishing efforts, which educate the world about the plight of mountain gorillas and other endangered species.

• Our chosen lodges and other service providers support local community initiatives, ensuring that tourism benefits the nearby villages directly. They also adhere to strict environmental practices, such as limited visitor numbers to gorilla families and sustainable camp operations, which help protect the ecosystem.