Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is part of the Virunga Mountains located in South Western region of Uganda. Mgahinga national park is around 15 kilometres south of Kisoro town and about 55 kilometres west of Kabale town. It borders with Virunga National Park in the D.R Congo and Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The park encompasses 3 dormant volcanoes; Mount Sabyinyo, Mount Gahinga and Mount Muhabura. With the highlands and valleys, the park’s altitude ranges from 2,227m to 4,127m. It receives mean monthly rainfall of around 250mm, during the wet months and 10mm, during the drier months.
The park is made up of different vegetation types depending on the zone. They range from; tropical montane forests, bamboo forest, moorland with heath and alpine zone at higher altitudes.
The park is home to about 39 mammal species and is commonly known for the endangered mountain gorillas and golden monkeys. Other animals living in the park include; Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard, Bush pig (these animals are rarely spotted). Other monkeys like Vervet also live in the park as well as the common olive Baboons.
There is only one gorilla group in Mgahinga; Nyakagezi group. It is headed by a great silverback called Nyakagezi and the group is made up of 11 members; 2 silverbacks, 3 adult females, 4 juveniles, and 2 infants. The group is habituated and open for tracking by tourists.
The park also hosts various forest bird species including some Albertine rift endemics. Bird species living in the park include; Handsome francolin, Dusky crimson-wing, Red-throated athlete, Archer’s ground robin, Stripe-breasted tit, Blue-headed Sunbird, Regal Sunbird, Strange Weaver, Montane nightjar, red-faced woodland warbler and Grauer’s swamp warbler, Kivu ground thrush, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, Collared Apalis, Mountain masked Apalis among many more.
The Batwa were the indigenous people of the forest. they used the forest for food: hunt animals in the forest and gather fruits and herbs from the forest. when the area was put up for conservation, the Batwa were forced to leave. They now live along the park borders and now participate in farming activities for food and some income.
While visiting the park there are several tourist activities one can participate in. Gorilla trekking where you will get to see mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, birding; the park is a home to a good number of birds which you can expect to spot, nature walks; there are various trails within the park that tourists follow as the explore Mgahinga forest, Batwa community visit; you get to learn about the culture and lifestyle of these people, scenic viewing; there are various spots within and outside the park that offer great views of the vegetation-covered valleys, ridges and highlands, volcano hiking; tourists can take a hike to any of the mountains within the park borders whose tops meet you with beautiful scenery of the Virunga massif.
