The 4 days Mgahinga Gorilla Tour leads you to Mgahinga National Park, one of the extraordinary places to see the endangered Mountain gorillas and Uganda’s only place where silver meets gold (where the gorillas and golden monkeys are found).
Situated in south-western Uganda, Mgahinga National Park is the country’s smallest National Park at 34 square kilometers and part of the vast Virunga Conservation Area also comprising of Virunga National Park of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda. It was gazetted into a National Park in 1991 and is now home to only one habituated gorilla group-Nyakagyezi (thus only 8 permits are available per day) but is also known for sheltering three of the eight Virunga Volcanoes (Gahinga, Sabyinyo, and Muhabura).
What to expect during the 4 days Mgahinga Gorilla Tour
• Smooth ride from Kampala through several Towns to Mgahinga National Park.
• Trekking and spending one hour with the Nyakagyezi Gorilla group.
• Tracking the golden monkeys.
• The Batwa cultural experience.
• 3 nights’ accommodation in Mgahinga.
Highlights of the 4 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Tour
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Mgahinga National Park.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking.
Day 3: Golden monkey tracking and Batwa cultural experience.
Day 4: Return from Mgahinga National Park to Kampala.
Detailed itinerary of the 4 days Mgahinga Gorilla Tour
Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Mgahinga National Park
Leave Kampala for Mgahinga National Park at 6:30 am and drive south-westwards through the Towns of Mpigi, Masaka, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Ntungamo, Rukungiri, and Kisoro. You will have your first stop in the Mpigi district at the Uganda Equator for 30 minutes and continue until Mbarara Town for lunch. Relish the jaw-dropping views of the Kigezi Hills, terraced slopes, vast banana and tea plantations, the Virunga Volcanoes and Lakes before finally arriving at the Park in the evening.
Mgahinga is undeniably the smallest National Park in Uganda but is also the most beautiful and endowed destination with wildlife, birds, butterflies and spectacular landscape. Freshen up, have dinner and overnight upon arrival at the Park. Alternatively, you can leave from Kigali Rwanda and cross-over to Uganda and this journey lasts only 4 hours.
Meal plan: Lunch and dinner.
Accommodation options
• Budget: Travelers’ Rest Hotel Kisoro or Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp
• Midrange: Mucha Hotel Kisoro or Mutanda Lake Resort.
• Luxury: Mount Gahinga Lodge or Chameleon Hill Lodge.
Travel time: 8-9 hours or 4 hours from Kigali.
Day 2: Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park
This day has to be recorded as the most unforgettable day of your life and will start with an early breakfast and convergence at the Ntebeko reception center for a pre-briefing that will last between 30 and 45 minutes. With fellow trekkers, an armed ranger, guide, and porters move to the trailhead of the trek to start the walk through the dense forest to search for the only habituated and ever mobile gorilla group-Nyakagyezi. Although the gorilla group always mobile, the trackers who move ahead of you will notify guides of their position and how to reach hence make the trek a lot easier.
After several hours of trekking, you will reach this awe-inspiring gorilla group to spend only one hour with them. The one hour limit is usually followed strictly to avoid any possible behavioral changes or stressing them and only a group of 8 persons visits the group per day. After one hour of taking photos of the gorillas and learning about individual behavior, you will return to the Lodge for lunch.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Accommodation options
• Budget: Travelers’ Rest Hotel Kisoro or Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp.
• Midrange: Mucha Hotel Kisoro or Mutanda Lake Resort.
• Luxury: Mount Gahinga Lodge or Chameleon Hill Lodge.
Day 3: Golden monkey tracking and Batwa cultural experience
The 4 days Mgahinga Gorilla Tour package also includes golden monkey trekking and to start the day, take your breakfast and be transferred to the Park Headquarters where you will join other intending trekkers for briefing. Just like gorilla trekking, you will have your walking stick in hand and start the trek through the forests of Mgahinga National Park.
Golden monkey tracking is slightly easier and faster than gorilla trekking because the mountain gorillas occupy the bamboo forests in the lower slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes thus after just 1-2 hours you will be ushered to the golden monkey community. Their golden-brown color, swift movement, cunning, and cheeky behavior will make you fall in love with them. Also, spend one hour with them then descend to the starting point and the Lodge for lunch.
Your afternoon will allow you to have an insight into the unique culture and tradition of the Batwa, the pygmy population that once lived and depended on the Mgahinga forest before it was gazetted into a National Park. The Batwa people’s traditional way of making fire with ordinary sticks, small huts, traditional medicines for healing ailments, captivating cultural dances and honey harvesting procedures of the Batwa people will blow your mind and make you return to your room wondering how endowed some cultures are. Return to the Lodge to freshen-up, relax, have dinner and overnight.
Meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Accommodation options
• Budget: Travelers’ Rest Hotel Kisoro or Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp.
• Midrange: Mucha Hotel Kisoro or Mutanda Lake Resort.
• Luxury: Mount Gahinga Lodge or Chameleon Hill Lodge.
Day 4: Return from Mgahinga National Park to Kampala
Breakfast will be served early to allow you to hit the road and arrive at Kampala earlier. Your return trip won’t be boring because it will involve two stopovers one being in Mbarara for lunch and another at the Mpambire Drum makers to see how different traditional drums are made out of a certain special tree type and arrive Kampala in the evening to rest.
End of your 4 days Mgahinga Gorilla tour
The 4 days Mgahinga Gorilla tour package includes:
• Gorilla permit ($700 per permit per person).
• Golden monkey permit.
• Batwa cultural experience.
• Bottled water.
• Accommodation for three nights.
• Meals including the en-route ones.
• Comfortable and smooth ride with our customized 4 WD Vehicles including fuel.
• A full-time English speaking driver.
• Relevant Government taxes.
• Other activities on the itinerary.
• Border crossing (in case the trip starts from Kigali).
The 4 days Mgahinga Gorilla tour package excludes;
• Ugandan Visa fees
• Airfares.
• Personal expenses such as telephone bills, personal insurance, tips, souvenirs, drinks, and laundry fees.
• Optional activities not included in the itinerary.
Mountain gorilla and golden monkey trekking guidelines
Some of the guidelines of gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park are;
• Do not trek the gorilla when sick of flue or cough.
• You are allowed to spend only one hour with the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys as well.
• Avoid using flash cameras.
• Tourists have to be above 15 years to trek the mountain gorillas or golden monkeys.
• A distance of 7 meters must be maintained when seeing the mentioned apes.
• Avoid making noise during trekking or when with the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.
• Littering the Park is prohibited because rubbish acts as a breeding ground for germs.
• Cover your mouth and turn away from the Mountain gorillas when coughing or sneezing.
What to pack for the 4 days Mgahinga Gorilla tour package
• Safari pants.
• Long-sleeved shirts.
• A backpack for carrying the things you will need during trekking and has to be rainproof.
• Energy giving snacks.
• Enough drinking water
• Non-flash camera.
• Sunglasses.
• A flash torch.
• A sweater to keep you warm during chilly mornings and evenings.
• Poncho or rain jacket.
• Gardening gloves to protect hands from being scratched by tree branches when using them for support.
• Strong waterproof hiking boots.
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