Uganda's smallest national park, three Virunga volcanoes on the Rwanda and Congo border with gorillas, golden monkeys and Batwa heritage.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is small in size and large in scenery. Three conical, extinct volcanoes of the Virunga range rise to 4,127 metres on the border with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and bamboo and montane forest cover their slopes. At just 33.7 square kilometres it is Uganda's smallest national park, yet it protects mountain gorillas, golden monkeys and more than 180 bird species, according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
The gorillas here are a single habituated group that moves across the border, so sightings depend on where the family is that season. When the group is in Uganda the trek is a memorable and generally shorter walk, and when it is not, guests can switch to other experiences. Bwindi offers many more groups, which is why our guide to Uganda versus Rwanda gorilla trekking explains how to choose between the parks.
Golden monkeys are the park's other primate star. These endangered monkeys live in the bamboo zone, and tracking them is a lively, photogenic hour in the company of animals that rarely stay still. It is a good activity for guests who want primates without a long permit lead time or a trek as demanding as the gorillas'.
Mgahinga is also about people. The Batwa, the original forest hunter-gatherers of this region, guide a trail that explains how they lived in the forest and used its plants. It is a careful, respectful way to hear their story from their own voices, and it supports a community that lost access to the forest when the park was created.
Visit the Batwa trail with the right attitude. It is a chance to listen, not a performance, so pay the guided fee, ask before taking photographs and buy crafts directly from makers. Volcano hikes are long days with steep sections and changing weather, so bring layers, water and sturdy boots, and accept the ranger's decision if conditions turn.
From Mbarara the road runs to Kabale and then Kisoro, which is the base for the park. You can pair a stay here with Bwindi and Lake Bunyonyi, which sits on the way and makes an ideal rest night. Our 7 day western Uganda itinerary shows how the three fit together.
Track the park's habituated group and spend an hour with them. Whether the group is in Uganda or across the border changes the day, and rangers will advise.
Walk into the bamboo forest to spend time with a troop of golden monkeys. It is a fun and photogenic experience, and often a good complement to a gorilla trek.
A guided walk with Batwa guides who share forest knowledge, plants and stories. Allow about half a day.
Hike one of the three volcanoes, Muhabura, Gahinga or Sabyinyo, with a ranger. Muhabura is the highest at 4,127 metres. These are full-day efforts that need fitness and advance booking.
More than 180 species, including Albertine Rift endemics such as the Kivu ground thrush. See our Uganda birding guide.
Finish with a restful stay among the islands of Lake Bunyonyi, reached by the same road.
The drier months, roughly June to September and December to February, are the best for hiking and trekking, because paths are firmer and views of the volcanoes clearer. In the wetter months the bamboo and forest are very green, but trails are slippery and cloud often hides the summits. Gorillas and golden monkeys can be tracked all year. Compare the seasons in our gorilla trekking timing guide.
From Mbarara the road runs south-west to Kabale and on to Kisoro, which is the base for the park. UWA gives about nine hours from Kampala to Kisoro, and recommends a 4x4 for the final stretch. From Mbarara you save several hours, but the last roads are slow, so we usually break the journey at Lake Bunyonyi. UWA also notes flights of about an hour and ten minutes from Entebbe or Kajjansi to the Kisoro airstrip. Send us your dates on the plan your trip page and we will price the route.
Mgahinga adds volcano scenery, golden monkeys and the Batwa trail to a single gorilla family, in a very small park. Bwindi has many more gorilla families and more forest.
The park has one habituated group that sometimes crosses the border, so rangers will advise on the day. Ask us about backup activities, such as golden monkey tracking, when you plan.
Golden monkeys are an endangered primate living in the bamboo forest of the Virunga volcanoes. Tracking them is shorter and easier than a gorilla trek.
Yes, with a ranger guide. Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo can each be done in a day, but they need good fitness and booking ahead through UWA or your operator.
By road through Kabale to Kisoro, or by flight to the Kisoro airstrip from Entebbe. Read the route notes in our 7 day western Uganda itinerary.
Yes. It gives context to the forest and the people who lived in it, and it supports the community directly. Allow about half a day.
Both are unforgettable and both are done on foot. Here is how gorilla trekking and chimpanzee tracking differ, and how to choose or combine them.
A step-by-step look at a gorilla trekking day in Uganda, from the early briefing and the walk to your hour with the gorillas and the rules to follow.
Gorillas can be trekked all year. What changes with the seasons is the ground underfoot, the crowds and how soon you need to book.
How to spend one or two nights at Lake Bunyonyi: canoe trips, island visits, birds, walks and how to pair it with gorilla trekking.
Both countries offer mountain gorilla treks. Here is how Uganda and Rwanda differ on parks, permits, access, terrain and the rest of the trip.
Tell us when you want to travel and who is coming. We will come back with a plan and a price.
