Getting to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a perfect destination with the greatest Apes Endangered Mountain Gorillas in the world. The park is situated at the boarder of Uganda with Rwanda and democratic republic of Congo. Yes, the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is the smallest of all the 10 National Parks in Uganda but with a lot of tourism significance.
Sitting on 33.7 square kilometers of land, Mgahinga was declared as the National Park in 1991 to protect these the rare primate of Uganda and Africa as whole. The park includes the Golden monkeys and Endangered Mountain Gorillas Mgahinga. The Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is seated on a relatively high altitude and it becomes so much cold especially during the morning and nights.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is within the district of Kisoro in Southwestern Uganda and is of majorly made of different tribes Bafumbira, Bakiga and the Batwa (pygmies). The Park is characterized by the 3 Virunga volcanoes of Sabinyo, Muhavura and Mgahinga which are available for hiking by the tourists. However, the gorilla trekking is the major activity that is mainly done in the park and it is what the park is known for.
Accessing Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Southwestern Uganda.
As we have seen, Mgahinga is popular destination for gorillas found in southwestern Uganda and the park can be accessed by both air and the road transport. Visitors can drive to Mgahinga National Park from Kampala or Kigali through Chanika or Katuna boarder which is so much easy for visitors who like adventure safaris.
Access Mgahinga Gorilla Park by Road transport
Yes, when accessing the Mgahinga a gorilla park, you will drive to southwestern part of Uganda through various cities and small towns of Masaka city and Mbarara city while enjoying the rolling hills of Kabale and Kisoro before getting to Mgahinga gorilla National Park.
The road drive from Kampala, Uganda’s capital city to Mgahinga gorilla national park, the drive will take about nine to ten hours. There also a lot of means and from city center Kampala, you can get to Mgahinga gorilla park by using the public transport since there are buses that do operate daily routes from down town Kampala to Kisoro municipality or town where you will be able to hire a tax for private car to get you to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park at its gate because the public transport vehicles are not allowed within the park.
However, it is not advised that you take the public tiresome because they are associated by the delays and you cannot explore properly the adventurous scenes as your moving to the home of the gorillas. Visitors especially those with the private vehicles can do a self-drive safari to Mgahinga National Park and you will also follow the route from Kampala or at Entebbe International Airport and then drive through Masaka city and Mbarara city and later to Kisoro and drive to the Mgahinga park headwaters or at your lodge as you wait for the next morning tourist activity.
Importantly, moving using the private drives will give you a chance to make several stopovers at anything interesting on your way to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Most of the travelers’ are found of making stopover at Kayabwe Equator line for taking some pictures and then continue and stop at the Igongo Cultural center where you will have the lunch before continuing to the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
The journey especially by using the road transport is a bit tiresome but rewarding with the interesting views on the way, for example the interesting local people and communities doing about their daily life activities. You will be able to see the Ankole long horned cattle as you move towards the Mbarara city and later you will be amuse by the wonderful views of the rolling Kigezi highlands and the terraced hilly gardens by the people of Kabale and Kigezi.
If your there and you’re interested in visiting Uganda for gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, we advise that you look for the travel operator like Vibrant Holiday safaris whom will help to arrange all the Mgahinga gorilla safaris that will organize for you for the transportation, accommodation and all the gorilla permits that are needed for you to have a wonderful safari.
Getting to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park by Air transport
Yes visitors also have an opportunity to access the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park so quickly by moving through a short distance by Air transport. There domestic flight companies especially the Aero link Uganda limited that do conducted both scheduled and the chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport to Kisoro Airstrip and later here you driver will transfer your booked lodge or hotel.
You will get a flight from Entebbe to Kisoro starting at 7:00am which will land at 8:10am at Kisoro Airstrip and then return at Entebbe International Airport at around 11:25am. Flights also are organized to other national parks such as the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elisabeth National Park as well as Semuliki National Park. These parks provide guest with the intimate experience to the wildlife, bird species, and boat cruise among others.
Accessing Mgahinga Gorilla National Park from Rwanda
Yes, in fact accessing Mgahinga gorilla national park from Kigali Rwanda is the best option and easiest. Uganda and Rwanda are neighbor countries and guests who are not interested in moving long distances can easily opt to fly to Kigali internationals Airport and driver to Mgahinga gorilla national park through Cyanika or Katuna borders. From Kigali city to Mgahinga gorilla national park it takes only 3 to 4 hours while driving on the road and as compared to when driving to Entebbe internationals park to Bwindi gorilla park headquarters at Ntebeko which takes about 9 to 10 hours and therefore, flying to Kigali is the best option and it saves on time and transportation costs.
What to see in Mgahinga Gorilla Park in Southwestern Uganda
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is famous for the having the human related Endangered Mountain Gorillas. Uganda has got only two National parks that harbors Endangered Mountain Gorillas and these include Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. All these parks are found in southwestern Uganda and close to each other.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park main attraction that attracts visitors to visit the park are the Mountain Gorillas and the Golden monkeys. Only habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga is available for trekking and this called Nyakagezi gorilla family. This gorilla family used to be mobile from one country to another since this park lies at the border with Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo, however, it is now stabilized in Uganda Mgahinga Forest National Park. Visitors can obtain the gorilla trekking permit from Uganda Wildlife Life and through the Local tourism operators like Vibrant Holiday Safaris.
There are also other attractions found in Mgahinga gorilla national park other than endangered mountain gorillas and these include the rare Golden monkeys only found, three Virunga Volcanoes; Muhavura, Mgahinga and Sabinyo. You can also do community visits especially the Batwa pygmies that once up time stayed in Mgahinga before it was gazetted as the National Park.
Mgahinga is a wonderful destination that can be accessed through both air and road transport and you can easily and shortest get to Mgahinga National Park by flying to Kigali Internationals Airport and then cross to Uganda through Cyanika and Katuna Boarder.