Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
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Understand
History
Landscape
Flora and fauna
Climate
Get in
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park can perhaps be most easily accessed via Kisoro via a very poorly-maintained dirt road. Boda-bodas and high-clearance four-wheel drives are perhaps the only vehicles that can reliably pass even during the dry season. A boda-boda from Kisoro into either park entrance (Muhavura or the main entrance) will cost around USh15,000 as of June 2014 and will take about an hour.
Do
Volcano hiking: Mount Sabinyo, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Muhavura (Muhabura) can all be climbed in the park. Guide and guard are mandatory but included in the price, though tipping appears to be customary. Each climb takes approximately 6-8 hours, depending on personal fitness level and trail conditions. Prices as of January 2014 were US$60, though this may vary according to how the trek was booked. "Wellington boots" (rubber boots) can be rented for about USh10,000 and porters for about US$15. The start point for Muhavura is at a different park entrance than that of Sabinyo and Gahinga.
Gorilla Tracking: Mountain gorillas can be tracked in the park. Prices are steep for foreign non-residents but cheaper than in neighbouring Rwanda.
Golden Monkey Tracking: Golden monkeys are a species of monkey essentially unique to the Virunga mountains. Substantially cheaper than mountain gorilla tracking.
Birding:
Gorilla Tracking: Mountain gorillas can be tracked in the park. Prices are steep for foreign non-residents but cheaper than in neighbouring Rwanda.
Golden Monkey Tracking: Golden monkeys are a species of monkey essentially unique to the Virunga mountains. Substantially cheaper than mountain gorilla tracking.
Birding:
Sleep
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Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp
phone: +256 774 954 956The only budget place right at the entrance (other option being Volcanoes Safaris at US$200) brings money back to the community by offering cute bandas & camping, all in view of three of the Virungas. Easy on the pocket (as of Dec 2013: $8/night dorms, $30/night single self-contained banda), excellent location.
Lodging
Mgahinga Safari LodgeOn Lake Mutare between Kisoro and Nkuringo and makes a good base for tracking gorillas in the latter location. It is a fair distance from Mgahinga National Park, but they can arrange safaris. It is on a peninsula out in the stunningly beautiful lake, with the Virunga Mountains as another dramatic vista. Great value for money, good food by Ugandan standards, clean, good staff, etc., but you may be competing for space with packaged tours that use the property.