Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda's smallest national park covering just 33.7 square kilometers, yet it protects extraordinary biodiversity in the dramatic Virunga Mountains along Uganda's borders with Rwanda and DR Congo. The park encompasses three extinct volcanoes - Muhavura (4,127m), Gahinga (3,474m), and Sabinyo (3,645m) - creating stunning volcanic landscapes and unique montane habitats.

Mgahinga is home to one habituated mountain gorilla family, the Nyakagezi group, offering intimate gorilla trekking experiences often with shorter, easier treks than Bwindi. The park is also Uganda's only habitat for the endangered golden monkey, a beautiful primate endemic to the Albertine Rift with striking orange-gold body patches. Approximately 3,000-4,000 golden monkeys inhabit the park's bamboo forests.

Beyond primates, Mgahinga offers volcano climbing adventures with rewarding summit views across three countries. The park's cultural significance includes the sacred caves where the indigenous Batwa people lived for millennia before the park's establishment. Whether tracking gentle gorilla giants, observing playful golden monkeys in bamboo forests, summiting volcanic peaks, or learning Batwa culture, Mgahinga delivers unique mountain wilderness experiences in a compact but spectacular setting.

Highlights

• Mountain gorilla trekking
• Endangered golden monkey tracking
• Three volcanic peaks to climb
• Batwa cultural experiences
• Cross-border Virunga ecosystem

Things to Do

• Gorilla trekking
• Golden monkey tracking
• Volcano hiking
• Batwa cultural trail
• Bird watching
• Nature walks

June to September and December to February for drier trekking conditions