Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
While Bwindi Impenetrable Forest steals the limelight, the smaller Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in southwestern Uganda has arguably better views and is directly connected to the extended Virunga conservation area.
Travellers visiting the park can hike the extinct Virunga Volcanoes, track golden monkeys, join a gorilla trek or keep their eyes peeled for the buffalo, elephants and rare bird species which call these rainforests home.
Mgahinga is just one part of the larger Virunga Conservation Area which covers 434 square kilometres of volcanic mountains linking Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC. The bamboo forested slopes and calderas and views of Lake Mutanda below are reasons enough to visit this enchanting, picturesque border area.
Hidden gems in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Uganda's hidden gem
Mgahinga, set on the Ugandan slope of the Virungas, is my personal favourite among East Africa’s gorilla tracking destinations. True, there’s only one habituated group here, but if you can secure one of the park’s eight daily permits, you're in for a special experience. This is because the group in question is overseen by a trio of massive male siblings, making for superb silverback viewing. In addition, the gorillas here are generally found in bamboo forest or other relatively open areas, hiking conditions are usually quite undemanding, and low tourist volumes give the park a relatively off-the-beaten-track feel. What’s more, the location, below the volcanic Virunga peaks, is utterly spectacular, and other activities on offer include golden monkey tracking and various volcano hikes.
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