Habituated Gorilla Families in Mgahinga
How many habituated gorilla families live in Mgahinga National Park? There is only one habituated gorilla family in Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. The Nyakagezi group is the only gorilla family that is open for gorilla trekking adventures. The Nyakagezi gorilla family is open for daily trekking sessions for tourists to get up close with the rare mountain gorillas in their natural setting.
Initially, the Nyakagezi gorilla family used to move crossing the borders to Rwanda and Congo. Interestingly, the group has peacefully settled in Mgahinga National Park. Visitors interested in exploring more about the Nyakagezi gorilla group can visit Mgahinga National Park in Kisoro, southwestern Uganda.
The Nyakagezi group underwent a complete habituation process in 1991, immediately Mgahinga Gorilla National Park was officially gazetted as a National Park in Uganda. In 1994, Nyakagezi was ready for trekking and was officially launched. Nyakagezi was originally led by Bugingo silverback gorilla but he was later succeeded by Mark.
Mark silverback gorilla, took over the leadership of the Nyakagezi group, plus his brother, Mafia. The composition of the Nyakagezi also features juveniles, infants, female, and others. The female most popular and have resided in this group include Nyiramwiza and Nshuti.
Why track the Nyakagezi Gorilla Group?
The Nyakagezi gorilla family is among the easiest families to track in Uganda. This gorilla family resides in the lower area of Mgahinga National Park. Consider exploring the Nyakagezi gorilla group in Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, especially if you are in search of the easiest groups.
The Nyakagezi gorilla family accommodates a maximum of 8 tourists per day. This makes it an ideal family to explore for visitors who don’t like crowds. With the limited number of trekkers allowed to track Nyakagezi, you should consider securing a gorilla trekking slot in advance.
How much is a gorilla permit for Mgahinga National Park?
The gorilla permits in Mgahinga cost USD 800 per person for all foreign nonresidents with a desire to embark on gorilla trekking to explore the Nyakagezi group. Foreign residents pay USD 700, the Rest of Africans USD 500, and Ugandans/East African citizens are charged UGX 300,000. Regardless of the visitor category, all the gorilla permit fees cover the park entrance charges, guide services, and a magical encounter with a group of mountain gorillas in their natural setting.
Gorilla trekking permits should be booked early enough and it is recommended that a visitor consider securing a slot at least 2-6 months in advance. Some visitors even go ahead to book gorilla permits a year before the actual trekking date. The main aim is to secure a slot in advance and not to wait till the last minute, yet the demand for gorilla permits is high.
Trekking Nyakagezi Gorilla Group in Mgahinga
Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park begins with an early morning briefing. The briefing and allocation of the park ranger guides begins from the Ntebeko park offices. 8 visitors embark on the search for gorillas. The actual gorilla trekking session is expected to begin the actual expedition at around 8:00 am.
Expect to navigate the jungle of Mgahinga National Park for 2-6 hours. The length of the gorilla trek varies significantly depending on the visitor speed of walking speed, fitness level, location of the gorillas, and nature of the habitat.
When you finally come across the Nyakagezi group, expect to stay for about 1 hour. It is during the one hour when you have a chance to take pictures and observe the daily behaviors of gorillas.
What to pack for gorilla tour in Mgahinga
A gorilla tour in Mgahinga requires appropriate packing, and this includes essentials. Among the items to pack include long sleeved shirts, a sweater, a rain jacket, insect repellents, a daypack, a camera, long pants or trousers, first aid kit, a rain jacket, and more.
More about Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
Mgahinga National Park is set in the Kisoro district, southwestern Uganda. Mgahinga isn’t only popular for mountain gorillas but also as the smallest park out of the 10 parks in Uganda. Lying in the Southwestern Uganda, Mgahinga occupies a compact region of about 331 sq. km. Mgahinga National Park also offers a range of other exciting activities including;
Golden monkey tracking
Golden monkeys live in the jungles of Mgahinga and the habituated troops are explored during golden monkey trekking. Mgahinga golden monkey permits cost USD 60 per person. Golden monkey trekking lasts for 2-4 hours. This also covers an hour for up close and personal encounter with a troop of golden monkeys.
Golden monkey habituation
If you wish to spend a little longer hours exploring golden monkeys in the wild then consider embarking on the golden monkey habituation experience. This is currently offered to visitors on Uganda safaris to Mgahinga National Park.
Birding
Embark on a journey to witness the finest birds in the Mgahinga National Park which protects the Albertine rift endemic species of birds and resident species. The birds you should to identify in Mgahinga include African paradise flycatchers, Kivu ground thrush, olive woodpecker, double-collared sunbirds, regal sunbirds, scarlet-tufted malachite sunbirds, olive pigeon, and Rwenzori batis.
Volcano hiking
The Virunga volcanoes existing in the Mgahinga National Park are all open for hiking adventures. The classical hiking expeditions in Mgahinga start from the key volcanoes including the Gahinga, Muhabura, and Sabyinyo Volcanoes.
Batwa trail experience
Embark on a journey to explore and experience more about the unique traditions and lifestyles, practices of the Batwa pygmies. The Batwa once lived in the lush Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga till 1991 when these two protected areas officially became National Parks. Batwa reside in the nearby the park boundaries. The Batwa trail introduces you deep into the Batwa pygmies’ cultures, traditions, and other practices.
The best time to visit Mgahinga National Park
A successful gorilla trek with the Nyakagezi group can be achieved if you book a gorilla tour in the right time. The dry months offer excellent gorilla treks. Visitors can opt for the long dry season from June to September then from December to February. Traveling around the dry months allows you to enjoy gorilla treks less of disturbances from rains, and also you have a smooth navigation through the natural rainforest.
Best places to stay in and around Mgahinga
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park features different accommodation options including budget, midrange, and luxury. Amazing places to expect to book for overnight stay include Mount Gahinga Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Community Camp, Traveler’s Rest Hotel Kisoro, Mutanda Lake Resort, Kisoro Tourist Hotel, Gahinga Rest Camp, and others.
Access to Mgahinga
Mgahinga National Park is reachable by road or air. Road travel to Mgahinga involves navigating via the Masaka-Mbarara-Kisoro route, and expect to take 9-10 hours when driving. Or take only 4-5 hours’ drive starting from Kigali to Mgahinga National Park, and this involves crossing through the Chanika border. You may also opt for the flight if you don’t want to spend more hours on the road. The flights depart from the Entebbe Airport, and you can land at the Kisoro Airstrip, then connect to Mgahinga National Park to kick-start your adventure.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park still has the Nyakagezi group as the only fully habituated mountain gorilla family ready for gorilla trekking. Mgahinga is an excellent place to begin your gorilla adventures, especially if you don’t want crowded gorilla trekking expeditions.
