Mgahinga is Uganda's smallest national park and one of its most beautiful, covering the northern slopes of three extinct Virunga volcanoes: Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabinyo. It adjoins Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Virunga in Congo, and together they protect one continuous mountain habitat for gorillas.
The park has one habituated gorilla family, which means very few trekkers each day and an unusually peaceful experience. It is also the best place in Uganda to see golden monkeys, whose orange backs flash through the bamboo, and to climb a volcano in a day.
We love Mgahinga for travellers who want gorillas without the crowds, and for anyone who likes big views. Mount Gahinga Lodge sits right at the park edge, so you walk out of the gate in the morning with the volcanoes rising ahead of you.
Mgahinga’s habituated gorilla family, known as Nyakagezi, has at times crossed into Rwanda and Congo, but it has settled on the Ugandan side for many years now. The park is also home to golden monkeys, an endangered subspecies found only in the Virunga region, along with forest buffalo, bushbuck and elephants that move through the bamboo.
Birders look for Albertine Rift endemics such as the Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird and dusky crimsonwing in the montane forest and bamboo zones.
Chance of seeing
Our estimate for a stay of two or three nights with a good guide. Wildlife is wild, so nothing is promised.
The volcanoes dominate everything here. Muhabura is a near-perfect cone, Gahinga is lower and rounded, and Sabinyo’s jagged ridge looks like worn teeth. Their lower slopes are covered in bamboo and montane forest, giving way to giant lobelias and heath higher up, while below the park boundary small farms of potatoes and sorghum patchwork the valley floor.
Activities here
Mgahinga is high and cool, with daytime temperatures around 18°C to 22°C and nights that can fall to 7°C or below, and colder still on the summits. Rain is possible year round, heaviest from March to May and in October and November. Bring warm layers and waterproofs whatever the season.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | 10 | 90 |
| Feb | 20 | 10 | 110 |
| Mar | 20 | 10 | 150 |
| Apr | 19 | 11 | 170 |
| May | 19 | 10 | 120 |
| Jun | 19 | 9 | 40 |
| Jul | 20 | 8 | 25 |
| Aug | 20 | 9 | 60 |
| Sep | 20 | 9 | 110 |
| Oct | 19 | 10 | 140 |
| Nov | 19 | 10 | 150 |
| Dec | 19 | 10 | 110 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
June to August is the driest time, with December to February a second, shorter dry spell. Days at the park gate are cool, around 18°C to 21°C, with cold nights close to 8°C, and clear mornings give the best views of the volcanoes. This is the season for volcano climbs, when the upper slopes are less slippery.
The rains peak from March to May and from September to November, when cloud often sits on the volcanoes and afternoon storms are common. Trails through the bamboo turn very muddy, and summit climbs can be cold, wet and viewless. Warm layers and waterproofs are essential at any time of year.
The drier months, June to September and December to February, are best for trekking and essential for volcano climbs, when the upper slopes are less slippery and views are clearer. With only one gorilla family, permits are limited all year, so we book as early as possible.
Best time to visit Jan to Feb, Jun to Sep
Mgahinga lies near Kisoro in Uganda’s far southwest, about 9 to 10 hours by road from Entebbe or Kampala. Most guests fly to Kisoro airstrip, about 30 minutes’ drive away. From Kigali it is about 3 hours via the Cyanika border, which makes it a natural addition to a Rwanda trip or a stop on the way to southern Bwindi.
A gorilla permit in Uganda costs US$800 per person per trek at the time of writing. Prices are set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority and do change, so we will confirm the current rate when we plan your trip. The minimum age for gorilla trekking is 15. Because Mgahinga has one habituated family, only a small number of permits are issued each day. Golden monkey tracking, volcano climbs and the Batwa Trail each need their own, much less costly permits, which we arrange for you.
At over 2,000 metres at the park gate and above 4,000 metres on Muhabura, altitude is a real factor. The volcano climbs are long, steep and tiring, so they suit fit walkers who have had a day or two to acclimatise. Warm clothing, good boots and a porter make a big difference.
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“Stay for the volcanoes”
We find that guests who come to Mgahinga just for the gorilla trek often wish they had stayed an extra day. The golden monkeys are delightful and far easier to reach than the gorillas, and the Sabinyo climb, where you can stand with a foot in three countries, is one of the great walks in East Africa. If climbing is not for you, the Batwa Trail offers one of the most thoughtful cultural experiences we know.
Safaris from
US$1,965 per person
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