Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking From Kasese : Located in the Kisoro district of southwest Uganda, Mgahinga National Park is a well-liked gorilla trekking safari destination in Uganda. It shares a border with Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The second-most popular habitat for the critically endangered mountain gorillas, it is also the smallest park in the nation.
Despite being only 33 square kilometres in size, Mgahinga National Park is home to about 80 gorillas, including a habituated family that welcomes tourists. The Nyakagezi gorilla family, also referred to as the “Nyakagezi family,” is a well-known group of approximately nine gorillas, including four silverbacks, two adult females, one juvenile male, and two infant females.
At around 7:00 am, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park begins at the park’s headquarters at the Ntebeko gate. Here, hikers receive a briefing on what to expect, what to avoid, and where the tracked family is expected to be. Tour guides and park rangers lead the briefing while enjoying a quick breakfast. Additionally, during the briefing, guests are split up into groups of eight and assigned to a specific gorilla family; this means that only eight gorilla trekking permits are sold in Mgahinga each day. Each group of eight people is only permitted access to one gorilla family group.
After that, they are directed to the tracking trails, where they can explore Mgahinga’s wilderness, dense forests, and hilly terrain in pursuit of the critically endangered mountain gorillas. Visitors are only allowed to spend an hour with each animal after they are assigned, during which time they can take pictures and learn about their eating and behaviour patterns. Depending on where they are, gorilla trekking in Mgahinga can take anywhere from two to six hours. In Mgahinga, gorilla trekking permits are 800 USD and can be purchased through the Uganda Wildlife Authority or a reputable tour operator like Focus East Africa Tours.
Guidelines and regulations for Gorilla trekking.
Visitors and trekkers must abide by certain rules and regulations while on Uganda gorilla trekking safaris in Mgahinga National Park. These guidelines, which are intended to protect both the mountain gorillas and trekkers generally, include:
The only distance that visitors are allowed to keep from the mountain gorillas is approximately 15 feet, so they cannot get too close. This is to guarantee that diseases like the flu and cough, which are extremely harmful to these primate species, cannot be easily spread.
Every trekker must be at least 15 years old, and no visitor who is older than 15 will be permitted to see the mountain gorillas. This is due to the fact that illnesses like the flu, mumps, and cough are easily spread among children under the age of fifteen.
It is also recommended that trekkers bring all of their necessary paperwork, such as passports, visas, immunization records, and permits for gorilla trekking. The legal document that permits tourists to see and interact with mountain gorillas is known as a gorilla trekking permit. Prior to being permitted to participate in gorilla trekking activities, the remaining documents are required to verify the visitor’s true identity.
It is imperative that trekkers and visitors communicate at the outset if they are ill or have a contagious illness in order to avoid coming into contact with the mountain gorillas and to receive reimbursement for their trip or a refund.
Visitors are advised to speak in whispers and, if necessary, use the park rangers to communicate, as loud noises and phone ringtones may frighten the gorillas and ruin their chance to see beautiful birds and animals.
The advantages of starting from Entebbe and distance are discussed in Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga National Park, which begins in Kasese Town.
Kasese Town, one of the most well-known and quickly developing cities in Uganda, is located in the western region of the nation. The town has gradually grown due to its proximity to Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s second-largest national park. It is possible to go gorilla trekking in Mgahinga National Park from Kasese town; the drive takes roughly five to six hours. Kisoro airstrip is approximately 45 minutes away from Kasese airstrip. It is roughly 179 kilometres from Kasese town to Mgahinga. The benefits of gorilla trekking from Kasese town to Mgahinga include less time and money wasted on transportation.
