Things to Do in Mgahinga National Park
Things to do in Mgahinga National Park: Despite being the smallest protected national park in Uganda, this destination stands out due to its unique and stunning adventure activities that immerse travellers into the world of exploration. Some of these captivating activities include gorilla trekking, which is the highlight of the park, attracting visitors from different parts of the world to witness empirical evidence about the mountain gorillas that share 98% DNA with humans.
Mgahinga National Park is home to the beautiful golden monkeys that leave visitors in awe due to their playful antics and golden fur, jumping from one tree to another, among others. Other things to do in the park include cave exploration, mountain climbing (commonly known as hiking), nature walk tours, and community visits, especially to the earliest inhabitants or the forest custodians of Mgahinga Forest before their eviction due to its establishment as a national park in 1991.
Things to Do in Mgahinga National Park
There is much more to Mgahinga than gorilla trekking, but the park is also home to the highest concentration of golden monkeys in the country. Other primates to see include colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and many others. Other species include leopards, golden cats, giant forest hogs, and bushbucks, among others.
Moreover, the park offers you the chance to visit the Batwa people along its edges. The Batwa people were the original inhabitants of this pristine forest before they were evicted by the Ugandan government in 1991 to protect the forest and its wildlife species. Therefore, offering them a visit is worthwhile. Activities to do include gorilla trekking, nature walks, golden monkey trekking, hiking, cultural visits, especially in the Batwa communities, and others.
Gorilla trekking
Among the things to do in Mgahinga National Park, gorilla trekking is the leading primate activity that draws tourists from different parts of the world; this comes as a result of being one of the unique endangered species in the world. This activity has left many visitors in awe due to its magical nature, where visitors have the opportunity to get close and personal with mountain gorillas during a gorilla trekking experience.
Golden Monkey trekking
Golden monkeys are unique primates in the East African region that are restricted to the Virunga ranges, similar to mountain gorillas. Uganda’s beautiful golden monkeys are only found in Mgahinga. These striking subspecies of the unique blue monkeys are classified as endangered and highly desired by tourists and are considered the most striking monkeys across the world.
The Batwa Trail
Following the things to do in Mgahinga National Park, this is the Batwa trail, which offers visitors an opportunity to see the forest inhabitants. The Batwa people used to gather fruits from the forest and hunt as their major activities at that time while living in the Garama caves for thousands of years. These forest custodians were later evicted from the forest by the Ugandan government to protect the forest and its flora and fauna, wildlife, tourism, and conservation initiatives, and resettled at the edges of the forest.
This meant that they were forced to keep away from their original customs and traditions and adapt to the new life outside the park. This Batwa trail is always led by a Batwa guide who takes and guides visitors about the Batwa’s traditions and customs. Some of the activities to do by the locals include demonstrations such as fire making, collecting honey, hunting, fruit gathering, dancing, singing, and others. However, visitors might as well be requested to participate in some activities.
Cave exploration
This exploration involves visitors touring down the base of the Muhavura and Garama Caves. This exploration reveals the Batwa’s ancient days and lifestyle. Historically, the Batwa often used these caves during fighting with their neighbours and used these deep-rooted caves as their assembly point. Currently, the caves are occupied by bats, and accessing their internal structure requires torches; it’s alleged that this cave has an extension to Rwanda.
Nature Walks
Among the things to do in Mgahinga National Park, nature walks are always carried out in different parts of the park using various forest trails. The nature walks can be carried out along the slopes of the spectacular volcanoes, woodlands, Rugezi swamp, Lake Mutanda shores, and plantations, among others. The nature walk is one of the guided tours where visitors are led by a knowledgeable guide, accompanied by armed rangers for security reasons. These nature walk trails offer avenues for spotting birds and other wildlife species, including mammals and primates, among others.
Mountain Climbing in Mgahinga
Mountain climbing is one of the famous activities that offers visitors stunning views of the Virunga Volcanoes. These volcanoes attract visitors from different parts of the world, and climbing any of these volcanoes can be done within a day. Hiking permits can be received at the park headquarters.
Where to Stay in the Park?
The park offers a wide range of accommodation facilities that offer visitors room for privacy and comfort, especially after the thrilling activities done at the park. These accommodation facilities range from budget to mid-range and luxury accommodation options, all offering unique services at varying prices depending on the traveller’s budget. These include Mount Gahinga Lodge, Travellers Rest Hotel, Lake Mulehe Safari Lodge, Amajambere Iwacu Camp, Mount Gahinga Rest Camp, Lake Mutanda Safari Cottage, and Chameleon Hill, among others.
