The most popular nature walk in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park leads into the luxuriant gorge deep under the steep slopes of Mt Sabinyo. It is totally comparable to volcano hiking, in duration (5-6 hours), beauty, and even difficulty.
To make it a little easier, the Uganda Wildlife Authority team led by Moses Turinawe, the park tourism warden, made some significant improvements earlier this month. A group of 6 people worked for a week and a half to add 4 walkways over boggy sections and rework 6 bridges.
With this new development we recommend Sabinyo Gorge Walk even higher than before. You will walk through the bamboo area down into a narrow valley between two of the extinct volcano’s tooth roots (“Sabyinyo” means old man’s teeth), following a running stream that makes the rocks moist and the vegetation overflowing. Turinawe reports that the water is slowly increasing and he expects the waterfall at the end of the gorge to be at its best in the second half of April.
And if you are concerned because we mentioned that this was the most visited nature walk attraction of Mgahinga, allow us to add a significant number: that merely means about 10 visitors a month! Seriously, if you want to do something attractive in one of Uganda’s most impressive national parks and have, in addition to park entry fees, 30 dollars in your pocket (or only 15,000 shillings if you have an East African passport/15 dollars if you are an East African resident), Sabinyo Gorge will not disappoint you.
🖋️📸 written & photographed by:
Moses Turinawe is Senior Tourism and Hospitality officer in Kibale National Park. Among his previous positions with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, he twice worked in Queen Elizabeth National Park and served as Tourism Warden of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park before acting as the Mgahinga Park Warden. [bio updated: 2026-03-09]
📸 other photos by:
Blasio Byekwaso began his career as a park ranger and warden, developing a deep bond with animals and nature in general. That connection found a new expression through photography — first in postcards, then in several published books. A conservationist at heart, Blasio prays from Kampala, Uganda. [bio updated: 2026-03-14]